以斯拉記1:5-6

 

1:5 於是，猶大和便雅憫的族長、祭司、利未人，就是一切被上帝激動他心的人，都起來要上耶路撒冷去建造耶和華的殿。

1:6 他們四圍的人就拿銀器、金子、財物、牲畜、珍寶幫助他們（原文是堅固他們的手），另外還有甘心獻的禮物。

 

⁵ Then the family heads of Judah and Benjamin, and the priests and Levites—everyone whose heart God had moved—prepared to go up and build the house of the Lord in Jerusalem. ⁶ All their neighbors assisted them with articles of silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with valuable gifts, in addition to all the freewill offerings.

 

************

 

    波斯王塞魯士的旨意一頒布的確讓「猶大和便雅憫的族長、祭司、利未人」有反應，使他們有行動上耶路撒冷去建造耶和華的殿。

 

    上帝也讓他們四圍的人來支持他們的行動，「就拿銀器、金子、財物、牲畜、珍寶幫助他們（原文是堅固他們的手），另外還有甘心獻的禮物。」

 

    今日事奉上帝的人從這事可以認識到：上帝的旨意運行是大有能力，是無法攔阻的，祂說有、就一定會有的！我們只管勇敢宣告上帝的心意，上帝的熱心必定會成就的！就像猶大人被擄歸回，必定發生的！

以斯拉記1:2-4

  

1:2 「波斯王塞魯士如此說：『耶和華天上的上帝已將天下萬國賜給我，又囑咐我在猶大的耶路撒冷為他建造殿宇。

1:3 在你們中間凡作他子民的，可以上猶大的耶路撒冷，在耶路撒冷重建耶和華─以色列上帝的殿（只有他是上帝）。願上帝與這人同在。

1:4 凡剩下的人，無論寄居何處，那地的人要用金銀、財物、牲畜幫助他，另外也要為耶路撒冷上帝的殿甘心獻上禮物。』」

 

2 “This is what Cyrus king of Persia says:

 

“‘The Lord, the God of heaven, has given me all the kingdoms of the earth and he has appointed me to build a temple for him at Jerusalem in Judah. 3 Any of his people among you may go up to Jerusalem in Judah and build the temple of the Lord, the God of Israel, the God who is in Jerusalem, and may their God be with them. 4 And in any locality where survivors may now be living, the people are to provide them with silver and gold, with goods and livestock, and with freewill offerings for the temple of God in Jerusalem.’”

 

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    看見這樣的記載是不是讓您覺得上帝的作為奇妙，世上的執政者竟然會有如此的心意以致頒布這樣的詔書，使上帝藉由先知預言的事情就這樣成就了！尤其是在那個時代，連外邦的君王、世界的首領都伏在上帝的權能之下呢！

 

    波斯王塞魯士的旨意很清楚地說到：「凡作他子民的」就有履行這命令的責任，要回耶路撒冷重建聖殿。不僅如此，沒有回到耶路撒冷的人，不僅要在財務上幫助聖殿的重建，也要「為耶路撒冷上帝的殿甘心獻上禮物」！

 

    這也再一次讓我們看見，上帝是萬國萬民的上帝，不只是猶大和以色列人的上帝！也因此，福音是關乎萬國萬民的，所以主耶穌的大使命會說：「所以，你們要去，使萬國萬民都作我的門徒，奉父、子、聖靈的名給他們施洗，…」(馬太28:19)

 

以斯拉記9:9

 

我們是奴僕，然而在受轄制之中，我們的　神仍沒有丟棄我們，在波斯王眼前向我們施恩，叫我們復興，能重建我們　神的殿，修其毀壞之處，使我們在猶大和耶路撒冷有牆垣。

For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem.

