2020年9月5日 星期六
撒母耳記上9:1-27
9:1 有一個便雅憫人，名叫基士，是便雅憫人亞斐亞的玄孫，比歌拉的曾孫，洗羅的孫子，亞別的兒子，是個大能的勇士（或譯：大財主）。
9:2 他有一個兒子，名叫掃羅，又健壯、又俊美，在以色列人中沒有一個能比他的；身體比眾民高過一頭。
9:3 掃羅的父親基士丟了幾頭驢，他就吩咐兒子掃羅說：「你帶一個僕人去尋找驢。」
9:4 掃羅就走過以法蓮山地，又過沙利沙地，都沒有找著；又過沙琳地，驢也不在那裡；又過便雅憫地，還沒有找著。
9:5 到了蘇弗地，掃羅對跟隨他的僕人說：「我們不如回去，恐怕我父親不為驢掛心，反為我們擔憂。」
9:6 僕人說：「這城裡有一位神人，是眾人所尊重的，凡他所說的全都應驗。我們不如往他那裡去，或者他能將我們當走的路指示我們。」
9:7 掃羅對僕人說：「我們若去，有甚麼可以送那人呢？我們囊中的食物都吃盡了，也沒有禮物可以送那神人，我們還有甚麼沒有？」
9:8 僕人回答掃羅說：「我手裡有銀子一舍客勒的四分之一，可以送那神人，請他指示我們當走的路。」
9:9 （從前以色列中，若有人去問上帝，就說：「我們問先見去吧！」現在稱為「先知」的，從前稱為「先見」。）
9:10 掃羅對僕人說：「你說的是，我們可以去。」於是他們往神人所住的城裡去了。
9:11 他們上坡要進城，就遇見幾個少年女子出來打水，問她們說：「先見在這裡沒有？」
9:12 女子回答說：「在這裡，他在你們前面。快去吧！他今日正到城裡，因為今日百姓要在邱壇獻祭。
9:13 在他還沒有上邱壇吃祭物之先，你們一進城必遇見他；因他未到，百姓不能吃，必等他先祝祭，然後請的客才吃。現在你們上去，這時候必遇見他。」
9:14 二人就上去；將進城的時候，撒母耳正迎著他們來，要上邱壇去。
9:15 掃羅未到的前一日，耶和華已經指示撒母耳說：
9:16 「明日這時候，我必使一個人從便雅憫地到你這裡來，你要膏他作我民以色列的君。他必救我民脫離非利士人的手；因我民的哀聲上達於我，我就眷顧他們。」
9:17 撒母耳看見掃羅的時候，耶和華對他說：「看哪，這人就是我對你所說的，他必治理我的民。」
9:18 掃羅在城門裡走到撒母耳跟前，說：「請告訴我，先見的寓所在哪裡？」
9:19 撒母耳回答說：「我就是先見。你在我前面上邱壇去，因為你們今日必與我同席；明日早晨我送你去，將你心裡的事都告訴你。
9:20 至於你前三日所丟的那幾頭驢，你心裡不必掛念，已經找著了。以色列眾人所仰慕的是誰呢？不是仰慕你和你父的全家嗎？」
9:21 掃羅說：「我不是以色列支派中至小的便雅憫人嗎？我家不是便雅憫支派中至小的家嗎？你為何對我說這樣的話呢？」
9:22 撒母耳領掃羅和他僕人進了客堂，使他們在請來的客中坐首位；客約有三十個人。
9:23 撒母耳對廚役說：「我交給你收存的那一分祭肉現在可以拿來。」
9:24 廚役就把收存的腿拿來，擺在掃羅面前，撒母耳說：「這是所留下的，放在你面前。吃吧！因我請百姓的時候，特意為你存留這肉到此時。」當日，掃羅就與撒母耳同席。
9:25 眾人從邱壇下來進城，撒母耳和掃羅在房頂上說話。
9:26 次日清早起來，黎明的時候，掃羅在房頂上。撒母耳呼叫他說：「起來吧，我好送你回去。」掃羅就起來，和撒母耳一同出去。
9:27 二人下到城角，撒母耳對掃羅說：「要吩咐僕人先走（僕人就先走了）；你且站在這裡，等我將上帝的話傳與你聽。」
When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders.[a] 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead[b] us, such as all the other nations have.”
