January 12, 2021
Rev. Daniel Poon
Judges 8:33-35 talks about what happened to people of Israel after Gideon’s death. What kind of life did the Israelites lead during the different years of “peace in the land”? Let the Holy Spirit lead us to reflect on what kind of life we are leading as we live in the beautiful New Zealand where the pandemic is under control? Do we follow the lead of God? God gives us a great reminder in this chapter.
1. V1-6, Making Oneself King
Abimelech was the son of Gideon and his concubine, whose name means “my father is a king”. Abimelech was born outside of marriage, which was a problem in Gideon’s life. In Chapter 8, verse 22, Gideon said that he would not rule over Israel, but in fact, Chapter 9 tells us from the beginning, Abimelech was asking where it was better for you to have 70 people reigning over, or just one person. Though Gideon said that he would not be ruling, his 70 sons were in fact ruling together with him. Many times we say we exalt God, but are we truly humble and let God rule and reign in our lives, or do we declare with our mouth that God is our king, but in reality, we are the king for ourselves. We do not even teach the next generation, just like Gideon, when he died, his 70 children were still in charge. It was not easy for the people to be under one king already. Now that there were 70 kings, the lives of the people must be miserable. Abimelech was clever, he was able to catch this weakness of those people and went to persuade his relatives first. Usually the problems start with people close to us, so we need to be careful of how we influence others. When we tell people around us bad things, they also tell others. We must stay vigilant about what we say and do, even with our body language, tone, and expression, which will all convey what we think inside. Therefore, our heart must be right. When the heart is right, the message we express is positive, encouraging, and edifying others, bearing the fruits from the tree of life.
When Abimelech told all his uncles about this, they thought it was a good idea. We see the problem here. In the past it had been the God to choose the leaders, but here Abimelech promoted himself as the king. Not only that, but he also oppressed his brothers. What grows out of a wrong, unblessed marriage is a curse, not a blessing. So all Abimelech did was opposing, against His heart.
V3, the hearts of the people of Shechem “was inclined to follow Abimelech”. We see how sin enters our hearts. The hearts of Abimelech and Shechem were connected, which was a soul tie. The people of Shechem gave Abimelech the money from their idol, and the idol was then connected with Abimelech. With this money he “hired worthless and reckless men” to follow him instead of choosing warriors. When we are allied with the enemy and sin, we will live in ignorance and darkness. From the time Abimelech formed an alliance with them, his life became darker and darker. When we align with darkness, our lives will be more and more chaotic. On the contrary, when we light the lamp by God’s word in the morning prayer, we can see light within us.
V 5, Abimelech not only made himself king, but also killed 70 sons of his father. He got deeper and deeper in sin, all of which started when he just wanted to be the king himself. We want to be kings and masters by ourselves, have our own opinions, and disobey the authority. As a result, our lives will become more and more corrupt and dark. We need to ask God to help us live in the light of the Lord.
2. V7-21, Not Listening to the Warning
Gideon’s youngest son was Jotham, and he went into hiding, so he survived. His 70 brothers died on a stone, indicating that they had fought against Abimelech together, and only the youngest child hid.
V7, Jotham was not relying on his own strength to deal with his enemy in front of him, he spoke to the people on Mount Gerizim. Deuteronomy 11:29 mentions that the blessing should be presented on Mount Gerizim, Joshua 8:33, “…Half of them were in front of Mount Gerizim…bless the people of Israel”. So Mount Gerizim was especially important to the Israelites. Jotham came here and said to the people of Shechem, “Listen to me, …that God may listen to you.”
V8-15, the oil from the olive tree could be used in the temple of God, so he would not give up his destiny to sway over the trees. What he said was that a king that reigns over other trees had no practical ability, instead only things that God has ordained are important. Do we value the position God has given us today, or do we blame others? Do we feel that our talents are buried? In your place, you must be grateful and rejoice, instead of feeling wronged or wasted.
