07月08日 一年的第190天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:何12-14章
第12章主要在講:「神責備百姓忘恩負義」。
一.以法蓮吃風,且追趕東風,時常增添虛謊和強暴,與亞述立約,把油送到埃及。
二.耶和華與猶大爭辯,必照雅各所行的懲罰他,按他所做的報應他。
1.他在腹中抓住哥哥的腳跟,壯年的時候與 神較力,與天使較力,並且得勝,哭泣懇求,在伯特利遇見耶和華。
2.耶和華─萬軍之 神在那裏曉諭我們以色列人;耶和華是他可記念的名。
3.所以你當歸向你的 神,謹守仁愛、公平,常常等候你的 神。
三.以法蓮是商人,手裏有詭詐的天平,愛行欺騙。
1.以法蓮說:我果然成了富足,得了財寶;我所勞碌得來的,人必不見有甚麼不義,可算為罪的。
2.自從你出埃及地以來,我就是耶和華─你的 神;我必使你再住帳棚,如在大會的日子一樣。我已曉諭眾先知,並且加增默示,藉先知設立比喻。
3.基列人沒有罪孽嗎?他們全然是虛假的。人在吉甲獻牛犢為祭,他們的祭壇好像田間犛溝中的亂堆。
A.從前雅各逃到亞蘭地,以色列為得妻服事人,為得妻與人放羊。
B.耶和華藉先知領以色列從埃及上來;以色列也藉先知而得保存。
四.以法蓮大大惹動主怒,他流血的罪必歸在他身上。主必將那因以法蓮所受的羞辱歸還他。
◎心得分享:這一章再一次提到「上帝愛的呼喚」,耶和華是可記念的名,你當歸向你的 神,謹守仁愛、公平,常常等候你的神,基列人沒有罪孽嗎?他們全然是虛假的,有人常把罪往別人身上推,喜歡定別人罪,難道他們沒罪嗎?上帝的回答,他們全然是虛假,還帶著假冒偽善伸張公義,只想除掉別人眼中的刺,卻不想先掉自己眼中的樑木,人們常常是這樣,求神幫助我們作一個討神喜悅的人。
第13章主要在講:「神攻擊祂的百姓」。
一.從前以法蓮說話,人都戰兢,他在以色列中居處高位;但他在事奉巴力的事上犯罪就死了。
二.現今他們罪上加罪,用銀子為自己鑄造偶像,就是照自己的聰明製造,都是匠人的工作。有人論說,獻祭的人可以向牛犢親嘴。
1.他們必如早晨的雲霧,又如速散的甘露,像場上的糠被狂風吹去,又像煙氣騰於窗外。
2.自從你出埃及地以來,我就是耶和華─你的 神。在我以外,你不可認識別神;除我以外並沒有救主。
A.我曾在曠野乾旱之地認識你。
B.這些民照我所賜的食物得了飽足;既得飽足,心就高傲,忘記了我。
3.因此,我向他們如獅子,又如豹伏在道旁。
4.我遇見他們必像丟崽子的母熊,撕裂他們的胸膛。在那裏,我必像母獅吞吃他們;野獸必撕裂他們。
三.以色列啊,你與我反對,就是反對幫助你的,自取敗壞。
1.你曾求我說:給我立王和首領。現在你的王在哪裏呢?治理你的在哪裏呢?讓他在你所有的城中拯救你吧!
2.我在怒氣中將王賜你,又在烈怒中將王廢去。
3.以法蓮的罪孽包裹;他的罪惡收藏。
4.產婦的疼痛必臨到他身上;他是無智慧之子,到了產期不當遲延。
5.我必救贖他們脫離陰間,救贖他們脫離死亡。死亡啊,你的災害在哪裏呢?陰間哪,你的毀滅在哪裏呢?在我眼前絕無後悔之事。
四.他在弟兄中雖然茂盛,必有東風颳來,就是耶和華的風從曠野上來。他的泉源必乾;他的源頭必竭;仇敵必擄掠他所積蓄的一切寶器。
五.撒馬利亞必擔當自己的罪,因為悖逆她的 神。她必倒在刀下;嬰孩必被摔死;孕婦必被剖開。
◎心得分享:這一章形容以色列罪上加罪是一個產婦,因為反對上帝的幫助,自取敗壞,因為悖逆她的 神。她必倒在刀下;嬰孩必被摔死;孕婦必被剖開。這是在提醒我,我們要學會順服神,不要背逆神,落在永生上帝的手中,是非常可怕。
第14章主要在講:「最後勸勉與應許,要用言語禱告,不向亞述求救,不騎埃及的馬」。
一.以色列啊,你要歸向耶和華─你的 神;你是因自己的罪孽跌倒了。
二.當歸向耶和華,用言語禱告他說:
1.求你除淨罪孽,悅納善行;這樣,我們就把嘴唇的祭代替牛犢獻上。
2.我們不向亞述求救,不騎埃及的馬,也不再對我們手所造的說:
3.你是我們的 神。因為孤兒在你─耶和華那裏得蒙憐憫。
三.我必醫治他們背道的病,甘心愛他們;因為我的怒氣向他們轉消。
四.我必向以色列如甘露;他必如百合花開放,如黎巴嫩的樹木扎根。
1.他的枝條必延長;他的榮華如橄欖樹;他的香氣如黎巴嫩的香柏樹。
2.曾住在他蔭下的必歸回,發旺如五穀,開花如葡萄樹。他的香氣如黎巴嫩的酒。
五.以法蓮必說:我與偶像還有甚麼關涉呢?我─耶和華回答他,也必顧念他。我如青翠的松樹;你的果子從我而得。
1.誰是智慧人,可以明白這些事;誰是通達人,可以知道這一切。
2.因為,耶和華的道是正直的;義人必在其中行走,罪人卻在其上跌倒。
◎心得分享:這章是何西阿書最後一章,上帝再一次用「愛的呼喚」,說:你當歸向耶和華,用言語禱告,這樣上帝必醫我們背道的病,甘心愛我們怒氣轉消,祝福我們,顧念我們,最後何西阿用一種問話式的結語,來結束這卷書,誰是智慧人、通達人,可以明白知道這一切的事?然而知道明白是一回事,走上去又是一回事,有人可以走在其中,有人在當中跌倒,關鍵在於你是什麼人?是義人或是罪人?問題的答案,留給讀者去想。
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。