旧约 - 士师记(Judges)第2章

And an angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break my covenant with you.
And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed my voice: why have ye done this?
Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you.
And it came to pass, when the angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept.
And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD.
And when Joshua had let the people go, the children of Israel went every man unto his inheritance to possess the land.
And the people served the LORD all the days of Joshua, and all the days of the elders that outlived Joshua, who had seen all the great works of the LORD, that he did for Israel.
And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died, being an hundred and ten years old.
And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnathheres, in the mount of Ephraim, on the north side of the hill Gaash.
And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, which knew not the LORD, nor yet the works which he had done for Israel.
And the children of Israel did evil in the sight of the LORD, and served Baalim:
And they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, which brought them out of the land of Egypt, and followed other gods, of the gods of the people that were round about them, and bowed themselves unto them, and provoked the LORD to anger.
And they forsook the LORD, and served Baal and Ashtaroth.
And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel, and he delivered them into the hands of spoilers that spoiled them, and he sold them into the hands of their enemies round about, so that they could not any longer stand before their enemies.
Whithersoever they went out, the hand of the LORD was against them for evil, as the LORD had said, and as the LORD had sworn unto them: and they were greatly distressed.
Nevertheless the LORD raised up judges, which delivered them out of the hand of those that spoiled them.
And yet they would not hearken unto their judges, but they went a whoring after other gods, and bowed themselves unto them: they turned quickly out of the way which their fathers walked in, obeying the commandments of the LORD; but they did not so.
And when the LORD raised them up judges, then the LORD was with the judge, and delivered them out of the hand of their enemies all the days of the judge: for it repented the LORD because of their groanings by reason of them that oppressed them and vexed them.
And it came to pass, when the judge was dead, that they returned, and corrupted themselves more than their fathers, in following other gods to serve them, and to bow down unto them; they ceased not from their own doings, nor from their stubborn way.
And the anger of the LORD was hot against Israel; and he said, Because that this people hath transgressed my covenant which I commanded their fathers, and have not hearkened unto my voice;
I also will not henceforth drive out any from before them of the nations which Joshua left when he died:
That through them I may prove Israel, whether they will keep the way of the LORD to walk therein, as their fathers did keep it, or not.
Therefore the LORD left those nations, without driving them out hastily; neither delivered he them into the hand of Joshua.
士师记第二章   第 2 章 

  士 2:1-3> 神的使者传达了哪些信息? 

  2:1-3 这次事件显示以色列人与神的关系有了重大的改变。神在西奈山与以色列人立了神圣而有约束力的协议,称之为约(参出 19:5-8 ),在这个约中,神承诺使以色列人成为特别的民族(参创 12:1-3 的注释),且保护他们;只要顺服祂,神就赐他们无与伦比的大福。以色列人这方所当尽的本分是爱神,遵守祂的律法。但是因为他们弃绝神,不顺服祂,所以神也就不保护他们,协议不再有效。不过神并不想弃绝祂的百姓,如果他们再求神饶恕,老老实实地顺服祂,必能领受祂奇妙的福分。 

  神帮助他们攻占应许之地的协议虽不再生效,却并未废除使他们成为叫世人蒙福的民族的应许(这应许在弥赛亚到世上来的时候实现了)。祂仍然要以色列人成为圣洁的族类(正如祂要我们成为圣洁一样),祂常常使用仇敌的欺压,领百姓回转归向祂,这也是祂言出必行的警告(参利 26 ;申 28 )。这一卷书记载许多这类的事件,神容许祂的百姓受欺压,为使他们悔改归向祂。 

  人常会期盼神成全祂的应许,却推卸当尽的责任。所以在你支取神的应许以前,请先查问自己“我是否尽了本分?” 

  士 2:4> 你曾经为自己的罪痛哭流涕过吗?你为什么而流泪? 

