於2015-02-06發佈

每週一妥拉 2015/2/1-2/7
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2/1-2/7)被稱為『葉忒羅』(Yitro),讀經內容包括 
妥拉出埃及記18:1-20:26
先知書以賽亞書6:1-7:6;9:6-7 

*出埃及記 18:21-22: 並要從百姓中揀選有才能的人,就是敬畏神、誠實無妄、恨不義之財的人,派他們作千夫長、百夫長、五十夫長、十夫長,管理百姓,叫他們隨時審判百姓。』

摩西的岳父建議他在百姓中間設立『士師』制度,但這裡的『揀選』(select)與25節的『揀選』(chose)不同,希伯來文是hazeh,有著留意,先知性看見,預先看見與預先想到之意。在彌賽亞肢體中揀選敬畏神、充滿真理與誠實的領袖,並擁有超自然異象與先知性洞見是非常重要的。

*出埃及記 19:1-3 以色列人出埃及地以後,滿了三個月 (新月Rosh Chodesh)的那一天,就來到西乃的曠野。他們離了利非訂,來到西乃的曠野,就在那裡的山下安營。摩西到神那裡…。』 

這裡的山指的是何烈山,是神的山,摩西就在那裡的燃燒荊棘中(出埃及記3:1-2)第一次與主相遇。『荊棘』的希伯來文是 sneh,有些人相信以色列後來常常提到的西乃山/西奈山(Sinai),就是來自 sneh這個字。若是這樣,西乃山就是神用燃燒的荊棘對摩西說話的山。今日,它的確切地點仍不清楚,雖然傳統上人們認為它在西奈半島的中南方,但近幾年來有些確切理由懷疑這段經文所提到的『野外』(出3:1米甸的羊群延展到阿卡巴灣的二邊),其實是在阿拉伯半島的西北角─若以此來看,跨越紅海的地方很有可能在阿卡巴灣的最南方。 

*出埃及記19:4b. 我如鷹將你們背在翅膀上,帶來歸我。』比較申命記32:10-12『耶和華遇見他在曠野─荒涼野獸吼叫之地,就環繞他,看顧他,保護他,如同保護眼中的瞳人。又如鷹攪動巢窩,在雛鷹以上兩翅搧展,接取雛鷹,背在兩翼之上。

*出埃及記19:5. 如今你們若實在聽從我的話,遵守我的約,就要在萬民中作屬我的子民,因為全地都是我的。』比較詩篇25:10 『凡遵守祂的約和祂法度的人,耶和華都以慈愛誠實待他。』

請禱告:以色列人能領悟神仍渴望『將她帶向祂』,所以祂用祂兒子耶穌的血釋放一個新的約(耶利米書31:31-33),而『恩典和真理都是由耶穌基督來的。』(約翰福音1:17);當以色列擁抱那約,她會發現祂仍在說話,當她聽見並回應祂的聲音,她會再次發現自己在祂心中珍貴的地方。

*出埃及記19:6, 10. 你們要歸我作祭司的國度,為聖潔的國民。這些話你要告訴以色列人。耶和華又對摩西說:你往百姓那裡去,叫他們今天明天自潔,又叫他們洗衣服。』啟示錄1:5-6教導我們,此呼召最先是給以色列,現在延伸到所有亞當之子,凡是接受耶穌的愛,藉由祂的寶血洗淨他們罪的人。他們藉此進入命定,成為祭司的國度與聖潔的國民。

*出埃及記19:16-20. 到了第三天早晨,在山上有雷轟、閃電,和密雲,並且角聲甚大,營中的百姓盡都發顫。摩西率領百姓出營迎接神,都站在山下。西乃全山冒煙,因為耶和華在火中降於山上。山的煙氣上騰,如燒窰一般,遍山大大的震動。角聲漸漸地高而又高,摩西就說話,神有聲音答應他。耶和華降臨在西乃山頂上,耶和華召摩西上山頂,摩西就上去。』

比較希伯來書12:18-29 你們原不是來到那能摸的山;此山有火焰、密雲、黑暗、暴風、角聲與說話的聲音。你們乃是來到錫安山,永生神的城邑,就是天上的耶路撒冷。那裡有千萬的天使,有名錄在天上諸長子之會所共聚的總會,有審判眾人的神和被成全之義人的靈魂,並新約的中保耶穌,以及所灑的血;這血所說的比亞伯的血所說的更美。你們總要謹慎,不可棄絕那向你們說話的。所以我們既得了不能震動的國,就當感恩,照神所喜悅的,用虔誠、敬畏的心事奉神。因為我們的神乃是烈火。』

