Tuesday, 26th January 2021
Samson lived all his life in lustful desires and didn’t give Israelites teaching and guidance as a leader. Now in chapter 17 there is a new beginning for the Israelites. There were no more leaders in Israel and people did whatever they pleased. God chose people as leaders, but when people became rebellious, no more leaders were appointed. In a group when there is no one willing to take the leadership, then “everyone did what was right in his own eyes”. They did whatever they thought was right. When we rely on our own judgement and standards, then this world will be in chaos and people will live in lustful desires. God set up leaders for us not to suppressed us, but to help us.
Section One: V1-6 A Willful Household
A godly community starts from teaching our children in individual household. But a house that does not teach the truth about God becomes a house that does whatever it pleases. Ephraim was from Joseph, who had the biggest favours. But in a generation without God, even the favoured tribe fell in sin.
Micah was looking to build an image of God all his life, but he didn’t realise he was creating idols for himself. He took eleven hundred shekels of silver from his mother and he didn’t admit his sin until he heard his mother’s curses. In the wilful generation, people were not afraid of sinning, but afraid of curses. When Micah’s mother found out it was her son, who stole the money, not only she didn’t rebuke him and correct his mistake, but she blessed him and built an idol for him.
The image of idol is visible, it’s nothing compared to our unseen God. The image in Micah’s house also had a value of two hundred shekels, but nothing should be able to value how great our God is. In this wilful household, Micah a image of idol then he also created an ephod, his own household idol to help him make decisions. We often create idols of our own, we didn’t seek God and ask Him how to make decisions in our lives, instead we look at the news and information we found to help us decide what decisions to make.
Section Two: V7-13 A Wilful Temple
A Levite should stay in the House of God to serve God, but here the Levite had no place to go. We can see that during that time, the life of a servant of God was poor, he was not relying on God but relying on where he can settle. The “temple” in Micah’s house was built by people, and he invited the Levite to live with ten shekels a year. The Levite was supposed to be the servant of God, to be appointed by God and to do what God wants them to do. But in here, the Levite served in Micah’s household, and was measured with a value.
A priest should teach the Word of God to Israelite, but for Micah, he thought simply having a Levite living in his house then he will be blessed. A wilful generation has no true teaching and people do not know what’s right and what’s wrong. We should be serving God not for God to serve us. But even though we may not walk in the way of God, He never leave us. He allows us to make mistakes so we can learn the sinful nature of ourselves. May God help us to see who we really are, then to turn back to Him, to be convicted in sin, in righteousness and in judgement. This is the time we should come before God, admit our sins, and ask for His forgiveness.
Responding Prayer
Oh Lord, forgive us, for not opening our eyes and not opening our hearts to You. We live in our own sinful nature. You are the merciful God, help us to put away the sinful ways. Forgive us for not knowing You and not teaching our children about Your truth. Lord, reveal to us our wilful nature, help us not to build our own idols to try to find Your value, because You cannot be valued. You are all that we can rely on, thank You God for choosing us to serve You. Thank You for appointing authority to watch over us. Thank You for giving us the Holy Spirit to teach us not to live in lustful desires.
Lord let us no longer being tied up by this world, help us to understand Your Will. We gather the treasure of the heaven not of the world. May today be the day we understand Your teaching, Your Will, and Your truth. Amen.
