牧羊人(记号:牧羊人的杖)

作者:每日箴言   来源:普世佳音

“他(耶西)回答说,还有个小的,现在放羊。” - 撒上 16:11

耶西的儿子们一个接一个地从先知撒母耳面前经过。当撒母耳看见长子以利押,就心里说,“耶和华的受膏者必定在此。”但实际上耶和华说:“你只是在看外表,而我看的是内心。”

耶西的七个儿子依次从撒母耳面前经过,撒母耳告诉耶西:“这都不是耶和华所拣选的。”于是他们从田里叫来最小的儿子,牧童大卫——撒母耳奉神之命膏他为王,要统治神的百姓。

事实证明,大卫比以色列的第一个王扫罗好得多。只是他也有自己的缺点和失败。但神能看见我们所看不见的,祂选择了大卫,说他是一个“合神心意的人”(撒上 13:14)。在大卫的故事和他所写的诗篇中,我们看到了他对神的荣耀和能力的敏锐和惊叹,以及在神面前很深的谦卑,特别在他失败的时候。这些特质使得他不仅能做一个好王,也能做神百姓的牧者。

后来,神应许大卫,他的国位将被坚立,直到永远(撒下7)。这意味着神将从大卫的家族中带来最伟大的王和牧者,耶稣基督。

祷告

神啊,祢知道万人的心。求祢洁净我们的心,好使我们成为合祢心意的儿女。奉耶稣的名祷告,阿们。

 

撒母耳记上 16:1-13

1 耶和华对撒母耳说:“我既厌弃扫罗做以色列的王,你为他悲伤要到几时呢?你将膏油盛满了角,我差遣你往伯利恒人耶西那里去。因为我在他众子之内,预定一个做王的。”
2 撒母耳说:“我怎能去呢?扫罗若听见,必要杀我。”耶和华说:“你可以带一只牛犊去,就说:‘我来是要向耶和华献祭。’”
3 你要请耶西来吃祭肉,我就指示你所当行的事。我所指给你的人,你要膏他。”
4 撒母耳就照耶和华的话去行。到了伯利恒,那城里的长老都战战兢兢地出来迎接他,问他说:“你是为平安来的吗?”
5 他说:“为平安来的,我是给耶和华献祭。你们当自洁,来与我同吃祭肉。”撒母耳就使耶西和他众子自洁,请他们来吃祭肉。
6 他们来的时候,撒母耳看见以利押,就心里说:“耶和华的受膏者必定在他面前。”
7 耶和华却对撒母耳说:“不要看他的外貌和他身材高大,我不拣选他。因为耶和华不像人看人,人是看外貌,耶和华是看内心。”
8 耶西叫亚比拿达从撒母耳面前经过,撒母耳说:“耶和华也不拣选他。”
9 耶西又叫沙玛从撒母耳面前经过,撒母耳说:“耶和华也不拣选他。”
10 耶西叫他七个儿子都从撒母耳面前经过,撒母耳说:“这都不是耶和华所拣选的。”
11 撒母耳对耶西说:“你的儿子都在这里吗?”他回答说:“还有个小的,现在放羊。”撒母耳对耶西说:“你打发人去叫他来。他若不来,我们必不坐席。”
12 耶西就打发人去叫了他来。他面色光红,双目清秀,容貌俊美。耶和华说:“这就是他,你起来膏他。”
13 撒母耳就用角里的膏油,在他诸兄中膏了他。从这日起,耶和华的灵就大大感动大卫。撒母耳起身回拉玛去了。 

A Shepherd (Symbol: A Shepherd’s Crook)

"'There is still the youngest,' Jesse answered. 'He is tending the sheep.'" — 1 Samuel 16:11

英语音频 English Audio

One by one, the sons of Jesse pass before the prophet Samuel. When Samuel sees Eliab, the eldest son, he says to himself, “Surely the LORD’s anointed stands here.” But the Lord says, in effect, “You’re only looking at appearances, but I look at the heart.”

When seven of Jesse’s sons have passed before him, Samuel tells Jesse, “The LORD has not chosen these.” So then the youngest, the shepherd-boy David, is summoned from the fields—and at God’s command Samuel anoints him king over God’s people.

David turns out to be a much better king than Saul, the first king of Israel. Yet David too has flaws and failings of his own. But God, who sees what we cannot, chooses David, indicating he is “a man after [God’s] own heart” (1 Samuel 13:14). Throughout David’s story and in the psalms he wrote, we see a sensitivity and a wonder at God’s glory and power, as well as a deep sense of humility before God, especially when he fails. These qualities make him not only a good king but also a suitable shepherd for God’s people.

Later God makes a promise to David that his throne will be established forever (2 Samuel 7). And this means that God will bring from David’s line the very greatest King and Shepherd, Jesus Christ.

Prayer

You know all human hearts, O God. Purify ours so that we can be your children after your own heart. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳


发布日期:2018-12-15