《士師vs自私》Day 07
終結不好的基甸
22 以色列人對基甸說：「你既救我們脫離米甸人的手，願你和你的兒孫管理我們。」23 基甸說：「我不管理你們，我的兒子也不管理你們，惟有耶和華管理你們。」24 基甸又對他們說：「我有一件事求你們：請你們各人將所奪的耳環給我。」（原來仇敵是以實瑪利人，都是戴金耳環的。）25 他們說：「我們情願給你」，就鋪開一件外衣，各人將所奪的耳環丟在其上。26 基甸所要出來的金耳環重一千七百舍客勒金子。此外還有米甸王所戴的月環、耳墜，和所穿的紫色衣服，並駱駝項上的金鍊子。27 基甸以此製造了一個以弗得，設立在本城俄弗拉。後來以色列人拜那以弗得行了邪淫；這就作了基甸和他全家的網羅。28 這樣，米甸人被以色列人制伏了，不敢再抬頭。基甸還在的日子，國中太平四十年。
29 約阿施的兒子耶路巴力回去，住在自己家裏。30 基甸有七十個親生的兒子，因為他有許多的妻。31 他的妾住在示劍，也給他生了一個兒子。基甸與他起名叫亞比米勒。32 約阿施的兒子基甸，年紀老邁而死，葬在亞比以謝族的俄弗拉，在他父親約阿施的墳墓裏。33 基甸死後，以色列人又去隨從諸巴力行邪淫，以巴力比利土為他們的神。34 以色列人不記念耶和華－他們的上帝，就是拯救他們脫離四圍仇敵之手的，35 也不照著耶路巴力，就是基甸向他們所施的恩惠厚待他的家。(士師記八22-35)
22 The Israelites said to Gideon, “Rule over us—you, your son and your grandson—because you have saved us from the hand of Midian.” 23 But Gideon told them, “I will not rule over you, nor will my son rule over you. The Lord will rule over you.” 24And he said, “I do have one request, that each of you give me an earring from your share of the plunder.” (It was the custom of the Ishmaelites to wear gold earrings.) 25 They answered, “We’ll be glad to give them.” So they spread out a garment, and each of them threw a ring from his plunder onto it. 26 The weight of the gold rings he asked for came to seventeen hundred shekels, not counting the ornaments, the pendants and the purple garments worn by the kings of Midian or the chains that were on their camels’ necks. 27 Gideon made the gold into an ephod, which he placed in Ophrah, his town. All Israel prostituted themselves by worshiping it there, and it became a snare to Gideon and his family. 28 Thus Midian was subdued before the Israelites and did not raise its head again. During Gideon’s lifetime, the land had peace forty years.
29 Jerub-Baal son of Joash went back home to live. 30 He had seventy sons of his own, for he had many wives. 31 His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelek. 32 Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33 No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god 34 and did not remember the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. 35 They also failed to show any loyalty to the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) in spite of all the good things he had done for them. (Judges 8:22-35)
29 Jerub-Baal son of Joash went back home to live. 30 He had seventy sons of his own, for he had many wives. 31 His concubine, who lived in Shechem, also bore him a son, whom he named Abimelek. 32 Gideon son of Joash died at a good old age and was buried in the tomb of his father Joash in Ophrah of the Abiezrites. 33 No sooner had Gideon died than the Israelites again prostituted themselves to the Baals. They set up Baal-Berith as their god 34 and did not remember the Lord their God, who had rescued them from the hands of all their enemies on every side. 35 They also failed to show any loyalty to the family of Jerub-Baal (that is, Gideon) in spite of all the good things he had done for them. (Judges 8:22-35)
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：靠着上帝，基甸勇銳地帶領300人戰勝米甸大軍。基甸已經不再是那個藏在酒醡那裏打麥子的弱者，而是拯救以色列的士師。打勝仗後，以色列人希望基甸管理他們 (大概是想擁立基甸為王，並設立世襲的君王體制)，但基甸知道這是不對的，並非常屬靈地說：「唯有耶和華管理你們」。多麼正確的一句話，大概以色列就是需要更多這樣的屬靈人。
然而，基甸隨即要求各人將所奪的耳環給他，因為他要做一個以弗得 (以弗得是神聖的衣服，只有大祭司方可穿戴的衣服)。基甸在製造以弗得這件事上，沒有求問上帝之餘，更犯了至少三個錯誤：1. 他不是利未人，實在無權擔任祭司職務；2. 以弗得應是藍布作成，不是金子；3. 將崇拜地點設在自己家鄉俄弗拉。最終，這舉動成為了他全家的網羅⋯⋯
各位，基甸本來不太相信上帝，但出於上帝的憐憫，他多次「看見」上帝的大能，然後更成為拯救以色列的英雄。他更被稱為耶路巴力 (意：他拆毀巴力的壇，讓巴力與他爭論)，最後卻因為一個以弗得，讓他的人生不能劃上完美的句號，更影響了他的家、國。多厲害的人物，也不要掉以輕心。
我很喜歡一本書叫做《Why Great Men Fall》裡面的一句話：Success is often followed by failure. Yesterday's victory doesn't win today's battle. (意譯：失敗常常緊隨著成功。昨日的勝利不代表今天必勝。) 各位，也許我們的生命開始得好，又或許我們今天仍然忠心跟主走，但請緊記，最重要是走到最後都要終結得好。請不要掉以輕心，因為魔鬼總是埋伏在我們附近呢。
反思：你今天的生命走得如何？做什麼才可以做到終結得好？
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢透過基甸的失敗作為我們的鑑戒。求祢幫助我們在生活中保持謙卑、避免驕傲、時刻依靠祢。當我們面對困難和挑戰時，求祢賜給我們信心和勇氣；當我們經歷拯救和祝福後，求祢提醒我們向祢獻上感謝和讚美。以上禱告，奉主耶穌得勝的名求，阿們。
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