2019年12月9日 星期一

民數記5:11-31


5:11 耶和華對摩西說:
5:12
「你曉諭以色列人說:人的妻若有邪行,得罪她丈夫,
5:13
有人與她行淫,事情嚴密,瞞過她丈夫,而且她被玷污,沒有作見證的人,當她行淫的時候也沒有被捉住,
5:14
她丈夫生了疑恨的心,疑恨她,她是被玷污,或是她丈夫生了疑恨的心,疑恨她,她並沒有被玷污,
5:15
這人就要將妻送到祭司那裡,又為她帶著大麥麵伊法十分之一作供物,不可澆上油,也不可加上乳香;因為這是疑恨的素祭,是思念的素祭,使人思念罪孽。
5:16
「祭司要使那婦人近前來,站在耶和華面前。
5:17
祭司要把聖水盛在瓦器裡,又從帳幕的地上取點塵土,放在水中。
5:18
祭司要叫那婦人蓬頭散髮,站在耶和華面前,把思念的素祭,就是疑恨的素祭,放在她手中。祭司手裡拿著致咒詛的苦水,
5:19
要叫婦人起誓,對她說:『若沒有人與你行淫,也未曾背著丈夫做污穢的事,你就免受這致咒詛苦水的災。
5:20
你若背著丈夫行了污穢的事,在你丈夫以外有人與你行淫,
5:21
(祭司叫婦人發咒起誓),願耶和華叫你大腿消瘦,肚腹發脹,使你在你民中被人咒詛,成了誓語;
5:22
並且這致咒詛的水入你的腸中,要叫你的肚腹發脹,大腿消瘦。』婦人要回答說:『阿們,阿們。』
5:23
「祭司要寫這咒詛的話,將所寫的字抹在苦水裡,
5:24
又叫婦人喝這致咒詛的苦水;這水要進入她裡面變苦了。
5:25
祭司要從婦人的手中取那疑恨的素祭,在耶和華面前搖一搖,拿到壇前;
5:26
又要從素祭中取出一把,作為這事的紀念,燒在壇上,然後叫婦人喝這水。
5:27
叫她喝了以後,她若被玷污,得罪了丈夫,這致咒詛的水必進入她裡面變苦了,她的肚腹就要發脹,大腿就要消瘦,那婦人便要在他民中被人咒詛。
5:28
若婦人沒有被玷污,卻是清潔的,就要免受這災,且要懷孕。
5:29
「妻子背著丈夫行了污穢的事,
5:30
或是人生了疑恨的心,疑恨他的妻,就有這疑恨的條例。那時他要叫婦人站在耶和華面前,祭司要在她身上照這條例而行。
5:31
男人就為無罪,婦人必擔當自己的罪孽。」

11 Then the Lord said to Moses, 12 “Speak to the Israelites and say to them: ‘If a man’s wife goes astray and is unfaithful to him 13 so that another man has sexual relations with her, and this is hidden from her husband and her impurity is undetected (since there is no witness against her and she has not been caught in the act), 14 and if feelings of jealousy come over her husband and he suspects his wife and she is impure—or if he is jealous and suspects her even though she is not impure— 15 then he is to take his wife to the priest. He must also take an offering of a tenth of an ephah[c] of barley flour on her behalf. He must not pour olive oil on it or put incense on it, because it is a grain offering for jealousy, a reminder-offering to draw attention to wrongdoing.
16 “‘The priest shall bring her and have her stand before the Lord. 17 Then he shall take some holy water in a clay jar and put some dust from the tabernacle floor into the water. 18 After the priest has had the woman stand before the Lord, he shall loosen her hair and place in her hands the reminder-offering, the grain offering for jealousy, while he himself holds the bitter water that brings a curse. 19 Then the priest shall put the woman under oath and say to her, “If no other man has had sexual relations with you and you have not gone astray and become impure while married to your husband, may this bitter water that brings a curse not harm you. 20 But if you have gone astray while married to your husband and you have made yourself impure by having sexual relations with a man other than your husband”— 21 here the priest is to put the woman under this curse—“may the Lord cause you to become a curse[d] among your people when he makes your womb miscarry and your abdomen swell. 22 May this water that brings a curse enter your body so that your abdomen swells or your womb miscarries.”
“‘Then the woman is to say, “Amen. So be it.”
23 “‘The priest is to write these curses on a scroll and then wash them off into the bitter water. 24 He shall make the woman drink the bitter water that brings a curse, and this water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering will enter her. 25 The priest is to take from her hands the grain offering for jealousy, wave it before the Lord and bring it to the altar. 26 The priest is then to take a handful of the grain offering as a memorial[e] offering and burn it on the altar; after that, he is to have the woman drink the water. 27 If she has made herself impure and been unfaithful to her husband, this will be the result: When she is made to drink the water that brings a curse and causes bitter suffering, it will enter her, her abdomen will swell and her womb will miscarry, and she will become a curse. 28 If, however, the woman has not made herself impure, but is clean, she will be cleared of guilt and will be able to have children.
29 “‘This, then, is the law of jealousy when a woman goes astray and makes herself impure while married to her husband, 30 or when feelings of jealousy come over a man because he suspects his wife. The priest is to have her stand before the Lord and is to apply this entire law to her. 31 The husband will be innocent of any wrongdoing, but the woman will bear the consequences of her sin.’”

