《信而順服》Day03
《順服祢的召命》
11 祭司以斯拉是通達耶和華誡命和賜以色列之律例的文士。亞達薛西王賜給他們諭旨，上面寫著說：12「諸王之王亞達薛西，達於祭司以斯拉通達天上神律法大德的文士，云云。13 住在我國中的以色列人、祭司、利未人，凡甘心上耶路撒冷去的，我降旨准他們與你同去……27 以斯拉說：「耶和華－我們列祖的神是應當稱頌的！因祂使王起這心意修飾耶路撒冷耶和華的殿，28 又在王和謀士，並大能的軍長面前施恩於我。因耶和華－我神的手幫助我，我就得以堅強，從以色列中招聚首領，與我一同上來。」(以斯拉記七11-13，27-28)
15 我招聚這些人在流入亞哈瓦的河邊，我們在那裏住了三日。我查看百姓和祭司，見沒有利未人在那裏，16 就召首領以利以謝、亞列、示瑪雅、以利拿單、雅立、以利拿單、拿單、撒迦利亞、米書蘭，又召教習約雅立和以利拿單。17 我打發他們往迦西斐雅地方去見那裏的首領易多，又告訴他們當向易多和他的弟兄尼提寧說甚麼話，叫他們為我們神的殿帶使用的人來。18 蒙我們神施恩的手幫助我們，他們在以色列的曾孫、利未的孫子、抹利的後裔中帶一個通達人來；還有示利比和他的眾子與弟兄共一十八人。19 又有哈沙比雅，同著他有米拉利的子孫耶篩亞，並他的眾子和弟兄共二十人。20 從前大衛和眾首領派尼提寧服事利未人，現在從這尼提寧中也帶了二百二十人來，都是按名指定的。(以斯拉記八15-20)
11 This is a copy of the letter King Artaxerxes had given to Ezra the priest, a teacher of the Law, a man learned in matters concerning the commands and decrees of the Lord for Israel: 12 Artaxerxes, king of kings, To Ezra the priest, teacher of the Law of the God of heaven: Greetings. 13 Now I decree that any of the Israelites in my kingdom, including priests and Levites, who volunteer to go to Jerusalem with you, may go…27 Praise be to the Lord, the God of our ancestors, who has put it into the king’s heart to bring honor to the house of the Lord in Jerusalem in this way 28 and who has extended His good favor to me before the king and his advisers and all the king’s powerful officials. Because the hand of the Lord my God was on me, I took courage and gathered leaders from Israel to go up with me. (Ezra 7:11-13, 27-28)
15 I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there. 16 So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning, 17 and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. 18 Because the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all; 19 and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, 20 in all. 20 They also brought 220 of the temple servants—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name. (Ezra 8:15-20)
15 I assembled them at the canal that flows toward Ahava, and we camped there three days. When I checked among the people and the priests, I found no Levites there. 16 So I summoned Eliezer, Ariel, Shemaiah, Elnathan, Jarib, Elnathan, Nathan, Zechariah and Meshullam, who were leaders, and Joiarib and Elnathan, who were men of learning, 17 and I ordered them to go to Iddo, the leader in Kasiphia. I told them what to say to Iddo and his fellow Levites, the temple servants in Kasiphia, so that they might bring attendants to us for the house of our God. 18 Because the gracious hand of our God was on us, they brought us Sherebiah, a capable man, from the descendants of Mahli son of Levi, the son of Israel, and Sherebiah’s sons and brothers, 18 in all; 19 and Hashabiah, together with Jeshaiah from the descendants of Merari, and his brothers and nephews, 20 in all. 20 They also brought 220 of the temple servants—a body that David and the officials had established to assist the Levites. All were registered by name. (Ezra 8:15-20)
分享：以斯拉的登場有點突兀：接續著前一章聖殿落成的獻殿禮和後來的逾越節，中間差約五十年，便指出波斯亞達薛西王期間有文士以斯拉，對摩西律法的通達，立志考究遵行神的律法，並將律例典章教與眾人，沒有花筆墨描述耶和華對其的呼召，只記「王允准他一切所求的，是因耶和華他神的手幫助他」(以斯拉記七6)。
以斯拉所記亞達薛西王降諭旨，其中一項便是准許其他甘心上耶路撒冷的以色列人、祭司和利未人，可與以斯拉同去；又記這些人可免進貢、交課和納稅。(參以斯拉記七11-26) 然而，王的諭旨卻沒有發揮作用，最初並沒有利未人受召表示要回歸。以斯拉要打發好些首領和教習，又指導當說的話，才召得利未人示利比等一同上耶路撒冷。(參以斯拉記八15-19) 經文上沒有記載所謂當說的是甚麼，但在以斯拉的記載中，他多番強調王的下旨是因著耶和華神的出手幫助，這亦讓他能堅強的招聚以色列的首領；後來成功召得利未人，也是出自神。
以斯拉在記述中加入王的諭旨，更多的是強調神使王幫助他；最後他和利未人順服召命也是回應神，與王的命令和下旨無關。
事實上，當時的情勢是聖殿已於五十年前重建，但徒有敬拜的地方，律例典章還未完全恢復。所以通達摩西律法的以斯拉受感召，而應作祭司的利未人自然也受神所召以重申律例典章。「不是你們揀選了我，是我揀選了你們，並且分派你們去結果子，叫你們的果子常存，使你們奉我的名，無論向父求甚麼，他就賜給你們。」(約翰福音十五16)
今天，你會如何回應神給你的召命？會否不自覺地以屬世的眼光，又或按著個人喜好作回應神召命的考量？楊錫鏘牧師曾說：「人生的召命，就是領受從神而來的禮物。而這份禮物的意義就是我們能仰賴神。」
反思：順服神給我的召命，這如何能讓我仰賴神呢？
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢透過以斯拉和利未人的召命，讓我思想到是祢先㨂選了我，我們才能結果子。就讓我敏感和順服祢給我的使命，見到祢給我的幫助，時時刻刻仰賴祢。奉主名求，阿們。
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