Wednesday, 20th January 2021
When we hear about Samson, we know he’s a strong man. But not only he was the 12th Judge of Israel, but also the first Judge God had chosen before he was born. He was chosen by God from the very beginning, so what was his destiny?
In Judges 13 we knew about Samson’s destiny to save the Israelites out of the hands of the Philistines. His mother knew about it before he was born, because the Angel of God already revealed to her. But she didn’t share the God-destined “being” of the child with her husband, instead she only shared about all the “doing” they had to carry out for this child. So, we can see Samson was brought up in a confusion, he did not know why he couldn’t drink wine or touch dead body, he only knew it was forbidden for him. When we live in a ‘doing’ mode, we will live a confused and twisted life.
Section One: V1-4 Indulge in Lust Then Forget About Destiny
God chose and prepared Samson to save the Israelites out of the hands of the Philistines, but when he went to Timnah from Zorah, he did not see the hardship of the Israelites being oppressed, what he saw was the beautiful woman. Samson lived in his lustful desires not in his destiny, because his parents did not educate him to be a true Nazarite. His parents only told him what he should do and what he should not do, they didn’t tell him the truth and the Word of God. They gave Samson a choice, but without the backup of the Word of God, they were only talking about the teaching of people not the teaching of God.
God valued Samson, even making his mother live the life of a Nazirite from the time of conception, but the parents forgot about God and the destiny given for them after getting what they wanted – a child.
Section Two: V5-9 Indulge in Lust Then Lose Identity
Samson’s parents allowed Samson to do whatever he pleased; they did not teach him to set his life apart for God as a Nazarite and allowed him to live in lustful desires all his life. When God raised us to be leaders, do we lead, or are we led by others? Do we have the courage to confront those under our authority when they go astray? When we as authority do not walk in God’s will, the people who follow us will walk in their own desires.
God had mercy on Samson, when he faced the lion, the Spirit of God went upon him and gave him strength. Samson did not know the gifts he had but when trouble came, God activated this gift for him.
However, after he killed the lion, he ate the honey inside the dead body. It seemed that Samson didn’t know that he should not come close to dead body, he lived in a life of lustful and selfish desires, he didn’t know who he was. We also need to let the people following us know their God-given destiny, lest they live in a lost life.
Section Three: V10-20 Without Destiny, One Becomes Headstrong
The father of Samson did not stand in the position of the authority, he went to the people of Philistines along with Samson. In the wedding, Samson posed a riddle, which was so difficult that arouse the anger of the Philistine and they threatened to kill his wife’s family. When we choose to live by our own lustful desires, we may bring disasters upon us and our family. Samson thought he was strong and unbeatable, but he did not live in the truth and the right teaching, so he made one mistake after another, and brought harm to his wife and her family.
Samson did not honour his parents and he did not love his wife. God still had mercy on Samson and once again His Spirit came mightily upon him so that he was not oppressed by the Philistines, because God’s heart was to deliver Israel from the Philistines. When the Philistines guessed his riddle, Samson killed 30 people. After that he was so angry that he left his wife. Samson did not leave his parents, and his parents never taught him, they allowed him to live in lustful desires. Because of what he did, Samson’s wife was given to one of Samson’s companion.
When we live in our sinful desires, we will be lost, we will fall, and we will go away from God. So we must know, without the teaching of our destiny and direction, we will be in confusion. Only when we understand who we live for then we will not be lost in this world and to be set apart from the world.
Response Prayer:
We saw that when Samson’s parents did not raise their children in faith, their parent-child relationship was in chaos, not taking up the identity of a Nazirite and forgetting their destiny. Samson was driven by lust, and he made mistakes when not standing in the right position. Lord, please reveal our inner desires and help us align with You. We pray for the light of the Holy Spirit to shine upon us, so we can restore a healthy life, and find our being, not doing. Only by You can we find our way. Help us receive the truth, courage, and stand in the right position when shepherding and teaching others. May the Lord have mercy on us so that we will no longer wander in lust. You are a wonderful God, please prepare us! In the name of Jesus Christ, we rebuke all that hinders us, and all that is of our flesh must be submitted to Jesus’ feet. Help us stand in the right position and walk the path of the Cross. Bless brothers and sisters to get closer and closer to God during this journey!
