Tuesday, 23rd February 2021
Rev Daniel Poon
Section One: V1-10 Earthly Preparation
V1-5 shows God’s message through Moses was to prepare a physical place on the earth to worship Him. There is an ordinance in worshipping God, we cannot worship in whatever ways we please. The earthly sanctuary is a place God gives to us to set apart ourselves and worship Him. This is a place, where God has fellowship with people. The golden lampstand was the only thing that brightens up the sanctuary, so only by the light of God can we be led to get close to Him. The table and the showbread are for people to have fellowship with God. It is never about how many things we can offer to Him, but He only wants our humble hearts. When we let go of this world, not bringing our old self into God’s Kingdom, then we can see the salvation of God.
The second veil separated the Holiest of All from the sanctuary so that it belongs to God. There is also the golden censer, the ark of the covenant, the golden pot, Aaron’s rod, and the tablets of the covenant. This represents the presence of God, whatever we do, without the presence of God then we have done it in vain. The most important thing for us to know is to have the presence of God. We can place anything in the sanctuary, the table, the lampstand, the showbread… but without the Holies of All, without the presence of God, everything we put in there was just a display to make us feel peace in our own mind.
When God wanted to destroy the City of Nineveh, the whole city humbled themselves to pray – they no longer focused on the outward appearance, but to repent their sins in their fasting. Therefore, when we fast and pray, we should not go to parties or celebrations, instead we should humble ourselves, ask the Holy Spirit to reveal the sins hidden within us, pray and seek God’s presence as we fast.
V6 the earthly preparation is an order from God, to see what the sanctuary in the Heaven looks like. Moses brought this vision to the people to build an earthly sanctuary, which was just an image of the Heavenly sanctuary. During this preparation, people need
to be involved. During our fasting and praying, if we don’t have a connection with God, then no matter how much we pray or how much we worship, then there is no point.
Do we have this motivation behind our fasting and praying to connect with God? If our relationship with God is unstable, then our emotions and our lives will be unstable. As the royal priesthood, we should always stay connected with God, and anything, which stops us to connect with God, we should say no to.
The first part of the sanctuary is for all of us to enter in consecration. The second part of the sanctuary is for the High Priest to enter once the year, to stand in the gap, offer on behalf of the people and ask God’s salvation to come.
V10, All these things mentioned in the Old Testament were to be prepared for the coming of Jesus Christ.
Section Two: V11-22 Heavenly Preparation
The Heavenly preparation does not belong to this world and people cannot make it happen, only God can. God prepared for this long time ago. When Adam and Eve left the Garden of Eden, God gave them a gift, which was the tunics of skin to cloth them. God loved us from the very beginning, He gave us chance to turn back, He was willing to sacrifice His own creations to save us. God created everything on this world for His beloved people, but when Adam and Eve sinned, God’s creations became sacrifices.
The Heavenly preparation is for cleansing our hearts, and only when our hearts are clean can our “dead works” be cleansed. When we see some bad actions in our life, instead of focusing not to do these things, we should examine our heart behind all these actions, for all problems come from our heart. When our hearts turn back, and when our sins are washed away then we can serve our living God.
The blood of the animals will need to be shed every year, but only Jesus Christ’s blood can be shed once for all to cover our sin. It’s not about what we do or what we don’t do, but about our hearts, whether our hearts turn to our Lord or not. We often say, God first, people next, then the earth. What is our priority? If there is anything that comes before God in our lives, then we need to take it away.
Section Three: V23-28 Salvation to the End
V26 tells us that only the offering of Christ lasts forever. He died on the cross once, shed His blood once, and our sins were forgiven forever. Only Jesus is able to save us to the end, not because how much good deeds we have done.
We all need to experience the judgement, and this is not avoidable. Jesus came not to judge us but to give us a way out. He loves us and is willing to share with us His glory and power. But the earthly sins separate us from God, and that’s why the judgement must come. God loves us, He prepared for us on this earth and in the Heaven. With a thankful heart, let us understand how much God loves us that He gave His only Son to die for us, and become the lamb as an offering once for all.
