2019年11月28日 星期四

腓立比書3章12-14節


3:12 這不是說我已經成功,或已經完全了。我繼續奔跑,只求贏得那獎賞;其實,為要使我達到這目標,基督耶穌已經先贏得了我。
3:13 弟兄姊妹們,我並不認為我已經贏得了這獎賞;我只專心一件事:就是忘記背後,全力追求前面的事。
3:14 我向著目標直奔,為要得到獎賞;這獎賞就是屬天的新生命,是上帝藉著基督耶穌呼召我去領受的。

Philippians 3:12-14 NIV

Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already been made perfect, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me. Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.

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

    基督徒不是無所求,是要求「贏得那獎賞」!

    所以保羅在此告訴我們:『我只專心一件事:就是忘記背後,全力追求前面的事。我向著目標直奔,為要得到獎賞;這獎賞就是屬天的新生命,是上帝藉著基督耶穌呼召我去領受的。

    也因為要得那獎賞,所以基督徒要努力以赴,不是消極過日子。馬偕博士說:「寧可燒毀,也不可鏽壞!」

    讓我們為「贏得那獎賞」而奮鬥吧!




2019年11月27日 星期三

民數記1:17-54


1:17 於是,摩西、亞倫帶著這些按名指定的人,
1:18
當二月初一日招聚全會眾。會眾就照他們的家室、宗族、人名的數目,從二十歲以外的,都述說自己的家譜。
1:19
耶和華怎樣吩咐摩西,他就怎樣在西奈的曠野數點他們。
1:20
以色列的長子,流便子孫的後代,照著家室、宗族、人名的數目,從二十歲以外,凡能出去打仗、被數的男丁,共有四萬六千五百名。
1:21
【併於上節】
1:22
西緬子孫的後代,照著家室、宗族、人名的數目,從二十歲以外,凡能出去打仗、被數的男丁,共有五萬九千三百名。
1:23
【併於上節】
1:24
迦得子孫的後代,照著家室、宗族、人名的數目,從二十歲以外,凡能出去打仗、被數的,共有四萬五千六百五十名。
1:25
【併於上節】
1:26
猶大子孫的後代,照著家室、宗族、人名的數目,從二十歲以外,凡能出去打仗、被數的,共有七萬四千六百名。
1:27
【併於上節】
1:28
以薩迦子孫的後代,照著家室、宗族、人名的數目,從二十歲以外,凡能出去打仗、被數的,共有五萬四千四百名。
1:29
【併於上節】
1:30
西布倫子孫的後代,照著家室、宗族、人名的數目,從二十歲以外,凡能出去打仗、被數的,共有五萬七千四百名。
1:31
【併於上節】
1:32
約瑟子孫屬以法蓮子孫的後代,照著家室、宗族、人名的數目,從二十歲以外,凡能出去打仗、被數的,共有四萬零五百名。
1:33
【併於上節】
1:34
瑪拿西子孫的後代,照著家室、宗族、人名的數目,從二十歲以外,凡能出去打仗、被數的,共有三萬二千二百名。
1:35
【併於上節】
1:36
便雅憫子孫的後代,照著家室、宗族、人名的數目,從二十歲以外,凡能出去打仗、被數的,共有三萬五千四百名。
1:37
【併於上節】
1:38
但子孫的後代,照著家室、宗族、人名的數目,從二十歲以外,凡能出去打仗、被數的,共有六萬二千七百名。
1:39
【併於上節】
1:40
亞設子孫的後代,照著家室、宗族、人名的數目,從二十歲以外,凡能出去打仗、被數的,共有四萬一千五百名。
1:41
【併於上節】
1:42
拿弗他利子孫的後代,照著家室、宗族、人名的數目,從二十歲以外,凡能出去打仗、被數的,共有五萬三千四百名。
1:43
【併於上節】
1:44
這些就是被數點的,是摩西、亞倫,和以色列中十二個首領所數點的;這十二個人各作各宗族的代表。
1:45
這樣,凡以色列人中被數的,照著宗族,從二十歲以外,能出去打仗、被數的,共有六十萬零三千五百五十名。
1:46
【併於上節】
1:47
利未人卻沒有按著支派數在其中,
1:48
因為耶和華曉諭摩西說:
1:49
「惟獨利未支派你不可數點,也不可在以色列人中計算他們的總數。
1:50
只要派利未人管法櫃的帳幕和其中的器具,並屬乎帳幕的;他們要抬(或譯:搬運)帳幕和其中的器具,並要辦理帳幕的事,在帳幕的四圍安營。
1:51
帳幕將往前行的時候,利未人要拆卸;將支搭的時候,利未人要豎起。近前來的外人必被治死。
1:52
以色列人支搭帳棚,要照他們的軍隊,各歸本營,各歸本纛。
1:53
但利未人要在法櫃帳幕的四圍安營,免得忿怒臨到以色列會眾;利未人並要謹守法櫃的帳幕。」
1:54
以色列人就這樣行。凡耶和華所吩咐摩西的,他們就照樣行了。