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    聖殿的重建，對被擄歸回的以色列人而言，是上帝奇妙的作為，正如他們被擄七十年，竟然能歸回故土。上帝的作為常常是化「不可能」成為「可能」、「確定」如此。

    我們要相信，在上帝沒有「不可能」，但是我們要耐心等候，禱告不可灰心，在上帝沒有成就之前，我們要不斷不斷憑著信心禱告，透過聖經我們認識到：上帝的應許是永不改變，只是時候未到。時候到了，一一會成就的。

    這種對應許的等候，是我們信心重要的功課。正如我們現在等候耶穌基督再來，上帝國完全實現，我們與基督一同作王到永遠，也就是完全的得贖。這是我們一輩子最大之盼望。

 

以斯拉記10:1-44

 

10:1 以斯拉禱告，認罪，哭泣，俯伏在上帝殿前的時候，有以色列中的男女孩童聚集到以斯拉那裡，成了大會，眾民無不痛哭。
10:2 屬以攔的子孫、耶歇的兒子示迦尼對以斯拉說：「我們在此地娶了外邦女子為妻，干犯了我們的上帝，然而以色列人還有指望。
10:3 現在當與我們的上帝立約，休這一切的妻，離絕她們所生的，照著我主和那因上帝命令戰兢之人所議定的，按律法而行。
10:4 你起來，這是你當辦的事，我們必幫助你，你當奮勉而行。」
10:5 以斯拉便起來，使祭司長和利未人，並以色列眾人起誓說，必照這話去行；他們就起了誓。
10:6 以斯拉從上帝殿前起來，進入以利亞實的兒子約哈難的屋裡，到了那裡不吃飯，也不喝水；因為被擄歸回之人所犯的罪，心裡悲傷。
10:7 他們通告猶大和耶路撒冷被擄歸回的人，叫他們在耶路撒冷聚集。
10:8 凡不遵首領和長老所議定、三日之內不來的，就必抄他的家，使他離開被擄歸回之人的會。
10:9 於是，猶大和便雅憫眾人，三日之內都聚集在耶路撒冷。那日正是九月二十日，眾人都坐在上帝殿前的寬闊處；因這事，又因下大雨，就都戰兢。
10:10 祭司以斯拉站起來，對他們說：「你們有罪了；因你們娶了外邦的女子為妻，增添以色列人的罪惡。
10:11 現在當向耶和華─你們列祖的上帝認罪，遵行他的旨意，離絕這些國的民和外邦的女子。」
10:12 會眾都大聲回答說：「我們必照著你的話行，
10:13 只是百姓眾多，又逢大雨的時令，我們不能站在外頭，這也不是一兩天辦完的事，因我們在這事上犯了大罪；
10:14 不如為全會眾派首領辦理。凡我們城邑中娶外邦女子為妻的，當按所定的日期，同著本城的長老和士師而來，直到辦完這事，上帝的烈怒就轉離我們了。」
10:15 惟有亞撒黑的兒子約拿單，特瓦的兒子雅哈謝阻擋（或譯：總辦）這事，並有米書蘭和利未人沙比太幫助他們。
10:16 被擄歸回的人如此而行。祭司以斯拉和些族長按著宗族都指名見派；在十月初一日，一同在座查辦這事，
10:17 到正月初一日，才查清娶外邦女子的人數。
10:18 在祭司中查出娶外邦女子為妻的，就是耶書亞的子孫約薩達的兒子，和他弟兄瑪西雅、以利以謝、雅立、基大利；
10:19 他們便應許必休他們的妻。他們因有罪，就獻群中的一隻公綿羊贖罪。
10:20 音麥的子孫中，有哈拿尼、西巴第雅。
10:21 哈琳的子孫中，有瑪西雅、以利雅、示瑪雅、耶歇、烏西雅。
10:22 巴施戶珥的子孫中，有以利約乃、瑪西雅、以實瑪利、拿坦業、約撒拔、以利亞撒。
10:23 利未人中，有約撒拔、示每、基拉雅（基拉雅就是基利他），還有毘他希雅、猶大、以利以謝。
10:24 歌唱的人中有以利亞實。守門的人中，有沙龍、提聯、烏利。
10:25 以色列人巴錄的子孫中，有拉米、耶西雅、瑪基雅、米雅民、以利亞撒、瑪基雅、比拿雅。
10:26 以攔的子孫中，有瑪他尼、撒迦利亞、耶歇、押底、耶利末、以利雅。
10:27 薩土的子孫中，有以利約乃、以利亞實、瑪他尼、耶利末、撒拔、亞西撒。
10:28 比拜的子孫中，有約哈難、哈拿尼雅、薩拜、亞勒。
10:29 巴尼的子孫中，有米書蘭、瑪鹿、亞大雅、雅述、示押、耶利末。
10:30 巴哈‧摩押的子孫中，有阿底拿、基拉、比拿雅、瑪西雅、瑪他尼、比撒列、賓內、瑪拿西。
10:31 哈琳的子孫中，有以利以謝、伊示雅、瑪基雅、示瑪雅、西緬、
10:32 便雅憫、瑪鹿、示瑪利雅。
10:33 哈順的子孫中，有瑪特乃、瑪達他、撒拔、以利法列、耶利買、瑪拿西、示每。
10:34 巴尼的子孫中，有瑪玳、暗蘭、烏益、
10:35 比拿雅、比底雅、基祿、
10:36 瓦尼雅、米利末、以利亞實、
10:37 瑪他尼、瑪特乃、雅掃、
10:38 巴尼、賓內、示每、
10:39 示利米雅、拿單、亞大雅、
10:40 瑪拿底拜、沙賽、沙賴、
10:41 亞薩利、示利米雅、示瑪利雅、
10:42 沙龍、亞瑪利雅、約瑟。
10:43 尼波的子孫中，有耶利、瑪他提雅、撒拔、西比拿、雅玳、約珥、比拿雅。
10:44 這些人都娶了外邦女子為妻，其中也有生了兒女的。

