昨天,我们曾看过埃及法老如何傲慢大胆地说抗拒耶和华的话,这件事导致一次戏剧性的对决。亚伯拉罕、以撒、和雅各(以色列)的神,是创造万有的君王和整个宇宙的主宰,祂吩咐法老:“容我的百姓去。”可是法老拒绝了。
耶和华神给法老很多机会去承认耶和华的王权,然而法老总是不理会衪。经过连串的十灾后,法老终于容以色列民离开-可是,当以色列民起行、朝着红海进发时,他竟呼唤他的军兵再去擒拿他们。
然而,法老的军兵抵挡不住,他们全部都被红海淹没了。耶和华得到完全和决定性的胜利,凡抵挡真正的万主之主和万王之王的,这就是最终等待着他们的命运。
在出埃及记15章中,以色列民在唱他们凯旋之歌:神的胜利就是他们的胜利。他们欢乐地回顾过去,他们怀着盼望向前瞻望,他们又在大胜中向上天仰望,因为“耶和华必作王,直到永永远远”!
在罪恶、死亡、和地狱的权势中,耶和华已在基督耶稣里赢取了决定性的胜利。凭着信心,衪的胜利也成为我们的胜利、我们的喜乐、我们的盼望、和我们的成功呢。
神啊,“纵全世界充满鬼魔,恐吓要将我毁灭,我们不怕”,因有神旨,“靠主真理必告捷”。我们为基督我们得胜的君王感谢祢。阿们。
出埃及记 15:1-2
15那时,摩西和以色列人向耶和华唱歌说:“我要向耶和华歌唱,因他大大战胜,将马和骑马的投在海中。
2耶和华是我的力量、我的诗歌,也成了我的拯救。这是我的神,我要赞美他;是我父亲的神,我要尊崇他。
3耶和华是战士,他的名是耶和华。
4法老的车辆、军兵,耶和华已抛在海中,他特选的军长都沉于红海。
5深水淹没他们,他们如同石头坠到深处。
6耶和华啊,你的右手施展能力,显出荣耀;耶和华啊,你的右手摔碎仇敌。
7你大发威严,推翻那些起来攻击你的;你发出烈怒如火,烧灭他们像烧碎秸一样。
8你发鼻中的气,水便聚起成堆,大水直立如垒,海中的深水凝结。
9仇敌说:‘我要追赶,我要追上;我要分掳物;我要在他们身上称我的心愿;我要拔出刀来,亲手杀灭他们。’
10你叫风一吹,海就把他们淹没,他们如铅沉在大水之中。
11耶和华啊,众神之中谁能像你?谁能像你至圣至荣,可颂可畏,施行奇事?
12你伸出右手,地便吞灭他们。
13你凭慈爱领了你所赎的百姓,你凭能力引他们到了你的圣所。
14外邦人听见就发颤,疼痛抓住非利士的居民。
15那时,以东的族长惊惶,摩押的英雄被战兢抓住,迦南的居民心都消化了,
16惊骇恐惧临到他们。耶和华啊,因你膀臂的大能,他们如石头寂然不动,等候你的百姓过去,等候你所赎的百姓过去。
17你要将他们领进去,栽于你产业的山上。耶和华啊,就是你为自己所造的住处;主啊,就是你手所建立的圣所。
18耶和华必做王,直到永永远远。”
19法老的马匹、车辆和马兵下到海中,耶和华使海水回流淹没他们,唯有以色列人在海中走干地。
20亚伦的姐姐女先知米利暗,手里拿着鼓,众妇女也跟她出去拿鼓跳舞。
21米利暗应声说:“你们要歌颂耶和华,因他大大战胜,将马和骑马的投在海中。”
"The LORD reigns for ever and ever." - Exodus 15:18
Yesterday we reflected on the pharaoh of Egypt who spoke proudly and defiantly against the Lord. That set up a dramatic showdown. The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob (Israel) is the King of creation, the Lord of the whole universe. He told Pharaoh, "Let my people go." But Pharaoh refused.
The Lord God gave Pharaoh many opportunities to acknowledge the Lord's kingship. But Pharaoh kept ignoring God. After a series of ten plagues, Pharaoh did let the people go—but then he roused his army to go and recapture the Israelites as they traveled away toward the Red Sea.
But Pharaoh's forces were overwhelmed and swallowed up by the Red Sea. The victory of the Lord was complete and definitive. This is what finally awaits anyone who resists the true Lord of lords and King of kings.
In Exodus 15 the Israelites sing their victory song: God's victory is their victory. They look back with joy, they look forward with hope, and they look up in triumph because "the LORD reigns for ever and ever"!
In Christ Jesus, the Lord has won the decisive victory over the powers of sin, death, and hell. By faith, his victory becomes our victory, our joy, our hope, and our triumph.
O God, "though this world, with devils filled, should threaten to undo us, we will not fear," for you have willed your "truth to triumph through us." Thank you for Christ, our victorious King. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