神的异象
失而复得
经文
希伯来书十二14-29
14你们要追求与众人和睦，并要追求圣洁；非圣洁没有人能见主。
15又要谨慎，恐怕有人失了神的恩；恐怕有毒根生出来扰乱你们，因此叫众人沾染污秽；
16恐怕有淫乱的，有贪恋世俗如以扫的，他因一点食物把自己长子的名分卖了。
17后来想要承受父所祝的福，竟被弃绝，虽然号哭切求，却得不着门路使他父亲的心意回转。这是你们知道的。
18你们原不是来到那能摸的山；此山有火燄、密云、黑暗、暴风、
19角声与说话的声音。那些听见这声音的，都求不要再向他们说话；
20因为他们当不起所命他们的话，说：靠近这山的，即便是走兽，也要用石头打死。
21所见的极其可怕，甚至摩西说：我甚是恐惧战兢。
22你们乃是来到锡安山，永生神的城邑，就是天上的耶路撒冷。那里有千万的天使，
23有名录在天上诸长子之会所共聚的总会，有审判众人的神和被成全之义人的灵魂，
24并新约的中保耶稣，以及所洒的血；这血所说的比亚伯的血所说的更美。
25你们总要谨慎，不可弃绝那向你们说话的。因为，那些弃绝在地上警戒他们的尚且不能逃罪，何况我们违背那从天上警戒我们的呢？
26当时他的声音震动了地，但如今他应许说：再一次我不单要震动地，还要震动天。
27这再一次的话，是指明被震动的，就是受造之物都要挪去，使那不被震动的常存。
28所以我们既得了不能震动的国，就当感恩，照神所喜悦的，用虔诚、敬畏的心事奉神。
29因为我们的神乃是烈火。
信息分享
圣经告诉我们，在以赛亚的异象中，站在宝座上的撒拉弗有六个翅膀：「用两个翅膀遮脸，两个翅膀遮脚，两个翅膀飞翔」（赛六2）。为甚么他们遮着脸？他们明显不敢看他们敬拜的这一位。这里的含意是我们为神所做的一切，都必须怀着敬畏的心去做。
现代基督教的其中一个悲剧是我们悄悄的、甚至是毫不察觉地失去了敬畏的精神。神圣的事物好像渐趋平凡、失去了其神圣的特性。当然，并非所有的地方都发生这种情况，但我肯定这个时代愤世嫉俗的态度正在给教会带来许多负面的影响。如果我们不加以抗拒，那么未来的世代难免会在千百种不同的方面严遭波及。
我记得年少时参加青少年基督徒营会的时候，曾经和其他人一起幽默地「取笑」天使，导致营会主任大发雷霆。他说：「你们这些年青人轻视一些十分神圣的东西。我怀疑你们对天使的职事是否还能再有正确的看法。」他说的很对，长达数十年，我的内心深处都对天使的职事甚表怀疑，直到近年来我在马来西亚时才征服了这种怀疑的态度，因为我有机会经历了一些可畏的超自然事件，在那以后我才确信天使的职事。那么一次短暂的经历彻底的挪去了几十年来一直堵塞在我心里的疑惑。我们实在不敢对神圣的事物失去敬畏的心。
「我们为神所做的事，必须怀着敬畏的心」
进深研究
彼前一1-17，二17；诗三十三8
1. 我们要怎样过自己的生活？
2. 世上所有人应该怎样做？
祈祷
神啊！求您帮助我培养出对神圣事物的尊敬和畏惧的心；不要过分也不要轻率，免得因为我的态度绊倒我身边的人，因为那不是一种健康的表现。求您教导我懂得保持平衡。奉主耶稣的名求，阿们。
The Vision of God
Lost & found
Bible reading:
Hebrews 12:14-29
14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.
15 See to it that no one falls short of the grace of God and that no bitter root grows up to cause trouble and defile many.
16 See that no one is sexually immoral, or is godless like Esau, who for a single meal sold his inheritance rights as the oldest son.
17 Afterward, as you know, when he wanted to inherit this blessing, he was rejected. Even though he sought the blessing with tears, he could not change what he had done.
18 You have not come to a mountain that can be touched and that is burning with fire; to darkness, gloom and storm;
19 to a trumpet blast or to such a voice speaking words that those who heard it begged that no further word be spoken to them,
20 because they could not bear what was commanded: "If even an animal touches the mountain, it must be stoned to death."[a]
21 The sight was so terrifying that Moses said, "I am trembling with fear."[b]
22 But you have come to Mount Zion, to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem. You have come to thousands upon thousands of angels in joyful assembly,
23 to the church of the firstborn, whose names are written in heaven. You have come to God, the Judge of all, to the spirits of the righteous made perfect,
24 to Jesus the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel.
25 See to it that you do not refuse him who speaks. If they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, how much less will we, if we turn away from him who warns us from heaven?
26 At that time his voice shook the earth, but now he has promised, "Once more I will shake not only the earth but also the heavens."[c]
27 The words "once more" indicate the removing of what can be shaken—that is, created things—so that what cannot be shaken may remain.
28 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe,
29 for our "God is a consuming fire."[d]
Message
We are told that the seraphs who stood above the throne in Isaiah's vision had six wings: "With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying" (Isa. 6:2). Why cover their faces? Clearly they dared not look upon this One whom they were worshipping. The implication here is that what we do for God must be done with reverence.
One of the tragedies of modern-day Christianity is that quietly and almost unnoticed we are losing the spirit of reverence. Holy things are becoming common and are losing their sacredness. This is not happening everywhere, of course, but there is no doubt in my mind that the cynicism of the age is making its impact on the Church. If we do not resist it, the generations that follow will feel its effect in a hundred different ways.
I remember, as a teenager attending a Christian youth camp and taking part along with some others in a humorous "send up" of angels. The youth director hit the roof. He said: "You young people have trivialised something that is deeply sacred. I doubt whether you will have a correct view of angelic ministry ever again." He was right. Deep within me there has been a cynicism toward the ministry of angels for several decades, and it was only quite recently, while in Malaysia, that it was overcome. I was privileged to experience some awesome supernatural encounters that convinced me of the ministry of angels. It took several decades to undo what a few flippant moments had etched into my heart and mind. We dare not lose our reverence for holy things.
"What we do for God must be done with reverence"
Prayer
O God, help me develop respect and reverence for holy things, but not to become over-spiritual about these matters and bore my friends with my solemnity and heaviness. That is not healthy either. Keep me balanced. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Further study
1 Peter 1:1-17; 2:17
Psalm 33:8
1. How are we to live our lives?
2. What are all the people of the world to do?
本文英文版权属 CWR 所有，承蒙允准刊载。
背景音乐版权属 赞美之泉音乐事工 所有，承蒙允准使用。