In Jotham’s parable, the fig tree, the vine, and the olive tree were not willing to give up their destinies to do things that others wanted them to do but were not true. Finally, the trees found the bramble to anoint him as king. What a bramble gives us is pain and discomfort. When we choose the world instead of God’s leadership, we are as if we are under brambles all day without peace, only being stabbed.
V16-21, Jotham prophesied to the Israelites before running away, but this prophecy did not come from God. He was speaking ironically, saying that your joy and benefits come from a person, not from God, so the joy of your life is in the hands of this person. This is not a blessing.
V20, Jotham said to the people of Shechem, if you go your own way, Abimelech will burn you, and you will all fight against Abimelech. When we are not following God’s will, making ourselves kings, and ally with the world, our lives will gradually go downhill. Life and death are set before us as stated in the Bible. Which path are we willing to choose? If we say we are going to align this year, should we align with the world, or align with God, our authority, and the church, and then cross over together?
3. V22-57, Eating the Fruit of One’s Own Way
22-24, God told us the ending at the beginning of this paragraph of what happened to Abimelech and the men of Shechem. God is a God who keeps covenant and mercy. If we do not align with him, what will we do?
God is a God who keeps covenant, so leaders should do the same and keep covenant. Leaders who do not keep covenant will be full of violence against the people under them and kill those who do not listen. If a leader has the image of God, he will show understanding and love. What Abimelech brought to the people of Shechem was killing. As a result, his skull was crushed by a millstone dropped by a woman, and he was finally killed.
56-57, God will “repay”, his retribution is real and will never change. Do we fear, or do we feel that God’s retribution will not come? Are we willing to walk under the love and leadership of God?
Prayer:
May the Lord help turn our hearts back to God, not to compromise with the sins in our hearts, and not to align ourselves with this world. Help us not to be blinded by the temporary and unreal benefits of this world, not to make ourselves kings like Abimelech, but to be like the olive tree, fig tree, and vine in Jotham’s parable, and to value the destiny given to us by God – we are the children of God, aligning with the Lord, so we can bear the fruit of the tree of life, bring positive influence on people, and edify others.
