神的異象
享受多數派的地位!
經文
羅馬書十一1-12
1我且說,神棄絕了他的百姓嗎?斷乎沒有!因為我也是以色列人,亞伯拉罕的後裔,屬便雅憫支派的。
2神並沒有棄絕他預先所知道的百姓。你們豈不曉得經上論到以利亞是怎麼說的呢?他在神面前怎樣控告以色列人說:
3主阿,他們殺了你的先知,拆了你的祭壇,只剩下我一個人,他們還要尋索我的命。
4神的回話是怎麼說的呢?他說:我為自己留下七千人,是未曾向巴力屈膝的。
5如今也是這樣,照著揀選的恩典,還有所留的餘數。
6既是出於恩典,就不在乎行為;不然,恩典就不是恩典了。
7這是怎麼樣呢?以色列人所求的,他們沒有得著,惟有蒙揀選的人得著了;其餘的就成了頑梗不化的。
8如經上所記:神給他們昏迷的心,眼睛不能看見,耳朵不能聽見,直到今日。
9大衛也說:願他們的筵席變為網羅,變為機檻,變為絆腳石,作他們的報應。
10願他們的眼睛昏矇,不得看見;願你時常彎下他們的腰。
11我且說,他們失腳是要他們跌倒嗎?斷乎不是!反倒因他們的過失,救恩便臨到外邦人,要激動他們發憤。
12若他們的過失,為天下的富足,他們的缺乏,為外邦人的富足;何況他們的豐滿呢?
信息分享
我們再來多花一點時間研究以賽亞書六章最後兩句話:「境內剩下的人若還有十分之一,也必被吞滅;像栗樹、橡樹雖被砍伐,樹墩子卻仍存留,這聖潔的種類在國中也是如此。」
神告訴先知以賽亞,以色列會變成一個病態的社會,最終還會變成荒地,但是仍然還會有緊抓著神並且忠心的餘民。神也告訴他會有一棵樹剩下──實際上是一個樹墩,而從那樹墩會長出一棵新樹!甚至被砍下來的樹,也會留下樹墩,可以長出新的樹。「聖潔的種類」這個詞組無疑是指彌賽亞的來臨。祂是會救贖以色列,超越邊界,將救恩伸展到全世界的那一位。
我們不必在意那些持守神的事工的人總是佔少數。在舊約和新約的時代,那些真正屬靈的人也是少數。不是危言聳聽,但我需要指出,以賽亞的時代與我們的時代頗有相似之處。我們現在所處的境況肯定會變得越來越糟。不過正如過去的時代一樣,神在這個時代也有祂的餘民。如果你是委身追隨耶穌基督的人,你就是餘民的一份子。神總是使用蒙救贖的餘民來改變世界。就世界來說,你和我可能是少數,但正如有人指出:「只要是與神在一起,哪怕只是一個人也是多數。」我們是有多數派地位的少數派!哈利路亞!
「只要是與神在一起,哪怕只是一個人也是多數。」
進深研究
賽六十三7-16;申十四2;約一12;羅八15;加四6
1. 我們從聖靈接受了甚麼?
2. 這驅使我們做甚麼?
祈禱
天父,我為了自己屬於今天餘民的一份子而感恩,但我更為了那餘民屬於您而感恩。我自己是那麼渺小,但有了您我卻變成了大多數,感謝您!阿們。
The Vision of God
Enjoying majority status!
Bible reading:
Romans 11:1-12
1 I ask then: Did God reject his people? By no means! I am an Israelite myself, a descendant of Abraham, from the tribe of Benjamin.
2 God did not reject his people, whom he foreknew. Don't you know what Scripture says in the passage about Elijah—how he appealed to God against Israel:
3 "Lord, they have killed your prophets and torn down your altars; I am the only one left, and they are trying to kill me"[a]?
4 And what was God's answer to him? "I have reserved for myself seven thousand who have not bowed the knee to Baal."[b]
5 So too, at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.
6 And if by grace, then it cannot be based on works; if it were, grace would no longer be grace.
7 What then? What the people of Israel sought so earnestly they did not obtain. The elect among them did, but the others were hardened,
8 as it is written: "God gave them a spirit of stupor, eyes that could not see and ears that could not hear, to this very day."[c]
9 And David says: "May their table become a snare and a trap, a stumbling block and a retribution for them.
10 May their eyes be darkened so they cannot see, and their backs be bent forever."[d]
11 Again I ask: Did they stumble so as to fall beyond recovery? Not at all! Rather, because of their transgression, salvation has come to the Gentiles to make Israel envious.
12 But if their transgression means riches for the world, and their loss means riches for the Gentiles, how much greater riches will their full inclusion bring!
Message
We linger a little longer on the last two sentences of Isaiah 6: "And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land."
The prophet is being told that Israel will become a sick society and will finish up like a wasteland, but there will be a remnant who will hold on to God and be faithful. He is told also that there will be one tree left, indeed, one stump, and out of that stump will come a new tree! Even a felled tree leaves a stump behind which may produce fresh growth. The phrase "the holy seed" refers, without doubt, to the coming of the Messiah, the One who would redeem Israel and extend the offer of salvation beyond its borders to the whole world.
We should never be concerned that those who uphold God's cause always seem to be in the minority. Those who were truly spiritual were in the minority in Old Testament times and in New Testament times too. I am not an alarmist, but I have to say that I see a parallel between Isaiah's day and the day in which we live. What a state we are in at the present moment - and things are destined to get worse. But God has His remnant in this age as He has had in every age. If you are a committed follower of Jesus Christ then you are part of that remnant. And God has always used a redeemed remnant to change the world. You and I may be in the minority as far as the world is concerned, but as someone once pointed out: "One person with God is in the majority." We are minorities with a majority status! Hallelujah!
"One person with God is a majority"
Prayer
Father, I am thankful that I am part of today's remnant but I am even more thankful that that remnant is part of You. By myself I am nothing but with You I am a number. And what a number! Amen.
Further study
Isaiah 63:7-16
Deuteronomy 14:2
John 1:12
Romans 8:15
Galatians 4.6
1. What have we received the Spirit of?
2. What does this cause us to do?
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