17 Moses and Aaron took these men whose names had been specified, 18 and they called the whole community together on the first day of the second month. The people registered their ancestry by their clans and families, and the men twenty years old or more were listed by name, one by one, 19 as the Lord commanded Moses. And so he counted them in the Desert of Sinai:
20 From the descendants of Reuben the firstborn son of Israel:
All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. 21 The number from the tribe of Reuben was 46,500.
22 From the descendants of Simeon:
All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were counted and listed by name, one by one, according to the records of their clans and families. 23 The number from the tribe of Simeon was 59,300.
24 From the descendants of Gad:
All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 25 The number from the tribe of Gad was 45,650.
26 From the descendants of Judah:
All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 27 The number from the tribe of Judah was 74,600.
28 From the descendants of Issachar:
All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 29 The number from the tribe of Issachar was 54,400.
30 From the descendants of Zebulun:
All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 31 The number from the tribe of Zebulun was 57,400.
32 From the sons of Joseph:
From the descendants of Ephraim:
All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 33 The number from the tribe of Ephraim was 40,500.
34 From the descendants of Manasseh:
All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 35 The number from the tribe of Manasseh was 32,200.
36 From the descendants of Benjamin:
All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 37 The number from the tribe of Benjamin was 35,400.
38 From the descendants of Dan:
All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 39 The number from the tribe of Dan was 62,700.
40 From the descendants of Asher:
All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 41 The number from the tribe of Asher was 41,500.
42 From the descendants of Naphtali:
All the men twenty years old or more who were able to serve in the army were listed by name, according to the records of their clans and families. 43 The number from the tribe of Naphtali was 53,400.
44 These were the men counted by Moses and Aaron and the twelve leaders of Israel, each one representing his family. 45 All the Israelites twenty years old or more who were able to serve in Israel’s army were counted according to their families. 46 The total number was 603,550.
47 The ancestral tribe of the Levites, however, was not counted along with the others. 48 The Lord had said to Moses: 49 “You must not count the tribe of Levi or include them in the census of the other Israelites. 50 Instead, appoint the Levites to be in charge of the tabernacle of the covenant law—over all its furnishings and everything belonging to it. They are to carry the tabernacle and all its furnishings; they are to take care of it and encamp around it. 51 Whenever the tabernacle is to move, the Levites are to take it down, and whenever the tabernacle is to be set up, the Levites shall do it. Anyone else who approaches it is to be put to death. 52 The Israelites are to set up their tents by divisions, each of them in their own camp under their standard. 53 The Levites, however, are to set up their tents around the tabernacle of the covenant law so that my wrath will not fall on the Israelite community. The Levites are to be responsible for the care of the tabernacle of the covenant law.”
54 The Israelites did all this just as the Lord commanded Moses.

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

    在利未之派之外也有十二個支派,是因為約瑟是長子,所以有雙份就是以法蓮和瑪拿西,也因此沒有利未之派也有12支派。然而上帝不准以色列人點數利未支派,因為他們不是拿刀槍的人,是事奉上帝的族群!

