士師記3:1-6 ,
士師記3:31 ,
Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come!
3:1 耶和華留下這幾族,為要試驗那不曾知道與迦南爭戰之事的以色列人,
3:2 好叫以色列的後代又知道又學習未曾曉得的戰事。
3:3 所留下的就是非利士的五個首領和一切迦南人、西頓人,並住黎巴嫩山的希未人,從巴力‧黑們山直到哈馬口。
3:4 留下這幾族,為要試驗以色列人,知道他們肯聽從耶和華藉摩西吩咐他們列祖的誡命不肯。
3:5 以色列人竟住在迦南人、赫人、亞摩利人、比利洗人、希未人、耶布斯人中間,
3:6 娶他們的女兒為妻,將自己的女兒嫁給他們的兒子,並事奉他們的神。
3:7 以色列人行耶和華眼中看為惡的事,忘記耶和華─他們的上帝,去事奉諸巴力和亞舍拉,
3:8 所以耶和華的怒氣向以色列人發作,就把他們交在美索不達米亞王古珊‧利薩田的手中。以色列人服事古珊‧利薩田八年。
3:9 以色列人呼求耶和華的時候,耶和華就為他們興起一位拯救者救他們,就是迦勒兄弟基納斯的兒子俄陀聶。
3:10 耶和華的靈降在他身上,他就作了以色列的士師,出去爭戰。耶和華將美索不達米亞王古珊‧利薩田交在他手中,他便勝了古珊‧利薩田。
3:11 於是國中太平四十年。基納斯的兒子俄陀聶死了。
3:12 以色列人又行耶和華眼中看為惡的事,耶和華就使摩押王伊磯倫強盛,攻擊以色列人。
3:13 伊磯倫招聚亞捫人和亞瑪力人,去攻打以色列人,佔據棕樹城。
3:14 於是以色列人服事摩押王伊磯倫十八年。
3:15 以色列人呼求耶和華的時候,耶和華就為他們興起一位拯救者,就是便雅憫人基拉的兒子以笏;他是左手便利的。以色列人託他送禮物給摩押王伊磯倫。
3:16 以笏打了一把兩刃的劍,長一肘,帶在右腿上衣服裡面。
3:17 他將禮物獻給摩押王伊磯倫(原來伊磯倫極其肥胖);
3:18 以笏獻完禮物,便將抬禮物的人打發走了,
3:19 自己卻從靠近吉甲鑿石之地回來,說:「王啊,我有一件機密事奏告你。」王說:「迴避吧!」於是左右侍立的人都退去了。
3:20 以笏來到王面前;王獨自一人坐在涼樓上。以笏說:「我奉上帝的命報告你一件事。」王就從座位上站起來。
3:21 以笏便伸左手,從右腿上拔出劍來,刺入王的肚腹,
3:22 連劍把都刺進去了。劍被肥肉夾住,他沒有從王的肚腹拔出來,且穿通了後身。
3:23 以笏就出到遊廊,將樓門盡都關鎖。
3:24 以笏出來之後,王的僕人到了,看見樓門關鎖,就說:「他必是在樓上大解。」
3:25 他們等煩了,見仍不開樓門,就拿鑰匙開了,不料,他們的主人已死,倒在地上。
3:26 他們耽延的時候,以笏就逃跑了,經過鑿石之地,逃到西伊拉;
3:27 到了,就在以法蓮山地吹角。以色列人隨著他下了山地,他在前頭引路,
3:28 對他們說:「你們隨我來,因為耶和華已經把你們的仇敵摩押人交在你們手中。」於是他們跟著他下去,把守約旦河的渡口,不容摩押一人過去。
3:29 那時擊殺了摩押人約有一萬,都是強壯的勇士,沒有一人逃脫。
3:30 這樣,摩押就被以色列人制伏了。國中太平八十年。
3:31 以笏之後,有亞拿的兒子珊迦,他用趕牛的棍子打死六百非利士人。他也救了以色列人。
These are the nations the Lord left to test all those Israelites who had not experienced any of the wars in Canaan 2 (he did this only to teach warfare to the descendants of the Israelites who had not had previous battle experience): 3 the five rulers of the Philistines, all the Canaanites, the Sidonians, and the Hivites living in the Lebanon mountains from Mount Baal Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 4 They were left to test the Israelites to see whether they would obey the Lord’s commands, which he had given their ancestors through Moses.
5 The Israelites lived among the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 6 They took their daughters in marriage and gave their own daughters to their sons, and served their gods.
