晨興聖言-挪亞、但以理和約伯...(W3-5)
第三週 • 週五
晨興餧養
但五22~23 伯沙撒阿,你是他〔尼布甲尼撒〕的子孫,你雖知道這一切,你的心仍不謙卑,竟向天上的主自高,…你又讚美…那用金、銀、銅、鐵、木、石所造的神;卻沒有將尊榮歸與那手中有你氣息,管理你一切道路的神。
伯沙撒(尼布甲尼撒的後裔,巴比倫的王)為他的一千大臣設擺盛筵,與他們對面飲酒(但五1)。我們在此看見伯沙撒在神面前的荒淫放蕩。荒淫放蕩就是放縱飲食,為着淫亂的目的。
伯沙撒因着酒力的影響,吩咐人將他先祖尼布甲尼撒從耶路撒冷殿中所掠的金銀器皿拿來,他與大臣、王后、妃嬪好用這些器皿飲酒,讚美那用金、銀、銅、鐵、木、石所造的神(2~4)。他們把耶路撒冷聖殿中敬拜神所用的器皿拿來,用以拜偶像,那是褻瀆神的聖別(但以理書生命讀經,四六頁)。
信息選讀
當他們在飲酒、讚美他們的神時,忽然有人手的指頭顯出來,在王宮裏燈臺對面的粉牆上寫字(但五5上)。…伯沙撒看見寫字的手指頭,就變了臉色,心意驚惶。他的腰骨好像脫節,雙膝彼此相碰(5下~6)。他甚是恐懼,再沒有平安飲酒,沒有平安繼續荒淫放蕩。
但以理在讀出並講解那文字之前,先以但以理四章所記載尼布甲尼撒的經歷,來題醒伯沙撒。但以理認為發生在尼布甲尼撒身上的事,不僅是給尼布甲尼撒的功課,也是給他所有後裔的功課。因此,但以理用責備的語氣,向伯沙撒說到他先祖的功課。尼布甲尼撒曾受到神厲害的管教,他學到功課以後,就對神獻上讚美。伯沙撒該從這功課有所學習,但他完全不在意這事。…伯沙撒沒有想到會受到這樣的責備。
聖經的記載沒有指出伯沙撒曾悔改或有任何的改變。可能他沒有時間悔改了。…我信當伯沙撒和他的大臣在荒淫放蕩時,瑪代的軍隊已經逼近那城。但以理講解了那文字後不久,瑪代的軍隊就進入城和王宮,殺了伯沙撒。因此,但以理五章三十一節總結說,『瑪代人大利烏,約六十二歲,取了迦勒底國。』那就是巴比倫帝國的結束。
在但以理書頭五章裏,有許多我們要學習的功課。比方說,一章的功課叫我們不要顧到屬世的選擇和屬世的口味,乃要立定心志為着神,只對蔬菜,對簡單的事物有口味。我們只該接受簡單的事物。我們若這樣作,就會與神是一,且有智慧。
在五章伯沙撒的事例裏,我們看見對神認真,不忽視屬靈功課的重要。伯沙撒沒有從他先祖尼布甲尼撒在四章所學的功課得着益處。…這該警告我們,我們的成就可能使我們驕傲,這會引進神的審判。神在尼布甲尼撒身上的審判使他減為無有…(35)。在三十七節,尼布甲尼撒繼續說,『祂能使那行動驕傲的降為卑。』伯沙撒本該從尼布甲尼撒的經歷學功課;然而,他沒有學得功課,結果受了虧損(但以理書生命讀經,四七至五一頁)。
參讀:但以理書生命讀經,第七篇。
WEEK 3 — DAY 5
Morning Nourishment
Dan.
5:22-23 And you his descendant, Belshazzar, have not humbled your
heart, though you knew all this; but you have exalted yourself against
the Lord of the heavens;…you have praised the gods of silver and of
gold, of bronze, iron, wood, and stone…But the God in whose hand is
your breath and to whom all your ways belong, you have not honored.
Belshazzar
(a descendant of Nebuchadnezzar and a king of Babylon) made a great
feast for a thousand of his lords, and he drank wine before them (Dan.
5:1). Here we see Belshazzar’s debauchery before God. Debauchery is an
overindulgence in eating and drinking for an adulterous purpose.
Belshazzar,
under the influence of the wine, commanded men to bring the gold and
silver vessels that Nebuchadnezzar his forefather had taken out of the
temple in Jerusalem, that he, his lords, his wives, and his concubines
might drink from them and praise the gods of gold, silver, bronze, iron,
wood, and stone (vv. 2-4). They took the vessels that were for God’s
worship in His holy temple at Jerusalem and used them in worshipping
idols. That was an insult to God’s holiness. (Life-study of Daniel, pp.
41-42)
Today’s Reading
At
the very moment that they were drinking wine and praising their gods,
the fingers of a man’s hand came forth and wrote opposite the lampstand
upon the plaster of the wall of the king’s palace (Dan. 5:5a). When
Belshazzar saw that part of the hand that wrote, his countenance changed
and his thoughts alarmed him (vv. 5b-6). The joints of his hips
loosened and his knees began to knock together. He was a threatened man
and had no peace to drink, no peace to continue his debauchery.
Before reading the writing and interpreting it, Daniel reminded Belshazzar of the experience of Nebuchadnezzar recorded in chapter 4. Daniel regarded what happened to Nebuchadnezzar as a lesson not only for Nebuchadnezzar but also for all his descendants. For this reason Daniel referred Belshazzar to his forefather’s lesson in a rebuking tone. Nebuchadnezzar had been severely disciplined by God and, after he had learned the lesson, offered praise to God. Belshazzar should have learned something from this lesson, but he did not care about it at all…Belshazzar was not expecting such a rebuke.
There is no indication in the record that Belshazzar repented or had some kind of change. Probably there was no time for him to repent. I believe that while Belshazzar and his lords were engaging in debauchery, the Median army was approaching the city. Soon after Daniel interpreted the writing, the Median army entered the city and the palace and killed Belshazzar. Thus, 5:31 concludes, “Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixtytwo.” That ended the Babylonian Empire.
In the first five chapters of Daniel, there are a number of lessons for us to learn. For instance, the lesson in chapter 1 is that we should not care for the worldly choice and the worldly taste but set our heart on God and have a taste only for vegetables, that is, for simple food. We should receive only simple things. If we do this, we will be one with God and will become wise.
In chapter 5 concerning the case of Belshazzar, we see the importance of being serious with God and not disregarding any spiritual lesson. Belshazzar did not benefit from the lesson learned by his forefather…This should warn us that our achievement may make us proud, and this may usher in God’s judgment. God’s judgment upon Nebuchadnezzar reduced him to nothing… (4:35). In verse 37 concerning the Lord, Nebuchadnezzar went on to say, “He is able to abase those who walk in pride.” Belshazzar should have learned the lesson from Nebuchadnezzar’s experience; however, he did not learn the
lesson and suffered as a result. (Life-study of Daniel, pp. 42-46)
Further Reading: Life-study of Daniel, msg. 7
留言
張貼留言