09月03日 一年的第247天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:代下10-13章
第10章主要在講:「羅波安的愚頑,以色列人叛」。
一.羅波安往示劍去,因為以色列人都到了示劍,要立他作王。代下10:1
1.尼八的兒子耶羅波安先前躲避所羅門王,逃往埃及,住在那裏;他聽見這事,就從埃及回來。代下10:2
2.以色列人打發人去請他,他就和以色列眾人來見羅波安,對他說:代下10:3
「你父親使我們負重軛作苦工,現在求你使我們作的苦工負的重軛輕鬆些,我們就事奉你。」代下10:4
3.羅波安對他們說:「第三日再來見我罷!」民就去了。代下10:5
A.羅波安之父所羅門在世的日子,有侍立在他面前的老年人,羅波安王和他們商議,說:「你們給我出個甚麼主意,我好回覆這民。」代下10:6
B.老年人對他說:「王若恩待這民,使他們喜悅,用好話回覆他們,他們就永遠作王的僕人。」代下10:7
C.王卻不用老年人給他出的主意,就和那些與他一同長大、在他面前侍立的少年人商議,代下10:8
a.說:「這民對我說:『你父親使我們負重軛,求你使我們輕鬆些』;你們給我出個甚麼主意,我好回覆他們。」代下10:9
b.那同他長大的少年人說:「這民對王說:『你父親使我們負重軛,求你使我們輕鬆些』;王要對他們如此說:『我的小拇指比我父親的腰還粗;代下10:10
c.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。』」代下10:11
二.耶羅波安和眾百姓遵著羅波安王所說「你們第三日再來見我」的那話,第三日他們果然來了。代下10:12
1.羅波安王用嚴厲的話回覆他們,不用老年人所出的主意,代下10:13
2.照著少年人所出的主意對他們說:「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。」代下10:14
3.王不肯依從百姓;這事乃出於神,為要應驗耶和華藉示羅人亞希雅對尼八兒子耶羅波安所說的話。代下10:15
4.以色列眾民見王不依從他們,就對王說:我們與大衛有甚麼分兒呢?與耶西的兒子並沒有關涉!以色列人哪,各回各家去罷!大衛家阿,自己顧自己罷!於是,以色列眾人都回自己家裏去了。代下10:16
5.惟獨住在猶大城邑的以色列人,羅波安仍作他們的王。代下10:17
三.羅波安王差遣掌管服苦之人的哈多蘭往以色列人那裏去,以色列人就用石頭打死他。羅波安王急忙上車,逃回耶路撒冷去了。代下10:18
這樣,以色列人背叛大衛家,直到今日。代下10:19
◎心得分享:羅波安的「愚蠢與狂傲」,聽了少年人所出的主意,不用老年人所出的主意對以色列人說:「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」,導致以色列十個支派,背叛大衛家。這個故事告訴我們,神抵擋驕傲的人,賜恩給謙卑的人,求神幫助我們不要說狂驕的話。
第11章主要在講:「上帝禁止羅波安與以色列戰」。
一.羅波安來到耶路撒冷,招聚猶大家和便雅憫家,共十八萬人,都是挑選的戰士,要與以色列人爭戰,好將國奪回再歸自己。代下11:1
1.但耶和華的話臨到神人示瑪雅說:代下11:2
2.你去告訴所羅門的兒子猶大王羅波安和住猶大、便雅憫的以色列眾人說,代下11:3
3.耶和華如此說:『你們不可上去與你們的弟兄爭戰,各歸各家去罷!因為這事出於我。』」眾人就聽從耶和華的話歸回,不去與耶羅波安爭戰。代下11:4
二.羅波安住在耶路撒冷,在猶大地修築城邑,代下11:5
1.為保障修築伯利恆、以坦、提哥亞、代下11:6
A.伯夙、梭哥、亞杜蘭、代下11:7
B.迦特、瑪利沙、西弗、代下11:8
C.亞多萊音、拉吉、亞西加、代下11:9
D.瑣拉、亞雅崙、希伯崙。這都是猶大和便雅憫的堅固城。代下11:10
2.羅波安又堅固各處的保障,在其中安置軍長,又豫備下糧食、油、酒。代下11:11
3.他在各城裏豫備盾牌和槍,且使城極其堅固。猶大和便雅憫都歸了他。代下11:12
4.以色列全地的祭司和利未人都從四方來歸羅波安。代下11:13
三.利未人撇下他們的郊野和產業,來到猶大與耶路撒冷,是因耶羅波安和他的兒子拒絕他們,不許他們供祭司職分事奉耶和華。代下11:14
1.耶羅波安為邱壇、為鬼魔(原文是公山羊)、為自己所鑄造的牛犢設立祭司。代下11:15
2.以色列各支派中,凡立定心意尋求耶和華以色列神的,都隨從利未人,來到耶路撒冷祭祀耶和華他們列祖的神。代下11:16
四.這樣,就堅固猶大國,使所羅門的兒子羅波安強盛三年,因為他們三年遵行大衛和所羅門的道。代下11:17
1.羅波安娶大衛兒子耶利摩的女兒瑪哈拉為妻,又娶耶西兒子以利押的女兒亞比孩為妻。代下11:18
A.從他生了幾個兒子,就是耶烏施、示瑪利雅、撒罕。代下11:19
B.後來又娶押沙龍的女兒瑪迦(十三章二節是烏列的女兒米該雅),從他生了亞比雅、亞太、細撒、示羅密。代下11:20
C.羅波安娶十八個妻,立六十個妾,生二十八個兒子,六十個女兒;他卻愛押沙龍的女兒瑪迦,比愛別的妻妾更甚。代下11:21
D.羅波安立瑪迦的兒子亞比雅作太子,在他弟兄中為首,因為想要立他接續作王。代下11:22
2.羅波安辦事精明,使他眾子分散在猶大和便雅憫全地各堅固城裏,又賜他們許多糧食,為他們多尋妻子。代下11:23
◎心得分享:羅波安來到耶路撒冷,招聚猶大家和便雅憫家,共十八萬人,都是挑選的戰士,要與以色列人爭戰,好將國奪回再歸自己,耶和華的話臨到神人示瑪雅說:『你們不可上去與你們的弟兄爭戰,各歸各家去罷!因為這事出於我。』。眾人就聽從耶和華的話歸回,不去與耶羅波安爭戰。耶羅波安把利未人全部趕出,利未人就來幫助羅波安,使所羅門的兒子羅波安強盛三年,因為他們三年遵行大衛和所羅門的道。從羅波安身上看到,雖然我們曾經失敗,只要我們願意順服神,上帝依然會祝福我們。
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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。