以斯拉記6:13-18

6:13 於是，河西總督達乃和示他‧波斯乃，並他們的同黨，因大流士王所發的命令，就急速遵行。
6:14 猶大長老因先知哈該和易多的孫子撒迦利亞所說勸勉的話就建造這殿，凡事亨通。他們遵著以色列上帝的命令和波斯王塞魯士、大流士、亞達薛西的旨意，建造完畢。
6:15 大流士王第六年，亞達月初三日，這殿修成了。
6:16 以色列的祭司和利未人，並其餘被擄歸回的人都歡歡喜喜地行奉獻上帝殿的禮。
6:17 行奉獻上帝殿的禮就獻公牛一百隻，公綿羊二百隻，綿羊羔四百隻，又照以色列支派的數目獻公山羊十二隻，為以色列眾人作贖罪祭；
6:18 且派祭司和利未人按著班次在耶路撒冷事奉上帝，是照摩西律法書上所寫的。

 

 ¹³ Then, because of the decree King Darius had sent, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates carried it out with diligence. ¹⁴ So the elders of the Jews continued to build and prosper under the preaching of Haggai the prophet and Zechariah, a descendant of Iddo. They finished building the temple according to the command of the God of Israel and the decrees of Cyrus, Darius and Artaxerxes, kings of Persia. ¹⁵ The temple was completed on the third day of the month Adar, in the sixth year of the reign of King Darius.

¹⁶ Then the people of Israel—the priests, the Levites and the rest of the exiles—celebrated the dedication of the house of God with joy. ¹⁷ For the dedication of this house of God they offered a hundred bulls, two hundred rams, four hundred male lambs and, as a sin offering^[b] for all Israel, twelve male goats, one for each of the tribes of Israel. ¹⁸ And they installed the priests in their divisions and the Levites in their groups for the service of God at Jerusalem, according to what is written in the Book of Moses.

 

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    聖殿終於重建完成，讓回歸的猶太人可以聚集敬拜，恢復原有的信仰生活，讓人感受到上帝大能。

 

    這樣的恢復也是成為基督救恩的預表，讓我們看見上帝的再造，也就是救贖之功。雖然人曾經因罪而敗壞，然而上帝要透過基督甦醒我們的生命，正如上帝使以色列人歸回重建聖殿一般！

 

    我們未遇見基督是滅亡的人，如同以色列與猶大被滅一般，然而死了的國竟然復生，同樣死了的人因基督又有了新生命！想到這些，我們不禁讚美上帝：哈利路亞！

 

 

以斯拉記6章

       以斯拉記6:1-12  ,

       以斯拉記6:13-18  ,

       以斯拉記6:19-22  ,

以斯拉記6:1-12

 

6:1 於是大流士王降旨，要尋察典籍庫內，就是在巴比倫藏寶物之處；
6:2 在米底亞省亞馬他城的宮內尋得一卷，其中記著說：
6:3 「塞魯士王元年，他降旨論到耶路撒冷上帝的殿，要建造這殿為獻祭之處，堅立殿的根基。殿高六十肘，寬六十肘，
6:4 用三層大石頭，一層新木頭，經費要出於王庫；
6:5 並且上帝殿的金銀器皿，就是尼布甲尼撒從耶路撒冷的殿中掠到巴比倫的，要歸還帶到耶路撒冷的殿中，各按原處放在上帝的殿裡。」
6:6 「現在河西的總督達乃和示他‧波斯乃，並你們的同黨，就是住河西的亞法薩迦人，你們當遠離他們。
6:7 不要攔阻上帝殿的工作，任憑猶大人的省長和猶大人的長老在原處建造上帝的這殿。
6:8 我又降旨，吩咐你們向猶大人的長老為建造上帝的殿當怎樣行，就是從河西的款項中，急速撥取貢銀作他們的經費，免得耽誤工作。
6:9 他們與天上的上帝獻燔祭所需用的公牛犢、公綿羊、綿羊羔，並所用的麥子、鹽、酒、油，都要照耶路撒冷祭司的話，每日供給他們，不得有誤；
6:10 好叫他們獻馨香的祭給天上的上帝，又為王和王眾子的壽命祈禱。
6:11 我再降旨，無論誰更改這命令，必從他房屋中拆出一根樑來，把他舉起，懸在其上，又使他的房屋成為糞堆。
6:12 若有王和民伸手更改這命令，拆毀這殿，願那使耶路撒冷的殿作為他名居所的上帝將他們滅絕。我─大流士降這旨意，當速速遵行。」

 

 King Darius then issued an order, and they searched in the archives stored in the treasury at Babylon. ² A scroll was found in the citadel of Ecbatana in the province of Media, and this was written on it:

Memorandum:

³ In the first year of King Cyrus, the king issued a decree concerning the temple of God in Jerusalem:

Let the temple be rebuilt as a place to present sacrifices, and let its foundations be laid. It is to be sixty cubits^[a] high and sixty cubits wide, ⁴ with three courses of large stones and one of timbers. The costs are to be paid by the royal treasury. ⁵ Also, the gold and silver articles of the house of God, which Nebuchadnezzar took from the temple in Jerusalem and brought to Babylon, are to be returned to their places in the temple in Jerusalem; they are to be deposited in the house of God.

