Posted on Sep 2, 2015 in Amos, Devotions, Expired |
Scripture Reading : Amos 5-6
Theme : Social Evils
- Funeral Song (5:1-17). The Jews are so stubborn that their end is near. To make their end even more graphic, God sings a funeral song to them. Again God highlights their spiritual betrayal and resulting social evils. Heresy will always turn into immorality. The Jews continue to worship idols. They turn justice into wormwood, i.e. bitterness. They afflict the righteous and needy by taking bribes. They love evil instead of good. Even as God accuses them, He again calls them to repentance. God is a compassionate and patient God.
- Justice Called (5:18-27). God calls for justice to roll down like waters, righteousness like an ever-flowing stream. Since justice is not delivered in Israel, God will deliver justice on the day of the Lord. The day of the Lord is a time of God’s reckoning. This is most likely referring to the Assyrian exile (5:27), not the end time judgment in Revelation since the context never describes any end time events. But the Assyrian exile, this near future day of the Lord, foreshadows God’s end time judgment against Israel, the future day of the Lord. Israel will continue to rebel against God until the end time, but a remnant will always be kept (Rom. 11:5). This is why evangelizing the Jews is important.
- Carnal Ease and Security (6:1-14). While the nation of Israel languishing in spiritual filth and social evils, some of the Jews continue to live a carnal life of ease and false security. Instead of mourning over the sins of the nation, these men are apathetic to evil and God’s judgment. They trust in their own strength to protect themselves from foreign invasion.
Praying the Scripture
- It is good to contemplate our eventual death, not in a morbid way, but in a way to remind ourselves of our glorious and ultimate destination with Jesus in heaven, so that we may live for what will count in heaven. If you are living in sin, your contemplation of death should sober you and cause you to forsake sin and live for eternity (Eccl. 7:1-5; Ps. 90:12)
- It is sinful to put our security in things of the earth, whether it is in money, military or political power. Of course it is wise and responsible to provide for our family, but we put no trust in these things for security and life. We must put our trust only in God. Do not heap up treasures on earth and say to yourself, “Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.” Judgment will come upon such foolish and sinful person (Luke 12:19), like these Jews.
经文：阿摩司书5-6
主题：社会罪恶
- 丧礼哀歌（5:1-17）。由于犹太人非常固执，所以他们的灭亡临近了。为要使他们的灭亡形象化，神向他们唱一首哀歌。神再次强调了他们的属灵背叛及所造成的社会败坏。异端或邪说一定会导致灵性的淫荡。犹太人继续拜偶像。他们将公义便为茵陈，即苦毒。他们借着收受贿赂苦待义人与需要帮助的人。他们喜爱邪恶，不爱良善。神即便在控告他们时，也再一次召他们悔改。神是有慈爱与耐心的神。
- 召唤公义（5:18-27）。神召唤公义如大水滚滚，使公义如江河滔滔。既然以色列没有公义，神会在耶和华之日秉持公义。耶和华之日是神施行审判的时候。这大有可能指的是以色列遭亚述的流放（5:27），不是启示录所指的末日之审判，因为上下文并无提及任何末日事件。但就近的耶和华之日，即在亚述的放逐，预示了神对以色列末日的审判，也就是将来主日的时候。直到末了，以色列会一直悖逆神，但神总会留下余数（罗11:5）。这也就是为何向犹太人传福音是重要的。
- 肉体上的安逸和安全感（6:1-14）。以色列国处在属灵污秽和社会败坏的同时，部分人继续过着肉体上安逸的生活，不居安思危。这些人不但不为国家的罪孽哀伤，反倒对邪恶与神的审判漠不关心。他们相信自己有足够力量抵挡外来人的侵入。
用经文祷告
- 沉思自己将来的死是好的（不是病态的思想），因为这能提醒我们日后与耶稣在天堂的荣耀及最终的目的地，叫我们为天上可算为贵的事生活。你若是活在罪中，你对死的沉思当使你苏醒，叫你舍弃罪孽，为永恒而活（传7:1-5；诗90:12）。
- 不论是钱财、军事或政治势力，我们若依靠的是世界上的东西，那是有罪的。当然，我们当以智慧和责任心照顾家人，却不能依靠这些东西作生命的保障。我们当唯独信靠神。不要为自己在地上积累财宝，并对自己说：“灵啊，你积累的财物足够多年的使用，当放轻松，吃喝享乐去吧。”审判必然临到这等如此愚昧与罪恶的人（路12:19），如同这些犹太人一样。
Posted on Sep 1, 2015 in Amos, Devotions, Expired |
Scripture Reading : Amos 4
Theme : Women, Worship and Stubbornness
- Women (4:1-3). The women of Israel is referred as cows of Bashan for their gluttony and pleasure seeking. They obtain ill gained goods and prompt their husbands to do their bidding. It is a sign of a society’s deep depravity when women, who are to be more nurturing by nature, do the opposite by oppressing the poor and innocent for luxury.
