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【Bible Study】Ezra 9 - Marriage is Spiritual

2015-01-31 23,172 Ezra Ezra Theology of Ezra Flourishing Foreigners Marriage Power

People often say, Marriage is the graveyard of love. All the sweet affections turn sour after entering the confines of formal marriage, and the vows made at the beginning seem to lose their meaning. Surely, everyone hopes for a lasting and joyful marriage, but the development of marriage and its underlying secrets are beyond our anticipation. Next, let Pastor Liu guide you to open the Bible and see what a blessed marriage truly looks like.

Questions to Ponder:

  • Many people say that with the title of Christian, one can enter the Kingdom of Heaven without worry. Is this really the case?

  • How can those who have sinned re-enter God's protection?

  • What kind of marriage can receive blessings?

In fact, this chapter speaks of Ezra's theological concepts. He has his own interpretation of the history of the past hundreds of years, from the Israelites to Samaria, to Judah, and then to Ezra's day. He has his own set of theological concepts. At the very center of his theological concept, which is also a very important part, is marriage. That is to say, marriage is a concentrated manifestation of spiritual issues. Christians must take your marriage very seriously. We will come back to the issue of marriage later, and first look at Ezra's theological views.

How Ezra Views Sin

Saying: “O my God, I am ashamed and blush to lift my face to you, my God, for our iniquities have risen higher than our heads, and our guilt has mounted up to the heavens. From the days of our fathers to this day we have been in great guilt. And for our iniquities we, our kings, and our priests have been given into the hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, to plunder, and to utter shame, as it is today.” (Ezra 9:6-7)

This is the first point. God originally promised that you and I would have a prosperous life, and God's good will in our lives is beyond doubt. But what makes God's chosen people unable to live out such a glorious image? It is sin. I often ask some Christians, Is it possible to live without sinning? Impossible. How can people live without sinning? After hearing this, you might wonder where they received such information. The Israelites, they read the Bible, the Pentateuch, from Genesis to Deuteronomy, and after reading it, they said: This is impossible. How can people live without sinning? Let's take a look. There are so few men in the church and so many women, are you going to let her never marry? A question was raised. The specific problem he saw immediately overturned all the words of the Bible. So where is the problem? The problem is that he doesn't believe, right? If he believes, even in the stones, God can raise up descendants for Abraham. So how is it impossible? Because he doesn't believe that God is the foundation. We go back to the New Testament, when old John wrote 1 John, I believe he was very old, but he summed up a rule, that those who are of God do not sin, and those who are born of God do not sin.

Today, many of us Christians say: Can people live without sinning? It's impossible. It's impossible for people in the world not to sin. This concept completely does not conform to the Bible. So we must know one thing, if you see a Christian who cannot live out a prosperous life and lives very badly, you know his spiritual condition, without even thinking about it, he must be living in sin. This is Ezra's theological view. But as for whether there is a Job, there may be such a Job. In fact, Ezra also read the Book of Job, there was already the Book of Job at that time, but he did not say: We Israelites are Job. Because of our sins, we were handed over to the kings of the nations, to be killed, plundered, robbed, and put to shame. That is to say, today you must know for sure that if a Christian is put to shame, it is closely related to his sin. This is not referring to others, you and I are the same, one by one, because this is Ezra's theology.

So we could originally live out God's glory, live out prosperity and goodness, and the produce of this land would work for us, and we could eat the good things of this land and be strong. But today what we see is an extremely desolate scene. Don't think that the three words Christian can guarantee peace. Only by keeping and following God's commandments can you be guaranteed peace. So many people bring up, Look, this is so-and-so Christian, he is like this and that. Oh, I don't think it's right. That doesn't prove anything, it only proves that person is living in sin. So if a person is not holy, he cannot see the Lord. If a person lives in sin, it is impossible to prosper, if you are a Christian. If you are not a Christian, as far as sinning or not sinning is concerned, it is all the same, there is no such thing as prosperity or not. There must be a difficult scripture in their family. This is Ezra's first theological concept. So we must see killing, plundering, robbing, and being put to shame, just like today. You know that sin is in control of this person.

Once there was a person who came among us. This person was very unlucky. I have never seen such an unlucky person. The people upstairs in her house were renovating, and the people upstairs turned the area above her bedroom into a toilet. The people downstairs couldn't sleep, and there was always the sound of flushing toilets above their heads, which was very annoying. Then she went to sue, but she lost the case. She also sold financial products. A customer was very rich and invested a lot of money. He invested in twenty financial products, and nineteen of them were profitable, but only one was not profitable. As a result, the money lost had to be compensated by her, and she was sued in court. You say how unlucky this person is. It's not that he didn't make money. All twenty of them added up to make money, and the person who sued her was still her cousin. Then she came among us. After hearing this, we said to her: Sister, turn away from sin. She didn't admit that she had sinned. She felt that she was very good. But today we must know. People who do not live well do so because they do not live a holy life.

