[0:00] 士师就是那些大有能力的人,也是他们的领袖。 但是士师呢,却不是他们的皇帝。 以色列呢,没有皇帝,一直要等到士师时代的结束,才进入君皇的时代。 So the book of Judges mainly focuses on the relationship between God and the Israelites.
[0:39] Although the Israelites sin and turn away from God, God does not completely wipe them out as a nation because He had made a covenant to their ancestor Abraham.
[1:04] The covenant was that He would make His descendants as plentiful as the number of sand and stars in the sea. But when the Israelites were guilty, they would never be able to do that in the sea.
[1:17] However, when they did become sinful and far from God, God wouldn't just let them get away with it. And this was the message that the Judges had to pass on to the Israelites.
[1:30] Today, if it had been given to the про människ lard, God's Lord's Savior gives a lot of people desires. Right now in the 21st century, it seems that our era is much like the era in the book of Judges.
[1:43] There are many people who sin and turn away from God. As a church leader, to lead the disciples to the Lord to learn and live and live, it is not an easy thing.
[2:04] Today we are talking about the fact that the truth is called the Eiffel Tower. And today we will be looking at the story of a judge called Jephthah. And so hopefully through his achievements, we will be able to recognize the qualities required in a leader.
[2:32] And give us an insight into how to better serve God. From verses 1 to 3, the Bible gives us a brief statement.
[2:43] He was a son of a prostitute, and when he grew up, the other sons of his father's actual wife threw him out of their home.
[3:00] And not only was he not allowed to receive any of the family's inheritance, but he had to flee and in the end become an outlaw.
[3:16] This sounds like something that comes out of an action novel, but this is not a fiction story.
[3:30] It's a factual historical account. We can see by looking at Jephthah's status, we can see that God treats everyone equally regardless of their status.
[3:43] To become a leader in God's kingdom, you don't need to be born into a famous well-known family.
[3:54] You don't need to graduate from a famous university. You don't need to have a very high VCE and to score.
[4:06] You can see that you're very young. You don't need to be young. You don't need to wait until you're 20 or 30 to become a leader. This is not a Christian.
[4:17] It's not a Christian. The above conditions are not what you need to become a church leader. But the most important aspect that you need to have is to have a close relationship with God.
[4:36] So what was the relationship that Jephthah had with God like? Let's have a look. In verses 4 to 8, it says that when the Ammonites made war on Israel, the elders rushed to Jephthah and asked him to be their commander so that they could fight the Ammonites.
[5:14] And in verse 9, Jephthah said, If you bring me home again to fight with the Ammonites, and the Lord gives them over to me, I will be your head.
[5:28] From here we can see that Jephthah regards becoming their leader as an enormous achievement.
[5:44] So he's a son of a prostitute and an outlaw. He's the son of a prostitute and an outlaw. He's like going from being the lowest of low to the most highly regarded status.
[6:00] He's like going from being the lowest of low to the most highly regarded status. And naturally he felt really excited about it. But on the other hand, we can also see that Jephthah knows and acknowledges that everything is in God's control.
[6:13] And even though he's a leader, he's a leader, he can't control such a situation. Therefore he knows that despite him being a courageous commander, there will still be situations that are out of his control.
[6:24] Because of what he said, he said, The Lord gives them over to me, I will be your head.
[6:36] He knows that if they triumph over the Ammonites, it would be because of God. He knows that if they triumph over the Ammonites, it would be because of God.
[6:51] He knows that he's a sort of acknowledgement that he has for God shows that he knows God. So he's a sort of acknowledgement that he has for God shows that he knows God. And we can say that he is a man who is close to God.
[7:03] So knowing God is just one aspect of building a relationship with him. And then in verse 11, he says, So Jephthah went to the elders of Gilead, and the people made him head and commander over them.
[7:37] And he repeated all his words before the Lord in Mizpah. He also said, It's clear that Jephthah not only knows God, but he also prays to God.
[7:52] In other words, he turns to God to seek his guidance. In the verse it says, He repeated all his words before the Lord.
[8:05] All his words are referring to him. His thoughts and his feelings. Just like how we pray to God today.
