2019年8月15日 星期四

民數記15:37-41


15:37 耶和華曉諭摩西說:
15:38 「你吩咐以色列人,叫他們世世代代在衣服邊上做繸子,又在底邊的繸子上釘一根藍細帶子。
15:39 你們佩帶這繸子,好叫你們看見就記念遵行耶和華一切的命令,不隨從自己的心意、眼目行邪淫,像你們素常一樣;
15:40 使你們記念遵行我一切的命令,成為聖潔,歸與你們的上帝。
15:41 「我是耶和華─你們的上帝,曾把你們從埃及地領出來,要作你們的上帝。我是耶和華─你們的上帝。」

37 The Lord said to Moses, 38 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘Throughout the generations to come you are to make tassels on the corners of your garments, with a blue cord on each tassel. 39 You will have these tassels to look at and so you will remember all the commands of the Lord, that you may obey them and not prostitute yourselves by chasing after the lusts of your own hearts and eyes. 40 Then you will remember to obey all my commands and will be consecrated to your God. 41 I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt to be your God. I am the Lord your God.’”
*************

    「我是耶和華─你們的上帝,曾把你們從埃及地領出來,要作你們的上帝。我是耶和華─你們的上帝。」

    可見聖潔是來自上帝的拯救,而不是來自遵行律法。然而遵行律法是聖潔的表現,但是這仍然需要經過教育和各樣的提醒!人雖然蒙拯救,還是在軟弱之中,沒有能力行出上帝的要求,需要有一些提醒與鼓勵,而不是批評和論斷!

    所以上帝要摩西向百姓宣告:「你吩咐以色列人,叫他們世世代代在衣服邊上做繸子,又在底邊的繸子上釘一根藍細帶子。你們佩帶這繸子,好叫你們看見就記念遵行耶和華一切的命令,不隨從自己的心意、眼目行邪淫,像你們素常一樣;使你們記念遵行我一切的命令,成為聖潔,歸與你們的上帝。」

    因此,我們不要一信主了,就自以為是,批評和論斷弟兄姊妹,評斷別人怎麼一點也不像基督徒呢﹖若所們是如此要小心,雅各書說:「弟兄們,你們不可彼此批評。人若批評弟兄,論斷弟兄,就是批評律法,論斷律法。你若論斷律法,就不是遵行律法,乃是判斷人的。設立律法和判斷人的,只有一位,就是那能救人也能滅人的。你是誰,竟敢論斷別人呢?」(4:11-12

2019年8月14日 星期三

出埃及記22:5-15


22:5 「人若在田間或在葡萄園裡放牲畜,任憑牲畜上別人的田裡去吃,就必拿自己田間上好的和葡萄園上好的賠還。
22:6
「若點火焚燒荊棘,以致將別人堆積的禾捆,站著的禾稼,或是田園,都燒盡了,那點火的必要賠還。
22:7
「人若將銀錢或家具交付鄰舍看守,這物從那人的家被偷去,若把賊找到了,賊要加倍賠還;
22:8
若找不到賊,那家主必就近審判官,要看看他拿了原主的物件沒有。
22:9
「兩個人的案件,無論是為甚麼過犯,或是為牛,為驢,為羊,為衣裳,或是為甚麼失掉之物,有一人說:『這是我的』,兩造就要將案件稟告審判官,審判官定誰有罪,誰就要加倍賠還。
22:10
「人若將驢,或牛,或羊,或別的牲畜,交付鄰舍看守,牲畜或死,或受傷,或被趕去,無人看見,
22:11
那看守的人要憑著耶和華起誓,手裡未曾拿鄰舍的物,本主就要罷休,看守的人不必賠還。
22:12
牲畜若從看守的那裡被偷去,他就要賠還本主;
22:13
若被野獸撕碎,看守的要帶來當作證據,所撕的不必賠還。
22:14
「人若向鄰舍借甚麼,所借的或受傷,或死,本主沒有同在一處,借的人總要賠還;
22:15
若本主同在一處,他就不必賠還;若是雇的,也不必賠還,本是為雇價來的。」