6 But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
10 Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle[c] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. 22 The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.”
Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”
***************
掃羅的失驢事件，竟然連上了以色列尋找上一位王的事蹟。這其中讓我們看見上帝巧妙的安排，因為若不是上帝的作為，就無法將這兩件事情連接在一起，使上帝的美意臨到以色列人，不管將來發展到如何，上帝是掌管一切的上帝，凡事都是按著祂的計畫與旨意進行！
然而上帝創造宇宙之後，不是放任宇宙讓它自由發展，是按祂的旨意來護理與保守。而對於我們的人生，上帝是主動來參與與引導，也因為這樣，我們必須倚靠上帝來生活，來行事為人！
掃羅當然不知自己為何失驢，但是上帝就是有意讓他出現在以色列人面前，向以色列顯明他就是上帝所預備的君王！這是上帝的預旨，祂要高升、祂要拔去，都是在祂的護理之中。
也因為這樣，基督徒要認定，不管我們人生處順境、或是在逆境，我們都是在上帝的榮耀之下生活，都有上帝的護理，我們更要相信上帝在基督裡所預備的一切，都是為了祂的榮耀的名獲得稱讚的緣故！正如《以弗所書》1章所說：「我們也在他裡面得（得：或譯成）了基業；這原是那位隨己意行、做萬事的，照著他旨意所預定的，叫他的榮耀從我們這首先在基督裡有盼望的人可以得著稱讚。」(11-12節)
2020年9月4日 星期五
詩篇141:1-10
141:1 （大衛的詩。）耶和華啊，我曾求告你，求你快快臨到我這裡！我求告你的時候，願你留心聽我的聲音！
141:2 願我的禱告如香陳列在你面前！願我舉手祈求，如獻晚祭！
141:3 耶和華啊，求你禁止我的口，把守我的嘴！
141:4 求你不叫我的心偏向邪惡，以致我和作孽的人同行惡事；也不叫我吃他們的美食。
141:5 任憑義人擊打我，這算為仁慈；任憑他責備我，這算為頭上的膏油；我的頭不要躲閃。正在他們行惡的時候，我仍要祈禱。
141:6 他們的審判官被扔在巖下；眾人要聽我的話，因為這話甘甜。
141:7 我們的骨頭散在墓旁，好像人耕田、刨地的土塊。
141:8 主─耶和華啊，我的眼目仰望你；我投靠你，求你不要將我撇得孤苦！
141:9 求你保護我脫離惡人為我設的網羅和作孽之人的圈套！
141:10 願惡人落在自己的網裡，我卻得以逃脫。
A psalm of David.
1 I
call to you, Lord, come quickly to
me;
hear me when I call to you.
2 May my prayer be set before you like incense;
may the lifting up of my hands be like the evening
sacrifice.
3 Set
a guard over my mouth, Lord;
keep watch over the door of my lips.
4 Do not let my heart be drawn to what is evil
so that I take part in wicked deeds
along with those who are evildoers;
do not let me eat their delicacies.
5 Let
a righteous man strike me—that is a kindness;
let him rebuke me—that is oil on my head.
My head will not refuse it,
for my prayer will still be against the deeds of
evildoers.
6 Their
rulers will be thrown down from the cliffs,
and the wicked will learn that my words were well
spoken.
7 They will say, “As one plows and breaks up the earth,
so our bones have been scattered at the mouth of the
grave.”
8 But
my eyes are fixed on you, Sovereign Lord;
in you I take refuge—do not give me over to death.
9 Keep me safe from the traps set by evildoers,
from the snares they have laid for me.
10 Let the wicked fall into their own nets,
while I pass by in safety.