 

 While Ezra was praying and confessing, weeping and throwing himself down before the house of God, a large crowd of Israelites—men, women and children—gathered around him. They too wept bitterly. ² Then Shekaniah son of Jehiel, one of the descendants of Elam, said to Ezra, “We have been unfaithful to our God by marrying foreign women from the peoples around us. But in spite of this, there is still hope for Israel. ³ Now let us make a covenant before our God to send away all these women and their children, in accordance with the counsel of my lord and of those who fear the commands of our God. Let it be done according to the Law. ⁴ Rise up; this matter is in your hands. We will support you, so take courage and do it.”

⁵ So Ezra rose up and put the leading priests and Levites and all Israel under oath to do what had been suggested. And they took the oath. ⁶ Then Ezra withdrew from before the house of God and went to the room of Jehohanan son of Eliashib. While he was there, he ate no food and drank no water, because he continued to mourn over the unfaithfulness of the exiles.

⁷ A proclamation was then issued throughout Judah and Jerusalem for all the exiles to assemble in Jerusalem. ⁸ Anyone who failed to appear within three days would forfeit all his property, in accordance with the decision of the officials and elders, and would himself be expelled from the assembly of the exiles.

⁹ Within the three days, all the men of Judah and Benjamin had gathered in Jerusalem. And on the twentieth day of the ninth month, all the people were sitting in the square before the house of God, greatly distressed by the occasion and because of the rain. ¹⁰ Then Ezra the priest stood up and said to them, “You have been unfaithful; you have married foreign women, adding to Israel’s guilt. ¹¹ Now honor^[a] the Lord, the God of your ancestors, and do his will. Separate yourselves from the peoples around you and from your foreign wives.”

¹² The whole assembly responded with a loud voice: “You are right! We must do as you say. ¹³ But there are many people here and it is the rainy season; so we cannot stand outside. Besides, this matter cannot be taken care of in a day or two, because we have sinned greatly in this thing. ¹⁴ Let our officials act for the whole assembly. Then let everyone in our towns who has married a foreign woman come at a set time, along with the elders and judges of each town, until the fierce anger of our God in this matter is turned away from us.” ¹⁵ Only Jonathan son of Asahel and Jahzeiah son of Tikvah, supported by Meshullam and Shabbethai the Levite, opposed this.

¹⁶ So the exiles did as was proposed. Ezra the priest selected men who were family heads, one from each family division, and all of them designated by name. On the first day of the tenth month they sat down to investigate the cases, ¹⁷ and by the first day of the first month they finished dealing with all the men who had married foreign women.

