4月21日

標　　題： 提防亞瑪力人!

經　　節： 又說：「耶和華已經起了誓，必世世代代和亞瑪力人爭戰。」（出埃及記十七章16節）

亞瑪力人是以色列人最頑強、最冷酷無情的敵人。當以色列人要進入應許之地，亞瑪力人擋住他們的去路（出埃及記十七：8∼16）。在以色列人進入應許之地，正享受神的賜予時，亞瑪力人聯合米甸人，在基甸的時代前來攻打以色列人，令以色列人痛苦萬分（士師記六：3）。是亞瑪力人造成掃羅王的衰敗（撒母耳記上十五：9、28），亞瑪力人一直阻撓以色列人長進，劫掠神對以色列人的祝福。因此，神立誓要世世代代和亞瑪力人為敵。

當你與神同行天路的時候，會有「亞瑪力人」使你分心，並且要擊敗你。神決意挪走任何阻撓你體驗祂的完全之攔阻。如果你對工作的投注使你不順服神，祂會向你的工作宣戰。如果任何一種關係、物質或破壞性的行為，使你不順服神，祂會無情地與它為敵。世上沒有一件事對神來說是太寶貴，以致讓它攔阻祂在你身上的旨意。神會與它公開為敵。掃羅王以為自己可以憐惜亞瑪力人，又同時能滿足神的旨意（撒母耳記上十五：8∼9）。你可能猶豫不決，不想除去任何使你妥協及不順從神的人事物。不要與掃羅王犯同樣的錯誤，他沒有認真看重亞瑪力人這件事，以至於損失慘重。

Beware of the Amalekites!

For he said, "Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation." (Exodus 17:16)

The Amalekites were the persistent and relentless enemies of the Israelites. When the Israelites sought to enter the Promised Land, the Amalekites stood in their way (Exod. 17:8–16). Once the Israelites were in the Promised Land and seeking to enjoy what God had given them, the Amalekites joined the Midianites to torment the Hebrews in the days of Gideon (Judg. 6:3). It was an Amalekite that caused the downfall of King Saul (1 Sam. 15:9, 28). The Amalekites continually sought to hinder the progress of God’s people and to rob them of God’s blessing. Thus God swore His enmity against them for eternity.

As you move forward in your pilgrimage with the Lord, there will be “Amalekites” that will seek to distract and defeat you. God is determined to remove anything that keeps you from experiencing Him to the fullest. If your commitment to your job is keeping you from obedience to Him, God will declare war against it. If a relationship, materialism, or a destructive activity is keeping you from obeying God’s will, He will wage relentless war against it. There is nothing so precious to you that God will not be its avowed enemy if it keeps you from His will for your life. King Saul mistakenly thought he could associate with Amalekites and still fulfill the will of the Lord (1 Sam. 15:8–9). You may also be hesitant to rid yourself of that which causes you to compromise your obedience to God. Don’t make the same mistake as King Saul. He did not take the Amalekites seriously enough, and it cost him dearly.