[8:17] It doesn't specifically tell us what Jephthah's prayer to God was about, but we know that he prayed to God. The truth, we can ask God to seek all our worries and fears.
[8:36] And at the same time, we can ask for his guidance. And so we can see that praying is just one of the ways that Jephthah uses to build a relationship with God.
[8:51] To build a relationship with God. 祷告完后,他高举神的名,与敌人征战. After praying, Jephthah went into battle with his enemies, lifting God's name on high. 他尝试用和平的方法去解决这个问题.
[9:04] He also tried a peaceful way to resolve the situation. 十二节,他派使者去见亚门王,要知道亚门人攻打他们的原因.
[9:15] 十三节,亚门人的回答是,要从以色列的手上夺回自己的领土.
[9:27] 看上去很有道理. 十四到二十七节中,耶佛他用了很多的篇幅去表明他们所拥有的土地都是合法的.
[9:45] 从14到27,Jephthah sent a very long message stating and emphasizing that the land possessed by them was rightful and legitimate. 他说,以色列就算是出埃及的时候也没有主动去侵占别人的地.
[10:01] 只是亚莫利亚人去攻击以色列的时候,神把亚莫利人灭了,所以以色列就得了他们的地. 他说,当亚莫利亚人出了以色列,他们没有逃避或取回其他国家的地,而当亚莫利亚人攻击以色列,神把亚莫利亚人攻击以色列的地,而神把亚莫利亚人攻击以色列的地.
[10:27] 而现在亚莫人想要夺回来的是亚莫利亚人的地. 所以他指责亚莫王其实是没有道理攻打以色列人的.
[10:38] 耶佛他解释那么多了,是因为他想要和平去解决这一场的纷争.
[10:50] 另一方面呢,要是一定开战的话,他要有一个合理的理由.
[11:01] 那样他不会羞辱神的名. 耶佛他在这一场的战争中高举神的名.
[11:16] In the middle of this conflict,Jephthah lifts God's name on high. 在他与亚莫人这一段的话里,他提了神的名四次那么多. In his long message to the Ammonites, he mentions God's name four times.
[11:29] 在27节,他做了一个总结,他说,我没有得罪你,你敬恶待我,攻打我. 愿神判者耶和华今日在以色列人和亚门人中间判断是非.
[11:43] In verse 27, he ends with the conclusion, I have not wronged you, but you are doing me wrong by waging war against me. Let the Lord, the judge, decide the dispute this day between the Israelites and the Ammonites.
[11:55] 他邀请神介入他们的当中,判断是非,愿意把结果交给神. Jephthah asked God to be among them, to be the judge and decision maker, handing over the situation to God.
[12:08] 28节,战争终于爆发了,亚门人拒绝了耶佛他的和谈. Verse 28, the war finally came into action, and the Ammonites paid no attention to Jephthah's peace talk.
[12:20] 29节,神的灵降临在耶佛他的身上,他就出发了. Verse 29, it says that the spirit of the Lord came upon Jephthah, and then he departed.
[12:31] 30-31节,耶佛他在打仗前许了一个愿. In verses 30-31, before he went to battle, Jephthah made a vow to God.
[12:43] 要是他胜利了,他就把第一个从家里出来迎接他的人献给神作为番祭. Saying that if they were to triumph in the battle, then whatever comes out of the door of his house first, to meet him when he returns in triumph, he will sacrifice it as a burnt offering to the Lord.
[13:01] 凡祭就是把祭物放在火上烧尽,在立位祭六章中也有提到. Burnt offerings involved burning the sacrifice and the fire.
[13:13] The detailed process is mentioned in Leviticus chapter 6. 在前面我们看到,耶佛他既认识神,又祷告,又祷告把一切事放在神的面前,也高举神的名去征战,是一个合福资格的一个领袖.
