路加福音2:1, 4-5 , 路加福音2:7 ,
路加福音2:21 ,
2016年12月24日 星期六
路加福音2:10-12
2:10 那天使對他們說：「不要懼怕！我報給你們大喜的信息，是關乎萬民的；
2:11 因今天在大衛的城裡，為你們生了救主，就是主基督。
2:12 你們要看見一個嬰孩，包著布，臥在馬槽裡，那就是記號了。」
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天使將聖誕佳音報給在曠野的牧羊人，這事件很特別的事情。天使好像預先知道這樣的事蹟會傳遍，還特別說：「是關乎萬民的！」
這就是聖經奇妙的地方，因為聖經中常常向我們宣告：上帝看中卑微的人，上帝使用卑微的人成就大事！就如同耶穌基督降生的好消息也是讓卑微的人知道！
更奇妙的是，耶穌基督降生也是成為一個卑微的人，就如天使所說：「你們要看見一個嬰孩，包著布，臥在馬槽裡，那就是記號了。」
而基督的信仰本來就不是塑造英雄的，也不是建立權勢的，而是要人自卑來跟隨耶穌基督！基督徒其實要做個寧可不為人所知的人，卻要讓人知道耶穌基督是救主的人。就像這一群牧羊人，把他們的名字隱藏起來，只讓人知道救主降生在伯利恆，這就是他們對主耶穌的致敬了！
以西結書39:17-29
39:17 「人子啊，主耶和華如此說：你要對各類的飛鳥和田野的走獸說：你們聚集來吧，要從四方聚到我為你們獻祭之地，就是在以色列山上獻大祭之地，好叫你們吃肉、喝血。
39:18 你們必吃勇士的肉，喝地上首領的血，就如吃公綿羊、羊羔、公山羊、公牛，都是巴珊的肥畜。
39:19 你們吃我為你們所獻的祭，必吃飽了脂油，喝醉了血。
39:20 你們必在我席上飽吃馬匹和坐車的人，並勇士和一切的戰士。這是主耶和華說的。」
39:21 「我必顯我的榮耀在列國中；萬民就必看見我所行的審判與我在他們身上所加的手。
39:22 這樣，從那日以後，以色列家必知道我是耶和華─他們的上帝。
39:23 列國人也必知道以色列家被擄掠是因他們的罪孽。他們得罪我，我就掩面不顧，將他們交在敵人手中，他們便都倒在刀下。
39:24 我是照他們的污穢和罪過待他們，並且我掩面不顧他們。」
39:25 主耶和華如此說：「我要使雅各被擄的人歸回，要憐憫以色列全家，又為我的聖名發熱心。
39:26 他們在本地安然居住，無人驚嚇，是我將他們從萬民中領回，從仇敵之地召來。我在許多國的民眼前，在他們身上顯為聖的時候，他們要擔當自己的羞辱和干犯我的一切罪。
39:27 【併於上節】
39:28 因我使他們被擄到外邦人中，後又聚集他們歸回本地，他們就知道我是耶和華─他們的上帝；我必不再留他們一人在外邦。
39:29 我也不再掩面不顧他們，因我已將我的靈澆灌以色列家。這是主耶和華說的。」
17 "As for you, son of man, thus says
the Lord God: Speak to the birds of every sort and to all beasts of the field,
'Assemble and come, gather from all around to the sacrificial feast that I am
preparing for you, a great sacrificial feast on the mountains of Israel, and
you shall eat flesh and drink blood. 18 You shall eat the flesh of the mighty,
and drink the blood of the princes of the earth—of rams, of lambs, and of he-
goats, of bulls, all of them fat beasts of Bashan. 19 And you shall eat fat
till you are filled, and drink blood till you are drunk, at the sacrificial
feast that I am preparing for you. 20 And you shall be filled at my table with
horses and charioteers, with mighty men and all kinds of warriors,' declares
the Lord God.
