Tuesday, 3rd January 2023
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-5 Sing to the Lord
Moses hid in his work in the wilderness after he left Egypt, but when God called him, he was willing to let go of the work of his hands and follow God; Joshua was willing to let go of his fear and respond to God’s calling; Paul was willing to let go of his shame and respond to God’s calling… Today God is also calling us, are we willing to respond?
V1-2 ‘Then Deborah and Barak the son of Abinoam sang on that day, saying: When leaders lead in Israel, when the people willingly offer themselves, bless the Lord!’ When we are willing to let go of what we are holding onto in our hands and respond to God’s calling, then God will bless us more abundantly. Deborah was a wife and a mother, she had many things to attend to, but she chose to respond and worship God first. Worship is not just to sing a good song for God, but to worship with our lives, to sacrifice our needs and desires, and worship God wholeheartedly.
Section Two V6-24 Rise Up and Respond to the Lord
God chose the Israelites to enter the Promised Land, but when they chose to hide in the dark, to stay in their comfort zone, to not respond to God’s calling, then at the end, no one but only two of them was able to enter the Promised Land. Furthermore, when we respond to God’s calling, we don’t just fight by ourselves, but to raise up others to fight together. Deborah raised Barak and the army of Israel, she also raised Jael and her husband Heber, together, they received the victory of the Lord.
V9 ‘My heart is with the rulers of Israel, who offered themselves willingly with the people. Bless the Lord!’ God chose us, are we willing to respond, to renew ourselves and to let go of what we are holding onto? God wants us to become leaders of this world. How do we face this new year? How do we continue to live with all the chaos of the world? The virus, the wars, the economy… We don’t know what the future holds, but we know that when we respond to God and follow Him, then the better blessings will be with us.
V12 ‘Awake, awake, Deborah! Awake, awake, sing a song! Arise, Barak, and lead your captives away, o son of Abinoam!’ When we arise and awake, then we can receive the land as inheritance, we can win the victory.
V15 ‘And the princes of Issachar were with Deborah; as Issachar, so was Barak sent into the valley under his command; among the divisions of Reuben there were great resolves of heart.’ When we choose to follow God, then more people will come to our aid. We are not alone, God has prepared for us and He will fight for us. So don’t be afraid, just rise up and respond. Jael was not from the twelve tribes, but because of Deborah, she responded to the God of Israel, and she had the better blessings, which are more than the women of Israel.
Section Three V25-31 The Lord Gives Peace
We feel like our lives are so busy and full of hardship, but today God is telling us that He has given us peace. We must get rid of this mindset that when we follow God we will lose a lot of things. Let us stop the lies and receive the blessings from God. God never changes, it was us, who have changed. Because of past mistakes and failures, we may choose to hide from God. In 2023, God’s light has come, He is calling us and He has chosen us. Let us choose the better blessings and follow Him wholeheartedly.
士师记 5 – 选择上好的福分
2023年1月3日 星期二
潘锡安牧师
当我们知道神要做事的时候，我们就要起来回应，正如亚伯拉罕、摩西、约书亚、保罗等信心伟人愿意放下自己不堪的过去来回应神的呼召。2023年是不容易的一年，但我们是否愿意来回应神？神借着底波拉之歌给我们一个很重要的信息。我们是选择躲在黑暗还是选择上好的福分？
一、v.1-5 要向耶和华歌唱
V1-2 我们应当称颂耶和华，因为神拣选他的仆人来领导我们，使我们有方向。我们习惯了在黑暗中，喜欢呆在在老我的舒适圈，但是，当神已经拣选要带领我们的人之后，我们要愿意“牺牲自己”。我们是否愿意为神牺牲那些我们觉得对自己很重要的事物？
V3 不仅是底波拉和巴拉，而是全以色列起来回应，因为他们看见是一个外邦妇人雅亿起来回应神，就打败劲敌。我们的生命能够影响生命。当我们愿意走出自己的山洞，神就能让我们看见，得胜和祝福是属于我们的，我们也能向神歌唱，用我们的生命回应神，让我们周围的人都能看见我们愿意赞美神。当我们愿意牺牲自己，神就让世人也甘心来歌颂神。
二、v.6-24 要起来回应神
V6-7 雅亿出来的那个时候，以色列并非强大的国家，而保护以色列的人都缺席了，因为那些神所拣选的人躲在自己的安逸和黑暗中。我们蒙召后，是选择做缺席的人，还是像底波拉一样选择“兴起做以色列的母”？底波拉的回应不是孤军奋战，而是愿意兴起巴拉、雅亿等人，以致她丈夫也蒙福，名字被记载在圣经里。我们要起来回应神，不要抓住自己觉得重要的东西，却失去上好的福分。
V8 当以色列人“选择新神”的时候，攻击就来到他们身上，让他们毫无反击之力，因为神让他们赤手空拳面对仇敌。2023年的我们如何面对冠状病毒？是无奈接受，还是相信和领受耶稣基督的医治和平安？我们若选择新神，“争战的事”就临到我们。
V9 神拣选我们，我们愿意回应，愿意牺牲自己吗？神呼召我们成为卫星网络教会的领袖，当我们回应神，甘心牺牲自己，神就给我们上好的福分。
V12 反复的“兴起”提醒我们不要畏缩，当我们踏出第一步回应神的时候，就要更多向前走而不是向后退步。“奋兴”表示更多的努力，从仇敌手上夺回神给我们的产业。
V14-15 当巴拉愿意起来回应神的时候，其他服事神的人就起来与他同去。我们不是孤单的，有神的仆人与我们同去，经历得胜又得胜。我们回应神、跟从神，不是一厢情愿，而是神亲自跟我们说话，他会为我们背书。我们不是凭自己的力量，因争战的是耶和华！
V24 雅亿原本只是一个没有神呼召的外邦人，但因为她愿意选择跟从以色列的领袖底波拉和巴拉，也起来回应神，就比其他的妇人“多得福气”，甚至比“住帐篷的”以色列十二支派的妇人“更蒙福祉”- 有神的祝福和土地。
三、v.25-31 耶和华赐太平
我们以为跟从神就会受很多攻击，会失去自己所在乎的东西，例如家庭时间、美好工作等等，但这些都是我们要从心中除去的谎言。耶和华神所赐的是“太平”，爱他的人要“如日头出现，光辉烈烈！”（V31）。神永不改变，是我们自己改变，因着过往的经验我们选择逃避、在山洞里，然而在2023年，耶和华的光已经来到，他在呼召每一个他所拣选的人。我们要选择回应神，在我们的个人、家庭、职场、社区经历那上好的福分。