¹⁸ Among the descendants of the priests, the following had married foreign women:

From the descendants of Joshua son of Jozadak, and his brothers: Maaseiah, Eliezer, Jarib and Gedaliah. ¹⁹ (They all gave their hands in pledge to put away their wives, and for their guilt they each presented a ram from the flock as a guilt offering.)

²⁰ From the descendants of Immer:

Hanani and Zebadiah.

²¹ From the descendants of Harim:

Maaseiah, Elijah, Shemaiah, Jehiel and Uzziah.

²² From the descendants of Pashhur:

Elioenai, Maaseiah, Ishmael, Nethanel, Jozabad and Elasah.

²³ Among the Levites:

Jozabad, Shimei, Kelaiah (that is, Kelita), Pethahiah, Judah and Eliezer.

²⁴ From the musicians:

Eliashib.

From the gatekeepers:

Shallum, Telem and Uri.

²⁵ And among the other Israelites:

From the descendants of Parosh:

Ramiah, Izziah, Malkijah, Mijamin, Eleazar, Malkijah and Benaiah.

²⁶ From the descendants of Elam:

Mattaniah, Zechariah, Jehiel, Abdi, Jeremoth and Elijah.

²⁷ From the descendants of Zattu:

Elioenai, Eliashib, Mattaniah, Jeremoth, Zabad and Aziza.

²⁸ From the descendants of Bebai:

Jehohanan, Hananiah, Zabbai and Athlai.

²⁹ From the descendants of Bani:

Meshullam, Malluk, Adaiah, Jashub, Sheal and Jeremoth.

³⁰ From the descendants of Pahath-Moab:

Adna, Kelal, Benaiah, Maaseiah, Mattaniah, Bezalel, Binnui and Manasseh.

³¹ From the descendants of Harim:

Eliezer, Ishijah, Malkijah, Shemaiah, Shimeon, ³² Benjamin, Malluk and Shemariah.

³³ From the descendants of Hashum:

Mattenai, Mattattah, Zabad, Eliphelet, Jeremai, Manasseh and Shimei.

³⁴ From the descendants of Bani:

Maadai, Amram, Uel, ³⁵ Benaiah, Bedeiah, Keluhi, ³⁶ Vaniah, Meremoth, Eliashib, ³⁷ Mattaniah, Mattenai and Jaasu.

³⁸ From the descendants of Binnui:^[b]

Shimei, ³⁹ Shelemiah, Nathan, Adaiah, ⁴⁰ Maknadebai, Shashai, Sharai, ⁴¹ Azarel, Shelemiah, Shemariah, ⁴² Shallum, Amariah and Joseph.

⁴³ From the descendants of Nebo:

Jeiel, Mattithiah, Zabad, Zebina, Jaddai, Joel and Benaiah.

⁴⁴ All these had married foreign women, and some of them had children by these wives.^[c]

 

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    在這裡看見「悔改」的力量，願教會也能像這樣「悔改」，讓我們脫離輕忽信仰的罪，這是今日教會領袖要迫切向上帝祈求的「悔改」，如同經文所說：「以斯拉禱告，認罪，哭泣，俯伏在上帝殿前的時候，有以色列中的男女孩童聚集到以斯拉那裡，成了大會，眾民無不痛哭。」

 

    今天我們有沒有如此的覺醒呢？求聖靈大大的動工，讓我們能真正的聖潔，真正的分別為聖！

 

以斯拉記9:1-15

 

