於2012-08-24發佈

每週一妥拉 2012/8/19-8/25
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(8/19-8/25)稱為『審判官』(Shophetim),讀經內容包括:
妥拉:申命記16:18-21:9
先知書:以賽亞書51:12-52:12

*申命記16:18-21 『你要在耶和華─你神所賜的各城裡,按著各支派設立審判官和官長。他們必按公義的審判判斷百姓。不可屈枉正直;不可看人的外貌。也不可受賄賂;因為賄賂能叫智慧人的眼變瞎了,又能顛倒義人的話。你要追求至公至義,好叫你存活,承受耶和華─你神所賜你的地。你為耶和華─你的神築壇,不可在壇旁栽什麼樹木作為木偶。』 

今日以色列對『審判官』與『警官』的希伯來文稱呼是一樣的,他們的職責是按公義(tzedek)審判(mishpat)百姓(18節)。公義和審判這兩個希伯來字在詩篇89:14有提到,被用來當作神寶座的『根基』。有趣的是,約翰福音16:8的希伯來翻譯,耶穌告訴我們在祂離開後,『保惠師』會來,為叫世人『為罪、為義(tzedek)、為審判(mishpat)』,自己責備自己。

請禱告:聖靈保惠師強有力的叫人知罪橫掃所有階層─政府、行政部門與司法單位。在這一段經文中所提到的賄賂與其他形式的腐敗,似乎充斥在政府高層,導致不只一位總統與總理下台,似乎仍持續在控告與調查那些有權力的人。感謝 神公義的審判確實在我們政府當中發生,裡面確實有力求正直的領袖。禱告他們的行為會被表彰,行為彎曲的領袖則會被曝光。禱告認識彌賽亞的公義男女,在職位上會以恩寵興起,以祂的光來取代黑暗,在以色列各處顯揚祂聖潔的香氣(林後2:14; 4:6; 5:21)。 

*申命記17:7; 17:12b 『見證人要先下手,然後眾民也下手將他治死。這樣,就把那惡從你們中間除掉。這樣,便將那惡從以色列中除掉。』除掉這個字指的是『連根拔除』或『焚燒』。

請為以色列的信徒禱告:讓我們對自己身上的邪惡毫無憐憫─連根拔除、毀滅它,瞭解到當我們允許邪惡在我們裡面工作,不單是污染我們自己,更是污染我們的國家。

*申命記17:16-17 『只是王不可為自己加添馬匹,也不可使百姓回埃及去,為要加添他的馬匹,因耶和華曾吩咐你們說:不可再回那條路去。他也不可為自己多立妃嬪,恐怕他的心偏邪;也不可為自己多積金銀。』 

*申命記17:18-20 『他登了國位,就要將祭司利未人面前的這律法書,為自己抄錄一本,存在他那裡,要平生誦讀,好學習敬畏耶和華─他的神,謹守遵行這律法書上的一切言語和這些律例,免得他向弟兄心高氣傲,偏左偏右,離了這誡命。這樣,他和他的子孫便可在以色列中,在國位上年長日久。』

這裡實際上是在命令每一位以色列君王,親自抄錄一本 神的律法書。大衛是否有這樣做,我們並不知道,但他雖然喜愛 神的律法,卻忽略或漠視這段經文不可多立妃嬪的命令,當然有一些是出於政治聯姻(撒下5:13; 歷上14:3)。有沒有可能眾多的妃嬪使他在拔示巴事件上跌倒?所羅門是否有『為自己抄錄一本律法書』,好使他謹守遵行主所賜下的『一切言語』?他不但有眾多女人(超過一千位妃嬪),還有馬匹(王上10:26-29)與金銀(王上)。最後他的心完全遠離 神,在他死去後他的國分裂為二。

請禱告:以色列的領袖會查閱聖經;我們當今的總理表明自己規律閱讀聖經,禱告他確實會『一生誦讀』,神的聖靈會賜給他智慧(與他的兒女);禱告他的心竅得以打開,好使他『明白聖經』,包括摩西的律法、先知的書,和詩篇上所記關乎他的彌賽亞耶穌的話。 

*申命記18:10-12 『你們中間不可有人使兒女經火,也不可有占卜的、觀兆的、用法術的、行邪術的、 用迷術的、交鬼的、行巫術的、過陰的。凡行這些事的都為耶和華所憎惡;因那些國民行這可憎惡的事,所以耶和華─你的 神將他們從你面前趕出。』要嚴肅閱讀這一段經文,這些不僅是罪,『凡行這些事的』都為 神所憎惡。以色列對秘術有許多迷戀!

