《信而順服》Day04
《困境中先順服》
1 這事做完了，眾首領來見我，說：「以色列民和祭司並利未人，沒有離絕迦南人、赫人、比利洗人、耶布斯人、亞捫人、摩押人、埃及人、亞摩利人，仍效法這些國的民，行可憎的事。2 因他們為自己和兒子娶了這些外邦女子為妻，以致聖潔的種類和這些國的民混雜；而且首領和官長在這事上為罪魁。」3 我一聽見這事，就撕裂衣服和外袍，拔了頭髮和鬍鬚，驚懼憂悶而坐。4 凡為以色列神言語戰兢的，都因這被擄歸回之人所犯的罪聚集到我這裏來。我就驚懼憂悶而坐，直到獻晚祭的時候。5 獻晚祭的時候我起來，心中愁苦，穿著撕裂的衣袍，雙膝跪下向耶和華－我的神舉手，6 說：「我的神啊，我抱愧蒙羞，不敢向我神仰面；因為我們的罪孽滅頂，我們的罪惡滔天。7 從我們列祖直到今日，我們的罪惡甚重；因我們的罪孽，我們和君王、祭司都交在外邦列王的手中，殺害、擄掠、搶奪、臉上蒙羞正如今日的光景。8 現在耶和華－我們的神暫且施恩與我們，給我們留些逃脫的人，使我們安穩如釘子釘在他的聖所，我們的神好光照我們的眼目，使我們在受轄制之中稍微復興。9 我們是奴僕，然而在受轄制之中，我們的神仍沒有丟棄我們，在波斯王眼前向我們施恩，叫我們復興，能重建我們神的殿，修其毀壞之處，使我們在猶大和耶路撒冷有牆垣。10「我們的神啊，既是如此，我們還有甚麼話可說呢？因為我們已經離棄祢的命令，11 就是祢藉祢僕人眾先知所吩咐的說：『你們要去得為業之地是污穢之地；因列國之民的污穢和可憎的事，叫全地從這邊直到那邊滿了污穢。12 所以不可將你們的女兒嫁他們的兒子，也不可為你們的兒子娶他們的女兒，永不可求他們的平安和他們的利益，這樣你們就可以強盛，吃這地的美物，並遺留這地給你們的子孫永遠為業。』13 神啊，我們因自己的惡行和大罪，遭遇了這一切的事，並且祢刑罰我們輕於我們罪所當得的，又給我們留下這些人。14 我們豈可再違背祢的命令，與這行可憎之事的民結親呢？若這樣行，祢豈不向我們發怒，將我們滅絕，以致沒有一個剩下逃脫的人嗎？15 耶和華－以色列的神啊，因祢是公義的，我們這剩下的人才得逃脫，正如今日的光景。看哪，我們在祢面前有罪惡，因此無人在祢面前站立得住。」(以斯拉記九)
1 After these things had been done, the leaders came to me and said, “The people of Israel, including the priests and the Levites, have not kept themselves separate from the neighboring peoples with their detestable practices, like those of the Canaanites, Hittites, Perizzites, Jebusites, Ammonites, Moabites, Egyptians and Amorites. 2 They have taken some of their daughters as wives for themselves and their sons, and have mingled the holy race with the peoples around them. And the leaders and officials have led the way in this unfaithfulness.” 3 When I heard this, I tore my tunic and cloak, pulled hair from my head and beard and sat down appalled. 4 Then everyone who trembled at the words of the God of Israel gathered around me because of this unfaithfulness of the exiles. And I sat there appalled until the evening sacrifice. 5 Then, at the evening sacrifice, I rose from my self-abasement, with my tunic and cloak torn, and fell on my knees with my hands spread out to the Lord my God 6 and prayed: “I am too ashamed and disgraced, my God, to lift up my face to you, because our sins are higher than our heads and our guilt has reached to the heavens. 7 From the days of our ancestors until now, our guilt has been great. Because of our sins, we and our kings and our priests have been subjected to the sword and captivity, to pillage and humiliation at the hand of foreign kings, as it is today. 8 “But now, for a brief moment, the Lord our God has been gracious in leaving us a remnant and giving us a firm place in his sanctuary, and so our God gives light to our eyes and a little relief in our bondage. 9 Though we are slaves, our God has not forsaken us in our bondage. He has shown us kindness in the sight of the kings of Persia: He has granted us new life to rebuild the house of our God and repair its ruins, and he has given us a wall of protection in Judah and Jerusalem. 10 “But now, our God, what can we say after this? For we have forsaken the commands 11 You gave through Your servants the prophets when you said: ‘The land you are entering to possess is a land polluted by the corruption of its peoples. By their detestable practices they have filled it with their impurity from one end to the other. 12 Therefore, do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons or take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.’ 13 “What has happened to us is a result of our evil deeds and our great guilt, and yet, our God, You have punished us less than our sins deserved and have given us a remnant like this. 14 Shall we then break your commands again and intermarry with the peoples who commit such detestable practices? Would You not be angry enough with us to destroy us, leaving us no remnant or survivor? 15 Lord, the God of Israel, You are righteous! We are left this day as a remnant. Here we are before You in our guilt, though because of it not one of us can stand in Your presence.” (Ezra 9)
分享：以斯拉帶著眾人回歸耶路撒冷，他們經歷了耶和華的保護，又為聖殿獻上金銀、器皿，重申律例制度。然而，當一切似乎完滿開始之際，眾首領卻指出以色列民、祭司、利未人娶外邦女子為妻的問題。
不要小看這異族通婚的問題，經文記述這導致以色列人效法外邦人，「行可憎的事」，將外邦的偶像敬拜和信仰習俗也帶進來。從後文的紀錄，這通婚的情況應該已持續了一段時間，其中也有好些生了兒女的。或許是因為罪魁是首領和官長，或許是因為大家沒有明確的意識到問題的嚴重性，這已導致「聖潔的種類和這些國的民混雜」(以斯拉記九2)。
當以斯拉聽到這情況後，他沒有先去直斥那些首領、官長、祭司、利未人的問題，沒有即時與罪人、罪行切割，而是馬上撕裂衣服和外袍，拔掉頭髮、鬍子，到神的面前懺悔，在羞愧和悲痛中仰望上帝。以斯拉的禱告情感強烈，他深感他們長久以來的罪孽深重，就算近來稍微復興，也只是仰仗神的施恩。故以斯拉對他們當下仍在罪中感到羞恥和無地自容，他只能順服在神前，仰望祂的公義和憐憫：「耶和華以色列的神啊！因祢是公義的，我們這剩下的人才得逃脫，正如今日的光景。看哪，我們在祢面前有罪惡，因此無人在祢面前站立得住。」(以斯拉記九15)
面對眼下的困境，錯誤當然得改正，但以斯拉更清楚神的刑罰輕於以色列人的罪惡所當得的，神如果不幫助，他們做甚麼、說甚麼也沒用，只能順服在神面前。正如神所說：「你們要轉向我，我就轉向你們。」(撒迦利亞書一3)
我們在生活中難免會遇到困境，但我們相信神才是那位公義的拯救者、主宰者嗎？我們能否以信心先將問題交給祂，順服於祂的權威和帶領呢？
反思：對我來說，問題得到解決較重要，還是經歷神的帶領較重要？
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢沒有因為我們的罪惡而將我們滅絕。就讓我們像以斯拉一樣，面對困境。尤其是我們根本不能解決的罪的困境，承認我們根本無力解決，要謙卑的轉向祢、順服祢，以及仰仗祢公義和憐憫。奉主名求，阿們。
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