2021年1月12日
士师记 9 – 从叛逆到灭亡
潘锡安牧师
士师记第8张33-35讲到基甸死后以色列的情景。以色列人在长短不一的“国中太平”的年月中，到底过着怎样的生活？圣灵带领我们思考，我们生活在美好的新西兰，疫情稳定，这时候我们又在做什么？是否跟从神的带领？神在这章给我们很大的提醒。”
一、V1-6，自立为王
亚比米勒，是基甸与他的妾生的儿子，他名字的意思是“我的父是王”。亚比米勒是婚姻以外所生的孩子，这是基甸生命的问题。第八章第22-23节，基甸说我不会管理你们，但是实际上，从第九章就可以看到亚比米勒跟大家说，是70人管理你们好，还是一个人管理你们好？基甸说他不去管理，实际上是他和他的70个儿子与他一起管理。很多时候我们高举神，但是是否是真的谦卑、让神在我们生命中做王，还是我们嘴巴宣告神是王，实际上却是我们自己做王。甚至也没有教导下一代，就如基甸一样，当他过世的时候，他的70个孩子仍然在管理。一个人做王，下面的人已经不容易了，现在有70个王，百姓的生活一定很糟糕。亚比米勒有小聪明，他会抓人的弱点，会找有关系的人先说。通常问题的出现都是从我们亲近的人开始的，近朱者赤、近墨者黑。当我们将不好的东西告诉身边的人的时候，他们也会跟别人说。我们要对自己所说所行甚至是肢体语言、语气表情都要很小心，也就是说我们的心要对，心对的时候，我们表达出来的信息都是正面、积极、造就别人的，在生命树下面的。
亚比米勒跟所有的舅舅讲这些的时候，他们就觉得是好的事情。我们在这里看到问题，之前都是耶和华拣选领袖，但是这里亚比米勒自推为王，不仅如此，他还打压自己的弟兄。在 不对的、不被神祝福的婚姻里，所生长出的东西是咒诅、不是祝福。所以亚比米勒所作的都是抵挡神，不合神心意的。
V3，示剑人的心归向亚比米勒。我们看到罪是如何进入我们的心，亚比米勒与示剑人的心是连结的，这是一个魂结。示剑人把拜偶像的银子给亚比米勒，于是偶像与亚比米勒连结，因为他雇了匪徒来跟从自己，而非选择勇士。原文说的匪徒是没用的、败坏的、粗心大意、不顾后果的人。与仇敌、与罪结盟的时候，我们就会在无知、幽暗的生活中。亚比米勒从与他们结盟的时候开始，他的生活就越来越走向黑暗。我们与黑暗结盟的时候，我们的生命也会混乱。当我们在晨祷中借着神的话点灯，我们里面就能看见光明。
V 5, 亚比米勒不仅自己做王，而且杀死了父亲的70个儿子。他在罪恶中越陷越深，而开始只是不服气，想自己做王。我们很想自己做王、做主，有自己的意见、不顺服权柄，结果我们的生命会越来越走向败坏和黑暗，求神帮助我们活在主的亮光中。
二、V7-21 ，不听劝告
基甸最小的儿子是约坦，躲藏了，所以他活了下来。他的哥哥70个人都死在一块磐石上，说明他们是一起与亚比米勒争战，只有这个最小的孩子躲起来。
V7，约坦不是倚靠自己的力量去对付眼前的仇敌，他在基利心山上对众人说话。申命记11：29提到，要将祝福陈明在基利心山上，约书亚记8：33，“…一半对着基利心山…为以色列民祝福”。因此基利心山对以色列人非常重要。所以约坦来到这里跟示剑人说，你们要听我的话，神也就听你们的话。
V8-15，橄榄树所出的油能用在神的殿，所以他不能放下自己的命定，飘摇在众树之上。他说的是，王没有实际的能力，反而只有神命定的东西是重要的。今天我们是否看重神给我们的位份，还是怨天尤人？我们是否觉得自己的才能被埋没了。在自己所在的位置，就要感恩和开心，不要觉得委屈和浪费。
无花果树、葡萄树、橄榄树都不愿意放下自己的命定，去做不实在的、人要他们做的事情。最后众树找到了荆棘要膏立他为王。荆棘能够给我们的就是痛和不舒服。当我们不选择神的带领而选择世界时，我们就好像整天在荆棘下面，没有平安，只有被刺。
V16-21，约坦在逃离之前，跟以色列人说预言，但是这个预言不是从神而来的。他在讲反话，意思是说，你们的欢乐、好处是从人而来，不是从神而来，所以你们一生的喜乐都在这个人手上。这不是一个祝福。
V20，约坦对示剑人说，如果你们一意孤行，亚比米勒会烧灭你们，也就是说你们都会与亚比米勒争战。当我们没有走在神的旨意，自立为王，与世界结盟的时候，我们的生命会越来越走下坡路。生与死在圣经中已经陈明，我们愿意选择哪一条路呢？今年我们要对齐，是要与世界对齐，还是与神和权柄、教会对齐，然后一起跨越？
三、V22-57，自食其果
22-24，神在一开始就给了我们结局，让我们知道亚比米勒和示剑人的下场如何。神是守约施慈爱的神，如果我们不和他对齐，我们会如何？
神是守约的神，领袖也要守约，不守约的领袖对下面的人充满了暴力，对不听的人就是杀戮。一个领袖若有神的形象，就会有谅解，有爱。亚比米勒带给示剑人的却是杀戮。结果他被一个妇人抛的石头打破脑骨，最后让人杀死。
56-57, 神是会“报应”的，他的报应是真实的，永不改变的。我们是否会害怕，还是觉得神的报应不会到来？我们是否愿意走在神的爱和带领下？
*追求：
求主帮助我们的心回转向神，不与内心的罪妥协，不与这个世界结盟。帮助我们不被这个世界暂时的、不实在的好处蒙蔽，不像亚比米勒那样自己做王，而是像约坦比喻里的橄榄树、无花果树、葡萄树那样，看重神给我们的命定，就是神儿女的身份，与主对齐，能结出生命树的果实，给人带来积极正面的影响，造就他人。