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士师记生命读经 · 第6篇

以色列离弃神的惨痛历史

The Miserable History of Israel’s Forsaking of God
二至十六章（四）以色列惨痛历史的第五次循环
Chapters 2-16 (4) The Fifth Cycles of the Miserable History of Israel
1读经：士师记八章三十三节至十章五节。以色列惨痛历史第五、第六次循环（八33～十5，十6～十二15）的内在意义，乃是以色列离弃神，使自己联于偶像。这就是说，以色列人与神，就是她合法的丈夫离婚，转去随从许多偶像。
1Scripture Reading: Judg. 8:33—10:5 The intrinsic significance of the fifth and sixth cycles of Israel’s miserable history (8:33—10:5; 10:6—12:15) consists of Israel’s forsaking God and joining herself to idols. This means that Israel divorced God, her legitimate Husband, and went after many idols
2人离弃神，开始于创世记三章。神创造人有灵，使人能接触祂，得著祂，并接受祂作生命。园子里的生命树，表征神自己作生命的具体化身，给我们接触并接受。神警告人不要有分于另一棵树，就是善恶知识树，因为吃那树的果子会带进死。然而，从人存在的开始，撒但就引诱人接受善恶知识树，就是撒但自己的具体化身。接受知识树，实际上就是与撒但结婚，与神离婚。这样离弃神并联于撒但，乃是人类社会里混乱背后的最强因素。由于人离弃神并联于撒但，整个世界，包括每个国家、社会、家庭，都变得混乱。人一离弃神并联于撒但，混乱立即进来。这混乱的第一个显明，就是第一次谋杀─该隐杀了亚伯，这是在亚当家里所发生的。从那时起，在每个国家、社会和家庭里，都有了混乱。基甸的失败是由于他离弃神，使自己联于撒但。在他成功时，他联于神；但在他失败时，他使自己联于撒但。他使自己联于撒但，结果就是谋杀。他也放纵肉体、贪婪、犯奸淫。这带进他的家和整个以色列社会的败坏。甚至宗教也是宇宙混乱的一部分。加拉太六章十四节里所说的世界，不是世俗的世界，乃是宗教的世界。基督受死，为要拯救我们脱离宗教的世界。（一4。）在人眼中，宗教是好的；但在神眼中，每一种宗教都是撒但世界的一部分。原则上，今天基督教里的情形与普世人类的情形是同样的─离弃神，并使自己联于撒但。
2Man’s forsaking of God began in Genesis 3. God created man with a spirit so that man could contact Him, receive Him, and take Him in as life. The tree of life in the garden signified God Himself as the embodiment of life for us to contact and receive. God warned man not to partake of the other tree, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for eating of the fruit of that tree would issue in death. However, from the beginning of man’s existence, Satan has been seducing man to take of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, which is the embodiment of Satan himself. To take the tree of knowledge is actually to marry Satan and divorce God. This forsaking of God and joining to Satan is the strongest factor behind the chaos in human society. Due to man’s forsaking of God and joining to Satan, the entire world, including every nation, society, and family, has become chaotic. Immediately after man forsook God and joined himself to Satan, chaos came in. The first manifestation of this chaos was the first murder, which took place in Adam’s family when Cain slew Abel. From that time onward, there has been chaos in every nation, society, and family. Gideon’s failure was due to his forsaking of God and his joining himself to Satan. In his success he was joined to God, but in his failure he joined himself to Satan. When he joined himself to Satan, the issue was murder. He also indulged in the flesh, coveted, and committed idolatry. This issued in the corruption of his family and the entire society of Israel. Even religion is part of the universal chaos. The world spoken of in Galatians 6:14 is not the secular world but the religious world. Christ died to save us from the religious world (1:4). In man’se yes religion is good, but in God’se yes every kind of religion is a section of the satanic world. In principle, the situation in today’s Christianity is the same as the universal situation of the human race—it has forsaken God and joined itself to Satan.
