赦免與團結Letting Go and Grabbing Hold


[W.O.T.S.]
6/18/2020


Unit 1. Ezra/Nehemiah

                           Session 3, Letting Go and Grabbing Hold            6/21/2020

Scriptures：EZRA 9:5-15

Worldwide Outreach Teaching School 賴美滿 校長

http://www.WorldwideOTS.org

 

PREFACE: There has been a big shift in our story since last week’s session. Following the initial group who returned to Jerusalem to rebuild the temple, Ezra’s arrived with a second party decades later. In today’s scripture study, almost 60 years have passed since the completion of the temple. The newest generation of these Israelites had not experienced the exile, the return, or the rebuilding. God had orchestrated reconstruction of the temple (Ezra 1-6) and recorded community life according to His law (Ezra 7-10). Let’s see through Ezra’s eyes how they had strayed spirituality and their need for forgiveness are Ezra’s mission

 

Last Week: We saw how worship is a crucial part of preparing our hearts and lives for

            work in the kingdom of God.                                                                                                          This Week: We will see how we must identify and confront any areas of compromise in our

             relationship with God.                                                                                                                            

 

  1. Sin’s Consequences: Ezra 9:5-7: 5, But the eye of their God was watching over the elders of the Jews, and they were not stopped until a report could go to Darius and his written reply be received. 6, This is a copy of the letter that Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, and Shethar-Bozenai and their associates, the officials of Trans-Euphrates, sent to King Darius. 7, The report they sent him read as follows: To King Darius: Cordial greetings.                                                                                                                           Commentary: Ezra9:5-7, According to Ezra 7-8, Ezra was a Jewish scribe charged by the Persian emperor with the task of instructing his people in the laws of Moses. Persians regularly encouraged religious leaders throughout the empire to help local cultures reclaim their ancient traditions. Shortly after arriving in Jerusalem, Ezra discovered major sin in the community of faith. He immediately recognized the severity of its consequences and mourned deeply as though someone had died. Like people typically did on such occasions in those days, he tore his clothes, pulled his hair, and cried out to God in prayer. Ezra expressed his deep sense of shame for the sin of his people, much like Adam and Eve felt in the Garden of Eden (Ge. 3:7). Sin always leaves us feeling ashamed, as if we have become less than God created us to be. Indeed, the primary word for sin in Hebrew essentially means mission God’s goal for life.                                                

                                             (Excerpted from the Faith Connection, page 19 of Summer, 2020)

 

  1. Sin’s Remedy: Read-Ezra 9:8-9:8, "But now, for a brief moment, the LORD our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. 9, Though we are slaves, our God has not deserted us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem.                                                                    Commentary: Ezra 9: 8-9, Though God’s people had suffered for their sin, Ezra recognized that God remained faithful and had given them his sanctuary in which to worship (v.8). These were not their only blessings, they stood as symbols of how God had kept covenant with Abraham, demonstrating His constant kindness to his people (v.9), “steadfast love” in English Bibles, Thus, Ezra confirmed, “God has not forsaken” His people in their sin (v.9). God’s consistent, committed love for people is the foundation of hope for those who sin, it is the remedy for our sin, because we cannot pay for them ourselves Our good works are never enough to redeem us. Sin must be forgiven, and the steadfast love of God assures us that God will forgive those who repent，if you invite Jesus Christ coming to heart.

                                      (Excerpted from the Faith Connection, page 20 of Summer, 2020)  

                      

  1. Sin’s Compromise: Read - Ezra 9:10-15                                                                                                            10, "But now, O our God, what can we say after this? For we have disregarded the commands. 11, you gave through your servants the prophets when you said: 'The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. 12, Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.' 13, "What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, you have punished us less than our sins have deserved and have given us a remnant like this. 14, Shall we again break your commands and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would you not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? 15, O LORD, God of Israel, you are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before you in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in your presence."                                                           Commentary: Ezra 9:10-15, After learning about the sins of the people, Ezra fell to his knees in prayer. His heartfelt prayer provides a good perspective on sin. He recognized:  1, that sin is serious (9:6); 2, that no one sins without affecting others (9:7); 3, that he was not sinless, although he didn’t have a pagan wife (9:10ff);  4, that God’s love and mercy had spared the nation when they did nothing to deserve it (9:8, 9, 15). It is easy to view sin lightly in a world that sees sin as inconsequential, but we should view sin as seriously as Ezra did.                                                                                                                                                             Ezra recognized that if God gave the people the justice they deserved, they would not be able to stand before him; often we cry out for justice when we feel abused and unfairly treated. In those moments, we forget the reality of our own sin and the righteous judgment we deserve. How fortunate we are that God gives us mercy and grace rather than only justice. The next time you ask God for fair and just treatment, pause to think what would happen if God gave you what you really deserve. Plead instead for his mercy. (Insert from N.I.V. p.955)                                                                                                                            

