By Tin-Chee Lo (盧天賜)
聖經不是神話傳說，它是建立在歷史事實的架構上。但上帝在適當的時刻直接插手於人類歷史當中，使那段時代成為「救贖史」。如: 亞伯拉罕的蒙召，以色列人出埈及，大衛王朝的盛衰，巴比倫的被虜等。當這些事件累積而達到高峰時，便是「日期滿了」的基督降生時刻。這是聖誕節的由來。
出埈及記是非常重要的救贖史。埈及王法老之名號Pharaoh中間有 “RA” 兩字母。RA 是太陽神之意。 法老自己認為他是太陽神之子。當摩西面對紅海，前無去路，後由追兵之際，那本來作為帶領以色列人的雲柱現在轉到他們後邊立住，擋住法老大軍，成為以色列人的保護。然而法老所拜的太陽神，現在被烏雲遮蓋，使他失去方向，喪失理智，以致作出愚蠢的決定，下令他的兵馬追趕色列人，結果全軍覆滅, 葬身於紅海。
聖誕節是普天同慶的日子，但並不是每一個人都很快樂的，因為他們可能正在面對感到絕望的紅海，可能是失去工作或患了絕症；後面又有債務的追兵，或老闆規定的工作截止期限的追兵，他們怎能快樂呢？但降世為人的耶穌是我們的火柱雲柱, 祂與我們同在，衪是我的指路明燈，又是我們的保障，祂總是會給我們一條意想不到的出路。只要我們信靠這位稱為「奇妙的策士、全能的神、永在的父、和平的君」的耶穌，我們的不快樂就被轉為滿有喜樂的昐望，因為祂曾應許說: 「凡勞苦擔重擔的人、可以到我這裡來、我就使你們得安息 (太11:28) 。
2023 Christmas Reflection
The Bible is not a myth or legend; it is based on historical facts. But God directly intervened the human history at the appropriate moment, making that era a “redemptive history.” Examples abound: the calling of Abraham, the exodus of the Israelites, the rise and fall of the Davidic dynasty, the Babylonian Captivity, etc. When the accumulation of these historic events reached its climax, it came the birth of Christ “when God’s time had fully come.”
Exodus was a very important history of redemption. The identity of the Egyptian King, Pharaoh, has two letters “RA” in the middle which means sun god. Pharaoh himself believed that he was the son of the sun god. When Moses faced the Red Sea, with no way forward and the pursuers behind him, the pillar of cloud, which was originally used to guide the way of the Israelites, now stood behind them, blocking Pharaoh’s army and becoming the shield for the children of God. However, the sun god that Pharaoh worshiped was now covered by dark clouds, causing him to lose his direction and reason, so he made a fool’s decision to order his troops and horses to chase the Israelites. As a result, the entire army was destroyed and buried in the Red Sea.
Christmas is a joyful day celebrated the world over, but not everyone is happy, because they may be feeling the red sea of despair due to the lost their job or having a terminal illness; they may be pursued by creditors after their debts, or they may have a deadline which is impossible to meet. Jesus is our pillar of fire and pillar of cloud. He is with us. He is our guiding light and our protection. He will always give us an unimaginable way out. As long as we believe in Jesus, whose name is “Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace,” our unhappiness will be turned into joyful hope, for Jesus has promised that “all who labor and are heavy laden come to me, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28).