21 "And I will set my glory among the
nations, and all the nations shall see my judgment that I have executed, and my
hand that I have laid on them. 22 The house of Israel shall know that I am the
Lord their God, from that day forward. 23 And the nations shall know that the
house of Israel went into captivity for their iniquity, because they dealt so
treacherously with me that I hid my face from them and gave them into the hand
of their adversaries, and they all fell by the sword. 24 I dealt with them
according to their uncleanness and their transgressions, and hid my face from
them.
25 "Therefore thus says the Lord
God:Now I will restore the fortunes of Jacob and have mercy on the whole house
of Israel, and I will be jealous for my holy name. 26 They shall forget their
shame and all the treachery they have practiced against me, when they dwell
securely in their land with none to make them afraid, 27 when I have brought
them back from the peoples and gathered them from their enemies 'lands, and
through them have vindicated my holiness in the sight of many nations. 28 Then
they shall know that I am the Lord their God, because I sent them into exile
among the nations and then assembled them into their own land. I will leave
none of them remaining among the nations anymore. 29 And I will not hide my
face anymore from them, when I pour out my Spirit upon the house of Israel,
declares the Lord God."
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雖然以西結是處於以色列人被擄的狀態，但是上帝卻要祂宣告以色列必復興、必定歸回的信息。好像十分突兀，讓人有很大的衝擊，更讓人很難想像這真的是上帝的心意嗎？
是的，以色列的復興是上帝的心意，是上帝決意要實現的事！只不過這樣的事，是超越歷史的走向，以色列的被擄歸回，後來真的實現，也讓耶穌基督降生在那樣的環境，但是上帝要做更大的事，就是要萬族萬民的人歸回上帝面前！祂雖然使用羅馬的勢力，讓以色列民再次流浪於世界各地，祂也在二十世紀時讓以色列再次回歸故土，提醒世人：耶穌基督再來的日子迫近了！
我們不要單單紀念耶穌基督降生，更要預備好自己迎接祂的再臨！上帝國完全實現的日子近了！你預備好自己來迎接新的天、新的地了嗎？正如大家認為以色列被擄歸回不可能時，上帝就成就了！
以西結書39:9-16
39:9 「住以色列城邑的人必出去撿器械，就是大小盾牌、弓箭、梃杖、槍矛，都當柴燒火，直燒七年，
39:10 甚至他們不必從田野撿柴，也不必從樹林伐木；因為他們要用器械燒火，並且搶奪那搶奪他們的人，擄掠那擄掠他們的人。這是主耶和華說的。」
39:11 「當那日，我必將以色列地的谷，就是海東人所經過的谷，賜給歌革為墳地，使經過的人到此停步。在那裡人必葬埋歌革和他的群眾，就稱那地為哈們‧歌革谷。
39:12 以色列家的人必用七個月葬埋他們，為要潔淨全地。
39:13 全地的居民都必葬埋他們。當我得榮耀的日子，這事必叫他們得名聲。這是主耶和華說的。
39:14 他們必分派人時常巡查遍地，與過路的人一同葬埋那剩在地面上的屍首，好潔淨全地。過了七個月，他們還要巡查。
39:15 巡查遍地的人要經過全地，見有人的骸骨，就在旁邊立一標記，等葬埋的人來將骸骨葬在哈們‧歌革谷。
39:16 他們必這樣潔淨那地，並有一城名叫哈摩那。
9 "Then those who dwell in the cities
of Israel will go out and make fires of the weapons and burn them, shields and
bucklers, bow and arrows, clubs and spears; and they will make fires of them
for seven years, 10 so that they will not need to take wood out of the field or
cut down any out of the forests, for they will make their fires of the weapons.
They will seize the spoil of those who despoiled them, and plunder those who
plundered them, declares the Lord God.
11 "On that day I will give to Gog a
place for burial in Israel, the Valley of the Travelers, east of the sea. It
will block the travelers, for there Gog and all his multitude will be buried.
