圣经五约

	挪亚之约	亚伯拉罕之约	摩西之约	大卫之约	弥撒亚之约
约的对象	人与一切活物 (9:9-10)	亚伯拉罕 (创 12:1) 及后裔	以色列百姓 (出19:3)	大卫及后裔	基督徒
上帝的承诺	1．神赐福挪亚 (创 9:1) 2．人管理大地 (创 9:2) 3．神不再用洪水毁灭全地 (创 9:8-17)	1．成为大国 (创 12:2) 2．後裔繁多 (创 17:2) 3．多国的父 (创 17:4) 4．赐迦南地 (创 17:8) 5．万族因他得福 (创 12:2-3)	立业安邦 (申11:23-25)	1. 立卫王朝 (撒下 7:8-13)	1. 上帝免人的罪 2. 人得认识上帝  (耶31:34)
人的回应	1．生养众多 (创 9:1) 2．新食物律(创 9:3-4) 3．严禁杀人 (创 9:5-6)	无	1. 严守诫命 2. 爱神 3. 事奉神 (申10:12)	无	无
赏罚	无	无	祝福与咒诅 (申11:26-28)	兴旺与国亡 (撒下 7:16) (历下6:16)	永生与永死 (約 3:18)
期限	永远 (创9:11)	世世代代 (创17:9)	新约代替 (希7:22)	永远 (撒下 7:13)
目的	恢复神人关系	上帝要求亚伯拉罕作完全人 (创17:1)	1. 上帝要作以色列的上帝 2. 以色列要作上帝的子民 (出 19:5-6)	1. 建立以色列国 2. 保护以色列民 (撒下 7:10-11)	恢复上帝与人的关系 (耶31:33)
记号	彩虹 (创 9:13)	割 礼 (创 17:10)	约版 (申9:9)	圣殿 (撒下 7:13)	圣餐 (路22:19-20)

Renaissance Art - The Sacrifice of Abraham 1636

The Sacrifice of Abraham

Artist : Rembrandt van Rijn. 1606-1669

Date : 1636

Material : canvas

Technique : oil

Dimensions : 195x132 cm

Current Location : Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany

Note :

This painting was started by one of Rembrandt’s students. 

At some point, Rembrandt took over and finished it.

The composition and figures are similar to the  1635’s The Sacrifice of Isaac.

Renaissance Art : Sacrifice of Isaac 1635

 The Sacrifice of Isaac

Artist : Rembrandt van Rijn. 1606-1669

Place : Holland

Date : 1635

Material : canvas

Technique : oil

Dimensions : 193x132 cm

Current Location : The State Hermitage Museum, St. Petersburg, Russia

God ordered Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac as a test of his faith (Genesis, 22: 1-13). Abraham set out to carry out the command, proving his belief, but God sent an angel to stay his hand just as he was about to sink the knife into his son's body. 

Rembrandt captures all the the dramatism of the culminating moment in this terrible intended sacrifice. Abraham's amazement as the angel stops him with hand raised is revealed in his expressive gesture and the strong expression of his face, which almost borders on madness. 

We see a moment of great emotional tension, expressed in dynamic forms and lines. The heightened dramatism, monumental form, turbulent movement, sharp contrasts of light and shade are typical of Rembrandt's works of the 1630s and reflect in this painting the features of the Baroque style.

亚伯拉罕 简史

亚伯兰 Abram ( 1948 BCE – 2123 BCE ) 生于迦勒低 ( Chaldeans ) 的吾珥 ( Ur )，是美索不达米亚 ( Mesopotamia ) 的一座古城，位于幼发拉底  ( Euphrates ) 河畔南部，今遗址位于伊拉克 ( Iraq )境内。

亚伯兰的父亲叫他拉  ( Terah )。亚伯兰为长子，下有弟弟拿鹤 ( Nahor ) 和哈兰 ( Haran )。亚伯兰娶同父异母的妹妹撒莱 ( Sarai ) 为妻。

