This
week, we shall continue to study the book of 2 Kings in the Old Testament.
(1) How did Elisha’s charge to the young prophet fulfill God’s command to Elijah in 1 Kings 19:16?
(2) Why did the anointing have to be done in private
and why did the prophet have to run after that? Consider the following:
a. Was it to protect the life of the young prophet? If so, from whom?
b. Was it to prevent him from being asked beyond his knowledge and commission?
c. For what other reason(s) could there be?
(3) As part of the anointing, what was Jehu told to do concerning the following persons?
a. Ahab (Compare to 1 Ki. 21:21-22)
- What were the reasons given then and now?
b. Jezebel (Compare to 1 Ki. 21:23-26)
- What were the reasons given then and now?
- Why would God allow this wicked queen to survive such a long time (some 12-13 years after the death of Ahab)?
(4) Consider the persistent questioning of the fellow officers:
a. Did they know that the young man was a prophet?
b. Why would they mock him as a mad man? (see Paul’s comment about himself in 1 Cor. 4:13)
(5) What might be the reason that Jehu was reluctant to tell his fellow officers the truth at first?
(6) Now that the anointing was made public, what did Jehu decide to do right away? (v.15)
(7) With the two consecutive messengers joining Jehu, the king should have had an inkling about what was going to happen:
a. How did the watchman describe Jehu’s driving?
b. What might this tell you about the person of Jehu?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
本週我們繼續研讀列王紀下。請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
(1) 以利沙給予少年先知的差事，怎樣成就了神對先知以利亞的吩咐？(王上19:16)
(2) 為何這膏抹要進嚴密的屋子內進行，並且在完成後，先知要開門逃跑？
a. 是要保存他的生命？
b. 是免得他被多問？
c. 或是有其他因素？
(3) 在被膏耶戶為王時，先知同時吩咐他什麼？
a. 是關乎亞哈的？(試與王下21:21-22相比)
b. 兩處提到的理由是什麼？
c. 是關乎耶洗別的？(試與王下21:23-26相比)
d. 兩處提到的理由是什麼？
e. 為何神竟容讓這可惡的王后存留至今(即亞哈死後大概13年之久) ？
(4) 從眾軍長這樣堅持的追問耶戶：
a. 他們曉得這少年人的身份嗎？
b. 為何他們譏笑他為狂妄(或譯瘋癲) 人？(參保羅在林前4:13所言)
(5) 為何耶戶遲延不願對眾軍長直言？
(6) 這秘密既公開後，耶戶立刻採取什麼措施？(9:15)
(7) 約蘭王既看見兩使者相繼不回來，該心中有數的：
a. 守望的人怎樣形容耶戶驅馬車的方式？
b. 這給我們對耶戶這人有什麼認識？
(8) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“When Jehu went out to his fellow officers, one of them asked him, ‘Is everything all right? Why did this maniac come to you?’. ‘You know the man and the sort of things he says', Jehu replied.” (2 Ki. 9:11)
When Elisha commissioned the young prophet to anoint Jehu as the next king of Israel according to the prophecy and charge by God to Elisha in 1 Kings 19:16, he asked the young man to anoint Jehu in private and to “open the door and run, don’t delay” (2 Ki. 9:3). While this seems a bit odd, we can understand that to openly anoint Jehu would trigger an immediate uprising which Jehu might not be mentally prepared for; and to run away quickly was also only prudent because the young prophet was not Elisha and it would do Jehu no good in staying around to answer questions to which he likely did not have adequate answers for.
As it turned out, Jehu was really unprepared for this sudden anointing and he tried to hide it from his fellow officers. However, what I find most interesting is how both fellow officers and Jehu talked about this young prophet.
While his fellow officers called him a maniac, Jehu replied by saying, “You know the man and the sorts of things he says” (2 Ki. 9:11).
In other words, from the appearance of the young man, the fellow officers knew he was a prophet, and so did Jehu, except that they talked about him in a very demeaning way, and at the same time respected his message.
This is still the way people look upon Christians, and especially the true servants of the Lord; just as the Apostle Peter puts it, because “you do not plunge with them into the same flood of dissipation and they heap abuse on you” and “think it strange” (1 Pet. 4:4). The Apostle Paul also speaks from experience about being servants of Christ in that “Up to this moment, we have become the scum of the earth and the refuse of the world” (1 Cor. 4:13). However, it has always been such strange maniacs and scum and refuse of the world who carry out the will of God and transform the lives of millions with the Good News!
