於2013-08-29發佈

每週一妥拉 2013/8/25-8/31
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。 

這週的閱讀進度(8/25-8/31)是雙倍閱讀,讀經內容包括: 

I.『你們站立』(Nitsavim)
妥拉:申命記29:10-30:20

II. 『去』(VaYelech)
妥拉:申命記31:1-30
先知書:以賽亞書61:10-63:9

*申命記29:10. 『今日,你們的首領、族長(原文作支派)、長老、官長、以色列的男丁,你們的妻子兒女,和營中寄居的,以及為你們劈柴挑水的人,都站在耶和華─你們的神面前。』在這裡所使用的『站在』在希伯來文裡是一個軍事術語,意指『部署』、『就定位』。『以色列軍隊的神』(撒上17:45b)把我們每一個人放在合適的位置(我們都在爭戰中),不論我們的年紀、性別、種族與社會地位。

*申命記29:14-15. 『我不但與你們立這約,起這誓,凡與我們一同站在耶和華─我們神面前的,並今日不在我們這裡的人,我也與他們立這約,起這誓。』神使以色列存活的話語不單是給那時的人(參考30:19!),也是給世世代代站在祂面前聽這些話的後裔。此釋放了從主而來永遠有效的話語,二千年後仍由大祭司主耶穌的禱告中說出:『我不但為這些人祈求,也為那些因他們的話信我的人祈求,使他們都合而為一。正如祢父在我裡面,我在祢裡面,使他們也在我們裡面,叫世人可以信祢差了我來。』(約翰福音17:20-21)

*申命記29:18. 『惟又怕你們中間有惡根生出苦菜和茵蔯來。』此情況來自『行事心裡頑梗』(19b節),最終將『從本地拔出來』(28節)。希伯來書12:14-15似乎存記著這節經文:『你們要追求與眾人和睦,並要追求聖潔;非聖潔沒有人能見主。又要謹慎,恐怕有人失了神的恩;恐怕有毒根生出來擾亂你們,因此叫眾人沾染污穢。』 

*申命記30:6. 『耶和華─你神必將你心裡和你後裔心裡的污穢除掉,好叫你盡心盡性愛耶和華─你的神,使你可以存活。』最後一句話的另一種翻譯是『為著你生命的緣故』;神是生命的神,我們不能行事心裡頑梗(參考上面29:19),神要除掉需要除掉的事物,不僅是在我們心裡的污穢,還要除掉從我們出來的─我們後裔的污穢(29:14),好叫我們能『盡心盡性愛耶和華─我們的神,使我們可以存活』!

*申命記30:9. 『你若聽從耶和華─你神的話…耶和華必再喜悅你,降福與你,像從前喜悅你列祖一樣。』

*申命記30: 11,14. 『我今日所吩咐你的誡命不是你難行的,也不是離你遠的;這話卻離你甚近,就在你口中,在你心裡,使你可以遵行。』『難行的』與耶利米書32:27『難成的』希伯來文一樣。義人靠信心而活,使不可能成為可能,『因為人心裡相信,就可以稱義;口裡承認,就可以得救。』(羅馬書10:10)

*申命記30: 19-20. 『我今日呼天喚地向你作見證;我將生死禍福陳明在你面前,所以你要揀選生命,使你和你的後裔都得存活;且愛耶和華─你的神,聽從祂的話,專靠祂;因為祂是你的生命,你的日子長久也在乎祂。這樣,你就可以在耶和華向你列祖亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各起誓應許所賜的地上居住。』

甚至在我們能愛祂、聽從祂、專靠祂之前,神就賜給我們啟示、恩典與力量來『揀選生命』。『日子長久』與『永遠』的意思一樣,也是詩篇23篇最後的話。一生一世住在主家中直到永遠的渴望,是從祂所給予我們的自由選擇開始!

