Wednesday, 28th December 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-5 The Stubborn Characteristic
V1-3 ‘Then the Angel of the Lord came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said: I led you up from Egypt and brought you to the land of which I swore to your fathers; and I said, I will never break My covenant with you. And you shall make no covenant with the inhabitants of this land; you shall tear down their altars. But you have not obeyed My voice. Why have you done this? Therefore I also said, I will not drive them out before you; but they shall be thorns in your side, and their gods shall be a snare to you.’ The Israelites were living too comfortable in their current lives that they forgot about how God had led them this far. God wanted to wake up His people, to not only see themselves or their leaders, but to see God. Do we also feel satisfied with our status quo and forget about what God has done for us in the past?
V4 ‘So it was, when the Angel of the Lord spoke these words to all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voices and wept.’ The Israelites heard what God said and they wept. A lot of time we also feel ashamed after we received teaching from God, but did we really feel sorry? Or do we cry, and weep then do nothing? We must get rid of our stubborn characteristic; this is the only thing in the way that will stop us from receiving the blessings of God. Bochim was a good place for the Israelite to make a start, but it was definitely not the place to end. Israelites were too comfortable in there, therefore God wanted to wake them up.
Section Two V6-10 The Generations Without Teaching
V6 ‘And when Joshua had dismissed the people, the children of Israel went each to his own inheritance to possess the land.’ Moses used all his life teaching the people of Israelites, and therefore Joshua was raised up. However, when Joshua was too busy fighting the enemies and taking over city after city, the people were without teaching. When Joshua died, there were nobody stepping forward to lead and to teach. We must grow into maturity, through teaching and disciplining, to pass on the Word of God to our next generations. Let us become the wise leaders, the wise parents, and hold onto our authority of teaching our children.
Section Three V11-23 Man is Doing, God is Watching
God does not come to only fulfil our wants and desires, but we often make God like an idol, we ask Him for what we want instead of what He wants. God raised up judges to give people direction, to remind the Israelites that God will judge. But when judgement and teaching come, we don’t feel comfortable, and we feel offended. But God’s teaching is for us to see light, the world is full of darkness, but God’s Light will come. God wants us to arise and shine and He will then shine His Light on us.
When we are willing to cry out to God, then His mercy will come upon us. God is love, but we must lay down ourselves, stop being stubborn, start receiving the teaching and to really live in this new beginning and blessings God has given to us in this New Year.
士师记 2 – 要认识自我
2022年12月28日 星期三
潘锡安牧师
本章的经文帮助我们更加认清自己，也更认识神和他的法则。
一、v.1-5 执迷不悟的个性
V1-2 我们的神并不是一个追债的神，而是有怜悯的。以色列人一开始靠着神过了约旦河，经历了恩典，可惜，他们没有向前走太远，很快就在附近的“波金”停留。他们太过沉醉于当下，享受着“神同在”。神亲自差派使者从吉甲上到波金来跟百姓说话，提醒他们，是神在带领他们，不是神跟着他们走。我们在生命中的“波金”是否也是这样沉迷当下，已经忘记神为我们所做的一切？
V3 神让我们再一次知道，不是我们自己有多厉害，一切得胜都是出于神。
V4-5 听到神的警告，我们是否只是哭、只是献祭，却没有行动？我们是否仍然我行我素？神不要我们带着停留在波金的生命进入新的祝福。阻挡我们蒙祝福的不是环境，而是我们执迷不悟的个性，是我们自己的选择 – 比如好走的路、逃避、睡眠，等等。摆在我们前面的是锡安的祝福，我们相信吗？当我们愿意放下自己所执着的，我们就会看见神的真实。我们走在神的道路上，不仅自己蒙福，我们的儿女、父母都会蒙神保守。当我们执迷不悟的时候，神就不再赶走那些“仇敌”。我们所经历不只是一个神迹奇事，不是只有一个恩典的波金，因为波金不过是一个开始，我们要finish well。
二、v.6-10 没有教导的承传
约书亚一直在争战，处在一个doing的生命中，就带下doing的后果，以色列百姓又回到当初在埃及时不认识神那样的模式。于是，神差派使者提醒我们，使我们得地为业的不是我们自己的doing，而是神的同在。我们要让下一代更认识神。锡安的祝福不是让我们教会更荣耀，而是让我们一代又一代成为神的见证。我们要能够教，能够引导我们的下一代，而不是只有溺爱。求神帮助我们成为有智慧的父母，不要用世上那些似是而非的道理来教养儿女，而是用圣经来教导我们肉身和属灵的儿女，让我和我一家都服事耶和华。
三、v.11-23 人在做，神在看
我们跟从神的人时常会进入一个“自我疗伤”的模式里，以为靠自己慢慢来就会好起来。其实，这不过是将我们的问题放在一边，让我们自己成为神。我们的神不是为我们解决问题、满足我们愿望的阿拉丁神灯。
V16 在一个不认识神的世代，神就兴起能审判的士师。当我们执迷不悟的时候，神要来辨别、审判我们，为要让光进入我们。神看见黑暗遮盖大地，所以要点燃我们的生命，让我们成为这个世代的光，让世人的注意力再次回到神的国度里。
V18 神兴起士师审判，不是让我们有不达标的羞愧，而是要拯救我们。“后悔”代表神的同情。以色列人当初在埃及的时候也是这样哀声呼求神，虽然那时他们还不认识神，但神是爱，听到他百姓的呼求，神就施行同情、拯救。让我们放下自己执迷不悟的个性、顽梗，回转呼求神，跟随神的教导，领受神在新的一年给我们的祝福！