Tuesday, 10th January 2023
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-21 Walk in Confusion
V1-2 ‘Then Abimelech the son of Jerubbaal went to Shechem, to his mother’s brothers, and spoke with them and with all the family of the house of his mother’s father, saying, “Please speak in the hearing of all the men of Shechem: ‘Which is better for you, that all seventy of the sons of Jerubbaal reign over you, or that one reign over you?’ Remember that I am your own flesh and bone.”’ In the previous chapter, Jerubbaal said to the people that he would not rule over them, and his children would not rule over them. But we come to know that he still asked the people for gold to build the ephod for himself. Jerubbaal, also called Gideon, was already living in confusion, he had many wives and seventy children, and Abimelech was one of them.
Furthermore, we can see that Abimelech was in Shechem, away from Jerubbaal, it seemed that he did not have a close relationship with his father, and he wanted to overturn his father’s leadership. When the people heard Abimelech, they decided to follow him and gave him money from the temple of the idol. V4 ‘So they gave him seventy shekels of silver from the temple of Baal-Berith, with which Abimelech hired worthless and reckless men; and they followed him.’ The people were living in confusion, they did not know which way was the righteous way. We also must know the way we are walking upon, to walk in the light, not in darkness.
When we refuse to follow God, then we will stay in more confusion, we will become our own king, and we will become the king of others. The meaning of Abimelech is ‘my father is king’, even though Jerubbaal said he would not rule over the people, he also gave names to his children in order to show that he’s the king.
Abimelech killed all his brothers but one. V21 ‘And Jotham ran away and fled; and he went to Beer and dwelt there, for fear of Abimelech his brother.’ Jotham knew what his brother did was wrong, but he was afraid, so he ran away. When the darkness covers the earth, our lives will be filled with confusion. And very often, we will not realise that we are living in confusion.
Section Two V22-49 Be Wrong Again
V22-24 ‘After Abimelech had reigned over Israel three years, God sent a spirit of ill will between Abimelech and the men of Shechem; and the men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, that the crime done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be settled and their blood be laid on Abimelech their brother, who killed them, and on the men of Shechem, who aided him in the killing of his brothers.’ What was the spirit of ill? It was represented by Gaal the son of Ebed, who followed Abimelech in the past, but did not stay faithful to him. When Gaal came against Abimelech, he also led the people of Shechem to turn against Abimelech.
We must be alert and see the when there are evil desires in our lives, when we are not walk in the righteous way, then those who were for us will end up coming against us. God waited three years for Abimelech to turn back, but when he refused the turn away from his evil deeds, God’s hand struck on him. Do we know God is giving us a chance to turn back? Are we still being stubborn and not listen to God’s teaching? When we live in confusion, then there will be a gap for the enemy to come in.
V46-47 ‘Now when all the men of the tower of Shechem had heard that, they entered the stronghold of the temple of the god Berith. And it was told Abimelech that all the men of the tower of Shechem were gathered together.’ The tower of Shechem was where the leaders gathered for matters of the city. They were the important people of Shechem, but now they chose to enter the stronghold of the temple of the idol to protect them. As leaders they led the people away from God and this decision caused destruction of the city.
V48-49 ‘Then Abimelech went up to Mount Zalmon, he and all the people who were with him. And Abimelech took an ax in his hand and cut down a bough from the trees, and took it and laid it on his shoulder; then he said to the people who were with him, “What you have seen me do, make haste and do as I have done.” So each of the people likewise cut down his own bough and followed Abimelech, put them against the stronghold, and set the stronghold on fire above them, so that all the people of the tower of Shechem died, about a thousand men and women.’ Abimelech called the people of Shechem his own ‘flesh and bone’ when he needed them to overturn his father, but now when the people come against him, Abimelech killed all of them with cold blood.
Section Three V50-57 Completely Defeated
V53-54 ‘But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head and crushed his skull. Then he called quickly to the young man, his armorbearer, and said to him, “Draw your sword and kill me, lest men say of me, ‘A woman killed him.’ ” So his young man thrust him through, and he died.’ At the end Abimelech still died in confusion. Even at his end, all he cared about was his name not to be destroyed, but he was completely defeated.
We must examine ourselves, see into our lives closely, are we really walking in God’s Light and His Righteous Way? The darkness has covered the earth, let us arise and walk into Light!