Othniel
7 The Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord; they forgot the Lord their God and served the Baals and the Asherahs. 8 The anger of the Lord burned against Israel so that he sold them into the hands of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram Naharaim,[a] to whom the Israelites were subject for eight years. 9 But when they cried out to the Lord, he raised up for them a deliverer, Othniel son of Kenaz, Caleb’s younger brother, who saved them. 10 The Spirit of the Lord came on him, so that he became Israel’s judge[b] and went to war. The Lord gave Cushan-Rishathaim king of Aram into the hands of Othniel, who overpowered him. 11 So the land had peace for forty years, until Othniel son of Kenaz died.
Ehud
12 Again the Israelites did evil in the eyes of the Lord, and because they did this evil the Lord gave Eglon king of Moab power over Israel. 13 Getting the Ammonites and Amalekites to join him, Eglon came and attacked Israel, and they took possession of the City of Palms.[c] 14 The Israelites were subject to Eglon king of Moab for eighteen years.
15 Again the Israelites cried out to the Lord, and he gave them a deliverer—Ehud, a left-handed man, the son of Gera the Benjamite. The Israelites sent him with tribute to Eglon king of Moab. 16 Now Ehud had made a double-edged sword about a cubit[d] long, which he strapped to his right thigh under his clothing. 17 He presented the tribute to Eglon king of Moab, who was a very fat man. 18 After Ehud had presented the tribute, he sent on their way those who had carried it. 19 But on reaching the stone images near Gilgal he himself went back to Eglon and said, “Your Majesty, I have a secret message for you.”
The king said to his attendants, “Leave us!” And they all left.
20 Ehud then approached him while he was sitting alone in the upper room of his palace[e] and said, “I have a message from God for you.” As the king rose from his seat, 21 Ehud reached with his left hand, drew the sword from his right thigh and plunged it into the king’s belly. 22 Even the handle sank in after the blade, and his bowels discharged. Ehud did not pull the sword out, and the fat closed in over it. 23 Then Ehud went out to the porch[f]; he shut the doors of the upper room behind him and locked them.
24 After he had gone, the servants came and found the doors of the upper room locked. They said, “He must be relieving himself in the inner room of the palace.” 25 They waited to the point of embarrassment, but when he did not open the doors of the room, they took a key and unlocked them. There they saw their lord fallen to the floor, dead.
26 While they waited, Ehud got away. He passed by the stone images and escaped to Seirah. 27 When he arrived there, he blew a trumpet in the hill country of Ephraim, and the Israelites went down with him from the hills, with him leading them.
28 “Follow me,” he ordered, “for the Lord has given Moab, your enemy, into your hands.” So they followed him down and took possession of the fords of the Jordan that led to Moab; they allowed no one to cross over. 29 At that time they struck down about ten thousand Moabites, all vigorous and strong; not one escaped. 30 That day Moab was made subject to Israel, and the land had peace for eighty years.
Shamgar
31 After Ehud came Shamgar son of Anath, who struck down six hundred Philistines with an oxgoad. He too saved Israel.
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在這一章的經文中我們看見三位士師:俄陀聶、以笏和珊迦,各自對抗不同的敵人,這些敵人都是因為以色列人遠離上帝,上帝興起這些外邦的王來管教以色列人。
上帝這樣做是有原因的,正如1-4節所說:「耶和華留下這幾族,為要試驗那不曾知道與迦南爭戰之事的以色列人,好叫以色列的後代又知道又學習未曾曉得的戰事。所留下的就是非利士的五個首領和一切迦南人、西頓人,並住黎巴嫩山的希未人,從巴力‧黑們山直到哈馬口。留下這幾族,為要試驗以色列人,知道他們肯聽從耶和華藉摩西吩咐他們列祖的誡命不肯。」
這也就是說上帝藉由這些迦南人來考驗以色列人,有如老師出考題一般,或是長官要操練下屬,讓他們經過一些磨練之後,增強他們的信心和能力,使他們可以強壯起來!
其實上帝何嘗不是如此鍛鍊祂的兒女,使祂的兒女們經過憂患的鍛鍊,去蕪存菁,鍛鍊出屬於上帝兒女的品格!因此,我們要成為貴重的器皿,就要勇於承受這樣的考驗,好能真正越來越有上帝兒女的樣式!
4:8 但從前你們不認識神的時候,是給那些本來不是神的作奴僕,
4:9 現在你們既然認識神,更可說是被神所認識的,怎麼還要歸回那懦弱無用的小學,情願再給他作奴僕呢?
4:10 你們謹守日子、月份、節期、年份,
4:11 我為你們害怕,惟恐我在你們身上是枉費了工夫。
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保羅在此提醒加拉太之信徒們︰現在你們既然認識上帝,更可說是被上帝所認識的,怎麼還要歸回那懦弱無用的小學,情願再給他作奴僕呢?
