我又何必再說呢？若要一一細說，基甸、巴拉、參孫、耶弗他、大衛、撒母耳，和眾先知的事，時候就不夠了。他們因著信，制伏了敵國，行了公義，得了應許，堵了獅子的口，滅了烈火的猛勢，脫了刀劍的鋒刃；軟弱變為剛強，爭戰顯出勇敢，打退外邦的全軍。And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies.（希伯來書 Hebrews 11:32-34）
築壇的法官 A Judge who Built an Altar
撒母耳是一位士師（法官），平時要審判案件：
撒母耳平生作以色列的士師。他每年巡行到伯特利、吉甲、米斯巴，在這幾處審判以色列人。隨後回到拉瑪，因為他的家在那裡；也在那裡審判以色列人，且為耶和華築了一座壇。 （撒上 7:15-17）
撒母耳以家鄉拉瑪為根據地，每年巡行各處，審判以色列人。審判的目的是為了施行公義，在選民的爭訟之中，做出公正的判決（是的，選民也有爭訟，他們也需要法官）。除了審判，這段經文還告訴我們一件重要的事：撒母耳為耶和華築了一座壇！為何要築壇？築壇和審判有何關係？壇是獻祭之處，古人若想呼求耶和華的名，向神祈禱，必須先築壇獻祭。撒母耳為了能夠善盡士師之職，施行公義，就在自己的家鄉為耶和華築了一座壇，時常向神祈禱。
撒母耳「築壇而審判」，這是他明智之處。他知道神是公義的源頭，一個人必須時常親近神，才能夠施行公義。我們雖然不是士師，但卻時常「審判以色列人」。我們的審判是否公義？這要看我們是否有「為耶和華築壇」。公義是神的屬性，「施行公義」是在你的審判中彰顯神的屬性。這對當事人來說是公平，對我們來說是輕省。親愛的弟兄姊妹，審判他人的擔子太重了，我們擔當不起！唯有將這個擔子交給神，藉著禱告倚靠神，使自己不做公義的挑夫，只做公義的導管，如此才能施行公義。
不行他的道 Walked Not in His Ways
每個人與神的關係是非常個人化的，父親與神的關係不能夠傳給兒子。撒母耳有兩個兒子，他們在南邊的別是巴做士師，但是卻不行乃父之道：
撒母耳年紀老邁，就立他兒子作以色列的士師。長子名叫約珥，次子名叫亞比亞，他們在別是巴作士師。 他兒子不行他的道，貪圖財利，收受賄賂，屈枉正直。 （撒上8:1-3）
撒母耳為神築了一座壇，他的兒子卻沒有為神築壇。撒母耳所行的是公義之道，他的兒子不行他的道，追根究柢，是與神失去了聯繫。與神失聯的結果就是被罪惡所勝：心中貪圖（貪圖財利或貪圖名望），手中收受（收受賄賂或收受人氣），判決屈枉（屈枉正直或縱容惡人）。
不公平的現象極為普遍，每個世代都有。先知阿摩司強力譴責當時的世代，他的話語真實而深刻：
你們這使公平變為茵蔯、將公義丟棄於地的…你們怨恨那在城門口責備人的，憎惡那說正直話的…我知道你們的罪過何等多，你們的罪惡何等大。你們苦待義人，收受賄賂，在城門口屈枉窮乏人。 （阿5:7,10,12）
不行公義是人間的常態，施行公義是天國的常態。一個人是否能夠施行公義，要看他是活在人間，還是活在天國。活在天國的方法不是離開人間，而是活在人間但卻與神相連。不是與宗教相連，那是毫無功效的（用私意崇拜，自表謙卑，苦待己身，其實在克制肉體的情慾上，是毫無功效，西2:23）。唯有與神相連，我們才有勝算。耶穌在受難之前為門徒禱告，向天父祈求說：
我不求你叫他們離開世界，只求你保守他們脫離那惡者。他們不屬世界，正如我不屬世界一樣。求你用真理使他們成聖，你的道就是真理。（約17:15-17）
耶穌說，真理的目的是要使人成聖（歸屬於神）。有些人追求真理不是為了成聖，而是為了增長知識。知識不能使人得勝，唯有成聖才能。撒母耳的兒子從小看著父親，他們不是沒有知識，而是沒有成聖。公義之難行，在於沒有成聖。公義之易行，在於成聖者成為神的導管，使公義流通。
公平如大水滾滾，公義如江河滔滔 Let Justice Roll down as Waters, Righteousness as a Mighty Stream
先知阿摩司藉著一句雋永的詩句，道出了神對人的盼望：
惟願公平如大水滾滾，使公義如江河滔滔。（阿5:24）
根據聖經的教導，「行公義」就是「行耶和華眼中看為善的事」。消極地說，行公義是「不做不公平的事」；積極地說，行公義是「去做神喜悅的事」。消極地說，行公義是「不屈往正直」；積極地說，行公義是「愛人如己」。感謝神，他看重我們，對我們有極大的盼望。神要我們所彰顯的不但是消極的公義，也是積極的公義。不是「小水細流、忽隱忽現」，乃是「大水滾滾、江河滔滔」！
另外一位神的忠僕先知彌迦，以同樣雋永的詩句，道出了神對人的盼望：
世人哪，耶和華已指示你何為善。他向你所要的是什麼呢？只要你行公義，好憐憫，存謙卑的心，與你的神同行。（彌6:8）
神向世人所要的，他所看為善的，就是「行公義，好憐憫」。如何才能「行公義，好憐憫」？必須「存謙卑的心與你的神同行」，也就是「與神相連」。親愛的弟兄姊妹，神已經表明了他的心意。他並不要求宗教的儀式，但卻要求「行公義，好憐憫」，如同大水滾滾，江河滔滔！
我必以善道正路指教你們 I Will Teach You the Good and Right Way
撒母耳不但施行公義，並且心存憐憫。以色列人不聽撒母耳的話，做出了違背神的事。撒母耳不但沒有因此而捨棄他們，反倒對他們說：
至於我，斷不停止為你們禱告，以致得罪耶和華。我必以善道正路指教你們。 （撒上12:23）
美哉撒母耳！哲人日已遠，典型在夙昔：築壇的撒母耳，禱告的撒母耳，施行公義的撒母耳，指教善道的撒母耳。感謝主，哲人雖已遠，真神卻不遠。永生的神與我們同在，他的真理與我們同在。撒母耳的榜樣彰顯出神的公義與憐憫，也為我們帶來美好的盼望。
撒母耳的經歷告訴我們：
- 神要他的百姓施行公義
- 唯有與神相連，接通公義的源頭，我們才能施行公義
【Life is a song】Samuel: Administered Justice