- Worship (4:4-5). Even while they sin greatly against God, they still regularly perform their rituals, thinking God is satisfied with just outward ceremonies. Like the Jews of Jesus’ time, they have turned God’s house into a house of thieves. They multiply transgressions in God’s house.
- Stubbornness (4:6-13). God tried many times to get their attention, but they would never return to God. They are stubborn, not humble. God repeatedly indicts Israel for this sin (Is. 48:4, Hos. 4:16, Eze. 3:7). They are dead in their transgressions.
Praying the Scripture
- Through Israel, we see how humans are stubborn and foolish. The human heart is a heart of stone that no punishment can take away. This is why hell cannot be corrective. Hell is final and a crystallization of the human heart. No one seeks God. Only by the grace of God and the proclamation of the gospel can sinners’ stony heart turn into a soft heart (Eze. 36:26) and seek God. Even as believers, we know how stubborn we can be sometimes. Let us pray that God will change our heart and give us a heart of humility and teachability.
- The Israelites had hypocritical worship and it displeased God. Let us draw near to God with a sincere and clean heart. It dishonours God by not going to church and it is also dishonouring to come to church to sin against God. Before we come to church, let us prepare our hearts to worship God by giving Him thanks, by trembling at His word, and be prepared to love others (Is. 66:2; Ps. 100:4).
主题：阿摩司书4
主题：妇女、崇拜和固执
- 妇女（4:1-3）。文中的“巴珊母牛”即指以色列妇女，因为她们成天大吃大喝，只好宴乐。她们取了不义之财，又叫自己的丈夫听从她们的吩咐。这是社会极度腐败的现象，因为女人的培育性理当较强，但这里完全颠倒，反为钱财欺压贫穷和及无辜之人。
- 敬拜（4:4-5）。即便向神大大犯罪时，他们仍继续行圣殿礼仪，以为神就此满足了。如耶稣时代的犹太人一样，他们将神的殿变成贼窝，在神的殿中加倍犯罪。
- 固执（4:6-13）。神多次尝试得到他们的注意，但他们永不愿归神。他们是固执的，不愿谦卑。神不断为此定以色列的罪（赛48:4；何4:16；结3:7）。他们在罪中已死了。
用经文祷告
- 我们藉着以色列能看到人有多固执、愚昧。人心硬石，惩罚也无可改变。这就是地狱为何无可使人改邪归正。地狱是人心最终的硬化。无人寻求神。罪人唯有藉着神的恩典与福音，石心才能变成肉心（结36:26），从而寻求神。即使信主后，我们晓得自己有时也可以很固执。让我们祈求神能改变我们的心，赐我们谦卑与受教的心。
- 以色列的敬拜是虚伪的，惹神愤怒。让我们以真诚、清洁的心就近神。不到教会敬拜是对神的羞辱；到了教会犯罪也是对神的羞辱。因此，让我们到教会之前预备好自己的心要称谢神，要因祂的话战兢，并要彼此相爱（赛66:2；诗100:4），从而敬拜神。
Posted on Aug 31, 2015 in Amos, Devotions, Expired |
Scripture Reading : Amos 2:6-3:15
Theme : Judgment and Justification
- Oracle against Israel (2:6-16). At the end of God’s seven oracles against Israel’s surrounding nations, Israel would have been at the height of their self-righteousness and rejoicing at the judgment of God and agreeing with God. But God shatters their self-righteousness by ending His oracle against Israel, who is the main recipient of the series of oracles. Their agreement with God’s judgment against other nations’ sins would also force them to agree with God’s judgment against their own sins. God does not just highlight one of Israel’s sins, He highlights multitude of sins, which meanings Israel has become worse than all of its neighbours, so God will severely punish them.
- Justification of the Oracle (3:1-15). At the end of the oracle against Israel, some may think God’s judgment is too harsh and doubt Amos’ message. Others many think the calamities will not be God’s doing, but the devil or some other more powerful supernatural forces. To put these doubts away, God gives a series of evidently clear examples of cause and effect (Does a snare spring up from the ground, when it has taken nothing?…), in order to make it clear that Amos’ message is from God and it is God who will make this calamity happen, not the devil or idols. God will destroy their luxuries and their pleasure seeking lifestyle (summer, winter and ivory houses), which further corrupted their souls. “As the shepherd rescues from the mouth of the lion two legs, or a piece of an ear” means evidence that a hired shepherd would produce to proof he did not steal a sheep, but was devoured by a wild animal. So the few survivors of Israel in exile will testify to its ruin. God often employs graphic and easily understood imageries in order to warn them of judgment.
