Wednesday, 2nd June 2021
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One: Listened to the Rumours
Ammon king, Hanun, was brought up in a loving and protective environment, because the meaning of Hanun is ‘being loved’. But he had no wisdom to discern his father’s relationship with David, therefore when his father died, and David wanted to show grace, Hanun didn’t believe in David. Furthermore, he listened to the rumours of his subordinates, and wanted to please them.
Hanun was not ready to be the king, he only saw his current situation, and was afraid of David. He was also afraid of upsetting his subordinates, therefore he made the decision to shame David’s servants. Even though Hanun was being love and protected, but he was not being taught the truth. He was being overprotected and spoiled, and this led to his mistakes and failures.
Section Two: V4-14 Mistakes Upon Mistakes
Hanun wanted to shame David but David didn’t feel he was being shamed. When David heard what happened to his servants, he didn’t see it as a big issues, he went to pick them up and told them to stay in Jericho until they have recovered. As the king of Israel, David represented the 12 tribes and represented God, but he only saw the surface and wanted to solve the problem. David didn’t treat this matter serious.
On the other hand, Hanun again listened to the rumours of his subordinates and thought himself repulsive to David, therefore he went out to battle with the Syrians to fight David. This is when David realized the situation is serious. He came out to battle, but again, he only saw the surface and just wanted to solve the problem before his eyes.
Section Three: V15-19 Complete Failure
When Hanun, king of Ammon, found out David is coming to attack him, he gathered the Syrians to help him but they failed. Not only Hanun failed in the battle but also in the relationship with David and with Israel. We reject grace because we wanted to be loved and accepted. We don’t want to accept teaching and at the end we will become foolish like Ammonite king, Hanun. He could have received David’s grace but he didn’t believe, at the end he failed and he became lonely, because even the Syrians, who were helping him before, fled.
We need to always examine ourselves, and discern what the devil is trying to do. When we see the problems, we should always come back to seek the Holy Spirit, put down the things we are doing right now, humble ourselves and turn back. Stop looking at the needs of ourselves but the needs of the Kingdom of God.
