《寄居者的見證》Day04
《見證是按神的義來禱告》
1 大流士隨心所願，立一百二十個總督，治理通國。2 又在他們以上立總長三人 (但以理在其中) ，使總督在他們三人面前回覆事務，免得王受虧損。3 因這但以理有美好的靈性，所以顯然超乎其餘的總長和總督，王又想立他治理通國。4 那時，總長和總督尋找但以理誤國的把柄，為要參他；只是找不著他的錯誤過失，因他忠心辦事，毫無錯誤過失。5 那些人便說：「我們要找參這但以理的把柄，除非在他神的律法中就尋不著。」6 於是，總長和總督紛紛聚集來見王，說：「願大流士王萬歲！7 國中的總長、欽差、總督、謀士，和巡撫彼此商議，要立一條堅定的禁令，三十日內，不拘何人，若在王以外，或向神或向人求甚麼，就必扔在獅子坑中。8 王啊，現在求你立這禁令，加蓋玉璽，使禁令決不更改；照米底亞和波斯人的例是不可更改的。」9 於是大流士王立這禁令，加蓋玉璽。10 但以理知道這禁令蓋了玉璽，就到自己家裏（他樓上的窗戶開向耶路撒冷），一日三次，雙膝跪在他神面前，禱告感謝，與素常一樣。 (但以理書六1-10)
1 米底亞族亞哈隨魯的兒子大流士立為迦勒底國的王元年，2 就是他在位第一年，我－但以理從書上得知耶和華的話臨到先知耶利米，論耶路撒冷荒涼的年數，七十年為滿。3 我便禁食，披麻蒙灰，定意向主神祈禱懇求。4 我向耶和華－我的神祈禱、認罪，說：「主啊，大而可畏的神，向愛主、守主誡命的人守約施慈愛⋯⋯ 15 主－我們的神啊，祢曾用大能的手領你的子民出埃及地，使自己得了名，正如今日一樣。我們犯了罪，作了惡。16 主啊，求祢按祢的大仁大義，使祢的怒氣和忿怒轉離祢的城耶路撒冷，就是祢的聖山。耶路撒冷和祢的子民，因我們的罪惡和我們列祖的罪孽被四圍的人羞辱。17 我們的神啊，現在求祢垂聽僕人的祈禱懇求，為自己使臉光照你荒涼的聖所。18 我的神啊，求祢側耳而聽，睜眼而看，眷顧我們荒涼之地和稱為祢名下的城。我們在祢面前懇求，原不是因自己的義，乃因祢的大憐憫。19 求主垂聽，求主赦免，求主應允而行，為祢自己不要遲延。我的神啊，因這城和這民都是稱為祢名下的。」(但以理書九1-4，15-19)
1 It pleased Darius to appoint 120 satraps to rule throughout the kingdom, 2 with three administrators over them, one of whom was Daniel. The satraps were made accountable to them so that the king might not suffer loss. 3 Now Daniel so distinguished himself among the administrators and the satraps by his exceptional qualities that the king planned to set him over the whole kingdom. 4 At this, the administrators and the satraps tried to find grounds for charges against Daniel in his conduct of government affairs, but they were unable to do so. They could find no corruption in him, because he was trustworthy and neither corrupt nor negligent. 5 Finally these men said, “We will never find any basis for charges against this man Daniel unless it has something to do with the law of his God.” 6 So these administrators and satraps went as a group to the king and said: “May King Darius live forever! 7 The royal administrators, prefects, satraps, advisers and governors have all agreed that the king should issue an edict and enforce the decree that anyone who prays to any god or human being during the next thirty days, except to you, Your Majesty, shall be thrown into the lions’ den. 8 Now, Your Majesty, issue the decree and put it in writing so that it cannot be altered—in accordance with the law of the Medes and Persians, which cannot be repealed.” 9 So King Darius put the decree in writing. 10 Now when Daniel learned that the decree had been published, he went home to his upstairs room where the windows opened toward Jerusalem. Three times a day he got down on his knees and prayed, giving thanks to his God, just as he had done before. (Daniel 6:1-10)
