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Chinese9/9/2005English
經文:士師記九章
鑰節:「有一個婦人把一塊上磨石拋在亞比米勒的頭上……這樣,上帝報應亞比米勒向他父親所行的惡……」(9:53、56)
提要

        這是以色列歷史上的一個大悲劇。這次上帝不是用外來的敵人,而是用內鬥來審判以色列。被上帝重用的基甸有個桀傲不馴的兒子,是由他一個住在示劍的妾所生。示劍人是以色列人允許留住的一支迦南人。這樣的聯姻是不為上帝接受的,並且我們也屢次從聖經看到,許多問題都是源於多婚。妾就像「二等妻」,仍與娘家的人同住,「丈夫」只偶爾來探望她。由於亞比米勒被養在母親的娘家,他可能不太曉得自己的父親,和他同父異母的兄弟。

        也因為他和示劍人有血源關係,亞比米勒稱王的願望才得著他們的支持。亞比米勒用示劍人給他的錢雇了一班「匪徒」幫助他殺死七十個同父異母的兄弟,同時除去了他的對手。不過,出於上帝的保守,基甸最小的兒子約坦死裡逃生,成為基甸唯一的後裔。雖然這件慘劇發生在基甸和他家人身上,可說是他犯罪的結果(8:27),但上帝仍然尊榮他,沒有讓他的名字在以色列中被塗抹。

        約坦勇敢的站在基利心山上,以先知的姿態用比喻預言示劍人和亞比米勒可怕的結局(他們將互相殘殺,20節),皆因他們沒有善待、尊敬為以色列人驅逐米甸人(8:22、34~35)的基甸和他一家。約坦一定也像他父親一樣,是神權政治(也就是,上帝作他們的王)的支持者,因為他的比喻暗示,沒有人配作王,只有上帝配。

        約坦的比喻也公然抨擊選立亞比米勒作王的這件事。亞比米勒被比作是一叢荊棘。橄欖樹、無花果樹、和葡萄樹都能結出有價值的果子,但它們忙於自己光榮的職份,無暇動作王的歪念頭。只有無用、惹麻煩的荊棘欲凌駕他人之上。荊棘不但不能提供保護,反而只帶來痛苦和毀滅,因為枯乾的荊棘往往是肇火之源。

        亞比米勒並不是全以色列國的王或士師。他可能只統治一小塊地區,而且為時不過三年;亞比米勒的專制、壓迫使人民對他充滿敵意,特別是原先支持他的示劍人,現在反而計畫要背叛他。示劍人開始搶奪亞比米勒的貢銀和財物(25節)。約坦的預言成真。亞比米勒率領一支以色列軍隊殺了所有的示劍人。他不只摧毀示劍人的城池,還灑上鹽,使之成為廢地,無法再居住(至少有一段很長的時間不能使用)。

        亞比米勒繼續向示劍北邊幾公里外的提備斯人翻臉,他們一定也參與了反亞比米勒的行動。提備斯城被圍困時,有些人躲到一座堅固樓上,其中一位勇敢的無名女英雄從樓上將她的磨石(重約十至十三公斤)拋下來,打破了亞比米勒的腦骨,但亞比米勒沒有立刻喪命,為了不死在一個婦女手下(這對任何戰士來說都是極大的羞辱),他就要求為他拿兵器的少年人將他殺了。

        亞比米勒之死和示劍被毀可視為上帝對他們惡待基甸之家的報應(56~57節)。上帝是(過去和現在都是)人類至高的司法官,祂會審判罪,不過祂已經藉著耶穌為我們的罪而死,給我們開了一條救贖之路。

禱告

        耶穌,謝謝您為我們嘗了死味。我們並沒有犯像亞比米勒那樣的罪,但我們仍是罪人,該受死的刑罰。今日我們與您同死、同葬、同復活,我們的舊人也死而埋葬,現在活著的乃是耶穌裡新生的樣式。奉主耶穌聖名,阿們!

