He Will Hide Me 所写的文章
但以理书 第五章（英文）
We see James 4:6 coming to pass in this chapter, through the end of Belshazzar the king of the Chaldeans and Daniel being made the third ruler in the kingdom. "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”" James 4:6 V4 they did the wrong thing V7 they brought in ‘the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers’. They either did not know or did not care that they should not be turning to these men to find answers. As many secular beliefs become more prevalent through the media in this day and age, we must guard our heart against these beliefs as they may corrupt our faith. In our lives today, we also should not turn to such men to find answers in our lives. "Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life." Proverbs 4:23 V11 & 13 the fact that they still sought counsel from Daniel, someone guided by God, is interesting, because it seemed unexpected for them, given that they turned to ‘the astrologers, the Chaldeans, and the soothsayers’. Let us rely on God through prayer and reading the Bible to find God’s will for our lives. It can also be through people God has placed in our lives, to remind us and nudge us in a certain direction. V17 Daniel did not accept the gifts. He still interpreted the writing, and was not in it for the benefits, but did so with genuineness and a humble heart, for the glory of God, and not for his own praise or glory. V29 by relying on God to interpret the inscription, he was made third ruler in the kingdom. V19 Nebuchadnezzar also took advantage of the power he was given and ‘Whomever he wished, he executed; whomever he wished, he kept alive; whomever he wished, he set up; and whomever he wished, he put down’. V20-21 God resists the proud and Nebuchadnezzar faced a downfall ‘till he knew that the Most High God rules in the kingdom of men, and appoints over it whomever He chooses.’ "But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.”" James 4:6 We must humble our hearts, especially since we know God and His Word. V23 they praised the gods but did not glorify God Is it the same with us today? That we know God is the One ‘who holds our breath in His hand and owns all [our] ways’ yet we have not glorified Him? Do we give praise to other things (e.g. hard work) and people in the face of success? They used what belongs to God to praise the gods of silver and gold. Do we also use what God has given us to praise other things and people? We must remember to give glory to God because God has given and provided us with these. Even what may seem like ours (e.g. our hard work) only exists because God gives us the strength and the days to achieve these things. We merely live on borrowed time, and we are but dust. "For He knows our frame; He remembers that we are dust. As for man, his days are like grass; As a flower of the field, so he flourishes. For the wind passes over it, and it is gone, And its place remembers it no more. But the mercy of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting On those who fear Him, And His righteousness to children’s children," Psalms 103:14-17 Every day we are given to live is a blessing. We should also not misuse our roles to oppress others. V25 the meaning of the inscription came to pass V27 ‘weighed in the balances, and found wanting’ could mean that Belshazzar’s life was wanted and would be taken away soon. We see that his soul was required of him that night. "But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’ “So is he who lays up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.”" Luke 12:20-21 God’s Word will come to pass. We see that V28 also came true in V31. V28 the kingdom was given to Medes and Persians V31 Darius the Mede received the kingdom. It indeed came true. God’s Word coming to pass can be something we are fearful or hopeful about. It depends how prepared we are. Since God’s Word will come to pass, let us prepare ourselves so that we will remain hopeful for what is to come with faith and not fear.
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以西结书 第十八章（英文）
Ezekiel 18 talks about how all souls belong to God and will be judged for iniquity or righteousness, based on how they have lived their life. In particular, the use of the word “get” in “get a new heart” captures my attention, because it suggests not using our current heart, but acquiring a new one. 31 Cast away from you all the transgressions which you have committed, and get yourselves a new heart and a new spirit. For why should you die, O house of Israel? 32 For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the Lord God. “Therefore turn and live!” These two verses show us that God does not want to see us die. However, it has been set that the wicked will die and the righteous will live, and God calls us to live. Therefore, we have to be righteous, to turn from our iniquities, because every soul will be judged for their own actions and lives, and cannot live or die by another’s righteousness or wickedness. This means we have to take responsibility for how we choose to live. 9 If he has walked in My statutes And kept My judgments faithfully— He is just; He shall surely live!” Says the Lord God. We ought to live like verse 9 says. This means we have to have love too. 1 Corinthians 13 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body [ undefined ]to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing. May God guide us to live faithfully by God’s word so that we will surely live.
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以西结书 第十七章（英文）
Ezekiel 17 talks about how God will save Israel and raise Israel up, while God will bring Babylon down. The last verse: 24 And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the Lord, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the Lord, have spoken and have done it. ” reminds me of another verse: James 4 6 But He gives more grace. Therefore He says: “God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” which also relates to this verse: Proverbs 16 18 Pride goes before destruction, And a haughty spirit before [ undefined ]a fall. 19 Better to be of a humble spirit with the lowly, Than to divide the [ undefined ]spoil with the proud. These verses show us that God delights in humility and will exalt the lowly, but those who are proud will be humbled by their fall, or perhaps by God. We can see that being proud is not an admirable quality to have and God also resists the proud, hence there is no reason to be proud. However, as humans, it can happen that we become proud due to different reasons, and these reasons point to our bruised inner world and how we are comparing ourselves to others, or exalting our own selves. Comparison with others also means one is judging them, and when one thinks of oneself as better than others, it is like this verse says: Matthew 7 3 And why do you look at the speck in your brother’s eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? Being blind to one's own weaknesses, one cannot even see others clearly. Matthew 7 4 Or how can you say to your brother, ‘Let me remove the speck from your eye’; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 5 Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye. When the plank is removed and one’s vision is restored, one can see the beauty in others and their strengths. Therefore, this chapter reminds us of lowliness and humility in our lives.
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