来享用神的筵席

“你们却问说:‘我们如何才是转向呢？’人岂可夺取神之物呢？你们竟夺取我的供物。你们却说：‘我们在何事上夺取你的供物呢？’就是你们在当纳的十分之一和当献的供物上。” - 玛 3:7-8

　　以色列民不知道怎样转向神，于是神把一个颇为简单的做法摆在他们面前：如果他们不再夺取神之物，衪便帮助他们转向衪。

　　在旧约圣经中，把十分之一和当献的供物献给神，不单是指金钱。十一奉献中的祭物，是用来供应圣殿中的食用的，百姓自己吃一部分的祭物，又与利未人和穷人分享这些食物（申命记14:22-29）。十一奉献和献上供物，代表着与神和其他人一起进餐——一个与人建立关系和分享神物质上的福份的方式。

　　神告诉百姓，不要再在当纳的十分之一和当献的供物上夺取祂的物，祂乃是邀请他们再来分享祂的筵席。坐下一起进餐，当然不会就自动解决一切问题，但这是一个好的开始，它显示神仍然是他们的父亲，他们仍然是祂的儿女，百姓与祭司和利未人也开始恢复关系了。百姓供应食物，祭司和利未人教导他们并代表神的同在。与穷人分享，也开始为贫富悬殊之间恢复公平。

　　今天，你可以献上什么，来建立、恢复，或保持与神和与人的关系呢？

祷告

天父啊，今天求祢指导我，该如何加强我与祢的关系。我愿意学习，如何把我的心全归给祢。奉耶稣名求，阿们。

 

玛拉基书 3:7-9

7万军之耶和华说：从你们列祖的日子以来，你们常常偏离我的典章而不遵守。现在你们要转向我，我就转向你们。你们却问说：‘我们如何才是转向呢？’
8人岂可夺取神之物呢？你们竟夺取我的供物。你们却说：‘我们在何事上夺取你的供物呢？’就是你们在当纳的十分之一和当献的供物上。
9因你们通国的人都夺取我的供物，咒诅就临到你们身上。  

Come And Share God's Table

"But you ask, 'How are we to return?' Will a mere mortal rob God? Yet you rob me. But you ask, 'How are we robbing you?' In tithes and offerings." — Malachi 3:7-8

英语音频 English Audio

The Israelites are not sure how to come back to God. God lays out a fairly simple path: if they stop robbing him, he will help them return.

In the Old Testament, giving God tithes and offerings wasn't simply about money. Gifts brought as a tithe were used to provide offerings of food at the temple. People were to eat part of an offering themselves and to share it with the Levites and the poor (Deuteronomy 14:22-29). Tithes and offerings were about sharing a meal with God and others—a way to build relationships and to share God's material blessings.

By telling the people to stop robbing him of tithes and offerings, God is asking them to come and share his table again. Sitting down for a meal together won't automatically set everything right, but it's a good start. It's a simple gesture indicating that God is still their Father and they are his children. It begins to restore the relationship between the people and the priests and Levites. People provide the food, and the priests and Levites teach and represent the presence of God. Sharing with the poor also begins to restore justice between those who have enough and those who don't.

What might you offer today to build, restore, or continue a relationship with God and others?

Prayer

诵读: 楚云
片头: 张妙阳