士师记［第十三章］
Book of Judges 13
文章下载 ｜ Article Download
士师记第十三章|Book of Judges 13【奇妙神没停止拯救】
17/01/2023
背景：
从约书亚死后，神因为以色列的悖逆不顺服，留下一些迦南族来试验他们，每一次他们被仇敌欺压，回转呼求神时，神就兴起一个个的士师来拯救他们。但是，以色列百姓并没有因为神一次又一次的拯救而更爱神敬畏神，相反的是一代不如一代，就连士师也是一给比一个弱。虽然整个世代的光景极其黑暗和败坏，信实慈爱的神始终没有放弃祂的百姓，依然期盼透过管教，使所爱的百姓懂得回转得救赎。
一、神主动来施行拯救（V1-3）
1. 不要被罪恶同化（V1）
经文一开始就提到以色列百姓又再行耶和华眼中看为恶的事，因此神以非利士人来管教他们长达40年。在过去的日子，百姓被管教受不了仇敌的欺压时，都会回转呼求神。但这一次虽被非利士人辖制了40年，百姓却完全没有呼求神。可见当时百姓的属灵黑暗是何等的深。似乎已经进到一种麻木，接受事实，心甘情愿的被辖制、被同化到完全不觉得有要来向神呼求的黑暗。
2. 触底时神必提升（V2-3）
古代以色列的女人如果不能生育，被认为是极大的羞耻，所以玛挪亚的妻子在人看来是没有希望的。但神却偏偏提升这位卑贱低微、没有盼望的女人，透过她为百姓兴起拯救，唤醒那甘心在罪中麻木死亡的百姓。是神的怜悯，无论是玛挪亚的妻子或是以色列百姓，都是神主动来施行拯救。
林前10:13 神是信实的，必不叫你们受试探过于所能受的，在受试探的时候，总要给你们开一条出路 。弟兄姐妹，当我们觉得自己的困难已经到了绝境、触底了，没有比这还要低的时候，要相信，神知道、祂也必亲自拯救并提升我们。
二、人要回应神的拯救（V4-14）
1. 改变先从自己开始（V4-7）
神告诉玛挪亚的妻子，她将要生一个儿子后，就吩咐她清酒浓酒都不可喝，也不可以吃不洁之物。意思就是作为母亲的要先开始过拿细耳人的生活。
当我们越认识真理就会越明白，改变永远都是先从自己开始。很常当我们自己改变了，就看到我们所期待看到的人、事、物，就因为我们先改变，他们就不一样了。
2. 细心求问要有行动（V8-14）
玛挪亚是很认真的求问养育之道。甚至想知道这孩子的未来会是怎样？但是从接下来参孙所活出来的生命，我们都知道，作为父母的他们，其实对神所交代的，他们并没有谨慎遵守，在养育孩子方面是失责和溺爱这孩子。这也是为什么，使者并没有回答玛挪亚，参孙长大后会是怎样。因为参孙长大后会是怎样，就在呼吁作为父母的，是否谨守遵行神所吩咐的。
玛挪亚也是一个缺席的丈夫和爸爸。从神2次显现他都没有在妻子身边，还有V24给孩子起名的是母亲，可见孩子出生时，他也是不在的。这也是为什么参孙的生命，无法活出神原本的心意。所以弟兄们对养育孩子使他们肉身或属灵上健康成长，有很重要的责任。
3. 全心献祭真认识神（V15-23）
玛挪亚想预备山羊羔款留耶和华的使者，但使者却要他献燔祭与耶和华。V16，21，还有V22他对妻子所说的那般话，我们可以理解到，其实玛挪亚他虽然懂得献祭与神，知道旧约里，人看见神的面必死的道理，而且想知道使者的名，可以报答祂，但他却不真的认识神。他是以知识认识神，并不真心与神交通。因此，他看事物很消极，都往坏处想。我们对神的摆上和认识要从心出发，这样才会活出属神的盼望，带下神的荣耀。
三、奇妙神行奇妙拯救（V24-25）
当玛挪亚在V17 问使者的名字时，使者对他说：你何必问我的名，我名是奇妙的。但支派是一个不顺服的支派，但是奇妙神却在这个不顺服的支派中拣选了参孙，在没有盼望的人中预备出祂要使用的器皿，作为百姓的拯救。
总结：
奇妙神从没停止祂对人的拯救。我们不但要来回应、与神同工，更是不要限制自己，选择全心全意的摆上，使自己和所爱之人也能一起来经历这奇妙神的作为。
Judges 13: Wonderful God Didn't Stop Saving
GK611 Morning Devotion
17/1/2023
Speaker: Ps. Deborah + Rev. Tan
Background：
After the death of Joshua, because of Israel’s rebellion and disobedience, God left some Canaanites to test them. Every time they were oppressed by the enemy and turned back to call on God, God raised up judges one by one to rescue them. However, the people of Israel did not love God and fear God more because of God’s repeated salvation. On the contrary, each generation was worse than the previous, and even the judges were getting less capable. Although the situation of the entire generation is extremely dark and corrupt, the faithful and loving God has never given up on His people, and still hopes that through discipline, the loved ones will know how to turn around and be redeemed.
