【双语灵修】侵犯财产的罪PROPERTY CRIME

出埃及记 20:15；约书亚记 7:16-26

“不可偷盗。于是，约书亚清早起来，使以色列人按着支派近前来，取出来的是犹大支派；使犹大支派近前来，就取了谢拉的宗族；使谢拉的宗族，按着家室人丁，一个一个地近前来，取出来的是撒底；使撒底的家室，按着人丁，一个一个地近前来，就取出犹大支派的人谢拉的曾孙、撒底的孙子、迦米的儿子亚干。约书亚对亚干说：“我儿，我劝你将荣耀归给耶和华以色列的神，在他面前认罪，将你所做的事告诉我，不要向我隐瞒。”亚干回答约书亚说：“我实在得罪了耶和华以色列的神！我所做的事如此如此：我在所夺的财物中看见一件美好的示拿衣服，二百舍客勒银子，一条金子重五十舍客勒，我就贪爱这些物件，便拿去了。现今藏在我帐篷内的地里，银子在衣服底下。”约书亚就打发人跑到亚干的帐篷里，那件衣服果然藏在他帐篷内，银子在底下。他们就从帐篷里取出来，拿到约书亚和以色列众人那里，放在耶和华面前。约书亚和以色列众人把谢拉的曾孙亚干和那银子、那件衣服、那条金子，并亚干的儿女、牛、驴、羊、帐篷，以及他所有的，都带到亚割谷去。约书亚说：“你为什么连累我们呢？今日耶和华必叫你受连累。”于是以色列众人用石头打死他，将石头扔在其上，又用火焚烧他所有的。众人在亚干身上堆成一大堆石头，直存到今日。于是耶和华转意，不发他的烈怒。因此那地方名叫亚割谷，直到今日。

8月21日

侵犯财产的罪

“不可偷盗。” - 出埃及记 20:15

《约书亚记》第7章中关于亚干的故事令人深感不安。在攻打耶利哥城的战役中，亚干暗中偷了一件华丽的示拿衣服和一些金银。为了掩人耳目，他将这些赃物埋在了自家的帐棚底下。亚干的过犯残酷地突显了一个真理：违背第八诫—‘不可偷盗’，所付出的代价是极其惨痛的。

亚干欺哄了耶和华，因为神曾严厉吩咐以色列人，在耶利哥战役中绝不可私拿任何当灭的物。然而，亚干并非第一个欺哄神的人。早在伊甸园里，我们的始祖违背神的命令，摘下分别善恶树上的果子时，就已经开始了欺哄神的行为（《创世记》3章）。亚当、夏娃以及许多人在偷窃属神之物时，显明了他们的不诚实，以及对神必供应他们一切的需用，应许缺乏信心。神憎恶我们的不诚实，也憎恶我们未能信靠祂那确实的供应。亚干的罪不仅让他和全家遭受了最严厉的结局，更导致以色列全会众一同蒙受苦难。而亚当和夏娃偷窃的后果则更为可怕，影响了他们所有的后裔，包括我们每一个人。然而，即使他们犯罪之后，我们仍然看见神对罪人的恩慈。就在犯罪现场，神应许了一位救主，要除灭那诱惑他们犯罪的魔鬼（《创世记》3:15）；而耶稣基督所成就的工，为一切信靠祂的人，赐予赦罪之恩。

祷告

主啊，我们所拥有的一切都源于你。求你帮助我们信靠你必供应我们一切的需用，更求你满足我们内心深处、对你儿子耶稣基督的无限渴求。阿们。

Exodus 20:15; Joshua 7:16-26

FRIDAY, AUGUST 21

PROPERTY CRIME

“You shall not steal.” —Exodus 20:15

The story of Achan in Joshua 7 is very disturbing. During the battle for Jericho, Achan steals an ornate robe along with a hoard of silver and gold. Knowing he has committed a serious sin, Achan buries the stolen goods under his tent. Achan’s wrongdoing highlights the truth that the cost of breaking the eighth commandment —“You shall not steal”—can be enormous.

Achan cheated God, who had commanded the Israelites to take no plunder for themselves at the battle of Jericho.

But Achan wasn’t the first person to cheat God. That started when our first parents took fruit from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 3). In stealing from God, Adam, Eve, and many others revealed their dishonesty and a lack of trust in God’s promises to provide for all their needs. God hates our dishonesty and our failure to trust in his assured provision. In Achan’s case, not only did he and his family suffer the most drastic consequences, but the whole nation of Israel suffered also. The consequences of Adam and Eve’s theft were even more dire, affecting all of their descendants, including each of us. Yet even in their sin, we see God’s goodness toward the guilty. Right at the scene of their crime, God promises a Savior to crush the devil who tempted them to sin (Genesis 3:15), and Jesus’ finished work provides forgiveness for all who believe in him.

Lord, all that we have comes from you. Help us to trust in you to provide for all our needs and, above all, our need for your Son, Jesus. Amen.