Thursday, 21st January 2021
Section One: V1-8 Live in Confusion
Samson gave up his marriage and went back to his father’s house, but after a while he again went to his wife’s family as if nothing had happened. From this we can see someone, who created such a disaster in his own wedding, not only he didn’t repent, but also, he went back to his wife as if nothing happened. The Philistine father said that Samson’s wife was given to another man, but Samson could marry her sister. This father knew what kind of person Samson was, but he still offered to give his younger daughter in marriage, just like selling goods. This generation was full of confusion, everyone was selfish and only worried about themselves.
Even though Samson knew it was wrong to act in anger, he still let his anger give him an excuse to kill the Philistines. It was Samson’s father-in-law, who displeased Samson, but he avenged on the other Philistines. Furthermore, these Philistines also lived in an order-less generation, they knew it was Samson’s wrongdoing but instead of facing Samson, they killed Samson’s wife and her family. It was a generation without justice. God created Samson to be the judge of Israel, not only for him to fight but also to judge. But what he brought were confusions and disasters.
This is a person, who lived in confusion, at the end he went inside the cave and ran away from his destiny as the judge of Israel. He did not build relationship with people and did not use his God-given gifts to fulfill his calling. He used all his gifts to serve himself, rather than the twelve tribes of Israel.
Section Two: V9-17 Live in the Flesh
When we live in confusion, we also live in the flesh. The Philistines said they want to “to do him as he has done to us.” Samson also gave the same reply. But the Bible taught us not to vindicate for ourselves, God is our judge, we need to trust in God. Let love flow through us, and don’t try to justify for ourselves, because even we don’t know about ourselves, only God does. Are we willing to humble ourselves for God?
Samson was not a good leader, in the same way, the Israelites were not good followers. Everyone only sought their own flesh desires, if you are not good to us then we will not do good to you. The Israelites didn’t believe Samson was the judge God has established for him, they didn’t support Samson but only wanted to get rid of the trouble.
Even in a generation of people with confusion and wilfulness, God still rules and reigns. The Spirit of God came upon Samson and gave him strength. Samson killed the Philistines with a fresh jawbone of a donkey. Being a Nazarite, Samson should not go near dead body, but he didn’t care, he responded to God in his wilfulness. God is a God who keeps His promises, but can we also keep our promises for God and respond to God in the godly way?
Section Three: V18-20 Turn Back and Seek, God will Respond
Despite of all the sins the Israelites did, God kept His promise of saving them out of the hands of the Philistines. After Samson killed one thousand people, he did not give glory to God, he did not see his strength as a gift from God but cried out to God asking for water. Like Samson, we do not value our identity from God, we do not see how God has raised us up, we do not see blessings around us from God, instead we complain about all the things we must do and think that God is “using” us. Do not live in confusion, do not live in flesh desires and do not live in wilfulness.
God is a God who saves, when we call upon Him, His salvation will come upon us. We may have a wrong intention or a wrong attitude when we call out to God, but His love for us never fails. He still wants to interact with us and to have mercy on us. From the beginning to the end, Samson did not really become the leader of Israel, because he was wilful and follow his flesh desires. May God help us to have a humble heart and a thankful heart to know that today we can walk this far is all because of God’s grace and mercy.
Response Prayer
When we see Samson’s interaction with the Lord, we realise the generation we live is a generation of unrighteousness and confusion. Our hearts can easily go with the flow of the world, we want to pay back to other people’s wrongdoings to us. But this morning, we see how Samson was not supported by his own people. May the Lord reveal to us, to see all the carelessness and all the selfishness inside of us. Lord You are the main character of this story, not us. We may not know how to interact with You but please reveal to us Your calling for us, so we can respond with a thankful heart.
Change our attitude to focus more on You, Lord, because Your salvation never fails, You are the God, who can be found, You gave us Your Word to feed us. You are righteous and You will save us. We want to respond in faith and walk on this path with You together!