 “If anyone grazes their livestock in a field or vineyard and lets them stray and they graze in someone else’s field, the offender must make restitution from the best of their own field or vineyard.
“If a fire breaks out and spreads into thornbushes so that it burns shocks of grain or standing grain or the whole field, the one who started the fire must make restitution.
“If anyone gives a neighbor silver or goods for safekeeping and they are stolen from the neighbor’s house, the thief, if caught, must pay back double. But if the thief is not found, the owner of the house must appear before the judges, and they must[b] determine whether the owner of the house has laid hands on the other person’s property. In all cases of illegal possession of an ox, a donkey, a sheep, a garment, or any other lost property about which somebody says, ‘This is mine,’ both parties are to bring their cases before the judges.[c] The one whom the judges declare[d] guilty must pay back double to the other.
10 “If anyone gives a donkey, an ox, a sheep or any other animal to their neighbor for safekeeping and it dies or is injured or is taken away while no one is looking, 11 the issue between them will be settled by the taking of an oath before the Lord that the neighbor did not lay hands on the other person’s property. The owner is to accept this, and no restitution is required. 12 But if the animal was stolen from the neighbor, restitution must be made to the owner. 13 If it was torn to pieces by a wild animal, the neighbor shall bring in the remains as evidence and shall not be required to pay for the torn animal.
14 “If anyone borrows an animal from their neighbor and it is injured or dies while the owner is not present, they must make restitution. 15 But if the owner is with the animal, the borrower will not have to pay. If the animal was hired, the money paid for the hire covers the loss.

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

    上帝所頒布的律例中,讓我們看見若有虧欠或侵犯別人,要做一件事就是賠償。然而賠償不只是給等值的東西,還要給得更多與更好,為什麼要這樣做呢?就是要讓彼此復和,所以要多付一些代價,來表達和好的心意。

    這也讓我們看見人與人之間,要追求和睦,寧可多賠償一些,也要挽回受害者的心,讓彼此能夠真正的和好,比甚麼事情都重要!這種復和式的條例,對於任何社會都是需要的!

    當然上帝親自用耶穌基督的代贖來是我們與上帝和好,更是一個重要「複和」的表現!也因為這樣,我們可以享受到上帝同在的平安之中!


撒母耳記上16:7


耶和華卻對撒母耳說:「不要看他的外貌和他身材高大,我不揀選他。因為,耶和華不像人看人:人是看外貌;耶和華是看內心。」

But the Lord said to Samuel, "Do not consider his appearance or his height, for I have rejected him. The Lord does not look at the things people look at. People look at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart."

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

    先知撒母耳是受到上帝的感動,要他將膏油盛滿了角,受差遣往伯利恆人耶西那裡去;因為上帝要在他眾子之內,預定一個作王的。可是他到了耶西的家一看見老大以利押心裡想這個人就是上帝所揀選的王吧沒想到上帝竟然他這一句話以至於他看了耶西的七個兒子之後感受到這些人都不是上帝揀選的。然而上帝是不開玩笑的,絕對不會戲弄人的,繼續問耶西還有沒有孩子,這時後才將大衛叫回來,他面色光紅,雙目清秀,容貌俊美。耶和華說:「這就是他,你起來膏他。」

    大衛雖然是一個連父親都不看重的小孩,但是上帝看重他,刻意揀選他,超越人的想像!上帝這樣做,是要展現祂的揀選是沒有條件的!不是這個人很棒、很有才能和辦法才是合格的人選!而是要讓人看見,上帝寧可使用人看來微小,可是內心謙卑的人。正如保羅在哥林多前書中寫道:「弟兄們哪,可見你們蒙召的,按著肉體有智慧的不多,有能力的不多,有尊貴的也不多。上帝卻揀選了世上愚拙的,叫有智慧的羞愧;又揀選了世上軟弱的,叫那強壯的羞愧。上帝也揀選了世上卑賤的,被人厭惡的,以及那無有的,為要廢掉那有的,使一切有血氣的,在上帝面前一個也不能自誇。」(1:26-29)

    不只保羅如此說,使徒彼得也說:「但他賜更多的恩典,所以經上說:上帝阻擋驕傲的人,賜恩給謙卑的人。」(彼得前書4:6)

    既然如此,讓我們做一位敬畏上帝、歸榮耀給上帝的人,因為上帝已經在基督裡將各樣的恩典賜給我們了!