03月19日 一年的第079天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:士01-04章
第01章主要在講:「十二支派攻佔情形」。
約書亞死後,1.猶大支派:先與迦南人爭戰,攻打耶路撒冷城,迦勒攻打基列西弗城,俄陀聶奪取那城,得到水泉,猶大趕出山地的居民,不能趕出平原居民,因為他們有戰車,迦勒得到希伯崙,2.便雅憫支派:沒趕出耶布斯人,就與他們同住,3.瑪拿西支派:沒全然趕出迦南人,迦南人執意住在那裡,4.以法蓮支派:沒有趕出迦南人,5.西布倫支派:沒有趕出迦南人,6.亞設支派:沒有趕出迦南人,7.拿弗他利支派:沒有趕出迦南人,8.但支派:被亞摩利人強逼住在山地,不容他們下到平原。
◎心得分享:這章是在敘述著以色列人在迦南的情形,要離開埃及進入迦南地很難,要在迦南地更難,約旦河西的情形沒提到,在約旦河東卻是「步步困難、舉步維艱」,可能是敵人強大、信心不足、人對神認識不夠…等等,最可憐是但支派,被強逼住在山地,不能下到平原,我們好像有時也像這樣,被環境逼到走頭無路,求神把迦勒和俄陀聶的信心給我們,勇於面對問題,戰勝困難,趕出仇敵。
第02章主要在講:「十二支派生活情形」。
一.耶和華的使者對以色列人說:1.我領你們從埃及上來,到應許之地,2.我不廢棄與你們立約,你們不可與這地居民立約,要拆毀他們的祭壇,3.你們沒有聽從我的話,他們必作你們肋上荊棘網羅,4.以色列人聽了,百姓就放聲而哭,二.約書亞那世代的人都死了,1.新的世代興起,不知道耶和華,也不知道祂為以色列人所行的事,2.以色列人行惡:事奉巴力、離棄神、去叩拜別神、惹耶和華發怒,3.神將他們交付四圍仇敵,在仇敵面前站立不住,受災禍攻擊、極其困苦,4.神興起士師拯救他們脫離仇敵的手,5.士師死了,他們就轉去行惡,比他們列祖更甚,事奉叩拜別神,神的怒氣向他們發怒,三.約書亞死後,神沒完全趕出迦南各族,為要試驗以色列人,看他們肯不肯謹守遵行神的道。
◎心得分享:實在說「人是健忘的動物」,耶和華的使者責備以色列人,沒有聽從神的話,仇敵就作他們的網羅,他們就哭了,環境久了,困難問題沒改變,人常不是「勇於再改變環境,而是跟環境妥協,被環境改變」,求神幫助我們,常常記住神的話,並遵行神的道。
第03章主要在講:「士師:俄陀聶、以笏、珊迦」。
一.神留下迦南人是要試驗不知道爭戰之事的以色列人:1.叫後代知道學習曉得戰事,2.要試驗他們肯不肯聽誡命,3.以色列人竟住在他們中間,娶他們兒女為妻,事奉他們的神,行耶和華眼中看為惡的事,神的怒氣向以色列人發作,把他們交給米所波大米王,在服事8年後呼求神,神就興起拯救者士師,二.士師:俄陀聶,勝了仇敵,國中太平40年,三.土師:以笏,俄陀聶死了,以色列人行惡,摩押人攻擊以色列人,以色列服事摩押王18年,以色列人呼求神,神就興起以笏,刺殺摩押王,並擊殺摩押人一萬強壯的勇士,國中太平80年,四.士師:珊迦,用趕牛棍子,打死600百非利士人。
◎心得分享:人一旦與環境妥協,拒絕聽神的話,跟外邦人一樣拜偶像,接著生活就不順、受到欺壓,求告神,神就興起拯救者,改變一切,當環境順了,領袖「俄陀聶」死了,就開始行耶和華眼中看為惡的事,結果仇敵就興起,求神幫助我們脫離這種惡性循環,堅定心志跟隨主到底不改變。
第04章主要在講:「女士師:底波拉」。
1.以笏死後,以色列人又行神眼中看為惡的事,神就將他們交在迦南人手中,迦南人有鐵車900輛,欺壓以色列人二十年,以色列人呼求耶和華,2.女先知底波拉,是當時士師,召「巴拉」來對他說:「神吩咐你率領1萬人,攻擊迦南人西西拉將軍的車輛全軍,我將他交在你手中,3.巴拉說:「你不與我去,我就不去」,底波拉說:「我必與你同去、只是你在所行的路上,得不著榮耀」,神使西西拉和他全軍潰亂被刀殺敗,希百的妻雅億用釘子,釘入西西拉鬢邊,他就死了,從此以色列人的手,越發有力,勝了迦南王耶賓。
◎心得分享:「巴拉」雖然是位勇士,但是因為「信心」小,就依賴「底波拉」的同去,雖然敵軍被殺敗,但是他的榮耀就被底波拉奪走,這在提醒我們,常常依靠人,超過依靠上帝的話,總以為看得見人,比看不見的神,更有保障,而導致我們不會長大,只會依靠人,求神幫助我們要有「底波拉」的信心。
今天: | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
昨天: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
總計: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."(Gal. 6:14)
THEY were living to themselves; self with its hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfill their prayers. They had asked for contrition, and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost, and He sent them sorrow; they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish; they had asked to be meek, and He had broken their hearts; they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all their living hopes; they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in the furnace, sitting by "as a refiner and purifier of silver," until they should reflect His image; they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.
They had asked they knew not what, nor how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so night to Him. They had upon them an awe and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot to back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced too deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32).
But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.
Little by little, from time to time, by fitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze they advance, and are changed into His likeness, and His name shines out throught them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to lack what others own (and what they might have had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.
Such, are they in all ages, "who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."
Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His Kingdom. They would have had Lot's portion, not Abraham's. If they had halted anywhere-if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back-what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the resurrection?
But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many a time their foot had well night slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.
-Anonymous.
基督曾說過:「我心柔和謙卑,你們當學我的樣式,這樣你們心裏就必得享安息。」這兒有雙重的真理,有忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的美德,這與傚法基督或信靠祂有相同的意義;同時因著你有這些美德,可以完全脫離亞當墮落的本性而有信靠主高尚的行為。
連帶而有的福份,是因著脫離罪惡和對基督初步信仰、期望,受基督忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的靈引導並管理;當你具有這些德性,你的生命就有目的,是真理和生命的基督才會在你裏面,你不再掌權,而是基督在你裏面活著。除非你願在忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好裏治死老我,否則神聖愛的靈,因無立足之地而不能在你裏面產生;而當你又為不忍耐、驕傲所困擾之際,馬上完全捨己,求神施恩幫助。當你遇到難處就促使與神親近,最能使你忍耐接受神的幫助,我們對神有多少信心和期望就可得多少的啟示。
「這些雖然很簡短,但是真正確的教義,使我們因賜下的救恩而真正完全順服神的啟示下,也真正宣告承認三而一的真神。」現在願你有個思想:完全將我的心靈獻上,單單尋求救恩,直接藉著溫柔、謙卑、忍耐和與神和好的力量,使我的生命有屬天的德性。
「並且要作這更大的事,因為我往父那裡去。」約翰福音十四章12節
祈禱不是叫我們適於那偉大的工作;祈禱本身就是偉大的工作。我們以為祈禱,是叫我們得到較高的能力,去應付神的工作。但按照耶穌基督的眼光看,祈禱是我本已救贖的奇蹟,藉著神的能力,同時也是別人救贖的奇蹟。結果子之方法,是祈禱,但須記取的,這種祈禱是建立在救贖的痛苦,不是建立於我的痛苦。一個小孩能獲得祈禱的答覆,一個聰明人反而得不著。
你無論在那裡祈禱總是一種戰爭。不管神製造環境的方法怎樣,本分就是祈禱。切不可如此作想──「我所在的地方,不見得有用;」因為你不在的地方,你必沒有有用。無論神安排你在那裡,祈禱,常常向祂祈禱。「你們若奉我的名求甚麼,我必成就。」(約十四13)我們不肯祈禱,我們得不著奮興,就不肯祈禱,那就是靈性自私的極度形態。我們要依照神的指導而勞動,但祂指導我們的是祈禱,「所以你們當求莊稼的主,打發工人出去,收祂的莊稼。
通常的工人對於工作,是沒有興奮的,但是成功通常是工作勞作出來的;同樣基督的概念,沒有那些勞苦的聖徒是不會發現的。你慇勤祈禱,從神的立場看,是無時不發生效果的。當帕子揭開,一種說不出的驚奇必然發現,你可以看出你是慣於接受耶穌基督的命令的,已經為祂收穫了不少的靈魂。
「……亞伯拉罕信神……」羅馬書四章3節
亞伯拉罕的信心是向著神本身的,他認識帶領他的神,所以他對神有絕對的信心。
亞伯拉罕一生的秘訣在於他與神的友誼。他所認識的神是一位偉大、良善、信實的朋友。無怪乎他能聽神的話,從他自身所愛的本家本族出來,走向一條未知的道路。
除了信靠神的話語,我們是否已學會把自己全然交給神呢?神有無限的愛及力量,祂是與我們立約的主並永遠的好朋友。
經上告訴我們,亞伯拉罕因著信心而榮耀了神。最能榮耀神的辦法,乃是讓世人看見神是誰,以及祂的大能力。神並不希望藉著我們所能做的事,讓世人知道祂能做什麼;神也不用那些有乖謬性格的器皿。相反的,祂一直在找尋那些謙卑的人,並用這些人在世世代代中榮耀祂。