This week, we shall be finishing the study of the Book of Judges of the Old Testament and
begin the study of I & II Thessalonians of the New Testament.
(1) After two major defeats which saw the loss of some 40,000 armed men, what do you think was the reason that sustained these Israelites to try the 3rd assault, instead of conceding defeat and disbanding?
(2) What was the tactic used by the Israelites in their third attempt to defeat the Benjamites?
(3) Such a tactic (of ambush) still cost the lives of 30 men initially on purpose. Would you be willing to be one of these 30 men? Why or why not?
(4) What if the Benjamites lost the first and second battles, what would they (the Benjamites) have done?
(5) In other words, what did the first two victories do to the minds and hearts of the wicked Benjamites?
(6) How many Benjamites were killed in this 3rd battle and how many of them were left?
(7) At this complete defeat of the Benjamites, can we get a sense of what really caused them to be so defiant and not surrender the guilty men, instead choosing to defend them at all cost? Consider these given points:
a. Their crime was undisputable
b. Their crime was most wicked
c. The whole of Israel had now turned on them
d. The Israelite army was backed by the High Priest on God’s behalf
(8) Pause and reflect on the main message to you today. How may you apply it to your life?
本週我們會完成研讀舊約士師記，並開始研讀帖撒羅尼迦前、後書。請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
士師記20:29-48
(1) 遭到兩次的挫敗，損失了四萬的士兵後，是什麼使以色列人繼續爭戰，而不至灰心，各歸各家呢？
(2) 在第三次的戰役時，以色列人採取了什麼的戰略？
(3) 但這戰略仍須有損失(死了30人) 。若是要你作這樣的犧牲，你願意嗎？為什麼？
(4) 如果便雅憫人在首兩次的戰役中失利，你認為他們或許會悔改嗎？為什麼？
(5) 在第三次的戰役中，便雅憫人喪失了多少人，尚餘多少戰士？
(6) 看到便雅憫人這樣的收場，你認為他們這樣全力的庇護兇徒的原因究竟是什麼？(不但兇徒的罪證確鑿、所犯實屬不赦的大惡、更要面對全以色列的軍旅，加上有大祭司代表神的支持。)
(7) 請停下思想今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自己的生命中？
“The Lord responded, ‘Go, for tomorrow I will give them into your hands'.” (Jdg. 20:28)
In the reading of early history of the people of Israel, I often get the sense that they are a people easily disheartened, especially during the period in the wilderness under the leadership of Moses: Their quick complaint at the pursuit by the army of Pharaoh even though they just witnessed nine miraculous deeds of the Lord (Exod. 14:11); the complaints of a lack of water time and again (Exod. 15:24, Num. 20:5); and many more incidents too numerous to quote.
Even though during the period of Joshua’s leadership, we see a more mature people, yet still at the defeat of Ai, we see that the people immediately melted and their morale dissipated (Jos. 7:5).
So, it is really refreshing to read that in spite of their loss of 22,000 and 18,000 in two attempts to defeat the Benjamites, there was no complaint against the Lord and there was no sign of turning back, only weeping. Well, not just weeping only, but the presentation of burnt offerings and fellowship (i.e. peace) offerings, and continuous inquiry of the Lord (Jdg. 20:26-27), preceded by fasting.
Yes, some of the subsequent actions were indeed very questionable, but they have demonstrated a rare moment of spiritual maturity—that of not giving up, not complaining, but with acts of dependency on the Lord, with an attitude of contrition as demonstrated by their fasting and the presentation of both burnt offerings (which pointed to the need of redemption and forgiveness) and fellowship offerings (which expressed their desire for reconciliation with the Lord).
Why did they show such spiritual maturity amidst a time when “everyone did as he saw fit”? I believe because this was one occasion when their spiritual slumber was awaken by such unprecedented wickedness in their midst that (1) they had come to understand the desperate need to get rid of such wickedness in their land, and (2) as a result, they were certain of the justification of their course in the eyes of the Lord.
In a rare moment of godly righteousness, they have given us an important lesson in staying on course. As long as we are certain that what we do is of the Lord and that it pleases Him, irrespective of the immediate outcome, do not lose heart and do not blame God for any setback, but continue to persevere with an attitude of contrition, self-examination and total dependence on the Lord.
「耶和華說：你們當上去，因為明日我必將他們交在你們手中。」 (士20:28)
讀到以色列人的早期歷史時，我總覺得他們是一群很容易就灰心的百姓，特別是在摩西領導下、流蕩曠野的日子：雖然目睹九大神蹟，卻一見法老的追兵就立刻埋怨(出埃及記14:11)；繼而多次因無水而發怨言(出15:24; 民20:5) ；和無數類似的事件。
雖然在約書亞領導下，他們似乎轉趨成熟，但在艾城戰役挫敗時，他們的心立即溶化，士氣大減(書7:5) 。
所以當我讀到以色列人雖然兩次戰敗在便雅憫人手中，損失了多達四萬軍兵後，他們只在神面前痛哭，卻沒有埋怨，也沒有收兵之意，有點感到欣喜的。其實，他們在神面前不是單單痛哭，更是獻上燔祭和平安祭，更繼續的求問神(士20: 26-27) ，更禁食到晚上。
對，他們及後所行的是大有問題。但在當時，他們確實表現了鮮有的屬靈成熟—沒有氣餒、沒有埋怨，只有繼續的倚靠，甚至藉著禁食和燔祭，承認需要救贖和悔罪；又藉獻平安祭表明要與神和好！
為何在「各人任意而行」的時代，能顯出這少有的成熟呢？我相信那些基比亞人所行的彌天大罪喚醒了他們沉睡的靈，使他們知道(1) 必須把這大惡從地上除去，和(2) 他們這次的戰事確是合神心意的。
就在這鮮有敬畏神的時刻，以色列人給予我們極重要不退縮的榜樣：只要我們認定所作的是出於神，是討神喜悅時，就不要看眼前的果效、不要氣餒、不要埋怨；只要帶著謙卑、自省的心，專心的倚靠神，絕不退縮。
(1) What was the purpose or intention of making such an oath in Mizpah?
(2) Do you find their weeping before God rather puzzling? Why or why not?
(3) In waging a war against the Benjamites, how justified were the Israelites?
(4) Did the punishing of the Benjamites necessarily entail the extermination of the Benjamites?
(5) What might have caused the near extinction of the tribe of Benjamin?
(6) What did they say in their weeping?
(7) What then did the weeping at Bethel represent?
(8) What did the offering of burnt offerings and fellowship (i.e. peace) offerings represent following their weeping?
(9) What do their actions teach us about reconciliation with our fellowmen and with God?
(10) Notice that there were two separate oaths involved concerning the punishment of the Benjamites: (a) the oath of not giving their daughters in marriage to the Benjamites (21:1), and (b) the oath to put to death anyone who failed to assemble at Mizpah (21:5). What did they resolve to do to secure the continuous existence of the tribe of Benjamin?
(11) Do you agree with what they did? Was this the reply of God in response to their weeping?
(12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 以色列人在米斯巴起誓的出發點是什麼？
(2) 你對他們現時在耶和華面前的痛哭有什麼感受？
(3) 以色列人興兵問罪固然是理直氣壯，但是否要對方全軍盡墨為懲罰呢？
(4) 他們差不多要滅絕便雅憫人可有什麼原因？
(5) 他們在耶和華面前痛哭時，所說的話是什麼？
(6) 這樣，他們的痛哭表明什麼呢？
(7) 痛哭後，他們築壇，獻上燔祭和平安祭又是表明什麼呢？
(8) 他們這樣作，給我們在與人和好的事上什麼的榜樣？
(9) 請注意，以色列人在這事上立了兩個誓(見21:1和21:5) 。既已立誓，他們現在用什麼方法來使便雅憫支派繼續留存呢？
(10) 你同意他們這些做法嗎？你以為這是神給他們痛哭時的答覆嗎？
(11) 今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自己的生命中？
“He has made us competent as ministers of a new covenant—not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life.” (2 Co. 3:6)
The punishment of the Benjamites for their harboring and protecting the wicked men by the Israelites was marked by two oaths:
(1) the oath of not giving their daughters in marriage to the Benjamites (21:1), and
(2) the oath to put to death anyone who failed to assemble at Mizpah (21:5).
Both were really unnecessary; both were made in rashness.
Yes, their cause was totally justified and in fact demanded by the Law of Moses to get rid such wickedness among them. While both oaths were meant to express their determination not to have anything to do with the sins of the Benjamites and to do their part in getting rid of the wickedness, they erred in these ways:
- Such determination did not have to be expressed by oath but by action.
- The goal of punishment, if they understood the heart of the Lord correctly, is always restoration.
Because of this oversight, in their zeal and amidst the heat of battle, their punishment took the form of extermination. That might also have to do with their loss of 40,000 men as well, and without much thought, they turned the last battle into an act of revenge.
But we need to give them credit for an almost instant recognition of their sin. Their weeping followed by the burnt and fellowship offerings (Jdg. 21:3-4) indicated their remorse, if not repentance. However their contrition only led to more bizarre solutions in order to make amends for themselves.
