於2014-12-18發佈

每週一妥拉 2014/12/14-12/20
從古時起,世界各地的猶太會堂會一週一次在安息日讀經,從摩西五經(妥拉)到先知的書(先知書)。每週的讀經內容都有一個希伯來名稱,其出自經文內容起頭的字。每週慣例讀經的實例剛好記載在路加福音四章16節,耶穌來到拿撒勒的會堂,讀了一段先知書(以賽亞書61章)。我們發現每週一次閱讀這些內容,不僅提供我們機會,與世界成千上萬的猶太人來確認神話語的內容,在我們為以色列與猶太人的代禱上,聖靈更時常貼切的啟發具體的內容禱告。  

這週的閱讀12/14-12/20稱為住在(VaYeshev,讀經內容包括 
妥拉創世記41:1-44:17
先知書(光明節) 撒迦利亞書2:10-4:7 

*創世記 41:1; 15-16. 『過了兩年,法老做夢,法老對約瑟說:我做了一夢,沒有人能解;我聽見人說,你聽了夢就能解。約瑟回答法老說:這不在乎我,神必將平安的話回答法老。』

請禱告主釋放異夢在我們世俗的領袖中,只有祂所預備的人可以解這些夢。禱告主興起年輕男女,被聖靈充滿,能行在超自然裡,為我們的總理與其他領袖帶來『平安的話』。

*創世記44:4-5, 15: 起來!追那些人去,追上了就對他們說:你們為甚麼以惡報善呢?這不是我主人飲酒的杯嗎?豈不是他占卜用的嗎?你們這樣行是作惡了。約瑟對他們說:你們做的是什麼事呢?你們豈不知像我這樣的人必能占卜嗎?

約瑟從來沒有真的在說他會『占卜』,而是在說:『這豈不是他主人占卜用的嗎?』以及『像我這樣的人必能占卜』。他這樣說仍是要他兄弟以為他是埃及的統治者,這樣的人多半會做這種事。民數記23:23使用相同的希伯來文堅稱:『斷沒有法術可以害雅各』。正如我們看見(創40:8; 41:16),約瑟從沒將他的能力或專長歸功給自己,而是歸給神。 

*撒迦利亞書2:10-11. 錫安城啊,應當歡樂歌唱,因為我來要住在你中間。這是耶和華說的。那時,必有許多國歸附耶和華,作祂(原文是我)的子民。祂(原文是我)要住在你中間,你就知道萬軍之耶和華差遣我到你那裡去了。  

在希伯來聖經第10節和11節沒有一處提到,那一位說祂『要住在錫安中間』的神,和接下來說『你就知道萬軍之耶和華差遣我到你那裡去了』的這一位不同。在撒迦利亞書12:10說『他們必仰望我,就是他們所扎的』,我們看到此相同的『承認』。

請禱告:以色列得著啟示,瞭解並相信萬軍之耶和華應許要『住在她中間』,而差到她那裡,她所扎的那一位與神原為一(約翰福音 10:30)

*撒迦利亞書2:12-13. 耶和華必收回猶大作祂聖地的分,也必再揀選耶路撒冷。凡有血氣的都當在耶和華面前靜默無聲;因為祂興起,從聖所出來了。』

2012年11月29日聯合國通過投票贊成巴勒斯坦成為國家,其所想要的土地正是上述經文所提到的聖地,那是耶和華說祂要『收回作祂聖地的分』,當此聖地在另一個神的主權下,一定會有前所未有的衝撞。我們若想要在將臨到的暴風中存活並觀看我們與祂的道路,最重要的是我們『不隨從肉體,只隨從聖靈』,並『體貼聖靈的事』,『靠著聖靈治死身體的惡行,必要活著。因為凡被神的靈引導的,都是神的兒子』(羅馬書8:4,5,13-14)。

請禱告:在以色列的彌賽亞肢體能瞭解並操練何謂『靠聖靈行事(加拉太書5:25),在主前對我們的肉體說:『安靜!』,因為祂要興起,從祂的聖所出來了!