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    性是上帝給人美好的禮物,但是不可以超過婚姻的範圍。然而男性與女性在性的角色或次序上有不同,女性常常站在比較被動的情況,拒絕丈夫的要求多了,常常會引起丈夫的誤解和憤怒,就被以為是不忠。設下這樣的條例,表面上是對女性不好,其實是保護,好使丈夫無話可說。

    其實丈夫若是愛他的妻子,就不應該懷疑妻子,讓妻子要藉由這樣發毒誓來證明清白。更何況在眾人面前這樣處事情,對做先生的人,也是十分不光彩的事情!說到這裡想到馬太福音第一章說到:「耶穌基督降生的事記在下面:他母親馬利亞已經許配了約瑟,還沒有迎娶,馬利亞就從聖靈懷了孕。她丈夫約瑟是個義人,不願意明明地羞辱她,想要暗暗地把她休了。」(18-19節)

    希伯來書134節教訓我們:「婚姻,人人都當尊重,床也不可污穢;因為苟合行淫的人,上帝必要審判。」

    求主保守我們,不要受到情慾影響而犯罪,破壞婚姻的神聖性,要想到基督犧牲的愛來使彼此持守上帝的誡命,不要得罪上帝,以免面對上帝的憤怒,上帝是烈火,我們當敬畏祂!


民數記5:5-10


5:5 耶和華對摩西說:
5:6
「你曉諭以色列人說:無論男女,若犯了人所常犯的罪,以致干犯耶和華,那人就有了罪。
5:7
他要承認所犯的罪,將所虧負人的,如數賠還,另外加上五分之一,也歸與所虧負的人。
5:8
那人若沒有親屬可受所賠還的,那所賠還的就要歸與服事耶和華的祭司;至於那為他贖罪的公羊是在外。
5:9
以色列人一切的聖物中,所奉給祭司的舉祭都要歸與祭司。
5:10
各人所分別為聖的物,無論是甚麼,都要歸給祭司。」

The Lord said to Moses, “Say to the Israelites: ‘Any man or woman who wrongs another in any way and so is unfaithful to the Lord is guilty and must confess the sin they have committed. They must make full restitution for the wrong they have done, add a fifth of the value to it and give it all to the person they have wronged. But if that person has no close relative to whom restitution can be made for the wrong, the restitution belongs to the Lord and must be given to the priest, along with the ram with which atonement is made for the wrongdoer. All the sacred contributions the Israelites bring to a priest will belong to him. 10 Sacred things belong to their owners, but what they give to the priest will belong to the priest.’”

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    侵犯或欺騙人,使人財物受損,也是虧欠上帝,不僅對人要賠償原有的,還要加上五分之一。但是不能這樣就了事,仍然要到祭司那裏獻公羊給上帝來當贖罪祭。補償人之外,也要與上帝恢復和好的關係。

    不管是在舊約或新約,都看重與上帝和人,都要有何好的關係,因為沒有甚麼比和睦,也就是平安更重要!這也是為什麼基督要為我們的罪而死的原因,因為上帝願意主動與祂所愛的世人和好,建立正確合宜的關係。

    同樣,上帝希望透過祂與我們和好,促成人與人之間也有和睦的關係,人願依放下自己的利益,也願意補足自己對別人的虧欠,實現真正的公平也就是正義,人與人才會有真正的和睦,這樣就是平安了!



