於2011-06-17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。

六月十二日到六月十八日的閱讀稱為『打發』(Sh'lach L'cha)『你打發人去窺探我所賜給以色列人的迦南地』,讀經內容包括:

妥   拉 : 民數記13:1-15:41
先知書: 約書亞記2:1-24

這週的閱讀聚焦在十二個探子身上,一當以色列離開西乃山後,主曉諭摩西打發人去窺探迦南地,他們卻帶回不同的回報,在那些回報的背後有著不同的靈─審判臨到整個世代凡是追隨懼怕與不信的靈的成人身上。先知書的閱讀則是近四十年後,約書亞為著相同的目的打發探子出去,只不過是不同的世代和邊界。

*民數記 13:16 『這就是摩西所打發、窺探那地之人的名字。摩西就稱嫩的兒子何西阿為約書亞。』

何西阿意指『拯救』;約書亞(希伯來文的發音是YehoSHUah)意指『主拯救』。因此,這個名字的簡短形式Yeshua(耶穌的希伯來文),是天使要約瑟替耶穌取的名字(在路加福音1:31也告訴約瑟的太太馬利亞),『你要給祂起名叫耶穌(Yeshua),因祂要將自己的百姓從罪惡裡救出來。』(馬太福音1:21)

*民數記13:30; 14:6-9 『迦勒在摩西面前安撫百姓,說:我們立刻上去得那地吧!我們足能得勝。...嫩的兒子約書亞和耶孚尼的兒子迦勒對以色列全會眾說:我們所窺探、經過之地是極美之地。耶和華若喜悅我們,就必將我們領進那地,把地賜給我們;那地原是流奶與蜜之地。但你們不可背叛耶和華,也不要怕那地的居民;因為他們是我們的食物,並且蔭庇他們的已經離開他們。有耶和華與我們同在,不要怕他們!』

值得注意的是,希伯來文『戰爭』和『麵包』的字根相同。神的戰士手裡拿著兩刃的刀(詩篇149:6),實質上在說『許多口中』的刀吞吃祂的敵人─當戰士口中充滿著讚美!

*民數記14:24『惟獨我的僕人迦勒,因他另有一個心志(另有一個靈),專一跟從我,我就把他領進他所去過的那地;他的後裔也必得那地為業。』

請禱告抵擋以色列在回應巨人時所面對的懼怕的靈,他們知道若他們信靠神,祂不會容許那地吞吃他們。
請禱告抵擋在這地上老信徒之間的悲觀對話,說地將要吞吃凡住在其中的;這只使得神想要在這地興起充滿力量、得勝與管理能力的世代喪膽與灰心而已。
請禱告『擁有不同的靈』之男女會在以色列興起,不看巨人,單單信靠創造天地、應許給他們流奶與密之地的神,好使公義的人可以居住在那地。

*民數記15:38-40『你吩咐以色列人,叫他們世世代代在衣服邊上做繸子,又在底邊的繸子上釘一根藍細帶子。你們佩帶這繸子,好叫你們看見就記念遵行耶和華一切的命令,不隨從自己的心意、眼目行邪淫,像你們素常一樣;使你們記念遵行我一切的命令,成為聖潔,歸與你們的神。』

『藍色』細帶子或繸子(希伯來文tzitzit),是從一種奇特蝸牛所製作成的天空藍染料(好幾世紀以來,人們認為這種藍色蝸牛已經絕跡了,所以這種細帶子就沒有被放在猶太人的繸子上。在過去十年藍色蝸牛重現在以色列南方靠紅海的阿卡巴灣,現在有許多人又再一次佩帶這種有『天空藍』細帶子的繸子)。我們不確定繸子與藍細帶子的意義,有些人建議說這些東西是為了作為提醒,因著『我們隨從自己的心意、眼目行邪淫』,要勝過這些隨從,唯有向住在天上(天空藍)的聖潔者呼求。血漏婦人觸摸了耶穌衣裳上的『繸子』,『有能力從祂身上出去』並且醫治了那婦人(可5:25,路5:25)。

請禱告以色列人將會承認他們需要順服神,但他們的『隨從』使他們無法這樣做,以致於他們將尋求那位賜他們權柄作神兒女的耶穌,使父神喜悅(約1:12)。

*約書亞記 2:12; 2:18:
喇合:『現在我既是恩待你們,求你們指著耶和華向我起誓,也要恩待我父家,並給我一個實在的證據。』
探子:『我們來到這地的時候,你要把這條朱紅線繩繫在縋我們下去的窗戶上,並要使你的父母、弟兄,和你父的全家都聚集在你家中。』

這裡有一幅很美的圖畫。喇合要求探子恩待(希伯來文:hesid)她與她的家人,給她一個真理(希伯來文:emet)的證據,恩典和真理(hesid和emet)的證據就是朱紅線帶子,當他們看見時就會保護他們,免於將臨到那邪惡國家審判所帶來的毀滅。當天父將光賜給這世界,聖經告訴我們律法雖然是藉著摩西傳的,『恩典和真理(希伯來文翻譯:hesid和emet)卻由耶穌這位彌賽亞而來』(約1:17),並藉由祂的寶血蒙救贖,照著神豐盛的恩典(希伯來文:hesid),我們的過犯得赦免(弗1:7)。

請禱告在以色列中得著需要從神忿怒中蒙拯救的啟示,而恩典和真理將賜給那些相信彌賽亞的寶血已完成此救贖工作的人!