⁶ Now then, Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and you other officials of that province, stay away from there. ⁷ Do not interfere with the work on this temple of God. Let the governor of the Jews and the Jewish elders rebuild this house of God on its site.

⁸ Moreover, I hereby decree what you are to do for these elders of the Jews in the construction of this house of God:

Their expenses are to be fully paid out of the royal treasury, from the revenues of Trans-Euphrates, so that the work will not stop. ⁹ Whatever is needed—young bulls, rams, male lambs for burnt offerings to the God of heaven, and wheat, salt, wine and olive oil, as requested by the priests in Jerusalem—must be given them daily without fail, ¹⁰ so that they may offer sacrifices pleasing to the God of heaven and pray for the well-being of the king and his sons.

¹¹ Furthermore, I decree that if anyone defies this edict, a beam is to be pulled from their house and they are to be impaled on it. And for this crime their house is to be made a pile of rubble. ¹² May God, who has caused his Name to dwell there, overthrow any king or people who lifts a hand to change this decree or to destroy this temple in Jerusalem.

I Darius have decreed it. Let it be carried out with diligence.

 

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    上帝透過大流士的命令，使聖殿的建造能夠繼續。

 

    有許多時候，我們推動教會的事功會受阻礙。但是，不可灰心，上帝若執意要行的，必定會成就，我們要做的就是持續禱告和仰望上帝，不畏懼困難堅忍下去！

 

    求主幫助我們，有一顆永不放棄的心，堅定地跟隨祂！

 

 

 

 

使徒行傳10:34-48

10:34 彼得就開口說：「我真看出上帝是不偏待人。
10:35 原來，各國中那敬畏主、行義的人都為主所悅納。
10:36 上帝藉著耶穌基督（他是萬有的主）傳和平的福音，將這道賜給以色列人。
10:37 這話在約翰宣傳洗禮以後，從加利利起，傳遍了猶太。
10:38 上帝怎樣以聖靈和能力膏拿撒勒人耶穌，這都是你們知道的。他周流四方，行善事，醫好凡被魔鬼壓制的人，因為上帝與他同在。
10:39 他在猶太人之地，並耶路撒冷所行的一切事，有我們作見證。他們竟把他掛在木頭上殺了。
10:40 第三日，上帝叫他復活，顯現出來；
10:41 不是顯現給眾人看，乃是顯現給上帝預先所揀選為他作見證的人看，就是我們這些在他從死裡復活以後和他同吃同喝的人。
10:42 他吩咐我們傳道給眾人，證明他是上帝所立定的，要作審判活人、死人的主。
10:43 眾先知也為他作見證說：『凡信他的人必因他的名得蒙赦罪。』」
10:44 彼得還說這話的時候，聖靈降在一切聽道的人身上。
10:45 那些奉割禮、和彼得同來的信徒，見聖靈的恩賜也澆在外邦人身上，就都希奇；
10:46 因聽見他們說方言，稱讚上帝為大。
10:47 於是彼得說：「這些人既受了聖靈，與我們一樣，誰能禁止用水給他們施洗呢？」
10:48 就吩咐奉耶穌基督的名給他們施洗。他們又請彼得住了幾天。

 

³⁴ Then Peter began to speak: “I now realize how true it is that God does not show favoritism ³⁵ but accepts from every nation the one who fears him and does what is right. ³⁶ You know the message God sent to the people of Israel, announcing the good news of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. ³⁷ You know what has happened throughout the province of Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John preached— ³⁸ how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and power, and how he went around doing good and healing all who were under the power of the devil, because God was with him.

³⁹ “We are witnesses of everything he did in the country of the Jews and in Jerusalem. They killed him by hanging him on a cross, ⁴⁰ but God raised him from the dead on the third day and caused him to be seen. ⁴¹ He was not seen by all the people, but by witnesses whom God had already chosen—by us who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one whom God appointed as judge of the living and the dead. ⁴³ All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

⁴⁴ While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit came on all who heard the message. ⁴⁵ The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astonished that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on Gentiles. ⁴⁶ For they heard them speaking in tongues^[b] and praising God.

