《誰坐著為王？》Day01
《誰是掌權的王？》
1 掃羅死後，大衛擊殺亞瑪力人回來，在洗革拉住了兩天。 2 第三天，有一人從掃羅的營裏出來，衣服撕裂，頭蒙灰塵，到大衛面前伏地叩拜。 3 大衛問他說：「你從哪裏來？」他說：「我從以色列的營裏逃來。」 4 大衛又問他說：「事情怎樣？請你告訴我。」他回答說：「百姓從陣上逃跑，也有許多人仆倒死亡；掃羅和他兒子約拿單也死了。」 5 大衛問報信的少年人說：「你怎麼知道掃羅和他兒子約拿單死了呢？」 6 報信的少年人說：「我偶然到基利波山，看見掃羅伏在自己槍上，有戰車、馬兵緊緊地追他。 7 他回頭看見我，就呼叫我。我說：『我在這裏。』 8 他問我說：『你是甚麼人？』我說：『我是亞瑪力人。』 9 他說：『請你來，將我殺死；因為痛苦抓住我，我的生命尚存。』 10 我準知他仆倒必不能活，就去將他殺死，把他頭上的冠冕、臂上的鐲子拿到我主這裏。」11 大衛就撕裂衣服，跟隨他的人也是如此， 12 而且悲哀哭號，禁食到晚上，是因掃羅和他兒子約拿單，並耶和華的民以色列家的人，倒在刀下。 13 大衛問報信的少年人說：「你是哪裏的人？」他說：「我是亞瑪力客人的兒子。」 14 大衛說：「你伸手殺害耶和華的受膏者，怎麼不畏懼呢？」 15 大衛叫了一個少年人來，說：「你去殺他吧！」 16 大衛對他說：「你流人血的罪歸到自己的頭上，因為你親口作見證說：『我殺了耶和華的受膏者。』」少年人就把他殺了。(撒母耳記下一1-16)
1 此後，大衛問耶和華說：「我上猶大的一個城去可以嗎？」耶和華說：「可以。」大衛說：「我上哪一個城去呢？」耶和華說：「上希伯崙去。」 2 於是大衛和他的兩個妻－一個是耶斯列人亞希暖，一個是作過迦密人拿八妻的亞比該－都上那裏去了。 3 大衛也將跟隨他的人和他們各人的眷屬一同帶上去，住在希伯崙的城邑中。 4 猶大人來到希伯崙，在那裏膏大衛作猶大家的王。有人告訴大衛說：「葬埋掃羅的是基列‧雅比人。」 5 大衛就差人去見基列‧雅比人，對他們說：「你們厚待你們的主－掃羅，將他葬埋。願耶和華賜福與你們！ 6 你們既行了這事，願耶和華以慈愛誠實待你們，我也要為此厚待你們。 7 現在你們的主－掃羅死了，猶大家已經膏我作他們的王，所以你們要剛強奮勇。」(撒母耳記下二1-7)
1 After the death of Saul, David returned from striking down the Amalekites and stayed in Ziklag two days. 2 On the third day a man arrived from Saul’s camp with his clothes torn and dust on his head. When he came to David, he fell to the ground to pay him honor. 3 “Where have you come from?” David asked him. He answered, “I have escaped from the Israelite camp.” 4 “What happened?” David asked. “Tell me.” “The men fled from the battle,” he replied. “Many of them fell and died. And Saul and his son Jonathan are dead.” 5 Then David said to the young man who brought him the report, “How do you know that Saul and his son Jonathan are dead?” 6“I happened to be on Mount Gilboa,” the young man said, “and there was Saul, leaning on his spear, with the chariots and their drivers in hot pursuit. 7When he turned around and saw me, he called out to me, and I said, ‘What can I do?’ 8“He asked me, ‘Who are you?’ “ ‘An Amalekite,’ I answered. 9“Then he said to me, ‘Stand here by me and kill me! I’m in the throes of death, but I’m still alive.’ 10“So I stood beside him and killed him, because I knew that after he had fallen he could not survive. And I took the crown that was on his head and the band on his arm and have brought them here to my lord.” 11 Then David and all the men with him took hold of their clothes and tore them. 12They mourned and wept and fasted till evening for Saul and his son Jonathan, and for the army of the Lord and for the nation of Israel, because they had fallen by the sword. 13 David said to the young man who brought him the report, “Where are you from?” “I am the son of a foreigner, an Amalekite,” he answered. 14 David asked him, “Why weren’t you afraid to lift your hand to destroy the Lord’s anointed?” 15 Then David called one of his men and said, “Go, strike him down!” So he struck him down, and he died. 16 For David had said to him, “Your blood be on your own head. Your own mouth testified against you when you said, ‘I killed the Lord’s anointed.’ ” (2 Samuel 1:1-16)