  2:4 以色列人知道犯了罪以后,就放声大哭,深感忧愁。由于我们有犯罪的倾向,所以悔改是灵性觉醒的真正表现。悔改表示恳求神赦免,我们也要离弃罪恶之道。除非我们为自己的罪行真心悔改,否则就不算是真实的悔过。我们知道自己做错了,就应当向神坦然承认,不可设法隐瞒,蒙混过去。 

  士 2:7-9> 这里也记载了约书亚的离世── 

  2:7-9 这一段与约书亚记的 24 章 29 至 30 节,都是记载约书亚的死。这几节经文既是以前发生之事的概述,也是对约书亚记中略去的士师记第一章所记的事件的补充(关于约书亚,请看约书亚记第 2 章的 " 人物介绍 " )。 

  士 2:10> 让下一代认识耶和华的名,又岂止是教会的责任呢── 

  2:10 以色列的老一辈人死了,新一代的人不再顺从耶和华。本书的 2 章 10 节至 3 章 7 节所描写的,正是以色列人一再的体验:犯罪、受神惩罚,悔改、蒙拯救、再犯罪,周而复始循环不息。每一代人都未能教导下一代爱神、顺服祂,而这正是神律法的中心要旨(参申 6:4-9 )。许多人爱把基督教信仰的教导工作,推卸到教会或基督教学校身上。但是神说,引领教导儿女信仰的责任主要在家庭。父母就是子女的榜样,所以信仰乃是家中的大事。 

  士 2:11-15> 迦南人为何拜巴力和亚斯她录? 

  2:11-15 巴力是迦南地掌管风暴与雨水之神,所以迦南人认为他管理菜蔬和庄稼。亚斯她录象征爱情、战争、多产的女神(人也称她为亚施她得 Astarte 或以施她 Ishtar )。庙妓与献孩童为祭,是拜迦南偶像仪式中的重头戏。这个世代的以色列人,放弃了列祖的信仰,开始叩拜这地的偶像假神。有许多事物会引诱我们放弃原则,想讨别人的欢心,因而做出不蒙神悦纳的事。不要受环境影响而不顺服神。 

  士 2:12-15> 神为什么把拜偶像看为至恶呢? 

  2:12-15 神对于拜偶像的人,常有最严厉的攻击与惩罚。因拜偶像违背了十条诫命中的前两条(参出 20:3-6 )。迦南人几乎每个季节、活动、或是地方,都有不同的神。对他们来说,耶和华只是另一位加在他们的众神之中的神。以色列人却不同,他们应当单单敬拜耶和华,不应明知神是独一的真神,同时又敬拜偶像。敬拜偶像的人也不会相信偶像是创造他们的主宰,因为偶像是由他们的手雕塑出来的。这些偶像只代表人性之中的情欲、血气以及不道德的种种性情。神乃是灵,也是至善至圣的,所以祂不能容忍人既敬拜祂,又叩拜偶像。 

  士 2:15-16> 神既把以色列交到仇敌手中,又兴起士师拯救他们? 

  2:15-16 以色列人虽然不顺服,神仍然给他们兴起士师,拯救他们脱离欺压,表明对他们的大怜悯。怜悯是“没有按照人所当得的报应人”的意思。这正是神对待以色列人,也是祂现在对待我们的态度。我们的不顺服,本来只配受他公义的审判!但是神藉着耶稣基督,使我们免受罪的惩罚,并向我们施怜悯,独有祂能救我们脱离罪。当我们求神赦罪的时候,其实是求我们本不配得的。我们信靠基督为我们成全的救赎,就可以体验到神的赦免。 

  士 2:16-19> 悖逆悔改,反反覆覆,这是否我的属灵经历? 

  2:16-19 以色列人在士师时代经历了七次兴衰( 1 )悖逆神,( 2 )因此受仇敌欺压,( 3 )蒙敬畏神的士师拯救,( 4 )在士师治理之下忠于神,( 5 )当士师死后又忘记神。我们也容易像他们一样反反覆覆;与敬畏神之人相近的时候,会忠于神;但是在没有良好的属灵领袖的时候,就随从引诱而偏离神。所以要立志,不管环境怎样困难都忠于神。 

  士 2:17> 迦南人拜的偶像为何能那样快地吸引以色列人? 

  2:17 以色列人为什么很快就偏离对神的信仰?其原因很简单,迦南人的宗教,对他们贪欲的本性更有吸引力,使他们得到更多眼前短暂的好处(对性的放任并使人口与农业多产等)。最有吸引力的一项乃是容许人自私,人几乎可以随心所欲,为所欲为,只要顺服迦南人的众神之一就可以了。他们不但容许有妓女与娈童,甚至提倡以此作为敬拜的仪式。 

  然而,信靠独一的真神并不能使人得到眼前的好处,满足人的罪性。罪的本质是自私的,而神的生命之道则是舍己,所以我们必须靠基督的帮助,按神的道而生活。 

  以色列人喜欢敬拜偶像的原因──《灵修版圣经注释》