《剎那間的光輝不代表永恆》Day 02
提防沉醉於剎那間的勝利：掃羅僭越獻祭
5 非利士人集合，要與以色列人作戰。他們有戰車三萬輛，騎兵六千，士兵像海邊的沙那樣多。他們上來，在伯‧亞文東邊的密抹安營。6 以色列人見自己危急，軍隊被圍攻，百姓就藏在山洞、叢林、巖隙、地窖和深坑中。7 有些希伯來人過了約旦河，逃到迦得和基列地。掃羅還在吉甲，所有的人都戰戰兢兢地跟隨他。8 掃羅照著撒母耳所定的日期等了七日。但是，撒母耳還沒有來到吉甲，百姓就離開掃羅散去了。9 於是掃羅說：「把燔祭和平安祭帶到我這裏來。」掃羅就獻上燔祭。10 他剛獻完燔祭，看哪，撒母耳就到了。掃羅出去迎接他，向他問安。11 撒母耳說：「你做了甚麼事啊？」掃羅說：「因為我見百姓離開我散去，你又不照所定的日期來到，而且非利士人已在密抹集合；12 我說：『現在非利士人已經下到吉甲來攻擊我，可是我還沒有向耶和華禱告。』所以我就勉強獻上燔祭。」13 撒母耳對掃羅說：「你做了糊塗事了，沒有遵守耶和華－你神吩咐你的命令。不然，耶和華會在以色列中堅立你的國度，直到永遠。14 現在你的國度必不長久。耶和華已經尋著一個合他心意的人，立他作百姓的君王，因為你沒有遵守耶和華所吩咐你的。」15撒母耳就起來，從吉甲上到便雅憫的基比亞。(撒母耳記上十三5-15．和修)
5 The Philistines assembled to fight Israel, with three thousand chariots, six thousand charioteers, and soldiers as numerous as the sand on the seashore. They went up and camped at Mikmash, east of Beth Aven. 6 When the Israelites saw that their situation was critical and that their army was hard pressed, they hid in caves and thickets, among the rocks, and in pits and cisterns. 7 Some Hebrews even crossed the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead. Saul remained at Gilgal, and all the troops with him were quaking with fear. 8 He waited seven days, the time set by Samuel; but Samuel did not come to Gilgal, and Saul’s men began to scatter. 9 So he said, “Bring me the burnt offering and the fellowship offerings.” And Saul offered up the burnt offering. 10 Just as he finished making the offering, Samuel arrived, and Saul went out to greet him. 11 “What have you done?” asked Samuel. Saul replied, “When I saw that the men were scattering, and that you did not come at the set time, and that the Philistines were assembling at Mikmash, 12 I thought, ‘Now the Philistines will come down against me at Gilgal, and I have not sought the Lord’s favor.’ So I felt compelled to offer the burnt offering.” 13 “You have done a foolish thing,” Samuel said. “You have not kept the command the Lord your God gave you; if you had, he would have established your kingdom over Israel for all time. 14 But now your kingdom will not endure; the Lord has sought out a man after his own heart and appointed him ruler of his people, because you have not kept the Lord’s command.”
15 Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.
15 Then Samuel left Gilgal and went up to Gibeah in Benjamin, and Saul counted the men who were with him. They numbered about six hundred.
分享：在《撒母耳記上十一8-15》，受膏後的掃羅領以色列人打敗了亞捫人，確實打了漂亮的第一仗。然而，勝利喜悅卻沒有令他更依靠神，反而令他沉醉勝利而漸漸產生自滿，亦由倚靠神轉向相信自己的力量。故此當要再與非利士人爭戰時，掃羅很明顯輕視對手而缺乏充足的準備。經文刻意標明非利士人有戰車三萬，馬兵六千，步兵像海邊的沙，結果掃羅和以色列百姓就被眼前的戰況嚇怕，內心充滿恐懼顫抖。這刻，他們將幫助百姓克服恐懼的寄託就全都放在神身上。所以他們一直等著撒母耳前來獻祭。可是，等了七天，仍未見撒母耳，百姓紛紛離開之際，掃羅為安撫百姓，就妄顧神的命令，不等撒母耳來到，用自己的方法勉強獻祭。
還記得只有亞倫的後代才可以當祭司。神設立利未人，就是專門辦理屬神的事務，而且獻祭絕不能馬虎，不然就會被懲罰，就如當年亞倫的兒子拿答和亞比戶用凡火獻祭，即時有火從神面前把他們燒滅。(參利未記十1-3)
這場獻祭明顯是僭越了祭祀的職分，被勝利沖昏的掃羅為要立即解決眼前的險境而靠自己獻祭來穩定軍心。這絕對是無視神的命令，敷衍獻祭。及後，在《撒母耳記上十四1-23》記述，當約拿單他們進入敵人陣地，使他們大亂時，同時間掃羅開始吩咐祭司亞希亞將神的約櫃運了來。而當掃羅看見非利士營中大亂，他就對祭司亞希亞說「停手吧！」然後和集合跟隨他的百姓來到戰場。這刻的「停手吧﹗」正表達他不再需要獻祭和向神求問了。歸納以上的兩件事，我們看到他早已不相信神，而是倚靠自己。沉醉於勝利令一個原本謙卑依靠神的掃羅變成了狂妄自大的人。
當燃點經歷第五個年頭，我們不斷成長，甚至能進入獨立階段。除了是神的祝福，也是每一位信徒用心服事的成果。只是，我們是否也會有一種錯覺，獨立就是完成功課，可以畢業了呢？當我們像掃羅一樣只沉醉於過往的勝利，我們就變得自滿自大，甚至無視當初神給我們本應要盡的職份。《箴言十八12》：「敗壞之先，人心驕傲；要得尊榮，先有謙卑。」讓我們千萬要小心這個勝利的糖衣陷阱。
各位，燃點獨立，只是另一個開始，就如保羅提醒：「13 弟兄們，我不是以為自己已經得著了；我只有一件事，就是忘記背後，努力面前的，14 向著標竿直跑，要得神在基督耶穌裏從上面召我來得的獎賞。」(腓立比書三13-14) 讓我們持守初心，繼續向新的階段邁進。
反思：你經常懷緬過去風光的日子，還是不斷突破向前呢？
禱告：親愛的主耶穌，感謝祢讓我們嘗到勝利的滋味，但也求祢使我們保持醒覺，不要因沉醉於眼前剎那間的光輝，就沾沾自喜，變得自大。求祢繼續教導和督責我們，好讓我們一直能成為合用的器皿，為祢繼續向標竿奔跑。奉主名求，阿們。
Posted in CGCEp14