It is true that it is against the Law of Moses that they should renege on their oaths, (Lev. 19:12; Num. 30:2), but Keil and Delitszch is right when they quoted partly from Buddeus that
“they ought to have acknowledge(d) their rashness openly, and freed themselves and the nation from an oath that had been taken in such sinful haste. Wherefore, they would have acted far more uprightly, if they had seriously confessed their fault and asked forgiveness of God, and given permission to the Benjamites to marry freely. In this way there would have been no necessity to cut off the inhabitants of Jabesh from their midst by cruelty of another kind.” (K&D, Judges, 335)
「他叫我們能承當這新約的執事，不是憑著字句，乃是憑著精意；因為那字句是叫人死，精意是叫人活。」 (林後3:6)
在懲罰便雅憫人包庇罪犯的戰事之前，以色列人曾起了兩次誓：
(1) 先是起誓不將自己的女兒給便雅憫人為妻(士21:1) ；
(2) 繼而是立誓必治死凡不上米斯巴聚集的以色列人(士21:5) 。
兩個誓言都是不必要的；兩次誓言都是愚妄之舉。
當然，他們向便雅憫人討罪是應該的，也是摩西律法的要求，從民中除罪。兩個誓言也當然是表明他們要與便雅憫人的罪無關，和要在他們的地上除掉這大惡。但是他們錯在：
- 沒有必要以誓言去表達決心；實際的行動往往是更重要；
- 也不明白除掉罪的總意是要挽回。
因為這原故，也因著爭戰所帶來的熱衷和極度的正義感，他們所施行的懲治變成了大屠殺。或許，先前喪失了四萬軍兵，使他們把懲治變成復仇也不自知。
但是，我們需要欣賞他們立刻的醒悟：他們不但沒有慶祝勝利，反而先坐在神面前痛哭，直到晚上；繼而獻上燔祭與平安祭(士21:3-4) ，這些就算不是悔改，也是後悔的舉動。可惜的是，這些痛悔的情懷，叫他們作出更荒誕的事情。
起誓不還誓固然是摩西律法所不容許的(見利19:12; 民30:2) ，但解經家Keil & Delitszch說得有理：
「他們(以色列人) 應當公開承認他們(起誓)的愚妄，因而叫自己不用被這罪惡的妄誓所綑綁。如果他們鄭重的承認自己的錯誤，求神的饒恕，這才是公義的行為；也可因此給予便雅憫人娶妻的機會。那樣，他們就不用以暴行除掉基列雅比人了。」(K&D, Judges, 335)
(1) The Israelites might have wished that there would be enough virgins from Jabesh Gilead (likely from the ½ tribe of Manasseh in the east) for the remaining Benjamites. Just for the sake of interest, how many women were they short? (Jdg. 20:47; 21:12)
(2) What did they resolve to do to help the remaining 200 men of Benjamin?
(3) Simply based on this latest story from chapter 19 to chapter 21, how fitting is the biblical comment in 21:25?
(4) List all the “right motives” of all the characters in the story.
(5) List all the wrong things that they have done under the right motives.
(6) In your opinion, how should the Levite handle the brutal rape and murder of this concubine?
(7) What’s wrong with the oath they had taken as mentioned in 21:1?
(8) What wrong might they have done in their inflicting of punishment on the Benjamites?
(9) What should they have done in perpetuating the tribe of Benjamin?
(10) What else have they done that befits the comment that “everyone did as he saw fit”?
(11) Was it really because “they had no king”?
(12) As we come to the end of this book, spend a moment to reflect (through the notes you have taken) on what might be the major lessons you have learned from this book.
(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
Here is a recap of the judges—1. Othniel, 2. Ehud, 3. Shamgar, 4. Dehorah, 5. Barak, 6. Gideon, 7. Tola, 8. Jair, 9. Jephthah, 10. Ibzan, 11. Elon, 12. Abdon, 13. Samson, 14. Eli, 15. Samuel. (The last two judges are mentioned in 1 Sam.)
