06月29日 一年的第181天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:珥01-03章
第01章主要在講:「蝗蟲哀號哭泣的日子」。
耶和華的話臨到約珥。
一.老年人當聽我的話;你們要將這事傳與子,子傳與孫,孫傳與後代。
1.剪蟲剩下的,蝗蟲來吃;蝗蟲剩下的,蝻子來吃;蝻子剩下的,螞蚱來吃。
2.酒醉人,要清醒哭泣;好酒的人,都要為甜酒哀號,因為從你們的口中斷絕了。
3.有一隊蝗蟲又強盛又無數,侵犯我的地;牙齒如獅子的牙齒,大牙如母獅的大牙。毀壞葡萄樹,剝了無花果樹的皮,剝盡而丟棄,使枝條露白。
二.我的民哪,你當哀號,像處女腰束麻布,為幼年的丈夫哀號。
1.素祭和奠祭從耶和華的殿中斷絕;事奉耶和華的祭司都悲哀。
2.田荒涼,地悲哀;因為五穀毀壞,新酒乾竭,油也缺乏。
三.農夫啊,你們要慚愧;
1.修理葡萄園的啊,要哀號;因為大麥小麥與田間的莊稼都滅絕了。
2.葡萄樹枯乾;無花果樹衰殘。石榴樹、棕樹、蘋果樹,樹木也都枯乾;眾人喜樂消滅。
四.祭司啊,你們當腰束麻布痛哭;
1.伺候祭壇的啊,你們要哀號;
2.事奉神的啊,你們要來披上麻布過夜,因為素祭和奠祭從你們 神的殿中斷絕了。
五.你們要分定禁食的日子,宣告嚴肅會,招聚長老和國中的一切居民到耶和華─你們 神的殿,向耶和華哀求。
◎心得分享:「蝗蟲」有四種長成的類型,從幼蟲螞蚱、蝻蟲、蝗蟲到剪蟲,這都是豫表著上帝的審判與管教,在上帝的審判下,先知建議我們,在苦難中的幾件事:1.要慚愧,2.束腰哀哭,3.要禁食,要聚會並向神禱告,求神幫助我們,真正的悔改,讓上帝的忿怒止息。
第02章主要在講:「悔改聖靈澆灌的日子」。
一.你們要在錫安出大吹角,國民都要發顫;耶和華的日子將到,已經臨近。
1.那日是黑暗、幽冥、密雲、烏黑的日子,有一隊蝗蟲又大又強;從來沒有這樣的,以後直到萬代也必沒有。
A.牠們前面後面如火焰燒盡。未到以前,地如伊甸園;過去以後,成了荒涼的曠野;沒有一樣能躲避牠們的。
B.牠們的形狀如馬,奔跑如馬兵。響聲如車輛的響聲,又如火焰燒碎秸的響聲,好像強盛的民擺陣預備打仗。
C.牠們一來,眾民傷慟,臉都變色。
a.牠們如勇士奔跑,像戰士爬城;各都步行,不亂隊伍。
b.彼此並不擁擠,向前各行其路,直闖兵器,不偏左右。
c.牠們蹦上城,躥上牆,爬上房屋,進入窗戶如同盜賊。
D.牠們一來,地震天動,日月昏暗,星宿無光。
2.耶和華在他軍旅前發聲,成就他命的是強盛者。耶和華的日子大而可畏,誰能當得起呢?