It will be called the Valley of Hamon- gog. 12 For seven months the house of
Israel will be burying them, in order to cleanse the land. 13 All the people of
the land will bury them, and it will bring them renown on the day that I show
my glory, declares the Lord God. 14 They will set apart men to travel through
the land regularly and bury those travelers remaining on the face of the land,
so as to cleanse it. At the end of seven months they will make their search. 15
And when these travel through the land and anyone sees a human bone, then he
shall set up a sign by it, till the buriers have buried it in the Valley of
Hamon- gog. 16 (Hamonah is also the name of the city.) Thus shall they cleanse
the land.
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從先知的預言知道，這是多麼激烈的戰爭，讓我們看見死傷的慘重，也看見一切的武器最後都要當柴燒，還要燒到七年之久！不僅如此，要埋葬那些死亡的軍人，還要花七個月的時間，最後還要經過七個月來行潔淨！
這樣的預言說明，人是無法與上帝爭抗的，即使再多人、再多的軍隊，也不堪上帝一擊，上帝要保守的，誰也無法將其打敗的！
感謝上帝，祂在基督裡，也必這樣保守我們，甚至死亡都無法傷害我們呢！
以西結書39:1-8
39:1 「人子啊，你要向歌革發預言攻擊他，說主耶和華如此說：羅施、米設、土巴的王歌革啊，我與你為敵。
39:2 我必調轉你，領你前往，使你從北方的極處上來，帶你到以色列的山上。
39:3 我必從你左手打落你的弓，從你右手打掉你的箭。
39:4 你和你的軍隊，並同著你的列國人，都必倒在以色列的山上。我必將你給各類的鷙鳥和田野的走獸作食物。
39:5 你必倒在田野，因為我曾說過。這是主耶和華說的。
39:6 我要降火在瑪各和海島安然居住的人身上，他們就知道我是耶和華。
39:7 「我要在我民以色列中顯出我的聖名，也不容我的聖名再被褻瀆，列國人就知道我是耶和華─以色列中的聖者。
39:8 主耶和華說：這日事情臨近，也必成就，乃是我所說的日子。
1 "And you, son of man, prophesy
against Gog and say, Thus says the Lord God:Behold, I am against you, O Gog,
chief prince of Meshech and Tubal. 2 And I will turn you about and drive you
forward, and bring you up from the uttermost parts of the north, and lead you
against the mountains of Israel. 3 Then I will strike your bow from your left
hand, and will make your arrows drop out of your right hand. 4 You shall fall
on the mountains of Israel, you and all your hordes and the peoples who are
with you. I will give you to birds of prey of every sort and to the beasts of
the field to be devoured. 5 You shall fall in the open field, for I have
spoken, declares the Lord God. 6 I will send fire on Magog and on those who
dwell securely in the coastlands, and they shall know that I am the Lord.
7 "And my holy name I will make known
in the midst of my people Israel, and I will not let my holy name be profaned
anymore. And the nations shall know that I am the Lord, the Holy One in Israel.
8 Behold, it is coming and it will be brought about, declares the Lord God.
That is the day of which I have spoken.
9 "Then those who dwell in the cities
of Israel will go out and make fires of the weapons and burn them, shields and
bucklers, bow and arrows, clubs and spears; and they will make fires of them
for seven years, 10 so that they will not need to take wood out of the field or
cut down any out of the forests, for they will make their fires of the weapons.
They will seize the spoil of those who despoiled them, and plunder those who
plundered them, declares the Lord God.
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在這裡看見上帝的意志，祂要保護以色列免受強權的攻擊，要攻擊那要侵略以色列、破壞以色列安寧的歌革王和他的軍隊。
這段預言讓我們有很大的激勵，因為上帝特別強調：「我要在我民以色列中顯出我的聖名，也不容我的聖名再被褻瀆，列國人就知道我是耶和華─以色列中的聖者。主耶和華說：這日事情臨近，也必成就，乃是我所說的日子。」
我們許多時候，只看見人的囂張，就受到驚嚇與恐嚇，忘記上帝的能力是大於惡人的，上帝必定會申冤的，祂必保守祂的子民到底！就如祂以耶穌基督來完成救恩，使祂的眾子女，從現在開始到末世的時候，必定得著永遠的勝利！
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