《士師vs自私》Day 06
信心成長的基甸
1 耶路巴力就是基甸，他和一切跟隨的人早晨起來，在哈律泉旁安營。米甸營在他們北邊的平原，靠近摩利岡。2 耶和華對基甸說：「跟隨你的人過多，我不能將米甸人交在他們手中，免得以色列人向我誇大，說：『是我們自己的手救了我們。』 3 現在你要向這些人宣告說：『凡懼怕膽怯的，可以離開基列山回去。』」於是有二萬二千人回去，只剩下一萬。4 耶和華對基甸說：「人還是過多；你要帶他們下到水旁，我好在那裏為你試試他們。我指點誰說：『這人可以同你去』，他就可以同你去；我指點誰說：『這人不可同你去』，他就不可同你去。」 5 基甸就帶他們下到水旁。耶和華對基甸說：「凡用舌頭舔水，像狗舔的，要使他單站在一處；凡跪下喝水的，也要使他單站在一處。」 6 於是用手捧着舔水的有三百人，其餘的都跪下喝水。 7 耶和華對基甸說：「我要用這舔水的三百人拯救你們，將米甸人交在你手中；其餘的人都可以各歸各處去。」 8 這三百人就帶着食物和角；其餘的以色列人，基甸都打發他們各歸各的帳棚，只留下這三百人。米甸營在他下邊的平原裏。
9 當那夜，耶和華吩咐基甸說：「起來，下到米甸營裏去，因我已將他們交在你手中。 10 倘若你怕下去，就帶你的僕人普拉下到那營裏去。 11 你必聽見他們所說的，然後你就有膽量下去攻營。」於是基甸帶着僕人普拉下到營旁。 12 米甸人、亞瑪力人，和一切東方人都布散在平原，如同蝗蟲那樣多。他們的駱駝無數，多如海邊的沙。 13 基甸到了，就聽見一人將夢告訴同伴說：「我做了一夢，夢見一個大麥餅滾入米甸營中，到了帳幕，將帳幕撞倒，帳幕就翻轉傾覆了。」 14 那同伴說：「這不是別的，乃是以色列人約阿施的兒子基甸的刀；上帝已將米甸和全軍都交在他的手中。」15 基甸聽見這夢和夢的講解，就敬拜上帝，回到以色列營中，說：「起來吧！耶和華已將米甸的軍隊交在你們手中了。」 16 於是基甸將三百人分作三隊，把角和空瓶交在各人手裏（瓶內都藏着火把）， 17 吩咐他們說：「你們要看我行事：我到了營的旁邊怎樣行，你們也要怎樣行。 18 我和一切跟隨我的人吹角的時候，你們也要在營的四圍吹角，喊叫說：『耶和華和基甸的刀！』」19 基甸和跟隨他的一百人，在三更之初才換更的時候，來到營旁，就吹角，打破手中的瓶。 20 三隊的人就都吹角，打破瓶子，左手拿着火把，右手拿着角，喊叫說：「耶和華和基甸的刀！」 21 他們在營的四圍各站各的地方；全營的人都亂竄。三百人吶喊，使他們逃跑。 22 三百人就吹角，耶和華使全營的人用刀互相擊殺，逃到西利拉的伯哈示他，直逃到靠近他巴的亞伯米何拉。 23 以色列人就從拿弗他利、亞設，和瑪拿西全地聚集來追趕米甸人。24 基甸打發人走遍以法蓮山地，說：「你們下來攻擊米甸人，爭先把守約旦河的渡口，直到伯巴拉。」於是以法蓮的眾人聚集，把守約旦河的渡口，直到伯巴拉， 25 捉住了米甸人的兩個首領：一名俄立，一名西伊伯；將俄立殺在俄立磐石上，將西伊伯殺在西伊伯酒醡那裏；又追趕米甸人，將俄立和西伊伯的首級帶過約旦河，到基甸那裏。(士師記七1-25)
1 Early in the morning, Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) and all his men camped at the spring of Harod. The camp of Midian was north of them in the valley near the hill of Moreh. 2 The Lord said to Gideon, “You have too many men. I cannot deliver Midian into their hands, or Israel would boast against me, ‘My own strength has saved me.’ 3 Now announce to the army, ‘Anyone who trembles with fear may turn back and leave Mount Gilead.’ ” So twenty-two thousand men left, while ten thousand remained.4 But the Lord said to Gideon, “There are still too many men. Take them down to the water, and I will thin them out for you there. If I say, ‘This one shall go with you,’ he shall go; but if I say, ‘This one shall not go with you,’ he shall not go.” 5 So Gideon took the men down to the water. There the Lord told him, “Separate those who lap the water with their tongues as a dog laps from those who kneel down to drink.” 6Three hundred of them drank from cupped hands, lapping like dogs. All the rest got down on their knees to drink. 7 The Lord said to Gideon, “With the three hundred men that lapped I will save you and give the Midianites into your hands. Let all the others go home.” 8 So Gideon sent the rest of the Israelites home but kept the three hundred, who took over the provisions and trumpets of the others. Now the camp of Midian lay below him in the valley.