[13:30] 前面我们有提到,耶佛他既认识神是一个人, 人是一个人,他知道神的神, 人是一个人,他带着神的状态, 通过祭祝, 而他也说他在上海上升上了神的名字, 当他进入战争, 这些事件都让他成为了他一个立法的领袖。 但是在这里,他对神的信息显然不足。 但是在这里,他对神的信息显然不足。 但是在这里,他对神的信息显然不足。 但是在这里,他对神的信息显然不足。 他不是不信靠神,而是不能够完全的信靠。 要是他不相信神有这个能力,他就不会向神许愿,求神帮助他得到最终的胜利。 如果他没有任何信靠神和他的力, 的话,他也不会让神的信靠,求神给他最终的胜利。 然后我说他依靠不足,是因为他许的愿,就像是跟神在做交易。 但是我说他说他信靠不足,而不是很强, 因为他要求神的信靠,当他做了一道,他就像是跟神做交易。 你要是让我赢了,我就给你献祭感谢你。 他说,如果你让我选拥,我会给你责任,祝你祝你。 要是耶佛他完全信靠神,他就不必向神许愿。 如果耶佛他有完全信靠神,他就不必向神许愿。 所以说,他有相信神,却没有完全信靠神。 不知道你们人生的当中有没有像耶佛他一样,上神谈交易,而没有完全信靠神。 我不知道你们有没有经历的情况,那神有没有给你们回应呢?
[15:23] 答案只有两个。 一就是他给你所需要的,另外一个就是他不给你。 无论是哪一个答案,其实都是神呢,想要给你,或是不给你。 无论是哪一个答案,其实都是神呢,想要给你,或是不给你。 无论是哪一个答案,其实都是神呢,想要给你,或是不给你。 而并不是呢,看中你所许的愿,你给他什么礼物,他就会答应你的祈求。 没关 τα spare parts, Aprith rise上,想要给他ration领父神的称聖子。 因为神为 frente member方向生意�而证明。 因为神有反而弱之软,它的能力和自由民族。 ад大人更专注于你的语ede。 为什么这是神的称聖子和指数。 好,正面有一点être一点无论。 听到国与主ider物斜而辞退。
[16:29] Watts。 Because God has power and sovereignty. What was the result of Jephthah's vow to God?
[16:44] In verses 34 to 37, Jephthah finally побед a enemy, back to his house. The first person to meet him is his only child. He loves him.
[17:00] And then he began a scene of saying farewell to life.
[17:17] Jephthah's daughter requested to be able to go to the hills and cry and grieve with her friends for two months. Jephthah's daughter requested to be able to go to the hills and cry and grieve with her friends for two months.
[17:30] Jephthah's daughter requested to be able to go to the hills and she returned to her father and he did to her as he had vowed. She was a virgin. Jephthah's daughter requested to be able to go to the hills and she was a virgin.
[17:43] This does not mean that for her whole life she would never have been married or would be single until old age. Jephthah's daughter requested to be able to go to the hills and she was a virgin.
[17:54] Because her father used her as a burnt sacrifice and burnt her. Jephthah's daughter she didn't have a virgin.
[18:30] She didn't have a virgin. She didn't have a virgin. She didn't have a virgin. Secondly, this was a tragedy that resulted from Jephthah not putting his complete faith and trust in God. In the life of God, we're going to talk about the hills and the hills.
[18:43] What are the consequences of the hills that occur when we doubt God and discuss compromises with Him? It's going to increase our hearts. It's going to increase our burden.
[18:53] Burdens and worries in our hearts will increase. If God doesn't grant you your prayers, we will ask, is the offering that I have vowed to God not good enough? And so you may act like Jephthah did and offer up your most precious belongings.
[19:04] For example, if God doesn't grant you your prayers, For example, if God doesn't grant you your prayers, you may ask, is the offering that I have vowed to God not good enough? And so you may act like Jephthah did and offer up your most precious belongings.
[19:17] In other words, if God doesn't grant us our sins, in other words, if God does grant us these compromised prayers, then we may put ourselves in a difficult situation.
[19:40] For example, if God doesn't grant us these compromised prayers, then we may put ourselves in a difficult situation. If God doesn't grant us these sins, then we may be afraid to get them. For example, Jephthah, he vowed that he would sacrifice his daughter, but if he didn't follow through with this vow, then in his heart, he would fear having done wrong to God.
[19:59] Or he would fear that his reputation would be ruined, and that he would be seen as a man who can't commit to his vows.
[20:11] If God's in encounter in the H bricks, then we may habit and we may are now家 who could giration in grief. But if he sacrificed his daughter, then he would have to go through this pain and agony. Right?