Praying the Scripture
- Let us not look down on Israel with self-righteous pride, but to realize that, apart from God’s grace through Jesus, we would all be capable of committing the same sins as Israel. Apart from a relationship with God, any human heart will continue to degenerate and be capable of committing atrocious sins like the Jews. Give thanks to God for His grace and humble yourself before God. Be compassionate and gracious to sinners and share the gospel to them.
- God is impartial. He does not have a double standard of holiness: one for His people and another one for ignorant gentiles. All are accountable to Him; all have fallen short of His glory and all need His grace (Rom. 3:9-20). God’s impartiality is a testimony to the divine quality of the Bible. The God of the Bible is not a man-made god, who always sides with his people, no matter how evil they are. Nor is He a god who does the bidding of the idol maker (cf. Josh. 5:13-14).
经文：阿摩司书2:6-3:15
主题：审判与称义
- 对以色列的审判（2:6-16）。神对以色列周遭列国做出了七项审判后，以色列会特别自义，心中欢喜并同意神对他们的审判。可是，神最后也审判了以色列，且是这一系列审判下来的主要对象，从而粉碎了他们的自义。他们既然同意神对列国的审判，就会被迫同意神对他们自己的罪所做的审判。神不只将以色列其中的一项罪晾出来，还摆出了她的众罪，意思就是以色列还不如她所有的邻居，所以神会重判他们。
- 审判的公义性（3:1-15）。审判以色列后，有人或许认为神未免太苛刻了，从而对阿摩司的预言产生质疑。许多人认为灾难并不是神的作为，而是恶魔或其他更大的超然能力在作祟。为了摆平这些疑惑，神给予一系列清晰的因果之例（网罗若无所得，岂能从地上翻起呢？……），表明阿摩司的预言确实是从神而来的，而神日后就是降灾难的那一位，不是魔鬼或偶像。神会毁灭他们奢华、只想宴乐的生活（过冬、过夏和象牙的房屋）；那些只会进一步腐蚀他们的灵魂。“牧人怎样从狮子口中抢回两条羊腿或半个耳朵”，就是被聘用的牧人会拿出的证据，证明自己没有偷羊，而羊是被野兽吞噬的。同样的，以色列流放后仅存的生还者将见证她的废墟。神常常使用图画及易懂的比喻警告他们未来的审判。
用经文祷告
- 让我们不要以自义的骄傲轻看以色列，而是领悟到，若无神藉着耶稣施恩，我们也能犯下与以色列同样的罪。若与神隔绝，人心只会继续败坏，犯下与犹太人相同的大罪。让我们为神的恩典感谢祂，并在神面前谦卑。让我们对罪人含怜悯和恩慈，向他们传福音。
- 神不偏袒人。祂的圣洁绝无双重标准，即一个为祂的子民，另一个为无知的外邦人。每一个人都要向祂交账；世人都亏缺了神的荣耀，都需要神的恩典（罗3:9-20）。神的公正是对圣经神圣特质的见证。圣经中的神不是人造的神；祂不会不顾自己子民的罪恶，一直偏袒他们。祂也不是听从制造偶像之人吩咐的神（参亚5:13-14）。
Posted on Aug 29, 2015 in Amos, Devotions, Expired |
Scripture Reading : Amos 1:1-2:5
Theme : Seven Judgments
Amos prophesied around 760 B.C. during the reign of Uzziah in Judah, while Jeroboam II reigned in Israel. During this time, both Israel and Judah were militarily strong and economically wealthy. Amos is a Judean prophet called to deliver a message primarily to Israel, the northern kingdom (7:12).
- Judgment on Foreigners (1:1-10). God proclaims His judgment on Israel’s surrounding nations as a way to get Israel’s attention and poignantly show their sins. Israel would whole-heartedly agree with God’s judgment on their neighbours’ sins, but when God’s judgment climaxes at the end with Israel, they cannot be blinded to their hypocrisy (cf. 2 Sam. 12:5-7; Matt. 7:2). The phrase “three transgressions…four” is an idiom that means many sins, but only one sin is highlighted. Because of these sins, God will judge Damascus (Syria), Gaza (Philistine), and Tyre (Phoenicia). All these nations committed atrocities that led to war and carnages during war time.
- Judgment on Blood Relations (1:11-2:3). Edom (Esau’s line), Ammon (Lot’s line), and Moab (Lot’s line) are relatives of Israel, yet they often fight against their relatives, both Israel and each other. For these sins, God will destroy them.
- Judgment on Sister Nation (2:4-5). Judah is the last of seven judgments by God. Her top sin is that they forsook the laws of God, i.e. they rejected a relationship with God, manifested by their rejection of His commandments (John 14:15). All these judgments against the seven nations and Israel, were fulfilled when Assyria and Babylon sacked these nations.
