The Ridiculous Demand of God
神荒謬的要求
Gen. 22
創世記22
As a young Christian, I felt like God was demanding. I felt as if God was always asking me to sacrifice something or give up something for him. It could have been secular music, or certain friendships, or certain sinful habits. God was always asking for something, always demanding. And the demanding never seemed to stop.
I know that some of you feel like that. You feel like God is demanding, always asking for more. And for those of you who aren’t Christians, you feel like that and you wonder if it’s even worth it to become a Christian. Others of you are already Christians, and that feeling, that God is always demanding, makes you wonder if you should go any farther in your faith.
作為一個年輕的基督徒，我覺得上帝很苛求。我覺得上帝好像總是要我要犧牲一些東西或為他放棄一些東西。可能是世俗音樂，或某些友誼、 或某些罪惡的習性。上帝總是要求。並且，好像從來沒有停止過。
我知道你們當中一些人，有那樣的感覺。你覺得神很苛求，總是要求更多。對於那些不是基督徒的人而言，你很躊躇，是否值得去成為一名基督徒。對於基督徒，那種上帝總是要求更多的感覺，讓你遲疑，你是否應該進入更深的信仰
Today, through this account of Abraham’s sacrifice of Isaac, I want to show you that God isn’t demanding at all. In fact, you’ll see that God is actually a gracious giver and that will change your belief that God is demanding. So, as we look at the passage today, we will see:
- The Request
- The Reason for the Request
- The Response to the Request
今天，通過亞伯拉罕獻以撒的事件，我要讓你知道上帝並不苛求。事實上，你將會發現上帝其實是一位寛宏大量的施與者，這將會改變你認為帝苛求的想法。所以，當我們來看今天的經節，我們將會看到：
1.要求
2.提出要求的原因
3. 對要求的回應
- The Request
As we get into this passage, you’ll remember that Abraham and Sarah have left their homeland and family to follow God. Sarah was barren, which at that time was a sign of shame and spiritual deficiency. When Abraham is 75 years old, God promises that Abraham will one day be father of many nations. Considering Sarah’s barrenness, this seems impossible. But, at the age of 99 (Sarah is 90 at the time), God comes to make the promise to Abraham again. And, lo and behold, at the miraculous age of 100, Abraham has a son, the child God had promised to him.
You can imagine how special this child was to Abraham. Isaac was the child of his old age. He was also a child borne of a promise. God has promised Abraham a child, and here he was. In this child, Abraham rested all his hopes to begin a nation, God’s people.
1. 要求
隨著我們進入這段經文，你會記得亞伯拉罕和撒拉離開自己的家園和家人去跟隨神。撒拉不孕，這在當時是一種羞恥和靈性不佳的標誌。當亞伯拉罕 75 歲時，神應許亞伯拉罕將有一天成為多國之父。想到撒拉的不孕症，這似乎是不可能的。但是，在99歲時（撒拉當時是90歲），神再次向亞伯拉罕作出承諾。就在神奇的 100 歲，亞伯拉罕奇蹟式的得到上帝曾應許過他的一個兒子。
你可以想像對亞伯拉罕，這個孩子是如何的特別。以撒是他年老時所得的兒子。他也是神應許給亞伯拉罕的孩子。這個孩子，是亞伯拉罕所有的希望，也是一個上帝子民的國家的開始。
Then, in verses 1 and 2, God asks Abraham to take this one, this beloved son and sacrifice him. It sounds absolutely ridiculous. How can God ask for such a thing? Why would God ask for such a thing? The child that Abraham cherished, the one he loved and placed his hope in, was the one God wanted. I don’t know how you would feel if this happened to you, but at the very least, I would feel confused. Why would God give me a child, only to ask me to sacrifice him?
But, in another way, it is completely within God’s rights. God only asks for the things that are his. That’s a good thing for us to remember. God only asks for things that are rightfully his.