「耶戶出來，回到他主人的臣僕那裡，有一人問他說：平安麼？這狂妄的人來見你有甚麼事呢？回答說：你們認得那人，也知道他說甚麼。」(王下9:11)
當以利沙吩咐那少年先知按神交付以利亞的使命去膏立耶戶時（王上19:16），他特別囑咐他要在嚴密的屋子內膏立他，並要「說完了，就開門逃跑，不要遲延」（王下9:3）。這聽來很是古怪。但我們要知道，這膏立會立刻帶來國家的動亂；而耶戶不一定心裡已準備好。立刻的逃跑是可以避免耶戶或軍長們諸多的追問，是這少年先知未能作答的。
果然我們看到耶戶絕對沒有準備好被膏立的，故此他試圖不想把真相告訴其他軍長。不過，在這過程中讓我看到他們怎樣對待這少年先知。這些軍長顯然「認得那人」（王下9:11) ，意思是他們曉得他是先知；但是他們卻稱他為「狂妄的人」—或直譯為「瘋子」！耶戶的回答也帶著認同的口吻！這正反映出當時一般人怎樣對待神的先知。其實，今天的世人對基督徒，特別是神的僕人的看待不也是這樣嗎！
使徒彼得就告訴我們個中的原因：“他們在這些事上，見你們不與他們同奔那放蕩無度的路，就以為怪，毀謗你們。” （彼前4:4）。
使徒保羅也根據自己的經歷，論到事奉主的人說：“直到如今，人還把我們看作世界上的污穢，萬物中的渣滓。” （林前4:13）
但是歷世歷代以來，神就是用我們這些「瘋子」、這些「萬物中的渣滓」來完成祂的旨意，使救恩臨到億萬人身上！
9:21-29—The Death of Joram and Ahaziah
(1) Since Joram was resting in Jezreel to recover from his battle-wound, why did he choose to ride a chariot to greet Jehu? Should he not just wait for him to come and greet him instead?
(2) In the exchange between Joram and Jehu both mentioned “peace”:
a. What did Joram mean by “peace”?
b. What did Jehu mean by “peace”?
(3) What did Jehu ask his chariot officer to do? What prophecy was he referring to? (See 1 Ki. 21:19)
(4) What lesson(s) can we all learn from the fulfillment of such a prophecy?
(5) What lesson can we learn from the death of Ahaziah, the king of Judah? (see biblical comments about him in 2 Ki. 8:25-29)
9:30-37—The Death of Jezebel
(6) Jezebel obviously had heard of the death of her son, Joram:
a. Why did she call Jehu “Zimri”? (see 1 Ki. 16:9-13)
b. Why did she take the time to put on make up? Consider the following:
- To entice Jehu with her beauty
- To prepare to die in dignity as a queen
- For another reason
(7) How did she die?
(8) What happened to her body?
(9) How did it fulfill the prophecy of the Lord? (1 Ki. 21:23)
(10) What was the reason for her fate? (1 Ki. 21:25)
(11) What lesson(s) can we learn from the fulfillment of such a prophecy?
(12) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
9:21-29—約蘭與亞哈謝之死
(1) 約蘭既是在養傷，為何要親自驅車去迎耶戶？為何不以王身份等待耶戶來朝見？
(2) 從約蘭與耶戶的對話，二人都提到「平安」：
a. 約蘭的平安是指什麼？
b. 耶戶回答的平安可有什麼不同？
(3) 耶戶吩咐他的軍長畢甲作什麼？他所指的是那個預言？(參王下21:19)
(4) 這預言的應驗給我們什麼信息？
(5) 猶大王這樣的喪生又給我們什麼提醒？（參王下8:25-29的評語）
9:30-37—耶洗別的死
(6) 耶洗別該已得聞兒子約蘭的死：
a. 為何他稱耶戶為心利？（參王上16:9-14）
b. 為何要梳妝擦粉的來見耶戶？
i. 要迷惑他？
ii. 要死得像樣？
iii. 或有其他的因由？
(7) 她是怎樣死的？
(8) 她的屍首又如何？
(9) 她的死怎樣應驗了神的話？（參王上21:23）
(10) 她遭受這樣的終局的原因是什麼？（參王上21:25）
(11) 她這樣的喪生又給我們什麼的提醒？
(12) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“But when they went out to bury her, they found nothing except her skull, her feet and her hands. They went back and told Jehu, who said, 'This is the word of the Lord that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs will devour Jezebel’s flesh'.” (2 Ki. 9:35-36)
The Apostle Paul exhorts us not to take revenge, but leave room for God’s wrath, for it is written, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay, says the Lord” (Rom. 12:19). However, at the time when we suffer injustice, it is often hard not to desire revenge and it is even hard when God does not seem to act quickly. In the case of avenging the blood of Naboth and the fulfillment of God’s prophecy against both Ahab and Jezebel, nothing happened till some 13 years after the death of Ahab. Sure it was a long time, but when it happened, every word of God’s severe punishment came to pass.