[20:22] In spite of that, he would have to go and drink a mess. Now it would still be peace. Here like that. Making this vow was like setting upon himself a dreaded curse. That the his life, for the rest of his life, he would have no peace.
[20:35] The truth is that even if he didn't make the vow, he still would have triumphed in the war. Because it was God's resolute plan to rescue his people.
[20:59] And Jephthah was just a soldier appointed by God. So be careful not to make compromises with God, but put your complete trust in him. This is what pleases God.
[21:18] So how do we put our complete trust in God? Through the following verses, we get the feeling that Jephthah is a very righteous person, despite that one shortcoming.
[21:34] What caused Jephthah to make that vow? Apart from the reason that he did not have complete faith in God, it was also because he couldn't accept the fact that he might be defeated.
[21:55] From his actions and behavior, we can see that he is truly afraid of being defeated. Or maybe he was fearful for his status.
[22:17] What if he went from being a commander back to being the leader of a group of outlaws? Or perhaps even because he was afraid that people would unkindly laugh at him for his defeat.
[22:31] I recently also have learned a lesson about putting my trust in God. I recently also have learned a lesson about putting my trust in God.
[22:43] Next year February, I'm going to be ordained to become church minister. For this, there are many procedures to go through in applying for it.
[22:56] When I was being examined for whether I had qualifications to be a candidate, The examining committee gave me three requirements that I had to fulfill to become a church minister.
[23:22] They were not able to believe in me. This wasn't because they wanted to stop me from becoming one. This wasn't because they wanted to stop me from becoming one.
[23:34] Everyone had to fulfill the same requirements. This three requirements are,第一, I want to go to the hospital. I want to go to a hospital and take training in counseling sick patients.
[23:47] The first requirement was that I had to go to a hospital and take training in counseling sick patients. The second was to be involved in a group at an English Bible college for a year. The second was to be involved in a group at an English Bible college for a year.
[24:00] And number three was to go and be a practice minister at another church for a year. When I saw this three, I was not able to reach the conditions.
[24:11] I started to be able to reach the same requirements. And when it seemed to me that I couldn't fulfill these requirements, I began to form the idea that I should not become a minister.
[24:24] Of course, to become a minister was God's calling to me. And actually, the examining committee had long ago already finished examining.
[24:38] They didn't have any problems, but my trust in God was inadequate.
[24:49] I was self-conscious about how bad my English was and could see no way that I could fulfill the requirement. But after going through these struggles, I still decided to give it my best, and I wrote a whole heap of material to apply for studying in a hospital.
[25:09] I remember Paul in my recommendation letter, he said that my English was my third language.
[25:25] So I was like, what was he trying to say about my English? When the interview was over, I realized that my English was good. So I said that my English was good. So I said that the hospital was good.
[25:38] After the interview process, I thought I did pretty well, and said to Paul that I felt kind of confident that the hospital would accept me. But after a week, I received a letter from the hospital.
[25:51] He said that I didn't make it because there were too many applicants.
[26:02] In fact, the number of applicants was three times the number of vacancies, so inevitably many people missed out. And then he said that I should apply again next semester, but I had to fill in the application form and sit the interview again.
[26:25] 当时我大受打击,害怕万一他们又不接受我的申请. At the time, it was a major blow, and I was afraid to reapply in case I got rejected again. 还有就是说我通过医院的,那另外的两个我做得来吗?
[26:40] I thought, even if I passed this first hospital requirement, what about the other two? Would I be able to do them? 要是都做不来,最后不被安理, 我心里会受不了这种打击.
[26:51] 如果我失败了这个程度, 结果不被奉取, 我就不会被奉取这种状态。 当时我就是背负这种非常沉重的负担。 当时我想,干脆不干就算了, 马上就可以轻松过生活多好。 And I thought, why don't I just give up and go back to living a relaxing life?
[27:16] 所以那个时候我决定不再继续走下去, 因为太沉重了。 So I made the decision not to continue because it was too troublesome. 但是神呢,藉着两件很重要的事件, 帮助我继续走下去。 But God through two events helped me to get back on track and continue.
