以賽亞書3:16-26

3:16 耶和華又說：因為錫安的女子狂傲，行走挺項，賣弄眼目，俏步徐行，腳下玎璫，
3:17 所以，主必使錫安的女子頭長禿瘡；耶和華又使她們赤露下體。
3:18 到那日，主必除掉她們華美的腳釧、髮網、月牙圈、
3:19 耳環、手鐲、蒙臉的帕子、
3:20 華冠、足鍊、華帶、香盒、符囊、
3:21 戒指、鼻環、
3:22 吉服、外套、雲肩、荷包、
3:23 手鏡、細麻衣、裹頭巾、蒙身的帕子。
3:24 必有臭爛代替馨香，繩子代替腰帶，光禿代替美髮，麻衣繫腰代替華服，烙傷代替美容。
3:25 你的男丁必倒在刀下；你的勇士必死在陣上。
3:26 錫安（原文是她）的城門必悲傷、哀號；她必荒涼坐在地上。

The Lord said:

Because the daughters of Zion are haughty

and walk with outstretched necks,

glancing wantonly with their eyes,

mincing along as they go,

tinkling with their feet;

17

the Lord will afflict with scabs

the heads of the daughters of Zion,

and the Lord will lay bare their secret parts.

¹⁸ In that day the Lord will take away the finery of the anklets, the headbands, and the crescents; ¹⁹the pendants, the bracelets, and the scarfs; ²⁰the headdresses, the armlets, the sashes, the perfume boxes, and the amulets; ²¹the signet rings and nose rings; ²²the festal robes, the mantles, the cloaks, and the handbags; ²³the garments of gauze, the linen garments, the turbans, and the veils.

24

Instead of perfume there will be a stench;

and instead of a sash, a rope;

and instead of well-set hair, baldness;

and instead of a rich robe, a binding of sackcloth;

instead of beauty, shame.

25

Your men shall fall by the sword

and your warriors in battle.

26

And her gates shall lament and mourn;

ravaged, she shall sit upon the ground.

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

    先知以賽亞藉由女子的狀況，來說明耶路撒冷的敗落。這是很鮮活的筆法，因為女性的流行服飾，是都會中奢華的表現，許多的生意都是從女子的需要來的。而女子的穿著，常常是城市繁榮的指標，越繁榮的城市女子的穿著越是花俏，這是古今中外不變的道理。

    然而這些奢華常常是需要有安定的社會，而安定的社會通常需要有政治、軍事與經濟力量的維持。這些力量正是世界勢力的展現，這樣的勢力通常是與上帝為敵的。但是，許多的基督徒看不清楚，常常去倚靠與追求這些力量。

    也因為如此，許多的基督徒能可去追求政治、軍事與經濟的力量，以為如此可以鞏固教會與個人。其實，這是與上帝為敵的力量，上帝要人臣服於基督，尊崇基督的王權，不是倚靠基督以外的勢力！

以賽亞書3章

    以賽亞書3:1-15  ,   以賽亞書3:16-26 ,

以賽亞書3:1-15

3:1 主─萬軍之耶和華從耶路撒冷和猶大，除掉眾人所倚靠的，所仗賴的，就是所倚靠的糧，所仗賴的水；
3:2 除掉勇士和戰士，審判官和先知，占卜的和長老，
3:3 五十夫長和尊貴人，謀士和有巧藝的，以及妙行法術的。
3:4 主說：我必使孩童作他們的首領，使嬰孩轄管他們。
3:5 百姓要彼此欺壓；各人受鄰舍的欺壓。少年人必侮慢老年人；卑賤人必侮慢尊貴人。
3:6 人在父家拉住弟兄，說：你有衣服，可以作我們的官長。這敗落的事歸在你手下吧！
3:7 那時，他必揚聲說：我不作醫治你們的人；因我家中沒有糧食，也沒有衣服，你們不可立我作百姓的官長。
3:8 耶路撒冷敗落，猶大傾倒；因為他們的舌頭和行為與耶和華反對，惹了他榮光的眼目。
3:9 他們的面色證明自己的不正；他們述說自己的罪惡，並不隱瞞，好像所多瑪一樣。他們有禍了！因為作惡自害。
3:10 你們要論義人說：他必享福樂，因為要吃自己行為所結的果子。
3:11 惡人有禍了！他必遭災難！因為要照自己手所行的受報應。
3:12 至於我的百姓，孩童欺壓他們，婦女轄管他們。我的百姓啊，引導你的使你走錯，並毀壞你所行的道路。
3:13 耶和華起來辯論，站著審判眾民。
3:14 耶和華必審問他民中的長老和首領，說：吃盡葡萄園果子的就是你們；向貧窮人所奪的都在你們家中。
3:15 主─萬軍之耶和華說：你們為何壓制我的百姓，搓磨貧窮人的臉呢？

For now the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts,

is taking away from Jerusalem and from Judah

support and staff—

all support of bread,

and all support of water—

2

warrior and soldier,

judge and prophet,

diviner and elder,

3

captain of fifty

and dignitary,

counselor and skillful magician

and expert enchanter.