民數記5章

      民數記5:1-4  ,

      民數記5:5-10 ,

      民數記5:11-31 ,

民數記5:1-4


5:1 耶和華曉諭摩西說:
5:2
「你吩咐以色列人,使一切長大痲瘋的,患漏症的,並因死屍不潔淨的,都出營外去。
5:3
無論男女都要使他們出到營外,免得污穢他們的營;這營是我所住的。」
5:4
以色列人就這樣行,使他們出到營外。耶和華怎樣吩咐摩西,以色列人就怎樣行了。

The Lord said to Moses, “Command the Israelites to send away from the camp anyone who has a defiling skin disease or a discharge of any kind, or who is ceremonially unclean because of a dead body. Send away male and female alike; send them outside the camp so they will not defile their camp, where I dwell among them.” The Israelites did so; they sent them outside the camp. They did just as the Lord had instructed Moses.

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

    除去不潔的人,讓人看到人性的弱點,因為誰都不想沾染不潔的事情造成自己的麻煩,所以「耶和華怎樣吩咐摩西,以色列人就怎樣行了」。這比其他重要的法則守得更徹底。

    上帝之所以要他們這樣行,是因為當時在曠野之地,醫療資源有限,也是不得不的作法。當然,在舊約時代的以色列人進迦南地,也是照樣這樣守這樣的規條,一直到主耶穌的時代也是如此。就像馬太福音81-4節,在人煙稀少的地方潔淨長大痲瘋的人。因為,他們必須與人隔離,以免傳染給人。

    而主耶穌明白這些被隔離的人,內心的孤寂與痛苦,就向那位長大痲瘋的人伸手摸他,說:「我肯,你潔淨了吧!」

    也因為如此,許多基督徒效法主耶穌,去幫助身體有病的人,照顧被人遺棄的人,使這些人重新找回人性的尊嚴。

耶 利 米 書 31:31-34

耶 和 華 說 : 日 子 將到 , 我 要 與 以 色 列 家 和 猶 大 家 另 立 新 約 , 不 像 我 拉 著 他 們 祖 宗 的 手 , 領 他 們 出 埃 及 地 的 時 候, 與 他 們 所 立 的 約 。 我 雖 作 他 們 的 丈 夫 , 他 們 卻 背 了 我 的 約 。 這 是 耶 和 華 說 的 。 耶 和 華 說 :那 些 日 子 以 後 , 我 與 以 色 列 家 所 立 的 約 乃 是 這 樣 : 我 要 將 我 的 律 法 放 在 他 們 裡 面 , 寫 在 他 們心 上 。 我 要 作 他 們 的   神 , 他 們 要 作 我 的 子 民 。 他 們 各 人 不 再 教 導 自 己 的 鄰 舍 和 自 己 的 弟 兄說 : 你 該 認 識 耶 和 華 , 因 為 他 們 從 最 小 的 到 至 大 的 都 必 認 識 我 。 我 要 赦 免 他 們 的 罪 孽 , 不 再記 念 他 們 的 罪 惡 。 這 是 耶 和 華 說 的 。

  31 “The time is coming,” declares the LORD,
       “when I will make a new covenant
       with the house of Israel
       and with the house of Judah .
    32 It will not be like the covenant
       I made with their forefathers
       when I took them by the hand
       to lead them out of Egypt,
       because they broke my covenant,
       though I was a husband to [a] them, [b]
       declares the LORD.
    33 “This is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel
       after that time,” declares the LORD.
       “I will put my law in their minds
       and write it on their hearts.
       I will be their God,
       and they will be my people.
    34 No longer will a man teach his neighbor,
       or a man his brother, saying, ‘Know the LORD,’
       because they will all know me,
       from the least of them to the greatest,”
       declares the LORD.
       “For I will forgive their wickedness
       and will remember their sins no more.”
Footnotes:
a.    Jeremiah 31:32 Hebrew; Septuagint and Syriac / and I turned away from
b.    Jeremiah 31:32 Or was their master

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

    耶利米先知所宣告之「新約」已經成就在耶穌基督所完成之救恩裡了!

