06月18日 一年的第170天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:王上11-13章
第11章主要在講:「所羅門王犯罪死亡」。
一.所羅門王在法老的女兒之外,又寵愛許多外邦女子,就是摩押女子、亞捫女子、以東女子、西頓女子、赫人女子。
1.耶和華曾曉諭以色列人,不可與她們往來相通,所羅門卻戀愛這些女子。
2.所羅門年老的時候,他的妃嬪誘惑他去隨從別神,向西頓人的女神亞斯她錄和亞捫人可憎的神米勒公燒香獻祭,在耶路撒冷對面的山上建築邱壇,不效法他父親大衛。
3.耶和華向所羅門發怒,將他的國奪回,賜給他的臣子,不將全國奪回,因大衛和我所選擇的耶路撒冷,還留一支派給他的兒子。
二.耶和華使以東人哈達興起和以利亞大的兒子利遜興起,作所羅門的敵人。
三.所羅門的臣僕耶羅波安也舉手攻擊王。
1.耶羅波安是大有才能的人,監管約瑟家的一切工程。
2.亞希雅對耶羅波安說:「神如此說:『我必將國從所羅門手裏奪回,將十個支派賜給你。』」。我必揀選你,使你照心裏一切所願的,作王治理以色列。你若聽從我一切所吩咐你的,遵行我的道,行我眼中看為正的事,謹守我的律例誡命,像我僕人大衛所行的,我就與你同在,為你立堅固的家,像我為大衛所立的一樣,將以色列人賜給你。
3.所羅門因此想要殺耶羅波安。耶羅波安卻起身逃往埃及;到了埃及王示撒那裏,就住在埃及,直到所羅門死了。
四.所羅門在耶路撒冷作以色列眾人的王共四十年,所羅門與他列祖同睡,葬在他父親大衛的城裏。
◎心得分享:這一章讓我們看到所羅門王年老犯罪與死亡,有智慧很重要,但是不能保證一個人,最終能夠成為神所喜悅的人,所羅門王集眾人喜愛與一身,但是到他最後年老的時候,我們看到他向神明燒香獻祭,這是多麼悲哀的一件事,我們總以為只要有錢、有地位、有智慧、有人脈..最後就能心想事成,但是事實上不是這樣,最重要的是聽上帝的話,遵行祂的道。
第12章主要在講:「南北兩國分裂」。
一.羅波安往示劍去;因為以色列人都到了示劍要立他作王。
1.耶羅波安,逃往埃及,他和以色列會眾都來見羅波安,對他說:「你父親使我們負重軛,做苦工,現在求你使我們做的苦工、負的重軛輕鬆些,我們就事奉你。」
2.羅波安對他們說:「你們暫且去,第三日再來見我。」民就去了。
3.羅波安與老年人和少年人商議,老年人說:「用好話回答他們」,少年人說:女「王要說:『我的小拇指頭比我父親的腰還粗。我父親使你們負重軛,我必使你們負更重的軛!我父親用鞭子責打你們,我要用蠍子鞭責打你們!』」,羅波安不用老年人給他出的主意,而是用少年人主意,第三日他就按少年人用嚴厲的話回答百姓。
4.以色列眾民見王不依從他們,以色列人都回自己家裏去了,以色列人背叛大衛家。
二.羅波安來到耶路撒冷,招聚猶大全家和便雅憫支派的人共十八萬,都是挑選的戰士,要與以色列家爭戰,好將國奪回。
神人示瑪雅去去勸羅波安和猶大、便雅憫不可爭戰,這事是出於神,眾人就聽從耶和華的話,遵著耶和華的命回去了。
三.耶羅波安心裏說:「這民若上耶路撒冷去,在耶和華的殿裏獻祭,恐怕這國仍歸大衛家」。
1.耶羅波安王就籌劃定妥,鑄造了兩個金牛犢,對眾民說:「以色列人哪,你們上耶路撒冷去實在是難;這就是領你們出埃及地的神。」,牛犢一隻安在伯特利,一隻安在但。
2.耶羅波安在邱壇那裏建殿,將那不屬利未人的凡民立為祭司。
