Thursday, 21st October 2021
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-3 God will Deliver
V1 ‘When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she arose and destroyed all the royal heirs.’ People try to do things in their own way and don’t rely on God, must at the end they must face the consequences themselves.
V2 ‘But Jehosheba, the daughter of King Joram, sister of Ahaziah, took Joash the son of Ahaziah, and stole him away from among the king’s sons who were being murdered; and they hid him and his nurse in the bedroom, from Athaliah, so that he was not killed.’ The name Joash means ‘gift from God’, and Jehosheba knew Joash was a blessing from God, even though at the time he was just an infant, everyone would think Joash was a burden during the time of massacre, but Jehosheba was willing to save him.
V3 ‘So he was hidden with her in the House of the Lord for six years, while Athaliah reigned over the land.’ Jehosheba believed the House of the Lord was save during the time, even though people would think the house of God was a dangerous place, because Athaliah worshipped Baal, and when she reigned, she would want to destroy the house of the Lord. Jehosheba knew God will save and she had the faith to hide herself with Joash in the House of God. When we believe that we are a new creation, do we also believe God will take the responsibility for us? Are we willing to surrender to God or are we still relying on our own strength to fight? No matter what the environment is, as long as we have faith in God, He will save, and He will deliver.
Section Two V4-12 God’s Timing
V4 ‘In the seventh year Jehoiada sent and brought the captains of hundreds—of the bodyguards and the escorts—and brought them into the House of the Lord to him. And he made a covenant with them and took an oath from them in the House of the Lord and showed them the king’s son.’ Athaliah reigned for seven years, why did God let Anthaliah rule over Judah for so long? Because He was waiting for Joash to learn God’s way in the House of God. After seven years, the House of God was not destroyed, but became stronger. A lot of time we feel we have been waiting for too long, but God is always in control, He has His best timing, but we must be humble to wait on Him and to work with Him.
The captains of hundreds, of the bodyguards and the escorts were serving the king, but they listened to the priest Jehoiada to revolt against Athaliah. Over the past seven years, Jehoiada must had been influential to the captains. The captains must had also seen how God protected the House of God in the past seven years, despite their ruler at the time was a Baal-worshipper. God protected His House and His priest; all this time God gave opportunity for His people to repent and return. The name of ‘Jehoiada’ means ‘God knows it all’, God knows everything we do, every small thing cannot be hidden in the eyes of God.
Jehoiada made a covenant with the captains in front of the House of God, and gave them instructions to fight against Athaliah, but at the same time, protecting the House of God and protecting the king’s son. God gave us strength and opportunity to keep our life balanced. Jehoiada had the wisdom from God, to have the strategy so they would be able to take back the kingdom of Judah and protect the House of God.
V5-8 ‘Then he commanded them, saying, “This is what you shall do: One-third of you who come on duty on the Sabbath shall be keeping watch over the king’s house, one-third shall be at the gate of Sur, and one-third at the gate behind the escorts. You shall keep the watch of the house, lest it be broken down. The two contingents of you who go off duty on the Sabbath shall keep the watch of the house of the Lord for the king. But you shall surround the king on all sides, every man with his weapons in his hand; and whoever comes within range, let him be put to death. You are to be with the king as he goes out and as he comes in.”’
The Sabbath is not a day of doing nothing, but a day of doing everything for God. Jehoiada knew the Sabbath was the day that the enemy will attack them, because Athaliah would not observe the Sabbath. Therefore, Jehoiada had the wisdom to arrange the army so the House of God will be protected in the battle. Jehoiada used the past seven years to plot against Athaliah, he influenced the captains of hundreds to follow him, and he studied strategies to come up with a full plan. Do we use our time and talents to do what God appoint us to do?
V12 ‘And he brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, and gave him the Testimony; they made him king and anointed him, and they clapped their hands and said, “Long live the king!”’ The crown represented authority and the Testimony represented governance. Jehoiada anointed the king’s son in front of people and God, he knew not only the authority is important but the wisdom to govern and to rule is also very important. God already gave us the authority to govern, and He anoints us to carry out His Will, but are we willing to respond?
Section Three V13-20 God will Avenge
V13-14 ‘Now when Athaliah heard the noise of the escorts and the people, she came to the people in the temple of the Lord. When she looked, there was the king standing by a pillar according to custom; and the leaders and the trumpeters were by the king. All the people of the land were rejoicing and blowing trumpets. So Athaliah tore her clothes and cried out, “Treason! Treason!”’
