撒母耳記上4:12-22

 

4:12 當日，有一個便雅憫人從陣上逃跑，衣服撕裂，頭蒙灰塵，來到示羅。
4:13 到了的時候，以利正在道旁坐在自己的位上觀望，為上帝的約櫃心裡擔憂。那人進城報信，合城的人就都呼喊起來。
4:14 以利聽見呼喊的聲音就問說：「這喧嚷是甚麼緣故呢？」那人急忙來報信給以利。
4:15 那時以利九十八歲了，眼目發直，不能看見。
4:16 那人對以利說：「我是從陣上來的，今日我從陣上逃回。」以利說：「我兒，事情怎樣？」
4:17 報信的回答說：「以色列人在非利士人面前逃跑，民中被殺的甚多！你的兩個兒子何弗尼、非尼哈也都死了，並且上帝的約櫃被擄去。」
4:18 他一提上帝的約櫃，以利就從他的位上往後跌倒，在門旁折斷頸項而死；因為他年紀老邁，身體沉重。以利作以色列的士師四十年。
4:19 以利的兒婦、非尼哈的妻懷孕將到產期，她聽見上帝的約櫃被擄去，公公和丈夫都死了，就猛然疼痛，曲身生產；
4:20 將要死的時候，旁邊站著的婦人們對她說：「不要怕！你生了男孩子了。」她卻不回答，也不放在心上。
4:21 她給孩子起名叫以迦博，說：「榮耀離開以色列了！」這是因上帝的約櫃被擄去，又因她公公和丈夫都死了。
4:22 她又說：「榮耀離開以色列，因為上帝的約櫃被擄去了。」

¹² That same day a Benjamite ran from the battle line and went to Shiloh with his clothes torn and dust on his head. ¹³ When he arrived, there was Eli sitting on his chair by the side of the road, watching, because his heart feared for the ark of God. When the man entered the town and told what had happened, the whole town sent up a cry.

¹⁴ Eli heard the outcry and asked, “What is the meaning of this uproar?”

The man hurried over to Eli, ¹⁵ who was ninety-eight years old and whose eyes had failed so that he could not see. ¹⁶ He told Eli, “I have just come from the battle line; I fled from it this very day.”

Eli asked, “What happened, my son?”

¹⁷ The man who brought the news replied, “Israel fled before the Philistines, and the army has suffered heavy losses. Also your two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, are dead, and the ark of God has been captured.”

¹⁸ When he mentioned the ark of God, Eli fell backward off his chair by the side of the gate. His neck was broken and he died, for he was an old man, and he was heavy. He had led^[b] Israel forty years.

¹⁹ His daughter-in-law, the wife of Phinehas, was pregnant and near the time of delivery. When she heard the news that the ark of God had been captured and that her father-in-law and her husband were dead, she went into labor and gave birth, but was overcome by her labor pains. ²⁰ As she was dying, the women attending her said, “Don’t despair; you have given birth to a son.” But she did not respond or pay any attention.

²¹ She named the boy Ichabod,^[c] saying, “The Glory has departed from Israel”—because of the capture of the ark of God and the deaths of her father-in-law and her husband. ²² She said, “The Glory has departed from Israel, for the ark of God has been captured.”

 

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    以利的媳婦感嘆說：「榮耀離開以色列，因為上帝的約櫃被擄去了。」

 

    這是真的嗎？我們當然說這不是真的！因為約櫃不是上帝，沒有約櫃仍然可以敬拜上帝，祭司死了依然可以獻祭！所以說，上帝並沒有離開以色列，上帝仍然與以色列同在！不是因為約櫃被擄，上帝的榮耀就離開以色列！

 

    所以，我們在講台傳信息要很小心，不要將人的榮辱或成敗當成是上帝的榮辱和成敗！上帝是永不失敗的，上帝是永遠榮耀的！失敗和羞辱是因為人自己犯罪，偏行己路，不遵守上的的誡命所導致，與上帝的榮辱和成敗是不相干的！

