Genesis 1:1

 

In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth.

 

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   God created the heavens and the earth. Then “time” is become meaningful. So time is “in the beginning”! No the heavens and the earth is also no beginning, it means God does not be limited by time as space.

 

   God does not only create space but also time. We are limited by time and space. So we have birth and death but God have not. God is everlasting but we are not!

 

   God is our Creator, so we must worship Him. We must tell the world: God created the heavens and the earth. Let somebody believe in God! Amen!

 

以賽亞書66:17

 

那些分別為聖、潔淨自己的，進入園內跟在其中一個人的後頭，吃豬肉和倉鼠並可憎之物，他們必一同滅絕；這是耶和華說的。

 

Those who consecrate and purify themselves to go into the gardens, following one who is among those who eat the flesh of pigs, rats and other unclean things—they will meet their end together with the one they follow,” declares the Lord.

 

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    不要被「那些分別為聖、潔淨自己的」這樣的描述誤導，因為這是虛假的敬虔，不是真正對上帝敬虔！應該是先知用諷刺的語氣，來形容下面所敘述的偶像敬拜的行為！

 

    後面說到：「進入園內跟在其中一個人的後頭，吃豬肉和倉鼠並可憎之物」！這就是一種異教之偶像崇拜，也因為這樣，上帝才會透過先知宣告：「他們必一同滅絕！」

 

    先知這樣的說明，讓我們警戒，我們要慎防以敬虔之名，做不敬虔之事！尤其是傳道者，更是要小心：不要將人帶到自己的面前，要將人帶到上帝面前！不要將榮耀歸給自己，要將榮耀歸給上帝！

 

   

以賽亞書66:24

 

他們必出去觀看那些違背我人的屍首；因為他們的蟲是不死的；他們的火是不滅的；凡有血氣的都必憎惡他們。

 

“And they will go out and look on the dead bodies of those who rebelled against me; the worms that eat them will not die, the fire that burns them will not be quenched, and they will be loathsome to all mankind.”

 

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    先知不只宣告新天新地的榮耀，也宣告永死之苦！也在意讓我們看見上帝的預定，預定一些人得榮耀，也預定一些人得滅亡！

 

    有人會說上帝沒有仁慈之心，也不公平，為何讓一些人得榮耀，又一些人得滅亡呢？為何有差別待遇呢？上帝還有正義可言呢？

 

    我們要感謝上帝沒有正義！因為照上帝的正義，人人都要滅亡！然而上帝以恩典對待祂所揀選的人，竟然讓他們不滅亡，反得永生了！

約書亞記23:14-16

23:14 「我現在要走世人必走的路。你們是一心一意地知道，耶和華─你們上帝所應許賜福與你們的話沒有一句落空，都應驗在你們身上了。
23:15 耶和華─你們上帝所應許的一切福氣怎樣臨到你們身上，耶和華也必照樣使各樣禍患臨到你們身上，直到把你們從耶和華─你們上帝所賜的這美地上除滅。
23:16 你們若違背耶和華─你們上帝吩咐你們所守的約，去事奉別神，叩拜他，耶和華的怒氣必向你們發作，使你們在他所賜的美地上速速滅亡。」

 

¹⁴ “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the Lord your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. ¹⁵ But just as all the good things the Lord your God has promised you have come to you, so he will bring on you all the evil things he has threatened, until the Lord your God has destroyed you from this good land he has given you. ¹⁶ If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which he commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land he has given you.”

 

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    「上帝的憤怒」常常被基督徒忽略，總是以為上帝必須賜福於我們，不可以憤怒對待我們！

 

    可是約書亞在臨終的時候，也嚴嚴警告以色列人，若是盼望上帝賜福，也是要謹記上帝也會憤怒，也會死下災禍！

 

    然而上帝何時賜下災禍使人感受祂的憤怒呢？就是人偏離真理回到罪惡的狀況！也因為如此，要禁戒自己不可以再犯罪，雖然不容易，更是要努力！這也讓我們想到律法的功能，告訴我們什麼是犯罪！

 

    今天我們有主耶穌的恩典，更是不可以認為犯罪沒有關係，犯罪習慣了的下場就是離棄主耶穌，因為一直拒絕聖靈，就是褻瀆聖靈，終必招惹上帝的憤怒，不可輕忽上帝的憤怒！

 

利未記26:9

 

我要眷顧你們，使你們生養眾多，也要與你們堅定所立的約。

I will look on you with favor and make you fruitful and increase your numbers, and I will keep my covenant with you.

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    上帝要眷顧服事祂的人，絕對不會虧待，並切要賜福給他們許多的後代，而且每一個都是受到上帝豐豐富富的賞賜，使事奉上帝的家族興旺，正如上帝賜福亞伯拉罕的後代一樣！

 

    上帝永遠都記念祂與亞伯拉罕所立的約，同樣祂也記念每一位是奉祂的僕人直到永遠！雖然一時有挫敗，暫時受苦，但是上帝預備的卻是永遠的福分，不要氣餒，上帝不會忘記的。

 

    所以，上帝的僕人不要忘記，上帝隨時在看顧，要常常喜樂，保持微笑，雨過必天清！