God Will Remember Us

Even such people, living in sin, should have been drowned, but God remembers. But now for a little while grace has been shown from the Lord our God to leave us a remnant, and to give us a peg in his holy place, (Ezra 9:8) and then what to do? To grant us some revival in our bondage. It is in such a desolate era that they hope to bring the exiled Israelites back to Jerusalem. God's meaning is, you see this corrupt situation, you should repent, right? If you have a heart of repentance, God will once again have mercy and allow them to revive somewhat in their bondage. They were servants of the Persian king, but in their bondage, God did not abandon them. You see Ezra's theological concept is very clear, God has not abandoned you and me. Even if you are a sinner, if you are willing to turn away from sin, God still remembers you, shows you favor in the eyes of the Persian king, and wants you to revive. That our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our bondage.

The second theological concept is that no matter how deep you live in sin, if you are willing to turn back, God will show mercy again, allowing you to find favor in the eyes of the king, hoping you will be revived. In fact, throughout the Old Testament, you will see that God very much hopes that people can live in prosperity. But people are constantly trapped in sin. When they are trapped in sin, God disciplines them. After the discipline, God still hopes they will be revived and prosper. As a result, they are still trapped in sin. What a tragedy! That is, people cannot keep and follow God's decrees and laws. If you look at God's decrees and laws with a picky eye, there will be many problems. Why can't there be intermarriage? My son and his daughter are in such a good relationship. They are so lovely. Why can't he do it? Then he went to ask the chief priest. When he got to the chief priest's house, he saw that his son had also married one. There is no need to ask, it's good. See, these are seen from a human perspective, you cannot understand. Because God's law is spiritual.

God's law is spiritual, and we are carnal. We carnal people have no way to follow God's spiritual law. That is to say, God's law reveals the mysteries in the spiritual realm. It is not judged by physical eyes and human logic. That is to say, human logic is human logic, and God's logic is God's logic. But God's logic transcends our human logic. When we act according to human logic, we are in corruption. If you are God's chosen people, but still act according to human logic, it is very sad. Because you have God's good promises in your life, but you put them down and follow what is imagined in your mind.

What is the simplest imagination of people? Working hard, loving God will delay my making money. For more than twenty years, I have never stopped coming to worship God on Sundays. Although I still have many other problems, did I lose or receive grace? The answer is clear: I received grace. God has always remembered us and always hoped that we would be revived. What happened as a result? As a result, people are still constantly living in sin. So Ezra's second point of theology is that God has not abandoned us.

The Israelites often said that God has abandoned us. On the way out of Egypt, they said that God has abandoned us. We don't know what happened to the God who led us out of Egypt. As soon as they lost faith, they didn't know what happened. Then people began to walk the path of sinners. They had no faith in God. Today you must have faith in God. God will not abandon you, God will never abandon you. God will always take care of you. If you are willing to turn away from sin, God will definitely take care of you. So in Ezekiel it says that if you are a righteous man, and then you fall into sin, God will abandon you. If you are a sinner, and suddenly wake up and turn away from sin, God will take care of you again. It's very clear.

People who worship idols will defile that land

Once the land is defiled, that land will be cursed. Why? Because the people of that land have done abominable things. Everyone must know that you must be careful about what God hates. Let's take a look at the Ten Commandments in Exodus Chapter 20. Thank God for only giving us ten commandments, not one hundred commandments or six hundred commandments, then we would not be able to figure it out. But you must remember these ten commandments, every one of them is a spiritual principle.

I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. “You shall have no other gods before me. “You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments. (Exodus 20:2-6)

See, these carved things are carved idols, it is a spiritual matter. Artistic creation is so good, so beautiful, but it is spiritual. A person collected two stone lions and placed them at the door of their house. As a result, their family often encountered disasters. Later, after they believed in the Lord, they threw away the stone lions, and their lives were peaceful. You need to know that many things are very spiritual. What can the stone lions do? They can't do anything, but they bring a lot of disasters.