請禱告:以色列能對這些永遠不變的律法得著啟示,甚至將偶像帶回家都是當滅之物(申7:26),所以任何行這些秘術的人,就要把其當作 神所憎惡的。禱告有許多人從這樣的黑暗中『出來』進入光明!因為『神的兒子顯現出來,為要除滅魔鬼的作為』(約翰壹書3:8)。

*申命記18:18-19 『我必在他們弟兄中間給他們興起一位先知像你。我要將當說的話傳給他;他要將我一切所吩咐的都傳給他們。誰不聽他奉我名所說的話,我必討誰的罪。』

請禱告:這世代的以色列人會『聽祂的話』,天父『將當說的話傳給』祂的先知耶穌,祂確實是『為他們所興起的那位』,並要『奉祂的名說話』。為以色列人能獲得新約聖經禱告,並在裡頭找到這些話。

*申命記20:9 『官長對百姓宣告完了,就當派軍長率領他們。』

請禱告:神會在我們軍事領袖當中工作,使以色列在重大戰爭爆發需要動員軍隊前,強大團結的軍隊與政府領袖能就定位。禱告帶領以色列軍隊的 神(撒上17:45),在即將來到的季節裡,將祂所揀選的領袖放在這些關鍵性的職位上。就在今天我們在耶路撒冷郵報讀到一篇非常正面的文章,抬頭是『制服下的彌賽亞信徒』,裡面有一位年輕士兵的見證,我們在他還是青少年時就已經認識他。  

『你們將要上陣的時候』

 *申命記20:2-4 『你們將要上陣的時候,祭司要到百姓面前宣告說:』

以色列人哪,你們當聽,你們今日將要與仇敵爭戰,不要膽怯,不要懼怕戰兢,也不要因他們驚恐;因為耶和華─你們的 神與你們同去,要為你們與仇敵爭戰,拯救你們。』 

先知書

*以賽亞書51:16 『我將我的話傳給你,用我的手影遮蔽你,為要栽定諸天,立定地基,又對錫安說:你是我的百姓。』

*以賽亞書52:1-2 『錫安哪,興起!興起!披上你的能力!聖城耶路撒冷啊,穿上你華美的衣服!因為從今以後,未受割禮、不潔淨的必不再進入你中間。耶路撒冷啊,要抖下塵土!起來坐在位上!錫安被擄的居民(原文是女子)哪,要解開你頸項的鎖鍊!』 

*以賽亞書52:7 『那報佳音,傳平安,報好信,傳救恩的,對錫安說:你的神作王了!這人的腳登山何等佳美!』

*以賽亞書52:8 『聽啊,你守望之人的聲音,他們揚起聲來,一同歌唱;因為耶和華歸回錫安的時候,他們必親眼看見。』

請禱告:在那些主正帶回錫安的人當中,以及已經在當地為這些人禱告的守望者當中,有著清澈與純一的眼光。

*以賽亞書52:11-12 『你們離開吧!離開吧!從巴比倫出來。不要沾不潔淨的物;要從其中出來。你們扛擡耶和華器皿的人哪,務要自潔。你們出來必不致急忙,也不致奔逃。因為,耶和華必在你們前頭行;以色列的 神必作你們的後盾。』這段經文似乎已預言性地首先應用在巴比倫被擄之人,鼓勵他們回到以色列。

請禱告:為著仍在列國的信主猶太人禱告,神正呼召他們回到本家本族─當祂說話時,他們會聽見祂的聲音並且出來,相信主必在他們『前頭行』,也會成為他們的『後盾』。希伯來文『後盾』這個字有『聚集』的概念,護衛那些落後的人不受攻擊。禱告 神會聚集那些祂所呼召無所適從的人,催逼他們通過城門進入他們的呼召與產業之地。 