4

And I will make boys their princes,

and babes shall rule over them.

5

The people will be oppressed,

everyone by another

and everyone by a neighbor;

the youth will be insolent to the elder,

and the base to the honorable.

6

Someone will even seize a relative,

a member of the clan, saying,

“You have a cloak;

you shall be our leader,

and this heap of ruins

shall be under your rule.”

7

But the other will cry out on that day, saying,

“I will not be a healer;

in my house there is neither bread nor cloak;

you shall not make me

leader of the people.”

8

For Jerusalem has stumbled

and Judah has fallen,

because their speech and their deeds are against the Lord,

defying his glorious presence.

9

The look on their faces bears witness against them;

they proclaim their sin like Sodom,

they do not hide it.

Woe to them!

For they have brought evil on themselves.

10

Tell the innocent how fortunate they are,

for they shall eat the fruit of their labors.

11

Woe to the guilty! How unfortunate they are,

for what their hands have done shall be done to them.

12

My people—children are their oppressors,

and women rule over them.

O my people, your leaders mislead you,

and confuse the course of your paths.

13

The Lord rises to argue his case;

he stands to judge the peoples.

14

The Lord enters into judgment

with the elders and princes of his people:

It is you who have devoured the vineyard;

the spoil of the poor is in your houses.

15

What do you mean by crushing my people,

by grinding the face of the poor? says the Lord God of hosts.

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

    先知書當中的動力是來自上帝的智慧，正如這段經文所說的，上帝將一切人所倚靠的全部推翻，讓人知道除了倚靠上帝之外，沒有別的好倚靠的。這是一種革命性的論述，也只有在先知書中可以看到。

    其實基督徒本身也要有革命性的看見，不要受到常規的限制，要以上帝為我們的倚靠和動力的來源，勇敢打破任何企圖在上帝之外建立權威的勢力，包括任何的政權、任何的權勢！因為，任何的權柄是來自上帝，若不是上帝的旨意，誰也無法建立權柄！

    也因此，我們確定將來只有基督是王，屬基督的也要同基督做王，享受基督的榮耀與王權到永遠！這就是基督賜給人的獎賞，我們所追求的，也就是得著基督、與基督聯合到永遠！

撒母耳記下5章

       撒母耳記下5:1-25   ,

       撒母耳記下5:17-25   ,

撒母耳記下5:17-25

5:17 非利士人聽見人膏大衛作以色列王，非利士眾人就上來尋索大衛；大衛聽見，就下到保障。
5:18 非利士人來了，布散在利乏音谷。
5:19 大衛求問耶和華說：「我可以上去攻打非利士人嗎？你將他們交在我手裡嗎？」耶和華說：「你可以上去，我必將非利士人交在你手裡。」
5:20 大衛來到巴力‧毘拉心，在那裡擊殺非利士人，說：「耶和華在我面前沖破敵人，如同水沖去一般。」因此稱那地方為巴力‧毘拉心。
5:21 非利士人將偶像撇在那裡，大衛和跟隨他的人拿去了。
5:22 非利士人又上來，布散在利乏音谷。
5:23 大衛求問耶和華；耶和華說：「不要一直地上去，要轉到他們後頭，從桑林對面攻打他們。
5:24 你聽見桑樹梢上有腳步的聲音，就要急速前去，因為那時耶和華已經在你前頭去攻打非利士人的軍隊。」
5:25 大衛就遵著耶和華所吩咐的去行，攻打非利士人，從迦巴直到基色。

17 When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king of Israel, they mobilized all their forces to capture him. But David was told they were coming, so he went into the stronghold.18 The Philistines arrived and spread out across the valley of Rephaim.19 So David asked the LORD, "Should I go out to fight the Philistines? Will you hand them over to me?"
  The LORD replied to David, "Yes, go ahead. I will certainly hand them over to you."
  20 So David went to Baal-perazim and defeated the Philistines there. "The LORD did it!" David exclaimed. "He burst through my enemies like a raging flood!" So he named that place Baal-perazim (which means "the Lord who bursts through").21 The Philistines had abandoned their idols there, so David and his men confiscated them.
  22 But after a while the Philistines returned and again spread out across the valley of Rephaim.23 And again David asked the LORD what to do. "Do not attack them straight on," the LORD replied. "Instead, circle around behind and attack them near the poplar* trees.24 When you hear a sound like marching feet in the tops of the poplar trees, be on the alert! That will be the signal that the LORD is moving ahead of you to strike down the Philistine army."25 So David did what the LORD commanded, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon* to Gezer.