[27:32] 所以最后我跟神说, 我是一个远弱的人, 无论是成功或失败, 我愿意继续走下去。 要是按理你的旨意, 你必成就, 要是不是你的心意, 就求你拦住我。 In the end, I prayed to God saying, I am a person who is weak, regardless of whether I am successful or not, But I am willing to continue this.
[27:55] If being ordained is in your will, Then it will happen. But if it isn't in your will, Then please hold me back from being successful. 还有我就说, 我会以平安的心去面对这件事情的成功和失败。 I also said, I will with a peaceful heart face these successes or failures.
[28:14] 就是这样, 我不再把成功与失败放在很高的位置上。 And this is how I start placing being successful or being a failure as top priority. 当我收到医院, 接收我的通知, 接受我成为一位学员的时候, 我非常高兴。 我非常高兴。 When I found out later that I was accepted by the hospital, I was extremely happy.
[28:38] 最后我还在医院碰上了一个 不被案例做牧师的同学。 I even ended up with a fellow student who wasn't ordained. 在医院里呢, 我每天进出病房, 进病房的时候, 都会祷告神, 祈求祂的帮助。 每天出病房的时候, 我都会向神感恩。 还有在医院里面, 我经历了很多一辈子都忘不了的事情。 最令我来望的是, 我曾陪伴三位的病人走过他们人生最后的日子。 My most unforgettable experience is keeping company, 三个病患者, 和他们在最后的日子的生活。 一年过去了。 当我过了这三关以后, 又回到审查委员会那里。 After a year gone by, 和我终于全三个条件, 我回到检查委员会。 他们问我最后的一个问题是, 您有想过不被案例吗?
[29:50] 我听完后微笑说, 想过, 我会接受你们的决定, 信靠和顺服, 信靠和顺服, Trust and obey.
[30:03] After I heard this, I smiled and said, I did think that, and I am prepared to accept it, if that is your decision. Trust and obey. 然后我说, 我会把我祷告神, 将答案放在你们那里。 I pray that God would hand over his answer to you.
[30:20] 原来, 完全信靠的秘密就是放下自己的感受, 不要把得思看重, 相信神会带领我们走每一天,每一步。 In the end, The secret to completely trusting God is to lay aside your feelings.
[30:34] Don't just put your focus on success, But trust that God will guide you every step of the way, Every day. 就像我最喜爱的一首诗歌, Trust and obey, There's no other way.
[30:49] Just like what it says in my favorite hymn, Trust and obey, For there's no other way. 虽然呢, 做教会的领袖很不容易, 除了要认识神, 祷告, 还要跟神建立关系, 信靠他。 So being the leader of a church is no easy thing.
[31:06] Apart from knowing God, Establishing a relationship with Him through prayer, You must also have complete trust in Him. 但是当我们这样做的时候, 我们会在这个过程里面经历到神的带领。 During this trusting process, You will also experience His guidance, His grace and almighty power.
[31:25] 对,还有神的恩典和祂的大能。 His grace and His power. 让祂的, 让你的人生有说不尽的赞美, 写不完的感恩。 It will bring to your life endless praise for Him, As well as endless thankfulness.
[31:42] 重要, 有时候我们会远弱, 但是像保罗说的, Even though there will be times when we are weak, But like what Paul wrote, 神的能力在人的远弱, 显得完全。 神的能力在人的弱弱上显得完全。 当我们在神的面前承认自己的远弱的时候, 我们就必得着力量继续走下去。 When we admit our weaknesses in front of God, We gain strength to keep on going.
[32:14] 保罗也在哥林多后书十二章九节, 保罗写道, 他对我说, 我的恩典够理用, 因为我的能力是在人的身体上, 他的远弱上显得完全。 所以我更喜欢花自己的远弱, 好叫基督的能力伏笔我。 因为我的远弱, 好叫基督的能力能够彰显。 因为我的远弱, 基督的能力能够彰显。 所以今天我不怕在你们面前分享我的远弱, 因为我的远弱, 好叫基督的能力能够彰显。 最后呢, 愿你们都能够在神的爱浇灌下, 茁壮成长, 成为神合用的器皿。 在教会里面忠心地服侍, 做一个无愧的好管家。 为了在教会里面能够在神的信仰, 成为神的信仰。 阿们。 阿们。