You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name. “Remember the Sabbath day by keeping it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is a sabbath to the Lord your God. On it you shall not do any work, neither you, nor your son or daughter, nor your male or female servant, nor your animals, nor any foreigner residing in your towns. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, but he rested on the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and made it holy. “Honor your father and your mother, so that you may live long in the land the Lord your God is giving you. “You shall not murder. “You shall not commit adultery. “You shall not steal. “You shall not give false testimony against your neighbor. “You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, his male or female servant, his ox or donkey, or anything that belongs to your neighbor.” (Exodus 20:7-17)

There was a young man in Beijing who was wrongly killed. After his death, a reporter took photos of their home and put them on the Internet. When I saw it, oh! I didn't even know how he died. I thought he was wronged, but it turned out that he wasn't wronged at all. The whole house was full of things that should be destroyed. He killed himself without even knowing it. Brothers and sisters, you can't understand with human eyes. Today we see piles and piles of people giving false testimony in order to gain benefits. There are also piles and piles of unspoken rules now, because people feel that they have to live like this, but the Bible says very clearly that if you violate these kinds of things, you will definitely incur a curse.

Today we see that the people in the land of Israel are all doing defiled and abominable things, and then they are all cursed. Then the problem comes, these people are all carrying demons. Don't just look at the outward physical appearance. It's good, but you don't know what spirit is living inside it. So Ezra's fourth concept is So do not give your daughters in marriage to their sons, nor take their daughters for your sons. Do not seek a treaty of friendship with them at any time, that you may be strong and eat the good things of the land and leave it to your children as an everlasting inheritance.” (Ezra 9:12) In Ezra's eyes, he is very clear about what is happening in the spiritual realm.

If a Christian girl marries a non-Christian boy, the evil spirit will immediately enter her, and it is impossible to live well. When I was at the Polytechnic Institute, I met a girl whose mother committed suicide. Her mother was a Christian when she was young. That kind of Christian is very sad, and she married her father (who did not believe in the Lord). As for whether she was forced or something, we can't see from a human perspective, but we can see that the devil deliberately wanted to kill her, and then she jumped off the building. What a deep wound will be formed in a child's mind, her own mother committed suicide, what caused it? It is not believing, not knowing that it is a very important thing in the spiritual realm, so everyone cannot take marriage lightly. If her mother hadn't married anyone, what would it matter if she lived to that age? It doesn't matter, but if she marries for the sake of marrying, it will cause such a tragedy.

Today, I haven't heard of many good examples of Christians marrying non-Christians that I know of. It's very sad. But if they believe in the Lord after marriage, that's another matter. So Ezra's theological concept is that marriage is a spiritual matter. History shows us that Solomon was a very wise man, but he married many foreign women as wives and was corrupted. That is to say, no matter how smart a person is in this world, you cannot be smarter than a ghost, because the devil has been in this world for thousands of years or even tens of thousands of years, but you have only lived for decades, you cannot overcome it. The devil is trying every means to find someone to devour. Through marriage, it immediately enters him, and you cannot obtain life. Then some people will say that there are more girls than boys in the church, so what should we do? It's better not to do anything than to do it wrong. If you do it wrong, this life will be very sad.

Everyone don't think that you have to get married. What does it matter if you don't get married? That's better than committing suicide after marriage. Everyone don't think that it's something great. Even so, it's better than marrying a foreigner. That's like getting out of a wolf's den and into a tiger's den, asking for trouble! Originally, God can make us strong in our midst, can eat the good things of this land, can enjoy all the good things on this land, but people don't know how to look at these important issues such as marriage with spiritual eyes. If such a smart person like Solomon was defeated by foreign women, what kind of person are you? You cannot win, don't even think about it! You think that you can transform him by marrying him and bringing him to church. It is better to bring him to church first and make him a Christian before you start dating. No need to rush!

As a result, those who found favor in the eyes of God from among the Gentiles, that is, in the presence of the Persian king, returned to Jerusalem. Their task was to build the temple. Ezra was the third group to return. So what happened to the previous two groups? The high priest, petty priests, Levites, and Israelites all married foreign women as wives, or gave their daughters to them in marriage. Why? It is that they did not understand what happened in the spiritual realm. The law is spiritual, don't look at it with carnal eyes. I will tell you a very serious thing: if people just live a small life in this world, they will easily step into sin. Don't live a small life in this world, that is, a normal three meals a day, rest, and then work the next day.

Only thinking about these things in their minds, and then paving roads when encountering mountains and building bridges when encountering water, whatever comes their way, this person will do everything. Because he thinks it is a matter of course. So the God in the Bible tells us, Blessed is the one who meditates on the law of the Lord day and night (Psalm 1:2). Why meditate day and night? It is the set of ideas that people are born with. Often some brothers and sisters among us use their natural ideas to argue with me. I really can't argue with them, because speaking according to the flesh, what they say is very right, very right. In fact, there are many very wise things in the world.