然而，在第 1、 2 節神要求亞伯拉罕將犧牲這個他最心愛的兒子。這聽起來絕對荒唐。神怎麼能要求這種事？ 神為什麼要做這樣的事？這個是亞伯拉罕珍愛的孩子，是他的愛和他的希望，也是神想要的。我不知道這如果發生在你身上，你有什麼的感受，但至少，我會感到困惑。為什麼上帝給我一個孩子，又要我犧牲他？
但是，從另一方面看，神有完全的主權。神只要求屬於祂的東西。我們若能記住這件事，對我們是好的。神只要求是屬於祂的東西。
- The Reason for the Request (verses 10-12)
Why did God as for Abraham’s son? It’s a strange request, which ultimately isn’t fulfilled. But why ask?
Verse one tells us that this is a “test.” What is a test? What does a test do? Well, in short, a test is something that shows you what is already there or not there. A student takes a test and it shows the teacher (and the student) what the student knows or doesn’t know. In a spiritual sense, tests reveal what is really in the heart, what the heart truly loves. Tests can reveal false idols, things that we love more than God. Tests can show us that we place our hope, faith and trust in something besides God. Or, tests can show us that we have rightly placed our hope and faith in God through the Savior, Jesus Christ.
2. 提出要求的原因（ 10-12節）
為什麼上帝要亞伯拉罕獻兒子？它是一個奇怪的要求，最終也並未達成。但是，為什麼要問？
第一節告訴我們這是一種”試驗”。什麼是試驗？試驗作什麼？簡單來說，試驗能告訴你是否達到某個程度。學生需要一個測驗，它會告訴老師（和學生）學生知道或不知道。從屬靈的角度來看，試驗揭示了我們的心思，和真正心裏所喜愛的。試驗可以揭示我們是否愛虛假偶像超過愛神。試驗可以告訴我們，我們是否把我們的希望，信心和信任放在上帝之外的東西。或者，試驗也可告訴我們，我們已經透過我們的救主，耶穌基督，將盼望，信心放在神身上。
God uses this test to reveal Abraham’s heart. It’s interesting because God already knows Abraham’s heart. God is all-knowing, so He knows and sees to the bottom of Abraham’s heart. So why does He test Abraham? So that Abraham can see. The test isn’t for God, it’s for Abraham. Through the test, Abraham sees what loves, rules, controls his life. Through the test, Abraham sees what it most important to him.
Abraham’s response is to obey God, even though it doesn’t make sense. In verses 10 through 12, we see Abraham pick up the knife, ready to sacrifice his son. The test shows Abraham’s trust in God’s direction.
神使用此試驗來揭示亞伯拉罕的心。有趣的是，上帝已經知道亞伯拉罕的心。神是無所不知的，所以他知道並且看見亞伯拉罕心的深處。那麼他為什麼試驗亞伯拉罕？這樣，亞伯拉罕可以看到。試驗不是為神，而是為亞伯拉罕他自己。通過測試，亞伯拉罕看到什麼是對他最重要的。
亞伯拉罕的反應是服從上帝，即使不合情理。在 10 到 12 節的經文，我們看到亞伯拉罕拿起刀，準備犧牲自己的兒子。這試驗顯示了亞伯拉罕對神的指示有絶對的信任。
- The Response to the Request
In verse 3, Abraham’s response is complete, total, unhesitating obedience. Some people would call it “blind faith.” But, Abraham’s faith isn’t blind. Ours should never be blind either.
Some people say that this is what Christianity comes down to, blindly believing something to be true without any proof. Christianity is not about blind faith at all. It is about faith towards a Savior who lived, died and rose again. And this Savior’s life and death is well attested to. Christianity is not about blindly believing things to be true. In Christianity, faith is always informed.
For Abraham, his faith wasn’t blind. It was informed be truth. In Heb. 11: 17-19, we find out that Abraham believe in a God who could resurrect the dead. That was why he was willing to trust God fully (not blindly). He knew God wasn’t cruel or malicious. He fully expected to return home with his son, the same way he had left.