士师记 9 – 黑暗遮盖大地
2023年1月10日 星期二
潘锡安牧师
我们要明白以赛亚书60章的祝福前，先要明白经文所说的“黑暗遮盖大地”。士师记第9章的记载给我们很大的警醒，让我们能鉴古知今。
一、v.1-21 行在混乱里
V1-3 “管理”原文代表王的管理。亚比米勒的父亲耶路巴力（基甸）曾经对以色列人说过他和他的儿子都“不管理你们”，然而他给自己在示剑的妾所生的儿子起名叫“亚比米勒”- 意思是“我的父亲是王”。耶路巴力表面上说不管理以色列人，却在儿子的名字中表明自己的野心。神没有在士师时代拣选王，但耶路巴力自己要做王，不愿意跟从神。在这样的混乱中，黑暗遮盖大地。我们以为自己能掌握大地，但在黑暗中我们最后得到的就是混乱。
亚比米勒原本是属于父家那边的骨肉，但他为了拉拢娘家的人，称自己是示剑人的“骨肉”，并且他没有称基甸为父亲，而是叫他“耶路巴力”，显示自己里面的一片混乱。这个儿子是耶路巴力的妾所生的，而且没有与父亲同住。他从出生到如今都在一个孤儿的灵里，没有领受父亲的爱，只看到妈妈那边的人，所以他对示剑人提议让自己来管理他们。示剑人听了亚比米勒的怂恿，都一致决定听从他。
V4 这本是属于偶像的肮脏的钱，是不属于神国的。那些跟从亚比米勒的匪徒也是为了巴力的钱而来跟从他。
V5 这样的混乱是从耶路巴力这个父亲开始的。我们作为父母的要站对位置。神不要我们停留在山洞和黑暗里面，而是进入光明。然而当我们不愿意听从神的时候，就进入混乱。神要我们活在生命树下谦卑顺服、舍己利他，但我们是否在言行上想要自立为王，就像耶路巴力那样？耶路巴力不仅自己想作王，还要他的儿子都作王。神是亚伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的神，是祝福世世代代的，我们想给子孙后代留下的是祝福还是诅咒呢？让我们从黑暗中走出来，跟从光，脱离混乱。
V6-21 基甸的小儿子约坦在基利心山顶上对示剑人所讲的这段话意思是告诉众人，他们既然选了亚比米勒，就必须要忠心到底。他没有在这座山上宣告真理，也没有治罪，而是选择逃跑，因为他惧怕亚比米勒。求神帮助我们能在自己的位份上站稳。当神告诉我们“黑暗遮盖大地”的时候，我们要警醒，鉴察自己的生命，不要再停留在混乱中。
二、v.22-49 一错再错
V22-29 “恶魔”指的是后文所提的“以别的儿子迦勒”。他原本跟从亚比米勒，却背地里使诡诈，破坏亚比米勒和示剑人之间的关系。亚比米勒和迦勒两派的人其实都在混乱当中，没有神同在。当我们使诡诈、在一段关系中没有爱的时候，破坏就进来了。在亚比米勒管理以色列的三年中，人们很容易被安逸的生活满足，只可惜这是昙花一现。神给人机会，一等再等，三年后神就出手了。他没有一开始就处理亚比米勒，因为他是爱我们的天父，他给我们机会回转。神给亚比米勒和示剑人三年的机会，可惜他们没有珍惜，反而留下破口。
V30-45 当我们没有跟从神，生命有破口的时候，仇敌就来攻击我们，偷窃毁坏我们一切所拥有的。甚至原本是兄弟的，关系破裂，一错再错。
V46 “示剑楼的人”相当于我们现在所说的国会，那些城中的关键领袖躲在偶像的庙里，以为能得保护。
V49 亚比米勒曾经在孤苦伶仃的时候对示剑人说过自己是他们的“骨肉”，然而当他有权有势又有人的时候，就将城里的骨肉至亲杀死，在混乱中一错再错。我们是否也像亚比米勒一样？我们来到教会，承认弟兄姐妹是自己的家人，然而在这个家里，我们是全心委身，还是表面称兄道弟、私下却带着世上的诡诈、为自己留一手？求神帮助我们不要带着诡诈进入这个属灵的家。
三、v.50-57 一败涂地
亚比米勒想要乘胜追击，却被城中的一个妇人用磨石打破他的脑骨。他死到临头还会在乎自己的面子，死不悔改。因此，神就报应了他。而之前约坦所说的关于背叛亚比米勒就遭遇死亡的咒诅也应验在了示剑人身上。他们都一败涂地。
借着士师记9章，神提醒我们要鉴察自己的生命，不要再混乱中一错再错，不然最后的结果就是一败涂地。在黑暗遮盖大地，求神帮助我们能如光照耀，有信心和勇气进入神的光明同在。