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

     非力士人對以色列人來說是強大的敵人，因為掃羅是死於非利士人的攻擊之中。而對於以色列人立大衛為王，非力士人更是不願意。也因此他們就要攻擊和攪擾。

    然而上帝卻與大衛同在，也趁這樣的機會來鞏固大衛的機會。所以，上帝讓大衛與非力士人交戰時大得勝利！

    我們的生命常常也會有「非力士的攪擾」，但是在上帝的手中，這些是反倒成了我們的助益之事！也因此，要為此感謝上帝！

    正如每次講道前，魔鬼會用各種方式來攪擾，而這樣的攪擾反使得我更倚靠主，使我更親近主！

歷代志上13章

       歷代志上13:1-14  ,

歷代志上13:1-14

13:1 大衛與千夫長、百夫長，就是一切首領商議。
13:2 大衛對以色列全會眾說：「你們若以為美，見這事是出於耶和華─我們的上帝，我們就差遣人走遍以色列地，見我們未來的弟兄，又見住在有郊野之城的祭司利未人，使他們都到這裡來聚集。
13:3 我們要把上帝的約櫃運到我們這裡來；因為在掃羅年間，我們沒有在約櫃前求問上帝。」
13:4 全會眾都說可以如此行；這事在眾民眼中都看為好。
13:5 於是，大衛將以色列人從埃及的西曷河直到哈馬口都招聚了來，要從基列耶琳將上帝的約櫃運來。
13:6 大衛率領以色列眾人上到巴拉，就是屬猶大的基列‧耶琳，要從那裡將約櫃運來。這約櫃就是坐在二基路伯上耶和華上帝留名的約櫃。
13:7 他們將上帝的約櫃從亞比拿達的家裡抬出來，放在新車上。烏撒和亞希約趕車。
13:8 大衛和以色列眾人在上帝前用琴、瑟、鑼、鼓、號作樂，極力跳舞歌唱。
13:9 到了基頓（在撒母耳下六章六節是拿艮）的禾場；因為牛失前蹄（或譯：驚跳），烏撒就伸手扶住約櫃。
13:10 耶和華向他發怒，因他伸手扶住約櫃擊殺他，他就死在上帝面前。
13:11 大衛因耶和華擊殺（原文是闖殺）烏撒，心裡愁煩，就稱那地方為毘列斯‧烏撒，直到今日。
13:12 那日，大衛懼怕上帝，說：「上帝的約櫃怎可運到我這裡來？」
13:13 於是大衛不將約櫃運進大衛的城，卻運到迦特人俄別‧以東的家中。
13:14 上帝的約櫃在俄別‧以東家中三個月，耶和華賜福給俄別‧以東的家和他一切所有的。

1 David consulted with all his officials, including the generals and captains of his army.*2 Then he addressed the entire assembly of Israel as follows: "If you approve and if it is the will of the LORD our God, let us send messages to all the Israelites throughout the land, including the priests and Levites in their towns and pasturelands. Let us invite them to come and join us.3 It is time to bring back the Ark of our God, for we neglected it during the reign of Saul."   4 The whole assembly agreed to this, for the people could see it was the right thing to do.5 So David summoned all Israel, from the Shihor Brook of Egypt in the south all the way to the town of Lebo-hamath in the north, to join in bringing the Ark of God from Kiriath-jearim.6 Then David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (also called Kiriath-jearim) to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name* of the LORD who is enthroned between the cherubim.7 They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab's house. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart.8 David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets.   9 But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon,* the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand to steady the Ark.10 Then the LORD's anger was aroused against Uzzah, and he struck him dead because he had laid his hand on the Ark. So Uzzah died there in the presence of God.   11 David was angry because the LORD's anger had burst out against Uzzah. He named that place Perez-uzzah (which means "to burst out against Uzzah"), as it is still called today.   12 David was now afraid of God, and he asked, "How can I ever bring the Ark of God back into my care?"13 So David did not move the Ark into the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-edom of Gath.14 The Ark of God remained there in Obed-edom's house for three months, and the LORD blessed the household of Obed-edom and everything he owned.

***********

    上帝有難的時候，人要不要去救祂呢？

    這是一的讓人費解的問題，就像約櫃掉下去的時候，烏撒就伸手扶住約櫃，卻是遭到擊殺的下場，難道烏撒這樣做不行嗎？

    這也是我們事奉上帝大難題，尤其是基督徒人數變少，教會越來越凋零的時候，想利用一些策略使教會的人數增長，這樣也會得罪上帝嗎？我們該不該這樣做呢？還是放著讓教會越來越退步呢？

    這就像摩西看到自己的百姓被埃及人欺負時，他大發熱心將埃及人殺死了，卻得不到同胞們的領情，讓他十分沮喪！

    親愛的弟兄姊妹，這是一個弔詭的狀態，上帝有難自己不會解決嗎？還要輪到我們來解嗎？當然不用！我們不可以用人的熱心和想法來事奉上帝。因為上帝並不缺乏，也不需要人來事奉祂。祂乃是要人藉由參與祂的事工，學習如何倚靠基督，不倚靠自己的能力。也因此，我們要清楚事奉是恩典，不是付出！不可以用此來居功，要將榮耀歸給上帝！