3在主的恢复里，我们也经过混乱的时期。似乎在主的恢复里，每十年就有一次背叛的循环，都与争权以满足野心有关。我们中间最近的背叛有两个根源─被得罪而不赦免，以及有野心而不得逞。这一切背叛的内在意义，就是离弃神，随从撒但。撒但因著野心而堕落；随从撒但，就是进入撒但堕落时的野心里。他要升到宝座上；他要与至上者同等。（赛十四13～14。）因此，离弃神而与撒但联结，就是进入这恶者里面内在的野心。背叛的结果总是混乱，背叛的人对自己造成破坏。那些参与最近这次背叛的召会都变得荒凉，甚至人数减少，但留下的召会却一直在扩增。在家庭生活里，每当丈夫和妻子爱主，并弃绝祂以外的一切，他们的婚姻生活就很美妙。然而一旦丈夫或妻子开始爱别的东西，以之代替主，他们的婚姻生活和家庭生活就变得混乱。
3We have also had periods of chaos in the Lord’s recovery. It seems that in the recovery there are cycles of rebellion about every ten years, involving struggles for power to fulfill ambitions. The recent rebellion among us had two roots—unforgiven offenses and unfulfilled ambitions. The intrinsic significance of all these rebellions is forsaking God to go along with Satan. Satan fell because of ambition. To go along with Satan is to enter into the ambition that was present in Satan when he fell. He wanted to ascend to the throne; he wanted to be like the Most High (Isa. 14:13-14). Hence, to forsake God and join with Satan is to enter into the intrinsic ambition within this evil one. The result of rebellion has always been chaos, with the rebellious ones causing damage to themselves. The churches that joined the recent rebellion have become barren and have even decreased in number, while the remaining churches have increased. In family life, whenever a husband and a wife love the Lord and reject everything other than Him, their married life will be wonderful. But once a husband or wife begins to love something else in place of the Lord, their married life and family life become chaotic
4我们没有权利与主离婚；我们没有理由离弃祂。我们必须接受祂，爱祂，尊重祂，尊敬祂，看重祂，高举祂，专靠祂，并弃绝撒但到极点。这样我们就必蒙福。这原则能适用于整个人类，每个国家、每个社会、每个家庭、和每个个人。我们若爱主，恨撒但，我们就必蒙福。然而，每当我们改变，开始爱基督以外的东西，我们就必33:12遇见难处。诗篇三十三篇十二节说，『以耶和华为神的，那国是有福的。』以耶和华为主、元首、君王、和丈夫的每一国家、社会、团体、个人，都是有福的。
4We have no right to divorce the Lord; we have no basis to forsake Him. We must take Him, love Him, honor Him, respect Him, regard Him, exalt Him, and cling to Him, rejecting Satan to the uttermost. Then we will be blessed. This principle can be applied to the entire human race, to every nation, to every society, to every family, and to every individual. If we love the Lord and hate Satan, we will be blessed. However, we will only get into trouble whenever we change and begin to love something other than Christ. Psalm says, “Blessed is the nation whose God is Jehovah.” Blessed is everyone — nation, society, group, and individual—whose Lord, Head, King, and Husband is Jehovah.
5在这点上，让我们来看士师记八章三十三节至十章五节，这一段说到以色列惨痛历史的另一次循环。
5At this point, let us turn to Judges 8:33—10:5, which covers yet another cycle of Israel’s miserable history.
伍 、第五次循环
I. THE FIFTH CYCLE
一 、以色列人又如同淫妇去随从诸巴力
A. Israel Turning Again and Going as Harlots after the Baalim
6基甸一死，以色列人又如同淫妇去随从诸巴力，以巴力比利土为他们的神。他们不记念耶和华他们的神，就是拯救他们脱离四围仇敌之手的；也不照著基甸向以色列所施的好处，厚待他的家。（八33～35。）
6As soon as Gideon died, Israel turned again and went as harlots after the Baalim, making Baal-berith their god. They did not remember Jehovah their God, who had delivered them from the hand of all their enemies all around, nor did they show mercy to the house of Gideon for all the good he had done to Israel (8:33-35
二 、耶路巴力（基甸）的儿子亚比米勒，杀了他的弟兄们
B. Abimelech, the Son of Jerubbaal, Gideon, Slaying His Brothers
7耶路巴力（基甸）的儿子亚比米勒，将他的弟兄们，就是耶路巴力的众子七十人，都杀在一块盘石上。（九～5。）他得著他的众母舅、他外祖全家的人、和示剑众人的拥护。他们用偶像巴力比利土庙中的七十锭银子支持亚比米勒，使他用以雇了些无赖放荡之徒跟随他。（4。）然而，耶路巴力的小儿子约坦逃脱了，因为他躲藏了。（5。）三、示剑的众人和米罗全家，
7Abimelech, the son of Jerubbaal, Gideon, slew his brothers, the sons of Jerubbaal, seventy men, on one stone (9:1-5). He was supported by his mother’s brothers, all the family of his mother’s father, and1 all the men of Shechem (vv. 1-3). They supported Abimelech with seventy pieces of silver from the temple of the idol Baal - berith, with which he hired worthless and wanton men to follow him (v. 4). However, the youngest son of Jerubbaal, Jotham, was left, for he hid himself (v. 5). C. The Men of Shechem and All the House of Millo
在示剑立亚比米勒为王
Making Abimelech King at Shechem
8示剑的众人和米罗全家，在示剑立亚比米勒为王。（6。）
8The men of Shechem and all the house of Millo made Abimelech king at Shechem (v. 6
四 、约坦向亚比米勒抗议
D. Jotham Protesting against Abimelech
9约坦向亚比米勒抗议。（7～21。）他讥喻亚比米勒不是好橄榄树、好无花果树、或好葡萄树，乃是邪恶的荆棘。（7～15。）然后他以神的惩罚咒诅示剑人、米罗家、和亚比米勒。（16～20。）约坦这样作以后，就逃跑了。（21。）
9Jotham protested against Abimelech (vv. 7-21). He likened Abimelech not to a good olive tree or a good fig tree or a good vine but, derisively, to an evil bramble (vv. 7-15). Then he cursed the men of Shechem, the house of Millo, and Abimelech with God’s punishment over them (vv. 16-20). After Jotham did this, he ran off and fled (v. 21
五 、亚比米勒管理以色列人三年
E. Abimelech Ruling over Israel Three Years
10亚比米勒管理以色列人三年。（22。）
10Abimelech ruled over Israel three years (v. 22
六 、神使恶灵降在亚比米勒和示剑人中间，以惩罚亚比米勒和示剑人
F. God Sending an Evil Spirit between Abimelech and the Men of Shechem for the Punishment over Abimelech and the Men of Shechem
11神使恶灵降在亚比米勒和示剑人中间，示剑人就以诡诈待亚比米勒，为要报应耶路巴力七十个儿子所受的残害，使流他们血的罪，归与他们的哥哥亚比米勒，并归与示剑人，就是那帮助他杀害弟兄的。（23～24。）
11God sent an evil spirit between Abimelech and the men of Shechem, and they dealt treacherously with him, so that the violence done to the seventy sons of Jerubbaal might be avenged and so that their blood might be upon Abimelech their brother and upon the men of Shechem, who strengthened him to slay his brothers (vv. 23-24).
