於2009-12-04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。

十一月廿九日到十二月五日的閱讀被稱為:打發(VaYishlach),讀經內容包括:
妥    拉: 創世記32:3-36:43
先知書: 俄巴底亞書 1:1-21

*創世記32:3. 『雅各打發人(使者)先往西珥地去,就是以東地,見他哥哥以掃。』
『使者』這個字與前兩節的『天使』是同一個字,天使是『神的』使者,而這些人則是雅各的使者。

*創世記32:9-10. 『雅各說:耶和華─我祖亞伯拉罕的神,我父親以撒的神啊,祢曾對我說:回你本地本族去,我要厚待你。祢向僕人所施的一切慈愛和誠實,我一點也不配得;我先前只拿著我的杖過這約但河,如今我卻成了兩隊了。』
『慈愛和誠實』是神聖的象徵與祝福,在聖經中出現許多次。約翰福音一章17節用現代希伯來文翻譯為:『妥拉本是藉著摩西傳的;恩典(慈愛)和真理(誠實)都是由彌賽亞耶穌基督來的。』

請禱告猶太人藉由聖經(路加福音24:44-45)發現、啟示並瞭解耶穌的存在,祂本人出現在族長中並貫穿所有希伯來人的歷史!祂永不會離開他們,也不會丟棄他們(林前10:1-4;來13:5)。

*創世記32:24, 28. 『只剩下雅各一人。有一個人來和他摔跤,直到黎明。那人(他)說:你的名不要再叫雅各,要叫以色列;因為你與神與人較力,都得了勝。』
希伯來文並沒有大小寫的區分,所以這裡的『人』與『他』在許多聖經版本中都沒有大寫。這段經文說雅各與『人』較力,下面的何西阿書則稱這人為『天使』。但請記住,天使意指『使者』,並不是每次都指著受造的天使。因為24節也可以翻成與 神較力,所以教會在傳統上認為與雅各較力的是道成肉身前的 神─人子耶穌,從 神來的使者。『以色列』的意思是『他與神較力』,而『雅各』則是與『人』較力。這兩個名字在聖經其他地方經常互換使用,而以色列與他的後裔持續與 神與人較力,但當雅各與 神較力時被允許『得了勝』,那並不是為了自己舊有的渴望,而是神聖的恩寵為他帶來的改變。在使用此事件來幫助我們為今日的以色列禱告時,我們鼓勵您使用下列相關性經文,在何西阿書十二章3-6節:
他在腹中抓住哥哥的腳跟,壯年的時候與神較力,與天使較力,並且得勝,哭泣懇求,在伯特利遇見耶和華。耶和華─萬軍之神在那裡曉諭我們以色列人;耶和華是祂可記念的名。所以你當歸向你的神,謹守仁愛、公平,常常等候你的神。』

*創世記33:18-19. 『雅各從巴旦亞蘭回來的時候,平平安安地到了迦南地的示劍城,在城東支搭帳棚,就用一百塊銀子向示劍的父親、哈抹的子孫買了支帳棚的那塊地。』
誠如我們幾週前曾提到,以色列族長與大衛買的那些地正是今日猛烈屬靈爭奪的中心,從下一章底拿被玷污與緊接著的血腥大屠殺,經過士師記九章可怕的事件,再到羅波安王決定『用蠍子』管教他的民(王上12:14),一直到何西阿的日子(何西阿書6:9『強盜成群,怎樣埋伏殺人,祭司結黨,也照樣在示劍的路上殺戮,行了邪惡。』)。

示劍(現在稱那不勒斯Nablus)一直與暴力有關,如今它仍是恐怖主義對抗以色列的溫床,但它也是亞伯拉罕抵達迦南第一個停留之地(創世記12:6),主在那裡向他顯現,應許將那地賜給他後裔,『亞伯蘭就在那裡為向他顯現的耶和華築了一座壇。』(7節)示劍是約瑟的骸骨從埃及地被帶來埋葬之所(約書亞記24:32);也是耶穌在雅各所挖的井旁與一位婦女交談之處(約翰福音4)。目前這地是巴勒斯坦的城市,附近有一些猶太人的定居點。在過去的暴動中,猶太人被趕到約瑟的墳墓區,那裡已遭到褻瀆與焚燒。在未來任何有關土地的和平協議中,這城市與附近的定居點無疑會成為一個大議題。