*撒迦利亞書3:2. 『耶和華向撒但說:撒但哪,耶和華責備你!就是揀選耶路撒冷的耶和華責備你!這不是從火中抽出來的一根柴嗎?』

啟示錄 12:11說到弟兄勝過控告者『是因羔羊的血和自己所見證的道。他們雖至於死,也不愛惜性命。』我們推論從撒迦利亞這段經文,部分『見證的道』將包括主的其中一個名字『揀選耶路撒冷的耶和華』。這將成為祂設立祂寶座之地!(詩篇2)。當我們承認主的約與耶路撒冷有關,在末世會釋放出一種大能使控告者啞口無言!

*撒迦利亞書3:8. 大祭司約書亞啊,你和坐在你面前的同伴都當聽。(他們是作預兆的。)我必使我僕人大衛的苗裔發出。』 

修殿節慶典有一部份包括使用有八燭台的特別金燈台,每天晚上會點燃一隻蠟燭或一個新油燈,每一盞燈都由一個分別的燭台所點燃,此燭台稱為『僕人』(shamash)。值得注意的是,在修殿節期間這週六,先知書的讀經除了包括金燈台(撒迦利亞書4:2-3),還有這些話:我必使我僕人大衛的苗裔發出。雖然這裡說到的僕人是另一個希伯來字,但毫無疑問此僕人是指著天父所差派的彌賽亞─那光是真光,照亮一切生在世上的人(約翰福音 1:9)!

撒迦利亞書4:6.他對我說:這是耶和華指示所羅巴伯的。萬軍之耶和華說:不是倚靠勢力,不是倚靠才能,乃是倚靠我的靈方能成事。此經文寫在以色列國會前面金燈臺的下方(下圖)。

請禱告:神的聖靈會侵入以色列的政府殿堂。禱告被聖靈充滿的信徒會在政府高層中興起,驅散那裡的黑暗勢力,影響領袖階層行公義!



下週的閱讀進度(12/21-12/27)被稱為『挨近(Vayiggash)妥拉─創世記44:18-47:27;先知書:以西結書 37:15-28。

馬汀和娜瑪賽維士(Martin & Norma Sarvis
於耶路撒冷

 

THIS WEEK'S TORAH PORTION:

From ancient times there has been a weekly portion (Parashah) from the first five books of Moses (The Torah) and an ending (Haftarah) from the Prophets read on the Sabbath in synagogues around the world. This portion is given a Hebrew name drawn from the opening words of the Torah passage. An illustration of this practice appears to have been recorded in Luke 4:16 where Yeshua (Jesus) arrived in the synagogue in Nazareth and was asked to read the portion (Isaiah 61) from the Prophets. We have found that in perusing these weekly readings, not only are we provided opportunity to identify in the context of God's Word with millions of Jewish people around the world, but very often the Holy Spirit will illumine specific passages pertinent that week in our intercession for the Land and people of Israel. All texts are those of English translations of the Scriptures.

The readings for this week 14-20 December 2014 are called MiKetz-"At the End Of":
TORAH: Genesis 41:1-44:17
HAFTARAH (Hanukkah): Zechariah 2:10-4:7

(Years when Hanukkah does not fall on this Sabbath, the Haftarah is I Kings 3:15-4:1)

*Genesis 41:1; 15-16. "Then it came to pass, at the end of two full years, that Pharaoh had a dream.And Pharaoh said to Joseph, 'I have had a dream, and there is no one who can interpret it. But I have heard it said of you that you can understand a dream, to interpret it.' So Joseph answered Pharaoh, saying, 'It is not in me; God will give Pharaoh an answer of shalom.'"

PLEASE PRAY: That the LORD release dreams into our secular leaders-which can only be interpreted by those whom He has prepared. Pray that the Lord raise up young men and women who will be filled with His Spirit, and who will be able supernaturally (in this rationalistic age) to give our Prime Minister and other leaders "an answer of Shalom."