下週的閱讀進度(6/19-6/25)稱為『可拉』(Korach),讀經內容包括:妥拉─民數記16:1-18:32;先知書─撒母耳記上11:14-12:22。

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 reading for this week 12-18 June 2011 is Sh'lach L'cha-"Send for yourself" (men that they may scout out the land of Canaan)
TORAH: Numbers 13:1-15:41
HAFTARAH: Joshua 2:1-24

This week's reading focuses on the 12 spies sent out by Moses at the command of the LORD to spy out the land of Canaan soon after Israel left Mt Sinai. It relates the differing reports which were brought back and the spirit behind those reports-and the judgment released over the entire adult generation of those who followed the spirit of fear and unbelief. In the Haftarah, it is almost 40 years later and spies are once again being dispatched, but from the next generation and from a different border.

*Numbers 13:16: "These are the names of the men whom Moses sent to spy out the land. And Moses called Hoshea the son of Nun, Joshua."

Hoshea means "Salvation". Joshua (in Hebrew pronounced YehoSHUah), means "The LORD SAVES". Thus, over a 1500 years later a shortened form of that name, Yeshua, will be given by the angel to Joseph (and in Luke 1:31 to Miriam (English: Mary) his wife), ".and you shall call His name Yeshua, for He will save His people from their sins" (Matthew 1:21).

*Numbers 13:30; 14:6-9: "Then Caleb quieted the people before Moses, and said, 'Let us go up at once and take possession, for we are well able to overcome it..Joshua the son of Nun and Caleb the son of Jephunneh.spoke to all the congregation of Israel, saying: 'The land we passed through to spy out is an exceedingly good land. If the LORD delights in us, then He will bring us into this land and give it to us, a land which flows with milk and honey. Only do not rebel against the LORD, nor fear the people of the land, for they are our bread; their protection has departed from them, and the LORD is with us. Do not fear them.'"

It is remarkable that in Hebrew the root for the word "War" and that for "Bread" are identical (The two-edged sword in the hands of God's warriors (Psalm 149:6) is literally a "many mouthed" sword to devour His enemies-while the mouths of the warriors themselves are filled with His praise!

*Numbers 14:24: "But my servant Caleb, because he has a different spirit in him and has followed Me fully, I will bring into the land where he went, and his descendants shall inherit it."

Pray against Israeli believers responding to the giants we face in a spirit of fear.that we realize that if we trust in God, He will not allow the land to devour us.
Pray against cynical conversation amongst older believers in the Land about the land devouring those within it; this only serves to discourage and dishearten the generation God wishes to raise up for strength, victory and governance here.
Please pray that men and women of "a different spirit" would rise up in Israel, not focusing on the giants but trusting in the God who made the heavens and who has promised to give us a land flowing with milk and honey in which righteousness dwells.

*Numbers 15:38-40: "Speak to the children of Israel: Tell them to make tassels on the corners of their garments throughout their generations, and to put a blue thread in the tassels of the corners. And you shall have the tassel, that you may look upon it and remember all the commandments of the LORD and do them, and that you may not follow the harlotry to which your own heart and your own eyes are inclined, and that you may remember and do all My commandments, and be holy for your God."

The "blue" thread in these tassels or fringes (Hebrew: tzitzit) was "tehellet", a sky-blue dye thought to have been made from a particular species of snail (For centuries this creature was assumed to be extinct and consequently the colored thread was not placed in the fringes of observant Jews. In the past decade the crustacean is believed to have been rediscovered in the Gulf of Aqaba; now many are again wearing the "sky blue" thread in their "tzitzit"). Much of the specific significance for the fringes and the colored thread remains uncertain-some have suggested that they served as a reminder that because of the "harlotry to which our hearts and our own eyes are inclined" victory in overcoming these inclinations can only be obtained by calling on the Holy One who dwells in the heavenlies (sky-blue). It was these 'fringes' on the garment of Yeshua which the woman with the issue of blood (Mark 5:25, Luke 8:43) touched and "power went out of Him" and healed her.

Please Pray that Israelis would be convicted of their need to obey God, but also aware of their "inclination" against doing so.
Pray that they would seek salvation in the One out of whom comes power to be Children of God (John 1:12), to please and draw near to the Father.

*Joshua 2:12; 2:18:
RAHAB: "Now therefore, I beg you, swear to me by the LORD, since I have shown you kindness, that you also will show kindness to my father's house, and give me a true token."
SPIES: "We will be blameless of this oath of yours which you have made us swear, unless, when we come into the land, you bind this line of scarlet cord in the window through which you let us down, and unless you bring your father, your mother, your brothers, and all your father's household to your own home."

There is a wonderful picture here. Rahab requests that the spies show her and her family Lovingkindness (Hebrew: hesid) and give her a token of Truth (Hebrew: emet). The token of Lovingkindness and Truth (hesid and emet) is a scarlet thread which, when seen, will protect them from a destruction of judgment soon coming upon all of her wicked nation. When the Father sent His Light into the world, we are told that although the Torah had been given through Moses, "Lovingkindness and Truth (Hebrew translation: hesid and emet) came through Yeshua the Messiah" (John 1:17)-"in Whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of God's Lovingkindness (Hebrew: hesid) (Ephesians 1:7).

Please pray for revelation in Israel regarding the urgent necessity of being saved from the wrath to come-and of the Lovingkindness and Truth which are offered to those who will put their trust in the finished work of the Messiah!
 
Martin and Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem

[The Torah and Haftarah portions for next week 19-25 June will be Korach-"Korah": TORAH: Numbers 16:1-18:32; HAFTARAH: I Samuel 11:14-12:22]