*申命記 31:7. 『摩西召了約書亞來,在以色列眾人眼前對他說:你當剛強壯膽!因為,你要和這百姓一同進入耶和華向他們列祖起誓應許所賜之地;你也要使他們承受那地為業。』神在約書亞記一章不斷出現『剛強壯膽』這幾個字,是一個『命令式』,是直接對一個人以命令的口吻說話。

*申命記31:11. 『以色列眾人來到耶和華─你神所選擇的地方朝見他。那時,你要在以色列眾人面前將這律法念給他們聽。』 申命記31:17-18. 『那時,我的怒氣必向他們發作;我也必離棄他們,掩面不顧他們。因他們偏向別神所行的一切惡,我必定掩面不顧他們。』

在希伯來文,『臉/面』這個字與主相關時,代表祂的同在與榮耀照在祂子民身上。詩篇27篇不斷提到當我們聽到祂的呼叫聲,『尋求祂的面』的重要性(8節),我們決心尋求祂的面(8b節),並懇求祂『不要向我們掩面』(9節)。詩篇31:16則說神的臉光照在祂僕人身上,憑祂的慈愛拯救我們。在詩篇80篇三次宣告:『因祢的臉發光,我們便要得救。』

請禱告:以色列厭惡黑暗並渴慕神臉上的光,並瞭解到『他們不是靠自己的刀劍得地土,也不是靠自己的膀臂得勝,乃是靠祢的右手、祢的膀臂,和祢臉上的亮光,因為祢喜悅他們』 (詩篇 44:3)。『因為,在祢那裡有生命的源頭;在祢的光中,我們必得見光』(詩篇36:9)。『我們若在光明中行,如同神在光明中,就彼此相交,他兒子耶穌的血也洗淨我們一切的罪。』(約翰壹書1:7)。

*以賽亞書62:1. 『我因錫安必不靜默,為耶路撒冷必不息聲,直到祂的公義如光輝發出,祂的救恩如明燈發亮。』

*以賽亞書62: 6-7. 『耶路撒冷啊,我在你城上設立守望的,他們晝夜必不靜默。呼籲耶和華的,你們不要歇息,也不要使祂歇息,直等祂建立耶路撒冷,使耶路撒冷在地上成為可讚美的。』 

*以賽亞書63:9. 『他們在一切苦難中,祂也同受苦難;並且祂面前的使者拯救他們;祂以慈愛和憐憫救贖他們;在古時的日子常保抱他們,懷搋他們。』

下週的妥拉與先知書閱讀(9/1-9/7)稱為『側耳聽』(Ha’azimr),將包括吹角節 /猶太新年(9/5-9/6)的特別讀經,讀經內容包括:妥拉─申命記32:1-52;先知書─何西阿書14:1-9;約珥書2:15-27;彌迦書7:18-20。

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 Parashah this week 25-31 August contains a "double reading":

I. Nitsavim-"You are Stationed"
Torah: Deuteronomy 29:10-30:20

II. VaYelech-"And he Went"
Torah: Deuteronomy 31:1-30
Haftarah: Isaiah 61:10-63:9

*Deuteronomy 29:10. "All of you stand today before the LORD your God: your leaders and your tribes and your elders and your officers, all the men of Israel, your little ones and your wives-also the stranger who is in your camp, from the one who cuts your wood to the one who draws your water." The Hebrew word used here for "stand" is a military term meaning to "be stationed", "be positioned". Elohei Ma'archot Yisrael-"The God of Israel's Arraying" (I Samuel 17:45b) has a 'positioning' for each of us in the war, whatever our age, our sex, our race, or supposed social status.

*Deuteronomy 29:14. "I make this covenant and this oath, not with you alone, but with who stands here with us today before the LORD our God, as well as with who is not here with us today." God's word over Israel for life (see 30:19!) was not only for those present, but for the generations down through the ages whose seed was present in the bodies of those standing before him and hearing this word. This release of an eternally efficacious word from the Lord was continued beautifully some 2000 years later by Yeshua in His "High Priestly" prayer, John 17:20-21, "I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me."

*Deuteronomy 29:18. ".that there may not be among you a root bearing bitterness or wormwood." This condition came from "following the dictates of the heart" (vs. 19b) and could finally result in being "uprooted" (vs. 28). Hebrews 12:14-15 in the New Covenant seems to have had this verse in mind, "Pursue peace with all, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God; lest any root of bitterness springing up cause trouble, and by this many become defiled."

