復 原 耶 穌 基 督 教 會 台 灣 佈 道 所
The Church of Jesus Christ Taiwan Restoration Mission
May 31st, 2015 僕人 A Servant
(長老 法蘭克 Elder Frank Van Fleet)
剛才唱的歌“神的僕人Make me a servant”,既是 神所揀選的人,就必須要服膺 神的領導,才配得到 神的賜福,否則只有自食惡果.
今天來跟大家談論一個人巴蘭,在他成為一名先知之前,他愛財如命勝過 神的召喚,最後 神還是揀選他為先知,雖然他有些心不甘、情不願,可也一洗前嫌,努力成為 神的僕人,自此扮演 神的代言人的角色- 先知,也頗為稱職.
歌詞裡,神教導我們要謙虛、溫和、互助,分享愛與賜福.尤其甚者謙虛與溫和,是當 神的僕人的首要條件. 神更要我們以得到的力量,去幫助弱勢的人,分享愛與賜福,使世間再也沒有弱勢的人.
當時,巴蘭住在稍遠的河東地區,周邊的人都知道他是 神所揀選的先知,對他的話深信不疑,總是言聽計從.
以色列人獲得 神的賜福,強大的力量,使他們勢如破竹的前往Canaan應許之地 Land of Promise,近日來正好屯兵在鄰近的摩押國,摩押國國王巴勒,害怕以色列大軍侵略,遂派使者來見巴蘭,知道他是受神揀選為先知的人,擁有 神賜予的祝福或咒詛的力量,就送上金銀珠寶,希望巴蘭詛咒以色列.
巴蘭祈問過 神,得知以色列是受到祝福的,不準巴蘭去摩押國,更不準巴蘭出言不遜;於是巴蘭拒絕了巴勒詛咒以色列的請求.使者回稟巴勒,認為應該獻上更大筆的財寶才能打動巴蘭的心;於是加碼引誘巴蘭,巴蘭似乎也有些心動了.
於是巴蘭就像孩子氣般,一直問、一直問,再三的祈問 神,是否可以前往摩押國,他認為神被問煩了,總會改變祂的心意;果然如他所料, 神答應讓他前往,但是他並未察覺 神似乎有些生氣,雖答應他可以前往,但是只能說 神要他說的話(以色列是受到祝福的).
民數記 Numbers 22:28-30; 31-39
28 耶和華叫驢開口、對巴蘭說、我向你行了甚麼。你竟打我這三次呢。
Then the LORD opened the donkey's mouth, and she said to Balaam, "What have I done to you to make you beat me these three times?"
29 巴蘭對驢說、因為你戲弄我、我恨不能手中有刀、把你殺了。
Balaam answered the donkey, "You have made a fool of me! If I had a sword in my hand, I would kill you right now."
30 驢對巴蘭說、我不是你從小時直到今日所騎的驢麼。我素常向你這樣行過麼．巴蘭說沒有。
The donkey said to Balaam, "Am I not your own donkey, which you have always ridden, to this day? Have I been in the habit of doing this to you?" "No," he said.
31 當時、耶和華使巴蘭的眼目明亮、他就看見耶和華的使者站在路上、手裡有拔出來的刀．巴蘭便低頭俯伏在地。
Then the LORD opened Balaam's eyes, and he saw the angel of the LORD standing in the road with his sword drawn. So he bowed low and fell facedown.
32 耶和華的使者對他說、你為何這三次打你的驢呢．我出來敵擋你、因你所行的、在我面前偏僻。
The angel of the LORD asked him, "Why have you beaten your donkey these three times? I have come here to oppose you because your path is a reckless one before me.
33 驢看見我就三次從我面前偏過去、驢若沒有偏過去、我早把你殺了、留他存活。
The donkey saw me and turned away from me these three times. If she had not turned away, I would certainly have killed you by now, but I would have spared her."
34 巴蘭對耶和華的使者說、我有罪了、我不知道你站在路上阻擋我、你若不喜歡我去、我就轉回。
Balaam said to the angel of the LORD, "I have sinned. I did not realize you were standing in the road to oppose me. Now if you are displeased, I will go back."
35 耶和華的使者對巴蘭說、你同這些人去罷、你只要說我對你說的話．於是巴蘭同著巴勒的使臣去了。
The angel of the LORD said to Balaam, "Go with the men, but speak only what I tell you." So Balaam went with the princes of Balak.
36 巴勒聽見巴蘭來了、就往摩押京城去迎接他．這城是在邊界上、在亞嫩河旁。
When Balak heard that Balaam was coming, he went out to meet him at the Moabite town on the Arnon border, at the edge of his territory.
37 巴勒對巴蘭說、我不是急急的打發人到你那裡去召你麼。你為何不到我這裡來呢。我豈不能使你得尊榮麼。
Balak said to Balaam, "Did I not send you an urgent summons? Why didn't you come to me? Am I really not able to reward you?"