Look at how the
son of Ahab died according to the words of Jehu:
“Pick him (Joram) up and throw him on the field that belonged to Naboth the Jezreelite. Remember how you and I were riding together in chariots behind Ahab his father when the Lord spoke this prophecy against him: ‘Yesterday I saw the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons, declares the Lord, and I will surely make you pay for it on this plot of ground, declares the Lord.’ Now then, pick him up and throw him on that plot, in accordance with the word of the Lord.” (2 Ki. 9:25-26)
The death of
Jezebel was even more graphic:
“So they threw her down, and some of her blood spattered the wall and the horses as they trampled her underfoot…they found nothing except her skull, her feet and her hands. They went back and told Jehu, who said, 'This is the word of the Lord that he spoke through his servant Elijah the Tishbite: On the plot of ground at Jezreel dogs will devour Jezebel’s flesh. Jezebel’s body will be like dung on the ground in the plot at Jezreel, so that no one will be able to say, "This is Jezebel".’” (2 Ki. 9:33, 35-37)
This is a solemn reminder that no one can take God lightly and that it is always up to God to avenge for those who belong to Him; it is only a matter of time and we should “leave room for God’s wrath” and not take matters in our own hands.
「他們就去葬埋他，只尋得他的頭骨和腳，並手掌。他們回去告訴耶戶，耶戶說：這正應驗耶和華藉他僕人提斯比人以利亞所說的話，說：在耶斯列田間，狗必吃耶洗別的肉。」 (王下9:35-36)
使徒保羅勸導我們：不要為自己伸冤，寧可讓步，聽憑主怒；原因是經上記著說：“主說，伸冤在我，我必報應” （羅12:19）。當然，在我們身受冤屈痛苦時，心中自然的起了報仇的意念，甚至因神不立時代為伸冤，而感到不甘。
就如神確是應許為拿伯的血伸冤，並預言要嚴加審判亞哈和耶洗別的大惡。在亞哈死後的一段很長的時間，神的話卻沒有實現。要等了十三年，才見這些預言的應驗。一應驗時，不但是句句的應驗，帶來的審判還叫人驚駭的！
看看亞哈的兒子約蘭的死就可以知道。這是殺他的耶戶親口的話：“耶戶對他的軍長畢甲說：你把他拋在耶斯列人拿伯的田間。你當追想，你我一同坐車跟隨他父亞哈的時候，耶和華對亞哈所說的預言，說：我昨日看見拿伯的血和他眾子的血，我必在這塊田上報應你。這是耶和華說的，現在你要照著耶和華的話，把他拋在這田間” （王下9:25-26）。
至於耶洗別的死就更可佈：“耶戶說：把她扔下來！他們就把她（從窗戶）扔下來。她的血濺在牆上和馬上；於是把她踐踏了。他們就去葬埋她，只尋得她的頭骨和腳，並手掌……他們回去告訴耶戶，耶戶說：這正應驗耶和華藉他僕人提斯比人以利亞所說的話，說：在耶斯列田間，狗必吃耶洗別的肉；耶洗別的屍首必在耶斯列田間如同糞土，甚至人不能說這是耶洗別” （王下9:33, 35-37）。
這給我們重要的提醒，就是神是絕對不能被輕慢的；祂一定會為屬祂的兒女伸冤—是遲早的問題。故此，我們不要為自己伸冤，寧可讓步，聽憑主怒。
(1) What did the guardians of Ahab’s sons (likely grandsons given Ahab had died for about 13 years by then) decide in response to the threat of Jehu?
(2) These guardians obviously had looked after these children for some time, and to behead each of them was certainly ruthless and cruel: Do you think they really had any choice?
(3) What reason did Jehu give for the killing of Ahab’s family? (v. 10)
(4) Was he justified in so doing? Why or why not?
(5) According to the relatives of Ahaziah, what was their purpose of visiting Samaria? (v. 13)
(6) How did their words convict them of their sin?