二.耶和華說:雖然如此,你們應當禁食、哭泣、悲哀,一心歸向我。
1.你們要撕裂心腸,不撕裂衣服。歸向耶和華─你們的 神;
因為他有恩典,有憐憫,不輕易發怒,有豐盛的慈愛,並且後悔不降所說的災。或者他轉意後悔,留下餘福,也未可知。
2.你們要在錫安吹角,分定禁食的日子,宣告嚴肅會。聚集眾民自潔:招聚老者。
3.事奉耶和華的祭司要在廊子和祭壇中間哭泣,說:耶和華啊,求你顧惜你的百姓,
三.耶和華就為自己的地發熱心,憐恤他的百姓。
1.耶和華應允必賜五穀、新酒,和油,使你們飽足;
2.不再使你們受列國的羞辱;卻要使北方來的軍隊遠離你們,將他們趕到乾旱荒廢之地:前隊趕入東海,後隊趕入西海;因為他們所行的大惡,臭氣上升,腥味騰空。
3.不要懼怕;要歡喜快樂,因為耶和華行了大事。
A.曠野的草發生,樹木結果,無花果樹、葡萄樹也都效力。
B.耶和華─你們的 神歡喜;賜給你們合宜的秋雨,為你們降下甘霖,就是秋雨、春雨,和先前一樣。
C.禾場必滿了麥子;酒醡與油醡必有新酒和油盈溢。
4.我打發到你們中間的大軍隊,就是蝗蟲、蝻子、螞蚱、剪蟲,所吃的,我要補還你們。
A.你們必多吃而得飽足,就讚美耶和華神的名。
B.我的百姓必永遠不至羞愧。
C.你們必知道我是在以色列中間,又知道我是耶和華─你們的 神;在我以外並無別神。
四.我要將我的靈澆灌凡有血氣的。
1.你們的兒女要說預言;你們的老年人要做異夢,少年人要見異象。在那些日子,我要將我的靈澆灌我的僕人和使女。
2.在天上地下,我要顯出奇事,有血,有火,有煙柱。日頭要變為黑暗,月亮要變為血,這都在耶和華大而可畏的日子未到以前。
3.到那時候,凡求告耶和華名的就必得救;因為照耶和華所說的,在錫安山,耶路撒冷必有逃脫的人,在剩下的人中必有耶和華所召的。」
◎心得分享:這一章又給我們在苦難中,更進一步的教導,就是要一心歸向神,神必降下「聖靈」,使我們能被聖靈充滿,說預言、做異夢、見異象,如果我們這樣,在災難中求告耶和華的名,祂必拯救,我們必能從災難中逃脫。
第03章主要在講:「審判斷定蒙福的日子」。
一.到那日,我使猶大和耶路撒冷被擄之人歸回的時候,我要聚集萬民,帶他們下到約沙法谷,在那裏施行審判;
1.他們將我的百姓,分散在列國中,又分取我的地土,且為我的百姓拈鬮,將童子換妓女,賣童女買酒喝。
2.你們既然奪取我的金銀,又將我可愛的寶物帶入你們宮殿,將猶大人和耶路撒冷人賣給希臘人,使他們遠離自己的境界。
3.我必激動他們離開你們所賣到之地,又必使報應歸到你們的頭上。
A.我必將你們的兒女賣在猶大人的手中,
B.他們必賣給遠方示巴國的人。這是耶和華說的。
二.當在萬民中宣告說:要預備打仗;激動勇士,使一切戰士上前來。
1.要將犛頭打成刀劍,將鐮刀打成戈矛;軟弱的要說:我有勇力。
2.四圍的列國啊,你們要速速地來,一同聚集。
3.耶和華啊,求你使你的大能者降臨。
4.萬民都當興起,上到約沙法谷;因為我必坐在那裏,審判四圍的列國。
5.開鐮吧!因為莊稼熟了;踐踏吧!因為酒醡滿了。酒池盈溢;他們的罪惡甚大。
三.許多許多的人在斷定谷,因為耶和華的日子臨近斷定谷。
1.日月昏暗,星宿無光。耶和華必從錫安吼叫,從耶路撒冷發聲,天地就震動。
2.耶和華卻要作他百姓的避難所,作以色列人的保障。
3.耶路撒冷必成為聖;外邦人不再從其中經過。到那日,大山要滴甜酒;小山要流奶子;猶大溪河都有水流。必有泉源從耶和華的殿中流出來,滋潤什亭谷。
4.埃及必然荒涼,以東變為悽涼曠野,因所行的強暴,在本地流無辜人的血。
5.但猶大必存到永遠;耶路撒冷必存到萬代。我未曾報復流血的罪,現在我要報復,因為耶和華住在錫安。
◎心得分享:先知的話,總是包括了幾件:1.悔改,2.歸向神轉離惡行,3.上帝必應許賜福,這一章就在對我們說出,當我們悔改後,上帝必賜福給我們,替我們伸冤,在斷定谷審判萬民,求神幫助我們歸向上帝,被聖靈充滿。
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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。