Praying the Scripture
- Every nation, every individual is accountable to God, whether they know God through His special revelation (The Bible) or through general revelation (Rom. 1:18-23). God’s judgment against every human being is just and righteous. God is not obligated to save anyone, but the fact that He does save some through the precious blood of His beloved Son testifies to His amazing grace. We should praise Him for His marvellous grace, instead of complaining and being suspicious of His “limited” grace.
- God is a gracious God, slow in anger (Ex. 34:6). The seven nations had sinned often and continued to sin. God tolerated their sins for a while, but there is a limit to His patience. Eventually God’s patience ended and they were destroyed for their stubbornness. Even now, God patiently offers salvation to people, but that offer will not always be there. So if you hear the gospel today, do not harden your heart, but repent and return to God (Heb. 3:15).
Posted on Aug 28, 2015 in Devotions, Expired, Joel |
Scripture Reading : Joel 2:28-3:21
Theme : The Day of the Lord Culminated
- Culminate in Spiritual Life (2:28-32). Toward the end of the day of the Lord, God will pour out His Spirit on the Jews and they will prophesy, call His name and be saved. This end time Spirit has already begun to work, starting from Pentecost when the Holy Spirit was poured out on believing Jews (Acts 2:17-21) and initiated the church. Since then the church has been in the last days (Acts 2:17, 1 John 2:18, James 5:3) and is approaching toward the end of the last days. Pentecost continues to foreshadow the ultimate work of the Holy Spirit in the end times (Zech 12:10).
- Culminate in Judgment of Nations (3:1-16). When all of Israel repents and is reconciled to God, God will act to protect Israel and destroy their enemies. The world will gather in a great army in the Valley of Jehoshaphat (i.e. valley of decision, 3:14) and try to destroy Israel, but instead, God will destroy the army of the world. Jehoshaphat means Yahweh judges. Most likely this is referring to the valley of Jezreel, i.e. Armageddon (Rev. 16:16).
- Culminate in Restoration of Israel (3:17-21). Israel will be fully restored and have everlasting peace, thus God will fulfill His covenant with David and Abraham (2 Sam. 7:10). Jerusalem will be the spiritual and political centre of the world (Zech 14:16-21) and Israel will fulfill God’s original intention as a light to the nations (Ex. 19:6). In the Millennial Kingdom, a millennial temple with be built (Eze. 40-48) and a fountain shall come of it to nourish Israel and the nations (3:18, see also Eze. 47:1-12). A new world order will be ushered in by the Messiah.
Praying the Scripture
- Since life in God’s kingdom is eternal and life in this world is temporal, we pray that all our decisions and desires on earth will be aligned with the eternal kingdom of God. We pray that as we focus more on God’s eternal kingdom, we will become less selfish and less irritable with our spouses, children, other Christians, relatives, co-workers, and others. That all the problems we think are big problems will become smaller and smaller in light of our ultimate destination in heaven. May our priorities in life be in line with our ultimate destiny. May we gather spiritual, heavenly treasures on earth, not earthly treasures. Let us not serve both God and money, but only serve God.
- Our hearts are filled with joy to know that we will escape this fallen world and live in a glorious, new world order, where our majestic God will reign and where righteousness, joy and love will filled the world. We pray the reality of the Millennial Kingdom and the eternal heaven will become more real to us. May our hearts be filled with the greatest joy because of this reality, no matter what our circumstance is, so that the world will know we worship the true, living God, not idols of our own making. Let our love for the glory of God and the glory of the new heavens and new earth be our strength.
Posted on Aug 27, 2015 in Devotions, Expired, Joel |
Scripture Reading : Joel 2:1-27
Theme : The Day of the Lord Described
- Great Judgment (2:1-11). During the day of the Lord, i.e. seven years of tribulation, God will bring a greater plague of locust to Israel and the world. This greater plague is described in vv. 2-11. We believe this is not describing the locust plague of chapter 1 or the future Babylonian invasion of Judah because the context of chapter 2 is the end times. We believe this is describing the fifth trumpet judgment in Revelation 9:1-11, where a new breed of creatures resembling locusts, horses, humans and scorpions will torment the earth. As strange as it may sound, this is not science fiction, but a manifestation of the demonic world in the future. It is literal prophesy of God’s judgment that will certainly come truth.
- Great Deliverance (2:12-27). In light of the present and future plagues of locusts, God calls the Jews to rend their hearts, not their garment, i.e., to acknowledge their spiritual corruption and return to the Lord. This repentance will ultimately be accomplished in the end times when the people will gather to mourn for their sins and cry out to God (2:12-18, see Zech. 12:10-14). Then God will reconcile with them forever and restore blessings to them forever. He will also destroy the “northerner,” which we believe is the anti-christ (Micah 5:6, Rev. 16:16, 19:11-21), who will invade Israel from the north during the end times. God will restore joy and righteousness in Israel and the earth will also be physically revived in the Millenial Kingdom. This is the glory that is waiting for all repentant Jews. But if Judah continues to reject God, it will continue to experience pain and suffering throughout history and individual Jews who rebel against God will end up in hell. Israel has experienced numerous sufferings for their rebellion throughout history, such as the Babylonian Captivity and the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 A.D. after they rejected the Messiah. Their rejection of God and their suffering will culminate in the end times.