*Deuteronomy 30:8. "And the LORD your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live." Another translation of this last phrase is, "for your life's sake." God is a "Life-God" (Elohim Chaim-El Chai). We cannot follow the "dictates of the heart" (see 29:19 above) as it is-God desires to cut away what is necessary, not only in our hearts, but in those who will come forth from us-"our descendants" (29:14). Then we will be able to "Love the LORD our God with all our hearts and souls that we may live!"

*Deuteronomy 30:9. "For the LORD will again rejoice over you for good as He rejoiced over your fathers, if you obey."

*Deuteronomy 30:11. "For this commandment which I command you today is not too mysterious for you, nor is it far off.but the word is very near you, in your mouth and in your heart, that you may do it." "Too mysterious" is the same in the Hebrew as "Is there anything too wonderful for Me?" in Jeremiah 32:27. The righteous live by Faith and that which is impossible becomes possible, "For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation" (Romans 10:10).

*Deuteronomy 30:19. "I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live that you may love the LORD your God, that you may obey His voice, and that you may cling to Him, for He is your life and the length of your days; and that you may dwell in the land which the LORD swore to your fathers, to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, to give them." God gives the revelation, the grace and power to "choose life", even before we are capable of loving and obeying and clinging to Him. "Length of your days" is the same as "forever", the last word of the 23rd Psalm. The desire to dwell in the house of the Lord forever begins with the free choice which He is offering us!

*Deuteronomy 31:7. "Then Moses called Joshua and said to him in the sight of all Israel, 'Be strong and of good courage, for you must go with this people to the land which the LORD has sworn to their fathers to give them, and you shall cause them to inherit it." "Be strong and of good courage" (Hebrew: Chazak v'ematz!) will appear again over and over from God Himself in Joshua 1. It is a "command form" of verb.strength and courage are commanded/proclaimed directly into the person.

*Deuteronomy 31:11. "When all Israel comes to appear before the face of YHVH your God in the place which He chooses, you shall read this Torah before all Israel in their hearing." Deuteronomy 31:17-18. "Then my anger shall be aroused against them in that day, and I will forsake them, and I will hide My face from them.And I will surely hide My face in that day because of all the evil which they have done." In Hebrew, the word "face" in relation to the LORD is used to signify both His Presence and the glory of His loving attention (or lack of it) shining upon His people. Psalm 27 repeatedly refers to the importance of "seeking His face" when we hear His call (8), that we set our hearts to do so (8b), and a plea that God "Hide not His face" from us (9). Psalm 31:16 links the shining of God's face on His servant with salvation in His lovingkindness; and three times Psalm 80 declares "Cause Your face to shine, and we shall be saved." 

PLEASE PRAY: for a hatred of darkness and a longing for the light of the face of God in Israel-with a realization that, "It was not by their sword that they won the land, nor did their arm bring them victory; it was your right hand, your arm, and the light of your face, for you loved them." (Psalm 44:3). "For with You is the fountain of life; In Your light we see light" (Psalm 36:9). "If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Yeshua the Messiah His Son cleanses us from all sin" (I John 1:7).

*Isaiah 62:1. "For Zion's sake I will not hold My peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest, until her righteousness goes forth as brightness, and her salvation as a flaming torch."

*Isaiah 62:6. "I have set watchmen on your walls, O Jerusalem; They shall never hold their peace day or night. You who make mention of the LORD, do not keep silent, and give Him no rest till He establishes and til He makes Jerusalem a praise in the earth."

*Isaiah 63:9. "In all their affliction He was afflicted, and the Angel of His Face saved them; In His love and in His pity He redeemed them; and He bore them and carried them all the days of old."

 Martin and Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem

[The Readings for next week (1-7 September) will include special readings for the Feast of Trumpets/Rosh Hashanah (Sept. 5 and 6), besides the Parashah for Saturday (7 Sept) called Ha'azinu-"Give Ear!": TORAH: Deuteronomy 32:1-52; Haftarah (Shabbat Shuvah): Hosea 14:2-10; Micah 7:18-20; Joel 2:15-27]