9 During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. 10 If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11 and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 12 The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore. 13 Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.” 14 His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.” 15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” 16 Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. 17 “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’ ” 19 Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. 20 The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
22 When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. 23 Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. 25 They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan. (Judges 7:1-25)
9 During that night the Lord said to Gideon, “Get up, go down against the camp, because I am going to give it into your hands. 10 If you are afraid to attack, go down to the camp with your servant Purah 11 and listen to what they are saying. Afterward, you will be encouraged to attack the camp.” So he and Purah his servant went down to the outposts of the camp. 12 The Midianites, the Amalekites and all the other eastern peoples had settled in the valley, thick as locusts. Their camels could no more be counted than the sand on the seashore. 13 Gideon arrived just as a man was telling a friend his dream. “I had a dream,” he was saying. “A round loaf of barley bread came tumbling into the Midianite camp. It struck the tent with such force that the tent overturned and collapsed.” 14 His friend responded, “This can be nothing other than the sword of Gideon son of Joash, the Israelite. God has given the Midianites and the whole camp into his hands.” 15 When Gideon heard the dream and its interpretation, he bowed down and worshiped. He returned to the camp of Israel and called out, “Get up! The Lord has given the Midianite camp into your hands.” 16 Dividing the three hundred men into three companies, he placed trumpets and empty jars in the hands of all of them, with torches inside. 17 “Watch me,” he told them. “Follow my lead. When I get to the edge of the camp, do exactly as I do. 18When I and all who are with me blow our trumpets, then from all around the camp blow yours and shout, ‘For the Lord and for Gideon.’ ” 19 Gideon and the hundred men with him reached the edge of the camp at the beginning of the middle watch, just after they had changed the guard. They blew their trumpets and broke the jars that were in their hands. 20 The three companies blew the trumpets and smashed the jars. Grasping the torches in their left hands and holding in their right hands the trumpets they were to blow, they shouted, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” 21 While each man held his position around the camp, all the Midianites ran, crying out as they fled.
22 When the three hundred trumpets sounded, the Lord caused the men throughout the camp to turn on each other with their swords. The army fled to Beth Shittah toward Zererah as far as the border of Abel Meholah near Tabbath. 23 Israelites from Naphtali, Asher and all Manasseh were called out, and they pursued the Midianites. 24 Gideon sent messengers throughout the hill country of Ephraim, saying, “Come down against the Midianites and seize the waters of the Jordan ahead of them as far as Beth Barah.” So all the men of Ephraim were called out and they seized the waters of the Jordan as far as Beth Barah. 25 They also captured two of the Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb. They killed Oreb at the rock of Oreb, and Zeeb at the winepress of Zeeb. They pursued the Midianites and brought the heads of Oreb and Zeeb to Gideon, who was by the Jordan. (Judges 7:1-25)
敵人：米甸人
士師：基甸 (Gideon)
被欺壓時間：7年
國中太平時間：40年
分享：承接上星期的分享，我們繼續看看基甸的事蹟。從《士師記六》可見，基甸是一個總要看見才相信的士師，所以他多次向上帝求引證。出於上帝的憐憫，基甸從引證中慢慢建立起對上帝的信心來。到了《士師記七》，上帝希望基甸及以色列人知道一件事：上帝是他們唯一的依靠。於是上帝用了不同的方法，將行軍人數從32,000人減至300人。(在甄選的過程當中，上帝為基甸留下了300精兵。)
「總要看見」的基甸對於這一舉動有什麼感受呢？相信就算他心中會有不安、疑惑，也是人之常情吧。然而，這次經文沒有特別提及基甸的感受，他沒有與上帝爭論，也沒有求什麼引證，只是默默地照上帝的吩咐而行，跟前一章的基甸很不一樣。(士師記六13：基甸曾質疑上帝的同在；士師記六17、36-40：基甸向上帝求證據) 有趣的是，當今次基甸沒有求什麼時，上帝卻主動給他聽見敵人的夢，從而加強其爭戰的信心。
感謝上帝，因為祂知道我們的軟弱，並給予適時的幫助。人的責任就是盡力遵行上帝的旨意，不必爭論什麼、求什麼引證⋯⋯ 在最合適的時候，上帝就會給我們看見、聽見，也會按時成就祂奇妙的計劃。這就是基甸的信心經歷。此時此刻的基甸，很清楚知道得勝的秘訣，不在乎證據或人數，而是在乎他們的信心。
各位，今天我們也在打一場屬靈的爭戰，使徒約翰這樣說：「4 因為凡從上帝生的，就勝過世界；使我們勝了世界的，就是我們的信心。5 勝過世界的是誰呢？不是那信耶穌是上帝兒子的嗎？」(約翰壹書五1-5) 基甸的事蹟正好提醒我們：操練信心，方能得勝！
反思：你認為有什麼方法操練自己的信心？你又怎樣看屬靈的爭戰？
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢藉着基甸信心成長的經歷，再次提醒我們真正使人得勝的是對祢的信心！感謝祢在我們軟弱的時候，繼續給我們看見，操練我們的信心。但願今天我們都能以信心來打勝這一場屬靈的仗。以上禱告，奉主耶穌得勝的名求，阿們。
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