    這是件令人感謝和振奮之事:因為在萬世以先,天父上帝已預備這其妙之救恩,在日期滿足時,差遣耶穌基督道成肉身釘死於十字架,第三日死裡復活,與門徒同在四十天後升天,並應許再來,坐在天父右邊為屬祂的人代求,接著賜下聖靈與屬祂的人同在,使福音得以傳揚,教會得以建立,耶穌基督的名得高舉,使屬祂的人完完全全到天父上帝面前!

    而在新約中的人,因認識三一真神,蒙三一真神之拯救,成為上帝的兒女,且成上帝的後嗣,得著應許要在上帝國中與主同作王,直到永永遠遠。這就是得榮耀之應許。

    當然我們得救之次序是:聖靈有效之呼召,使我們接受耶穌基督為救主和生命的主,接著被天父接納為兒女,等候將來的完全得贖。雖然,我們在世上奔走天路有各樣苦難與考驗,三一真神藉由聖靈讓我們可以倚賴與仰望祂,因著祂所賜之信心,支取屬天之力量,向前無懼的面對人生直到被主接去。

    每次思想之此,心中是多麼地感謝,不禁讚美祂:阿爸父!祢的作為真是奇妙與美好!願一切榮耀都歸於祢,直到永永遠遠!


耶利米哀歌3章22-32

3:22 上主的慈愛永不斷絕;他的憐憫永不止息;
3:23
像晨曦那樣清新,像太陽的東升那樣確實。
3:24 上主是我所有的一切;我把希望寄託於他。
3:25 尋求他,信靠他的人,上主施恩給他們。
3:26 因此我們應該仰望他,耐心等候他的救恩。
3:27 我們應該在年輕時學習負軛。
3:28 當我們遭受痛苦的時候,我們應該耐心靜坐。
3:29 我們應該低頭順服,也許還有希望。
3:30 縱使受鞭打凌辱,我們都應該忍受。
3:31 主滿有仁慈,不會長久拒絕我們。
3:32 他雖然使我們憂愁,但對我們的愛堅定不移。

Lamentations 3:22-32 NIV

Because of the LORD’s great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fail. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness. I say to myself, ‘The LORD is my portion; therefore I will wait for him.’ The LORD is good to those whose hope is in him, to the one who seeks him; it is good to wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. It is good for a man to bear the yoke while he is young. Let him sit alone in silence, for the LORD has laid it on him. Let him bury his face in the dust–there may yet be hope. Let him offer his cheek to one who would strike him, and let him be filled with disgrace. For men are not cast off by the Lord forever. Though he brings grief, he will show compassion, so great is his unfailing love.

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

    「哀歌」雖然帶有悲傷,但是在悲傷後面卻是喜樂的!

    這段話語告訴我們:苦難的背後,仍然有上帝,祂的慈愛與憐憫是永不止息。『主滿有仁慈,不會長久拒絕我們。他雖然使我們憂愁,但對我們的愛堅定不移。

    因此,『當我們遭受痛苦的時候,我們應該耐心靜坐。我們應該低頭順服,也許還有希望。縱使受鞭打凌辱,我們都應該忍受。

    所以,基督徒的忍耐是存著盼望,不是毫無目的的受苦,主必看顧,主必保守,正如先知在此所言:『上主是我所有的一切;我把希望寄託於他。尋求他,信靠他的人,上主施恩給他們。

    我們每天早上都要像先知一樣,紀念『上主的慈愛永不斷絕;他的憐憫永不止息;像晨曦那樣清新,像太陽的東升那樣確實。

    當每天臨到我們之時,我們當感謝,因為主恩日更新,正如詩歌「祢的信實廣大」之歌詞:

1)
祢信實何廣大,哦,神!我的父,在祢沒有絲毫轉動影兒,
祢不改變,祢憐愛也無減少,像祢以往一樣直到永遠。

祢信實何廣大!祢信實何廣大!每早晨賜下新豐富恩惠,
我一切要祢聖手豐富預備,祢信實何廣大,顯在我身。

2)
酷暑和嚴寒冬,春風和秋雨,日月眾星辰在天上運行,
聯合全宇宙共同多方見證,述說祢的信實,憐憫,慈愛。

祢信實何廣大!祢信實何廣大!每早晨賜下新豐富恩惠,
我一切要祢聖手豐富預備,祢信實何廣大,顯在我身。

3)
祢赦免我罪愆,賜我永平安,祢的容光親自安慰導引,
日日加力,更賜我光明盼望,所有祢的恩愛盡都屬我。

祢信實何廣大!祢信實何廣大!每早晨賜下新豐富恩惠,
我一切要祢聖手豐富預備,祢信實何廣大,顯在我身。

耶利米書10章12-16節

12 上主以大能創造大地;他以智慧建立世界,以聰明展開天空。 13 他一發令,天空上的水澎湃;他使雲朵從地平線浮現。他使閃電在雨中發光;他使風從自己的倉庫吹出。 14 這景象使人自覺愚蠢無知;金匠對自己造的偶像失望,因為他們造的神明虛假,沒有生命。 15 偶像毫無價值,荒謬可笑;上主對付它們,它們都要消滅。 16 雅各的上帝不像這些偶像:他創造萬物,選召以色列作自己的子民。他的名是耶和華萬軍的統帥。 

Jeremiah 10:12-16 NIV

But God made the earth by his power; he founded the world by his wisdom and stretched out the heavens by his understanding. When he thunders, the waters in the heavens roar; he makes clouds rise from the ends of the earth. He sends lightning with the rain and brings out the wind from his storehouses. Everyone is senseless and without knowledge; every goldsmith is shamed by his idols. His images are a fraud; they have no breath in them. They are worthless, the objects of mockery; when their judgment comes, they will perish. He who is the Portion of Jacob is not like these, for he is the Maker of all things, including Israel , the tribe of his inheritance–the LORD Almighty is his name.

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    現代中文譯本稱上帝的名為:『耶和華萬軍的統帥』,和合本則是:『萬軍之耶和華』,而NIV則是:『the LORD Almighty』。

    當然對我們而言是NIV的說法讓我們較明白,直接告訴我們:我們所信靠的上帝是『全能者』。雖然祂沒有形體,眼睛看不到,手也摸不到。但是『上主以大能創造大地;他以智慧建立世界,以聰明展開天空。』

    但是許多因為看不見、摸不著、聽不見、感覺不到,就不願意信靠祂,寧可相信那無用的「偶像」,甚至把追求「財富」當成一生的依歸。但是,『這景象使人自覺愚蠢無知;金匠對自己造的偶像失望,因為他們造的神明虛假,沒有生命。偶像毫無價值,荒謬可笑;上主對付它們,它們都要消滅。』

    正如中國人所言:「泥菩薩過河,自身難保!」

    而我們所相信的上帝不僅創造宇宙萬物,也運行大能在其中,『他一發令,天空上的水澎湃;他使雲朵從地平線浮現。他使閃電在雨中發光;他使風從自己的倉庫吹出。』

    說到此,我們豈可忽略這為創造和掌管天地萬物之全能的上帝呢?祂對我們有更美的計畫::『上帝那麼愛世人,甚至賜下他的獨子,要使所有信他的人不致滅亡,反得永恆的生命。因為上帝差遣他的兒子到世上來,不是要定世人的罪,而是要藉著他來拯救世人。』(約翰福音3章16-17節)

    祂如慈愛的父親,盼望流浪在外的孩子,快快回家。雖然有「罪」阻礙了我們與上帝親近,祂卻主動差派耶穌基督成為我們的贖罪祭,為我們的罪,死於十字架上,擔當我們的刑罰,償還一切之罪債,使我們因著信,與上帝和好,領受到祂的義,成為聖潔的兒女,侍立在祂面前,將來要承繼上帝的國,與主耶穌一同作王到永遠。

    因此,我們既然知道上帝永恆的作為和全能,當回轉歸向祂,進入祂的救恩之內,享受祂永恆的愛!