07月14日 一年的第196天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:賽16-18章
第16章主要在講:「預言摩押向猶大求庇護,群眾三年之內剩餘無幾。」。
你們當將羊羔奉給那地掌權的,從西拉往曠野,送到錫安城的山。
一.摩押的居民在亞嫩渡口,必像遊飛的鳥,如拆窩的雛。
1.求你獻謀略,行公平,使你的影子在午間如黑夜,隱藏被趕散的人,不可顯露逃民。
2.求你容我這被趕散的人和你同居。至於摩押,
3.求你作他的隱密處,脫離滅命者的面。勒索人的歸於無有,毀滅的事止息了,欺壓人的從國中除滅了,
4.必有寶座因慈愛堅立;必有一位誠誠實實坐在其上,在大衛帳幕中施行審判,尋求公平,速行公義。
二.我們聽說摩押人驕傲,是極其驕傲;聽說他狂妄、驕傲、忿怒;他誇大的話是虛空的。
1.因此,摩押人必為摩押哀號;人人都要哀號。你們摩押人要為吉珥‧哈列設的葡萄餅哀歎,極其憂傷。
2.因為希實本的田地和西比瑪的葡萄樹都衰殘了。列國的君主折斷其上美好的枝子;這枝子長到雅謝延到曠野,嫩枝向外探出,直探過鹽海。
3.因此,我要為西比瑪的葡萄樹哀哭,與雅謝人哀哭一樣。希實本、以利亞利啊,我要以眼淚澆灌你;因為有交戰吶喊的聲音臨到你夏天的果子,並你收割的莊稼。
4.從肥美的田中奪去了歡喜快樂;在葡萄園裏必無歌唱,也無歡呼的聲音。踹酒的在酒醡中不得踹出酒來;我使他歡呼的聲音止息。
5.因此,我心腹為摩押哀鳴如琴;我心腸為吉珥‧哈列設也是如此。
三.摩押人朝見的時候,在高處疲乏,又到他聖所祈禱,也不蒙應允。
1.這是耶和華從前論摩押的話。
2.但現在耶和華說:「三年之內,照雇工的年數,摩押的榮耀與他的群眾必被藐視,餘剩的人甚少無幾。」
◎心得分享:這一章講到「摩押人」被上帝刑罰的原因,也是跟「巴比倫」一樣的原因,就是「驕傲」,這章特別強調是極其驕傲;狂妄、驕傲、忿怒,講誇大的話的,到頭來是憂傷哀歎,這一章再次提醒我們「不要驕傲」,要謙卑,「驕傲」就像是可怕的「傳染病」一樣,無論是大國或小國,強者或是弱者,一旦得勢無一倖免,求神幫助我們學習「謙卑」,看別人比自己強。
第17章主要在講:「預言大馬色必被廢棄。」。
一.論大馬士革的默示:看哪,大馬士革已被廢棄,不再為城,必變作亂堆。
1.亞羅珥的城邑已被撇棄,必成為牧羊之處;羊在那裏躺臥,無人驚嚇。
2.以法蓮不再有保障;大馬士革不再有國權;亞蘭所剩下的必像以色列人的榮耀消滅一樣。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。
3.到那日,雅各的榮耀必至枵薄;他肥胖的身體必漸瘦弱。
就必像收割的人收斂禾稼,用手割取穗子,又像人在利乏音谷拾取遺落的穗子。
4.其間所剩下的不多,好像人打橄欖樹─在儘上的枝梢上只剩兩三個果子;在多果樹的旁枝上只剩四五個果子。這是耶和華─以色列的 神說的。
二.當那日,人必仰望造他們的主,眼目重看以色列的聖者。
1.他們必不仰望祭壇,就是自己手所築的,也不重看自己指頭所做的,無論是木偶是日像。
2.在那日,他們的堅固城必像樹林中和山頂上所撇棄的地方,就是從前在以色列人面前被人撇棄的。這樣,地就荒涼了。
因你忘記救你的神,不記念你能力的磐石;所以,你栽上佳美的樹秧子,插上異樣的栽子。
3.栽種的日子,你周圍圈上籬笆,又到早晨使你所種的開花;但在愁苦極其傷痛的日子,所收割的都飛去了。
4.唉!多民鬨嚷,好像海浪匉訇;列邦奔騰,好像猛水滔滔;
5.列邦奔騰,好像多水滔滔;但 神斥責他們,他們就遠遠逃避,又被追趕,如同山上的風前糠,又如暴風前的旋風土。
三.到晚上有驚嚇,未到早晨他們就沒有了。這是擄掠我們之人所得的分,是搶奪我們之人的報應。
◎心得分享:這一章預言「亞蘭國」必被廢棄,在上帝的刑罰下,也好不到那裡去,他們曾是擄掠搶奪別人的,最後他們得到「報應」。神的話告訴我們:「不要自欺,上帝是輕慢不得的,人種的是什麼,得的也是什麼」,我們基督徒行善不行惡,不是因為「報應」這個原因,而是因為「我們愛上帝,順服上帝的話」,求上帝幫助我們遠離上帝的刑罰。
第18主要在講:「古實之民英勇可畏,將禮物奉給耶和華。」。
一.唉!古實河外翅膀刷刷響聲之地,
1.差遣使者在水面上,坐蒲草船過海。
2.先知說:你們快行的使者,要到高大光滑的民那裏去。
3.自從開國以來,那民極其可畏,是分地界踐踏人的;他們的地有江河分開。
4.世上一切的居民和地上所住的人哪,山上豎立大旗的時候你們要看;吹角的時候你們要聽。
二.耶和華對我這樣說:我要安靜,在我的居所觀看,如同日光中的清熱,又如露水的雲霧在收割的熱天。
1.收割之先,花開已謝,花也成了將熟的葡萄;他必用鐮刀削去嫩枝,又砍掉蔓延的枝條,都要撇給山間的鷙鳥和地上的野獸。
2.夏天,鷙鳥要宿在其上;冬天,野獸都臥在其中。
3.到那時,這高大光滑的民,就是從開國以來極其可畏、分地界踐踏人的,他們的地有江河分開;他們必將禮物奉給萬軍之耶和華,就是奉到錫安山耶和華安置他名的地方。
◎心得分享:「古實」就是埃及,也是預表世界,而世界的金銀財寶,最後都要來奉獻給耶和華,正如神的話說:「我必震動萬國,萬國的珍寶必都運來,我就使這殿滿了榮耀,這是萬軍之耶和華說的」,感謝神!希望這樣的話,很快應驗在我們這個世界,求上帝在這個世代,彰顯祂的榮耀。
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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。