*出埃及記 19:20; 20:1耶和華降臨在西乃山頂上,耶和華召摩西上山頂,摩西就上去。神吩咐這一切的話說…』正如聖經證實神自己顯現在燃燒的荊棘中(出3:4),祂也顯現在西乃山─祂降臨(19:11, 20)並吩咐這一切的話(十誡)

對宗教猶太人而言很難想像神以真實的形體出現在我們的生活中(倘若他們接受如此的可能性,他們就不得不去思想道成肉身的耶穌!)他們為了合理解釋聖經的含意,他們便對主如此的顯現創造出許多複雜的理論,不管是在希伯崙對亞伯拉罕的顯現,或是對其他族長,或是在荊棘裏對摩西顯現,還是在這裡的西乃山…。約翰福音一章強而有力的說到此『活道』(Living Word),道與神同在,道就是神,道成了肉身,以彌賽亞耶穌的形體來到地上。

請禱告:求神啟示這降臨西乃山,所有以色列都聽到的相同之道/妥拉,正是那位道成肉身,承擔以色列罪孽的道─祂將回來掌權。請禱告:向妥拉和所有經文吹氣、曾在五旬節被彰顯出來的聖靈,會在猶太人心中甦醒神的道已經來到地上的啟示。

*出埃及記20:4. 不可為自己雕刻偶像,不可跪拜那些像,也不可事奉他,因為我耶和華你的神是忌邪的神。』在這週的先知書閱讀─以賽亞書9:7是以名詞的形式來使用『忌邪的』(Jealous);然而,在那裡翻為『熱心』(zeal)(藉由熱心,神將會建立祂兒子的政權直到永遠)。公義的忌邪或熱心總是釋放在大蒙眷愛的人或事上;然而,當肉體是由自私的動機所帶動,相同的字則翻為『嫉妒』(envy)。

*出埃及記 20:13. 不可殺人。』一些古英文翻譯會用『殺人』(kill)這個字,但在希伯來文裡殺人(kill)和謀殺(murder)是不同的字。

*出埃及記20:21. 於是百姓遠遠地站立;摩西就挨近神所在的幽暗之中。』這裡的幽暗與以賽亞書60:2所說的幽暗一樣,但遮蓋『萬民』的幽暗將會被主的興起所驅散,祂的榮耀將被『看見』。現代希伯來文幽暗(araphel)的意思是『霧』,而以色列多半『在霧中』尋找她的神。

請禱告:帕子能從神古老百姓中間挪去,光在他們心中升起,神的榮耀將被看見使他們被吸引進入『未知之雲』裡,來找到那位從遠處知道他們,並用慈愛吸引他們的神。

*出埃及記20:26. 上我的壇,不可用臺階,免得露出你的下體來 當亞當與夏娃覺得羞恥躲藏起來時,是神供應他們合適的衣服(創3:21)。唯有透過神兒子的工,我們(以色列)才能再次發現自己披上公義,不再感到羞恥。『總要披戴主耶穌基督,不要為肉體安排,去放縱私慾。』(羅馬書13:14)

 極其充滿能力的先知書

以賽亞書 6:1-7:69:6-7

這週的先知書閱讀(以賽亞書6:1-7:6)包含了相當於主在西乃山同在能力的彰顯,使得以利亞先知對聖潔有著敬畏的啟示。在主聖潔『高高』同在面前,有撒拉弗、有聲音、有震動和煙雲,以賽亞看見自己嘴唇不潔。當炭沾了他的嘴,他的罪便除掉,他的罪惡就赦免了,而且神給了他一個信息帶給百姓,一個關於『帕子』遮蓋以色列全家的信息,這帕子到今日仍在,另外還有給存留者的應許。在簡短的信息說明後,閱讀進度不可置信地跳了二章,到以賽亞書9:6-7:因有一嬰孩為我們而生;有一子賜給我們。政權必擔在祂的肩頭上;祂名稱為奇妙策士、全能的神、永在的父、和平的君。祂的政權與平安必加增無窮。祂必在大衛的寶座上治理祂的國,以公平公義使國堅定穩固,從今直到永遠。萬軍之耶和華的熱心必成就這事 

請禱告:主聖潔神聖的啟示伴隨著本週的閱讀,祂的熱心與忌邪已看見這『嬰孩』的誕生,很快祂會再次回來,以公平公義來治理祂的國,直到永遠!

