Friday, 27th January 2023
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
SECTION ONE V1-17 THEY HAD NO GOD IN THEIR EYES
V1 ‘So all the children of Israel came out, from Dan to Beersheba, as well as from the land of Gilead, and the congregation gathered together as one man before the Lord at Mizpah.’ This is the end times; people are fighting against people and nations are fighting against nations. This is the time of diseases and hardship, a time of darkness. Though Judges 20, we can see the big mistake the Israelites were making, and we must learn from their mistakes, don’t let history repeats itself.
The Bible never mentioned if the Levite’s concubine was dead or not, but it clearly said that the Levite cut her body into twelve pieces. Levites were appointed to give offering, and therefore he would have the knowledge and skill to cut the body. But he didn’t use this skill to make offering to God, instead, he cut his own concubine and sought revenge with his action. Everything he said was based on his own perspectives, and he was able to use his words to persuade the whole twelve tribes of Israel.
Israelites came together to the place appointed by God, but they did not seek God first, they listened to the Levite, who only thought about himself. The Israelites believed his story and stood on his side; they did not spend more time to investigate but was affected by his anger. The Levite posed wrong influence on the Israelites and resulted in a big mistake.
SECTION TWO V18-35 THEY DID NOT SEE GOD AS GOD
They sought God only for their own benefit. They did not come to God first when they came together, therefore when they were seeking God, they already had a decision made in mind. God became like a fortune teller for them, an idol for them, they already made the decision, they just needed a ‘nod’ to go ahead with the task. Is God really our God or has God become our servant? They only made assumptions about what God would want them to do, did they really admit their own mistakes? They even cried before God, not because of their repentance, but because of the men they lost in the battle.
V35 ‘The Lord defeated Benjamin before Israel. And the children of Israel destroyed that day twenty-five thousand one hundred Benjamites; all these drew the sword.’ Where there was no God in the eyes of people, people would go wild, they no longer see God and they no longer hear God, they thought they knew God’s Will, but they did not realise that they were sinning against God. God allowed the Israelites to kill twenty-five thousand one hundred Benjamites, but they were not satisfied. What they should have done was to deal with only the group of perverted men who were in Gibeah, but when the Benamintes were not willing to listen and bring forward the men, the whole Israel was provoked and fought against them. At the end, they wiped the whole tribe and resulted in the big mistake.
SECTION THREE V36-48 THEY DID NOT REPENT UNTIL DEATH
At the end, both side lost many men, no one won in this battle. A lot of time, we also seek God to fulfil our own desires, we want God to go according to our will and our timing. In the beginning of the new year, can we turn back and seek God? Stop relying on our environment, start relying on God, and know that no matter what kind of environment we are in and no matter what we are facing in front of us, let God be our God, let Him rule and reign in our lives.
士师记 20 – 铸成大错
2023年1月27日 星期五
潘锡安牧师
在没有王管理的世代，人心究竟如何？神将以色列人从为奴为仆的埃及地带出来，进入流奶与蜜的应许之地，为何他们却落到如此的下场，失去信心、失去命定？
一、v.1-17 目中无神
V1 全以色列的会众都出来，有“如同一人”的心志，但这样是真的好吗？
V4- 众民都聚集在一起，那个利未人就开始对他们扭曲事实、一派胡言。
V6 利未人本来很擅长处理祭物，但这个利未人将自己的妾切成十二块，使用处理祭物的能力却没有做献祭物给神的事 。当时的以色列人还没有得全地为业，可这个利未人很精明，在话语中说“以色列得为业的全地”，让他们听到后觉得很舒服。罪的扩散力是很巨大的，利未人凭一己之力就煽动了这群以色列人。
V7 这个目中无神的利未人建议以色列人筹划商议，然而，他们把神放在哪里？他将以色列人拉进自己的情欲和愤怒里。
V8-11 众人来到神的会中，却没有求问神，也没有寻问神的仆人，而是听了这利未人的一面之词，就决定出兵，其实他们只听从自己的计划。
V14-17 以色列人和便雅悯人都是弟兄，但他们因为“不肯听”，就彼此为仇，因为他们里面有很多的小剧场、苦毒、不饶恕。便雅悯人数虽然相对少，但他们心里的那个不舒服感已经遮盖了他们的警惕性，让他们盲目的不害怕。我们里面的不饶恕、小剧场会让我们看不见真相，或者看见了也当做没事，还继续在罪中作乐、死不悔改。便雅悯人死到临头都不悔改，因为他们目中无神，让自己心里的“不舒服”感盖过一切。
二、v.18-35 不以神为神
V18 以色列人听了那利未人的一面之词就决定去攻打便雅悯人，并没有先求问神，反而在这时问神要先派谁出去。他们没有以神为神，而是将神当成他们的工人来服事自己。其实从头到尾以色列人都在跟自己说话，所以最后死伤惨重。我们也许有时会说“神跟我说……”，但我们真的听到神在说话吗，还是只是我们自己觉得舒服的声音？
V22-23 他们没有从失败中察验自己的问题、没有在祷告中认罪悔改，只是表面上在神面前哭嚎，要求神告诉他们接下来要不要打仗。他们的哭不是认罪悔改，而是情欲中的哭泣。
V24-25 他们不以神为神，再次打了败仗。
V26 当时的禁食代表人认罪悔改。以色列人终于意识到自己的问题，来到神面前认罪、献祭。他们本该早就这样做。
V27-28 以色列人会众来到神的约柜和他所拣选的大祭司面前求问神。耶和华神的回复跟之前他们听到的回复是不一样的，因为有神对他们打胜仗的保证。我们若求问神，就当为罪为义为审判自己责备自己，而不是自己心里已经有了答案才来求问他。
V32-35 其实本来以色列众人想要解决的只是那些匪徒的问题，如今却迁怒到全部便雅悯人，想对他们赶尽杀绝，因为以色列人众支派不喜欢看到便雅悯人不听他们的话。当罪的肿瘤进入神的共同体之后，一个人即可以将整个以色列搅动。我们是否以神为神，还是在罪中打滚？我们是否谦卑跟从神的水流，还是在用自己的方法来“兴起发光”？
三、v.36-48 死不悔改
便雅悯人杀了以色列30人就以为还会像之前一样好运，谁知如今死到临头了还不悔改。其实，只要他们愿意放下、认错，也不至于沦落到最后的惨状。
以色列人之前口口声声说只杀匪类，最后连那些落荒而逃的便雅悯人也杀死。他们被胜利冲昏了头，贪得无厌，死不悔改，最终铸成了大错。
我们口中说有神，却目中无神、不以神为神。我们说要跟从神，却要求神来配合我们的时间、家庭、工作、或心情。我们忘了，在生命树的气息下，我们要先神后人再大地。让我们在新的一年要警醒，我们所倚靠的环境或运气都是不真实的，唯有耶和华永不改变，唯有他能代领我们走过晴天雨天。