第一週■週二

w01d02-ch

晨興餧養

彼前一17『你們旣稱那不偏待人，按各人行爲審判的爲父，就當在你們寄居的時日中，憑着敬畏行事爲人。』

賽四三7『就是凡稱爲我名下的人，是我爲自己的榮耀所創造、所塑造的，更是我所造作的。』

尼布甲尼撒的事例教導我們，我們需要小心，不思想自己的成就。尼布甲尼撒所建的王宮極其宏偉。當他在王宮頂上行走時，他〔變得〕驕傲。…這該警告我們，我們的成就可能使我們驕傲，這會引進神的審判。神在尼布甲尼撒身上的審判使他減爲無有，所以他能論到主說，『地上所有的居民，都算爲虛無；但在天上的萬軍和地上的居民中，祂照自己的意旨行事；無人能攔住祂的手，或對祂說，你作甚麼呢？』（但四35。）在但以理四章三十七節，尼布甲尼撒繼續說，『祂能使那行動驕傲的降爲卑。』伯沙撒本該從尼布甲尼撒的經歷學功課；然而，他沒有學得功課，結果受了虧損。（但以理書生命讀經，五一頁。）

信息選讀

我信當伯沙撒和他的大臣在荒淫放蕩時，瑪代的軍隊已經逼近那城。但以理講解了那文字後不久，瑪代的軍隊就進入城和王宮，殺了伯沙撒。因此，但以理五章三十一節總結說，『瑪代人大利烏，約六十二歲，取了迦勒底國。』那就是巴比倫帝國的結束。

伯沙撒的光景應當給我們深刻的印象。我們都需要看見，我們若從神學到功課，就必須嚴肅的看重所學的。我們若輕看任何功課，就要受虧損。（但以理書生命讀經，五○至五一頁。）

過正確爲人生活的第一個原則是尊崇神。…尊崇神就是在每件事上顧到並尊重神，絕不忘記祂是創造我們的奇妙之神。我們要發脾氣時，該尊崇神。尊崇神會使我們停止作惡。尊崇神也會使我們感受別人的苦難，並向他們施憐憫，動憐恤。

卽使我生在基督教裏，在我相信主以前，我也從不尊崇神。但從我得救那天起，我就開始尊崇神。在每件事上我都尊敬並尊重神。那在我的生活中引起很大的改變。

尊崇神就是敬畏神。敬畏耶和華是知識和智慧的開端；認識至聖者便是聰明。（箴一7，九10，十五33 上。）知識、智慧和聰明都是從神而來。我們若敬畏祂，尊崇祂，這些就會成爲我們的產業。我們若尋找智慧如尋找銀子，搜求智慧如搜求隱藏的珍寶，我們就懂得敬畏耶和華，得以認識神。（二4 ～ 5。）敬畏耶和華就要恨惡邪惡。（八13。）敬畏耶和華使人日子加多；但惡人的年歲必被減少。（十27。）行動正直的，敬畏耶和華；行事乖僻的，卻藐視祂。（十四2。）敬畏耶和華的，有堅固的倚靠，他的兒女也有避難所。敬畏耶和華是生命的泉源，可以使人離開死亡的網羅。（26 ～ 27。）少有財寶，敬畏耶和華，強如多有財寶，煩亂不安。（十五16。）我們若在敬畏耶和華上富足，就有平安。

敬畏耶和華是智慧的訓誨，尊榮以前必有謙卑。（16，33。）因憐憫真實，罪孽得蒙遮蓋；因敬畏耶和華，人就遠離惡事。（十六6。）敬畏耶和華，使人得生命；他必安居知足，不遭禍患。（十九23。）（箴言生命讀經，一一至一二、三三頁。）

參讀：箴言生命讀經，第二至三篇。

WEEK 1 — DAY 2

Morning Nourishment

1 Pet. 1:17 And if you call as Father the One who without respect of persons judges according to each one’s work, pass the time of your sojourning in fear.

Isa. 43:7 Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created, formed, and even made for My glory.

The case of Nebuchadnezzar teaches us that we need to be careful and not consider what we have achieved. The palace built by Nebuchadnezzar was vast. When he took a walk on the roof of that palace, he became proud… This should warn us that our achievement may make us proud, and this may usher in God’s judgment. God’s judgment upon Nebuchadnezzar reduced him to nothing. This was the reason he could say of the Lord, “All the inhabitants of earth are considered as nothing, / But He does according to His will in the army of heaven / And among the inhabitants of the earth; / And there is no one who can resist His hand / Or say to Him, What are You doing?” (Dan. 4:35). In 4:37 concerning the Lord, Nebuchadnezzar went on to say, “He is able to abase those who walk in pride.” Belshazzar should have learned the lesson from Nebuchadnezzar’s experience; however, he did not learn the lesson and suffered as a result. (Life-study of Daniel, p. 43)

Today’s Reading

I believe that while Belshazzar and his lords were engaging in debauchery, the Median army was approaching the city. Soon after Daniel interpreted the writing, the Median army entered the city and the palace and killed Belshazzar. Thus, Daniel 5:31 concludes, “Darius the Mede received the kingdom at about the age of sixty-two.” That ended the Babylonian Empire.

Belshazzar’s situation should make a deep impression on us. We all need to see that if we have received some lesson from God, we must regard that very seriously. If we disregard any lesson, we will suffer. (Life-study of Daniel, pp. 43-44)

The first principle for man to live a proper human life is revering God…To revere God is to consider and regard Him in everything, never forgetting that He is the wonderful God who has created us. When we are about to lose our temper, we should revere God. Revering God stops us from doing evil. Revering God also causes us to be touched by the sufferings of others and to show mercy and compassion to them.

Even though I was born into Christianity, before I believed in the Lord Jesus I never revered God. But from the day I got saved, I began to revere God. In everything I respected and regarded God. That caused a great change in my life.

To revere God is to fear God. The fear of Jehovah is the beginning of knowledge and wisdom, and the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding (Prov. 1:7; 9:10; 15:33a). Knowledge, wisdom, and understanding come from God. If we fear Him, revering Him, these will be our possession. If we seek wisdom like silver and search for her like hidden treasures, then we will understand the fear of Jehovah and find the knowledge of God (2:4-5). The fear of Jehovah is to hate evil (8:13). The fear of Jehovah prolongs days, but the years of the wicked will be shortened (10:27). He who walks in his uprightness fears Jehovah, but he who is perverse in his ways despises Him (14:2). In the fear of Jehovah is strong confidence, and his children will have a place of
refuge. The fear of Jehovah is a fountain of life, that one may turn aside from the snares of death (vv. 26-27). Better is a little with the fear of Jehovah, than great treasure and turmoil with it (15:16). If we are rich in the fear of Jehovah, we will have peace.

The fear of Jehovah is the instruction of wisdom, and humility comes before honor (v. 33). By lovingkindness and truth iniquity is expiated, and by the fear of Jehovah men depart from evil (16:6). The fear of Jehovah leads to life, and he who has it will lodge in contentment; he will not be visited with evil (19:23). (Life-study of Proverbs, pp. 7-8, 24)

Further Reading: Life-study of Proverbs, msgs. 2—3