約書亞記 第23-24章 中英摘要

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  摩西在申命記,十天的時間講了三篇的道,之後就將帶領以色列人的棒子交給了約書亞。約書亞記第一章說到,耶和華的僕人摩西死了以後,耶和華曉諭摩西的幫手,嫩的兒子約書亞,說:「我的僕人摩西死了。現在你要起來,和眾百姓過這約旦河,往我所要賜給以色列人的地去。凡你們腳掌所踏之地,我都照著我所應許摩西的話賜給你們了….」約書亞經過六、七年的時間帶領以色列人南征北伐,神將迦南全地都分給了以色列十二支派。

  及至約書亞記的尾聲,約書亞年紀老邁,就把以色列眾人的長老、族長、審判官,並官長都召了來,再次叮囑他們:「要謹守遵行神的話,不可偏離左右,不可去事奉別神,要專靠耶和華你們的神。因為耶和華已經把又大又強的國民從你們面前趕出;直到今日,沒有一人在你們面前站立得住。你們一人必追趕千人,因耶和華你們的神照他所應許的,為你們爭戰….」同時也提醒警告他們:「神所應許賜福與你們的話沒有一句落空,都應驗在你們身上了。耶和華你們神所應許的一切福氣怎樣臨到你們身上,耶和華也必照樣使各樣禍患臨到你們身上….你們若違背耶和華你們神吩咐你們所守的約,去事奉別神,叩拜他,耶和華的怒氣必向你們發作,使你們在他所賜的美地上速速滅亡。」

  我們所信的神,比我們想像中還公義嚴厲,也比我們想像中有恩典慈愛,因此我們可以坦然無懼來到神面前,卻也要心存敬畏的來事奉祂。我們不是不會犯錯,但是我們要能夠悔改,神都願意給我們機會轉向祂。摩西與約書亞不斷地告誡以色列人:「要謹守遵行神的話,不可偏離左右」因為只要開始偏了一寸,斜出去後就會偏成一尺,甚至更多。

  約書亞記24:15:「若是你們以事奉耶和華為不好,今日就可以選擇所要事奉的:是你們列祖在大河那邊所事奉的神呢?是你們所住這地的亞摩利人的神呢?至於我和我家,我們必定事奉耶和華。」我們的神是個偉大的神,祂有能力卻從不強迫我們,祂讓我們自由地選擇是否事奉祂。神是聖潔的神,我們沒有一個人配得事奉祂,今天我們能服事神,是神的恩典與憐憫,是神看得起我們。地上的君王,多少人想盡辦法要服侍、討好他;古時候皇帝一召見,臣子馬上八百里加急,連夜趕著進京,絲毫不敢怠慢。今天統管宇宙的神呼召我們來事奉祂,我們不但沒有心存感激,反而常常覺得委屈、倒楣。弟兄姊妹們,服事神不要覺得自己很委屈,能夠事奉神,是神高抬了我們。讓我們想想看,一天24小時中,我們有多少時間是在讚美感謝神?還是我們大部分的時間都在批評埋怨中度過?

  愛神、事奉神除了熱情以外,還需要加上培訓,因為熱情是開始的動機,培訓則是堅持下去的動力。所以我們要在神的話語扎根,在神的家中操練,並在生活中活出耶穌基督的生命。新的一年開始,讓我們宣告:「至於我和我家,我們必定事奉耶和華!」

葉志偉牧師信息 2015.12.31/林慶如 姐妹 摘要

【Joshua 23、24】

  In Deuteronomy, Moses gave three preaches in ten days. Later, he appointed Joshua as the next leader of the Israelites. In Joshua 1, it says “After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, the Lord said to Joshua son of Nun, Moses’ aide, ‘Moses my servant is dead. Now then, you and all these people, get ready to cross the Jordan River into the land I am about to give to them-to the Israelites. I will give you every place where you set your foot, as I promised Moses…” For 6-7 years, Joshua led the Israelites to fight all the battles, and eventually God divided all the land of Cannon among the twelve tribes of Israel.

  Toward the end of Joshua, when Joshua aged, he summoned all Israel-their elders, leaders, judges and officials-and said to them, “be careful to obey all that is written in the Book of the Law of Moses, without turning aside to the right or to the left. Do not associate with these nations that remain among you; do not invoke the names of their gods or swear by them. You must not serve them or bow down them. But you are to hold fast to the Lord your God, as you have until now. The Lord has driven out before you great and powerful nations; to this day no one has been able to withstand you. One of you routs a thousand, because the Lord your God fights for you, just as He promised.” Joshua also warned them, “Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed. But just as all the good things the Lord your God has promised you have come to you, so He will bring on you all the evil things He has threatened… If you violate the covenant of the Lord your God, which He commanded you, and go and serve other gods and bow down to them, the Lord’s anger will burn against you, and you will quickly perish from the good land He has given you.”

  Our God is more righteous and strict than we think, but He is also more merciful and loving. We can be confidence fearless before God, and yet we must serve Him with reverence in our hearts. We all make mistakes, and we all sin, but God is always patient with us as long as we repent. Moses and Joshua kept cautioning the Israelites to obey God’s words; do not turn aside to the right or to the left. At first, people may just deviate from God’s commands for an inch, but ended up meters away from God’s words.

  “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord” (Joshua 24:15). Our God is an awesome God! He has the power to, but never, forces us; He allow us to choose freely whether to serve Him or not. God is holy, none of us deserve to serve Him. It is because of God’s mercy, grace, and love that we can serve Him today. God considers us worthy! So many people tried to serve and please the kings and emperors on earth. In the old days, when summoned by the emperor, a courtier must rush to the emperor at once; no one dared to delay a minute. Today, the ruler of the universe is calling us, and yet some people consider themselves to be out of luck or even wronged. My dear brothers and sisters, don’t think of serving God as a burden! It is our honor and privilege to serve the king of kings! Let us think about this: for how many hours out of 24 per day do we praise and thank God? Do we spend most of our time complaining?

  In order to love and serve God, we need not only passion, but also training. Enthusiasm may be a motivation at the beginning, but trainings give you power to keep on serving. We need to take root in God’s words, receive training in His house, and live a Christ-like life. At the beginning of a new year, let us proclaim “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord!”

2015/12/31 Message by Elder Yeh