W1 2012-03-05 (士17)
經文: 士師記 17:13 米迦說：現在我知道耶和華必賜福與我，因我有一個利未人作祭司。
默想: 米迦偷了母親的銀子而被母親咒詛。當他把銀子歸還母親時，母親確用其中一部份替他雕刻一座銀偶像，卻把這個稱為獻給耶和華。後來有一位利未少年人遊蕩到米迦家裡，尋找可以住宿之處。米迦就把他留下來，請他擔任這個銀偶像的祭司。然後米迦就自己慶幸，因為擁有一位利未少年人作為祭司，必會蒙耶和華的祝福。主啊！求你幫助我，不要像米迦一樣，把這些外在的宗教儀式物品與人物，視為蒙神祝福的保證，而是會遵行耶和華的命令，盡己愛神與愛鄰如己。
題目: 當時以色列民深受外族影響，自立祭司，雕塑偶像當作耶和華崇拜，甚至連利未人也忘記自己的身分，為五斗米折腰。試想在我們是否也為生活、利益，而輕看我們身為神兒女及尊貴的祭司身分？
17:1 以法蓮山地有一個人名叫米迦。
There was a man of the hill country of E'phraim, whose name was Micah.
17:2 他對母親說：「你那一千一百舍客勒銀子被人拿去，你因此咒詛，並且告訴了我。看哪，這銀子在我這裡，是我拿去了。」他母親說：「我兒啊，願耶和華賜福與你！」
And he said to his mother, "The eleven hundred pieces of silver which were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it." And his mother said, "Blessed be my son by the LORD."
17:3 米迦就把這一千一百舍客勒銀子還他母親。他母親說：「我分出這銀子來為你獻給耶和華，好雕刻一個像，鑄成一個像。現在我還是交給你。」
And he restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother; and his mother said, "I consecrate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image; now therefore I will restore it to you."
17:4 米迦將銀子還他母親，他母親將二百舍客勒銀子交給銀匠，雕刻一個像，鑄成一個像，安置在米迦的屋內。
So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a graven image and a molten image; and it was in the house of Micah.
17:5 這米迦有了神堂，又製造以弗得和家中的神像，分派他一個兒子作祭司。
And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and teraphim, and installed one of his sons, who became his priest.
17:6 那時以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行。
In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.
17:7 猶大的伯利恆有一個少年人，是猶大族的利未人，他在那裡寄居。
Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there.
17:8 這人離開猶大的伯利恆城，要找一個可住的地方。行路的時候，到了以法蓮山地，走到米迦的家。
And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah, to live where he could find a place; and as he journeyed, he came to the hill country of E'phraim to the house of Micah.
17:9 米迦問他說：「你從哪裡來？」他回答說：「從猶大的伯利恆來。我是利未人，要找一個可住的地方。」
And Micah said to him, "From where do you come?" And he said to him, "I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to sojourn where I may find a place."
17:10 米迦說：「你可以住在我這裡，我以你為父、為祭司。我每年給你十舍客勒銀子，一套衣服和度日的食物。」利未人就進了他的家。
And Micah said to him, "Stay with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, and a suit of apparel, and your living."
17:11 利未人情願與那人同住；那人看這少年人如自己的兒子一樣。
And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man became to him like one of his sons.
17:12 米迦分派這少年的利未人作祭司，他就住在米迦的家裡。
And Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
17:13 米迦說：「現在我知道耶和華必賜福與我，因我有一個利未人作祭司。」
There was a man of the hill country of E'phraim, whose name was Micah.
17:2 他對母親說：「你那一千一百舍客勒銀子被人拿去，你因此咒詛，並且告訴了我。看哪，這銀子在我這裡，是我拿去了。」他母親說：「我兒啊，願耶和華賜福與你！」
And he said to his mother, "The eleven hundred pieces of silver which were taken from you, about which you uttered a curse, and also spoke it in my ears, behold, the silver is with me; I took it." And his mother said, "Blessed be my son by the LORD."
17:3 米迦就把這一千一百舍客勒銀子還他母親。他母親說：「我分出這銀子來為你獻給耶和華，好雕刻一個像，鑄成一個像。現在我還是交給你。」
And he restored the eleven hundred pieces of silver to his mother; and his mother said, "I consecrate the silver to the LORD from my hand for my son, to make a graven image and a molten image; now therefore I will restore it to you."
17:4 米迦將銀子還他母親，他母親將二百舍客勒銀子交給銀匠，雕刻一個像，鑄成一個像，安置在米迦的屋內。
So when he restored the money to his mother, his mother took two hundred pieces of silver, and gave it to the silversmith, who made it into a graven image and a molten image; and it was in the house of Micah.
17:5 這米迦有了神堂，又製造以弗得和家中的神像，分派他一個兒子作祭司。
And the man Micah had a shrine, and he made an ephod and teraphim, and installed one of his sons, who became his priest.