English

Scriptures:Read Judges 9
Key Verse:“But a certain woman dropped an upper millstone on Abimelech’s head… Thus God repaid the wickedness of Abimelech, which he had done to his father…”(Judges 9:53, 56)
Overview

        This is a story of a great tragedy in Israel’s history. We see that God judged Israel, not from an enemy without but from strive within. Gideon, the man whom God had so mightily used, had a ruthless and unprincipled son by a concubine from Shechem. The people of Shechem were Canaanites whom Israel had allowed to remain in the land. Such a union was not acceptable in the sight of God and, as we find so often in the Bible, many problems arose from multiple marriages. A concubine was like a secondary ‘wife’ who remained living with her own family and who received occasional visits from her ‘husband’. Because she raised her children as a part of her family, Abimelech likely never knew his father nor his half-brothers very well.

        Because of his affinity with the men of Shechem, Abimelech was able to gain their support in his desire to be king. With the money received from them, he hired a band of “worthless and reckless men” (v.4) to help him execute his seventy half-brothers so that he would have no rivals. However, in some unexplained way, yet in the providence of God, the youngest son of Gideon, Jotham, escaped. He was then the only living descendant of Gideon (who had already died, 8:32). Although this may have happened to Gideon and his family as a result of his sin(s) (8:27), God still honored him by not allowing his name to be erased from Israel.

        Jotham bravely stood upon Mount Gerizim and, speaking in the manner of a prophet and using a parable, he predicted a terrible outcome for both the Shechemites and Abimelech (they would destroy each other, v.20), all because they did not deal well with the house of Gideon, whom they should have honored and respected for the great service he was to them in driving out the Midianites (8:22, 34-35). Jotham, like his father, must have supported the theocracy of Israel, namely God as their king (cf.8:23), since, as his parable implied, no worthy person would desire the kingship, for only the Lord was worthy to be King.

        The parable clearly denounced the appointment of such a man as Abimelech to be king. He was compared to a thorn bush or bramble. The olive tree, fig tree, and vine all produced valuable products, yet they were too busy with their honorable occupations to desire to be king. Only the worthless, useless, and troublesome bramble desired to lord it over others. The bramble who promised shade (protection) was not even able to provide it, but rather brought only pain and ruin, since cry brambles often cause fires (v.15).

        Abimelech was not considered a judge or even a king for all Israel. He was probably only ruling over a small territory within the country, and this was only for three years, yet his tyranny and oppression caused animosity between him and the people, especially the people of Shechem who were his first supporters, yet now they were planning a rebellion against him. They began by robbing him of his tribute money and goods (v.25). The prediction of Jotham was coming true. Abimelech, with an army of Israelites, killed all the people of Shechem. He not only destroyed the city but also “sowed it with salt” (v.45), so it could not be reinhabited, at least not for a long time, because the land would be rendered useless.

        Abimelech continued his treachery on the people of Thebez, a few kilometers north of Shechem, who must have been involved in the rebellion. During the siege, some found refuge in the tower. The men of the city had weapons with which to fight, but the women had only stones. It was one of these brave unnamed women who threw her millstone (probably weighing about 10 to 13 kilograms) down from the tower upon Abimelech. It no doubt cracked his skull, yet he was still alive after the blow, so before he died by the hand of woman (which was a terrible shame for any warrior), he asked his armor-bearer to kill him.

        The death of Abimelech and destruction of Shechem are viewed as divine retribution for their crime against Gideon’s family (v.56-57). The Lord was then, as he still is the sovereign judge of mankind, and He will punish sin; yet for us He has provided a way of escape from his retribution for sin through Jesus who was made sin for us.

Prayer

        Thank You, Jesus, that You tasted death for us. We’ve not done the things Abimelech did, but we still are sinners and worthy of death. We identify today with Your death, burial, and resurrection by recognizing the fact that we who believe have our old nature dead and buried, and we are now alive in the new nature of Jesus.


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