Praying the Scripture
- The terrifying picture of destruction in the day of the Lord is a preview of hell. It is a warning to Israel and to all non-believers of their horrific end if they do not repent of their horrific spiritual corruption. We pray that the Holy Spirit will convict non-believers of their horrific spiritual condition and that they deserve such horrific judgment. We pray that non-believers will stop being self-righteous by comparing themselves to other fallen human beings, but they will see their true ugly selves through the mirror of God’s word and be horrified, and then cry to God and believe in the amazing salvation of Jesus.
- The prophecies of the Bible is amazingly coherent, even though they are written by different authors in different times. This testifies to the divine quality of the Bible, the guiding of the Holy Spirit (2 Pet. 1:21). We are sure that the prophecies here will be literally fulfilled during the second coming of Christ, just as all prophecies have been literally fulfilled during the first coming of Christ. Therefore, let us prepare our minds for action and serve Him (1 Pet. 1:13-16). Let us not be conformed to the corrupt ways of the world. For this world will be destroyed by God. Let us not worship what this world worships: money, power, sex, status, possessions, and praise of men. Let us prepare ourselves for the imminent return of Christ by drawing closer to God through prayer and Scripture reading. Let us build eternal rewards by serving His church, loving brothers and sisters, and proclaiming His glorious gospel to the lost.
Posted on Aug 26, 2015 in Devotions, Expired, Joel |
Scripture Reading : Joel 1:1-20
Theme : The Day of the Lord Foreshadowed
Joel prophesied during a time from late ninth century to eighth century. His message is timeless, forming doctrines which could be repeated and applied in any age. His message on eschatological times is also repeated by later prophets.
- Future Destruction Foreshadowed (1-12). There was a massive locust plague, a nation of locust (6), that devastated the entire nation of Judah. All food were destroyed. People were starving. There was not even enough food to continue the temple rituals. This destruction is God’s punishment on Judah’s spiritual corruption. The nation was in a physical and spiritual stupor. Wine is not bad since it is a symbol of God’s blessing (2:23–24) and an expression of a believer’s joyful fellowship with God (Num 6:17). But the Jews abused wine, became drunk and committed spiritual debauchery (Eph. 5:18). God even cut off food for temple rituals because their rituals was from their empty hearts.
- Future Grace Offered (13-20). In light of God’s present judgment, He calls the Jews to repent and return to Him. If they repent from their sin and again seek God, He will reconcile with them. But if they do not repent, the day of the Lord will come upon them. The day of the Lord means a time when sin will be judged and then righteousness will prevail. The day of the Lord is referring to the seven years of tribulation for Israel and the world (Dan. 9:24-27; Rev. 6-18). The tribulation will culminate at the second coming of Jesus and His glorious and righteous Millenial Kingdom (Rev. 20:1-6). The Jews will enter this glorious kingdom and later on eternal heaven (Rev. 21-22) if they repent, but if they do not, they will be judged by God and enter everlasting shame (Rev. 20:11-15).
Praying the Scripture
- In prophetic literature like Joel, God often encourages the Jews to worship Him in light of eternity. God will ultimately and conclusively punish sinners, restore His creation, usher in lasting righteousness and permanent fellowship with believers. Those who worship Him will be in heaven, but those who reject Him will be in hell. The day of the Lord is a glimpse of hell. We likewise, when we present the gospel, need to warn sinners of impending hell for their spiritual corruption and exhort them to stop their self-worship and to start worshipping the true, living God. We must proclaim God’s gracious offer of salvation through Jesus, and not look down on non-believers’ sins with self-righteous pride.
- The locust plague is foreshadowing and warning adulterous Jews of God’s future and final punishment in hell. It is a foretaste of hell. God continues to send “plagues” to the world in form of natural disasters, wars and consequences from individual sinful attitudes and actions. Plagues of natural disasters are signs of warning that this earth is broken and needs a savior. Plagues of wars and individual sins, such as drugs, addictions, jealousy, hatred, apathy, and lust, are signs of warning that humans are broken and need a savior. We pray that “plagues” of tragedies and trials in people’s lives will not cause them to be even more bitter toward God, like the Jews, but will cause them to cry out to God and be saved.
Posted on Aug 25, 2015 in Devotions, Expired, Hosea |
Scripture Reading : Hosea 13-14
Theme : Sin, Judgment and Salvation
- Sin and Judgment (13). The whole book of Hosea constantly repeats the theme of sin, judgment and then salvation. Chapters 13-14 repeats this theme again. God does not want the reader to isolate each element by itself, but see all three elements as relating to each other. One cannot understand the harshness of God’s judgment against Israel, without understanding their gross adultery and evil. Israel even practices human sacrifice, just like the Canaanites whom they had driven out of the land. One cannot understand the faithfulness and sovereignty of God in judging Israel without understanding God’s promise of future salvation to Israel.