(7) Why did Jehu spare the life of Jehonadab? (See Note below)
(8) What was the biblical comment concerning what Jehu did to the family of Ahab? (v. 17 and 1 Ki. 21:21)
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
Note:
“Jehonadab the son of Rachab was the tribe-father of the Rechabites (Jer. 35:6). The rule which the latter laid down for his sons and descendants for all time, was to lead a simple nomad life, namely to dwell in tents, follow no agricultural pursuits, and abstain from wine; which rule they observed so sacredly, that the prophet Jeremiah held them up as models before his own contemporaries…This Jehonadab was therefore a man distinguished for the strictness of his life, and Jehu appears to have received him in this friendly manner on account of the great distinction in which he was held, not only in his own tribe, but also in Israel generally, that he might exalt himself in the eyes of the people through his friendship.” (K&D, 245)
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
(1) 負責教養亞哈眾子（相信是孫兒）的領袖們決定怎樣回應耶戶發出的恐嚇？
(2) 這些將孩子們從小養大的人，現在竟殺死他們，取其首級，實在不可思議：他們可有選擇的途徑嗎？
(3) 耶戶這樣的殺盡亞哈一家是憑什麼權柄？（10:10）
(4) 你認為是「藉口」而已嗎？為什麼？
(5) 猶大王亞哈謝的弟兄自言要到訪撒瑪利亞的原因是什麼？（10:13）
(6) 他們的所言怎樣定了他們的罪？
(7) 為何耶戶卻友善待約拿達？（見下註）
(8) 聖經怎樣評論耶戶殺盡亞哈一家的事？（見王下10:17；王上21:21）
(9) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
註：“利甲的兒子約拿達是利甲族的族長（耶35:6）。約拿達為他的子孫定下的規條是要他們過清簡的遊牧生活，以住帳棚，不靠農作為生，也不喝酒；他們這樣謹守這些聖潔的條例使耶利米（其實是耶和華）以他們為例來責備當時的（以色列）人……故此這約拿達因他嚴謹的生活被人尊重的。耶戶因他在自己民族和以色列中的地位這樣友善待他，相信能藉這友誼而在百姓中被尊崇。” （K&D, 245）
“We are relatives of Ahaziah, and we have come down to greet the families of the king and of the queen mother.” (2 Ki. 10:13)
The extermination of the entire house of Ahab was decreed by the Lord (1 Ki. 21:21) and was commissioned by the Lord (2 Ki. 9:7ff). Therefore, Jehu could carry out his killing of the entire family of Ahab, rightfully, in the name of the Lord (2 Ki. 10:10). However, one wonders why Jehu had to kill not only Ahaziah, the king of Judah, but also his relatives. (2 Ki. 10:13).
King Ahaziah certainly deserved his punishment, as the Bible makes plain that, “He walked in the ways of the house of Ahab and did evil in the eyes of the Lord as the house of Ahab had done, for he was related by marriage to Ahab’s family” (2 Ki. 8:27).
As we know, apart from Ahab’s own wrong-doings, his evil deeds were much influenced by his wife, Jezebel, and the Bible basically attributed the worship of Baal and Asherah to Jezebel.
The prophecies by Elijah against both Ahab and Jezebel (1 Ki. 21:19ff) must have been well-known to all, especially in Jerusalem where they still continued the worship of the Lord in His temple. And yet, these relatives of Ahaziah did not come only to greet the king of Israel, but also the queen mother, meaning Jezebel! Such alliance with the wicked queen was inexcusable and thus in his zeal for the Lord (2 Ki. 10:16), Jehu also killed all 42 of them.
While we like to emphasize that God hates sin but not sinners, the truth of the matter is, like cancer, sin is contagious and needs to be eradicated at the source. Whether of Ahaziah or his 42 relatives, their death had given a chance for the godly priest, Jehoiada to bring about a revival to the kingdom of Judah (2 Ki. 11). This is also a great reminder to us about the importance of eradication of sins in our own lives, so that God may bring a revival to us and His church.
「遇見猶大王亞哈謝的弟兄，問他們說：你們是誰？回答說：我們是亞哈謝的弟兄，現在下去要問王和太后的眾子安。」(王下10:13)
剪除亞哈一家是神所命定的審判（王上21:21），也是神給耶戶的吩咐（王下9:7ff）。所以耶戶是堂堂正正的奉神的名來滅盡亞哈一家的（王下10:10）。但是，耶戶為何要連猶大王亞哈謝和他的弟兄們也殺掉呢？（見王下10:13）
亞哈謝是該死的，就如聖經清楚的告訴我們： “亞哈謝效法亞哈家行耶和華眼中看為惡的事，與亞哈家一樣，因為他是亞哈家的女婿。” (王下8:27) 換句話說，是他選擇成為亞哈家中的人！
聖經也告訴我們，亞哈的惡行是在耶洗別的影響下而加倍的。這耶洗別使巴力的敬拜，可以說是成為了以色列的「國教」，更加上對亞舍拉的敬拜。
故此，以利亞對亞哈和耶洗別分別作出審判的預言（王上21:19ff），而猶大王室也是一定知道的。然而，這些亞哈謝的弟兄，竟然聲明來訪問「太后的眾子」。這是與這被神所定罪、大惡的耶洗別公然結盟的行為。故此，這為耶和華發熱心的耶戶，就連他們也殺掉了。
是的，神確是愛罪人，祂只是恨惡罪惡而已；但是當罪如癌症一樣，傳散到全身，就需要被根治、被割除。耶戶之把亞哈謝和他弟兄和跟隨他們的42人殺掉，其實是為祭司耶何耶大鋪了將來復興的路（見王下11）。
這也提醒我們，應該如何澈底的對付和剷除我們自己的罪，好叫我們自己和神的家得到復興。
(1) Why would the prophets of Baal believe Jehu’s claim to worship Baal?
(2) What steps had he taken to ensure the assembly of all the prophets of Baal, all his servants, and all his priests in the following way?
a. They would gather together (v. 20)
b. They would not suspect him (v. 24) and
c. They would not be able to escape (vv. 22, 24)
(3) Would you say Jehu was wise or cunning?