大弟拿鹤娶侄女密迦为妻，生八子 : 乌斯 ( Uz ), 布斯 ( Buz ), 基母利 ( Kemuel ), 基薛( Kesed ), 哈琐 ( Hazo ), 必达 ( Pildash ), 益拉 ( Jidlaph ) 和彼土利 ( Bethuel )。彼土利生拉班 ( Laban ) 和利百加 ( Rebekah )。

小弟哈兰英年早逝，遗下一子二女 : 罗得 ( Lot )，密迦 ( Milkah ) 和亦迦 ( Iskah )。

亚伯兰的父亲他拉带了亚伯兰和罗得离开家乡吾珥，要往迦南去 ( Canaan )。中途停在哈兰 ( Harran )，不再前进。他拉便死在哈兰。哈兰今位于土耳其东南部。

后来耶和华上帝指示亚伯兰去迦南。亚伯兰( Abram ) 离开哈兰到迦南时已75岁。与他同去的除了妻子撒莱 ( Sarai )，还有侄子罗得 ( Lot )，和他们所有的积蓄和佣人。

自以为是（一） 离开迦南

亚伯兰和罗得有钱有业，离开哈兰到陌生的迦南，开始新的生活，因该不难。到了神所指示的地方 - 迦南 ( Canaan )，他们却不定居下来，反而迁到南地 ( Negev )。后来遇到饥荒，又到埃及 ( Egypt ) 暂居。

在埃及，亚伯兰怕美丽的67岁撒莱召来杀身之祸，认妻为妹（确实同父異母之妹）。美丽的妻子果然给法老相中，被招入宫。法老反而招来了一身骚，无奈放走撒莱，并命亚伯兰离开埃及。

岂不知，迦南就是上帝的旨意吗？

自以为是（二） 分家分居

亚伯兰无奈又离开埃及回到迦南。原来亚伯兰和罗得的总资产太多，迦南地容不下两个大财主，两家人常为牧地相争。亚伯兰顾念骨肉之情，为了不伤和气，决定和罗得分居。罗得选了东边约旦平原 ( Jordan )，亚伯兰留在迦南。分了楚河汉界，两人从此各自为政。

罗得定居所多玛 ( Sodom )，因此被卷入五王叛乱，被霸王基大老瑪 ( Kedorlaomer ) 所掳。亚伯兰率领318条好汉相救，好不威风！仗后，罗得继续在所多玛定居，所多玛人和蛾摩拉人 ( Gomorrah ) 道德沉沦，乱搞男女关系，罪恶甚重，人神共愤之！连住在所多玛的罗得也受了影响。

上帝决定要毁了所多玛和蛾摩拉，命罗得全家即刻离城。罗得迟迟不走，不但不拼命逃上山，却去了附近的琐珥 ( Zoar )。妻子还往后一看，变成一根盐柱。罗得后来离开琐珥上山，躲在洞穴里，和两个女儿乱伦生了儿子，摩押 ( Moab ) 和便亚米 ( Ben Ammi )，就是摩押人 ( Moabites ) 和便亚米人 ( Ammonites ) 的始祖。

岂不知，上帝何曾要罗得离开？何曾要罗得入乡随俗？

自以为是（三） 纳妾留后

好个亚伯兰，名威迦南。有钱有势，不但是农牧专家、还是家财万贯的企业家、有勇有谋的军事家、更是上帝眷顾的子民。虽然不登位称王，亚伯兰已经名副其实的一国之尊！小国也是国呀！唯一遗憾的是年老无子，多富无后。

不过耶和华上帝曾应许，亚伯兰必后裔如星众多。只不过爱妻已停经多年，看来撒莱是当不成万国之母了。撒莱也深明大义，准亚伯兰纳妾。

撒莱让埃及籍使女夏甲 ( Hagar ) 与亚伯兰同房，夏甲便怀了孕，生了一个儿子，亚伯兰取名为以實瑪利 ( Ishmael )， 意思是“神听见”。岂不知，这并不是神的计划。亚伯兰一直认为：神计划、人执行，路始终是人走出来的。（箴16：9）