- Ultimate Salvation and restoration (14). In the future, God will save Israel by giving them a spirit of faith and repentance (see Zech. 12:10). God will initiate this salvation, as He initiated the incarnation of Jesus. When God initiates Israel’s repentance, Israel will become truly repentance not by ignoring their sins, but by acknowledging their sins (14:2-3). They will finally see the wickedness of their sins and the foolishness of relying on horses and human means to save them from their sins. They will stop worshipping idols and stop calling their idols by God’s name. In return, God will again be their God and He will restore their spiritual and physical well being. Israel will fulfill God’s original intention, which is to be a kingdom of priests to the nations (Ex. 19:6, see Zech. 14:16-21). All the earth will be blessed (Rom 11:15). In that day, Israel will be truly glorious and its fame will cover the earth forever. Unlike the fading and shameful glory of its adulterous ways.
Praying the Scripture
- We see that modern Israel continues to rebel against God by rejecting their Messiah, Jesus. We are sorrowful over their sins, just as God is sorrowful over their rebellion. Our hearts’ desire is to share the gospel with these Jews, so that they may forsake their sin of adultery and embrace their only Saviour, Jesus. The Great Commission is the church’s main role to Israel and to the world. We pray that all will heard the gospel and the return of Christ will be realized soon (Matt. 24:14). We look forward to a new world order where Christ reigns and righteousness shines. Let us live wisely for this glorious eternal world, and not the fading glory of this world.
- We need to understand that Israel’s repentance, and our repentance, is not relying on our works of righteousness to earn God’s forgiveness. Repentance, like faith, is turning away from spiritual adultery and rely completely on God for salvation. Repentance and faith are a commitment to a relationship with God and a desire to remove hindrance to that relationship. Righteous obedience is a result of this relationship. Chapell states, “True repentance must include awareness of the magnitude of our spiritual destitution; therefore real repentance must begin with recognition of God’s incomparable and unachievable holiness.” Our works can never save us or earn God’s favor. Our obedience will always fall short, God graciously accepts our imperfect obedience because of our faith in Jesus. Just as a father graciously accepts his three year old’s ugly drawing on father’s day because the child’s gift is from love. In the end times, Israel will acknowledge their adultery. They will desire a renewed relationship with God and will desire all hindrances and sins to that relationship be casted away.
经文：何西阿书13-14
主题：罪、审判与救恩
- 罪与审判（13）。何西阿书持续重复了罪、审判，后救恩的主题；13-14章仍复述这一点。神不要读者独立理解主题的每一个要素，而是要我们看到三者都是息息相关的。若要理解神对以色列为何实行似乎残酷的审判，读者就必须明白他们行淫的邪恶与羞耻性。以色列甚至把人当祭物，行的正是他们从迦南地赶出的迦南人之事。若不理解神对以色列日后拯救的应许，读者也不会明白神审判以色列的主权与信实。
- 最终的救恩与复兴（14）。将来，神会赐予以色列信心与悔改之心，从而拯救以色列（见迦12:10）。神会主动施行拯救，如祂始创耶稣道成肉身一样。当神发起以色列的拯救时，以色列将真实悔改，不会忽略他们的罪，乃会承认一切的过犯（14:2-3）。他们最终会看见自己罪孽的恶毒与无知，竟想依靠人与马力救他们脱离罪恶。他们会停止敬拜偶像，并停止用神的名呼叫这些偶像。那时，神会再次作他们的神，并复兴他们的身、心、灵。以色列会履行神起初的意愿，即作万国的祭司之国（出19:6，见迦14:16-21）；全地将因她得福（罗11:15）。那日，以色列将真实有尊荣，其名将永远覆盖全地，不像在她行淫之时充满羞耻，无荣耀可言。
用经文祷告
- 我们看到现代的以色列仍悖逆神，拒绝他们的弥赛亚。我们为他们的罪忧伤，就如神为他们的悖逆忧伤一样。我们心中的渴望是将福音分享给这些犹太人，叫他们能舍弃自己行淫之罪，拥戴他们唯一的救主耶稣。基督徒的大使命就是教会对以色列及全世界主要实行的任务。我们祈求人人都能听到福音，并基督能早日再来（太24:14）。我们期待新世界的制度，即基督统治，公义彰显之日。让我们为这日后荣耀的永恒世界以智慧行事，不为今世正逐渐消逝的荣耀而活。
