於2009-06-06發佈

從古時起,在全世界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)。本週的內容被給予一個希伯來名,出自於經文內容起頭的字。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。

從五月卅一日到六月六日的閱讀被稱為『發光』(在會幕的燈):
妥    拉: 民數記 8:1-12:16
先知書: 撒迦利亞書 2:10-4:7

當我們旅遊經過民數記的沙漠(這本書的希伯來名字正是『在沙漠裡』),我們會發現許多沃土以瞭解在以色列所呈現出的人類景況,以及神向祂選民所展現的『恩慈與嚴厲』(羅11:22)。儘管這週有許多重點我們無法一一提到如下:

*民數記8:14:『這樣,你從以色列人中將利未人分別出來,利未人便要歸我。』神愛世人─但在對愛的表達上,祂可能有自己至高無上的目的,揀選特定的人(以色列)、族群(利未人)、家庭(亞倫的祭司家庭)、先知(米利暗)與個人領袖(摩西、約書亞),將他們分別出來。這些只是關於以色列的一些例子,今日在彌賽亞身體中祂持續做這樣的事。重點在於接受並服事祂已經為我們與他人劃好的界線。在本週妥拉閱讀最後,先知與祭司(米利暗和亞倫)因為對他們弟弟摩西『地位』的怨恨而惹了大麻煩。
請禱告在以色列彌賽亞身體中的大方與謙卑,對於不同的種族、屬靈恩賜、年紀、性別、才幹與技巧。

*民數記 9:19-21; 23: 『雲彩在帳幕上停留許多日子,以色列人就守耶和華所吩咐的不起行。有時雲彩在帳幕上幾天,他們就照耶和華的吩咐住營,也照耶和華的吩咐起行。有時從晚上到早晨,有這雲彩在帳幕上;早晨雲彩收上去,他們就起行。有時晝夜雲彩停在帳幕上,收上去的時候,他們就起行。他們遵耶和華的吩咐安營,也遵耶和華的吩咐起行。他們守耶和華所吩咐的。』『所吩咐的』(charge)這個字與軍事上使用『看守』(watch)這個字是相同的。在這裡兩次描述到以色列軍營常規中一個重要成分『保衛主的看守』─警醒與順服祂的指令,無論是要求立即行動或在無限期的等候中耐心看守。

*民數記 10:25: 『在諸營末後的是但營的纛,按著軍隊往前行。』我們在兩星期前曾說到猶大支派在前頭帶領(緊跟著帶領的是以撒迦與西布倫支派)。但支派殿後,他的名字與『神的審判(申冤)』有關(創世記30:6)。後衛(rear guard)這個字含有聚集的概念,後衛不僅保護後面不受攻擊,他也不讓脫隊的人落後─聚集在後面脫隊的人。通常,年長較具經驗的戰士才會擔任此位置。

*民數記11:1; 33-34:『眾百姓發怨言,他們的惡語達到耶和華的耳中。耶和華聽見了就怒氣發作,使火在他們中間焚燒,直燒到營的邊界。那地方便叫做基博羅哈他瓦(就是貪慾之人的墳墓),因為他們在那裡葬埋那起貪慾之心的人。』 『貪慾』與喚起身體慾望進入強烈的貪求有關。

*民數記 11:29: 『惟願耶和華的百姓都受感說話!願耶和華把祂的靈降在他們身上』(參考林前14:5; 39-40:『你們要追求愛,也要切慕屬靈的恩賜,其中更要羨慕的,是作先知講道。所以我弟兄們,你們要切慕作先知講道,也不要禁止說方言。凡事都要規規矩矩的按著次序行。』這一段與十二章全部皆在顯示預言─在屬靈權柄與時候宣告主所說的話,是祂的政府對祂百姓很重要的部分。然而要緊的是,公認的先知知道並在他們權柄位置裡行事。當米利暗離開她的權柄位置,這是很嚴重的事,因為她處在公認與有影響力的位置上,必須被大大對付,在此事件中,甚至是公開被對付。

*撒迦利亞書 2:12-13:『耶和華必收回猶大作他聖地的分,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。』
當爭戰在以色列各地增強時,特別是在耶路撒冷、古大衛城和聖殿山,
請禱告在這裡的信徒─不用情緒來禱告、敬拜與行動。反之,以聖靈的大能,我們將使我們的肉體靜默,好使我們聽得清楚聖靈正在對彌賽亞身體所說的話─找著我們在神裡的信心,惟有祂能『佔有』並『再次揀選耶路撒冷』。

*撒迦利亞書3:1-2: 『天使(原文是他)又指給我看:大祭司約書亞站在耶和華的使者面前;撒但也站在約書亞的右邊,與他作對。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﹖』所有的以色列代表『從火中抽出來的一根柴』(希伯來文對此的表達,實際上有時會委婉的被用來形容『大屠殺的生還者』)。
以色列持續在列國的控告之下,在裡面有一個甦醒的彌賽亞身體,就定位成為『國度的祭司』。此餘民也被撒旦這位控告者攻擊,
請禱告彌賽亞身體在屬靈爭戰上的恩典與長大成熟,得以奉主的名站立抵達控告者─正如約書亞在這一章所做的,彌賽亞身體的主持續為我們除罪並給予清潔華美的衣服。

*撒迦利亞書4:6b:『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。』

馬汀和娜瑪‧賽維士(Martin & Norma Sarvis)
於耶路撒冷,以色列

每週一妥拉 (2009/5/31-6/06)

