06月27日 一年的第179天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:王下19-21章
第19章主要在講:「希西家禱告,天使殺亞述大軍18萬7千人」。
一.希西家王聽見,就撕裂衣服,披上麻布,進了耶和華的殿;吩咐家宰、書記、祭司中的長老,都披上麻布,去見亞摩斯的兒子先知以賽亞,
1.對他說:「拉伯沙基的一切話,就是辱罵永生神的話,求你為餘剩的民揚聲禱告。
2.以賽亞對他們說:「耶和華如此說:『你聽見亞述王的僕人褻瀆我的話,不要懼怕。我必驚動他的心,他要聽見風聲就歸回本地。我必使他在那裏倒在刀下。』」
二.拉伯沙基回去,正遇見亞述王攻打立拿,原來他早聽見亞述王拔營離開拉吉。亞述王又打發使者去見希西家,吩咐他們說:
1.不要聽你所倚靠的 神欺哄你,說耶路撒冷必不交在亞述王的手中。
2.你總聽說亞述諸王向列國所行的,乃是盡行滅絕,這些國的神何曾拯救這些國呢?
三.希西家從使者手裏接過書信來,看完了,就上耶和華的殿,將書信在耶和華面前展開。
1.希西家向耶和華禱告說:
A.耶和華啊,求你側耳而聽!求你睜眼而看!要聽西拿基立打發使者來辱罵永生 神的話。
B.耶和華啊,亞述諸王果然使列國和列國之地變為荒涼,
C.耶和華現在求你救我們脫離亞述王的手,使天下萬國都知道惟獨你─耶和華是神!
2.亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞就打發人去見希西家,說:
A.神說:『你既然求我攻擊亞述王西拿基立,我已聽見了。』
B.我賜你們一個證據:你們今年要吃自生的,明年也要吃自長的;至於後年,你們要耕種收割,栽植葡萄園,吃其中的果子。猶大家所逃脫餘剩的,仍要往下扎根,向上結果。
C.耶和華論亞述王如此說:『他必不得來到這城,也不在這裏射箭,不得拿盾牌到城前,也不築壘攻城。19:33 他從哪條路來,必從那條路回去,必不得來到這城。
D.因我為自己的緣故,又為我僕人大衛的緣故,必保護拯救這城。』」
四.當夜,耶和華的使者出去,在亞述營中殺了十八萬五千人。清早有人起來,一看,都是死屍了。
1.亞述王西拿基立就拔營回去,住在尼尼微。
2.一日在他的神尼斯洛廟裏叩拜,他兒子亞得米勒和沙利色用刀殺了他,就逃到亞拉臘地。
3.他兒子以撒哈頓接續他作王。
◎心得分享:當亞述王來攻打,希西家王用禱告來解決他的危機,事實證明禱告出現了轉機,先知以賽亞來告知希西家,他的禱告蒙上帝垂聽,上帝在當夜派使者,在亞述營中殺了十八萬五千人,亞述王回到亞述也被他兒子殺死,這在告訴我禱告是很重要,上帝願意藉由禱告來幫助我們。
第20章主要在講:「希西家禱告,神多給他15歲數」。
一.希西家病得要死。以賽亞去見他,對他說:『你當留遺命與你的家,因為你必死,不能活了。』」
1.希西家就轉臉朝牆,禱告耶和華說: 「耶和華啊,求你記念我在你面前怎樣存完全的心,按誠實行事,又做你眼中所看為善的。」希西家就痛哭了。
2.以賽亞出來,還沒有到中院,耶和華的話就臨到他,說:「你回去告訴我民的君希西家說:耶和華─你祖大衛的 神如此說:『我聽見了你的禱告,看見了你的眼淚,我必醫治你;到第三日,你必上到耶和華的殿。我必加增你十五年的壽數,並且我要救你和這城脫離亞述王的手。我為自己和我僕人大衛的緣故,必保護這城。』」