下週的閱讀進度(8/26-9/1)稱為『你出去的時候』(Ki-Tetzeh),讀經內容包括:妥拉─申命記21:10-25:19;先知書─以賽亞書54:1-10。

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 Torah and Haftarah portions for this week 19-25 August is called Shophetim ("Judges"): 
TORAH: Deuteronomy 16:18-21:9 
HAFTARAH: Isaiah 51:12-52:12

*Deuteronomy 16:18-21. "You shall appoint judges and officers in all your gates, which the LORD your God gives you, according to your tribes, and they shall judge the people with righteous judgment. You shall not pervert justice; you shall not show partiality, nor take a bribe, for a bribe blinds the eyes of the wise and twists the words of the righteous. You shall follow what is altogether just (Literal Hebrew: "Righteousness! Righteousness you will pursue!"), that you may live and inherit the land which YHVH your God is giving you." 

The same Hebrew words are used for "judges" and "police officers" in Israel today. Their duties on behalf of the people are to be executed (vs. 18) with mishpat-tzedek-judgment which is righteous. These two words (mishpat and tzedek) are referred to in Psalm 89:14 as being the very "foundation" of God's throne. Interestingly, in the Hebrew translation of John 16:8, Yeshua tells us that the "Helper" He will send after His departure will convict the world "concerning sin and righteousness (tzedek) and judgment (mishpat)". This past Monday Israel's President Shimon Peres presided over the swearing in ceremony for 18 new judges in Israel.

PLEASE PRAY: For the powerful conviction of this Helper (Ruach haKodesh-the Holy Spirit) to sweep through all the echelons- Administrative, Executive and Judicial-of Israel's Government. Alas, bribery and other forms of corruption mentioned in this passage seem especially to prey on the high places of our government today. They have in fact resulted in the stepping down of more than one President and a Prime Minister, and spawned seemingly continual accusations and investigations of those in power. Thank God though, that righteous judgment does exist in our government, that there are governmental leaders striving to be yashar -straight and upright. Pray that their just actions be recognized-and that leaders whose ways are crooked would be exposed. Pray for men and women bearing the righteousness which comes in Messiah to rise with favour into these positions, displacing darkness with His light, diffusing the governmental atmosphere over Israel with the fragrance of God's holiness (II Corinthians 2:14; 4:6; 5:21).

*Deuteronomy 17:7; 17:12b. "So you shall put away the evil from among you." "So you shall put away the evil from Israel." The word for "put away" means to root out or to burn.

PLEASE PRAY: for Israeli believers-that we will be merciless to evil we find within ourselves-rooting it out, destroying it, realizing that evil allowed to work within us individually pollutes not only ourselves but our nation.


*Deuteronomy 17:16. "But he [any future Israeli king Israel] shall not multiply horses for himself.neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself."

*Deuteronomy 17:18. "Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the LORD his God, and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel."

This literally commands each Israeli king to physically-personally write out for himself a second copy (Hebrew) of God's Law. Did David do this? We don't know.but it is significant that although he dearly loved God's law, the above commandment against multiplying wives appears to have been either overlooked or ignored. He took a number of wives and concubines, some no-doubt as part of political alliances (II Sam. 5:13; I Chron. 14:3). Might the resultant variety and comparisons have had a part in 'setting him up' for the failure with Bathsheba? Did Solomon "write out his own second copy by hand" so as to be careful to observe "all the words" the Lord had given? He not only multiplied women (over 1000 wives and concubines), but also "horses" (I Kings 10:26-29) and "silver and gold for himself" (I Kings 10:14, 27). In the end his heart was turned completely away from his God, and at his death the kingdom was split in two.

PLEASE PRAY: that Israel's leaders will search the Scriptures. Our present Prime Minister has testified to regularly studying the Scriptures. Pray that he will indeed "read it all the days of his life".and that the Holy Spirit of his God will grant him wisdom (and his children after him); that his understanding would be opened that he might "comprehend the Scriptures"-including what is written about his Messiah Yeshua/Jesus in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms! (Luke 24:44-45).