請慢慢細讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反複思考問題。
(1) 以色列人當然希望基列雅比能有足夠的處女供應便雅憫餘下的男人(基列雅比應屬河東的瑪拿西半支派的人) 。究竟尚差多少？(參士20:47; 21:12)
(2) 他們現在決定怎樣供應所缺的處女人數？
(3) 按著整件事來看(即由第19章開始至此) ，他們所作的怎樣符合21:25對他們的評語？
(4) 按著整件事來看，試先從正面來評估他們各人所存的「好意」包括什麼？
(5) 但在「好意」之餘，他們實在犯了什麼錯？試逐一列舉。
(6) 你認為一開始，那利未人當如何處理妾的被輪姦和謀殺？
(7) 以色列人在21:1所起的誓有什麼不對之處？
(8) 在第三次戰役時，這樣的殺戮是否不對？為什麼？
(9) 如果要延續便雅憫人的後裔，他們該當怎樣作？
(10) 他們還作了什麼「任意而行」的事？
(11) 今日對你主要的提醒是什麼？你可以怎樣應用在自己的生命中？
註：這時代的15位士師是：1. 俄陀聶, 2. 以笏, 3. 珊迦, 4. 底波拉, 5. 巴拉, 6. 基甸, 7. 陀拉，8. 睚珥, 9. 耶弗他, 10. 以比讚, 11. 以倫, 12. 押頓, 13. 參孫, 14. 以利, 15. 撒母耳 (最後兩位記載在撒母耳記上) 。
“In those days, Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit.” (Jdg. 21:25)
As we come to the close of the Book of Judges, I would like to share with you the insight of Sidlow Baxter as he rightly attributes this saddest period of history of the people of God to “failure through compromise” as follows:
“Every page of the book contributes to the driving home of this central truth. Of course, the exploits of the Judges teach the lesson that a return to the true faith brings renewed victory; yet in their teaching of this, they but accentuate the main, stark reality, that all the failure is due to compromise.
“How did it all begin? Well, in the opening chapter, we are told that the nine and half tribes which settled in Canaan did not destroy or even drive out the Canaan nations, as God had commanded. They suffered them to remain…Incomplete mastery of an evil at the outset always means constant trouble from it afterwards, and often defeat by it in the end. So was it with Israel. So has it been with others. Let us beware of ourselves! It is no use taking hold of a nettle with a tender hand. It is ruinous folly to try half-measures against sin! The Divine command to Israel was austere, but necessary. Israel allowed quarter to the foe, and lived to rue it.
“Next, in the second and third chapters, we find the successive steps of further compromise. Having only partially mastered the Canaanites, Israel now makes leagues with them (ii, 2)—a thing which God has prohibited. Then, having made league with them, Israel intermarries with them (iii, 6)—another thing God has prohibited… (and ) bows to their idols, forsakes Jehovah and serves Baal and Ashtaroh (ii, 13; iii, 6)…The Judges who were mercifully raised up to recall and deliver Israel, stopped the rot for the moment, but it set in again worse than before as soon as the grave silenced each Judge’s voice…
“Yes, this is the tragic story of this book of Judges—failure through compromise. Let the words burn into the mind, and burn out any easy-going toleration of the unholy or questionable thing. We can never enjoy God’s promised rest for long if we tolerate only partially crushed sins to continue with us. If we make league with questionable things because they seem harmless, we shall soon find ourselves wedded to the desires of the flesh again, and down the heights to which God has lifted us.“
(Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book, pp. 13-14)
「那時，以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行。」 (士師記21:25)
來到士師記的結束時，我想與你們分享許多年前讀到Sidlow Baxter對以色列這段可憐的歷史的感想，他稱這段歷史為「妥協引至的失敗」：
這書的每一頁都叫我們看到這個事實。當然，士師的的興起是帶來了信仰的復興和爭戰的勝利；但同時更刻畫出這屬靈不變的真理：「妥協」是帶來失敗的。
但他們怎會如此的呢？這書一開始就告訴我們那九個半支派並沒有遵照神的吩咐滅盡或趕出迦南人。他們容許這些人住在他們中間……在開始的時候沒有完全的勝過罪惡，往往是引至後患無窮，至終帶來失敗。在以色列人如是，在我們也如是。讓我們省察自己，要知道手拿荊棘是不智的；半推半就的對付罪是愚妄的！神對以色列人的吩咐是嚴厲的，但卻是必須的。以色列人為敵人留餘地，結果是自尋煩惱。
繼續的第二和三章就記載他們繼續的妥協。既是僅僅的牽制著迦南人，現在以色列人與他們結盟(2:2) —這是神所禁止的。既與他們結盟，以色列人便與他們通婚(3:6)—這亦是神不容許的……(更) 向他們的偶像敬拜，事奉巴力和亞斯他錄(2:13; 3:6)…… 神在憐憫中興起呼籲和拯救以色列的士師僅僅止住腐爛的一刻。但隨著士師的聲音被墳墓所遮蓋後，他們的罪行就變本加厲了。
對！這就是士師記所記載的悲劇—妥協引至失敗。讓這句話烙印在我們心中，也燒盡我們對不聖潔和有問題的 事上的容忍。如果我們容許半勝過的罪繼續的存留，我們永不能享受神所應許的安息。如果因為那些有問題的事情表面看來是無害而與它們結盟，我們不久就看到自 己再被這肉體的情慾所控制，從神拯救我們到的高處滑下。
(Sidlow Baxter, Explore the Book, 13-14)