《撒母耳的多重角色》Day 03
造王者撒母耳？ — 耶和華才是王
那時，以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行。(士師記廿一25)
12 你們見亞捫人的王拿轄來攻擊你們，就對我說：『我們定要一個王治理我們。』其實耶和華－你們的神是你們的王。13 現在，你們所求所選的王在這裏。看哪，耶和華已經為你們立王了。14 你們若敬畏耶和華，事奉祂，聽從祂的話，不違背祂的命令，你們和治理你們的王也都順從耶和華－你們的神就好了。15 倘若不聽從耶和華的話，違背祂的命令，耶和華的手必攻擊你們，像從前攻擊你們列祖一樣。（撒母耳記上十二12-15）
6 耶和華使人死，也使人活，使人下陰間，也使人往上升。
7 祂使人貧窮，也使人富足，使人卑微，也使人高貴。8 祂從灰塵裏抬舉貧寒人，從糞堆中提拔窮乏人，使他們與王子同坐，得著榮耀的座位。地的柱子屬於耶和華；祂將世界立在其上。(撒母耳記上二6-8)
In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as they saw fit. (Judges 21:25)
12 “But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king. 13 Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you fear the Lord and serve and obey Him and do not rebel against His commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God—good! 15 But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against His commands, His hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors. (1 Samuel 12:12-15)
6 “The Lord brings death and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and raises up. 7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. 8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them He has set the world. (1 Samuel 2:6-8)
12 “But when you saw that Nahash king of the Ammonites was moving against you, you said to me, ‘No, we want a king to rule over us’—even though the Lord your God was your king. 13 Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the Lord has set a king over you. 14 If you fear the Lord and serve and obey Him and do not rebel against His commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God—good! 15 But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against His commands, His hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors. (1 Samuel 12:12-15)
6 “The Lord brings death and makes alive; He brings down to the grave and raises up. 7 The Lord sends poverty and wealth; He humbles and He exalts. 8 He raises the poor from the dust and lifts the needy from the ash heap; He seats them with princes and has them inherit a throne of honor. “For the foundations of the earth are the Lord’s; on them He has set the world. (1 Samuel 2:6-8)
分享：撒母耳另一個最為人熟知的角色便是膏抹了掃羅和大衞兩個王，在當時人的眼中他是一個造王者。然而，大家看到耶和華神才是背後掌權的那位嗎？
當撒母耳年老，以色列人不要撒母耳的兒子接續作士師，要他立一個王治理他們。神卻說百姓不是厭棄撒母耳，乃是厭棄祂。結果撒母耳便按著神的指引先膏立了掃羅王，後來又按神的提示膏了耶西的小兒子大衛為王。其中耶西較年長的七個兒子戲劇性地先後經過，又被認為「這都不是耶和華揀選的」，指出「耶和華不像人看人：人是看外貌；耶和華是看內心。」(撒上十六7下) 一切皆明確地顯示出神引領著整個挑選和膏立王的過程。
然而，人總是傾向看到眼前的、可觸及的依靠，以色列人如此，掃羅王也是如此。沒有滅盡亞瑪力人的掃羅並不重視被耶和華厭棄的後果，反而只抓著代神膏立他的撒母耳，要他在百姓和長老前抬舉他。(參撒上十五)
《士師記》最後總結：「那時，以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行。」(廿一25) 撒母耳更清晰的點出這個總結的要義：「耶和華你們的神是你們的王」(撒上十二12下) 但人卻是看不到；現在耶和華為以色列人立王，所以不管百姓和君王，也要順從神，不要違背他的命令。
大家還記得撒母耳的母親哈拿嗎？她將兒子歸與耶和華後，便禱告：「耶和華使人死，也使人活，使人下陰間，也使人往上升。祂使人貧窮，也使人富足，使人卑微，也使人高貴。祂從灰塵裏抬舉貧寒人，從糞堆中提拔窮乏人，使他們與王子同坐，得著榮耀的座位⋯⋯」（撒上二6-8）
神才是背後掌權的那位，讓我們不要自高，不要看自己過於所當看的；也不要將人抬舉成神，只單單依靠那使人貧窮、使人富足、使人卑微、使人高貴的神。
反思：我知道神是王嗎？我有讓神作王嗎？
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢透過今天的靈修，提醒我祢是我的王。就讓我不要自高、不要將他人抬舉成神，讓祢作我生命真正的主宰和王。奉主名求，阿們。
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