**************
我們與上帝親近不是用一般的香，而是要靠聖靈的引導，因為聖靈的工作就是將基督所完成的救贖大工時現在我們身上，讓我們透過耶穌基督與上帝和好，並且被上帝接納為兒女！所以大衛在這裡禱告：「耶和華啊，我曾求告你，求你快快臨到我這裡！我求告你的時候，願你留心聽我的聲音！願我的禱告如香陳列在你面前！願我舉手祈求，如獻晚祭！」
也因為如此，我們要信靠耶穌基督在十字架上所獻的馨香之祭，不是因為我們配得或值得獻上自己為祭！我們是有罪的人，無法以自己為祭物獻上，只能靠耶穌基督所流的寶血，才能遮蓋我們，使上帝的憤怒不會臨到我們！因為上帝是恨惡罪惡的上帝，罪人在祂面前是站立不住的！
也因為大衛知道上帝是恨惡罪惡，所以要遠離罪惡，不願意被罪惡沾染！也因此祂就向上帝禱告，求上帝保守脫離惡人的影響，所以在上帝面前表明心志：「求你不叫我的心偏向邪惡，以致我和作孽的人同行惡事；也不叫我吃他們的美食。」
祂不只求上帝讓他不受罪人的影響，更求上帝保守他不受罪人的苦害，因為罪人的心中只有自己的利益，恨惡義人、苦待善良的人，於是禱告上帝：「主─耶和華啊，我的眼目仰望你；我投靠你，求你不要將我撇得孤苦！求你保護我脫離惡人為我設的網羅和作孽之人的圈套！願惡人落在自己的網裡，我卻得以逃脫。」
願大衛這樣的禱告，也成為我們的禱告，而且上帝也應許我們：「應當一無掛慮，只要凡事藉著禱告、祈求，和感謝，將你們所要的告訴上帝。上帝所賜、出人意外的平安必在基督耶穌裡保守你們的心懷意念。」(腓立比書4:6-7)
2020年9月3日 星期四
撒母耳記上8:1-22
8:1 撒母耳年紀老邁，就立他兒子作以色列的士師。
8:2 長子名叫約珥，次子名叫亞比亞；他們在別是巴作士師。
8:3 他兒子不行他的道，貪圖財利，收受賄賂，屈枉正直。
8:4 以色列的長老都聚集，來到拉瑪見撒母耳，
8:5 對他說：「你年紀老邁了，你兒子不行你的道。現在求你為我們立一個王治理我們，像列國一樣。」
8:6 撒母耳不喜悅他們說「立一個王治理我們」，他就禱告耶和華。
8:7 耶和華對撒母耳說：「百姓向你說的一切話，你只管依從；因為他們不是厭棄你，乃是厭棄我，不要我作他們的王。
8:8 自從我領他們出埃及到如今，他們常常離棄我，事奉別神。現在他們向你所行的，是照他們素來所行的。
8:9 故此你要依從他們的話，只是當警戒他們，告訴他們將來那王怎樣管轄他們。」
8:10 撒母耳將耶和華的話都傳給求他立王的百姓，說：
8:11 「管轄你們的王必這樣行：他必派你們的兒子為他趕車、跟馬，奔走在車前；
8:12 又派他們作千夫長、五十夫長，為他耕種田地，收割莊稼，打造軍器和車上的器械；
8:13 必取你們的女兒為他製造香膏，做飯烤餅；
8:14 也必取你們最好的田地、葡萄園、橄欖園賜給他的臣僕。
8:15 你們的糧食和葡萄園所出的，他必取十分之一給他的太監和臣僕；
8:16 又必取你們的僕人婢女，健壯的少年人和你們的驢，供他的差役。
8:17 你們的羊群他必取十分之一，你們也必作他的僕人。
8:18 那時你們必因所選的王哀求耶和華，耶和華卻不應允你們。」
8:19 百姓竟不肯聽撒母耳的話，說：「不然！我們定要一個王治理我們，
8:20 使我們像列國一樣，有王治理我們，統領我們，為我們爭戰。」
8:21 撒母耳聽見百姓這一切話，就將這話陳明在耶和華面前。
8:22 耶和華對撒母耳說：「你只管依從他們的話，為他們立王。」撒母耳對以色列人說：「你們各歸各城去吧！」
When Samuel grew old, he appointed his sons as Israel’s leaders.[a] 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel and the name of his second was Abijah, and they served at Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not follow his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice.