 

    反倒是人在面對羞辱與失敗之時，若願意認罪悔改來歸向上帝，上帝的慈愛永不改變，繼續扶持和引導，使我們得著永遠的福樂！這時反而要求主保守，使我們堅定倚賴上帝，相信上帝恆保守，如此我們才會有真正的平安！

 

 

 

撒母耳記上4章

      撒母耳記上4:1-11 ,

      撒母耳記上4:12-22 ,

撒母耳記上4:1-11

 

4:1 以色列人出去與非利士人打仗，安營在以便以謝；非利士人安營在亞弗。
4:2 非利士人向以色列人擺陣。兩軍交戰的時候，以色列人敗在非利士人面前；非利士人在戰場上殺了他們的軍兵約有四千人。
4:3 百姓回到營裡，以色列的長老說：「耶和華今日為何使我們敗在非利士人面前呢？我們不如將耶和華的約櫃從示羅抬到我們這裡來，好在我們中間救我們脫離敵人的手。」
4:4 於是百姓打發人到示羅，從那裡將坐在二基路伯上萬軍之耶和華的約櫃抬來。以利的兩個兒子何弗尼、非尼哈與上帝的約櫃同來。
4:5 耶和華的約櫃到了營中，以色列眾人就大聲歡呼，地便震動。
4:6 非利士人聽見歡呼的聲音，就說：「在希伯來人營裡大聲歡呼，是甚麼緣故呢？」隨後就知道耶和華的約櫃到了營中。
4:7 非利士人就懼怕起來，說：「有神到了他們營中」；又說：「我們有禍了！向來不曾有這樣的事。
4:8 我們有禍了！誰能救我們脫離這些大能之神的手呢？從前在曠野用各樣災殃擊打埃及人的，就是這些神。
4:9 非利士人哪，你們要剛強，要作大丈夫，免得作希伯來人的奴僕，如同他們作你們的奴僕一樣。你們要作大丈夫，與他們爭戰。」
4:10 非利士人和以色列人打仗，以色列人敗了，各向各家奔逃，被殺的人甚多，以色列的步兵仆倒了三萬。
4:11 上帝的約櫃被擄去，以利的兩個兒子何弗尼、非尼哈也都被殺了。

 

Now the Israelites went out to fight against the Philistines. The Israelites camped at Ebenezer, and the Philistines at Aphek. ² The Philistines deployed their forces to meet Israel, and as the battle spread, Israel was defeated by the Philistines, who killed about four thousand of them on the battlefield. ³ When the soldiers returned to camp, the elders of Israel asked, “Why did the Lord bring defeat on us today before the Philistines? Let us bring the ark of the Lord’s covenant from Shiloh, so that he may go with us and save us from the hand of our enemies.”

⁴ So the people sent men to Shiloh, and they brought back the ark of the covenant of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim. And Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, were there with the ark of the covenant of God.

⁵ When the ark of the Lord’s covenant came into the camp, all Israel raised such a great shout that the ground shook. ⁶ Hearing the uproar, the Philistines asked, “What’s all this shouting in the Hebrew camp?”

When they learned that the ark of the Lord had come into the camp, ⁷ the Philistines were afraid. “A god has^[a] come into the camp,” they said. “Oh no! Nothing like this has happened before. ⁸ We’re doomed! Who will deliver us from the hand of these mighty gods? They are the gods who struck the Egyptians with all kinds of plagues in the wilderness. ⁹ Be strong, Philistines! Be men, or you will be subject to the Hebrews, as they have been to you. Be men, and fight!”

¹⁰ So the Philistines fought, and the Israelites were defeated and every man fled to his tent. The slaughter was very great; Israel lost thirty thousand foot soldiers. ¹¹ The ark of God was captured, and Eli’s two sons, Hophni and Phinehas, died.