下週的閱讀進度(2/8-2/14)被稱為『典章/審判』(Mishpatim),妥拉─出埃及記21:1-24:18;先知書─耶利米書34:8-22; 33:25-26。 

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 (Parasha) 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 Scr iptures.

The readings for 2 February 2015 are called Yitro—“Jethro”.
TORAH:  Exodus 18:1—20:26
HAFTARAH:  Isaiah 6:1—7:6; 9:6-7

*Exodus 18:21-22 “Furthermore, you shall select out of all the people able men who fear God, men of truth, those who hate dishonest gain; and you shall place these over them as leaders…let them judge the people at all times…” 

Moses is counseled by his father-in-law to set up a system of “judges” amongst the people.  Yet the word for “select” here is not the same as that for “chose” in verse 25.  Rather it is Hebrew “hazeh”—to watch, envision, see prophetically, foresee.  It is of critical importance for the Body of Messiah in Israel that the choosing of leaders of godly fear, truth and honesty be done with supernatural vision and prophetic insight.

*Exodus 19:1 “On the third new moon (Rosh Chodesh—“head of the month”) of the setting out of the people of Israel from the land of Egypt, on that day they came into the desert of Sinai” …there Israel encamped before the mountain, while Moses went up to God”  (Exodus 19: 1-2).

The “mountain” is Horeb, the Mountain of God, where Moses had first encountered the LORD in the burning bush (Exodus 3:1-2).  The Hebrew for “bush” in that passage is sneh.  Some believe that the name by which this mountain would be most often remembered in Israel’s future—Sinai, was itself taken from sneh—which in the Hebrew it very much resembles.  In that case, Mount Sinai would be the “mountain of the bush out of which the LORD had spoken to Moses, and the mountain out of which He would now speak in the hearing of all Israel.  Today, its location is not certain.  Although traditionally assumed to lie either in the center or south-central of the Sinai peninsula, in recent years strong reasons have been advanced for suspecting that the “far side of the desert” (3:1 Midian straddled both sides of the Gulf of Aqaba) referred in fact to the north-western corner of the Arabian peninsula—in which case the crossing of the Red Sea might have taken place at the southern end of the Gulf.

*Exodus 19:4b “&h ellip;I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself.”  Compare Deuteronomy 32:10-12, “He found him in a desert land and in the wasteland, a howling wilderness; He encircled him, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye.  As an eagle stirs up its nest, hovers over its young, spreading out its wings, taking them up, carrying them on its wings, so YHVH (the LORD) alone led him, and there was no foreign god with him.”

*Exodus 19:5.  “And now, if you will truly heed My voice and guard My covenant, you will become for Me a treasure among all the peoples, for all the earth is Mine.”  Compare Psalm 25:10, “All the paths of the LORD are grace and truth (Heb: chesed and emet), to such as guard His covenant and His testimonies.”  

PLEASE PRAY:  For Israelis to realize that God still longs to “bring her to Himself”, that He has released a New Covenant (Jeremiah 31:31-33) in the blood of His Son Yeshua, in whom “grace and truth are realized” (John 1:17); that as she embraces that Covenant, she will find that He is still speaking, and as she hears and responds to His voice, she will find again the treasured place in His heart.


*Exodus 19:6, 10 “You shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation… ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow, and let them wash their clothes.’”  In Revelation 1:5-6 this call, made first to Israel, is now extended to all children of Adam, who receive the love of Yeshua by being washed from their sins in His blood, through which they enter their destiny, being made into “a kingdom of priests to His God and Father.”

*Exodus 19:16-20 “Then it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thundering and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the shofar was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled…Now Mount Sinai was completely in smoke, because YHVH descended upon it in fire.  Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly.  And when the blast of the shofar sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and Elohim answered him by voice.  Then YHVH came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain.  And YHVH called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.”&nb sp;

Compare Hebrews 12:18-29, “For you have not come to the mountain that may be touched and that burned with fire, and to blackness and darkness and tempest, and the sound of a shofar and the voice…But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, to the general assembly and church of the firstborn registered in Heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, to Yeshua the Mediator of the New Covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.  See that you do not refuse Him who speaks…Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us show gratitude, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear.  FOR OUR GOD IS A CONSUMING FIRE.”