17:6 那時以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行。
In those days there was no king in Israel; every man did what was right in his own eyes.
17:7 猶大的伯利恆有一個少年人，是猶大族的利未人，他在那裡寄居。
Now there was a young man of Bethlehem in Judah, of the family of Judah, who was a Levite; and he sojourned there.
17:8 這人離開猶大的伯利恆城，要找一個可住的地方。行路的時候，到了以法蓮山地，走到米迦的家。
And the man departed from the town of Bethlehem in Judah, to live where he could find a place; and as he journeyed, he came to the hill country of E'phraim to the house of Micah.
17:9 米迦問他說：「你從哪裡來？」他回答說：「從猶大的伯利恆來。我是利未人，要找一個可住的地方。」
And Micah said to him, "From where do you come?" And he said to him, "I am a Levite of Bethlehem in Judah, and I am going to sojourn where I may find a place."
17:10 米迦說：「你可以住在我這裡，我以你為父、為祭司。我每年給你十舍客勒銀子，一套衣服和度日的食物。」利未人就進了他的家。
And Micah said to him, "Stay with me, and be to me a father and a priest, and I will give you ten pieces of silver a year, and a suit of apparel, and your living."
17:11 利未人情願與那人同住；那人看這少年人如自己的兒子一樣。
And the Levite was content to dwell with the man; and the young man became to him like one of his sons.
17:12 米迦分派這少年的利未人作祭司，他就住在米迦的家裡。
And Micah installed the Levite, and the young man became his priest, and was in the house of Micah.
17:13 米迦說：「現在我知道耶和華必賜福與我，因我有一個利未人作祭司。」
士師記 17:6 「那時以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行。」
回覆刪除「米迦立像」（1～6節）──「那時以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行」（6），這句話在21章25節再次出現。本來耶和華是以色列的王，摩西律法成為王的治民法典，可是以色列民背棄耶和華，喜歡甚麼就做甚麼。米迦偷去母親的錢，後來因為怕受咒詛而招認了，米迦的母親也不追究，但他母親竟然還用二百舍客勒銀子去鑄造偶像，讓米迦在家中設起神堂，米迦更分派自己的兒子作祭司。名義上他是敬拜耶和華，實質上他是拜偶像，用私意崇拜神。
主啊，求你憐憫我們，有時我們確實心中沒有上帝，壓根兒不怕上帝，胡亂作為，任意而行。在教會、學校、機構中執掌大權，任意安插自己的親信居於要位，結黨結派，名義上是服侍神，實際上是樹立自己的王國（Empire），用人的手段，奪去了神的榮耀。主啊，為什麼是如此？我們真的很難過。主啊，很不幸地，是的，有時我們確實像米迦一樣的人，為生活、利益，而輕看自己的身分。
求主幫助我們，不要忘記我們是被揀選的族類，是有君尊的祭司，是聖潔的國度，是屬神的子民，不要忘記上帝召我們出黑暗入奇妙光明，是要我們過得勝的生活。讀了這張經文，看到「米迦立像」的事件，再次提醒自己，求主幫助我們，讓我們能勇敢地從失敗中，站出來說：感謝神！常帥領我們在基督裡誇勝，並藉著我們在各處顯揚那因認識基督而有的香氣。（林後二14）
士師記 17:6 「那時以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行。」
回覆刪除「米迦立像」（1～6節）──「那時以色列中沒有王，各人任意而行」（6），這句話在21章25節再次出現。本來耶和華是以色列的王，摩西律法成為王的治民法典，可是以色列民背棄耶和華，喜歡甚麼就做甚麼。米迦偷去母親的錢，後來因為怕受咒詛而招認了，米迦的母親也不追究，但他母親竟然還用二百舍客勒銀子去鑄造偶像，讓米迦在家中設起神堂，米迦更分派自己的兒子作祭司。名義上他是敬拜耶和華，實質上他是拜偶像，用私意崇拜神。
主啊，求你憐憫我們，有時我們確實心中沒有上帝，壓根兒不怕上帝，胡亂作為，任意而行。在教會、學校、機構中執掌大權，任意安插自己的親信居於要位，結黨結派，名義上是服侍神，實際上是樹立自己的王國（Empire），用人的手段，奪去了神的榮耀。主啊，為什麼是如此？我們真的很難過。主啊，很不幸地，是的，有時我們確實像米迦一樣的人，為生活、利益，而輕看自己的身分。
求主幫助我們，不要忘記我們是被揀選的族類，是有君尊的祭司，是聖潔的國度，是屬神的子民，不要忘記上帝召我們出黑暗入奇妙光明，是要我們過得勝的生活。讀了這張經文，看到「米迦立像」的事件，再次提醒自己，求主幫助我們，讓我們能勇敢地從失敗中，站出來說：感謝神！常帥領我們在基督裡誇勝，並藉著我們在各處顯揚那因認識基督而有的香氣。（林後二14）