(4) How complete was his extermination of Baal worship? (vv. 25-27)
(5) What was the biblical verdict on the life of Jehu? (vv. 30-31)
(6) How then would you describe the meaning of his “zeal for the Lord”? (v. 16)
(7) Why did the Lord decide “to reduce the size of Israel”, beginning with the time of Jehu?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
(1) 為何巴力先知會相信耶戶要拜巴力的宣告？
(2) 耶戶作了什麼使所有巴力先知、祭司和敬拜者
a. 全到齊集一處？（10:20）
b. 對他絕不懷疑？（10:24）
c. 一個也不能逃脫？（10:22, 24）
(3) 你認為耶戶是絕對聰明，還是極其詭詐？為什麼？
(4) 他怎樣徹底除滅巴力的敬拜？（10:25-27）
(5) 聖經對耶戶的一生有什麼評價？（10:30-31）
(6) 既是這樣，你怎樣領會他自言是「為耶和華熱心」這句話？（10:16）
(7) 神為何要「割裂」（或譯縮減）以色列？（10:32）
(8) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中?
“Jehu said, ‘Come with me and see my zeal for the LORD.’ Then he had him ride along in his chariot.” (2 Ki. 10:16)
As much as the Lord had clearly decreed the punishment of Ahab and his household (1 Ki. 21:19ff) and He also clearly commissioned Jehu to carry out His decree (2 Ki. 9:6-10), I could not help but “feel” that Jehu’s zeal for the Lord was rather convenient.
While all that he did to anyone remotely related to Ahab was justified by the Word of the Lord, it also meant that he had eradicated all possible present and future opposition to his reign and that of his descendants! Not only that, it appears that he was absolutely zealous in carrying out the decree of the Lord in eradicating anyone related to Ahab, but not necessarily in completely “keeping the law of the Lord, the God of Israel, with all his heart” (2 Ki. 10:31). While the Bible only pinpoints his sin of not turning away from “the sins of Jeroboam which he caused Israel to commit”, I believe this proved that his heart was not in the right place.
This reminds me of the “inquisitions” of the past in which in the zeal of eradicating heresies, many were burnt at the stakes, but the church only veered more and more away from the truth and the heart of God. I am afraid such “inquisitions” still continue in many so-called Bible-believing churches, albeit there is no stake to burn the so-called “heretics”, but our zeal for the Lord remains only on creeds and regulations, without being “careful to keep the law of the Lord…with all our heart”!
「耶戶說：你和我同去，看我為耶和華怎樣熱心；於是請他坐在車上。」(王下10:16)
雖然剪除亞哈一家是神所命定的審判（王上21:21），也是神給耶戶的吩咐（王下9:6-10）；在我讀到耶戶在執行這吩咐時，趕盡殺絕的熱衷，卻使我對他的動機有所保留。
誠然，他作在亞哈家的一切，是有神的話作根據的，但同時他也是為自己斷絕一切後患，以至他自己與承繼的後人能安枕無憂。再者，他對剿滅亞哈一家中所表現對神話語的全心遵守，卻沒有引伸到其他的層面，以至聖經這樣論到他：“只是耶戶不盡心遵守耶和華─以色列神的律法” （王下10:31）。雖然，聖經主要提到他“不 離開耶羅波安使以色列人陷在罪裡的那罪 ” ，卻足以叫我們看到他的心不是全然對準神的。
這也使我想到過去歷史上教庭對所謂持「異端」者所進行的審訊（inquisitions），甚至把被定為「異端」的人燒死在木架上；結果我們同時看到的是越來越腐敗的教庭。其實，這些審訊的精神，仍在所謂篤信聖經的教會中出現；雖然沒有燒人的木架，但對規條和非基本真理信條的「熱心」和執著，往往取代了對神話語真正的「盡心遵守」。
(1) Athaliah is the granddaughter of Omri, i.e. daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (see 2 Ki. 8:18, 26):
a. Why did Athaliah want to destroy the whole royal family?
b. In what way was she like her mother, Jezebel?
(2) Where were the other brothers of Ahaziah, i.e. sons of Jehoram (and Athaliah)? (see 2 Chr. 21:16-17)
(3) Who was Jehosheba? (see 2 Chr. 22:11 as well)
(4) Why and where did she hide Joash?
