每週一妥拉 2012/5/27-6/2
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（5/27-6/2）稱為『數點百姓』（Naso），讀經內容包括：
妥拉：民數記4:21-7:89
先知書：士師記13:2-25
*民數記 6:22-27. 耶和華曉諭摩西說：你告訴亞倫和他兒子說：你們要這樣為以色列人祝福，說：
願耶和華賜福給你，保護你。
願耶和華使祂的臉光照你，賜恩給你。
願耶和華向你仰臉，賜你平安。
他們要如此奉我的名為以色列人祝福；我也要賜福給他們。
主聖潔之名的賜福透過祭司成為以色列的遮蓋和保護。沒有其他名字能有真正的能力來賜福他們，成為他們的保障和保護，釋放恩典在他們身上，或是以真實的平安來保守他們的心思意念。在此祝福中有兩次提到 神的臉；活在祂臉上的光之絕對必要性，貫穿在整本希伯來聖經中。摩西禱告若沒有 神的臉（有時翻為『同在』），就不要將他與百姓領到應許之地（出埃及記33:14-15）。在詩篇八十篇，詩人亞薩一連三次將 神的臉發光等同於『救恩』，而詩篇四十四篇3節可拉後裔將以色列贏得地土歸功於 神的『右手』、祂的膀臂，和祂臉上的亮光。在大衛所唱的詩篇，有一個聲音說：『你們當尋求我的面』，而大衛的回應，也是人心中的呼求是：『耶和華啊，祢的面我正要尋求，不要向我掩面。』（詩篇27:8-9）
當主將祂的名字雅威（YHVH）放在以色列之上， 神的賜福也會臨到以色列兒女。今日以色列已經失去對那個名字的讀法；在吟誦主的賜福時， 神的名被改為Adonai（我的主）。然而， 神的名卻藏著耶穌的希伯來名Yeshua，是Yehoshua的縮短版，意指 神拯救（YHVH Saves）！祂是『 神榮耀所發的光輝，是 神本體的真像，常用祂權能的命令托住萬有（希伯來書1:3）；祂是和平之君。
我們既身為聖潔的祭司成員（啟示錄1:6），我們鼓勵你用此祝福來為猶太百姓禱告，並將與救恩聯合的耶穌之名放在其上。禱告聖靈的能力會挪去猶太人眼中的帕子，使他們能面對面認識他們的主。『我也不再掩面不顧他們，因我已將我的靈澆灌以色列家。這是主耶和華說的。』（以西結書39:29）
*士師記13:6. 『婦人就回去對丈夫說：有一個 神人到我面前來，他的相貌如 神使者的相貌，甚是可畏。我沒有問他從哪裡來，他也沒有將他的名告訴我。』
在這一段敘述中， 神的天使/使者來到瑪挪亞的妻子面前，宣告她將要懷參孫，婦人至少有五次以『人』來提到這位天使，其中兩次稱他為『神的人』（Man of God）。有趣的是，希伯來文很容易將其翻成『神人』（The God-Man）。故事的後面，這位 神人拒絕告訴他的名字，因為一切都『太奇妙了』，瑪挪亞相信他和他的妻子必要死，『因為看見了 神。』當然，這時的耶穌還沒有道成肉身，卻在此顯出道成肉身前來到地上的實例。
請禱告：當猶太人在週末讀到或聽到這段經文， 神能開啟他們對此的瞭解，以致於他們或許能領會來到瑪挪亞和他妻子面前，在火焰中升上去的那位之身份─就是以西結所看見坐在寶座上的那位，也是出埃及記十九章在火中降臨的那位（路加福音24:44-45），亦是那先前以肉身來到地上，還會再來的那位！
下週的閱讀進度（6/3-6/9）被稱為『點燈』（B'ha'alotcha），讀經內容包括：妥拉─民數記8:1-12:16；先知書─撒迦利亞書2:10-4:7。
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 27 May-2 June 2012 is Naso: "Raise up" heads (i.e. take a census)
TORAH: Numbers 4:21-7:89
HAFTARAH: Judges 13:2-25
*Numbers 6:22-27. And the LORD spoke to Moses, saying: 'Speak to Aaron and his sons, saying, "This is the way you shall bless the children of Israel. Say to them:
'YHVH bless you and guard you
YHVH make His face shine upon you and grace you
YHVH lift up His face to you and give you Shalom.'
"So they shall put My name on the children of Israel, and I will bless them."
With this blessing the LORD's holy name YHVH was placed over the Israelites by the priests as a covering and protection. No other name would have true power to bless them, to be their guard and keeper, to release grace upon them, or to guard their hearts and minds with true shalom. Twice this blessing refers to the LORD's face. The absolute necessity of being in the light of that face permeates the Hebrew Bible from beginning to end. Without God's face (sometimes rendered "presence" in English translations) Moses prayed that God not bring himself and the people up to the Promised Land (Exodus 33:14-15). Three times in Psalm 80 the minstrel Asaph equates the face of God shining on Israel with her "salvation", while in Psalm 44:3 the sons of Korah attribute Israel's winning of the Land to YHVH's "right hand, His arm, and the light of His face, because he loved them". There is a voice, sang David, crying out on God's behalf within every man, "Seek My face!" His response, whenever He recognized it, would be "Your face, LORD, I will seek.do not hide Your face from me" (Psalm 27:8).
So this was the blessing which would attend the Children of Israel when the LORD placed His name YHVH over them. Sometime during her captivity, after the Glory had departed Jerusalem, Israel lost the pronunciation of that Name. Today, when the blessing is recited, it is replaced by Adonai (Lord/Master). However, the Name is hidden within Yeshua, the original Hebrew name for Jesus. Yeshua, a contraction for Yehoshua, means YHVH Saves! He is "the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being, sustaining all things by His powerful word" (Hebrews 1:3). He is Sar Shalom.the Prince of Peace. As members of a Holy Priesthood (Rev. 1:6), we would encourage you as an act of intercession to pray this blessing over the Jewish people, placing The Name conjoined with Salvation-Yeshua-over them.
Pray for the veil to be removed from Jewish eyes through the power of the Holy Spirit that they may know their LORD face-to-face. "And I will not hide my face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out my Spirit on the house of Israel,' says Adonai YHVH-the Lord GOD" (Ezekiel 39:29).
*Judges 13:6. "A man of God came to me, and his appearance was like the appearance of the angel of God, very awesome." In this recounting of the coming of the angel/messenger of God to Manoah's wife to herald the conception of Samson, at least five times he is referred to as a 'man'. Two of those times he is called a "Man of God".which, interestingly, could just as easily be translated from the Hebrew "The God-Man" (Ish ha-Elohim). Later in the story he refuses to give his name, since it is 'wonderful'-and at the end Manoah is convinced that he and his wife must die, "because we have seen God." Of course, at this time Yeshua/Jesus had not yet taken on human flesh. It appears, nonetheless, to be an instance of a pre-incarnate manifestation of the One who was to come.
PLEASE PRAY for the understanding of Jews who read or hear these words next weekend to be opened, that they may comprehend the identity of the One who came to Manoah and his wife and ascended in the flame-of the One who was seated on the throne of the chariot in Ezekiel Chapter one-of the One who came down in flame onto the mountain in Exodus 19 (Luke 24:44-45)-of the One who has come in the flesh once before, and Who is coming again!
Martin and Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem
