於2009-08-13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。

從八月九日到八月十五日的閱讀被稱為:看哪!『我今日將祝福與咒詛的話都陳明在你們面前。』

妥    拉: 申命記11:26-16:17
先知書: 以賽亞書54:11-55:5

*申命記 12:2, 5. 『你們要將所趕出的國民事奉神的各地方(places),無論是在高山,在小山,在各青翠樹下,都毀壞了。但耶和華─你們的神從你們各支派中選擇何處為立祂名的居所(place),你們就當往那裡去求問。』

在這週的妥拉進度(12:5, 11, 18, 21; 14:23, 24, 25; 16:2, 6, 11, 15, 16),十二次提到『地方/居所』(單數),就是以色列的神選擇立祂名與居住之地─此與事奉迦南眾神的各地方(複數)成為對比。當然,神所選擇居住的『地方』是耶路撒冷,早在四十年前摩西過紅海後先知性歌頌神時就提到過(出埃及15:17)。

請禱告:為著耶路撒冷的平安,神的榮耀會回到那裡,信主的彌賽亞肢體會在成熟與合一中被建造。神會興起有智慧與恩膏的彌賽亞領袖成為錫安眾城門的長老;正如在出埃及後 神一回到以色列就『選擇』耶路撒冷,現在祂也會與世界各地祂的子民一同回來,『收回猶大作祂聖地的分,也必再揀選耶路撒冷。』(撒迦利亞書2:12)

*申命記 14:2. 『因為你歸耶和華─你神為聖潔的民,耶和華從地上的萬民中揀選你特作自己的子民。』
以賽亞書54:11: 『你這受困苦、被風飄蕩不得安慰的人哪,我必以彩色安置你的石頭,以藍寶石立定你的根基。』
請禱告:以色列的身分可以被恢復,不是恢復她遭拒絕、受苦、逼迫與大屠殺的身分,而是她蒙創造宇宙萬物之神的揀選,被分別出來如同特別珍寶的身分。

*以賽亞書 54:13. 『你的兒女都要受耶和華的教訓;你的兒女必大享平安。』
請禱告:神會對以色列兒女目前的世代感到忌邪,斷開在以色列許多家庭、學校所教導的邪惡價值,甦醒他們對真理的熱情;好讓他們回應聖靈、尋訪古道,行在其間使他們心裡得安息(耶利米書6:16)。

*以賽亞書54:14. 『你必因公義得堅立,必遠離欺壓,不致害怕;你必遠離驚嚇,驚嚇必不臨近你。』以色列要脫離恐怖主義,她首先要因公義得堅立。『神使那無罪(無罪:原文是不知罪)的,替我們成為罪,好叫我們在他裡面成為神的義。』(林後5:21)
請禱告:因著神的憐憫,叫世人為罪、為義、為審判,自己責備自己的聖靈(約翰福音16:8)被差來,會大大運行在以色列全地。

*以賽亞書54:17. 『凡為攻擊你造成的器械必不利用;凡在審判時興起用舌攻擊你的,你必定他為有罪。這是耶和華僕人的產業,是他們從我所得的義。這是耶和華說的。』
*以賽亞書55:3. 『你們當就近我來;側耳而聽,就必得活。我必與你們立永約,就是應許大衛那可靠的恩典。』
請禱告:以色列百姓的耳朵能被打開,側耳來聽神的話。現在有許多『風』在以色列境內吹起(希伯來文的『風』和『靈』為同一個字)。請禱告在以色列的信徒會『側耳聽聖靈對會眾所說的話』。

*以賽亞書55:5b. 『因為祂已經榮耀你。』在這裡『榮耀』的希伯來文可能用『榮美』來表達會更好,相同的動詞也被使用在以賽亞書61:3,聖靈恩膏彌賽亞,賜『榮美代替灰塵』給錫安悲哀的人。
請禱告:以色列能領悟到她拒絕二千年的耶穌基督渴望並會使她榮美。

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

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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 reading for 9-15 August 2009 is entitled: R'eh-See! "See, I set before you today a blessing and a curse".

Torah: Deuteronomy 11:26-16:17
Haftarah: Isaiah 54:11-55:5

*Deuteronomy 12:2, 5. "You shall utterly destroy all the places where the nations which you shall dispossess served their gods." "But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go."
Twelve times in this Torah portion (12:5, 11, 18, 21; 14:23, 24, 25; 16:2, 6, 11, 15, 16) this 'place' (singular) is mentioned, where Israel's One God YHVH would choose to put His name and to dwell. -this, as compared to the "places" where the multiple gods of Canaan were worshipped. The "place" God would choose to dwell was, of course, Jerusalem. It had first been mentioned prophetically by Moses 40 years before in his Song, just after the crossing of the Red Sea (Exodus 15:17).
PLEASE PRAY: For the peace of Jerusalem.that God's glory would return there.that the believing Body of Messiah would be established in maturity and unity there.that God would raise up wise and anointed Messianic leaders to be Elders in the Gates of Zion. That as God would "choose" Jerusalem when He first returned Israel to the land following the Exodus, He would now, with the return of His people from around the world, "take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem" (Zechariah 2:12).

*Deuteronomy 14:2. "For you are a holy people to the LORD your God, and the LORD has chosen you to be for Him a specially treasured people of all the peoples who are on the face of the earth."
Isaiah 54:11: "O you afflicted one, tossed with tempest, and not comforted, behold, I will lay your stones with colorful gems, and lay your foundations with sapphires."
PLEASE PRAY: That Israel's sense of identity be restored-not an identity related to her rejection, suffering, persecution and the Holocaust, but rather an identity of a people chosen to be set apart as a special treasure of the God Who created the Universe.

*Isaiah 54:13-14. "All your children shall be taught by the LORD, and great shall be the peace of your children."
PLEASE PRAY: For the present generation of Israeli children.that God would be jealous over them.cut through the evil values being taught in so many homes and schools in Israel, awakening a zeal for Truth; that they would respond to the Holy Spirit and ask for the ancient paths where they will find rest for their souls (Jeremiah 6:16).

*Isaiah 54:14. "In righteousness you shall be established; You shall be far from oppression, for you shall not fear; and from terror, for it shall not come near you." For Israel to be delivered from terrorism she must first become established in righteousness. "He made Him who knew no sing to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (II Corinthians 5:21 NASB).
PLEASE PRAY: That in God's mercy the Spirit which was sent to convict the world concerning Sin and Righteousness and Judgment (John 16:8) will move strongly across all of Israel.

*Isaiah 54:17. "No weapon formed against you shall prosper, and every tongue which rises against you in judgment you shall condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is from Me," says the LORD."

*Isaiah 55:3. "Incline your ear, and come to Me. Hear, and your soul shall live."
PLEASE PRAY: "That Israeli ears will be opened to hear the living Word. There are many "winds" blowing in Israel right now (In Hebrew "wind" and "spirit" are the same word). Pray that believers in Israel will "have ears to hear what the Spirit is saying to the congregations."

*Isaiah 55:5b. ".For He has glorified you." The Hebrew word for "glorified" here might better be rendered "beautified you." It is the verb form of the same word used in Isaiah 61:3, where the Spirit anoints the Messiah to give those who mourn in Zion "beauty for ashes."
PLEASE PRAY: For Israel to come to realize that the one she has been resisting for 2000 years is the very One who longs to make her beautiful.and will!