This week's Torah Portion:
From ancient times there has been a weekly portion from the first five books of Moses (The Torah) and from the prophets (Haftarah) read on the Sabbath in synagogues around the world. This portion is given a Hebrew name taken from the opening words of the 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 31 May-6 JUNE 2009 are called "B'ha'alotkha"-"at the raising up" (of the lamps in the Tabernacle).
Torah: Numbers 8:1-12:16
Haftarah: Zechariah 2:10-4:7

As we travel through the desert of Numbers (the Hebrew name for the book is "In the Desert"), we will find actually very fertile soil for understanding both the human condition, as manifest in Israel, and the "goodness and severity of God" (Rom. 11:22), as demonstrated towards His chosen people. Although there are many more important points in this week's narrative than we could possibly allude to here we would mention the following:

*Numbers 8:14: "Thus you shall separate the Levites from among the children of Israel, and the Levites shall be Mine." God "so loved the World"-but in expressing that Love, he may in His own sovereign purposes choose to set particular peoples (Israel), tribes (Levites), families (Cohenim-Aaronic priests), prophets (Miriam) and individual leaders (Moses, Joshua) apart. These are only a few examples as related to Israel-and He continues this in the Body of Messiah today. The important thing is acceptance and ministry within those lines which it is plain He has drawn for us and for others. By the end of this Torah Portion, the prophet and the priest (Miriam and Aaron) get into serious trouble for becoming resentful regarding the 'place' of their brother Moses. Please pray for a generosity and humility in the Body of Messiah in Israel with regards to race, spiritual giftings, age, sex, and talents and acquired skills.

*Numbers 9:19-21; 23: "At the command of the LORD the sons of Israel would set out.even when the cloud lingered over the tabernacle for many days, the sons of Israel would keep/guard the LORD's charge and not set out. If sometimes the cloud remained a few days over the tabernacle, according to the command of the LORD they remained camped.At the command of the LORD they camped, and at the command of the LORD they set out; they kept the LORD's charge." The word "charge" is the same as that used for a military "watch". Twice here, an essential element of Israel's camp routine is described as "Guarding the Watch of the LORD" --keeping alert and obedient for His directive, whether it requires immediate galvanizing into action or watchful patience over an open-ended period of waiting.

*Numbers 10:25: "Then the standard of the camp of the children of Dan (the rear guard of all the camps) set out according to their armies." We wrote two weeks ago of the place of Judah in taking the lead (followed closely in leadership by Issachar and Zebulon). Dan was to bring up the rear. His name is related to "Godly Judgment" (Genesis 30:6). The word for "rear guard" (Heb: me'aseph) bears within it the concept of gathering. A rear guard not only protected the rear from attack, it also kept stragglers from fraying-out behind-"gathering" in loose ends, keeping the rear tight and pressing forward. Often, the older more-experienced warriors held oversight of this position.

*Numbers 11:1; 33-34: "Now the people became like those who complain of adversity in the hearing of the LORD."(NASB); "Now the mixed multitude who were among them yielded to intense craving..the LORD struck the people with a very great plague. So he called the name of that place "The Graves of Cravings" because there they buried the people who had yielded to craving" (NKJV). "Cravings" is related to physical appetites awakened into strong lusts.

*Numbers 11:29: ".O, that all the LORD's people were prophets and that the LORD would put His Spirit upon them!" (cf: I Corinthians 14:5; 39-40: "I wish you all spoke with tongues, but even more that you prophesied.Therefore, brethren, desire earnestly to prophesy, and do not forbid to speak in tongues. Let all things be done decently and in order."). This section and all of chapter 12 show that prophecy-the proclaiming forth in spiritual authority and timing of what the LORD is speaking, is an important part of His government for His people. But it is essential that recognized prophets know and work within their place of authority. When Miriam leaves her place of authority, it is an extremely serious matter and, because of her recognized and influential position, must be dealt with strongly and, in this case, publically.

*Zechariah 2:12-13: "And the LORD will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Be silent, all flesh, before the LORD, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!" As the warfare intensifies over Israel, and Jerusalem and particularly as regards the ancient City of David and the Temple Mount, Please pray for believers here-that we will not pray nor worship nor act out of our emotions-that, instead, in the power of the Spirit we will silence our flesh so as to hear clearly what the Spirit is saying to the Body of Messiah-finding our confidence in God alone who will 'take possession' and 'again choose Jerusalem'.

*Zechariah 3:1-2: "Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the Angel of the LORD, and the satan standing at his right hand to "satan" (i.e. accuse) him. And the LORD said to Satan, 'YHVH rebuke you, satan! YHVH who has chosen Jerusalem rebuke you! Is this not a brand plucked from the fire? All of Israel today stands as a 'brand plucked from the fire' (The Hebrew for this expression is in fact sometimes used as a euphemism for 'Holocaust Survivor'). She is continually under accusation from the nations, and within her is an awakened Messianic Body, coming into its place as a "Kingdom of Priests". This remnant is also bombarded by the satan (the accuser). Please pray for grace and growing maturity in spiritual warfare in the Body of Messiah to stand against the accuser in the name of the LORD-while allowing, as did Joshua in this chapter, her LORD to provide constant cleansing from sin and clean garments.

*Zechariah 4:6b: " 'Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit,' says the LORD of Armies."