And what more shall I say? I do not have time to tell about Gideon, Barak, Samson and Jephthah, about David and Samuel and the prophets, who through faith conquered kingdoms, administered justice, and gained what was promised; who shut the mouths of lions, quenched the fury of the flames, and escaped the edge of the sword; whose weakness was turned to strength; and who became powerful in battle and routed foreign armies. (Hebrews 11:32-34)
A Judge who Built an Altar
Samuel was a judge who spent his days judging over Israel:
Samuel continued as judge over Israel all the days of his life. From year to year he went on a circuit from Bethel to Gilgal to Mizpah, judging Israel in all those places. But he always went back to Ramah, where his home was, and there he also judged Israel. And he built an altar there to the Lord. (1 Samuel 7:15-17)
With his hometown Ramah as home base, Samuel would go on a circuit to different towns every year to serve as judge to the Israelites. His role and purpose as judge was to administer justice among the constituents of the land. He had to make a fair judgment whenever there was a dispute among the townspeople (and indeed, the people did have disputes and they did need a judge). Besides being a judge, this passage also tells us something important that Samuel did—he built an altar to the Lord! Why did he build an altar? What does building an altar have to do with being a judge? An altar is a place where sacrifices are offered. In biblical times, whenever someone wanted to call upon the Lord and pray to Him, they would first build an altar and offer sacrifices. Samuel built an altar to the Lord in his hometown, so that he could often pray to God for help to be a good and fair judge in administering justice.
Samuel showed great wisdom by choosing to build an altar. He knew that God was the source of righteousness, and that one must be connected to God in order to act justly. Even though we are not judges, yet we often “judge the Israelites”. Are our judgments righteous? This depends on whether we have “built an altar to the Lord”. Righteousness is an attribute of God. By “administering justice”, we are allowing the righteousness of God to be displayed. Such practice of justice by dependence on God not only offers a fair judgment to the affected parties, but also relieves the burden on us who act as judges! Dear brothers and sisters, the weight of judging others is too heavy for us to bear! We must give this burden to God, and through prayer rely upon Him, so that we become not the bearers, but rather the channels, of righteousness.