請禱告:暴力的權勢在示劍/那不勒斯被破除,其上的居民會被帶到和平之君的國度。禱告亞伯拉罕與雅各向 神築的壇能在那地被重建,耶穌在那裡談話的井能對阿拉伯人與猶太人湧出活水。詩篇60:6和108:7預言:『神已經指著祂的聖潔說:我要歡樂;我要分開示劍…』。

*創世記 33:20. 『在那裡築了一座壇,起名叫伊利伊羅伊以色列【就是神、以色列神的意思】。』
我們發現 神的許多名字出現在迦南地,包括伊勒伊約(El Elyon至高神)、伊勒沙代(El Shaddai全能神)、伊勒羅以(El Roi看顧我的神)與亞伯拉罕的神(Elohei-Avraham)。但伊羅伊以色列─以色列的神這名字是未來最會被用到的名。神自己主權地用祂的名字與以色列(雅各)和他的後裔認同,祂是以色列的神,穆斯林則認同他們的神是以實瑪利的神。

請禱告在以色列的猶太人與穆斯林有恩典得著啟示並謙卑自己,向真神跪拜,祂使自己與以色列和他的後裔認同。

*創世記 35:2,5. 『雅各就對他家中的人並一切與他同在的人說:你們要除掉你們中間的外邦神,也要自潔,更換衣裳。他們便起行前往。神使那周圍城邑的人都甚驚懼,就不追趕雅各的眾子了。』

請禱告:聖靈在以色列使人知罪遠離偶像,轉向 神來潔淨並穿上公義。特別為在這地彌賽亞肢體的領袖聖潔禱告,穿上聖潔,讓 神的驚駭使黑暗逃跑!

下週的妥拉與先知書閱讀內容(12/6-12/12『住在』):創世記 37:1-40:23;阿摩司書 2:6-3:8。

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.

The readings for November 29-December 5 are called VaYishlach "And sentJacob messengers"-and include:
TORAH: Genesis 32:3-36:43
HAFTARAH: Obadiah 1:1-21

*Genesis 32:3. "Then Jacob sent messengers before him to Esau his brother in the land of Seir, the country of Edom." The word translated "messengers" is the same as that translated "angels" two verses earlier. Angels are messengers "of God", these are messengers of Jacob.

*Genesis 32:9-10. "O God of my father Abraham and God of my father Isaac, the LORD [YHVH].I am not worthy of the least of all the lovingkindnesses and of all the truth which You have shown Your servant; for I crossed over this Jordan with my staff, and now I have become two companies." "Lovingkindness and Truth" (Hebrew: chesid and emet) are a pairing of divine attributes and blessings which appear many times throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. The modern Hebrew translation of John 1:17 reads (English paraphrase), "For the Torah was given through Moshe, chesid and emet [lovingkindness and truth] came through Yeshua the Messiah." Please pray for discovery, revelation and understanding among the Jewish people of the presence of Yeshua (Jesus) throughout their holy writings (Luke 24:44-45). That He was Himself present with the Patriarchs and throughout all of the history of the Hebrews! He will never leave them nor forsake them (I Corinthians 10:1-4; Hebrews 13:5).

*Genesis 32:24, 28. "Then Jacob was left alone; and a man wrestled with him until the breaking of day.So he said to him, 'What is your name?' He said, 'Jacob' And he said, 'Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.'" Of course there are no upper/lower cases in Hebrew, so "man" and "he" are not capitalized, as they appear in many Christian Bibles. This Genesis passage says that Jacob struggled with a "man" (Heb: ish). The Hosea passage below calls the being an "angel" (mal'akh). But remember, mal'akh means "messenger" and does not always refer to a created heavenly being. Since verse 24 can be interpreted to mean that this particular struggle took place with God (Elohim), the Church has traditionally held that Jacob was here struggling with a pre-incarnate form of the God-Man Yeshua (Jesus)-a Messenger from the Father. "Israel" means "He struggles with God"-while "Jacob" is related to struggle with man. The names are used interchangeably throughout the rest of the Hebrew Bible-and Israel and his seed have continued to struggle, both with God and man. Yet when Jacob was allowed to "prevail with God" it was not on behalf of his old desires, but for the favour of sanctification which would change what he could not change himself. In using this incident as an aid to prayer for Israel today, we would encourage you to use the following related passage from Hosea 12:3-6:

"He took his brother by the heel in the womb, and in his strength he struggled with God. Yes, he struggled with the angel and prevailed; He wept, and sought favour from him. He found him in Bethel, and there He spoke to us-that is, the LORD God of armies. YHVH is His memorable name. So you, by the help of your God, return; observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God continually."

*Genesis 33:18-19. "And Jacob came safely to the city of Shechem.and he pitched his tent before the city. And he bought the parcel of land, where he had pitched his tent, from the children of Hamor, Shechem's father, for one hundred pieces of money." As we mentioned a few weeks ago, those places where the Patriarchs and David purchased land are centers of fierce spiritual contention to this day. From the rape of Dinah in the following chapter and the bloody massacre which follows, through the dreadful events of Judges 9, to King Rehoboam's decision there to discipline his subjects "with scorpions" (I Kings 12:14 NASB), to the days of Hosea (Hosea 6:9: "As bands of robbers lie in wait for a man, so the company of priests murder on the way to Shechem; surely they commit lewdness"), the city of Shechem (modern-day Nablus) has been associated with violence. In our own day it remains a hot-bed for terrorism against Israel. Yet it is also the first place where Abraham is recording as having stopped after arriving in Canaan (Genesis 12:6). The LORD (YHVH) appeared to him there and promised the land to his seed, "and there he built an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him." It would be the location where Joseph's bones would be brought and buried (Joshua 24:32); and where Yeshua Himself would have a meeting with a woman at a well Jacob had dug there (John 4). Presently it is a Palestinian city with several Jewish settlements nearby. In the early days of the last Intifada, Jews were driven out of the site of Joseph's Tomb, which was desecrated and burned. Almost certainly this city and the settlements will be a big issue in any proposed peace settlement in the future. PLEASE PRAY: That the power of violence be broken over Shechem/Nablus-and its inhabitants brought into the Kingdom of the Prince of Peace. Pray that the altars of Abraham and Jacob to the LORD be restored there-and that the wells of living water that Yeshua spoke of there would spring up to Arab and Jew alike. Psalm 60:6 and 108:7 prophecy "God has spoken in His holiness; 'I will exult, I will portion out Shechem . . .'".

*Genesis 33:20. "Then he erected an altar there and called it El Elohei Yisrael." We have found many names of God revealed thus far in Canaan-El Elyon (God Most High), El Shaddai (God Almighty), El Roi (The God who Sees), Elohei-Avraham (the Abraham-God). But this name.Elohei-Yisrael, the "Israel-God" is the one which will be used most hereafter. God Himself has chosen sovereignly to identify His name with Israel (Jacob) and his descendants. He is the LORD (YHVH) God of Israel, and it is to Him that all of us, whatever our lineage must come. Muslims identify their deity with Ishmael. PLEASE PRAY for grace for revelation and humility among both Jews and Muslims in Israel to bow to the one true God, who has allowed Himself to be identified with Israel and his seed.

*Genesis 35:2,5. "And Jacob said to his household and to all who were with him, 'Put away the foreign gods that are among you, purify yourselves, and change your garments.And they journeyed, and the terror of God was upon the cities that were all around them, and they did not pursue the sons of Jacob."

PLEASE PRAY: For the conviction of the Holy Spirit in Israel to turn from idols and turn to the Living God for cleansing and clothing in righteousness. Pray especially for holiness in leadership in the Body of Messiah here-Clothed in that, the Terror of God will cause darkness to flee as they advance through the Land!

[The Torah and Haftarah portions for next week (6-12 Dec "VaYeshev") will be: Genesis 37:1-40:23; Amos 2:6-3:8]