In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments... 15 “Now, Lord our God, who brought Your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for Yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16 Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, turn away Your anger and Your wrath from Jerusalem, Your city, Your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and Your people an object of scorn to all those around us. 17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on Your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, our God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your Name. We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. 19 Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your Name.” (Daniel 9:1-4, 15-19)
In the first year of Darius son of Xerxes (a Mede by descent), who was made ruler over the Babylonian kingdom— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, understood from the Scriptures, according to the word of the Lord given to Jeremiah the prophet, that the desolation of Jerusalem would last seventy years. 3 So I turned to the Lord God and pleaded with him in prayer and petition, in fasting, and in sackcloth and ashes. 4 I prayed to the Lord my God and confessed: “Lord, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments... 15 “Now, Lord our God, who brought Your people out of Egypt with a mighty hand and who made for Yourself a name that endures to this day, we have sinned, we have done wrong. 16 Lord, in keeping with all Your righteous acts, turn away Your anger and Your wrath from Jerusalem, Your city, Your holy hill. Our sins and the iniquities of our ancestors have made Jerusalem and Your people an object of scorn to all those around us. 17 “Now, our God, hear the prayers and petitions of Your servant. For your sake, Lord, look with favor on Your desolate sanctuary. 18 Give ear, our God, and hear; open Your eyes and see the desolation of the city that bears Your Name. We do not make requests of You because we are righteous, but because of Your great mercy. 19 Lord, listen! Lord, forgive! Lord, hear and act! For Your sake, my God, do not delay, because Your city and Your people bear Your Name.” (Daniel 9:1-4, 15-19)
分享：但以理在獅子坑髮毫無損是一個大家尤為喜歡傳頌的故事，但還記得這事是始於一些嫉妒但以理的人，利用但以理一日三次向神禱告來設下的死亡陷阱嗎？
大利烏王在其他總長的慫恿下，立下若三十日內向王以外的神或人祈求，便要扔到獅子坑的禁令。身為政府的要員，但以理自然知道這項禁令，甚至洞悉這是除掉他的一個陷阱，但他還是在開向耶路撒冷的窗前「一日三次雙膝在他神面前，禱告感謝，與素常一樣。」(但以理書六10)，這才引發後來的獅子坑神蹟。
這個故事發生在但以理八十多歲的時候，經文中提到他「與素常一樣」一日三次禱告感謝神；第二章經文曾記載少年但以理面對為王解夢的死亡任務，仍在禱告裡稱頌神的大能。(參二19-23）這可見但以理維持了禱告的習慣已數十年。
值得注意的是，但以理的禱告並不單單是當代人理解的那樣，在神、在王前的「祈禱懇求」，更是有肯定耶和華的大而可畏、公義，向愛神守誡命的人守約施慈愛，是自先祖以來的唯一救贖 (參但以理書九)。就是這種認知，讓但以理能發出讓神再次眷顧荒涼的耶路撒冷和流散的子民的祈求，「我們在祢面前懇求，原不是因自己的義，乃因祢的大憐憫。」(但以理書九18) 這裡說出了祈禱懇求是出自神的義，所以他能抓著神的應許和話語作懇求。正如主耶穌告誡我們：「你們若常在我裏面，我的話也常在你們裏面，凡你們所願意的，祈求，就給你們成就。」(約翰福音十五7)
原本隨心所願的大利烏王剛領略到因著自己的法令帶來的無可奈何，馬上又見證到但以理素常禱告事奉的神，能突破常理，救義人脫困於獅子口。難怪王要降旨全國人民都要敬畏神。 (參但以理書六)
行動：我最近向神祈求甚麼事？這出於祂的教導、合乎祂的義嗎？若不是，請為此重新禱告。
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢藉著但以理的故事，讓我們見證到以祢的義和話語來禱告的重要。就讓我們寄居在地，以禱告為常，以祢的話為應許，經歷祢要我們成就的事。奉主名求，阿們！
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