- 我们需要明白：以色列及我们的救恩不是凭人的公德取得神之赦免而达成的。悔改，如信心一样，就是从属灵淫乱中回转，完全依靠神的拯救。悔改和信心是对神关系中的委身，渴望除去建立这美好关系的障碍。这种关系会结出直至的顺服。如查沛尔（Chapell）所言：“真诚的悔改必包括对自己灵里贫穷的程度有正确的了解；因此，真诚的悔改必须从认识神无可相比及无可达成的圣洁开始。”我们的行为是不可能救我们，或者蒙神喜悦。我们的顺从总是达不到标准，而神之能以恩典接纳我们不全的顺服，完全是凭我们在耶稣里的信心，正如一位父亲在父亲节以恩慈接受他三岁孩子难看的图画一样，因为孩子的礼物是出于一片爱心。信徒会渴望与神更新关系，渴望除去这关系中所有的阻碍和罪恶。
Posted on Aug 24, 2015 in Devotions, Expired, Hosea |
Scripture Reading : Hosea 11-12
Theme : God’s Compassion for Israel
- God’s Love and Israel’s Apostasy (11). As God prophecies a coming exile of Israel, He also prophecies a coming of Israel’s ultimate and complete salvation, which will be completely fulfilled during the end times. His zealous love for Israel will accomplish Israel’s salvation. Just as God saved Israel from the first exile in Egypt, so God will save Israel again from exile in the end times (Zech. 14:2). Just as God used the prophet Moses to lead the people out of first Egypt, so He will lead His people out of the second Egypt. The beginning of this fulfilment was accomplished in Jesus (Matt. 2:15), who is the new Moses. 11:10-12 alludes to Numbers 23-24, where God predicts the Messiah will lead His people from another exile. We believe this will ultimately be completed when Christ returns at the end of the seven years of tribulation (Matt. 24:15-31; Is. 11:11-12).
- God Exhorts Israel to Repent (12). All that Israel was doing was a chasing after the wind. Their adultery was meaningless and foolish. God exhorts Israel to triumph over their sins by coming to Him boldly and humbly for salvation (Heb. 4:16), just as Jacob was triumphant by coming to God boldly and humbly when he wrestled with God and obtain God’s promise (Gen. 32:9-12, 25-29). This promise still holds true for both the nation and individual Jews, as well as the whole world, no matter one’s race, religion, social status or past sins. If God can forgive adulterous and wicked Israel when they return to Him, He can forgive anyone, even evil Manassah (2 Chron. 33). But if Israel continues to be unfaithful to God, they will continue to suffer and live in pain just as their forefather, Jacob, lived a very difficult life in exile in Aram.
Praying the Scripture
- God’s truth and prophecies in the Bible are completely trustworthy and inerrant. Each book of the Bible and each chapter of the Bible fit with other parts of the Bible, both in the OT and the NT. Matthew 2:15 use of Hosea 11:1 is no exception. If we understand the OT rightly, we will see that it is inerrant and completely trustworthy. If we see an apparent error, it is our stupidity and fault, not God’s. For the Bible consistently and overwhelming testifies to its divine origin and inerrancy in so many different ways. We need to humble ourselves and admit we do not understand everything if we see an apparent error in the Bible. To declare the Bible to be errant, like so many so called evangelicals have done, reveals lack of reverence for God and their foolishness.
- God is a just God. All His ways are right and just (Deut. 32:4). When He judges, He judges righteously. When He puts calamity before non-believers, it is to exhort them to return to Himself, like He exhorts the Israelites. May they not think it is unjust of God to do such thing. When God puts trials before believers, it is to grow their faith and draw them closer to God (James 1:2-4). May believers not think it is unjust, or unloving by God, to do such thing. May we forever trust the gloriously faithful God, who is willing to send His beloved Son to die for wicked Israel and gentiles like us.