2021年1月21日
士师记 15
任意妄为的世代
参孙任凭他的血气带领他，在婚礼上离开妻子，回到他的父家。他其实活在一个任意妄为、没有神、充满血气的世代。
一，v1-8：活在混乱里
参孙逃婚后“过了些日子”就若无其事地回来找妻子，心无悔恨之意。而他的岳父也将自己的女儿们当作货品一样对待，明知道参孙这么不好，还愿意将自己的小女儿给他。这是一个完全混乱的世代。于是参孙找到借口去“加害于非利士人”。随着年岁的增长，他开始知道自己之前在婚礼所行的是不对的，也知道他的岳父是不对的。但他还是活在血气中，将自己对岳父的怒气发在其他非利士人身上。非利士人也充满混乱，他们的东西被参孙烧着后，不去找参孙，而是把参孙的岳父一家 – 也同样是非利士人 – 烧死了。参孙在这样一个一片混乱，一塌糊涂，一发不可收拾的境况中，没有一个审判官该有的冷静分析，就将这群非利士人杀了，之后躲到磐石的洞穴内，不愿跟神和人建立关系。他没有将神给他的恩赐、呼召用在以色列十二支派上，而是淋漓尽致发挥在自己的身上。
二，v9-17：活在血气里
非利士人说，参孙向我们怎样行，我们也要向他怎样行；参孙也说同样的话。他们都没有活在爱中，而是看人家怎样对我们我们就怎样对人家，是一个完全的“交换”。然而圣经的教导是“不要自己申冤，要听凭主怒”。要活在爱中，不为自己分辨，因为我们其实并不了解自己，常常都只觉得自己是对的。我们愿意谦卑自己吗？
非利士人去找以色列人算账，以色列人也没有去捍卫他们的士师，就是神给他们的领袖。参孙没有做一个好的领袖，以色列人也没有好好的跟随，大家的心态都是“你不好，我也对你不好”。以色列人面对非利士人的控诉，不想面对逼迫、麻烦，就要把参孙捆绑交给敌人。
14，利希是犹大人的地方。虽然人活在完全混乱的时代，神仍然掌权，神的灵“大大感动参孙”，使绑着参孙的绳子脱落。然而，参孙的回应是去拿一块“驴腮骨”- 一个拿细耳人是不应该碰死尸的。我们是否也是这样用血气来回应神？虽然参孙最后确实杀死了一千非利士人，可惜使用的是血气的方式，没有遵守拿细耳人与神的约定。
三，v18-20：回转寻求 神必回应
虽然这是一个混乱、血气的世代，神没有改变他要救以色列人脱离非利士人的心意。
18，在原文圣经，参孙不是 “求告”神，而是跟神大叫。他没有感恩神的拯救，而是说神在使用他。他不看重自己是士师、拿细耳人的身份。我们是否也没有感恩神的拣选？我们没有看重神的提升，反而觉得自己要做很多事，失去了自由和娱乐的时间。
19，神是守约施怜悯的神，当我们呼求神的时候，他就出手。神没有计较参孙的态度，使泉水涌出来给参孙享用， “直到今日还在” 。这泉水代表神与人互动的地方，可惜以色列人还是活在任意妄为、血气、混乱之中。
20，因着神的怜悯，他让以色列人能有参孙带领，不受非利士人的辖制。但参孙没有真正成为以色列人的领袖，因为他放纵自己的欲望，任意妄为。
求神帮助我们有谦卑的心，知道我们能够走到如今都是因神的恩典。
追求：
我们看到参孙跟神的互动，明白我们活在一个怎样的世代，混乱、充满不公义。我们的心随波逐流，活在交换的模式。我们看见参孙面临非利士人的追逐，以色列人没有跟随参孙。求主光照，看我们是否也有这样的自私心态。主你才是这个舞台的主角，你才是掌权者。我们不明白如何与你互动，求主显明你对我们的呼召，让我们不是在血气中回应。帮助我们有感恩的心，看重从你而来的祝福，改变我们服事的态度。主，你的拯救必不失败！你必要赐我们话语使我们吃饱喝足！让我们将一切属血气的事情放下，活在你的永恒里面，宣告你依然坐着为王，用爱和信心来回应你，服事你！