Before I believed in the Lord, I liked to read the philosophy of ancient Legalists, Xunzi, Guanzi, Shang Yang... I admired them very much. They governed the country very well and were very wise. What they said was very good. Later, when I read the Bible, I found that what they said was not good at all, because it was human wisdom, and human wisdom can only solve very small problems. Whether ancient or modern, they are all dominated by the idea of management. What do they manage? Basically, it is money. Including Li Si, Lu Buwei and others... Turning a small investment into a huge profit came from Lu Buwei. He said that he wanted to do a business that would turn a small investment into a huge profit. Later, he became the prime minister of the Qin State. He was a businessman. He had the mentality of a businessman, and he still made money when he became the prime minister. These things in ancient times basically revolved around money. Shang Yang's Reform was done by giving someone a certain amount of gold for doing something, but no one believed it. Someone did it, and then they gave him gold. It was all money.

Today we live in this capitalist society where money is the most important thing! Everyone is drilling into the eyes of money and forgetting what it means to live. Then there is a whole set of worldly value systems, a very perfect value system. Let me give you an example. This is a digression. Why am I talking about these things? Because the Israelites were trapped in this. All they thought about every day was living a daily life, how much they earned today, how much they lost tomorrow, and they only thought about all these things in their minds. As for what it means to live, they forgot all about it.

Doing business and making money is also pretty good. The Canaanites are also pretty good. I am a business partner with him. Then let your son come to our family, and let my daughter marry over. They got together, very reasonable, very naturally, but that is not God's law. Let me give you an example, why do I say that these worldly philosophies are basically based on money? One day, Guanzi was with the king. The king said that he wanted to collect taxes. For every child born in someone's family, he would collect a poll tax. Guanzi said, This is not good. People will not want to have children. Then what should we do? the king asked. Guanzi said, Salt. The amount of salt a person eats in his lifetime is fixed. He can't not eat salt! Collect taxes on salt, and he will still have children. Very clever, you can't even feel it, but that is human cleverness! I believe that when this kind of thing enters our minds, we think that Zhuge Liang, Shang Yang, and Guanzi are very powerful, but once you fall into the eyes of money, it's very bad!

But our God's law is not built on the eyes of money. Our law is built in the temple of the eternal God. We are blessed today, receive grace, and can eat the good things of this land... not because we practice human-based philosophical concepts, but because we have the concept of worshipping God faithfully. When we worship with God as the center, you will definitely be strong! In any case, living a holy life will definitely be strong! A few days ago, there was a young man who came in and out of our church many times, but he just couldn't get out of the eyes of money, because he was a salesman, selling things and making money, but he couldn't get out of the eyes of money. He couldn't cross the eyes of money and enter the temple of God. Encourage everyone to start trying and know that the temple of God is all the good things in our lives.


## To Disobey God is to be Unable to Stand Before Him

**Should we again break your commandments and intermarry with the peoples who practice these abominations? Would you not be angry with us until you consume us, so that there would be no remnant, nor any to escape? O Lord God of Israel, you are righteous, for we are left a remnant, as it is this day. Behold, we are before you in our guilt, for none can stand before you because of this. Ezra 9:14-15**

This was Ezra's conviction, if you have sin on you, you cannot stand before God. This is what I want to tell everyone, no matter what, strive to live a holy life, living in holiness is the way to solve people's lives, is the way for us to be strong. We are God's chosen people, we are completely different from the people of the world. The people of the world can rely on Shang Yang, Guan Zhong's theories to govern everything. But we are the chosen people of the Eternal God, we rely on God to live a holy life in the world, and then we can live strong, and enjoy the good things of this land. Intermarriage with foreigners, from now on, don't even think about it, rather be a bachelor, be a leftover (holy) woman, than to take this risk, to incur God's wrath, you will not be able to stand before God.

Understanding Ezra's theological concepts, basically sin is the key to people living in this kind of being killed, plundered, robbed, and ashamed. Living a holy life, not intermarrying with foreigners, and not having any dealings with them in terms of interests, that is the key to letting us live strong, eat the good things of this land, and enjoy all the good things on this land. Today we must really steel our hearts, no matter what, we must live a holy life!
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**人们总说:“婚姻是爱情的坟墓",一切你侬我侬的爱意进入正式的婚姻后,当初的山盟海誓好像都变了味道。相信大家都期盼有一个持久喜乐的婚姻,其实婚姻的发展以及它背后的秘密并不是我们能够预料到的,接下来,让刘牧师引领你翻开《圣经》,看看蒙福的婚姻到底是什么样的?** 实际上这一章讲的是以斯拉的神学观念。他对过去好几百年的这些历史,从以色列人到撒玛利亚,到犹大,然后一直到以斯拉这一天,有他自己的解读,他有一套自己的神学观念。而他这个神学观念里一个很中心的地方,也是非常重要的一个部分,就是婚姻。也就是说婚姻是一个在属灵问题上的集中体现。基督徒要非常严肃的对待你的婚姻。待会儿我们再回来看这个婚姻的问题,先来看以斯拉的神学观念。

