10月13日 一年的第287天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:尼10-13章
第13章主要在講:「分別潔淨禁異族通婚」。
Ⅰ.念律法書,民聽見就與閑雜人絕交。尼13:1-3
壹.當日,人念摩西的律法書給百姓聽,遇見書上寫著說,亞捫人和摩押人永不可入神的會;尼13:1
一.因為他們沒有拿食物和水來迎接以色列人,尼13:2
二.且雇了巴蘭咒詛他們,但我們的神使那咒詛變為祝福。尼13:2
貳.以色列民聽見這律法,就與一切閒雜人絕交。尼13:3
Ⅱ.處理祭司以利亞實在神殿院內豫備屋子那件惡事。尼13:4-14
壹.先是蒙派管理我們神殿中庫房的祭司以利亞實與多比雅結親,尼13:4
一.便為他豫備一間大屋子,尼13:5
1.就是從前收存素祭、乳香、器皿,
2.和照命令供給利未人、歌唱的、守門的五榖、新酒,和油的十分之一,
3.並歸祭司舉祭的屋子。
二.那時我不在耶路撒冷;尼13:6
1.因為巴比倫王亞達薛西三十二年,我回到王那裏。
2.過了多日,我向王告假。
貳.潔淨這屋子。尼13:7
一.我來到耶路撒冷,就知道以利亞實為多比雅在神殿的院內豫備屋子的那件惡事。尼13:7
二.我甚惱怒,就把多比雅的一切家具從屋裏都拋出去,尼13:8
三.吩咐人潔淨這屋子,遂將神殿的器皿和素祭、乳香又搬進去。尼13:9
四.我見利未人所當得的分無人供給他們,甚至供職的利未人與歌唱的俱各奔回自己的田地去了。尼13:10
1.我就斥責官長說:「為何離棄神的殿呢?」尼13:11
2.我便招聚利未人,使他們照舊供職。尼13:11
參.猶大眾人就把五榖、新酒,和油的十分之一送入庫房。尼13:12
一.我派祭司示利米雅、文士撒督,和利未人毗大雅作庫官管理庫房;尼13:13
二.副官是哈難。哈難是撒刻的兒子;撒刻是瑪他尼的兒子。尼13:13
三.這些人都是忠信的,他們的職分是將所供給的分給他們的弟兄。尼13:13
肆.尼希米的禱告。尼13:14
一.我的神阿,求你因這事記念我,
二.不要塗抹我為神的殿與其中的禮節所行的善。
Ⅲ.禁戒犯安息日。尼13:15-22
壹.那些日子,我在猶大見有人在安息日。尼13:15
一.醡酒,搬運禾捆馱在驢上,又把酒、葡萄、無花果,和各樣的擔子在安息日擔入耶路撒冷,我就在他們賣食物的那日警戒他們。尼13:15
二.又有推羅人住在耶路撒冷;他們把魚和各樣貨物運進來,在安息日賣給猶大人。尼13:16
1.我就斥責猶大的貴冑說:你們怎麼行這惡事犯了安息日呢?尼13:17
2.從前你們列祖豈不是這樣行,以致我們神使一切災禍臨到我們和這城麼?尼13:18
3.現在你們還犯安息日,使忿怒越發臨到以色列!」尼13:18
貳.在安息日的前一日,尼13:19
一.耶路撒冷城門有黑影的時候,我就吩咐人將門關鎖,尼13:19
1.不過安息日不准開放。
2.我又派我幾個僕人管理城門,免得有人在安息日擔甚麼擔子進城。
二.於是商人和販賣各樣貨物的,一兩次住宿在耶路撒冷城外。尼13:20
三.我就警戒他們說:尼13:21
1.你們為何在城外住宿呢?
2.若再這樣,我必下手拿辦你們。
四.從此以後,他們在安息日不再來了。
五.我吩咐利未人潔淨自己,來守城門,使安息日為聖。尼13:22
參.尼希米禱告。尼13:22
我的神阿,求你因這事記念我,照你的大慈愛憐恤我。
Ⅳ.禁與異族聯姻。尼13:23-32
壹.那些日子,我也見猶大人娶了亞實突、亞捫、摩押的女子為妻。尼13:23
一.他們的兒女說話,一半是亞實突的話,不會說猶大的話,所說的是照著各族的方言。尼13:24
二.我就斥責他們,尼13:25
1.咒詛他們,打了他們幾個人,拔下他們的頭髮,
2.叫他們指著神起誓,必不將自己的女兒嫁給外邦人的兒子,
3.也不為自己和兒子娶他們的女兒。
三.我又說:「以色列王所羅門不是在這樣的事上犯罪麼?尼13:26
1.在多國中並沒有一王像他,且蒙他神所愛,尼13:26
2.神立他作以色列全國的王;然而連他也被外邦女子引誘犯罪。尼13:26
3.如此,我豈聽你們行這大惡,娶外邦女子干犯我們的神呢?」尼13:27
貳.大祭司以利亞實的孫子、耶何耶大的一個兒子。尼13:28
一.是和倫人參巴拉的女婿,尼13:28
二.我就從我這裏把他趕出去。尼13:28
三.尼希米的禱告。尼13:29
1.我的神阿,求你記念他們的罪;
2.因為他們玷污了祭司的職任,違背你與祭司利未人所立的約。
參.這樣,我潔淨他們,使他們離絕一切外邦人,尼13:30
一.派定祭司和利未人的班次,使他們各盡其職。
二.我又派百姓按定期獻柴和初熟的土產。尼13:31
三.尼希米的禱告。尼13:31
我的神阿,求你記念我,施恩與我。
◎心得分享:人總是「健忘」,曾經大家立約,不與異族通婚,然而尼希米回去幾年再回來,又變回原來的樣子,與異族聯婚很嚴重,於是尼希米就把與異族通婚的祭司,趕出去,潔淨聖殿,離絕外邦人,使祭司和利未人,各盡其職,並且向神禱告,求神記念施恩。「分別為聖」真的是重要,沒有「分別」就會妥協,最後就犯罪得罪神。
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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。