I. God takes the initiative to carry out salvation （V1-3)
1. Don't be assimilated by evil （V1)
At the beginning of the scriptures, it is mentioned that the people of Israel once again did evil things in the eyes of the Lord, so God used the Philistines to discipline them for 40 years. In the past, when the people were disciplined and could not bear the oppression of the enemy, they would turn back and call on God. But this time, even though they were under the rule of the Philistines for 40 years, the people did not call on God at all. It can be seen how deep the spiritual darkness of the people was at that time. It seems to have entered a kind of numbness, accepted the facts, and was willing to be restrained and ruled to the point where they didn’t even feel the need to cry out to God.
2. God will rise when bottoming out （V2-3)
It was considered a great shame for a woman in ancient Israel to be barren, so Manoah's wife was considered hopeless. But God chose to elevate this lowly, hopeless woman to raise up salvation for the people through her and awaken the people who are willing to numb and die in sin. It was God's mercy, whether it was Manoah's wife or the people of Israel, it was God who took the initiative to save.
1 Corinthians 10:13 God is faithful and will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you can bear, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape. Brothers and sisters, when we feel that our difficulties have reached an impasse, bottomed out, and there is nothing lower than this, we must believe that God knows, and He will personally save and lift us up.
II. Man must respond to God’s salvation （V4-14)
1. Change begins with ourselves （V4-7)
God told Manoah's wife that after she was about to give birth to a son, God commanded her not to drink wine or similar drinks, nor to eat unclean things. It means that as a mother, she must first start living the life of a Nazarite.
The more we know the truth, the more we will understand that change always starts with ourselves. Very often when we change ourselves, we see the people, things, and things we expected to see because we changed first, and they will be different.
2. Precise inquiry needs action （V8-14)
Manoah was very serious about asking about parenting. Even wondering what the future holds for this child. But from the life that Samson lived later, we all know that as parents, they did not carefully observe what God had entrusted to them, and they were negligent and doting on the child in raising the child. This is why the messenger did not answer Manoah on what will Samson be like when he grows up. Because what Samson will be like when he grows up, depends on his parents and whether they obey God's commands.
Manoah was also an absent husband and father. From God’s 2 appearances, he was not by his wife’s side, and it was the mother who named the child in v24. It can be seen that he was not around when the child was born. This is why Samson's life could not live out God's original will. Therefore, brothers have a very important responsibility for raising children so that they can grow up physically or spiritually.
3. Sacrifice wholeheartedly and truly know God （V15-23)
Manoah wanted to prepare a young goat for the angel of the LORD, but the angel asked him to offer a burnt offering to the LORD. We can understand what he said to his wife in v16, 21, and v22. In fact, although Manoah knew how to offer sacrifices to God, he knew the truth in the Old Testament that people must die when they see God’s face, wanting to know the name of the messenger so that he can repay Him, but he does not really know God. He knew God with knowledge but did not communicate with God sincerely. Therefore, he sees things negatively and thinks of the worst. Our offering and understanding of God must start from the heart, only in this way can we live out the hope of God and bring forth the glory of God.
III. Wonderful God Does Wonderful Salvation （V24-25)
When Manoah asked the messenger's name in v17, the messenger said to him: “Why do you ask My name, seeing it is wonderful?” The tribe was a disobedient tribe, but the wonderful God chose Samson out of this disobedient tribe. But the wonderful God chose Samson from this disobedient tribe and prepared a vessel He would use among the hopeless people as salvation of the people.
Conclusion：
It is amazing that God never stops His salvation of people. Not only should we respond and work together with God, but we should also not limit ourselves, and choose to give wholeheartedly so that we and our loved ones can also experience this wonderful deed of God together.
录音在线播放 | Online audio player