3.以賽亞說:「當取一塊無花果餅來。」人就取了來,貼在瘡上,王便痊愈了。
4.希西家問以賽亞說:「耶和華必醫治我,有甚麼兆頭呢?」以賽亞說:「你要日影向前進十度呢?是要往後退十度呢?」 希西家回答說:「我要日影往後退十度。」
5.先知以賽亞求告耶和華,耶和華就使亞哈斯的日晷向前進的日影,往後退了十度。
二.巴比倫王聽見希西家病而痊愈,就送書信和禮物給他。
1.希西家聽從使者的話,就把他寶庫的金子、銀子、香料、貴重的膏油,和他武庫的一切軍器,並他所有的財寶,都給他們看。他家中和他全國之內,希西家沒有一樣不給他們看的。
2.先知以賽亞來見希西家王,知道是從遠方的巴比倫來。以賽亞說:「要聽耶和華的話,日子必到,凡你家裏所有的,並你列祖積蓄到如今的,都要被擄到巴比倫去,不留下一樣。從你本身所生的眾子,其中必有被擄去在巴比倫王宮裏當太監的。」
3.希西家對以賽亞說:「你所說耶和華的話甚好!若在我的年日中有太平和穩固的景況,豈不是好嗎?」
4.希西家與他列祖同睡。他兒子瑪拿西接續他作王。
◎心得分享:希西家為他必死的病禱告,上帝在給他十五年的歲數,然而他卻忘了「錢不露白」的危機,得意洋洋把他寶庫的金子、銀子、香料、貴重的膏油,和他武庫的一切軍器,並他所有的財寶,都給巴比倫使者看,這也埋下猶大國被擄的危機。
第21章主要在講:「南國最壞的王瑪拿西」。
一.瑪拿西登基的時候年十二歲,在耶路撒冷作王五十五年。
1.瑪拿西行耶和華眼中看為惡的事,效法外邦人所行可憎的事。
A.重新建築他父希西家所毀壞的邱壇,又為巴力築壇,做亞舍拉像,效法以色列王亞哈所行的,且敬拜事奉天上的萬象;
B.在耶和華殿宇中築壇,為天上的萬象築壇,並使他的兒子經火,又觀兆,用法術,立交鬼的和行巫術的,多行耶和華眼中看為惡的事,惹動他的怒氣;
C.又在殿內立雕刻的亞舍拉像。耶和華曾對大衛和他兒子所羅門說:「我在以色列眾支派中所選擇的耶路撒冷和這殿,必立我的名,直到永遠。
2.瑪拿西引誘他們行惡,比先前亞摩利人所行的更甚,使猶大人拜他的偶像,陷在罪裏;
3.神說:「我禍與耶路撒冷和猶大,叫一切聽見的人無不耳鳴。我必棄掉所餘剩的子民,把他們交在仇敵手中,使他們成為一切仇敵擄掠之物;
4.瑪拿西與他列祖同睡,葬在自己宮院烏撒的園內;他兒子亞們接續他作王。
二.亞們登基的時候年二十二歲,在耶路撒冷作王二年。
1.亞們行耶和華眼中看為惡的事,與他父親瑪拿西所行的一樣;行他父親一切所行的,敬奉他父親所敬奉的偶像,離棄耶和華─他列祖的 神,不遵行耶和華的道。
2.亞們王的臣僕背叛他,在宮裏殺了他。
3.國民殺了那些背叛亞們王的人,立他兒子約西亞接續他作王。
◎心得分享:希西家為自己必死的病禱告,神給他十五年壽數,但是他卻生下了猶大國最壞的王,瑪拿西把偶像放在聖殿內,惹動上帝的怒氣,導致猶大國被擄的最主要的原因,這在提醒我們,像希西家這樣「向上帝強求得來」,到底是好是壞?其實上帝早就都有最好的安排,而這十五年對希西家,到底是「賺到」或是「虧大」了呢?留給我們大家去省思。
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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。