被人赶逐的耶弗他
耶弗他的家人和社区的人都不接受他，因为他的母亲是一个妓女，他于是逃到另一个地方，在那里建立了名声，并且有一群匪徒跟随他。
以色列民敬拜别的神，神便使亚扪人攻击他们；尽管耶弗他曾被流放，基列的长老却请求他回来，协助他们与亚扪人争战，长老们甚至说耶弗他可以作基列所有居民的领袖。这个邀请很合耶弗他的心意，他便要求他们要兑现这个应许。
长老和耶弗他是彼此的翻版，他们都是为自己打算的投机取巧者，他们都行自己看为正的事。
然而，我们又如何呢？在我们的社区和我们的家庭中，我们是否也是按自己的喜好行事？抑或我们尝试寻求神的旨意、思想祂的话语给我们的教导、祈求主的引领、和在相信和倚靠神的人身上吸取智慧呢？假若我们只是做自已眼中看为正的事，我们就与耶弗他和基列人没有分别，我们都是按着我们的罪性行事的。
然而，藉着另一个在谣言中出生的孩子和时常被排斥的人，神为我们预备了另一条出路。祂差遣祂的儿子耶稣基督到来，祂过了完美的一生，又为我们牺牲自己的性命；祂战胜了我们最大的敌人－罪和死亡－好让我们能够与神和好。愿颂赞归与神！
主啊，我们为叫我们与你共享丰盛生命的救主感谢袮。阿们。
士师记 11:1-11
1基列人耶弗他是个大能的勇士，是妓女的儿子。耶弗他是基列所生的。
2基列的妻也生了几个儿子，他妻所生的儿子长大了，就赶逐耶弗他，说：“你不可在我们父家承受产业，因为你是妓女的儿子。”
3耶弗他就逃避他的弟兄，去住在陀伯地，有些匪徒到他那里聚集，与他一同出入。
4过了些日子，亚扪人攻打以色列。
5亚扪人攻打以色列的时候，基列的长老到陀伯地去，要叫耶弗他回来，
6对耶弗他说：“请你来做我们的元帅，我们好与亚扪人争战。”
7耶弗他回答基列的长老说：“从前你们不是恨我，赶逐我出离父家吗？现在你们遭遇急难为何到我这里来呢？”
8基列的长老回答耶弗他说：“现在我们到你这里来，是要你同我们去，与亚扪人争战。你可以做基列一切居民的领袖。”
9耶弗他对基列的长老说：“你们叫我回去，与亚扪人争战，耶和华把他交给我，我可以做你们的领袖吗？”
10基列的长老回答耶弗他说：“有耶和华在你我中间做见证，我们必定照你的话行。”
11于是耶弗他同基列的长老回去，百姓就立耶弗他做领袖，做元帅。耶弗他在米斯巴将自己的一切话陈明在耶和华面前。
Jephthah The Outcast
“Gilead’s... sons... drove Jephthah away. ‘You are not going to get any inheritance in our family,’” they said.... - Judges 11:2
Jephthah’s family and community had rejected him because his mother was a prostitute. So he had fled to another land, where he made a name for himself and outlaws followed him.
Though Jephthah had been exiled, the elders of Gilead begged him to return and help them fight the Ammonites, whom God had set against Israel because they had worshiped other gods. The elders even said that Jephthah could be the leader over all of them. That sounded good to Jephthah, and he made them commit to their promise.
The elders and Jephthah are like mirror images—corrupted opportunists serving themselves. They did what seemed right in their own eyes.
But what do we do? In our communities and our families, do we simply do as we like? Or do we try to seek out God’s will, reflecting on the teachings of his Word to us, asking the Lord for guidance, and searching out the wisdom of others who believe and trust in God? If we only do what seems right in our own eyes, we won’t be much different from Jephthah and the Gileadites, acting in line with our sinful nature.
But through another child who had a scandalous birth and was often an outcast, God has provided another way. He sent his Son, Jesus Christ, to live a perfect life and to give up his own life for our sake. He defeated our worst enemies—sin and death—so that we can live at peace with God. Praise be to God!
Lord, thank you for the Savior who brings us full life with you. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
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