七 、示剑人以诡诈待亚比米勒
G. The Men of Shechem Dealing Treacherously with Abimelech
12示剑人以诡诈待亚比米勒，反叛他，得著以别的儿子迦勒的加强。（25～29。）八、城主西布勒帮助亚比米勒
12The men of Shechem dealt treacherously with Abimelech, revolting against him and being strengthened by Gaal the son of Ebed (vv. 25-29). H. Zebul the Ruler of the City Helping Abimelech
击败迦勒和示剑人
to Defeat Gaal and the Men of Shechem
13城主西布勒帮助亚比米勒击败迦勒和示剑人，将示剑城拆毁，放火烧了保障，把逃到那里的男女约一千人都烧死了。（30～49。）
13Zebul the ruler of the city helped Abimelech to defeat Gaal and the men of Shechem, tear down the city of Shechem, and set its stronghold on fire to burn about a thousand men and women who escaped there (vv. 30-49
九 、神报应亚比米勒的恶，和示剑人的一切恶
I. God Repaying the Evil of Abimelech and All the Evil of the Men of Shechem
14亚比米勒去攻取提备斯。他到了楼前攻打，有一个妇人把一块上磨石抛在亚比米勒的头上，打破了他的脑骨。他就急忙喊叫拿他兵器的少年人，吩咐他拔出刀来杀了他，免得人说，他为一个女人所杀。于是少年人把他刺透，他就死了。这样，神报应亚比米勒的恶，和示剑人的一切恶；约坦的咒诅归到他们身上了。（50～57。）
14Abimelech went to take Thebez. When he came up to the tower and fought against it, a certain woman threw a millstone upon Abimelech’she ad, and it cracked his skull. He immediately called to the young man who bore his armor and told him to draw his sword and kill him, lest people say that he was slain by a woman. The young man pierced him through, and he died. Thus, God repaid the evil of Abimelech and all the evil of the men of Shechem, and the curse of Jotham came upon them (vv. 50-57
15看了士师记九章以后，我们能看见，本章向我们陈明一幅图画，给我们看见神的选民以色列是何等的混乱，他们堕落到何等的地步！他们的堕落开始于离弃耶和华他们的神，并且敬拜迦南人的偶像；结果他们就放纵肉体的情欲，娶多妻生多子。基甸从许多妻子生了七十二个儿子；（八30～，九5；）还有一个士师生了三十个儿子；（十4；）另一个士师生了三十个儿子，三十个女儿；（十二8～；）又有一个士师生了四十个儿子，三十个孙子。（13～14。）以色列的堕落也带进放荡怀恨，彼此残杀，而招致完全毁灭的结局。
15After considering chapter nine of Judges, we can see that it presents to us a picture of what a mess God’select Israel had become and to what extent they had degraded. Their degradation was initiated in their forsaking of Jehovah their God and their worshipping of the idols of the Canaanites, which issued in their indulgence in fleshly lust by having many wives to produce many sons. Gideon produced seventy - two sons of many wives (8:30-31; 9:5); another judge 31 produced thirty sons (10:4); another judge produced thirty sons and thirty daughters (12:8-9); and another judge produced forty sons and thirty grandsons9 (vv. 13-14). Israel’s degradation also issued in the wantonness of their hatred in slaying one another, ending themselves in full destruction.
十 、陀拉兴起，拯救以色列人
J. Tola Rising Up to Save Israel
16亚比米勒以后，以萨迦人陀拉兴起，拯救以色列人；他作以色列的士师二十三年。在陀拉以后，基列人睚珥兴起，他有三十个儿子；他作以色列的士师二十二年。（十1～5。）
16After Abimelech, Tola, a man of Issachar, rose up to save Israel, and he judged Israel twenty-three years. After Tola, Jair the Gileadite, who had thirty sons, rose up and judged Israel twenty-two years (10:1-5).