Jehoiada was the main character in this chapter, he knew God was looking at his every action. What Jehoiada did was opposite to what Jehu did; everything Jehu did was to show the people whereas everything Jehoiada did was to show God. Furthermore, when Jehoiada anointed the king, he did it in front of everyone, it was God’s timing, and he was not afraid of Athaliah. Jehoiada let everyone know that he was coming up against Athaliah, who was soon killed outside the House of God, because the priest said, “Do not let her be killed in the house of the Lord.”
V17 ‘Then Jehoiada made a covenant between the Lord, the king, and the people, that they should be the Lord’s people, and also between the king and the people.’ Unlike Jehu, Jehoiada made it clear that they must destroy the temple of Baal, he told the people the truth and let them choose who they would follow. Jehoiada gave the people an opportunity to return to God; whereas Jehu tricked the people to bring in the worshippers of Baal then have them killed without any teaching.
V18 ‘And all the people of the land went to the temple of Baal; and tore it down. They thoroughly broke in pieces its altars and images; and killed Mattan the priest of Baal before the altars. And the priest appointed officers over the house of the Lord.’ When the people of Judah returned and repented, they went to destroy the temple of Baal and kill the priest of Baal. When we make the decision to follow God wholeheartedly, we must destroy our own idols in lives with our own hands and get rid of our old-selves to allow God’s presence to come.
V19 ‘Then he took the captains of hundreds, the bodyguards, the escorts, and all the people of the land; and they brought the king down from the house of the Lord and went by way of the gate of the escorts to the king’s house. Then he sat on the throne of the kings.’ God is a covenant-keeping God, His promise never fails. Even though Joash waited for seven years, he did not have to do everything, and the throne was given to him. God’s Will for us is good, but we must be willing to wait, and in the time of waiting, to destroy our own alters, do what God appoints us to do, and let Him fight for us!
列王纪下 11 – 耶和华是守约的神
2021年10月21日 星期四
潘锡安牧师
