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20121112 God exalted the humble 天主舉揚謙遜人

Moses died at the age of one hundred and twenty. He was succeeded by Joshua. Around 1230 BC Joshua led the people into the Promised Land. He first led the Israelites to the banks of the Jordan. As soon as the priests bearing the ark of the covenant touched the water of the Jordan, the waves from above stood still, and the water from below flowed into the Dead Sea; thus a dry space of land was left on which the Israelites crossed.
By the help of God, Joshua and his people conquered Jericho. The Promised Land is a figure of heaven, and Joshua is a type of Christ. Joshua led the Israelites though the Jordan into the Promised Land, Christ leads us through the waters of Baptism to heaven; Joshua, by his victory, acquired a right to the Promised Land, Christ by His victory over sin and death, acquired our title to heaven.
Judges and king
After the book of Joshua comes the book of Judges. Again and again the Israelites fell into sin, and God allowed them to be oppressed by their enemies. But at the darkest hour, God raised up judges to rescue the people and there was peace. However, during peaceful time, if the people forgot God and fell into sin, the cycle started all over.
The judges are usually divided into two groups—-the major judges and the minor judges. The major judges are treated in some details and are noted for their military prowess. Othniel, Ehud, Barak, Gideon, Jephthah, and Samson are major judges. The minor judges are noted for their administration of justice. Shamgar, Tola, Jair, Ibzan, Elon, and Abdon are minor judges.
Samuel was considered the last of the judges. They Israelites requested him to appoint a king for them. God directed Samuel to anoint Saul as king.
As long as Saul remained humble God assisted him by making him victorious over his enemies. However, Saul grew proud and ordered a triumphal arch to be erected in his honor. Pride led to disobedience. Saul disobeyed God and made two big mistakes. First, Saul supposed to wait for Samuel to offer sacrifices, but he had the sacrifices brought to him and offered them himself. In response, Samuel predicted that Saul would not found a dynasty. His son would not succeed him as king.
The second mistake was that, contrary to God’s command, Saul kept for himself the best flocks of the conquered Amalekites. In response, Samuel declared God has rejected Saul as king. Saul not only lost his dynasty, but the kingdom itself!
Humble David
Samuel was sent by God to anoint David as king. As soon as he was anointed, the spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the spirit of the Lord departed from Saul. An evil spirit tormented Saul with terrors and he was depressed. His ministers thought music would help Saul. Following their recommendation, Saul took David, a harp-player, to court.
The humble David overcame the proud Philistine giant, Goliath, who boasted of his strength and insulted the people of God. David, relying on God, was able to knock Goliath to the ground with a stone and seized the giant’s sword and slew him.
Saul was displeased with the praise which David received for his victory over Goliath. He was envious and suspicious of David, and his envy led to hatred and murderous desires.
David fled from Saul to the mountains of Juda. God placed Saul in the power of David, but David would not harm Saul, who was the anointed of the Lord. David’s noble conduct was rewarded—-Saul became reconciled to him.

梅瑟於一百二十歲的時候去世。若蘇厄繼承他的職務。約在公元前一二三零年,若蘇厄帶領子民進入福地。他首先領以色列民到達約旦河畔。當抬著約櫃司祭們碰到水的時候,從上而來的水停頓了,下面的水流到死海去;這樣就留下一段乾地讓以色列民渡河。
籍著天主的幫助,若蘇厄和他的人民攻陷了耶里哥。這福地表徵著天堂,而若蘇厄表徵著基督。若蘇厄帶領以色列民經約但河進入福地;基督帶領我們,經聖洗的水進入天國;若蘇厄憑他的勝利,贏得進入福地的權利,基督以祂克服死亡和罪惡的勝利為我們贏得進入天國的名份。
民長和國王
若蘇厄紀後是民長紀。一次又一次以色列民墮落於罪惡中,天主讓他們受到敵人的壓迫。在最黑暗的時候天主興起了民長去拯救他們讓他們得到和平。可是在和平的時侯,假若他們忘記了天主,他們又會再陷於壓迫中。
這些民長一般可分兩組———–長民長和次民長。長民長都有較詳細以英勇善戰的記錄。敖特尼耳, 厄胡得, 巴辣克, 基德紅, 依弗大, 和三松都是長民長。次民長以正義的管治留名,沙默加爾, 托拉, 雅依爾, 依貝贊, 厄隆, 和阿貝冬都是次民長。
撒慕爾是最後的一個民長。以色列民要求他為他們立一位君王。天主指引撒慕爾去為撒烏耳傅油為王。
只要撒烏耳保持謙遜,天主便幫助他,讓他戰勝他的敵人。可是撒烏耳越來越變得驕傲,並下令要為他的榮耀,建立一個勝利的拱門。驕傲使他遺背命令。撒烏耳遺背了天主的命令,做了兩大過錯。首先,撒烏耳本應要等待撒慕爾到來奉獻犧牲,但他令人把這犧牲帶來並自行予以奉獻。後果就是,撒慕爾預言他不能建立他王朝。他的兒子並不能繼承他的王位。
第二個過錯是,他違反天主的命令,把他所征服的阿瑪肋克最好的牲畜留給自己。結果撒慕爾宣布天主癈棄了撒烏耳為王。撒烏耳不僅失掉了他的王朝,也失掉了他的王國。
謙遜的達味
天主指派撒慕爾為達味傅油為王。他受傅後,天主的神立即以能力降臨到他上,同時天主的神離開了撒烏耳。一個惡神以恐懼折磨著撒烏耳,讓他陷入沮喪。他的臣僕希望以音樂為他解困。聽從了他們的勸告,撒烏耳請來了達味,一位彈豎琴的樂手。
這位謙遜的達味戰勝了培肋舍特的巨人,哥肋雅。哥肋雅誇耀了他的力量,侮辱了天主的子民。達味依賴天主,投石打敗了哥肋雅,拔了他的刀殺了他。
達味戰勝哥肋雅得到的讚美令撒烏耳十分不悅。他妒忌和懷疑達味。這份妒忌使他仇恨和動了謀殺的意圖。
為逃避撒聲烏耳的追殺,達味藏到山中。 天主將撒烏耳交到達味手中, 但是達味不願意傷害他,因為他是天主的受傅者。達味這高尚的行為得到了賞報—— 撒烏耳樂意與他修和。