*Genesis 44:5, 15: "Get up, follow the men; and when you overtake them, say to them, 'Why have you repaid evil for good? Is not this the one from which my lord drinks, and with which he indeed practices divination? You have done evil in so doing.'" "Did you not know that such a man as I can certainly practice divination?"

Joseph never actually says he "practices divination"-rather, "Is this not the one.with which he indeed practices divination?" and "Such a man as I can certainly practice divination". He is still allowing his brothers to think him an Egyptian ruler, who normally would be expected to do such things. Numbers 23:23 uses the same Hebrew word (nakhash) in asserting that "there is no sorcery in Jacob". As we have already seen (Genesis 40:8; 41:16), Joseph was always open in attributing his powers not to himself or his expertise, but to God.

*Zechariah 2:10-11. "Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst," says the LORD. "Many nations shall be joined to the LORD in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you."

There is nothing in the Hebrew of this passage to suggest that the One (i.e. the LORD) who says He is "coming to dwell in Zion's midst" in vs. 10 (and again in vs. 11) is not the same "One" who continues "Then you will know that the LORD of hosts has sent Me to you." We see this as the same "recognition" as that in Zechariah 12:10, when "they will look on Me whom they pierced." PLEASE PRAY: For revelation in Israel to understand and believe that The LORD of Hosts who promised to "dwell in her midst" and the One sent to her "whom she pierced" are ONE (John 10:30).

*Zechariah 2:12-13. "And the LORD (Yehovah) will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Hush! all flesh, before the LORD, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!"

With the passage of the Nov. 29th UN vote on Palestinian statehood a year ago, which would attempt to place all of the area mentioned in this verse-this adamat-hakodesh (literally "holy earth") which the LORD (Yehovah) has said He will "take possession of" as His "inheritance"-under the sovereignty of a different deity, things are coming into position for a clash of unprecedented proportions. To survive and see our way-to see His way-in the coming storm, it will be of paramount importance that we "walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit," that we "set our minds on the things of the Spirit" and "by the Spirit put to death the deeds of the body, that we may live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God" (Romans 8:4,5,13-14). PLEASE PRAY: that the Body of Messiah in Israel move into a deep understanding and practice of what it means to "keep in step with the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25 NIV), to say "Hush!" to our flesh before our LORD, as He is aroused from His holy habitation!

*Zechariah 3:2. "And the LORD said to Satan, 'The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire?'"

Revelation 12:11 points to a time when the Accuser will be overcome "by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death." We infer from this Zechariah passage that part of that "word of testimony" may include a linking of the name of the LORD/YHVH with his choosing of Jerusalem. This will be the place of His throne! (Psalm 2). An acknowledgment and confession of the LORD's covenant link with Jerusalem will release a power to silence the Accuser in the last days!

*Zechariah 3:8. "Behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH."

As mentioned above, part of the Hanukkah celebration includes use of a special eight-branched menorah (hanukki'ah) upon which a new oil lamp or candle is lit each evening. Each light is ignited from the flame of a separate "branch" called shamash-"servant". Remarkably, the Haftarah reading for this Saturday within Hanukkah, besides containing, as might be expected, a menorah (Zechariah 4:2-3), also includes these words, "Behold, I am bringing forth My Servant the BRANCH." Although a different Hebrew word for "servant" is used here, there is no doubt that it refers to the Servant-Messiah, sent by the Father-the Light Inextinguishable, who illumines all coming into the world (John 1:9)!

Zechariah 4:6. "'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' Says the LORD of hosts."

These words are blazoned across the bottom of the outer branches of the menorah which stands before the Knesset in Jerusalem (below). PLEASE PRAY: that the Holy Spirit of God invade the halls of government in Israel. That Spirit-filled believers rise into the higher echelons of government, displacing the powers of darkness there and influencing the leadership for righteousness!



Martin & Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem


[The Torah and Haftarah portions for next week (21-27 December 2014: Vayiggash-"And He [Judah] Drew Near") will be: TORAH: Genesis 44:18-47:27; HAFTARAH: Ezekiel 37:15-28]