將屬於神的歸給神
尼希米記十章28至33節
28其餘的民、祭司、利未人、守門的、歌唱的、尼提寧，和一切離絕鄰邦居民歸服神律法的，並他們的妻子、兒女，凡有知識能明白的，
29都隨從他們貴冑的弟兄，發咒起誓，必遵行神藉他僕人摩西所傳的律法，謹守遵行耶和華─我們主的一切誡命、典章、律例；
30並不將我們的女兒嫁給這地的居民，也不為我們的兒子娶他們的女兒。
31這地的居民若在安息日，或甚麼聖日，帶了貨物或糧食來賣給我們，我們必不買。每逢第七年必不耕種，凡欠我們債的必不追討。
32我們又為自己定例，每年各人捐銀一舍客勒三分之一，為我們神殿的使用，
33就是為陳設餅、常獻的素祭，和燔祭，安息日、月朔、節期所獻的與聖物，並以色列人的贖罪祭，以及我們神殿裡一切的費用。
信息分享
這段經文是接續昨天所讀的禱文，這裡列出了百姓與神所立的約。
總共有84人在約上簽署。第一個帶頭簽名的人是尼希米，接著是22位祭司、17位利未人，44 位貴冑，其餘便是一般的百姓。立約所用的，一定是一塊很大的羊皮紙了。
他們立了甚麼約？第29節告訴我們，他們承諾要遵從神的律法；第30節則列明他們不會讓兒女與異族宗教的人通婚。
這是一個含意深遠的承諾，新約聖經也重申基督徒要持守這個準則。倘若我們教導兒女要以愛主的基督徒為擇偶對象，便會省卻將來可能發生的許多問題。
第31節告訴我們，他們承諾不會隨從異族人的風俗行徑，堅持不會在聖日作買賣。我們很容易跟風，但神卻希望我們能持守正確的原則。
百姓在第32節往後的經文中，承諾神要他們奉獻甚麼，他們就奉獻甚麼。他們會克盡本分地作出奉獻，藉此支持神的殿。這同樣是新約的命令，我們有沒有遵守呢？
總而言之，他們承諾要分別為聖，要堅守神的律法和奉獻支持神的殿。
我們是否願意與神立同樣的約呢？
經文反思：神說：「尊重我的，我必看重他。」(撒上二30)
GIVING GOD WHAT BELONGS TO HIM
Nehemiah 10:28-33
28 Now the rest of the people—the priests, the Levites, the gatekeepers, the singers, the Nethinim, and all those who had separated themselves from the peoples of the lands to the Law of God, their wives, their sons, and their daughters, everyone who had knowledge and understanding—
29 these joined with their brethren, their nobles, and entered into a curse and an oath to walk in God’s Law, which was given by Moses the servant of God, and to observe and do all the commandments of the Lord our Lord, and His ordinances and His statutes:
30 We would not give our daughters as wives to the peoples of the land, nor take their daughters for our sons;
31 if the peoples of the land brought wares or any grain to sell on the Sabbath day, we would not buy it from them on the Sabbath, or on a holy day; and we would forego the seventh year’s produce and the exacting of every debt.
32 Also we made ordinances for ourselves, to exact from ourselves yearly one-third of a shekel for the service of the house of our God:
33 for the showbread, for the regular grain offering, for the regular burnt offering of the Sabbaths, the New Moons, and the set feasts; for the holy things, for the sin offerings to make atonement for Israel, and all the work of the house of our God.
Message
It follows on from yesterday's reading of the tremendous prayer in chapter 9. Here is what the people promised God they would do.
There were 84 men who signed this promise. Nehemiah the leader was first to do so. He was followed by 22 priests, 17 Levites and then 44 chiefs and after them the rest of the people signed as well. What a big piece of parchment it must have been!
What did they promise? Verse 29 says they promised to obey God's laws and verse 30 tells us that this included allowing their children to only marry those who loved the same God as they did.
This is a far-reaching promise and the New Testament repeats the same standard for Christians today. If we would teach our young people that Christians should only marry Christians, it would save a great deal of heartache later.
Verse 31 says that they promised they would not follow the way of the other people in the land. They would not buy or sell on the Lord's day even though others did. It is too easy just to do things because everybody else is doing them. God wants us to be willing to stand up for what we know is right.
From verse 32 onwards the people agreed to give to God what he asked them to give. They would support God's house and do what they should in providing for it. This too is a New Testament commandment. Are we doing it?
What did they promise? That they would be separated from the world around; they would stand up for God's laws and they would support God's house.
Are you willing to sign a promise like that?
A VERSE FOR TODAY:
'Them that honour me, I will honour. '