1 In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The Lord said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered. 2 So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns. 4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah. When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul, 5 he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The Lord bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. 6May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. 7 Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.” (2 Samuel 2:1-7)
1 In the course of time, David inquired of the Lord. “Shall I go up to one of the towns of Judah?” he asked. The Lord said, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go?” “To Hebron,” the Lord answered. 2 So David went up there with his two wives, Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail, the widow of Nabal of Carmel. 3 David also took the men who were with him, each with his family, and they settled in Hebron and its towns. 4 Then the men of Judah came to Hebron, and there they anointed David king over the tribe of Judah. When David was told that it was the men from Jabesh Gilead who had buried Saul, 5 he sent messengers to them to say to them, “The Lord bless you for showing this kindness to Saul your master by burying him. 6May the Lord now show you kindness and faithfulness, and I too will show you the same favor because you have done this. 7 Now then, be strong and brave, for Saul your master is dead, and the people of Judah have anointed me king over them.” (2 Samuel 2:1-7)
分享：上星期我們看了大衛作王前的事蹟，假若我形容大衛是一個「敬畏上帝、遵守命令」的人，大概沒有人會反對。然而，最難得的是：他在作王時仍能持守這樣的生命。
《撒母耳記下》一開始記載了大衛從一個少年人口中得知掃羅的死訊，大衛的反應是「撕裂衣服」、「悲哀哭號，禁食到晚上」(參撒下一11-12) 面對一個多番追殺自己的人，而大衛又深知道自己是下一任王，對於掃羅的死卻有這樣悲痛的反應，並不尋常。而且，他之後更寫了一首哀歌來哀弔掃羅和他兒子約拿單。(參撒下一17-27)
然後，在成王之路上再無阻礙的大衛，仍虛心求問上帝接下來的行動。(參撒下二1；另參撒下五17-25：大衛正式作王後仍能虛心求問並跟隨上帝。) 當大衛被猶大人膏為王時，他依然保持謙卑，並且向那些埋葬掃羅的基列雅比人表達感激。(參撒下二4-6) 大衛沒有藉著成為猶大王來顯示權勢，反而繼續展現出對掃羅的尊敬與對百姓的關愛。從以上各種舉動可見，大衛清楚知道一件事：上帝才是真正掌權的王！掃羅是上帝揀選的，自己也只不過是上帝所揀選的。對大衛來說，以色列王是萬人之上，一神之下。作了王的大衛竟沒有被地位的轉變影響，仍能尊神為大，實屬難得！(跟掃羅的自大截然不同。)
大家都應該聽過標籤效應 (Labelling Effect) 吧？我們所擁有的身份、地位、角色，會不知覺地影響我們的行為舉止。大衛卻沒有被「王」的標籤影響而變得自大，或許是因為他很清楚自己另一個標籤：他是主的羊，耶和華是他的牧者。(參詩廿三1) 今天，我們是自己人生的王，很多事情都掌握在自己手中。然而，仍然要記得：我們也是在一神之下，祂是我們的牧者，帶領我們往前走！
誰是掌權的王？主，是祢！
反思：你認為自己有多敬畏上帝？大衛虛心求問並跟隨神的見證，給你什麼提醒？
禱告：親愛的天父，求祢赦免我們自高的罪。還記得在我們決志信主時，已立志將生命的主權交給祢。這是一個蒙福的決定，因為唯有祢的帶領是最好的！求祢叫我們學習大衛，以祢為王，一生緊緊地跟著祢走！以上禱告，奉主耶穌得勝的名求，阿們。
Posted in CGCEp16