*Exodus 19:20; 20:1- “Then YHVH came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain…And Elohim spoke all these words, saying…”  The Scriptures testify that just as God Himself was present in the burning bush (Ex. 3:4), so was He present at Mount Sinai—He “came down” (19:11, 20) and “spoke all these words” (the Ten Commandments).& nbsp; It is difficult for religious Jews to grasp the concept of God taking a literal form, of coming physically into our experience (If they allowed such a possibility, they might then be compelled to consider the claims of His having taken on human form in the person of Yeshua/Jesus!)  To explain away the Scriptural implications, they have contrived many complex theories regarding such manifestations, whether to Abraham at Hebron, or to the other Patriarchs, or His appearance to Moses in the bush and here at Mt. Sinai..  John 1 speaks powerfully of the “Living Word” which was with God and which was God, and which was made flesh and came into the world in the form of Yeshua the Messiah.   

PLEASE PRAY:  for revelation that this same WORD/TORAH which came down and was released at Sinai in the hearing of all Israel, is that Word which took on flesh and came to bear away Her sin—and will return to rule and reign over a Kingdom of Peace.  It is traditionally held that this giving of the Torah took place on what would later be celebrated as the Feast of Shavuot (Weeks, Pentecost).   

PLEASE PRAY:   that this Holy Spirit, which breathed forth the Torah and all of the Scriptures and was released on Pentecost, would awaken revelation within Jewish h earts regarding the Living Word of God which has come down to Earth.

*Exodus 20:4 “You shall not make for yourself a carved image…you shall not bow down to them nor serve them.  For I am YHVH your God, a Jealous god…”  This word for “Jealous” (kana) is used in its noun form in the last sentence of this week’s Reading from the Prophets, Isaiah 9:7.  However, there it is translated “zeal” (through which the LORD will establish the government of His SON forever).  Righteous jealousy or zeal is always released on behalf of someone or something which is intensely loved.  However, when activated in the flesh for selfish motives, the same word is translated “envy”.

*Exodus 20:13 “You shall not murder.”  In some older English translations the word “kill” was used.  But the word for kill and that for murder are different words in the Hebrew.

*Exodus 20:21 “So the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick cloud where God was.”  This “thick cloud&rd quo; (araphel) is translated “deep darkness” in Isaiah 60:2.  But that darkness is over the “peoples”, and will be dispelled by the rising of the LORD, when His glory shall be “seen.”  Today in Modern Hebrew araphel means “fog”—and Israel for the most part is “in a fog” regarding finding her God.   

PLEASE PRAY:  For the veil to be removed from the eyes of God’s ancient people—that a light rise in their hearts and God’s glory will be seen—that they will be drawn into the “Cloud of Unknowing” to discover the One who has known them from afar and drawn them in lovingkindness.

*Exodus 20:26 “Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.”  It was God who first provided suitable clothing for hiding that which had awakened shame in Adam and Eve (Gen. 3:21).  It would only be through the work of the Son that all humankind could again find themselves clothed, in His righteousness, and our shame taken away.  “Clothe yourselves with the Lord Yeshua Messiah, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature” (Romans 13:14).

An exceptionally power ful Haftarah 
Isaiah 6:1-7:6;  9:6-7 
The readings from the Prophets for this week (Isaiah 6:1-7:6) contain, in parallel to the manifestation of the LORD’s presence in power on Mount Sinai, the awesome revelation of Holiness made to the prophet Isaiah.  Before the holy presence of the LORD “high and lifted up”— the seraphim, the Voice, the shaking and smoke, Isaiah sees himself as unclean and his lips as unclean.  Yet as he humbles himself and confesses his uncleanness and inadequacy, his lips are touched with the coal, his iniquity taken away, his sin purged.  And he is given a message for his people—a message describing a “veil” which would settle upon the House of Israel (and which continues until the present day)…and the promise of a remnant.  After a shorter message of instruction related to current events, the reading incredibly leaps two chapters to Isaiah 9:6-7, “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given; and the government will be upon his shoulder.  And his name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.  Of the increase of his government and peace there will be no end, upon the throne of David and over his kingdom, to order it and establish it with judgment and jus tice from that time forward, even forever.  The zeal of the LORD of HOSTS will perform this!” 

PLEASE PRAY:  For divine revelation of the Holiness of the LORD to accompany this reading—and of His Zeal and Jealousy which has already seen the birth of the “Child”—who  will soon be released to return and rule over His kingdom in judgment and justice forever!

Martin & Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem

[The Torah and Haftarah portions for next week 8-14 February 2015 are called Mishpatim—“Judgments”:  TORAH:  Exodus 21:1—24:18; HAFTARAH:  Jeremiah 34:8022; 33:25-26 (Shabbat Shkalim: add Exodus 30:11-16; II Kings 11:17-12:17.]