(5) The Chronicler gives, in greater detail, the account of the protection of Joash (see 2 Chr. 23) which involved more than the royal guards but priests and Levites:
a. What do you think was the reason that the people would support Joash and not Athaliah despite her ruthlessness and power?
b. Why was Jehoiada so committed to restoring the reign to Joash? (see 2 Chr. 23:3)
(6) What did the process of anointing involve? (v. 12)
(7) What was the significance of presenting the king with a copy of the covenant (i.e. the Law of Moses)? (see Deut. 17:18-20)
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
(1) 既是暗利的孫女，即是亞哈和耶洗別的女兒（王下8:18, 26）
a. 為何亞他利雅要起來剿滅王室？
b. 她與母親耶洗別有什麼相似之處？
(2) 亞哈謝其餘的兄弟在那裡？（見代下21:16-17）
(3) 約示巴是誰？（亦參代下22:11）
(4) 她為何要收藏約阿施？把他藏在那裡？
(5) 請翻閱歷代志下第23章那處較詳盡的記載：
a. 為何百姓和軍長竟不懼怕亞他利雅的勢力與兇殘？
b. 為何耶何耶大如此定意的把王位重新為約阿施奪回？（見代下23:3）
(6) 膏立約阿施為王的典禮包括什麼？（11:12）
(7) 把律法書交與王有什麼重要意義？（見申17:18-20）
(8) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“Jehoiada brought out the king’s son and put the crown on him; he presented him with a copy of the covenant and proclaimed him king.” (2 Ki. 11:12)
One has to admire the courage of Jehosheba in risking her life to save Joash. We are not certain whether she was the daughter of Athaliah, or if she was born by another wife of Jehoram; just the same, she must have taken a great risk in hiding Joash, first in one of the bedrooms within the palace, and later on inside the temple (vv. 2-3).
The fact that she was the wife of the priest, Jehoiada (2 Chr. 22:11) serves to explain why she was able not to follow the evil of her time, including the worship of Baal, which no doubt was the result of the intermarriage between the house of Jehoshaphat and the house of Ahab.
Perhaps, after six years of reign by Athaliah, Jehoiada felt that it was not easy to hide a seven-year old boy (2 Ki. 11:21) in the temple any more, and he decided to use his influence and power (2 Chr. 23:1) to gather the commanders and the people to reclaim the reign for Joash. In so doing, it is important to note that he not only anointed and crowned the king, but he followed the command of the Lord and presented Joash with a copy of the covenant, i.e. the Law of Moses according to the requirement stipulated in Deut. 17:18-20 which says,
“When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the Levitical priests. It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel.”
While the scroll so presented may not have been copied by Joash himself, it was not meant to be a superficial, meaningless rite, but as a commitment by the king to read and follow all the words of the law all the days of his life. As it turned out, he was only able to do so as long as Jehoiada was alive and he departed from the Lord and worshipped Asherah poles and other idols after his death (2 Chr. 24:17-18).
It is such an important reminder to us in the discipling of new believers or future generations that we have to ground them in their own reading, understanding and practicing of God’s words and not in their continuous dependence on any counselors or spiritual directors!
「祭司領王子出來，給他戴上冠冕，將律法書交給他，膏他作王；眾人就拍掌說：願王萬歲！」(王下11:12)
約示巴甘冒生命的危險來藏起約阿施是值得敬佩的。我們不曉得她是亞他利雅的女兒，還是約蘭與另外一個妻子所生的。無論她是誰所生，把約阿施先藏在宮中，再藏在神的殿中六年，是需要決心和勇氣的。
可能因著她又是祭司耶何耶大的妻子之故（見代下22:11）她沒有跟著王室行惡，也沒有因著約沙法與亞哈結親之故，而轉拜巴力。
或許經過了六年的時光，祭司覺得已不能再隱藏這七歲大的王子，故此決定運用他的權勢與影響（參見代下23:1）召來軍長與百姓，正式立約阿施為王。在這膏立的過程中，值得留意的是，他是按摩西律法的吩咐，把一份律法書交給這被膏的王，正如申命記17:18-20所吩咐的：
“他登了國位，就要將祭司利未人面前的這律法書，為自己抄錄一本，存在他那裡，要平生誦讀，好學習敬畏耶和華─他的神，謹守遵行這律法書上的一切言語和這些律例，免得他向弟兄心高氣傲，偏左偏右，離了這誡命。這樣，他和他的子孫便可在以色列中，在國位上年長日久。”
看來因約阿施太年輕之故，這律法書不會是他自己抄錄的，但卻不減這儀式的真諦，就是王決心要平生誦讀神的話，謹守遵行。可惜的是，聖經告訴我們，約阿施只在耶何耶大有生之年敬畏神。在耶何耶大死後，他竟然敬拜偶像（參見代下24:17-18）。
這就提醒我們在栽培初信者的時候、或引導其他信徒成長的時候，我們要他們學習自己去研讀、明白聖經，並活出神的話語。不要讓他們長期的倚賴專家、長者或屬靈的導師。否則，他們會像約阿施一樣的倒下來！
(1) What propelled Athaliah to seize the throne and kill the entire royal family in the first place?
(2) Did she ever look upon the kingdom of Judah as God’s? Why or why not?
(3) Now that she cried “Treason”, was she not aware that she committed treason (and worse) in the first place?
(4) What lesson can we learn from her deeds and her end?