Pursuit & Respond
Dear Lord, You are the Almighty and Powerful God. Thank You for coming to our lives and having fellowship with us in the sanctuary. Thank You for Your preparations on the earth and in the Heaven. You are here to help us not to harm us, You long for us to stay in Your blessings and salvation. We come before You today, to dig out the longing for Your presence to be with us always.
Thank You Lord, for saving us, You led us out of the darkness and enter the light. We come before You and fully rely on You, we want to serve You wholeheartedly and serve You only.
Lord, You say that only the blood of the Lamb can cleanse our hearts. May the hearts of our brothers and sisters be cleansed. In our 21 days of fasting, let our actions be cleansed from all confusion, and we will follow the lead of the Holy Spirit to the path of sanctification and blessing. Bless our brothers and sisters to live out the blessing of Jesus Christ and the fragrance of the tree of life from morning to night and receive the grace of being fruitful! Thank You, Jesus, Your grace is sufficient for us! In the name of Jesus Christ we pray. Amen!
2021年2月23日 星期二
-潘锡安牧师-
希伯来书 9
唯有基督
一、属地的预备（v.1-10）
V1-5，神借摩西传给我们的是一个有形有体的预备敬拜神的地方。
V1, “礼拜”- 事奉、敬拜神。我们敬拜神是有条例而不是任意妄为的，就好像我们禁食，不是不吃饭就够了。“属世界”- 地上的，神给我们在地上有一个分别为圣的地方可以敬拜他。
V2，“帐幕”让我们能与神相遇，是神与人发生fellowship（相交、连结）的地方。在帐幕中的物件都是神让人可以与他在一起。神的金灯台帮助我们与他对齐，因为整个帐幕里只有这个是亮光的来源，代表在黑暗中唯有从神而来的光能带领我们靠近他。整个會幕-包括模式和里面的物件 – 都不是人自己决定的，而是神指示人怎样来做。神要的是我们以一颗谦卑的心来敬拜他，单单顺服他，放下世界和老我来到他面前，才能分别为圣，看见神给我们的救恩。
V3-5，第二个幔子是属于神的，将圣所与至圣所分隔。后面这一层的帐幕有金香炉，有约柜，里面金罐和约版， 柜上面有施恩座，意味着在这个神与人发生fellowship的地方，若没有神的同在，就毫无意义。 我们平时能够做很多事情，甚至做到让我们自己感动，但做这一切事情的背后一定要有神，如果没有神同在，我们所说所做就都没有意义。所以神在地上有形的会幕里给我们看到最重要的是有神的同在，因为这些圣所的物件我们都可以摆放，但若背后没有至圣所，我们所做的一切都是自以为平安而已。当年尼尼微城里所有的人在听到神的审判时，都痛心放下外表在乎的东西，彻底谦卑，在禁食期间认罪悔改。因此，我们这21天的禁食不是只是不吃饭，也不要去参加庆典或派对，而是要好好祷告，求神的同在，为罪为义为审判（自己责备自己），求圣灵更多显明我们里面的罪。