犹大王亚哈谢被杀死了，以色列国又因为新王耶户而士气壮大，犹大国面临一个内外交困的时刻。我们基督徒可以从本章的经文中学习该用什么态度对待我们在世上所面临的困难。
一、（v.1-3）神必拯救
亚她利雅是亚哈谢的妈妈，见到自己的儿子死了，不仅不悲痛，反而觉得这是一个让自己起来篡位的机会。亚她利雅为了自己的权力和地位，竟然可以狠毒到要杀死自己的儿孙。当初的犹大王为了国家一时的安稳娶了亚哈的女儿亚她利雅，与她同流合污，结果没有给自己国家带来任何平安。当人没有倚靠神又出问题的时候，人就要自己承担后果。
然而，神不会因为亚她利雅一个人的缘故毁了他与大卫所立的约。这个时候，“约兰王的女儿、亚哈谢的妹子约示巴”偷偷救了亚哈谢一个刚出生的儿子约阿施（V2）。“约示巴”的意思就是“耶和华是守约的”，“约阿施”意思是“上帝的赏赐”，说明这孩子是属于神的，于是约示巴尽管面对重重困难，仍没有看这个婴孩为一个难处，而是看到神的恩典，冒死将他救出来。人往往遇到问题只想靠自己赶快解决，却不想经历神。约示巴相信神与大卫所立的约，虽然救一个会哭的婴孩不容易，还要带着孩子的奶妈一起走，但约示巴看重“上帝的赏赐”，将“约阿施和他的乳母藏在耶和华的殿里六年”(V3)，因为属神的就要归还给神。这个做法其实是很危险的，因为亚她利雅是拜巴力的，她篡位后很有可能就去拆耶和华的殿，约示巴也不清楚结果会如何，但她相信神会为他的”赏赐”负责。在恶人当道的危急时刻，约示巴即使亲眼看到亚她利雅在剿灭王室，自己希望渺茫，仍然对神有信心，我们愿意这样吗？我们作为蒙召的人，面对环境的艰难，是否靠自己来解决问题，还是相信当我们愿意降服于神，神会为我们负责？
二、（v.4-12）神的时间
V4a 即使到“第七年”，人也没有放弃，因为神有他的时间。神没有在一开始就把亚她利雅处理掉，因为他不要有第二个亚哈谢，而是让约阿施在耶和华的殿中长大，从小就对神的律法耳濡目染。很多时候我们可能觉得自己的祷告没有蒙神垂听，就开始怀疑神，但我们是否愿意等候他的时间？虽然拜巴力的亚她利雅作王，一年又一年过去，耶和华的殿仍然安全。到第七年，耶何耶大就招聚“迦利人和护卫兵的众百夫长”。“迦利人”本是大卫时代开始的从外面招来的雇佣兵，这些人和护卫兵原本是保护亚她利雅所在的王宫，却听了祭司耶何耶大的话来到了耶和华的殿，因为耶何耶大没有对拜巴力的风潮投降，也没有只是躲在圣殿里什么都不做，而是用他的生命影响生命。属耶和华的耶何耶大竟然没有被拜巴力的亚她利雅铲除，可以看出神在掌权。神到那时仍然为大卫家保留圣殿，给他们机会。神给我们的机会并非直到永远，我们是否去珍惜? “耶何耶大”的意思是“耶和华都知晓”，耶和华神都知道我们的一切心思意念，我们是否相信“人在做，神在看”？
V4b-8 耶何耶大让这些被领来的人在神的圣殿立约，“又将王的儿子指给他们看”，随后如一个将军一样吩咐他们如何去保护各方人士。当我们进学房之后，是否只做一件事情，生活的其他方面却不管、失去平衡？从耶何耶大对众人的吩咐可以看出，即使是“安息日”，他们也有人在圣殿护卫王，“凡擅入你们班次的必当治死”，因为拜巴力的亚她利雅是不守耶和华的安息日的。在安息日我们不是整天什么事也不做，而是要完全献给神，做神要我们做的事。我们在安息日是否去做神的工，是否愿意整天分别为圣，摆上自己服事神？
V9 耶何耶大在亚她利雅篡位的七年，没有放弃用自己的恩赐去发挥影响力，所以众百夫长都听从他。我们如何运用自己的恩赐来传福音、得人如得鱼呢？
V10 祭司用“大卫王的枪和盾牌”让人记起神当初与大卫立的约。
V12 “戴上冠冕”意味着尊荣，“律法书”意味着神的治理。当我们拿了“冠冕”之后，我们是否只想做自己的事，还是愿意遵行神的律法？有了冠冕、律法书，又有神的恩膏，人就愿意称我们为“王”，我们愿意等候神的时间吗？
三、（v.13-21）神必平反
V13-16 从神而来的使者是用神的方法来处理事情。整个第11章最重要的人物就是“耶何耶大”，他保护了约阿施的成长，相信神一直在看着他。他所做的事跟耶户做的正好相反 – 耶户做的事都是让人看到他在“替天行道”，但耶何耶大做的事是让神知道。耶何耶大等到神的时间，就在耶和华的殿中立约阿施为王，国中众民都欢呼。亚她利雅听到声音就跑去圣殿，但耶何耶大没有在圣殿杀亚她利雅，因为她是犹大先王的母亲，由此也看出耶何耶大知道神的心意。亚她利雅没有认错，想跑回王宫继续作王，结果就“在那里被杀”。
V17 耶何耶大除巴力的做法跟耶户形成强烈对比。耶何耶大没有陷害犹大的民众，而是告诫他们真理，让他们选择离弃偶像，“与耶和华立约，做耶和华的民”。唯有选择归向神，人才能活在生命树下。民归于耶和华神后，他们又与被膏立的王立约。
V18-19 当我们愿意悔改归向神之后，我们要拆毁我们生命中的一切偶像。与神立约后的犹大国民自己懊悔死行，去拆毁巴力庙并杀了巴力祭司。祭司耶何耶大则尊荣神的权柄，“派官看守耶和华的殿。。。请王从耶和华殿下来，由护卫兵的门进入王宫”。约阿施在这七年的等候中没有为自己做任何事，但他有神的保守，“就坐了王位”。
神是守约的神，他的应许永不落空。神爱我们，我们是否愿意等候神的时间，等候他为我们平反，还是想要用自己的手来为自己打江山？神对我们所怀的意念是赐平安的意念，我们是否愿意拆毁偶像，懊悔死行，在等待的时刻做神要我们做的事，去门徒万民？