意思是說,人成為基督徒以後,不再受禮儀與文化限制,不必受形式的框架所管轄,而是要照聖靈所賜的新樣式生活。所以,不需要謹守日子、月份、節期、年份,也就是說每天都可以親近主和敬拜祂,所以不必規定那天是安息日,甚至於不光禮拜天可以做禮拜,其他日子也可以禮拜。
所以,基督徒的信仰是生命流露不是守律法與規矩。律法與規矩之作用與得救贖無關,僅是用來彼此協調,方便會務之運作之功能。
1:4 基督照我們父神的旨意,為我們的罪捨己,要救我們脫離這罪惡的世代,
1:5 但願榮耀歸於神,直到永永遠遠。阿們!
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保羅在此將純正的福音宣告︰『基督照我們父神的旨意,為我們的罪捨己,要救我們脫離這罪惡的世代。』
首先救恩是由聖父上帝所預備的,是祂立下旨意要救我們脫離罪惡。而聖子耶穌順服天父旨意,道成肉身來到世界,為我們的罪捨己,釘於十字架上,以死敗壞掌死權的,第三日從死裡復活,使我們有永生的盼望。又賜下聖靈,使我們脫離罪和死的律。
保羅心被恩感頌讚上帝︰『但願榮耀歸於上帝,直到永永遠遠。阿們!』
所以我們的敬拜是被恩感頌讚上帝,如同保羅一樣。既然敬拜的對象是上帝,我們的禮拜之安排,就必須以討上帝喜悅為目標,而不是參與人數或奉獻之金錢多寡為考慮,這是教會服事當職之同工當深思的。
1:4 約翰寫信給亞細亞的七個教會。但願從那昔在、今在、以後永在的 神,和他寶座前的七靈,
1:5 並那誠實作見證的、從死裏首先復活、為世上君王元首的耶穌基督,有恩惠、平安歸與你們!他愛我們,用自己的血使我們脫離(有古卷:洗去)罪惡,
1:6 又使我們成為國民,作他父 神的祭司。但願榮耀、權能歸給他,直到永永遠遠。阿們!
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雖然只有短短三節經文,卻述說上帝最奧妙之救恩!
我們屬上帝的人真是有福,『祂愛我們,用自己的血使我們脫離罪惡,又使我們成為國民,作他父上帝的祭司。』
一切都是這位昔在、今在、以後永在的上帝所完成。祂完成這一切是為祂自己的榮耀。所以使徒約翰說︰『但願榮耀、權能歸給祂,直到永永遠遠。阿們!』
所以教會禮拜時要唱“榮耀頌”,喚起信徒以讚美將榮耀歸於三位一體上帝。
願賜平安的神,親自使你們全然成聖!又願你們的靈,與魂,與身子得蒙保守,在我主耶穌基督降臨的時候,完全無可指摘!
And the God of peace himself sanctify you wholly; and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved entire, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
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這節經節是一段祝福,也是一段禱告,可以用在禮拜以後,就是差遣弟兄姊妹出去傳福音的時候。
而這段經文第一個信息是:上帝是「平安」的賞賜者。因為保羅在此說:『願賜平安的神』,也就是上帝主動讓我們與祂和好,但是這和好不是沒有代價的,是上帝透過耶穌基督的代贖,賜給我們真平安。因為,只有耶穌基督的付上生命為代價,才能滿足上帝的公義,有公義才有和平(平安)。
第二個信息是:上帝親自使我們全然聖化。是的,若不是上帝用祂的靈和祂的話來更新我們,我們是無法成聖,這不是我們努力使自己聖化,是上帝親自動工,我們才能聖化。
第三個信息是:『願你們的靈,與魂,與身子得蒙保守,在我主耶穌基督降臨的時候,完全無可指摘』。其實這段或不是要支持「靈、魂、體三元論」的說法,而是要告訴我們,上帝是保守我們全人的,而且保守我們到主耶穌再來的時候,也就是上帝恆保守。
為甚麼這樣說呢?因為主耶穌的再來表示上帝國的實現,屬主耶穌的人都要進入榮耀裏。為什麼可以進榮耀裏呢?是因為上帝的聖化與上帝的保守,使我們成為完全無可指摘的人,因為耶穌基督為我們付上代價。
因為我們就在這福音的恩典中,所以我們要向人傳揚這恩典的福音,使上帝的旨意完成,並使上帝得榮耀,因為這一切的作為都是出於上帝的!