Prayer & Pursuit
Lord, help us not to always pass the ball around, You have given us the grace to fight and win the battles, but we failed to see Your grace. Forgive us, Lord, to pray and wait upon You, help us to turn back and listen to Your voice. Help us to humble, to obey, to deny ourselves and benefit others. Let Your healing come to our physical and emotional beings, let the orphan spirit leave us, and know You are the loving Father, who is always there for us. Amen.
2021年6月2日 星期三
-潘锡安牧师-
撒母耳记下10
拒绝恩典
前一章讲到大卫如何施恩典给米非波设，这一章讲到外邦人如何拒绝从大卫来的恩典，让我们能够思考、学习人是何等愚昧到拒绝恩典。
一、听信谗言（v.1-4）
大卫继施恩给约拿单的后裔之后，如今也因为想回报曾经对他好的亚扪王拿辖要来厚待他的儿子哈嫩。当年大卫逃难到亚扪王那里的时候，当时的王拿辖做了智慧的选择，但在拿辖死后，他的儿子哈嫩（名字的意思是“蒙喜爱的”）却没有继承父亲最宝贵的品质 – 就是从神而来的智慧，反而听信亚扪首领的谗言，恶意揣测大卫。哈嫩似乎不知道他父亲与大卫之间的渊源 – 他一生都是“蒙喜爱的”，但是父亲拿辖却没有好好教导他，没有让他有分辨能力。人的分辨能力是从平日的经验中学到的，哈嫩可能由于被过分保护、宠爱，没有学到真理。我们做父母的，不要害怕自己的孩子，要勇敢将真理教导他们。拿辖有洞悉的能力，所以看见当时落魄的大卫将来是蒙福的，但是儿子哈嫩没有去学习父亲这种眼光，他只看到眼前所看的。他之所以拒绝大卫，也是因为害怕手下那些有能力有兵权的首领，惧怕他下面的人不拥戴他。原本大卫是要给他恩典，但哈嫩做出了一个完全出乎意料的举动（V4)，既羞辱了大卫，又讨下面臣仆的欢心。这是一个非常愚昧、不合一个君王体统的行为，出于哈嫩对大卫和对下面的首领的惧怕。我们是否也是这样只想要得到周围的人的宠爱？若周围的人不宠爱我们，我们是否就不开心？求神帮助我们，不要像哈嫩这样只要人的宠爱，最后却变成愚昧。
二、一错再错（v.5-14)
大卫的使者被遣返后，大卫差人去迎接他们。这些人的胡子被刮去一半，在当时是一种很羞辱的情景，所以大卫安抚他们，将这些使者先带到耶利哥安顿。大卫只看到他的臣仆被羞辱，却没有看见，其实被羞辱的不仅是这些使者，更是神所膏立的以色列王。大卫只看见表面的东西，没有看见仇敌借着羞辱他们而羞辱大卫背后的神，所以没有在当下好好处理这件事。虽然拿辖曾经帮助过大卫，但如今哈嫩做出的如此愚昧的举动已不再只是个人恩怨，大卫不应该如此草草了事，因为大卫如今不是代表自己，而是整个以色列。这件事说明大卫已经开始并没有将神放在心中。
V6 亚扪人凭着自己的想象觉得大卫“憎恶他们”，就做了更愚昧的事。
V7 到如今敌人要来攻打以色列，大卫“听见了”，才“差派约押统带勇猛的全军出去”。大卫没有亲自为神出战，因为在他眼里这只是一个普通的战役，他没有好像以前那样为耶和华争战。他没有看到这是冲着神而来的攻击，只是把这件事当成一个要处理的表面问题，用“兵来将挡”的态度回应。
V12 约押说了一句大卫没有看到的事，就是“我们都当刚强，为本国的民和神的城邑做大丈夫！愿耶和华凭他的意旨而行”。虽然约押不服大卫，但约押知道神的心意，愿意为了神、为了神的国度而战。相反，大卫只看到自己，面对敌军对自己国家的羞辱只是草草了事，没有像约押那样愿意为神刚强。
三、一败涂地（v.15-19)
亚扪王因为听信谗言，只听负面的话，又因为恐惧一错再错，连结那些跟以色列人有过节的国家去攻打本来和平的以色列，最后被打败。挑起争端的亚扪人看到来帮忙的亚兰人败了，竟离弃盟友，自己逃跑（v.14)，他们不仅输了战争，也输掉关系。亚兰人不服输，又要转回攻打以色列，最后还是一败涂地。原本十来帮助亚扪人的亚兰人，结果反而归顺于以色列。
我们若不愿意接受别人对我们的建议、提升，只想要人的宠爱，就会变成像亚扪王哈嫩这样，他不相信恩典，最后连帮自己的人都没有了，陷入真正的孤单当中。愿神帮助我们像约押那样，弟兄和睦同居，一同争战得胜。当我们没有一起同心合意的祷告时，我们就只在处理眼前的问题，没有看见背后恶者的攻击。虽然我们知道神爱我们，但我们也要知道我们每一天都在争战中，所以要警醒，不要只顾着做自己想做的事，而是谦卑放下、凡事寻求，看到神国度的需要，委身在神给我们的呼召。唯有谦卑顺服、舍己利他，才能长出生命树的果子。。
*追求祷告：
在仇敌的攻击下，求主帮助我们舍己利他、谦卑顺服，帮助我们不要放下你给我们争战的利器，就是能一起做RPG和247祷告！我们没有重视祷告，因为这些事都是没有看得见立刻的果效，我们只想要处理眼前看得见的问题。求神帮助我们愿意像耶稣基督在客西马尼园那样，谦卑摆上、寻求，能够栽种在溪水旁， 开花结果、叶子也不枯干。求圣灵来医治我们的身体、心灵、生命，拿走我们里面孤儿的灵！奉耶稣基督的名斥走一切自怜自艾的心! 我们都是神所爱的，要刚强壮胆！奉耶稣基督的名祷告，阿们！