4 So all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah. 5 They said to him, “You are old, and your sons do not follow your ways; now appoint a king to lead[b] us, such as all the other nations have.”
6 But when they said, “Give us a king to lead us,” this displeased Samuel; so he prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord told him: “Listen to all that the people are saying to you; it is not you they have rejected, but they have rejected me as their king. 8 As they have done from the day I brought them up out of Egypt until this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are doing to you. 9 Now listen to them; but warn them solemnly and let them know what the king who will reign over them will claim as his rights.”
10 Samuel told all the words of the Lord to the people who were asking him for a king. 11 He said, “This is what the king who will reign over you will claim as his rights: He will take your sons and make them serve with his chariots and horses, and they will run in front of his chariots. 12 Some he will assign to be commanders of thousands and commanders of fifties, and others to plow his ground and reap his harvest, and still others to make weapons of war and equipment for his chariots. 13 He will take your daughters to be perfumers and cooks and bakers. 14 He will take the best of your fields and vineyards and olive groves and give them to his attendants. 15 He will take a tenth of your grain and of your vintage and give it to his officials and attendants. 16 Your male and female servants and the best of your cattle[c] and donkeys he will take for his own use. 17 He will take a tenth of your flocks, and you yourselves will become his slaves. 18 When that day comes, you will cry out for relief from the king you have chosen, but the Lord will not answer you in that day.”
19 But the people refused to listen to Samuel. “No!” they said. “We want a king over us. 20 Then we will be like all the other nations, with a king to lead us and to go out before us and fight our battles.”
21 When Samuel heard all that the people said, he repeated it before the Lord. 22 The Lord answered, “Listen to them and give them a king.”
Then Samuel said to the Israelites, “Everyone go back to your own town.”
***************
撒母耳的人生似乎十分平淡，沒有什麼可以大寫特寫的，一下子就寫到：「撒母耳年紀老邁，就立他兒子作以色列的士師。」
照理來說應該就要結束關於撒母耳的紀載了！但是，事實上並非如此！許多上帝的僕人，反而在年紀老邁的時候遇見更大的考驗！正如聖經也如此說到約書亞的事蹟――約書亞年紀老邁，耶和華對他說：「你年紀老邁了，還有許多未得之地！」(約書亞記13:1)
對基督徒而言更是如此，年紀老邁不是推辭上帝呼召的藉口！正如使徒行傳中記載彼得引用先知約珥的話――上帝說：在末後的日子，我要將我的靈澆灌凡有血氣的。你們的兒女要說預言；你們的少年人要見異象；老年人要做異夢。(2:17)
式的老年人要做「異夢」！而撒母耳在年老時面對以色列由士師時代轉變為君王時代，這對他而言是很難想像的！因為他一直覺得，耶和華就是以色列的王，怎能立一個人來成為以色列的王呢？然而上帝就是要以色列人走到這樣一個地步，使以色列人有能力來對抗外侮！
而有一位王代表以色列開始有政府組織，也唯有這樣以色列才能算是一個真正的國家。因為一個國家若沒有治權的組織，是無法有效的分配資源和發揮軍事力量的，為自己建立範圍和影響力！
當然撒母耳年紀老邁之後，兩位以色列王都是透過他而立的，他的角色也轉變上帝和人中間的中保，但表上帝來警戒王，以免王走偏而影響整個以色列人，而掃羅之所以無法完成王的使命，也是因為不遵行上帝旨意。可見王也不能任意而為，撒母耳就由士師轉變成先知，成為代表上帝責備君王的人！
基督徒年老之後，更要常常親近上帝，才能扮演好「先知」的角色引導後進！說到這裡，我要感謝年輕時，上帝讓我遇到王緒先弟兄，他的年紀比我父親大，從他的教導我認識了許多屬靈的原則，讓我看見傳道人的風範！雖然那時常受到他的責罵，現在想來倍覺感動，願我將來老邁時，也是一個做「異夢」的先知！