神的異象
沒有別的神
經文
出埃及記二十1-21
1神吩咐這一切的話說:
2我是耶和華你的神,曾將你從埃及地為奴之家領出來。
3除了我以外,你不可有別的神。
4不可為自己雕刻偶像,也不可作甚麼形像彷彿上天、下地,和地底下、水中的百物。
5不可跪拜那些像,也不可事奉他,因為我耶和華你的神是忌邪的神。恨我的,我必追討他的罪,自父及子,直到三四代;
6愛我、守我誡命的,我必向他們發慈愛,直到千代。
7不可妄稱耶和華你神的名;因為妄稱耶和華名的,耶和華必不以他為無罪。
8當記念安息日,守為聖日。
9六日要勞碌作你一切的工,
10但第七日是向耶和華你神當守的安息日。這一日你和你的兒女、僕婢、牲畜,並你城裡寄居的客旅,無論何工都不可作;
11因為六日之內,耶和華造天、地、海,和其中的萬物,第七日便安息,所以耶和華賜福與安息日,定為聖日。
12當孝敬父母,使你的日子在耶和華你神所賜你的地上得以長久。
13不可殺人。
14不可姦淫。
15不可偷盜。
16不可作假見證陷害人。
17不可貪戀人的房屋;也不可貪戀人的妻子、僕婢、牛驢,並他一切所有的。
18眾百姓見雷轟、閃電、角聲、山上冒煙,就都發顫,遠遠的站立,
19對摩西說:求你和我們說話,我們必聽;不要神和我們說話,恐怕我們死亡。
20摩西對百姓說:不要懼怕;因為神降臨是要試驗你們,叫你們時常敬畏他,不致犯罪。
21於是百姓遠遠地站立;摩西就挨近神所在的幽暗之中。
信息分享
今天讓我們來繼續過去兩天思考的課題:神是我們最大的滿足。今天我們要看十誡的第一句話。
為甚麼神要說:「我是耶和華你的神……除了我以外,你不可有別的神」?當我們想用木頭或石頭、金或銀、名譽或財富來製造自己的神的時候,為甚麼祂總是以這話來提醒我們呢?原因是這世界確實沒有別的神。我們只是在欺騙自己。我們可以將自己獻給它們,但它們卻不能將自己獻給我們。相信我們當中很多人會發現(或許就在今天)這個世界的諸神事實上都不是神。當你將希望寄託在某些東西,用你敬拜神的精力去將自己獻給它的時候,它卻令你失望,這就是世界諸神所給予你的結果。
我記得梅厄夫人(Golda Meir)擔任以色列總理時曾經說過:「猶太人跟摩西之間存在一個相當重要的問題,那就是摩西帶領他們在曠野漂流了四十年,最後卻把他們帶到中東唯一一個沒有石油的地方。」我聽到她這樣說的時候,心想:「這正是神所要做的,神要以色列人倚靠祂,不是倚靠地上的資源。」所以,讓我再一次問你:你是否完全交托、仰望你的神?你是否認為神是你最大的滿足?還是有的時候也寄望其他的假神?要記得這一個真理:這世界確實沒有別的神。
「這個世界的神不是真神」
進深研究
出三1-21;創十五1-21
1. 神怎樣回應摩西的第一個問題?
2. 神怎樣回應摩西的第二個問題?
祈禱
神啊!當我從您那兒轉向別神時,求您赦免我。只有您才是神,所有的生命,無論個別還是群體,最終都必須向您下跪。我現在以喜樂和樂意的心,跪在你面前。求您讓我常常對你降服。奉主耶穌的名祈求,阿們。
The Vision of God
No other gods
Bible reading:
Exodus 20:1-21
1 And God spoke all these words:
2 "I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery.
3 "You shall have no other gods before[a] me.
4 "You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below.
5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me,
6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.
7 "You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name.
8 "Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy.
9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work,
10 but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns.
11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy.
12 "Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you.
13 "You shall not murder.
14 "You shall not commit adultery.
15 "You shall not steal.
16 "You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor.
17 "You shall not covet your neighbor's house. You shall not covet your neighbor's wife, or his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor."
18 When the people saw the thunder and lightning and heard the trumpet and saw the mountain in smoke, they trembled with fear. They stayed at a distance
19 and said to Moses, "Speak to us yourself and we will listen. But do not have God speak to us or we will die."
20 Moses said to the people, "Do not be afraid. God has come to test you, so that the fear of God will be with you to keep you from sinning."
21 The people remained at a distance, while Moses approached the thick darkness where God was.
Message
Continuing the thought we have been examining over the past two days that God wants to be our sufficiency - we look today at the opening statement of the Ten Commandments.
Why did God say: "I am the Lord your God...You shall have no other gods before me"? And why does He still challenge us with that word when we want to make our gods of wood or stone? Of silver and gold? Of fame or fortune? The reason is that there are no other gods. We are fooling ourselves. We can give ourselves to them but they can't give themselves to us. Many of you will have come to the point (perhaps even today) when you discovered that the gods of this world are no gods. You pinned your hopes on something, gave yourself to it with the same energy as you would in worship, but it has let you down. This is how it is with the gods of this world.
I remember hearing Golda Meir, when she was Prime Minister of Israel, say: "The Jews have a fundamental problem with Moses. He led them through the wilderness for forty years and then brought them to the only place in the Middle East where there is no oil." When I heard her make that remark I thought to myself: "That's exactly why God did that - He wanted the Israelites to be dependent on Him, not on the earth's natural resources." So I ask you again: Do you look to the Lord who promises to be your inheritance, your portion, and see Him as sufficient? Or do you sometimes look to other gods? Let this truth sink deep into your soul - there are no other gods.
"The gods of this world are no gods"
Prayer
O God, forgive me when I have turned from You to other gods. You alone are God, and all life, individual and corporate, must finally bow the knee to You. I do so now gladly and willingly. Keep me bowed before You - always. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Further study
Exodus 3:1-21
Genesis 15:1-21
1. What was God's response to Moses' first question?
2. What was God's response to Moses' second question?
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