3. 對要求的回應
在第 3 節，亞伯拉罕的反應是完全、 徹底，毫不猶豫的服從。有些人會稱它為”盲目的信仰”。但是，亞伯拉罕的信心不是盲目的。我們也永遠不應該盲目。
有些人說這就基督教，盲目地相信，而沒有任何證據。基督教不是盲目的信仰。而是對死而復活的救主的信仰。這救主的生和死是一個很好的證明。基督教不是盲目地相信。基督教信仰是有憑有據的。
亞伯拉罕的信心不是盲目的。它是有憑有據的。在希伯來書 11： 17-19，我們知道亞伯拉罕相信神能使死人復活。這就是為什麼他願意完全倚靠神 (不是盲目地）。他知道上帝不是殘忍或有惡意。他完全相信並預期，他和兒子怎樣離開家，也會怎樣回到家。
Abraham remembered and knew God’s goodness. He thought back to the countless times he had heard God’s voice, saw God’s hand at work, or experienced God’s presence. He looked back at his life and saw God’s faithfulness in the promises fulfilled and the blessings bestowed. His faith was not blind, it was fully informed by everything he knew and understood about God. When God asked, Abraham didn’t think, “This is ridiculous! God is always asking for more!” He didn’t see God as demanding. It was a mystery to him, but he understood that God would be faithful and good to him, just like He had been in the past. He believed that God would raise Isaac from the dead.
That’s why Abraham is able to respond in faith. He is willing and able to sacrifice his only beloved son because he trusts in the faithfulness and goodness of God.
亞伯拉罕記得並知道神的良善。他回想無數次他聽到上帝的聲音，看到了上帝的手在工作，或經驗到神的存在。他回顧他的一生，看到神信實的履行承諾，和神賜的祝福。他的信心不是盲目的，透過他所知道，所瞭解的神，亞伯拉罕充分地被告知關於神的事。當上帝要求時，亞伯拉罕不會認為”這太荒謬了! 神總是要求更多!” 他不認為上帝苛求。這對他是個謎，但他知道上帝是信實的並且對他很好，就像在過去一樣。他相信上帝會使以撒從死裏復治。
這就是為什麼亞伯拉罕能夠在信心中作出反應。他願意，也能夠犧牲他心愛的兒子，因為他相信神的信實和良善。
So, how can we be willing to sacrifice whatever God asks? Sometimes God does ask for a lot. How can be as willing as Abraham was? Truth is, we have much more to look on that will make us able to trust God.
Look again at the account of Abraham sacrificing Isaac. God asks Abraham to sacrifice Isaac, so Abraham packs supplies and heads off to the mountain top with his son, Isaac. When he gets there, he ties up his son and takes out the knife and raises it. As Abraham is prepared to thrust the knife down, God’s voice rings out, “STOP! Do not do this thing.”
God’s tone is interesting. He seems to be saying that this is too horrible for Abraham to do. God was never intending to have Abraham sacrifice Isaac. That would be too much to ask. It would be far too much for God to ask Abraham to sacrifice his only beloved son, the son of the promise.
因此，我們願意為上帝的要求來犧牲嗎？有時上帝會要求很多。我們如何像亞伯拉罕一樣遵行呢？事實上，我們需要?更多，使我們更能夠信任上帝。
再來看看亞伯拉罕獻以撒的記戴。神要求亞伯拉罕獻以撒，因此亞伯拉罕帶著用品和他的兒子以撒向山頂走。當他到達那裡時，他綁上他的兒子，拿出刀子，舉起來。當亞伯拉罕準備把刀子砍下來，神的聲音呼叫 “停 住！不可做這事！＂。
上帝的口氣很有趣。他似乎說亞伯拉罕做這事太可怕。神從來沒有打算要亞伯拉罕獻以撒。這個要求太高。上帝不要亞伯拉罕要犧牲他心愛的兒子，這是上帝承諾所賜的兒子。
But, the Gospel tells us that God did what He would never ask us to do. God sent His only beloved Son into the world to die for the sins of the world. The cross shows us that you don’t have a God who makes ridiculous demands, one who is always asking you to sacrifice. You have a God who ridiculously loves you, so much so that He even sent His own Son to die on the cross, to become a sacrifice for us.
So, if you have a God who has done that for you, then nothing is too big for you to give him.
但是，福音告訴我們神做了什麼，是他永遠不叫我們去做的。神差他心愛的獨生子進入世界，為世人的罪而死。十字架向我們表明，神不會提出荒謬的要求，不會總是要求你犧牲的。你的神愛你愛的離譜，祂甚至差自己的兒子死在十字架上，為我們成為祭物。
所以，如果你有一位神，為你成就了這樣無法理解的犧牲，那麼，就沒有一件你所能給祂的是太大的了。