    上帝曉諭說:「惟獨利未支派你不可數點,也不可在以色列人中計算他們的總數。只要派利未人管法櫃的帳幕和其中的器具,並屬乎帳幕的;他們要抬(或譯:搬運)帳幕和其中的器具,並要辦理帳幕的事,在帳幕的四圍安營。帳幕將往前行的時候,利未人要拆卸;將支搭的時候,利未人要豎起。近前來的外人必被治死。以色列人支搭帳棚,要照他們的軍隊,各歸本營,各歸本纛。但利未人要在法櫃帳幕的四圍安營,免得忿怒臨到以色列會眾;利未人並要謹守法櫃的帳幕。」

   上帝的作為奇妙,表示祂對以色列有祂的攝理(或稱為「護理」),正如他對我們每個人的人生也有祂的攝理,我們只能憑信心接受祂的引領,而不是憑我們的意志來臆測或左右上帝在我們生命的作為!因為,上帝有其主權的作為,是我們不能完全明白的奧秘!

民數記1章

       民數記1:1-16  ,

       民數記1:17-54  ,





民數記1:1-16


1:1 以色列人出埃及地後,第二年二月初一日,耶和華在西奈的曠野、會幕中曉諭摩西說:
1:2
「你要按以色列全會眾的家室、宗族、人名的數目計算所有的男丁。
1:3
凡以色列中,從二十歲以外,能出去打仗的,你和亞倫要照他們的軍隊數點。
1:4
每支派中必有一人作本支派的族長,幫助你們。
1:5
他們的名字:屬流便的,有示丟珥的兒子以利蓿;
1:6
屬西緬的,有蘇利沙代的兒子示路蔑;
1:7
屬猶大的,有亞米拿達的兒子拿順;
1:8
屬以薩迦的,有蘇押的兒子拿坦業;
1:9
屬西布倫的,有希倫的兒子以利押;
1:10
約瑟子孫、屬以法蓮的,有亞米忽的兒子以利沙瑪;屬瑪拿西的,有比大蓿的兒子迦瑪列;
1:11
屬便雅憫的,有基多尼的兒子亞比但;
1:12
屬但的,有亞米沙代的兒子亞希以謝;
1:13
屬亞設的,有俄蘭的兒子帕結;
1:14
屬迦得的,有丟珥的兒子以利雅薩;
1:15
屬拿弗他利的,有以南的兒子亞希拉。
1:16
這都是從會中選召的,各作本支派的首領,都是以色列軍中的統領。」

The Lord spoke to Moses in the tent of meeting in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt. He said: “Take a census of the whole Israelite community by their clans and families, listing every man by name, one by one. You and Aaron are to count according to their divisions all the men in Israel who are twenty years old or more and able to serve in the army. One man from each tribe, each of them the head of his family, is to help you. These are the names of the men who are to assist you:
from Reuben, Elizur son of Shedeur;
from Simeon, Shelumiel son of Zurishaddai;
from Judah, Nahshon son of Amminadab;
from Issachar, Nethanel son of Zuar;
from Zebulun, Eliab son of Helon;
10 from the sons of Joseph:
from Ephraim, Elishama son of Ammihud;
from Manasseh, Gamaliel son of Pedahzur;
11 from Benjamin, Abidan son of Gideoni;
12 from Dan, Ahiezer son of Ammishaddai;
13 from Asher, Pagiel son of Okran;
14 from Gad, Eliasaph son of Deuel;
15 from Naphtali, Ahira son of Enan.”
16 These were the men appointed from the community, the leaders of their ancestral tribes. They were the heads of the clans of Israel.

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

    上帝在此很清楚讓摩西知道:點數百姓的目的是要清楚有多少男丁。「你要按以色列全會眾的家室、宗族、人名的數目計算所有的男丁。凡以色列中,從二十歲以外,能出去打仗的,你和亞倫要照他們的軍隊數點。」

    當然這是一個艱鉅的工作,不是摩西和亞倫兩個人可以完成的,需要每一個支派的族長來做這事,也就是要層層負責,這樣才能快速和準確的點數男丁的人數,以便在將來進迦南地時,可以安排軍隊之隊伍。

    數量不只代表一個數字,更是代表力量與能力,就像今日最流行的一句話就是:「數自是會說話的!」

    也因為這樣,現代人迷失於「大數據」,想靠自己的智慧成就大事,享用數字來顯揚自己,其實真正的能力是來自上帝,不是數字!讓我們透過信仰的認知打破數字的迷失,上帝常常是利用「少數」來改變「多數」,而不是用「多數」來消滅「少數」!