V6，神给我们属地的预备不只是一些物件，还需要我们人的配合。神吩咐人通过地上的预备看见天上的景象如何，所以摩西将这个异象传递给人，建立属天在地上的会幕 – 因为在地上的是照着天上的影像造的。在地上的预备需要人的参与。我们每个人都是“众祭司”，都要进入会幕里与神发生fellowship。我们要明白禁食最重要的意义是要与神有连结，因为我们的罪将我们与神隔绝了。我们的生命起起伏伏是因为我们与神的关系出现问题。我们作为新约的“祭司”，都要担起与神连结的重任。我们禁食背后最大的动力是要与神有连结，一切阻挡我们与神连结的事我们都选择不做，不让任何属世的文化观念与我们同活。真正的自由是我们能决定与罪隔绝，这也是神给我们的权柄。
V7，第一层的帐幕我们可以进入，也当常常进入，但要小心不可带罪进去。第二层帐幕唯有大祭司可以进入，且不可有嬉皮笑脸的心态，而是要带着血为自己和百姓的过错，站在破口献上赎罪祭，求神的怜悯和拯救来临。
V10，“这些事”都是神要我们看到在地上要做的预备, “命定到振兴的时候为止”。“命定”就是制定，“振兴”就是当改进的时候。旧约所讲的这些东西都是为了耶稣基督的到来而预备。
二、属天的预备（v.11-22)
V11-15，我们无法做属天的预备，只有神能来做。
V11，自创世以来神就预备了羔羊的血。从创世纪 3:21可以看出，当年亚当夏娃犯罪后，神给他们用皮子做衣服 – 这是神第一次用血为人的罪做一个cover。神在创造天地时就预备好救赎，不是等我们犯罪后才来补救。神是爱，就好像耶稣即使知道犹大会背叛他，仍然拣选预备他，因为神给人机会。他情愿牺牲自己所造的万物来拯救人。神创造万物是为了我们，但人犯罪后就让这些受造物成了牺牲品。我们不要本末倒置，自己去拯救地球，而是求神怜悯我们，让我们不再在罪中打转，能出黑暗入光明。
V14，属天的预备，最重要的是要洗净我们的心，唯有心被洗净了，我们的“死行”才能除去。当我们看见一些我们不好的行为时，要鉴察这些事背后我们的心，不要只是停留在行为的表面。唯有罪被洗净，我们才能事奉永生的神。
V16-22，唯有血才能洁净。旧约时动物的血每一年都要献上，但唯有基督的血一次为我们摆上，让我们的罪永远被遮盖。我们不是要去做什么或不做什么，而是我们的心要回转向主。要看我们是否将神放在首位，所有阻挡神成为我们生命首要位置的东西，我们都要挪开。唯有对准耶稣我们才有属天的洞察力，才有智慧能力事奉神。
三、拯救到底（v.23-28）
V26, 唯有基督的祭才是永远的。“受苦”就是指耶稣在十字架上的救赎。他不需要每一年都钉十字架，而是一次就够了，羔羊的血可以除掉罪，唯有耶稣才能拯救我们到底，不是我们的好行为让我们得救，唯有耶稣是我们的出路。
V27，“按着定命，人人都有一死，死后且有审判”- 我们每个弟兄姐妹都要经历审判，无可避免。
V28，“像这样，基督既然一次被献，担当了多人的罪，将来要向那等候他的人第二次显现，并与罪无关，乃是为拯救他们”- 耶稣来不是要审判我们，而是要给我们出路，因为他爱我们，愿意将他的荣耀权能给我们享用，只是罪将我们与神的国隔绝了，所以耶稣的审判是要来让我们进入更深的祝福和尊荣。神爱我们，有属地的预备，也有属天的预备，最后预备羔羊的宝血，因耶稣一次的摆上，永远让我们得救。
*追求回应：
颂赞主耶稣基督，你是我们全能的真神。感谢你来到我们生命，让我们能更多经历你，感谢你为我们预备的一切。求圣灵光照，让我们今天能挖掘里面对主的渴慕，你要我们与你建立有在圣所相遇的关系，我们呼求你的同在。求主的心意在我们里面显明，看见主为我们的预备，感谢主在十字架上的献祭，一次的献上让我们得着永远的救赎。感谢主不是来审判而是来帮助我们，带我们进入你的救赎，能够从这个世界分别出来。让我们每个人来到神的面前，求神更多为我们挖掘内心对神的渴慕，更多感神对我们的预备。
感谢主拯救我们，让我们脱离罪，让我们出黑暗如光明。我们要大大开口颂赞我们的耶稣基督为我们献祭，死在十字架上，担负我们的罪。颂赞神洁净我们的心。我们靠着耶稣基督的宝血，得着洁净。我们要保守我们的心，因为一生的果效由心而出。主我们感谢你，借着你的宝血除去我们的罪、死行。让我们单单倚靠你，事奉永生神。我们要与你一起走十字架的道路。我们宣告我们是完全属于主的，活在主耶稣基督的宝血里面，我们是可以成为圣洁，蒙神悦纳的。
主你说唯有羔羊的宝血能够洗净我们的心，祝福我们弟兄姐妹每一个人的心都能的到洁净，在我们21天的禁食里面，我们行出来的行为没有混乱，是跟着主圣灵的带领，走向成圣、蒙福的道路。祝福弟兄姐妹从清晨到夜晚都带着耶稣基督的祝福、生命树的气息，去领受多结果子的恩典。谢谢耶稣，你的恩典够我们用！奉耶稣基督的名祷告。阿们！