 

  1. CONCLUSIONS:                                                                                                                

 

1. Sin’s Consequences Verses 5-7, Ezra began his mission with passionate intercessory prayers of confession and repentance. (such as self -abasement, torn clothing, falling on knees, ashamed, disgrace, guilt.)                                                                                              

 

2. Sin’s Remedy: Verses 8-9, Ezra reminds the people of two specific things that illustrate God’s graciousness to His people-the remnant had preserved and they now had their temple rebuilt.                                                                                                                                                                  

 

3. Sin’s Compromise: Verses 10-15, Whatever challenges the Israelites found upon their return to Jerusalem, they did not recognize the conflicting issues that caused them to ignore the statues God had given them through Moses. Ezra was a priest and a scribe (Ezra 7:6, 10-12; Nehemiah 8:1,3, 13). A scribe is literally a writer, in that time after the captivity, scribes not only multiplied copies of the law but were also intimately acquainted with it and took on the role of teaching it to others. (Insert from NIV Bible and excerpts from the Faith Connection, (Professor Gay Leonard. Gay is an author and editor. Following 45 years of ministry together, she and her husband, Larry, now reside in Florida and Tennessee.)                                                                                                                         

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                                第三課, 赦免與團結                   6/21/2020                                                                                                            經文 ：以斯拉記9:5-15                                                                                                                             Worldwide Outreach Teaching School 賴美滿 校長                                               http://www.WorldwideOTS.org

前言: 在我們上週的故事裏看到了以色列百姓的大移動。起初一群人回耶路撒冷重建聖殿，十年接著以斯拉的團隊。讀今日的經文，建後幾乎過了60 年，那些以色列人沒有經驗被擄的新的一代，回歸或重建，但神已經為他們配合、 安排重建聖殿知事情 (以斯拉記 1-6) 以及根據神的律法公布了社區的生活 (以斯拉記 7-10)。    

            讓我們來看當時人們散漫的精神與需求赦免的需要，乃成以斯拉的使命。                    

     上週: 我們已經看到如何敬拜以及生活在神國裏是一個極重要的心裏準備。                                這週: 將看到我們必須如何認清與勇敢面對於妥協任何區域與神的關係。

1. 罪的影響: 以斯拉記 9:5-7, 5, 神的眼目看顧猶大的長老、以致總督等、沒有叫他們停工、直到這事奏告大利烏、得著他的回諭。6, 河西的總督達乃、和示他波斯乃、並他們的同黨、就是住河西的亞法薩迦人、上本奏告大利烏王．7, 本上寫著說、願大利烏王諸事平安．                         解經: 以斯拉記 9:5-7, 根據以斯拉記第 7-8章, 以斯拉 是一位猷太人的書記，負責為波斯王工作以引導百姓尊行摩西之律法。以斯拉一到達耶路撒冷不久，他發現社群中的主要罪行是他們的信仰。他馬上認清後果之嚴重性，並如同有人亡命似的極其悲痛。如同當時的人之典型，他撕裂他的衣服，拔了他的頭髪，向神哭禱。以斯拉為百姓的罪深覺羞恥，如同亞當和夏哇在伊甸園之羞辱感 (創世記 3:7)。 罪總是给我們流下羞辱，如同愧疚神之創造。實在，在起初這罪字在希伯來之基本意是活著以神之目標為任務 (戴自信仰聯繫第十九頁，2020年暑期版Summer, )                                                                            

