QT 04/01/2024 Thursday Matthew 4
QT 04/01/2024 Thursday Matthew 4
http://www.esvbible.org/matt4
The "Old Israel" of the Exodus generation was tested by God on their obedience: "... There the LORD made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them" (Exo 15:25). The Old Israel FAILED (e.g. Exo 16:3,25-27, Deut 29:25-28).
The 2nd generation who entered into the Deuteronomic Covenant with the LORD was also tested (Deut 6:16) via the 40 years of desert wanderings (Deut 8:2). The purpose of these tests was "that he might humble you and test you, to do you good in the end" (Deut 8:16), and to warn against being punished and destroyed (Deut 8:19, 13:3).
REFLECTION: Did you submit to the tests and moulding the LORD has sovereignly provided? Did these tests do you good in the end?
HOWEVER, Jesus IS QUALIFIED to be the New Israel because He succeeded where the Old Israel failed:
The Old Israel came out of the Red Sea and was tested for 40 years--they failed. Jesus came out of the River Jordan (Matt 3:16) and was tested for 40 days. He SUCCEEDED (Matt 4:17).
The Old Israel failed the food/water tests (see Exo 16, Numbers etc). So did Adam (Gen 3). Yet Jesus succeeded in the food tests (Matt 4:4, citing Deut 8:3). He refused to turn stone into bread but would rather rely on God.
The Old Israel tested God in the wilderness and was punished for her failure. Jesus refused to test God and SUCCEEDS (Matt 4:7, citing Deut 6:16).
The Old Israel bowed down to the golden calf (Exo 32:4) and failed. Jesus refused to bow down to Satan (Matt 4:10, citing Deut 6:13). He would not give up loyalty to God in exchange for "all the kingdoms of the world and their glory" (Matt 4:8). Jesus is king, but REFUSED to accept the kingdom from anyone else except God.
APPLICATION: Accept Jesus, the Messiah, the anointed one from God. Follow Him closely and thus pass all tests in life.
星期四 2024年1月4日 今日读经：马太福音4章
http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Mat/4/
神试验了出埃及那一代的“旧以色列”人对祂的顺服：“...耶和华在那里为他们立了律例和典章，也在那里试验了他们”(出15:25)。旧以色列没有通过考验(出16:3,25-27,申29:25-28)。
那与耶和华进入申命记之约的第二代人也被试验了(申6:16),透过那40年在沙漠旷野的游走(申8:2)。这些试验的目的“是要使你受苦，要试炼你，使你终久得到福乐”(申8:16)，并警告他们若随从别神将受到惩罚和被毁灭(申8:19,13:3)。
反思：你是否降服于全能的耶和华所预备给我们的试验和塑造？这些试验到头来是否对你有益处？
然而，耶稣是有资格成为新以色列的因为祂在旧以色列所不能及之处，祂都做到了:
旧以色列过了红海后被试验了40年----他们没通过试验。耶稣过了约旦河(太3:16)并且被试验了40天。祂通过了(太4:17)。
旧以色列没有通过食物/水的试验(见出16,民数记等)。亚当也没有通过(创3)。耶稣却胜过了食物的试验(太4:4，引述了申8:3)。祂不愿意把石头变成面包而宁愿倚靠神。
旧以色列在旷野中试验神并因自己的失败受到惩罚。耶稣不愿意试验神而成功了(太4:7,引述申6:16)。
旧以色列向金牛犊俯伏(出32:4)而失败了。耶稣不向撒旦俯伏(太4:10,引述申6:13)。祂不肯放弃对神的忠诚以换取“世界各国和各国的荣华”(太4:8)。耶稣是王，祂不接受来自他处的国度，除了来自神的国度。
应用：接受耶稣，那弥赛亚，神所膏立的那位。紧紧跟随祂并通过人生中的试验。