Then Peter said, ⁴⁷ “Surely no one can stand in the way of their being baptized with water. They have received the Holy Spirit just as we have.” ⁴⁸ So he ordered that they be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they asked Peter to stay with them for a few days.

 

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    彼得和那些同來的猶大基督徒，在這裡感受到讓他們跌破眼鏡的事：就是這些外邦人，竟然聽見福音之後，就馬上有聖靈在他們的身上動工，使他們說方言，稱讚上帝為大。

 

    這樣的情景比看見所謂的神蹟奇事發生還震撼，上帝竟然能讓這些被猶太人看不起的外邦人，有得救的現象產生！讓人感受到這真是上帝的工作，不是彼得講到講得很好，這是上帝超然的工作，事上帝使人得救！

 

    於是彼得說：「這些人既受了聖靈，與我們一樣，誰能禁止用水給他們施洗呢？」就吩咐奉耶穌基督的名給他們施洗！

 

    這也告訴我們：「我不以福音為恥；這福音本是上帝的大能，要救一切相信的，先是猶太人，後是希臘人。」(羅馬書1:16)

 

    因此，我們不可以為自己傳福音令人歸主而誇口，這本是上帝奇妙的作為！

 

使徒行傳10:23-33

 

10:23 彼得就請他們進去，住了一宿。次日，起身和他們同去，還有約帕的幾個弟兄同著他去；
10:24 又次日，他們進入凱撒利亞，哥尼流已經請了他的親屬密友等候他們。
10:25 彼得一進去，哥尼流就迎接他，俯伏在他腳前拜他。
10:26 彼得卻拉他，說：「你起來，我也是人。」
10:27 彼得和他說著話進去，見有好些人在那裡聚集，
10:28 就對他們說：「你們知道，猶太人和別國的人親近來往本是不合例的，但上帝已經指示我，無論甚麼人都不可看作俗而不潔淨的。
10:29 所以我被請的時候，就不推辭而來。現在請問：你們叫我來有甚麼意思呢？」
10:30 哥尼流說：「前四天，這個時候，我在家中守著申初的禱告，忽然有一個人穿著光明的衣裳，站在我面前，
10:31 說：『哥尼流，你的禱告已蒙垂聽，你的賙濟達到上帝面前已蒙記念了。
10:32 你當打發人往約帕去，請那稱呼彼得的西門來，他住在海邊一個硝皮匠西門的家裡。』
10:33 所以我立時打發人去請你。你來了很好；現今我們都在上帝面前，要聽主所吩咐你的一切話。」

 

²³ Then Peter invited the men into the house to be his guests.The next day Peter started out with them, and some of the believers from Joppa went along. ²⁴ The following day he arrived in Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ As Peter entered the house, Cornelius met him and fell at his feet in reverence. ²⁶ But Peter made him get up. “Stand up,” he said, “I am only a man myself.”

²⁷ While talking with him, Peter went inside and found a large gathering of people. ²⁸ He said to them: “You are well aware that it is against our law for a Jew to associate with or visit a Gentile. But God has shown me that I should not call anyone impure or unclean. ²⁹ So when I was sent for, I came without raising any objection. May I ask why you sent for me?”

³⁰ Cornelius answered: “Three days ago I was in my house praying at this hour, at three in the afternoon. Suddenly a man in shining clothes stood before me ³¹ and said, ‘Cornelius, God has heard your prayer and remembered your gifts to the poor. ³² Send to Joppa for Simon who is called Peter. He is a guest in the home of Simon the tanner, who lives by the sea.’ ³³ So I sent for you immediately, and it was good of you to come. Now we are all here in the presence of God to listen to everything the Lord has commanded you to tell us.”

 

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    我們從彼得對哥泥流說的話，感受到非常無奈，正如他所說的：「「你們知道，猶太人和別國的人親近來往本是不合例的，但上帝已經指示我，無論甚麼人都不可看作俗而不潔淨的。所以我被請的時候，就不推辭而來。現在請問：你們叫我來有甚麼意思呢？」

 

    然而哥泥流卻是對比得很恭敬：彼得一進去，哥尼流就迎接他，俯伏在他腳前拜他。甚至還請親友一起來，準備要聽上帝的福音！看見他對福音的反應，讓我們覺得很慚愧，因為我們從未如此熱切於福音呢！

 

    求主保守與賜下火熱的心，讓我們熱氣愛慕福音，非得瞻仰到基督的榮光不可！