Walked Not in His Ways
Every person’s relationship with God is personal; a father’s relationship with God cannot be passed on to his son. Samuel had two sons, his firstborn named Joel, and his second named Abijah. They served as judges in the southern town of Beersheba, but they did not walk in their father’s ways.
But his sons did not walk in his ways. They turned aside after dishonest gain and accepted bribes and perverted justice. (1 Samuel 8:3)
Samuel built an altar to the Lord, but his sons did not. Samuel walked in the ways of righteousness, but his sons did not. His sons no longer had a relationship with God. The consequence of not walking with God is to be conquered by sin—the heart grows covetous for dishonest gain (gain of money or fame and power), the hand accepts bribes (monetary or popularity), and justice is perverted (the righteous are wronged or the wicked allowed to go free).
Every generation has its fair share of injustice. It was so rampant in the days of the prophet Amos that he strongly rebuked his generation with these harsh words:
You who turn justice into bitterness and cast righteousness to the ground…you hate the one who reproves in court and despise him who tells the truth…For I know how many are your offenses and how great your sins. You oppress the righteous and take bribes and you deprive the poor of justice in the courts. (Amos 5:7, 10, 12)
In the world, injustice may be the norm, but in God’s kingdom, justice is weaved into its very fabric. A person’s ability to act justly hinges upon whether he is living in the world or living in God’s kingdom. To live in God’s kingdom does not mean to leave the earth, but to live on earth while abiding in God. This is not just adherence to some religion –practices such as self-imposed worship, false humility, and harsh treatment of the body, these all lack any value in restraining sensual indulgence (Colossians 3:23). Only when we abide in God are we able to be victorious. Before he went to the cross, Jesus prayed for his disciples in this way:
My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, even as I am not of it. Sanctify them by the truth; your word is truth. (John 17:15-17)
Jesus said that the purpose of truth is for sanctification (to be set apart for God). Some pursue truth not for the purpose of sanctification but simply to gain knowledge. One cannot be victorious through knowledge; one can only be victorious through sanctification. Samuel’s sons grew up watching what their father did. They had all the knowledge they needed, but they were not sanctified. Without sanctification, it is impossible to be just. But justice flows naturally and easily when those who are being sanctified allow themselves to be conduits of God’s righteousness.
Let Justice Roll down as Waters, Righteousness as a Mighty Stream
But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like a never-failing stream! (Amos 5:24)
What a picture painted by these timeless words of the prophet Amos, telling us what the Lord desires of man.
According to the teachings of the Bible, “to act justly” is “to do what is good in the eyes of the Lord”. On the one hand, to act justly means “not to act unfairly”; on the other hand, to act justly means “to do what pleases the Lord”. To act justly is “not to pervert justice”. To act justly is also “to love others as yourself”. Brothers and sisters, God values us and has great expectations of us: He does not want small, unsteady trickles of righteousness, but desires His people to display a righteousness that rolls like mighty streams of waters!
Micah, also a faithful prophet of the Lord, records another meaningful and enduring verse telling us what the Lord requires of man:
He has showed you, O man, what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God. (Micah 6:8)
So this is what the Lord requires of man. This is what is pleasing to Him. It is “to act justly and to love mercy”. How can we act justly and love mercy? We must walk humbly with our God. This means we must abide in Him. Dear brothers and sisters, God has revealed His desires to us. He does not require religious rituals, but requires us to act justly and to love mercy, to let justice roll down as waters and righteousness as a mighty stream!
I Will Teach You the Good and Right Way
Samuel not only administered justice, but he also had mercy. When the Israelites did not listen to Samuel and acted in disobedience to the Lord, Samuel did not give up on them, but rather said to them:
As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the Lord by failing to pray for you. And I will teach you the way that is good and right. (1 Samuel 12:23)
O Samuel! Samuel who built an altar, Samuel who prayed, Samuel who administered justice, Samuel who taught the way that is good and right. Though Samuel is now far from us, praise the Lord for God is near to us. The true and living God abides with us, and his truth lives in us. The example of Samuel reveals the righteousness and mercy of God, and gives us great hope that we may also be channels of God’s justice.
Samuel’s experience teaches us:
- God wants His people to administer justice.
- We can only administer justice when we are connected to God, who is the source of righteousness.