(5) In reestablishing a throne after David, why did Jehoaida make a covenant in these ways?
a. First between the Lord and the king and people
b. Then between the king and the people
c. How important was each? (Deut. 17:18-20）
(6) What was the immediate result of the making of these covenants? (v. 18)
(7) How important was such an action?
(8) Joash was only seven years old when he became king. What then would be the most important thing for him to succeed as a godly king?
(9) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
(1) 你認為是什麼驅使亞他利亞起來剿滅王室的呢？
(2) 她有否想到這猶大國是屬神的呢？為什麼？
(3) 她大聲說「反了」：她有否想到是誰作反在先？
(4) 從她所作的和她的終局，我們可以得到什麼提醒？
(5) 在把國重歸大衛家時，耶何耶大為何特要：
a. 先使王和民與耶和華立約？立什麼的約？
b. 後又使王與民立約？立什麼的約？
c. 其重要性何在？（見申17:18-20）
(6) 他們立約後隨即作什麼？（11:18）
(7) 這作為有什麼重要意義？
(8) 約阿施在位時才七歲，你認為他最需要的是什麼才能長成為合神心意的王？
(9) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中?
“When Athaliah the mother of Ahaziah saw that her son was dead, she proceeded to destroy the whole royal family.” (2 Ki. 11:1)
Athaliah was no ordinary woman: She was the granddaughter of Omri, which made her the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel (2 Ki. 8:18, 26). While Jehu thought he had killed “all who were left” of Ahab’s family, and fulfilled the word of the Lord spoken to Elijah (2 Ki. 10:17), he forgot that there was still one left, and she was dwelling in safety within the palace of Judah!
We may not know why Athaliah was so ruthless and cold-blooded as to “destroy the whole royal family” of her son (2 Ki. 11:1):
- Maybe, she aspired to take after her mother, Jezebel who set an example of ruthlessness and brutality and was basically the “ipso-facto king” of Israel even while Ahab was alive; or
- Given the killing of Jehu of all her family, she saw that it was her opportunity to eventually get her revenge by seizing the throne in Judah, and wait for an opportunity to defeat and kill Jehu.
Whatever her reason was, she had completely ignored God’s promise that “David my servant may always have a lamp before me in Jerusalem, the city where I chose to put my Name” even at the time of the division of the Davidic kingdom (1 Ki. 11:36).
It is such an important reminder to us that it never pays to act against the will of God; we do so at our own perils!
「亞哈謝的母親亞他利雅見他兒子死了，就起來剿滅王室。」(王下11:1)
亞他利雅非是等閒之輩。她是暗利王的孫女，相信即是亞哈和耶洗別的女兒（王下8:18, 26）。當耶戶以為自己已殺盡亞哈一家的人，應驗了神藉以利亞所說的話時（王下10:17）；他忘記了還有亞他利亞安全的活在猶大宮中，不但只是存活，更是候機奪權。
我們或許不能肯定亞他利雅為何在要奪權之餘，還要這樣殘酷，要「剿滅（全）王室」（王下11:1）：
1. 或許，她是深受母親耶洗別的影響，繼承她兇殘的性格與手段。耶洗別是「垂簾聽政」；她卻要青出於藍，直接的掌權；
2. 又或許，她眼見耶戶殺盡亞哈一家，她希望藉著篡位掌猶大國權力之餘，能趁機復仇。
可惜的是，不論她的存心是什麼，她完全忽視了神對大衛家的應許，就是要“還留一個支派給他的兒子，使我僕人大衛在我所選擇立我名的耶路撒冷城裡，在我面前長有燈光” （王上11:36）。
是的，人若逆神的旨意而行，是自取滅亡的！
(1) How important was priest Jehoiada to Joash?
(2) What might be the core reason for Joash to stray away from the teaching of the priest after his death? (See 2 Chr. 24:17ff)
In any case, he did what was right in the eyes of the Lord for quite a long time, and the repairs of the temple was one of such deeds:
(3) What happened to the temple of the Lord before the reign of Joash? (see 2 Chr. 24:7)
(4) The words spoken by Joash to the priests in vv. 4-5:
a. Do you think it was an official edict?
b. What essentially was he asking the priests to do?
(5) We have no idea how much time had lapsed since his instruction to the priests, but nothing had been done to the temple:
a. What new instruction did he give them in vv. 7-8?
b. Based on the words of Joash, do we know what had happened to the money received by the priests all these years?
(6) Apart from simply giving the priests a mandate, Joash wisely implemented a very practical and open procedure, with checks and balances, to ensure that the priests would follow through with his instruction. (vv. 9-12)
a. How should the money be collected?
b. Where would this chest be placed?
c. Who would count the money? Why did it involve two people?
d. Who would replace the priests to supervise the repair work of the temple?
e. Who would handle the payment to the tradesmen?
(7) What was the sole purpose of the use of this money? (v. 13)
(8) Would such a decree by Joash threaten the livelihood of the priests? Why? (v. 16)
(9) What are the principles that can still be used when it comes to the handling of money in the church or Christian ministry?
