美哉小城伯利恒

作者:每日箴言   来源:普世佳音

“伯利恒、以法他啊,你在犹大诸城中为小,将来必有一位从你那里出来,在以色列中为我作掌权的;他的根源从亘古 ...... 就有。” - 弥5:2

  旧约圣经中很多段经文,都是耶稣的预表,我们需要视耶稣为 “从亘古,从太初就有” 的那位。

  初代教会引用以赛亚书1:3来证明耶稣将会在动物中间诞生:“牛认识主人,驴认识主人的槽;以色列却不认识,我的民却不留意。”遗憾的是,纵然有动物见证耶稣诞生和看见祂卧在马槽里 (路加福音2:7),以色列的领袖们却仍然瞎眼看不见。

  初代教会也在以赛亚书第60章看到有关博士到来的预言:“万国要来就你的光,君王要来就你发现的光辉。......米甸和以法的独峰驼 ...... 示巴的众人都必来到;要奉上黄金乳香,又要传说耶和华的赞美。”可惜耶路撒冷又一次错过了。

  伯利恒只是一个小城,然而神往往使用我们生命中微小的事物来成就祂的计划。弥迦书5:2应许,有一位伟大的掌权者,将会从小伯利恒城出来,而马太福音2:6则特别强调伯利恒城的重要性:“伯利恒啊,你在犹大诸城中,并不是最小的。”

  就是在我们生活中最微小的细节上,神也会参与其中的,若明白这一点,你的生命将会有极大的改变。所以,你必须留心察看,神正在你日常生活中哪一方面动工?

祷告

神啊,感谢祢,就是在我们每日的生活细节上,祢也在动工。愿我们所作的一切,都赞美这位来自伯利恒城的救主!奉耶稣的名祷告,阿们。

 

弥迦书 5: 2-4; 马太福音 2:1-6

2 伯利恒的以法他啊, 你在犹大诸城中为小, 将来必有一位从你那里出来, 在以色列中为我作掌权的; 他的根源从亘古,从太初就有。
3耶和华必将以色列人交付敌人, 直等那生产的妇人生下子来。 那时掌权者其余的弟兄 必归到以色列人那里。
4他必起来,倚靠耶和华的大能, 并耶和华-他神之名的威严, 牧养他的羊群。 他们要安然居住; 因为他必日见尊大,直到地极。
1当希律王的时候,耶稣生在犹太的伯利恒。有几个博士从东方来到耶路撒冷,说:
2“那生下来作犹太人之王的在哪里?我们在东方看见他的星,特来拜他。”
3希律王听见了,就心里不安;耶路撒冷合城的人也都不安。
4他就召齐了祭司长和民间的文士,问他们说:“基督当生在何处?”
5他们回答说:“在犹太的伯利恒。因为有先知记着,说:
6 犹大地的伯利恒啊, 你在犹大诸城中并不是最小的; 因为将来有一位君王要从你那里出来, 牧养我以色列民。”  

O Little Town Of Bethlehem

“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old. . . .” — Micah 5:2

英语音频 English Audio

Many Old Testament passages point ahead to Jesus. We need to see that Jesus is the one “whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

The early church pointed to Isaiah 1:3 as evidence for Jesus’ birth among animals: “The ox knows its master, the donkey its owner’s manger, but Israel does not know, my people do not understand.” Sadly, though animals witnessed Jesus’ birth and saw him lying in their manger (Luke 2:7), Israel’s leaders remained blind.

The early church also saw the coming of the Magi predicted in Isaiah 60: “Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn . . . camels of Midian and Ephah. And all from Sheba will come, bearing gold and incense and proclaiming the praise of the Lord.” Again Jerusalem missed it.

Bethlehem was small, but God often uses the little things of life to work out his plans. A great ruler from tiny Bethlehem was promised in Micah 5:2. Matthew 2:6 emphasizes Bethlehem’s importance, declaring, “You, Bethlehem . . . are by no means least among the rulers of Judah.”

It is life-changing to realize that God is involved in the minute details of our lives. So be attentive. Where do you see God working in your everyday life?

Prayer

Thank you, God, for your work even in the everyday details of our lives. May we praise our Savior from Bethlehem in all we do! Amen.

诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳


发布日期:2018-01-11