2. 罪的糾正: 讀經以斯拉記 9:8-9, 8, 現在耶和華我們的　神暫且施恩與我們、 給我們留些逃脫的人、使我們安穩如釘子釘 在他的聖所、我們的　神好光照我們的眼目、使我們在受轄制之中稍微復興。9, 我們是奴僕、然而在受轄制之中、我們的　神仍沒有丟棄我們、在波斯王眼前向我們施恩、叫我們復興、能重建我們　神的殿、修其毀壞之處、使我們在猶大和耶路撒冷有牆垣。                                                                                                                                                         解經: 以斯拉記 9:8-9, 雖然神之百姓曾為罪受苦，以斯拉認清了神仍保持信實，神且也给他們祂的聖所敬拜 (v.8). 他們這些不緊得祝福，且神也保留摩西與先祖亞伯拉罕的契約，而表露祂對百姓的 仁慈 (v.9), “堅定不移steadfast love” 在英文聖經裏，因此，以斯拉 確信的說，“神仍沒有丟棄我們” 既使祂的百姓有罪 (v.9). 神繼續不段的施百姓 “愛”，就是百姓有罪過期望的基層，是罪的機會糾正，因為既使我們的好工作從不足夠贖罪。但罪必被赦罪，耶穌做我們的贖罪祭，神之堅定不移的愛，確定祂將會原諒我們，只要我們打開心門接受耶穌為主宰，認罪悔改。(參考信仰聯繫夏季版第20頁)

3. 罪的妥協: 讀經以斯拉記9:10-15, 10, 我們的　神阿、既是如此、我們還有甚麼話可說呢．因為我們已經離棄你的命令、11, 就是你藉你僕人眾先知所吩咐的、說、你們要去得為業之地是污穢之地、因列國之民的污穢、和可憎的事、叫全地從這邊直到那邊、滿了污穢。12, 所以不可將你們的女兒嫁他們的兒子、也不可為你們的兒子娶他們的女兒、永不可求他們的平安、和他們的利益、這樣你們就可以強盛、喫這地的美物、並遺留這地給你們的子孫永遠為業。13,  神阿、我們因自己的惡行和大罪、遭遇了這一切的事、並且你刑罰我們輕於我們罪所當得的、又給我們留下這些人．14, 我們 豈可再違背你的命令、與這行可憎之事的民結親呢、若這樣行、你豈不向我們發怒、將我們滅絕、以致沒有一個剩下逃脫的人麼。15, 耶和華以色列 的　神阿、因你是公義的、我們這剩下的人纔得逃脫、正如今日的光景．看哪、我們在你面前有罪惡、因此無人在你面前站立得住。                                                                                                                                                                                解  解  解    解經  : 以斯拉記9:10-15, 以斯拉得知百姓犯罪時，立刻跪下禱告。誠心的禱告讓他清楚看到罪惡的本相，他看清了幾件事: 1, 犯罪是嚴重的事 (9:6); 2, 一人犯罪勢必影響他人 (9:7); 雖然他沒有娶異族女為太太，但他同樣有罪 (9:10-15); 4,雖百姓不配，神仍以愛與憐憫赦免他們 (9:8, 9, 15)。世人每每輕看罪惡，但我們要向以斯拉那樣，嚴肅地對待罪。以斯拉禱告承認了以色列人所犯的罪，卻視之如同己錯。他悲哀痛哭，因罪惡到羞愧，為罪的結局而惶恐，他渴望以色列人能看到自己的過犯而悔改。他的禱告感動了百姓，使之無不因此而痛哭 (參10:1)。以斯拉說明了不僅要重建聖殿，更需要有一個屬靈的社會與其配合。今天在我們的教會裏，也需要一個屬靈的團體。即使我們曾犯下滔天大罪，仍可禱告悔改歸向神. (參聖經靈修版822頁)

結論:                                                                                                                                                          1. 罪的影響: 以斯拉記 9:5-7, 以斯拉開始他的傳教任務以熱情的認罪代禱。                                   (例如自卑，撕裂衣服，雙腿跪禱，羞於-不明義與內歉。)                                                                                                                                                                      2. 罪的糾正: 以斯拉記 9:8-9, 以斯拉 叮嚀百姓兩件特事: 圖解神之對祂子民的愛- 如遺跡被神保留，且他們已建壇。                                                                                                                              3. 罪的妥協: 以斯拉記9:10-15, 有任何鼓勵以色列百姓想起他們已回到耶路撒冷了，但神所透過摩西律法给他們之地位，是他們未能認清的挫折。以斯拉是位祭神之牧師與書記 (以斯拉 7:6, 10-12; 尼西米 8:1,3, 13). 書記任務，被俘虜後寫文章的書記，不緊緊印法律，且也需教導他人 (參考聖經與信仰聯繫教授。)