士师记［第二十一章］
Book of Judges 21
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士师记第二十一章|Book of Judges 21【不任意而行自作王】
02/02/2023
引言:
士师记今天来到最后一章，是这本书和士师年代的结束。而最后一节经文正是给这整本书和整个士师年代定下的总结。V25那时，以色列中没有王，各人任意而行。其实当时的以色列并不是没有王。耶和华是他们的王，但他们却不认祂为王，而是各人都喜欢任意而行，自己作王。
一、任意而行一错再错（v1-15）
1.任意而行后反追问神（v1-3，15）
当以色列人发现便雅憫没有办法传宗接代，这支派可能就此消失，因此坐在神面前直到晚上，放声痛哭。可是，他们不是因为对自己的所作所为痛悔而哭。反而追问神为什么以色列中有这样缺了一支派的事呢？明明是自己屠杀了弟兄，起誓要让他们绝后，现在却不肯反省和承认自己的错，反追问神，只想埋怨，把责任推卸给神。说是神使以色列中有了破口。
2.假意献祭后任意杀戮（v4-14）
照理说，以色列因血气几乎屠杀了整个便雅悯支派，应该献上的是认罪悔改的赎罪祭。可是他们却自以为义的献上燔祭和平安祭。更讽刺的是，按他们所献的燔祭和平安祭，应该是要将自己完全献上，与神和睦，与人之间有和平的。但他们不但心中没平安，没有使人和睦。跟所献的祭相反，他们假意献祭后，找基列雅比人做替死鬼，任意杀戮自己的弟兄，冷血的造成更大的伤害和死亡。
二、不悔改继续错到底（v16-24）
把杀剩的400个基列雅比未嫁的处女给便雅憫人作妻后还不罢休，会中的长老继续想为剩下的200人找妻子。所以接下来更变本加厉继续错到底。
1.道貌岸然不悔改（v19-21）
在欢庆日子里；神的长老领袖，竟然教唆200个剩余的便雅悯男人，在示罗的女子出来跳舞敬拜神的时候抢妻。他们好像有很好的目的，要保存神的12个支派，但实际上内心险恶。为什么不是让自己的女儿被抢？示罗人与这场战争毫无关系，却成了这场战争最后的牺牲品。
2.掩耳盗铃错到底（v22-24）
以色列长老们担保，如果这些女子的父亲或是弟兄找上门来，就会求他们看情面、施恩。而且当人继续不悔改时，就会掉入自欺欺人的地步。V22因为女儿是被抢，不是自己自愿给便雅悯人，所以就不算有罪。掩耳盗铃错到底，忘了公义神的法则。
三、自作王失去神同在（v25）
以色列并不是没有王，而是不认耶和华是他们的王。既然他们不以神为王，从各人到集体、到全国上下都任意而行的自己起来作王，因此神也就完全隐藏了，既不说话，也不拦阻，任凭百姓活在任意而行的黑暗里，做一个失去了神同在的民族。
总结：以神为王，随从圣灵
士师时代是一个令人心痛的时代。神借着士师记让基督徒看见，若不以神为王，就会滥用神的名和恩典，做很多表面看来好像很好，对信仰很热心，很有道德标准的事，可是在神眼中却是一错再错、错到底的败坏。像士师时代的以色列人一样，变得极度的虚假、邪恶和冷血。人要从不再任意而行的循环里得着释放，唯一的道路就是以神为王，随从圣灵的带领来生活和做决定。
Judges 21: Do not act do things arbitrarily and be a self-made king
GK611 Morning Devotion
02/02/2023
Speaker: Ps Deborah + Rev Tan
Introduction:
The book of Judges has come to its last chapter today, which marks the end of this book and the age of the Judges. And it is the last verse that concludes the whole book and the whole era of the Judges. V25 In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. In fact, Israel was not without a king at that time. Yahweh is their king, but they do not recognise Him as king, but each one likes to do as he pleases and be their own king.
I. Do things arbitrarily, make mistakes again and again (v1-15)
1. Ask God after doing whatever they want (v1-3, 15)
When the Israelites found that Benjamin had no way to carry on the family line, the tribe might be extinct, so they sat before God until night and wept bitterly. However, they were not crying because they regretted what they had done. Instead, they asked God why there was such a lack of a tribe in Israel. It is obvious that they slaughtered their brothers and vowed to let them have no future generations, but now they refuse to reflect on and admit their mistakes and instead ask God, just wanting to complain and shift the responsibility to God, saying that God had created a gap in Israel.
2. Arbitrary executions after false sacrifice (v4-14)
Logically speaking, Israel executed almost the entire tribe of Benjamin according to their own flesh, and what should be offered is a sin offering of confession and repentance. Yet they offered burnt offerings and fellowship offerings in self-righteousness. What's even more ironic is that according to the burnt offerings and peace offerings they offered, they were supposed to offer themselves completely, be at peace with God, and have peace with man. But not only did they have no peace in their hearts, but they also did not make peace with people. Contrary to the sacrifices they offered, after making false sacrifices, they found Jabesh Gilead as a scapegoat, killed their own brothers at will, and caused greater damage and death in cold blood.
II. Continue making mistakes without repentance (v16-24)
After killing, they gave away the remaining 400 unmarried virgins of Jabesh Gilead to the Benjamites as wives, the elders in the meeting continued to try to find wives for the remaining 200 people. So subsequently, they became more intensify and continue to make mistakes to the end.
1. Pious and unrepentant (v19-21)
During the festival, the elders and leaders of God even instigated 200 remaining Benjamin men to catch a wife for themselves when the women of Shiloh came out to dance and worship God. They seem to have good intentions, to preserve the 12 tribes of God, but they are actually sinister. Why not let their daughter be robbed? The people of Shiloh had nothing to do with this war, but they became the ultimate victims of this war.
2. Deceive oneself and sin till the end (v22-24)
The elders of Israel vouched that if the fathers or brothers of these women came to the door, they would ask them for favour and grace. And when a person continues to be unrepentant, he falls into self-deception. V22 Since the daughter was robbed and not given to the Benjamites voluntarily, she is not considered guilty. Deceive oneself and sin till the end, forgetting the law of a righteous God.
3. Self-made king loses the presence of God (v25)
It is not that Israel has no king, but that they do not recognise Yahweh as their king. Since they don’t regard God as their king, they rise up and become kings themselves, from individual to corporate, to the whole country, so God is completely unseen, neither speaks nor hinders, and allows the people to live as they pleased. In the world of darkness, be a nation that has lost the presence of God.
Conclusion: Relying on God as King and Following the Holy Spirit
The age of the Judges was a heart-wrenching time. Through the book of Judges, God lets Christians see that if they do not regard God as King, they will abuse God’s name and grace, and do many things that seem to be good on the surface, are enthusiastic about faith, and have high moral standards. However, in God’s eyes, these were the corruption of making mistakes again and again till the end. Become utterly false, wicked and cold-blooded like the Israelites in the days of the Judges. The only way for people to be released from the cycle of doing things arbitrarily is to regard God as King and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to live and make decisions.
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