2021年1月20日
士师记 14
没有命定 迷失在情欲中
今天这一章讲的是一个传奇人物 – 以色列第十二个士师 参孙。他是耶和华所拣选的。神跟他的妈妈说过这孩子的命定是“起首拯救以色列人脱离非利士人的手”（13:5b)。参孙的妈妈没有告诉丈夫这个孩子的命定(being)，却只是讲他要做的事情(doing)。因此，参孙的成长在一个混乱中，他不知道为什么他不可以饮酒，不可以沾染死尸，只知道他要守这些规矩。在这样的环境里成长，人就活在混乱、扭曲里。
一，v1-4：放纵情欲，忘掉命定
1-2，参孙离开自己居住的锁拉去到亭拿 – 本来神拣选参孙是要他救以色列人脱离非利士人，但当他在亭拿的时候看到的不是神看到的。神看到的是以色列人活在非利士人的压制下，而参孙看见的是情欲。他不知道自己的命定，因他父母只知道他要做一个拿细耳人。当全家人都活在一个doing的模式里，人的心不会真的顺服。
3，参孙的父母没有将真理跟参孙讲清楚，只是给一个选择，一个似是而非的道理、人的文化，没有从神而来的话语。面对孩子跟他们以一个命令的方式要他们给他娶这个非利士人女子，父母只能妥协。
4，很可惜的，连父母都不知道神的旨意，就不能教导儿女。
放纵情欲的，不仅是参孙，也包括父母。参孙一生活在情欲中，他的父母也没有用真理教导他，没有提到参孙的命定、身份，忘记神曾跟他们说的话，只是用人的方式来养育孩子。神是非常重视这个孩子的，从怀孕的时候母亲就过着拿细耳人的生活，但得到这孩子后父母就忘记神和神所给他们的命定。放纵情欲的后果是很可怕的。
二，v5-9：放纵情欲，迷失身份
5，参孙的父母身为权柄，竟然跟着下面的人走不对的路。神兴起我们成为领袖，我们有没有去带领别人，还是被人带领？当权柄没有走在神的心意里，下面的人就靠着情欲而行。
6，神怜悯参孙，当他遇到危难时，“耶和华的灵大大感动参孙”, 启动他里面的恩赐。参孙之前并不知道自己从神而来的恩赐，后来也只是用他的恩赐来做自己的事情。
7，参孙的“喜悦”只是从跟别人的对话而来，不是从神而来。他没有被教导，没有活在他的命定里。这就是权柄没有站对位置，而是取悦下面的人的后果，这不是爱。参孙的父母不能勇敢去碰撞参孙，反被自己的儿子牵着走，这样的父母是失败的。
8-9，参孙从死尸中取蜜吃，父母不知实情。这是拿细耳人所不能做的事，但父母没有教导参孙，以至参孙不知道自己的命定。我们做牧养的人，没有让下面的人知道自己的命定，他们就对自己的身份迷失了。
三，v10-20：没有命定，任意妄为
10-15，当人活在混乱里，他做的是就是任意妄为。参孙的父亲曾经祷告，求神印证关于儿子的事。但是现在他竟然跟儿子下到亭拿，没有站在权柄的位置，跟儿子一起迷失了。参孙给参加婚宴的人出谜语猜，是人不可能猜到的，因此惹怒当地人要杀他妻子一家。当我们任意妄为时，不仅我们自己遭难，连周遭的人都被连累。参孙倚仗自己力大无穷，就肆意妄为，一错再错。
16-18，参孙的妻子说的是对的，因为他明明就是刁难当地的人。参孙也没有对自己的权柄说真话。他完全活在自我、混乱中，没有服在权柄之下，权柄也没有教导他。
19-20，“耶和华的灵大大感动参孙”，听起来好像是神出手，但事情不是这样。神兴起参孙，本意是让他拯救以色列人脱离非利士人的欺压，所以虽然参孙不听话，神还是没有让他被非利士人压制。参孙杀人后，就生气离开了。他活在自己的情欲中，即使结婚了还丢下妻子跑回父家，因为没有被好好教导。
当我们活在混乱、情欲里，我们会迷失，跌倒，远离神。我们要求神帮助我们，看到在一个没有命定和教导的生命，我们活在死亡中，让我们知道我们在世上是为谁而活，唯有如此，我们才能活出命定，不会活在迷失中，而是与世界分别为圣，走在神的旨意里。
追求：
我们看见当参孙的父母没有在信心中教养孩子，他们的亲子关系就发生混乱，没有拿起拿细耳人的身份，忘记自己的命定。参孙被情欲掌控，没有站对位置就一错再错。求主显明我们里面的情欲，帮助我们能与你对齐，求圣灵的光来光照我们，恢复健康的生命，寻找我们的being, 而不是doing. 唯有靠你我们才找到方向。帮助我们在牧养教导的时候，领受真理、勇气，站对位置。求主怜悯我们，让我们不再在情欲里打转。你是有奇妙作为的神，求预备我们！奉耶稣基督的名，斥责一切拦阻我们的，所有属肉体的都要服在耶稣脚下。帮助我们站对位置，走在十字架的道路。祝福弟兄姐妹在这个寻找的过程中，越来越靠近神！