 

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    真是不可思議，上帝竟然讓他的約櫃被非力士人擄走！在一般人看來，這樣的上帝太沒有面子了！但是對上帝而言，並沒有什麼損失和影響！因為約櫃並不是上帝，約櫃不是廟裡的神像，只是一個象徵物，因為以色列人不是拜約櫃，是敬拜在施恩座上的上帝！正如基督徒不是拜聖經，也不是拜十字架！有沒有這些物品是沒有關係的，因為這些不是上帝！

 

    但是對於不同信仰的人，因為偶像拜習慣，或是依靠一些象徵物習慣，甚至倚靠人習慣，沒有這些人和象徵物就受不了！因為他們沒有安全感，無所倚靠的感覺！然而這時候的以色列人，也受到這些不信上帝的人影響，把約歸當作是上帝的同在，而且敬拜上帝一定要有祭司！所以才會產生這樣荒謬的事情，約櫃被擄、祭司被殺！而且這樣正應驗撒母耳所傳的預言，以利的兩個兒子同一天死亡！

 

    其實今日有些基督徒也和當時的以色列人一般，一定要有「十字架」、「聖經」，才覺得有信心！要有傳道人來幫忙禱告，自己不敢禱告！這些都和「改教運動」的精意不同，也不合乎聖經的教導！主耶穌告訴他的門徒，只要奉祂的名就可以向上帝禱告了，不一定要有傳道人在場！因為每一位上帝的兒女，都是有君尊的祭司！

 

    也因此，即使發生再大災難，我們也要確信上帝的應許永不改變，如此心中才會有真正的平安！而這個確信是來自在基督裡，聖靈將上帝的大愛澆灌在我們心中！

 

 

詩篇134篇

       詩篇134:1-3 ,

詩篇134:1-3

134:1 （上行之詩。）耶和華的僕人夜間站在耶和華殿中的，你們當稱頌耶和華！
134:2 你們當向聖所舉手，稱頌耶和華！
134:3 願造天地的耶和華，從錫安賜福給你們！

 

A song of ascents.

¹ Praise the Lord, all you servants of the Lord
    who minister by night in the house of the Lord.
² Lift up your hands in the sanctuary
    and praise the Lord.

³ May the Lord bless you from Zion,
    he who is the Maker of heaven and earth.

 

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    上行詩一共15首，這是最後一首，剛好如詩句所說：「耶和華的僕人夜間站在耶和華殿中的，你們當稱頌耶和華！」

 

    經過千辛萬苦，步步高升，最後到了錫安山上，來到「耶和華殿中」！在這裡與上帝相會，要做的事情就是「當向聖所舉手，稱頌耶和華」！雖然這時候已經是「夜間」，但是照猶太人的習慣，敬拜上帝是在太陽下山之後，因為這是一天的開始！

 

    而在聖殿接受祭司的祝福，祭司就在這時候宣告：「願造天地的耶和華，從錫安賜福給你們！」

 

    從這樣的詩句讓我們感受到敬拜上帝的重要，因為我們要從上帝得著力量，也就是蒙上帝賜福，生命才會更新，才能活出人真正的樣式，才會有上帝的榮光，因為人是照上帝的樣式和形象造的！不是因為有錢才有福，是因為有上帝的同在才是有福！

 

    所以上帝曉諭摩西說：「你告訴亞倫和他兒子說：你們要這樣為以色列人祝福，說：『願耶和華賜福給你，保護你。願耶和華使他的臉光照你，賜恩給你。願耶和華向你仰臉，賜你平安。』    他們要如此奉我的名為以色列人祝福；我也要賜福給他們。」(民數記6:22-27)

 