9:1 這事做完了，眾首領來見我，說：「以色列民和祭司並利未人，沒有離絕迦南人、赫人、比利洗人、耶布斯人、亞捫人、摩押人、埃及人、亞摩利人，仍效法這些國的民，行可憎的事。
9:2 因他們為自己和兒子娶了這些外邦女子為妻，以致聖潔的種類和這些國的民混雜；而且首領和官長在這事上為罪魁。」
9:3 我一聽見這事，就撕裂衣服和外袍，拔了頭髮和鬍鬚，驚懼憂悶而坐。
9:4 凡為以色列上帝言語戰兢的，都因這被擄歸回之人所犯的罪聚集到我這裡來。我就驚懼憂悶而坐，直到獻晚祭的時候。
9:5 獻晚祭的時候我起來，心中愁苦，穿著撕裂的衣袍，雙膝跪下向耶和華─我的上帝舉手，
9:6 說：「我的上帝啊，我抱愧蒙羞，不敢向我上帝仰面；因為我們的罪孽滅頂，我們的罪惡滔天。
9:7 從我們列祖直到今日，我們的罪惡甚重；因我們的罪孽，我們和君王、祭司都交在外邦列王的手中，殺害、擄掠、搶奪、臉上蒙羞正如今日的光景。
9:8 現在耶和華─我們的上帝暫且施恩與我們，給我們留些逃脫的人，使我們安穩如釘子釘在他的聖所，我們的上帝好光照我們的眼目，使我們在受轄制之中稍微復興。
9:9 我們是奴僕，然而在受轄制之中，我們的上帝仍沒有丟棄我們，在波斯王眼前向我們施恩，叫我們復興，能重建我們上帝的殿，修其毀壞之處，使我們在猶大和耶路撒冷有牆垣。
9:10 「我們的上帝啊，既是如此，我們還有甚麼話可說呢？因為我們已經離棄你的命令，
9:11 就是你藉你僕人眾先知所吩咐的說：『你們要去得為業之地是污穢之地；因列國之民的污穢和可憎的事，叫全地從這邊直到那邊滿了污穢。
9:12 所以不可將你們的女兒嫁他們的兒子，也不可為你們的兒子娶他們的女兒，永不可求他們的平安和他們的利益，這樣你們就可以強盛，吃這地的美物，並遺留這地給你們的子孫永遠為業。』
9:13 上帝啊，我們因自己的惡行和大罪，遭遇了這一切的事，並且你刑罰我們輕於我們罪所當得的，又給我們留下這些人。
9:14 我們豈可再違背你的命令，與這行可憎之事的民結親呢？若這樣行，你豈不向我們發怒，將我們滅絕，以致沒有一個剩下逃脫的人嗎？
9:15 耶和華─以色列的上帝啊，因你是公義的，我們這剩下的人才得逃脫，正如今日的光景。看哪，我們在你面前有罪惡，因此無人在你面前站立得住。」

 

 After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. ² They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.”

³ When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. ⁴ Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice.

⁵ Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God ⁶ and prayed:

“I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. ⁷ From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today.

⁸ “But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place^[a] in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. ⁹ Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.

¹⁰ “But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands ¹¹ you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. ¹² Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’

¹³ “What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. ¹⁴ Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? ¹⁵ Lord, the God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence.”

 

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    聖經不是反對異族通婚，因為天下萬族本由一對夫妻開始。洪水過後，也只有挪亞一家存留。所以，最原始人都是一家人，沒有「異族」的問題好擔心和憂慮的！

 

    然而以色列族是上帝揀選出來敬拜祂的民族；其他的民族沒有被上帝挑選出來，是敬拜偶像的！而已斯拉憂慮的就是，以色列人與外族通婚之後，就不再敬拜上帝，敬拜上帝的以色列民就愈來愈少了！

 

    同樣，今日很多基督徒在婚姻上沒有考慮到，要與同樣敬拜主的人結婚建立基督化家庭，產生了許多婚上的問題與摩擦，甚至失去信仰，這是我們不能不考慮的人生問題。

 

    保羅也說過：「不要跟不信的人同負一軛。正和邪怎能合作呢？光明和黑暗怎能共存呢？基督和魔鬼怎能協調呢？信和不信的人有甚麼共同的地方呢？上帝的聖殿和偶像怎能並立呢？我們是永生上帝的聖殿。正如上帝說：我要與我的子民同住，在他們當中往來。我要作他們的上帝；他們要作我的子民。因此主說：你們要離開他們，從他們當中分離出來。不要沾染不潔之物，我就接納你們。我要作你們的父親；你們要作我的兒女。這話是我─全能的主說的。」(哥林多後書6:14-18)

 

    今日我們不要忘記「分別為聖」的教訓，我們是屬乎上帝的兒女，是光明之子！