**说:“我的神啊,我抱愧蒙羞,不敢向我的神仰面,因为我们的罪孽灭顶,我们的罪恶滔天。从我们列祖直到今日,我们的罪恶甚重,因我们的罪孽,我们和君王、祭司都交在外帮列王的手中,杀害、掳掠、抢夺、脸上蒙羞,正如今日的光景。《以斯拉记》9:6-7** 这是第一点。神本来应许你和我是一个兴盛的生命,神在我们生命当中的美好旨意是不容质疑的。但是什么东西使神的选民活不出这样荣耀的形象?是罪。我常常问一些基督徒,不犯罪可不可以活着?“不可能。人不犯罪怎么活着啊?"听了以后你会奇怪他是从哪儿领受的这样的信息。以色列人,他们读《圣经》,摩西五经,从《创世记》读到《申命记》,读完了以后就说:这不可能。人不犯罪怎么活着啊?我们就来看一下,教会里男丁这么少,女孩这么多,难道你让她永远嫁不出去吗?上来提出了一个问题。他看见的那个具体的问题一下就把《圣经》的话给全都推翻了。那问题在哪里呢?问题就是他不相信,是不是?如果他相信的话,就算是在石头里,神都能兴起亚伯拉罕的子孙来。所以怎么是不可能呢?因为他不相信神是根基。我们回到新约《圣经》里去看,老约翰,写《约翰一书》的时候,我相信他的年纪已经非常大了,但他总结出一条规律,就是属神的人就不犯罪,从神生的就不犯罪。

今天我们很多基督徒说:“人不犯罪能活着吗?不可能的。人在世上不可能不犯罪啊"。这观念就完完全全不符合《圣经》的。所以我们要知道一件事情,如果基督徒你看他活不出兴盛的样子,活的很糟糕,就知道他里面属灵的光景,想都不用想,他一定是活在罪恶当中。这就是以斯拉的神学观念。但是至于有没有一个约伯,可能有那么一个约伯。其实以斯拉也读过《约伯记》,那个时候已经有了《约伯记》,但是他没有这么说:“我们以色列人是约伯"。因我们的罪孽,我们被交在外邦列王手中,杀害、掳掠、抢夺,脸上蒙羞。也就是说今天你要确切的知道,如果一个基督徒脸上蒙羞,跟他的罪紧密相关。这话不是指着别人说的,你和我都一样,有一个算一个,因为这是以斯拉的神学。 那么本来我们能够活出神的荣耀,活出兴盛,美好,这地的土产都为我们效力,吃这地的美物,可以强盛。但是今天看到的是极其荒凉的光景。大家不要以为“基督徒"这三个字可以保平安,**谨守遵行神的戒命才能够保平安**。所以有很多人拿出,“你看这是某某基督徒,他这样这样这样。哎呀,我看不行。"那证明不了什么,只能证明那个人活在罪中。所以如果人不圣洁是不能见主的,一个人如果活在罪中是不可能兴盛,如果你是个基督徒的话。如果你不是个基督徒,至于犯罪不犯罪都是一个样,没什么兴盛不兴盛这回事,他们家一定有本难念的经。这是以斯拉第一个神学观念。所以我们一定看见杀害、掳掠、抢夺、脸上蒙羞,正如今日的光景。你就知道罪在这个人身上掌权。

曾经有一个人来到我们当中,这个人很倒霉,我从来没看到过这么倒霉的人。她家楼上的人装修,在她家卧房的上面,楼上的人给装成了厕所,底下的人就没法睡觉了,头顶上总是有抽水马桶的声音,烦死了。然后就去打官司,结果还打输了。她还卖那些金融产品,有个客户很有钱,投了好多钱,然后他投资了二十样金融产品,十九样是赚钱的,只一样是不赚钱的。结果赔的钱却要让她给补,还把她告到法院。你说这人多倒霉,他不是不赚钱,二十样加起来是赚钱的,而且告她的人还是她的表弟。然后她来到我们当中,我们听了以后对她说:“姐妹,从罪中转回。"她不承认她有罪,她觉得她非常好。但是今天我们一定要知道。**人活不好,就是因为不过圣洁的生活。**