38 巴蘭說、我已經到你這裡來了、現在我豈能擅自說甚麼呢． 神將甚麼話傳給我、我就說甚麼。
"Well, I have come to you now," Balaam replied. "But can I say just anything? I must speak only what God puts in my mouth."
39 巴蘭和巴勒同行、來到基列胡瑣。
Then Balaam went with Balak to Kiriath Huzoth.
巴蘭他在意的其實是摩押國國王巴勒所要敬奉的金銀珠寶.
所以,在路上,驢子見到天使站在路中,手裡拿著把寶劍,怒氣沖沖的想要教訓巴蘭,於是偏離馬路繞過天使,巴蘭與隨從看不到天使,所以不明就裡,一直想拉驢回正道,還不時鞭打斥罵驢子.
偉大的 神,在這裡讓我們見識到祂的全能,就這樣繞路有三次,最後 神使驢子對巴蘭說話,告知路上發生的事,巴蘭正在氣頭上,竟也沒注意驢子竟然會說話,一陣斥喝後,巴蘭仍執意前往摩押國.
終於,天使手拿著把寶劍,現身在一條無法回身的小徑上,驢子嚇得把巴蘭給摔下來,巴蘭匍匐在地認錯,哀求天使饒恕他,他馬上轉身回去,不過天使轉達 神的旨意,仍要他前往摩押國告訴國王巴勒,以色列是受到祝福的.
巴蘭一行終於抵達摩押國,國王巴勒喜出望外,好生款待,並奉上財寶以取悅巴蘭,希望他能咒詛以色列;不過巴蘭卻只敢說以色列是受到祝福的話.國王巴勒再三加碼試探巴蘭,得到的結果都是一樣.
民數記 Numbers 24:5-9
5 雅各阿、你的帳棚何等華美。以色列阿、你的帳幕何其華麗．
"How beautiful are your tents, O Jacob, your dwelling places, O Israel!
6 如接連的山谷、如河旁的園子、如耶和華所栽的沉香樹、如水邊的香柏木。
"Like valleys they spread out, like gardens beside a river, like aloes planted by the LORD, like
cedars beside the waters.
7 水要從他的桶裡流出、種子要撒在多水之處．他的王必超過亞甲、他的國必要振興。
Water will flow from their buckets; their seed will have abundant water. "Their king will be greater than Agag; their kingdom will be exalted.
8 神領他出埃及、他似乎有野牛之力．他要吞喫敵國、折斷他們的骨頭、用箭射透他們。
"God brought them out of Egypt; they have the strength of a wild ox. They devour hostile nations and break their bones in pieces; with their arrows they pierce them.
9 他蹲如公獅、臥如母獅、誰敢惹他．凡給你祝福的、願他蒙福．凡咒詛你的、願他受咒詛。
Like a lion they crouch and lie down, like a lioness--who dares to rouse them? "May those who bless you be blessed and those who curse you be cursed!"
國王巴勒不死心仍想法要巴蘭咒詛以色列,所以提供更大量的金銀珠寶給巴蘭.我們前面說過,巴蘭原本就是個愛財遠超過敬愛神的人,又是心不甘、情不願的被徵召為先知,面對堆積如山的金銀珠寶,遂獻計對國王巴勒說,與其跟以色列交戰,不如跟他們聯姻,並把偶像當成敬拜的神,混淆、癱瘓以色列人民對 神的忠心,削弱國力,日久必不攻自破.
神要摩西帶領以色列人民,離開埃及前往應許之地,所以,此時摩西所帶領的以色列人民,已經不是當年對 神,有虔敬的心的那一群人,巴蘭無疑是頭號大罪人;如果巴蘭一開始聽從天使的勸不要去摩押國,其結果可能得到一生的榮耀與快樂;但他在天使現身後,仍為財出賣以色列人民對 神的忠心,所以後來以不名譽的,沒有光榮的死去,實是罪有應得.
今天,跟大家分享這件事,是要提醒大家誠心的做為 神的一名好僕人, 要順從 神的旨意,千萬不要在 神的面前,說一套做一套,一如貪婪的巴蘭,最終落得不名譽的,沒有光榮的死去.
(詳細內容可參閱 民數記 Numbers 22 ~ 25章節記載)
(Those Who Came : Johnny Lin; Eric Ho, Eileen Chen; Belinda Kao; Paul Lin; Roger Siao; Jimmy Hsu; Sharon Wu)
(Captionist : Susan Shelton)
(Skype to : Frank Van Fleet; <Lade> Nancy, Sarah, Amanda, David, Anna, Joseph; Elizabeth Woodward; Breanna Lewis, Caralea Lewis; <Moellmann> Matthew, Jai-yu, Joshua; Maggie, Sashy, Uncel)
P.S.1
今天是牧師 Matthew & Jai-yu 夫婦結婚十八周年慶, Lade 家族依例,在現場獻唱以示祝福.
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