2021年1月26日
士师记 17
无神的世代
士师记1-16章经文讲到神的拣选和人的回应。第一个士师是“上帝的狮子”，但最后一个士师参孙是一个一生都活在血气中的人。当人没有走在神的心意里，世界是一步一步走向堕落的。到今天的这一章，以色列中已经没有领袖兴起来管理（17:6），每个人就任意妄为 – 就是每个人做他们眼中看为对的事。但审判不在乎我们，而是在乎耶和华。当我们用我们的双眼来审判是非，世界就混乱，我们就陷在情欲里。原来神给我们领袖不是随意管辖我们，而是很重要的帮助。
一，v1-6：任意而行的家
1，一个世代是从一个家开始的，因为神给了我们家庭来孕育我们，让我们能从小认识圣经。但一个任意而行的家就造成一个无神的世代。此时大家都在混乱中，包括约瑟的后代以法莲支派。“米迦”的意思是“谁像神”，他一生都在寻找谁像神，然而世上无人能像神，所以米迦寻找的也只是偶像。这是不合神心意的。
2，米迦偷拿了母亲1100舍客勒银子 – 这是非常大量的一笔钱（参考第10节他给利未人的年薪）。但那个世代人们是很害怕诅咒的，因此当米迦听到妈妈诅咒之后，比之前犯了偷钱的罪还害怕，就将钱还给妈妈。然而，在一个任意而行的家里，这位母亲没有教导自己的孩子，反而溺爱他，还说”赐福”的话。我们做领袖的如果不拿起权柄去教导，我们的家、世代就会变成像以色列那时的任意而行。
3-4，米迦遵照妈妈的吩咐，做了一个偶像放在家里可以敬拜。这个偶像是有形有体，有价值的（200舍客勒银子），是他付给一个利未人一年的薪水的20倍（17:10）。我们的神是无形无价的。
5，以弗得是大祭司穿戴，也可以用里面的乌陵和土明来做判断。这个家用自己建造的神给自己做判断。这可以看出当时他们的信仰不是凡事寻问神，而是寻问自己制造出来的偶像。我们现在的生活也是如此，没有让神来指引我们，反而是让这个世界的新闻、信息来帮助我们做判断。
二，v7-13：任意而行的圣殿
利未人本应该在会幕里服事神，可是这位利未人还要到处找地方居住。他是在为自己的生活而奔波，而不是专心倚靠神。我们的生命是否也如此？
圣殿是神所设立的，但在米迦的家，他随意设立，只给了利未人一年10舍客勒银子。在一个无神、任意而行的世代，人的价值是在自己的欲望里。祭司是神所设立的，不是人自己随便立的，但在这样一个任意而行的世代，本该属神的圣殿就是随着人的心意而运作。米迦在自己家里设立圣殿，自己判断对错，自己决定什么该做不该做。
13，米迦自己觉得这样做就有神的祝福。利未人没有教导，这里就没有真理。我们要去服事神，而不是让神来服事我们。
求神让我们看到自己的真实处境。感谢神，虽然神知道我们任意而行，但他没有离弃我们，让我们从错误中学习。求神让我们看到我们里面的真实、骄傲。求神的怜悯和慈爱让我们刚强壮胆，让我们回转，活在真实里。
追求：
主 我们感谢你来到我门生命里，你看我们的软弱惧怕，很多事不能做，被世界束缚，似乎有很多的需要，但我们最需要的只有你。求主饶恕我们活在一个任意而为里面。我们的内心被锁住，耳听不见。让我们能完全敞开，将一切交给你，你是怜悯的神 ，求你更多帮助我们，赦免我们不认识你、没有教导子女、贪恋世界、不明白你、被情欲捆绑、没有完全活出你的话语的罪。
求圣灵的光让我们看清自己里面的真实。我们的生命被你创造是无价的，不需要一个有形体的偶像来拜。求主饶恕我们，让我们看到你拣选的特别。帮助我们的家是满有神的教导的家，有从神而来的话语的父母来教导子女。主你所赐给我们的都是宝贵无价的，我们不需要世上的东西来判断我们的价值。神教导我们不要活在黑暗中，要为罪为义为审判自己责备自己，让我们的耳朵能听到神的教导。我们呼求神的怜悯和爱，预备我们的生命、我们的家，不再活在任意妄为中，不再为生活奔波，而是活在神的话语中。让我们积累的是天上的财宝，更多对神渴慕。祝福我们这一天都是活在你的旨意和真理中。