【双语灵修】神的怒气THE ANGER OF GOD

利未记 10:1-7

亚伦的儿子拿答、亚比户各拿自己的香炉，盛上火，加上香，在耶和华面前献上凡火，是耶和华没有吩咐他们的， 就有火从耶和华面前出来，把他们烧灭，他们就死在耶和华面前。 于是摩西对亚伦说：“这就是耶和华所说：‘我在亲近我的人中要显为圣，在众民面前我要得荣耀。’”亚伦就默默不言。 摩西召了亚伦叔父乌薛的儿子米沙利、以利撒反来，对他们说：“上前来，把你们的亲属从圣所前抬到营外。” 于是二人上前来，把他们穿着袍子抬到营外，是照摩西所吩咐的。 摩西对亚伦和他儿子以利亚撒、以他玛说：“不可蓬头散发，也不可撕裂衣裳，免得你们死亡，又免得耶和华向会众发怒；只要你们的弟兄以色列全家为耶和华所发的火哀哭。 你们也不可出会幕的门，恐怕你们死亡，因为耶和华的膏油在你们的身上。”他们就照摩西的话行了。

星期二

十一月十一日

神的怒气

“〔神〕说：‘我在亲近我的人中要显为圣；… 我要得荣耀。’”- 利 10:3

第一天到一间麦当劳餐店工作时，我的收银柜少了10元，我的上司记录了我的过失，令我担心是否会被开除，但我却不会害怕被击杀。我们都会有犯错和工作不顺利的日子，所以可能会疑惑，当拿答和亚比户刚开始作祭司时，他们为甚么会被击杀？他们做错了什么呢？

拿答和亚比户的罪并不是无关重要的疏忽或失误。关于祭司的职责，神已经颁布了详尽的指示，亚伦的儿子们不理会神的规矩，反而按自己的意思去行。这是自古以来人类行事的模式；当我们决定自己知道的比神更多时，罪就开始了。然而，神是圣洁的，不能随便按己意更改接触神、或与神交往的方式的。可悲的是，就像“有火… 出来”烧了亚伦献上的祭物那样（利未记 9章），有火朝着拿答和亚比户出来，把他们烧灭了。就是亚伦也默默不言，可能是表示他接受神的审判，尽管他一定会感到非常伤痛的了。

今天我们会害怕有同样的事情发生吗？历史上只有一位祭司耶稣，祂是毫无瑕疵，配得进到神面前的，当祂为我们的缘故站在神面前，亲身担当了神的怒气，代替我们被击打。然而，对我们来说，这是好消息啊！耶稣的牺牲覆盖了我们所有的罪，这样我们便永远不用害怕神的审判了。

祷告

圣洁的神，我们很难明白祢的圣洁。感谢祢赐耶稣给我们，好让我们能得蒙赦免。阿们。

Leviticus 10:1-7

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 11

THE ANGER OF GOD

“[God] said: ‘Among those who approach me I will be proved holy; . . . I will be honored.’” —Leviticus 10:3

On my first day of work at a McDonald’s restaurant, my cash drawer was short 10 dollars, and my manager wrote me up, leaving me worried about keeping my job. But I was not afraid of being struck dead. We’ve all made mistakes and had some rough days at work, so we might wonder why Nadab and Abihu were struck dead when they began to work as priests. What went wrong?

Nadab and Abihu’s sin was not just a minor oversight or a misstep. After God had given detailed instructions about the priests’ responsibilities, Aaron’s sons ignored God’s rules in favor of their own. This is a pattern as old as the human race; sin begins when we decide we know better than God does. But God is holy, and we are not free to improvise our own ways of approaching or relating to God. Tragically, just as “fire came out” and consumed the offering brought by Aaron (Leviticus 9), fire came out against Nadab and Abihu and consumed them. Even Aaron was silent in response, likely indicating that he accepted God’s judgment—though he must have felt deep sorrow.

Must we fear the same today? In all of history only one priest, Jesus, was flawless and worthy to enter God’s presence. And when he did that for our sake, he took the wrath of God upon himself as it broke out against him—in our place. But this is good news for us! Jesus’ sacrifice covered all our sin so that we never need to fear God’s judgment.

Holy God, it’s difficult for us to understand your holiness. Thank you for giving us Jesus so that we can be forgiven. Amen.