Thursday, 26th January 2023
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
SECTION ONE V1-9 THE FALL OF THE LEVITES
This is a generation of darkness, a generation of confusion, and a generation without king. When God’s people have no king in their lives, what will happen? V1-2 ‘And it came to pass in those days, when there was no king in Israel, that there was a certain Levite staying in the remote mountains of Ephraim. He took for himself a concubine from Bethlehem in Judah. But his concubine played the harlot against him, and went away from him to her father’s house at Bethlehem in Judah, and was there four whole months.’ The Levite sinned against God when he took a concubine, then again his concubine also sinned against God by playing the harlot. God chose the Levites to serve in the Temple of God, but when they are corrupted, they did not stand in the right place and do the right thing, the corruptions then were spreading to the people.
SECTION TWO V10-21 THE FALL OF JERUSALEM
Jerusalem is the Holy City, it is supposed to be the place of God’s presence. But when the people sinned against God in Jerusalem, God’s presence will leave His city. V10-11 ‘However, the man was not willing to spend that night; so he rose and departed, and came opposite Jebus (that is, Jerusalem). With him were the two saddled donkeys; his concubine was also with him. They were near Jebus, and the day was far spent; and the servant said to his master, “Come, please, and let us turn aside into this city of the Jebusites and lodge in it.”’ People living in Jerusalem were no longer the people of God. It was the appointed place for the people of God but those living there did not believe in God. Do we know we are God’s chosen people? Are we living in the place of the presence of God? Do we really treasure the appointed place from God?
V14-15 ‘And they passed by and went their way; and the sun went down on them near Gibeah, which belongs to Benjamin. They turned aside there to go in to lodge in Gibeah. And when he went in, he sat down in the open square of the city, for no one would take them into his house to spend the night.’ Even a Levite did not want to stay in Jerusalem. In the generation of darkness, people are confused, they did not know where to go and where to stay. When we don’t treasure the Temple of God and the principles of God, then the world will fall into confusion.
SECTION THREE V22-30 THE FALL OF THE ISRAEL
V22 ‘As they were enjoying themselves, suddenly certain men of the city, perverted men, surrounded the house and beat on the door. They spoke to the master of the house, the old man, saying, “Bring out the man who came to your house, that we may know him carnally!”’ The Levite was again enjoying himself in the old man’s house. He was enjoying himself in his father-in-law’s house and now in the old man’s house. He was seeking the enjoyment of this world and failed to see that he already sinned against God and displeased God. The city was supposed to be the city of God, but it became a place of idolatry and a place of sin. When the Levites were not standing in the right place, the whole nation would not stand in the right place.
The old man was offering his daughter first, but at the same time he was actually reminding the Levite that if he offered his concubine then they would keep the troubles away. The old man was giving the wrong teaching and the Levite listened. Why would the concubine run away in the first place? It seemed that the Levite treated her like a servant instead of a wife, and when she died, he cut her into twelves pieces to send to the tribes of Israel. Do we really have love for others? Or are we living in a relationship of trade?
V30 ‘And so it was that all who saw it said, “No such deed has been done or seen from the day that the children of Israel came up from the land of Egypt until this day. Consider it, confer, and speak up!”’ Nobody questioned what the Levite did, but they had a meeting to talk about how to fight back. This is the generation of darkness, may God help us to see the righteous path and not the worldly values.
士师记 19 – 黑暗的世代
2023年1月26日 星期四
潘锡安牧师
本章一开始就说“以色列中没有王”，神借此提醒我们去思考，当神所拣选的子民没有在一个遮盖之下的时候，究竟会发生什么事？以色列人如何从进入流奶与蜜之地的祝福变成一个黑暗的世代？
一、v.1-9 利未人的堕落
V1-2 这个利未人没有在神所拣选的耶路撒冷圣殿服事神，反而选择去到富裕的以法莲，甚至娶了“妾”。一个神的仆人活在混乱中，家庭也会出现问题。
V3-4 当时的人若行淫就要被石头打死，但这位丈夫却还想“用好话劝她回来”。伯利恒本是属神的地方，但住在那里的岳父见到女婿后，不仅没有为自己女儿所做的事羞愧，反而欢喜，因为看到利未人的驴子上所驮来到礼物。当神的仆人没有在自己的岗位站好的时候，他带下的是一片混乱。
V5-9 岳父不断用吃喝享乐来满足利未人的情欲，一再的挽留他。一个父亲追随情欲的享受，因此难怪这样的家庭出来的女儿会行淫。利未人自己追逐情欲，与他们一拍即合。利未人的堕落带下的是黑暗的世代。
二、v.10-21 耶路撒冷的堕落
V11-12 一行人已经到耶路撒冷了，但那里没有神的子民居住。如今来到教会参加聚会的人是否都是神所拣选、分别为圣的百姓，还是外邦人呢？
V14-15 便雅悯地的人不看重利未人，没有人接待他们，致使利未人他们露宿街头。利未人自己堕落，他所带下的也是堕落和扭曲。
V17-19 从利未人的话可以推断，“神的殿”在以法莲那个富裕的地方，而不是神所拣选的耶路撒冷。在黑暗的世代，我们不听神给我们的法则，而是按照自己的欲望来行事，还以为自己在敬拜神。当我们没有看重神的法则时，我们就会以个人的方便、自己的情欲为准则。
三、v.22-30 以色列的堕落
V21-22 利未人一生所追求的是“心里欢畅”。匪徒来找上门，想要与“他”- 就这是利未人 – 交合。当神的仆人缺席，神的殿也没有人看重的时候，以色列的十二支派都堕落了, 一群男子要与一个男人行淫乱的事。
V23-24 这说话的老人表面上对利未人热情款待，实际上并没有比匪徒好到哪里去，竟然要将自己的女儿并客人的妾交出去给那些匪徒。
V25 匪徒一开始不听老人的话，但最后却还是凌辱了利未人的妾。从这里可以看到这家的老人很有“心机”，他之前的话可能并不是真的表明自己真的会把女儿交出去，而是在暗示利未人，只要交出他的妾，他就会没事。我们要小心，有些人说好话的背后却是不怀好心。
V26-28 这个妾看利未人为她的“主人”，说明利未人待她如仆人，也难怪妾之前会行淫。利未人只把妾当成自己的附属品，知道她被凌辱，他还睡得着，第二天看到妾扑倒在地也只是用冷漠的口吻命令她起来。当我们追随情欲的时候，我们就对人失去爱。
V29 利未人没有爱他的妾，只觉得她被人玷辱后就不属于自己了，所以把妾带回家后，没有尝试抢救她，而是将她分尸。我们与人的关系究竟如何？是否只看别人给我们什么好处？
V30 面对惨被利未人分解的尸体，这些神的子民没有觉得难过，而只想用开会来决定接下来怎么办，因为他们已经丧失良知。
我们都是被耶稣基督宝血救赎的子民，得以出黑暗、入他奇妙的光明。我们要选择忘记过去，努力面前，在这个黑暗的世代做光做盐！