岂不知，上帝何曾设立多妻婚姻？

当亚伯兰99岁高龄时，耶和华上帝向他显现，又重提应许一事，并以割礼为据。同时神给亚伯兰新名叫亚伯拉罕 ( Abraham )， 撒莱改为撒拉 ( Sarah )，为万国之母。亚伯拉罕不以为意。

自以为是（四） 再离迦南

迦南其实并不肥沃，崎岖不平，雨量不多。当年亚伯拉罕和罗得分家时，罗得早就知道，亚伯拉罕也不是不知。亚伯拉罕义财难全，无奈留下。上帝怎么会给他这么一块不毛之地？埃及和约旦 ( Jordan ) 才是肥田嘛！

亚伯拉罕又因某些原因迁到南地。又老计故施，认妻为妹。可见撒拉越老越漂亮，保养有方。更显出亚伯拉罕怕死、怕事，还经事不长智。此计不但不管用，还差点坏了爱妻名声，害人害己！也不难看到亚伯拉罕爱惜自己的生命，大于妻子的贞操。女人如衣服！不过，当时杀夫抢妻如此狂昌，可想而知。

岂不知，逆境就是顺服的考场？（雅各1：12）

自以为是（五） 抛妻弃儿

亚伯拉罕100岁高龄时，撒拉生了一个儿子，取名叫以撒 ( Isaac ) 。撒拉见以实玛利日后可能跟以撒争家产，要求亚伯拉罕指使夏甲母子离开。上帝也没有反对，还说会让以实玛利的后嗣成立一国。

不过，为何让夏甲俩母子遗弃于矿野，只给了一些饼和一袋水，任他们生死由命？幸亏神保守夏甲俩母子、不让他们横死旷野，不然亚伯拉罕又犯了杀人之罪了。

岂不知，该做的而不去做，就是罪吗？（雅各4：17）

Abraham's Faith Tested : Islam vs Christian

Quran’s Story When Ibrahim ( Abraham ) was 99 years old, Allah decided to test his faith, in a dream Allah commanded Ibrahim to offer up 13-years-old Ismail ( Ishmael ) for sacrifice.  As Ibrahim prepared to submit to Allah’s will, Syaitan ( Satan ) tried to dissuade him from carrying out Allah’s commandment.  Yet, Ibrahim drove Saitan away by throwing pebbles at him.  Thus stones are thrown at jamrah pillars to commemorate the rejection of Saitan. Although Ibrahim was ready to sacrifice his dearest possession, he could not just bring Ismail to the place of sacrifice without Ismail’s consent.   And so Ibrahim consulted Ishmael whether he was willing to give up his life in fulfillment of Allah’s command.  This consultation would be a test of Ismail’s maturity in faith, love and commitment for Allah, willingness to obey his father, and readiness to sacrifice his own life for the sake of Allah. Ismail without hesitation submitted to Allah’s will.  When Ibrahim attempted to cut Ismail’s throat, Allah interfered by protecting Ismail from being harmed.  Allah too prepared a ram in replacement of the sacrifice. As a reward for Ibrahim’s faith in Allah, he was granted with a second son, Ishak ( Isaac )

Bible’s Accord Abraham was 100 years old when Isaac was born to him through Sarah, his wife.  ( Genesis 21:5 )   One day, God tested Abraham, by commanding him to bring his young son, Isaac to be sacrificed as an offering on a mountain in the region of Moriah.  Abraham obeyed God’s commandment without hesitation.    Early the next morning, Abraham took with him two of his servants and his son Isaac, together with wood loaded on a donkey.  They reached the sacrifice site on the third day.  Abraham had his servants waited with the donkey, while Isaac carried the wood, and himself carried the fire and the knife.  When asked by Isaac of the whereabouts of the sacrificial lamb, Abraham assured Isaac that God will provide one.    Yet when they reached the place, Abraham built an altar, bound Isaac and him on the wood.  As he was about to slay Isaac, an angel appeared and stopped him.   Abraham saw and caught a ram that was caught in a nearby bush, and sacrificed it instead. God then reassured Abraham that his descendants will be as numerous as the stars and the sand, and through his offspring all nations will be blessed.  ( Genesis 22:1-18)