就算是这样的人,活在罪中,本来是应该灭顶的,但是神却纪念。现在耶和华我们的神暂且施恩与我们,给我们留些逃脱的人(《以斯拉记》9:8),然后做什么呢?使我们在受辖制当中稍微复兴。就是在这样一个很荒凉的年代里头,希望把以色列被掳的人带回耶路撒冷。神的意思是,你看见这种败坏的状况,你应该悔改了吧?如果你有悔改的心,神就再次施怜悯,使他们在受辖制当中稍微复兴。他们本是波斯王的奴仆,然而在辖制当中,神没有丢弃他们。你看以斯拉的神学观念非常的清楚,神没有丢弃你和我。就算是犯了罪的人,如果你愿意从罪中转回,神仍然纪念你,在波斯王眼前向我们施恩,叫我们复兴,重建我们神的殿,修起毁坏之处,使我们在犹大和耶路撒冷有墙垣。 第二个神学观念,**不管你活在多深的罪中,你愿意转回,神都会重新施怜悯**,让你在王面前蒙恩宠,希望你复兴。其实整个旧约的《圣经》你会看见,神很希望人能够活在兴盛当中。但是人不断的陷在罪里,陷在罪里神就管教,管教完了,神还是希望他们复兴和兴盛。结果他们还是陷在罪里,真是一场悲剧!就是人不能够谨守遵行神的律例典章。如果你用挑毛病的眼光来看神的律例典章,那问题就多了,怎么就不能通婚呢?我儿子跟他女儿谈恋爱谈的可好了,多可爱啊。他怎么就不行呢?然后就去问祭祀长,到了祭祀长家里一看,他儿子也娶了一个。就不用问了,挺好。看到了没有,这些用人的眼光看,你没有办法明白。因为神的律法是属灵的。 神的律法是属灵的,而我们是属肉体的,我们这属肉体的人是没有办法遵行神属灵的律法的。也就是说神的律法是启示了灵界里的奥秘。不是用肉眼和人的逻辑去判断,也就是说人的逻辑,是人的逻辑,神的逻辑是神的逻辑。但神的逻辑超越了我们人的逻辑。我们用人的逻辑去行事为人的时候就是在败坏当中。如果你是神的选民,还是按照人的逻辑去行事为人,很可悲。因为你手里有神在你生命当中的美好应许,你却放下,却走人头脑里所想象的。

人最简单的想象是什么?努力做工,爱神会耽误我赚钱。二十多年我一直没停止星期天来敬拜神。虽然我身上还有很多其他的问题,但是我损失了还是蒙恩典了?答案很明确是蒙恩典了。神一直都纪念我们,一直希望我们重新复兴。结果怎么样?结果人还是不断的活在罪中。所以以斯拉神学的第二个观点是神没有丢弃我们。 以色列人常常说,神已经丢弃我们了。在出埃及的路上就说,神已经丢弃我们了。带领我们出埃及的那个神不知道发生了什么事。一弄信心就没了。然后就不知道发生了什么事。然后人就开始走他罪人的道路。对神没有信心。今天你一定要对神有信心。神不会丢弃你,神绝对不会丢弃你。神永远都会看顾你。如果你愿意从罪中转回,神一定会看顾你。所以在以西结书里就这么讲,如果你是个义人,然后你陷到罪中,神会丢弃你。如果你是个罪人,突然间醒悟了,从罪中转回,神又重新看顾你。非常的清楚。

一旦污秽那块地,那块地就会受了诅咒。为什么呢?因为那地的人,行了可憎的事。大家一定要知道神憎恶的东西你一定要小心。我们来看下《出埃及记》第二十章十诫,感谢神只赐下十诫,没有一百诫,六百诫,那我们就搞不清楚了。但这十诫,大家可要记住,这条条都是属灵的原则。 **我是耶和华你的神,曾将你从埃及地为奴之家领出来。除了我以外,你不可以有别的神。不可为自己雕刻偶像;也不可作什么形象仿佛上天、下地和地底下、水中的百物。不可跪拜那些像;也不可侍奉它,因为我耶和华你的神,是忌邪的神。恨我的,我必追讨他的罪,自父及子,直到三四代;爱我、守我戒命的,我必向他们发慈爱,直到千代。《出埃及记》20:2-6** 看到没有,这些雕刻东西是雕刻偶像,是一个属灵的事。艺术创作多好啊,多美啊,但是很属灵。有一个人收了两座石头的狮子,放在他们家门口,结果他们家常常遭遇灾祸。后来他们信主后,就把那石狮子丢掉,生活才安好。你要知道,很多事情非常属灵,那石头的狮子能怎样?不能怎样,但是那个却带来很多的灾祸。