经文：何西阿书11-12
主题：神对以色列的慈爱
- 神的爱与以色列的悖逆（11）。神预言以色列将被流放，同时也预言以色列最后将得到完全的救赎；后者会在末日时得应验。神会因着祂对以色列热衷的爱达成她的救赎。神怎样救以色列脱离最初在埃及的流放，祂也会如此救以色列脱离末日的流放（迦14:2）。神曾使用先知摩西领以色列子民出埃及；神也将领祂的子民出第二个埃及。预言应验的开端就是耶稣的到来（太2:15），因为祂是新的摩西。11:10-12对应的是民数记23-24，即神预言弥赛亚要领人出另一个流放。我们相信七年的大灾难后，当耶稣再来时，这将得到完全的应验（太24:15-31；赛11:11-12）。
- 神告诫以色列要悔改（12）。以色列所做的一切都是枉然的。他们的淫荡行为毫无意义，也是愚昧的。神告诫以色列要胜过他们的罪，大胆地归向祂，谦卑地求神拯救（来4:16），就如雅各得胜时一样，藉着与神较力大胆谦卑地来到神面前，从而得到神的应许（创32:9-12, 25-29）。这应许至今仍对以色列、个别犹太人，甚至全世界都有效，不论个人的种族、宗教、地位或过往的罪何如。倘若神在淫乱奸恶的以色列归祂时能赦免她，神更能赦免任何人，甚至毒恶的玛拿西（代下33）。但是，以色列若仍对神不忠，她会继续忍受疼痛与苦楚，就如她的祖宗雅各一样，在亚兰放逐时活得非常辛苦。
用经文祷告
- 神在圣经中的真理与预言都是完全可信、全然无误的。不论是旧约或新约，圣经里的每一本书、每一个篇章都彼此相合。马太福音2:15对何西阿书11:1的引用也不例外。我们若对旧约有正确的认识，我们将看到它无误，是完全可信的。我们若似乎找到误点，那便反映了我们的无知和错误，不是神的。圣经以多种方式不断地、强烈地见证自己神圣的来源，无误完全。我们若在圣经中似乎发现错误，便要谦卑自己，承认自己不晓得一切。我们若像许多福音派者一样因此宣告圣经是有误的，这便透露了我们对神不缺乏敬畏的心，自己是十分愚昧的。
- 神是公义的。祂的作为又公义又正直（申32:4）。祂审判的时候是公平的。当祂让非信徒遭受灾难，这是叫他们能归向自己，如祂告诫以色列人一样。愿我们不会认为神做这事便不公。当神让信徒经历试炼，这是叫他们能在信心中成长，使他们能亲近神（各1:2-4）。愿信徒不会断定神因此就是不公义或无爱心的。愿我们能永远信靠那荣耀信实的神；祂竟甘愿差祂的爱子为罪孽深重的以色列与外邦人（我们）代死。
Posted on Aug 22, 2015 in Devotions, Expired, Hosea |
Scripture Reading : Hosea 8-10
Theme : God Punishes Israel
- Coming Judgment (8). In these three chapters, God will focus on describing the punishment He will incur on Israel, even as He continues to indict their sins. One like a vulture refers to Assyria, which will soon devour Israel. When God destroys Israel through Assyria, they will cry to God, but it will not be a cry from a genuine faith, but a cry of desperation like Cain (Gen. 4:13-14). Israel will continue to reject God’s Davidic kings, and will continue to commit adultery with pagan nations (their lovers) and their gods. This is their double iniquity (10:10). God will send them to “Egypt,” meaning Assyria will be their future “Egypt”, where they will be exiled and mistreated just like their first Egypt.
- Coming Exile (9-10). While Israel is temporarily entertained by their sins, their joy will be turned into sorrow and death when God exiles them. In that day, their feasts, false worship and merriment will end. God had patiently and compassionately warned them of the coming judgment through His prophets. Instead of listening to His prophets, they think His prophets are fools, madman, and they even tried to kill them. Their sins are like the gross sins of the men in Gibeah (Judges 19-20). Therefore, God will bring down their glory and desolate Israel. The population of Israel will decrease through war. Sadly, in that day, people will not mourn of their sins, but will mourn for their idol calf. Everything they have lived for will come to a violent and tragedy end, marked by death, starvation, pain, murder and killings from war. All the things they trusted to protect them, their armies, will not save them. Their ugly and shameful sins will result in an ugly and shameful end. This is what they deserved for their evil.
Praying the Scripture
- Ironically, the very idols that the Jews adore: the pagan nations and their idol worship, will be the very source of Israel’s destruction and sorrow. One of Israel’s lovers, Assyria, will destroy Israel. In life, people will find that the idols they worship, will be the very source of their ruin and sorrow. Just look at those who worship money, sex and power. Look at Hollywood and all its dysfunctional families, deaths and tragedies. It is true what one song says, “The more money we have the more problem we have.” Study shows pornography destroys a person’s ability to have a real and meaningful relationship with the opposite gender. Idols may temporarily entertain for a while, but it brings emptiness, shame, destruction, and God’s judgment. Let us pray that we will not be deceived by sin, but to gaze upon the glory of God and worship Him alone.
- God is a glorious God who is perfectly righteous. All sins will be reckoned and punished. The deceitfulness and foolishness of sin blinds people to God’s inevitable judgment on sin, like the Israelites, who think warnings of judgment from God’s prophets are foolish and madness. Sin also dulls people’s sense of sin’s evilness, shamefulness and ugliness. May we never forget the awfulness of sin and God’s just and glorious punishment against sin. We should always agree with God that, apart from Jesus, His punishment of our sins are just and righteous (Ps. 51:4). We will only appreciate God’s salvation in Jesus when we understand sin’s wickedness and God’s glorious judgment against sin. No matter how spiritual you are, you should always grasp your own sinfulness and then humble yourself and rejoice in the salvation of Jesus every day (Rom. 3:23) and long for heaven when you will be fully delivered from the presence of sin.
