透过末后的所罗门和圣殿来祷告 (王上8）

陈彪

记得2007年7月的第一个主日，就是三年前上个主日，福音教会举行了第一在新堂中的主日敬拜。我还记得我的正道经文就是与今天的经文（列王记上8章）对应的事件，记载在历代志下5.1-6.2——上帝的荣耀充满神殿。今天我们的注意力要集中在所罗门的公共祷告中，期待上帝的话语，带给我们在焦距赢得失丧者、坚固归回者的人生和侍奉的季节中指导和光照我们。

0、献殿前的预备和上帝的同在1-22

有意思的事，圣殿建成后运送耶和华约柜的事件发生在犹太历的7月（就是住棚节）。在进入大卫儿子的祷告前，有两点需要指出。

A、如果圣殿没有约柜——耶和华圣约同在的象征，整个的敬拜和圣殿就变得毫无意义，根本就不可能有“10祭司从圣所出来的时候，有云充满耶和华的殿；11甚至祭司不能站立供职，因为耶和华的荣光充满了殿。”那么今天教会聚集时，我们注重上帝在基督里的同在吗？

B、在所罗门感谢耶和华按圣约的应许，为他成就大事时，他特别提到“17我父大卫曾立意，要为耶和华―以色列神的名建殿。18耶和华却对我父大卫说：你立意为我的名建殿，这意思甚好。19只是你不可建殿，惟你所生的儿子必为我名建殿。”请问，谁是历史上最后的圣殿？所罗门作为大卫儿子和他建立圣殿，都在遥指大卫的那个子孙和他的工作？当然是耶稣基督，这个大卫伟大的子孙，不但他是最后的圣殿，目前他就是教会这个圣殿的建立者和根基，他的灵充满居住在普世教会，他子民的中间。有两这样的背景和联结，我们就更容易明白所罗门祷告和祈求在基督里的含义（路24:44-49）

1、感谢施恩典、守约的上帝 23-26

2、依靠新的圣殿耶稣，唯一的名，对上帝的臣仆和百姓民、受造自然界和圣战、万国蒙拯救、背约子民悔改和回归等祈求28-53 （请你在基督里化为自己的祷告和代祷）：

28惟求耶和华―我的神垂顾仆人的祷告祈求，俯听仆人今日在你面前的祈祷呼籲。29愿你昼夜看顾这殿，就是你应许立为你名的居所；求你垂听仆人向此处祷告的话。30你仆人和你民以色列向此处祈祷的时候，求你在天上你的居所垂听，垂听而赦免。
(为家庭、教会、社会、政治、经济、教育、艺术、体育、媒体等领域的管家-领袖们祷告）

31人若得罪邻舍，有人叫他起誓，他来到这殿在你的坛前起誓，32求你在天上垂听，判断你的仆人：定恶人有罪，照他所行的报应在他头上；定义人有理，照他的义赏赐他。33你的民以色列若得罪你，败在仇敌面前，又归向你，承认你的名，在这殿里祈求祷告，34求你在天上垂听，赦免你民以色列的罪，使他们归回你赐给他们列祖之地。
（为基督徒在人与人之间关系，法律的公正和执行，属灵征战（肉体、世界、魔鬼；金钱、美色、和权力等方面祷告）

35你的民因得罪你，你惩罚他们，使天闭塞不下雨；他们若向此处祷告，承认你的名，离开他们的罪，36求你在天上垂听，赦免你仆人以色列民的罪，将当行的善道指教他们，且降雨在你的地，就是你赐给你民为业之地。37国中若有饑荒、瘟疫、旱风、霉烂、蝗虫、蚂蚱，或有仇敌犯境围困城邑，无论遭遇甚么灾祸疾病，
（为目前的灾害，如墨西哥湾漏油、异常的气候、地区之间的和平等祷告）

38你的民以色列，或是众人，或是一人，自觉有罪，向这殿举手，无论祈求甚么，祷告甚么，39求你在天上你的居所垂听赦免。你是知道人心的，要照各人所行的待他们（唯有你知道世人的心），40使他们在你赐给我们列祖之地上一生一世敬畏你。
（个人与上帝圣约的关系更新祷告，福音的动态在每日的应用）

41论到不属你民以色列的外邦人，为你名从远方而来，42（他们听人论说你的大名和大能的手，并伸出来的膀臂）向这殿祷告，43求你在天上你的居所垂听，照着外邦人所祈求的而行，使天下万民都认识你的名，敬畏你象你的民以色列一样；又使他们知道我建造的这殿是称为你名下的。
（为未信主的人群，特别是我们的亲人、朋友、将要来临的新生等代祷）

44你的民若奉你的差遣，无论往何处去与仇敌争战，向耶和华所选择的城与我为你名所建造的殿祷告，45求你在天上垂听他们的祷告祈求，使他们得胜。
（传福音的属灵征战（肉体、世界、魔鬼等方面祷告）