*Deuteronomy 18:10-12. "There shall not be found among you anyone.who practices witchcraft, or a soothsayer, or one who interprets omens, or a sorcerer, or one who conjures spells, or a medium, or a spiritist, or one who calls up the dead. For all who do these things are an abomination to the LORD." It is sobering to read that it is not only these sins but "those who do them" who are an abomination to the LORD. There is much fascination with the occult in Israel.

PLEASE PRAY: for revelation regarding the fixed law that even as one who brings an idol into his house is 'doomed to destruction like it' (Deut 7:26), so anyone who engages in these occult practices places him or herself under the abomination of Almighty God. Pray for many to "come out" from this darkness into the Light! "For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil" (I John 3:8).

*Deuteronomy 18:18. "I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their brethren, and will put My words in His mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command Him. And it shall be that whoever will not hear My words, which he speaks in My name, I will require it of him."

PLEASE PRAY: for this generation of Israelis to "hear the words" which the Father "put into the mouth" of His Prophet Yeshua, who was indeed "raised up for them"; and who "spoke in His Father's name". Pray for Israelis to obtain copies of the New Covenant Scriptures and find these words for themselves.

*Deuteronomy 20:9. "And so it shall be, when the officers have finished speaking to the people, that they shall make captains of the armies to lead the people."

PLEASE PRAY: that God will move regarding our military leadership, that Israel will have a strong, unified military and governmental leadership in place before any major outbreak of hostilities which would involve mobilization of our military forces. Pray for Elohei Ma'archot Yisrael-the God of the Arraying of Israel (I Samuel 17:45)-to place the leaders of His choosing in each of these critical positions for this coming season. We received word only today of a very positive article in a Jerusalem Hebrew newspaper entitled "Messianic in Uniform", which included the testimony of a young soldier whom we have known since he was a young teenager. 

 "WHEN YOU ARE ON THE VERGE OF WAR"

*Deuteronomy 20:2-4. "So it shall be, when you are on the verge of war, that the priest shall approach and speak to the people. And he shall say to them,'Hear, O Israel: Today you are on the verge of war with your enemies. Do not let your heart faint, do not be afraid, and do not tremble or be terrified because of them; for the LORD your God is He who goes with you, to fight for you against your enemies, to save you.'"

Haftarah

*Isaiah 51:16. "And I have put My words in your mouth; I have covered you with the shadow of My hand, that I may plant the heavens, lay the foundations of the earth, and say to Zion, 'You are my people.'"

*Isaiah 52:1-2. "Awake! Awake! Put on your strength, O Zion; put on your beautiful garments, O Jerusalem, the holy city.Shake yourself from the dust, arise; Sit down, O Jerusalem! Loose yourself from the bonds of your neck, O captive daughter of Zion!"

*Isaiah 52:7. "How beautifully the feet of those bringing good news adorn the mountains- those who proclaim shalom, who bring glad tidings of good, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, 'Your God reigns!'"

*Isaiah 52:8: "Your watchmen shall lift up their voices, with their voices they shall sing together; for they shall see eye to eye when the LORD brings back Zion."

PLEASE PRAY: for clarity and singleness of vision amongst those God is bringing back to Zion-and among those watchmen already there who are praying for them.

*Isaiah 52:11-12. "Depart! Depart! Go out from there, touch nothing unclean.go out from the midst of her, be clean.For the LORD will go before you, and the God of Israel will be your rear guard." This passage seems to have applied first of all prophetically to those in captivity in Babylon, encouraging them regarding their return to Israel.

PLEASE PRAY: for believing Jews still in the nations whom God is calling back to their Land-that when He speaks, they will hear His voice and GO.trusting Him to "go before".and also to be their "rear guard." The Hebrew word for "rear guard" has within it the concept of "gathering" as well as guarding against attack from behind. Pray that God will gather the loose-ends of those He is calling-pressing them forward through the gates into their calling and place of inheritance. 

Martin and Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem

 [The Torah and Haftarah portions for next week 26 August-1 September are called Ki-Tetzeh ("When you go out."): TORAH: Deuteronomy 21:10-25:19; HAFTARAH: Isaiah 54:1-10]