**不可妄称耶和华你神的名;因为妄称耶和华名的,耶和华必不以他为无罪。当记念安息日,守为圣日。六日要劳碌作你一切的工,但第七日是向耶和华你神当守的安息日。这一日你和你的儿女、仆婢、牲畜,并你城里寄居的客旅,无论何工都不可作,因为六日之内,耶和华造天、地、海和其中的万物,第七日便安息,所以耶和华赐福与安息日,定为圣日。当孝敬父母,使你的日子在耶和华你神所赐你的地上得以长久。不可杀人。不可奸淫。不可偷盗。不可作假见证陷害人。不可贪恋人的房屋;也不可贪恋人的妻子、仆婢、牛驴,并他一切所有的。《出埃及记》20:7-17** 北京有一个小伙子,被人家冤枉死了,死后记者去他们家拍照放在网络上,我一看,哎呦!怎么死的都不知道,还以为是冤枉,原来一点都不冤枉,满屋子都是当灭之物,自己把自己弄死还不知道。弟兄姐妹们,你用人的眼光没有办法理解,今天我们看得到做假见证的一堆一堆的,为了得好处,得利益。现在的潜规则也是一堆一堆的,因为人觉得他得这么活着,但是《圣经》上讲的很清楚,这一类的事情,如果你违背了一定招来咒诅。

今天我们看到的是以色列这地上的人全都行的是污秽可憎的事,然后都受了咒诅,接下来问题就来了,这些人身上全都带着魔鬼,大家不要只看外在的肉体很好,但是却不知道他里面住的是什么灵。所以以斯拉的第4个观念是“所以不可将你们的女儿嫁他们的儿子;也不可为你们的儿子娶他们的女儿。永不可求他们的平安和他们的利益,这样你们就可以强盛,吃这地的美物,并遗留这地给你们的子孙永远为业。'《以斯拉记》9:12。在以斯拉的眼里他非常清楚灵界里面发生了什么事。 如果一个基督徒的女孩嫁给一个非基督徒的男孩,邪灵立刻进到她里面,不可能活的好。我在理工学院的时候认识了一个女孩,她妈妈是自杀的,她妈妈年轻的时候是基督徒。那样的基督徒是很可悲的,就嫁给了她爸爸(不信主),至于是被逼还是什么我们用人的角度看不出来,但是看得出是魔鬼故意要把她弄死,后来就跳楼了。在一个小孩的心理会形成多么深的伤害,自己的妈妈是自杀的,什么原因造成的呢?就是不相信,不知道那是灵界里面非常重要的事情,所以大家不可以轻看婚姻。如果她的妈妈没有嫁给什么人,活到那个岁数,有什么关系吗?没有什么关系,但是如果为了嫁人而嫁人,就造成这样的悲剧。 今天我所知的基督徒嫁给非基督徒的,我还没听说有几个好的例子,很可悲。但结婚以后信主了,那是另外一回事。所以以斯拉的神学观念就是“婚姻,嫁娶是一件属灵的事"历史给我们看见所罗门是非常有智慧的人,但是他娶了很多外邦人做老婆,就被败坏了。也就是说不管这世上有多么聪明的人,你没有办法比鬼更聪明,因为魔鬼在这世上几千年甚至上万年,但是你活了几十年,你没有办法胜过牠。魔鬼是千方百计寻找可吞吃的人,透过嫁娶,就立刻进到他的里面,你是不可能得到生命的。那有些人会说教会里面女孩多,男孩少,那怎么办?不办都比办错了强,如果办错了,这一生是很可悲的一件事情。 大家不要以为非得嫁人,不嫁又有什么关系?那比嫁完了自杀好吧。大家不要因为那是什么了不起的事情,就算是这样,也比嫁给一个外邦人强。那等同于出了狼窝进了虎穴,自讨苦吃!本来神在我们当中是可以使我们强盛,可以吃这地的美物,可以享受这块土地上一切美好的东西,但是人却不知道用属灵的眼光去看婚姻,嫁娶等这些重要的问题。如果所罗门这么聪明的人尚且败给了外邦女子,你是什么人?你不可能得胜的,想都不用想!你以为你嫁给他,你可以把他转化,带他来教会,那不如先把他带来教会,把他变成基督徒后再谈恋爱也不迟啊!不用急!

结果是神从外邦就是在波斯王面前那些蒙恩的人回到耶路撒冷,他们的任务是建造圣殿,以斯拉是第三批回去的,那前面的二批发生了什么事?从大祭司、小祭司、利未人及以色列人都娶外邦女子为妻,或者把自己的女儿嫁给他们。为什么?就是不明白灵界里面到底发生了什么事。律法是属灵的,千万不要用属肉体的眼光去看。我告诉大家一个非常严重的事情:人如果只过世上的小日子,就很轻易的迈进罪里,千万不要过世上的小日子,就是很正常的一日三餐,休息,然后第二天做工。 脑子里只想着这些事,然后“逢山开路,遇水搭桥"遇到什么是什么,这人就什么都做,因为他觉得是天经地义的事。所以《圣经》里这位神告诉我们“你要昼夜思想耶和华你神的话,这人便为有福"(《诗篇》1:2)。为什么要昼夜思想,就是人天生的那套思路。我们当中常常有些弟兄姐妹拿天生的思路来和我辩论,我真辩论不过他们,因为照着属肉体的讲,他们讲的都很对,非常对,其实世上有很多很有智慧的东西。