(10) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
(1) 耶何耶大對約阿施有什麼重要性？
(2) 你認為最終約阿施在耶何耶大死後離開神的主因是什麼？（見代下24:17ff）
無論如何，他有很長的時期行耶和華眼中看為正的事，相信這也包括了修葺聖殿的事。
(3) 在亞他利雅掌權時，聖殿落到什麼光景？（參代下24:7）
(4) 約阿施對眾祭司所說的話（12:4-5），
a. 你認為是否王旨？
b. 基本上，王對祭司所要求的是什麼？
(5) 我們不曉得是經過了多久，聖殿還是沒有被維修：
a. 在12:7-8，王宣告了什麼新命令？
b. 按這些話的內容，我們可以知道這麼多年來祭司所收的銀子去了什麼地方？
(6) 約阿施這次不再給予一般性的吩咐，而詳列要作的細節（12:9-12）。你可以在這些細節中，看到處理神家的金錢有什麼重要的原則：
a. 百姓把銀子放在什麼地方？為什麼？
b. 櫃子是放在什麼地方？為什麼？
c. 誰數點銀子的？為何要兩人去作？
d. 由誰代替祭司作督工？為什麼？
e. 由誰作資付工錢的？為什麼？
(7) 所收的為何不能作別的用途？（12:13）
(8) 這樣的安排會否叫祭司缺乏日常的供應？為什麼？（12:16）
(9) 以上那些原則適用於今日在神家裡理財的運作？
(10) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中?
“The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings was not brought into the temple of the LORD; it belonged to the priests.” (2 Ki. 12:16)
Let’s put aside the latter part of Joash’s life for a moment and reflect on how wise he was in steering the priests to finish the repairs work of the temple.
The sons of the wicked woman, Athaliah, had broken up the temple of the Lord (2 Chr. 24:7, KJV) and it was desperately in need of repairs. At first, the king gave a command to the priests to use money they received, other than from guilt and sin offerings, and direct them to the fixing of the temple. I said it was a command, because the words of the king, however he phrased it, had to be a command.
Interestingly, the priests only gave lip-serve to the king in this respect and we have no idea how long the king’s decree had lapsed and nothing was done to fix the temple. The king never accused the priests of embezzlement, but he implemented something that was workable, open, with checks and balances, and was fair.
- It was a procedure open for all to observe: All the money would be collected in a chest placed beside the altar.
- It was secure: Like today’s collect boxes, the chest had a hole on the top, and money was not easily taken out.
- Integrity of counting was ensured: The money would be counted by two persons. It was a system of checks and balances, involving two highly respected individuals, the royal secretary and the high priest.
- Expertise was introduced: The supervision work was taken away from the priests and given to a person with expertise to supervise the work of the repairs.
- People in ministry did not touch the money: No priests were involved in the payment to tradesmen, avoiding any mistrust and temptation to the servants of the Lord.
- A dedicated fund: In today’s terms, such money collected was put into a building fund, not to be mixed with the operating fund.
- The priests were well taken care of: The money from the guilt offerings and the sin offerings was not touched at all; they belonged to the priests for their support.
While most churches have already followed all of the above principles, some still do not. I would urge them to learn from the wisdom of Joash.
「惟有贖愆祭、贖罪祭的銀子沒有奉到耶和華的殿，都歸祭司。」(王下12:16)
讓我們暫把約阿施後期的生命放在一旁，而從他上半生，特別在修理聖殿一事上所顯出的智慧，有所學習。
聖殿因著亞他利雅的兒子的原故，遭到破壞，而極待維修（代下24:7）。約阿施原先已吩咐祭司們，除贖愆、贖罪祭外所得的奉獻銀子，都用來修理聖殿。不論所說的是否被寫下為聖旨，王的話當已是聖旨了。誰知，不知何故，也不知經過多久，祭司沒有遵行王的吩咐，聖殿繼續失修！王要再下聖旨，這一次是具體的，滿有智慧的指示：
1. 設有公眾的監察：那收銀子的櫃子是要放在壇旁；
2. 也是很保險的：像今日的奉獻箱一樣，在櫃蓋上鑽了一個窟窿，不易被人伸手偷取；
3. 經手人的保障：銀子是要兩人數算，確保公正、清廉；且是由王的書記和大祭司，兩位德高望重者數算；
4. 專人主理：督工的責任，由祭司轉移到專責的人主理；
5. 聖職人員不理財：由專人負責派發工價，不再經祭司的手，免去貪財的引誘；
6. 清楚分明錢財的用途：以今日的用語來說，把建堂的款項，與常費劃分清楚；
7. 不忽略祭司的需要：在這修殿的過程中，沒有忽略祭司生活的需要，絕不動用贖愆祭和贖罪祭的銀子。
約阿施這樣詳細的指示，是今天我們處理教會錢財上的極好榜樣。