於2009-10-19發佈
每週一妥拉 5770年新開始
2009/10/11-10/17
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。

上週我們以『歡慶妥拉節』(SIMCHAT TORAH)慶祝完成聖經前五卷的讀經循環,來作為秋天節期的結束。最後的閱讀來到申命記,先知書則跳到約書亞記第一章─之後書卷又回到聖經一開始的閱讀─創世記。

從十月十一日到十月十七日的閱讀被稱為:起初(B'resheet),讀經內容包括:
妥    拉: 創世記1:1-6:8
先知書: 以賽亞書42:5-43:10

在這裡不太可能一一解釋聖經開頭的幾章,用禱告來閱讀是開始新季節很美好、心曠神怡的方式。我們已經進入希伯來年5770年─是七字頭的新開始。希伯來數字七十所代表的字母是ayin,這個字母的意思是『眼睛』。我們相信未來十年在屬靈與實際上『看見』是極為重要的。我們將在此吸引你的注意,以穿越本週妥拉與先知書的頭與尾,其都與看見有關:

創世記 1:3-4. 『神說:要有光,就有了光。神看光是好的,就把光暗分開了。』聖經第一個提到『看』的地方就在這幾節裡,神看見的東西就是祂所說的光,神稱此光為『好的』(第4節)。今年將會有許多假光,在詩篇卅六篇9節告訴我們說:『在祂的光中,我們必得見光。』

請禱告今年是我們走在祂臉上的亮光(詩篇44:3)的一年,能有眼睛看見並分辨黑暗中的光,邪惡中的良善與一般中的聖潔。

創世記 6:8. 『惟有挪亞在耶和華眼前蒙恩。』在現代希伯來文裡,一般我們用此來表達我們『喜歡』或『喜悅』某件事。聖經中經常用此(這裡是第一次)來象徵一個人或一個動作討神的喜悅與恩寵。詩篇卅三篇13-14節說主從天上觀看;祂看見一切的世人。從祂的居所往外察看/觀看地上一切的居民。耶穌在路加福音十七章26節警告說:『挪亞的日子怎樣,人子的日子也要怎樣。』

請禱告當黑暗加增時,今年會有許多以色列人像挪亞一樣,進到光中,在主眼前蒙恩

在幾年前一位以色列的青少年寫了一首希伯來文的歌曲,我們發現這首歌在呼求甦醒這地許多以色列信徒的心:

聖靈請來,聖靈請來,今天請來
我心的渴求是在祢眼前蒙恩
我靈的渴求是更多像祢
神啊請來,住在我裡面
使我聖潔
專注我的眼在討祢喜悅的事上
那將是我對祢的獻上
--聖靈請來 © 2004 凱倫.賽甘(Karen Seguin)

以賽亞書 42:18-20a. 『你們這耳聾的,聽吧!你們這眼瞎的,看吧!使你們能看見。誰比我的僕人眼瞎呢﹖誰比我差遣的使者耳聾呢﹖誰瞎眼像那與我和好的﹖誰瞎眼像耶和華的僕人呢﹖你看見許多事卻不領會(希伯來文意思是:『你無法看管/留意』)。

請禱告在耶路撒冷與以色列全地,守望者的眼睛在新的季節裡能被打開並警覺。

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 from the five books of Moses (The Torah) and from the prophets (Haftarah-final reading) 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 Haftarah 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.

LAST WEEK WITH THE END OF THE FALL FEASTS CAME A CELEBRATION AT HAVING COMPLETED THE CYCLE OF READINGS FROM THE FIRST FIVE BOOKS OF THE BIBLE 'SIMCHAT TORAH'. IN WHICH THE LAST READING WAS MADE FROM THE BOOK OF DEUTERONOMY, FOR THE HAFTARAH THERE WAS A LEAP OVER TO THE FIRST CHAPTER OF JOSHUA-AFTER WHICH THE SCROLLS WERE ROLLED ALL THE WAY BACK FOR A SHORT READING AT THE BEGINNING IN THE BOOK OF 'BEGINNINGS' - GENESIS.

The readings for October 11-17 are called B'resheet-"In the Beginning" and include:
TORAH: Genesis 1:1-6:8
HAFTARAH: Isaiah 42:5-43:10

It would be impossible here to comment at length on these incredible sweeping introductory chapters of the Bible. Reading them prayerfully is a wonderful, bracing way to begin this new season. Suffice to point out that we have entered the Hebrew year 5770-the beginning of a new decade of "70's". In ancient Hebrew letter-numbers 70 is represented by the letter ayin. This letter is derived from andliterally means 'EYE". We believe that this decade will be one in which "seeing" both spiritually and literally will be of extreme importance. We would here draw your attention to passages, both at the beginning and ending of our Torah reading and within the Haftarah, which are related to this:

Genesis 1:3-4. "Then God said, 'Let there be light'; and there was light. And God saw the light, that it was good; and God divided the light from the darkness. God called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night." The first place in the Bible where "seeing" is mentioned is in these verses, and the thing Elohim sees is the LIGHT He has just spoken into being. This Light is called "good" (vs. 4).

There will be many false lights this year. Psalm 36:9 tells us that "In His (good) light we see light. Please pray that this be a year of walking in the Light of His Face (Ps 44:3).of having eyes to see and to discern the light from the darkness, the good from the evil, the holy from the common.

Genesis 6:8. "But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD." In modern Hebrew we use this expression commonly to simply mean that we "like" or "are pleased" with something. It is used often in the Scriptures (here for the first time) to indicate that person or action which has awakened the pleasure and the favor of God. Psalm 33:13-14 says that the LORD looks from heaven, sees all the sons of men. From the place of His dwelling, He supervises/oversees all those who dwell on the earth. Yeshua (Jesus) warned in Luke 17:26 that "As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be also in the days of the Son of Man."

Please pray that as darkness increases, this will be a year when many Israelis will, like Noah, come into the Light and find favor in the eyes of the LORD!

A few years back an Israeli teenager wrote a Hebrew song which we find voices the cry awakening in the hearts of many believing Israelis here in the Land:

Come Spirit, Come Spirit, Come Today
The desire of my heart is to find grace in your eyes
The desire of my soul is to be more like You
Come God, dwell within me
Make me pure
Focus my eyes on what pleases You
That I will be devoted to You!
--Boi Ruach © 2004 Karen Seguin

Isaiah 42:18-20a. "Hear, you deaf; and look, you blind, that you may see.Who is blind but my servant.like the servant of the LORD. You have seen many things, but have paid no attention [Lit Hebrew: "but you will not watch/be on your guard"]..." (Emphases ours).

Please pray that the eye of the watchman be opened and alert in this new season in Jerusalem and all of Israel.