我没信主之前,很喜欢读古代法家的哲学,荀子,管子,商鞅...我很佩服他们,治理国家治理的非常好,很有智慧,那话讲的非常好。后来我读了《圣经》,发现那话讲的一点也不好,因为那是人的智慧,人的智慧只能解决很小的问题。无论是古代的还是现代的,都是以“经营"为主导思想,经营什么呢?基本上就是钱财。包括李斯,吕不韦这些人...“一本万利"是从吕不韦来的,他就说我要做“一本万利"的生意,后来他就做了秦国的宰相,他是个商人。他是商人的心态,做了宰相还是赚钱。古代的这些东西基本上都围绕着钱。“商鞅变法"怎么做的?谁做了这事我给他多少金子,但是没有人相信,有一个人做了,做了以后就给他金子,全是钱。 今天我们活在这个资本主义社会就是以钱为本!大家都钻到钱眼里去,就忘了人活着是怎么回事了,之后就有了一整套的属世的价值体系,非常完美的价值体系。我给大家举个例子,这是题外话,为什么我要讲这些呢?因为以色列人就陷到这里面去了,每天想的都是过日常生活啊,今天赚多少,明天赔多少,脑子里全想的这些,至于活着是怎么回事全忘了。

做生意赚钱,这也挺不错。迦南人也挺好,我跟他是生意伙伴,那你儿子过门到我们家吧,我女儿嫁过去吧,就弄到一起了,非常合理,非常自然而然的就进去了,但是那却不是神的律法。我举个例子,为什么说这些世上的哲学基本是以钱为本呢?有一天,管子跟国王一起,国王说我要收税,谁家生一个孩子,我就收一笔人头税,管子说“这样不好,人家就不愿意生孩子了"。“那怎么办啊?"国王问。管子说:“盐,人一生吃多少盐是固定的,他不能不吃盐啊!在盐上收税,他照样生"。非常的聪明,你都感觉不到,但是那是人的聪明!我相信这种东西进到我们脑子里去的时候,我们觉得诸葛亮、商鞅、管子很厉害,但是一掉到钱眼里,就很惨! 但我们神的律法不是在钱眼上建立的,我们的律法是在永生神的殿里建立起来的,我们今天蒙祝福,得恩典,可以吃这地的美物...不是以为我们行了以人为本的哲学观念,而是以敬拜神为忠心的这种观念,当我们以神为中心敬拜的时候你一定强盛!无论如何,过圣洁的生活,一定强盛!前几天有个小伙子,进进出出我们教会好多次了,就在这个钱眼里出不来,因为他是个销售员,卖东西,赚钱,但就无法从钱眼里出来,他没有办法跨过这钱眼,进到神的殿里。鼓励大家开始试一下,要知道神的殿才是我们生命美好的一切。

**我们岂可再违背你的命令,与这行可憎之事的民结亲呢?若这样行,你岂不向我们发怒,将我们灭绝,以至没有一个剩下逃脱的人吗?耶和华以色列的神啊,因你是公义的,我们这剩下的人才得逃脱,正如今日的光景。看哪,我们在你面前有罪恶,因此无人在你面前站立得住。"《以斯拉记》9:14-15** 这就是以斯拉的观念,如果你身上有罪,你是无法在神面前站立得住。这就是我要告诉大家,无论如何都要竭力活出圣洁的生活,活在圣洁中才是解决人生活的办法,才是我们强盛的办法。我们是神的选民,我们跟世上的人完全不一样,世上的人可以靠着商鞅,管子那套理论治理所有的东西。但是我们是永生上帝的选民,我们是靠着神在世上过圣洁的生活,然后可以活出强盛,可以享受这地上的美物。与外邦人结亲,从今以后想都不要想,宁可成为光棍,成为剩(圣)女,也不去冒这个险,讨神的愤怒,你没有办法在神面前站立得住。 了解了以斯拉的神学观念,基本上就是罪是人活在这种被杀害、捋掠、抢夺、脸上蒙羞的关键,过圣洁的生活不与外邦人通婚,不与他们有利益上的来往,那就是让我们活出强盛,吃这地的美物,享受这地上一切美好的关键。今天我们真的要横下一条心,无论如何都要过圣洁的生活!
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