3.耶羅波安定八月十五日為節期,為以色列人立作節期的日子,在伯特利上壇燒香。
◎心得分享:這一章有兩個王,他們同樣面對的是「恐懼」,但是他們兩個都作錯了,羅波安遇到「害怕」,他要作的是替百姓想,用妥協方式面對他的問題,但是他卻用「強硬」的方處理,造成國家的分裂,而耶羅波安遇到害怕,他要作的是堅持上帝給他的「啟示」,但是他卻用「妥協」的方式造兩個「金牛犢」給以色列人來拜,不但是把利未人世襲的制度,改變成用民選,甚至把以色列人逾越節的節期取消,定八月十五日為節期為國定節期,遇到問題重點不是「妥協」或「強硬」的方式,更要重要遵行神的旨意。
第13章主要在講:「神人警告北國王耶羅波安」。
一.個神人奉耶和華的命從猶大來到伯特利。耶羅波安正站在壇旁要燒香;
1.神人呼叫,說:「壇哪,耶和華如此說:大衛家裏必生一個兒子,名叫約西亞,他必將邱壇的祭司,就是在你上面燒香的,殺在你上面,人的骨頭也必燒在你上面。」
2.耶羅波安王聽見,就從壇上伸手,說:「拿住他吧!」,王向神人所伸的手就枯乾了,不能彎回;
3.王請神人為他我禱告,使他的手復原。於是神人祈禱耶和華,王的手就復了原。
4.王要神人吃飯,神人不願意在伯特利吃飯喝水,也不從原路回去。
二.有一個老先知住在伯特利,知道神人當日在伯特利所行的一切事。
1.老先知就備好了驢騎上,去追趕神人,
2.遇見他坐在橡樹底下,就請他一同我回家吃飯。老先知欺哄他說:「我也是先知,和你一樣。有天使奉耶和華的命對我說:『你去把他帶回你的家,叫他吃飯喝水。』。
3.於是神人同老先知回去,在他家裏吃飯喝水。老先知對神人說:「耶和華如此說:你既違背耶和華的話,不遵守耶和華─你 神的命令,,在耶和華禁止你吃飯喝水的地方吃了喝了,因此你的屍身不得入你列祖的墳墓。」。
4.吃喝完了,神人就去了,在路上有個獅子遇見他,將他咬死,屍身倒在路上,驢站在屍身旁邊,獅子也站在屍身旁邊。
5.老先知就備了驢去了,看見神人的屍身倒在路上,就把神人的屍身馱在驢上,帶回自己的城裏,要哀哭他,葬埋他;老先知對他兒子們說:「我死了,你們要葬我在神人的墳墓裏,使我的屍骨靠近他的屍骨」。
三.這事以後,耶羅波安仍不離開他的惡道,將凡民立為邱壇的祭司;凡願意的,他都分別為聖,立為邱壇的祭司。這事叫耶羅波安的家陷在罪裏,甚至他的家從地上除滅了。
◎心得分享:以前讀這一章出現了許多的問號?這個神人被騙了,也太不公平太冤枉了,如果我是神人的話,可能我也是會一樣的結果,到底這個事件在說什麼?有一點看不懂,但是再重讀這一段,終於有一點懂,「神人」其實就是在寓表「耶羅波安」,他是神所重用所揀選的人,但是他卻因為「環境」,他「妥協」了,而這位「神人」也是一樣,因為環境的改變,他也「妥協」留下來吃飯,他明明知道不可以這樣,但是他作了,耶羅波安也是知道不能這樣作,但是為了他的王位他作了,「神人」的結果是被獅子咬死,透過這個事件,上帝在提醒耶羅波安,如果他不悔改,他的結果就會跟「神人」一樣,死的很悽慘,聖經沒有很清楚說他是怎樣死的,歷代紀下13章20節,只提到耶和華攻擊他,他就死了,這也再一次提醒我們,遵守上帝的命是很重要的。
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"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。