46你的民若得罪你，你向他们发怒，将他们交给仇敌掳到仇敌之地，或远或近，47他们若在掳到之地想起罪来，回心转意，恳求你说：我们有罪了，我们悖逆了，我们作恶了；48他们若在掳到之地尽心尽性归服你，又向自己的地，就是你赐给他们列祖之地和你所选择的城，并我为你名所建造的殿祷告，49求你在天上你的居所垂听他们的祷告祈求，为他们伸冤；50饶恕得罪你的民，赦免他们的一切过犯，使他们在掳他们的人面前蒙怜恤。51因为他们是你的子民，你的产业，是你从埃及领出来脱离铁炉的。
（为那些暂时远离上帝，被罪一时胜过的神家儿女们祷告，求神使他们回转，让他们回到他的家中）
52愿你的眼目看顾仆人，听你民以色列的祈求，无论何时向你祈求，愿你垂听。53主耶和华啊，你将他们从地上的万民中分别出来作你的产业，是照你领我们列祖出埃及的时候，藉你仆人摩西所应许的话。
（上帝啊！我们属于你，我们在基督里的祷告求你垂听和成就！）

3、所罗门祝福和劝勉上帝的百姓对上帝忠心54-61
4、众人向耶和华献祭和守节，盛况空前62-65
5、百姓祝福所罗门和带着喜乐回家66

Receiving and giving the forgiveness through the Faith

Biao Chen
Have you sensed that you are part of STM2010 as you pray for them, giving for them, and work with them for preparation of the work and participate the fund raising activities? In the next two weeks, our Mission deacon brother Yuanyuan and I will write a short spiritual formation prayers for them to you from time to time.  Sometimes we will write as we were with them as eyewitness with first hand information, other times, we more or less like the rest of church acting by the faith not by sight.  More importantly, we all trust, “Thy Word is the lamp of my feet and the light of my sight”, so that we will use our daily scripture readings to guide all of us in the frontier of Shangxi’s towns and the base in Orlando.

Let us read the portion of today’s Scriptures first:
Mar 11:20  As they passed by in the morning, they saw the fig tree withered away to its roots. 21  And Peter remembered and said to him, “Rabbi, look! The fig tree that you cursed has withered.” 22  And Jesus answered them, “Have faith in God. 23  Truly, I say to you, whoever says to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and thrown into the sea,’ and does not doubt in his heart, but believes that what he says will come to pass, it will be done for him. 24  Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. 25  And whenever you stand praying, forgive, if you have anything against anyone, so that your Father also who is in heaven may forgive you your trespasses.”  26  [But if you do not forgive, neither will your Father who is in heaven forgive your trespasses.]

Many times you will heard someone in a church who is trying to encourage others to have faith in prayer. He will often use Mark 11.22-23.  Wow, our faith can move the mountain, that is awesome, people think initially.  But very quickly people can be more discouraged in prayer than before. They may tell themselves that nothing happens after I pray this and that.  I believe that we need to read this faith promise in the context Jesus was setting.  I think the broad context is that Jesus is acting as God’s covenant Prophet to urge self-righteousness Israel to repent and to receive the forgiveness of God at eschaton, the end of time.  That is why Jesus give a curse on the fig tree (representing Israel) as sign of consequence of un-repent people. And more specifically, verses 22-24 need to read together with verses 25-26.  In this way, we will see that faith Jesus referred on the received undeserved grace to believe the covenant promise of forgiveness.  Only people who truly receive the this undeserved forgiveness will become people who will not regard themselves as self-righteousness but imputed righteousness of Christ.  I believed this is the first mountain that need to be moved by faith.  Only then, you and I can move the second mountain mentioned in verse 25-26, forgiveness of others who is wrong or again us.  Christians sometimes will tend to deal with some sins more seriously than other. In most of the time, we would leave those respectable sins, such as un-forgiveness in the heart undone or not deal with.  If you act like this way for long time, please think twice.  have you forgotten the petitions in Lord’s Prayer (Matt 6.9-13) ?  Please remember that to be forgiven by the Father will always tie to become a forgiving person to the others.

I know our STM team members are young and consist of brothers and sisters from several churches, they are redemptive-sinners.  As they work together and play together, I can grantee you that they will have disharmony and step toes on one another.  So brothers and sisters in the base, would you join me to pray for STM2010 in the light of Mark 11.20-26? Ask God to help them to know the fact that they are forgiven in Christ, so that they can gain the strength from His grace to forgive others who may intentional or unintentional to wrong them.

In addition, as you all know from Hongjun’s report that God has been very gracious to STM’s logistic:   Both Sophia in BJ and Diana and Alan who arrived SH a week ago have already arranged the train and air-ticket for team in BJ and SH, respectively.  He answers His children’s plea.  Today I want to you pray for three items for them as deacon Yuanyuan named in yesterday’s email ( Omitted intentionally)

Have a pleasant national holiday and see you on Sunday!