    親愛的弟兄姊妹，我們彼此奉主耶穌的名，互相祝福吧！因為我們不僅是上帝的兒女，也是上帝的祭司，是有君王的尊貴的祭司！願上帝與你同在，直到永遠！阿們！

撒母耳記上3:11-21

3:11 耶和華對撒母耳說：「我在以色列中必行一件事，叫聽見的人都必耳鳴。
3:12 我指著以利家所說的話，到了時候，我必始終應驗在以利身上。
3:13 我曾告訴他必永遠降罰與他的家，因他知道兒子作孽，自招咒詛，卻不禁止他們。
3:14 所以我向以利家起誓說：『以利家的罪孽，雖獻祭奉禮物，永不能得贖去。』」
3:15 撒母耳睡到天亮，就開了耶和華的殿門，不敢將默示告訴以利。
3:16 以利呼喚撒母耳說：「我兒撒母耳啊！」撒母耳回答說：「我在這裡！」
3:17 以利說：「耶和華對你說甚麼，你不要向我隱瞞；你若將上帝對你所說的隱瞞一句，願他重重地降罰與你。」
3:18 撒母耳就把一切話都告訴了以利，並沒有隱瞞。以利說：「這是出於耶和華，願他憑自己的意旨而行。」
3:19 撒母耳長大了，耶和華與他同在，使他所說的話一句都不落空。
3:20 從但到別是巴所有的以色列人都知道耶和華立撒母耳為先知。
3:21 耶和華又在示羅顯現；因為耶和華將自己的話默示撒母耳，撒母耳就把這話傳遍以色列地。

 

¹¹ And the Lord said to Samuel: “See, I am about to do something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it tingle. ¹² At that time I will carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family—from beginning to end. ¹³ For I told him that I would judge his family forever because of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God,^[a] and he failed to restrain them. ¹⁴ Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, ‘The guilt of Eli’s house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.’”

¹⁵ Samuel lay down until morning and then opened the doors of the house of the Lord. He was afraid to tell Eli the vision, ¹⁶ but Eli called him and said, “Samuel, my son.”

Samuel answered, “Here I am.”

¹⁷ “What was it he said to you?” Eli asked. “Do not hide it from me. May God deal with you, be it ever so severely, if you hide from me anything he told you.” ¹⁸ So Samuel told him everything, hiding nothing from him. Then Eli said, “He is the Lord; let him do what is good in his eyes.”

¹⁹ The Lord was with Samuel as he grew up, and he let none of Samuel’s words fall to the ground. ²⁰ And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba recognized that Samuel was attested as a prophet of the Lord. ²¹ The Lord continued to appear at Shiloh, and there he revealed himself to Samuel through his word.

 

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    撒母耳雖然領受了上帝的話語，卻帶給他很大的困擾，因為上帝將懲罰以利家的信息賜給撒母耳，以至於隔天撒母耳睡到天亮，就開了耶和華的殿門，不敢將默示告訴以利。

 

    小小的童子撒母耳卻要面對先知所要面對的困境，還好以利明白這事故意向他說：「耶和華對你說甚麼，你不要向我隱瞞；你若將上帝對你所說的隱瞞一句，願他重重地降罰與你。」

 

    撒母耳就把一切話都告訴了以利，並沒有隱瞞。以利說：「這是出於耶和華，願他憑自己的意旨而行。」

 

    可見以利事清楚自己家裡的狀態，卻是十分無奈！

 

    這事之後，上帝開始高舉撒母耳，正如經文所說：「撒母耳長大了，耶和華與他同在，使他所說的話一句都不落空。從但到別是巴所有的以色列人都知道耶和華立撒母耳為先知。耶和華又在示羅顯現；因為耶和華將自己的話默示撒母耳，撒母耳就把這話傳遍以色列地。」

 

    從撒母耳的身上看見先知不是靠學歷，而是來自上帝的作為。是上帝高舉人，不是人高舉自己。

 

    可是這樣說要成為傳道人就不用學習神學了？非也！恰好相反，因為那時啟示還在進行中，而現今啟示已經完成了，所以我們要好好學習聖經和神學，才能完整認識上帝的啟示，不可以再靠甚麼靈感了，因為上帝的話語不可加增，也不可以減少，要好好的學習才可以宣講上帝的話！