於2013-11-14發佈

每週一妥拉 2013/11/10-11/16 
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(11/10-11/16稱為打發(VaYishlach,讀經進度為: 
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。』 

正如我們常提到的,『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1:17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32:24,27-28. 只剩下雅各一人。有一個人來和他摔跤,直到黎明。那人說:你名叫什麼?他說:我名叫雅各。那人說: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,所以傳統上教會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。當我們用此事件來為今日的以色列禱告時,我們鼓勵您使用下列相關性的經文,記載在何西阿書十二章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激烈屬靈爭奪的中心,從下一章底拿被玷污與緊接著的血腥大屠殺,還有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。

然而,示劍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大議題。

請禱告:在示劍/那不勒斯的暴力權勢將被破除,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60:6108:7預言說:神已經指著祂的聖潔說: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(Elohei-Yisrael)─以色列的神這名字是後來最常用到的名。神充滿主權地使用祂自己的名字與以色列(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,因此切斷自己離開至高神與亞伯拉罕、以撒和雅各(以色列)的約。祂是主,是以色列的神,我們的後代都是從祂而出。

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(雅各)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。』

雅各『全新』來到示劍─全新的人,全新的名(參考創世記13:18-19),但他的『家』卻沒有完全更新,裡面有從亞蘭偷偷帶來的偶像(最初可能是亞伯蘭的父親從吾珥帶來的?),顯然各式各樣的其他偶像被用在珠寶首飾中。這些偶像對家人的保護已造成危害,繼而引發暴力(底拿),殘忍無知的暴力(西緬和利未),甚至最終造成死亡(拉結)。為了讓以色列的『家』完全更新─為了讓家的保護穩固,必須處理這些事。在這屬靈黑暗與充滿暴力的土地上,惟有神是亞伯拉罕的盾牌(創世記15:1),也惟有同樣的神能保護以色列和他的後裔,到如今仍是如此。

請禱告:聖靈在以色列使人知罪遠離偶像,潔淨自己轉向神並穿上公義。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!

*創世記 35:16, 19-20. 他們從伯特利起行,離以法他還有一段路程,拉結臨產甚是艱難。拉結死了,葬在以法他的路旁(原文:葬在去以法他的路上);以法他就是伯利恆。雅各在他的墳上立了一統碑,就是拉結的墓碑,到今日還在。

希伯來文,清楚的說拉結的墓離伯利恆『還有一段路程』,經過一些宗教猶太人強行解釋,堅持說拉結安息之處就在伯利恆旁邊。那地方已經成為朝聖者前往之地,充滿許多極端正統猶太人的迷信和神秘傳統。撒母耳記上10:2清楚提到在撒母耳的日子,拉結的墓是在『便雅憫境內』,卻是要前去以法他的路上(就是伯利恆)。

以掃、以東、亞瑪力人和伊斯蘭的靈

*創世記36:12.亭納是以掃兒子以利法的妾;他給以利法生了亞瑪力。這是以掃的妻子亞大的子孫。』36章談論到以掃的族譜,他是『以東人的始祖』(9節),此種族主要是由亞瑪力人的子孫所組成(36:12, 16)。正如先前所提到的,在聖經中亞瑪力人的特點是對神立約的子民充滿仇恨的靈,其正是反閃主義的根。在以色列出紅海後,第一個攻擊她的就是『亞瑪力人』(出埃及記17:8),其是神誓言持續爭戰,直到他的名號從天下全然塗抹了(17:14);亦是亞瑪力人趁以色列疲乏困倦擊殺他們落後軟弱的人(申命記25:17-18)。當掃羅不肯順服神的命令而放了亞瑪力王亞甲(撒母耳記上15:9),他受到撒母耳嚴厲譴責,因而失去王位,根據回報,掃羅最後是被亞瑪力人所殺(撒母耳記下1:8, 13)。在以斯帖記中,我們看見亞甲族哈曼提議大屠殺波斯國所有的猶太人,他正是亞瑪力人的子孫。 

這週先知書的閱讀進度是俄巴底亞書,內容是對以東殘忍的審判預言,『因你向兄弟雅各行強暴』(10節)。以西結書35:5將此暴力歸諸於他們對以色列人『永懷仇恨』。神不願一人沈淪,但祂會永遠與反對祂與雅各/以色列之約的人對立,因為神的約是所有人類的生命之約。祂不能容讓四分之一的人滅亡,因為祂是生命的主(Elohim Haim)!因著伊斯蘭宣稱他的神揀選以實瑪利,因此就選擇了另一種約,不同於神藉由以撒而來的生命之約,在伊斯蘭宗教背後的靈顯示出仇恨神的約,使得所有穆斯林進入生命之神審判下的綑綁。神一直恨惡在以掃/以東/亞瑪力人背後的力量 (瑪垃基書1:3; 俄巴底亞書1:2, 18: 申命記25:19; 出埃及記17:14-16),但祂卻愛在其中被擄掠的人,祂對那些會離開那樣黑暗的人提供生命、盼望與未來。

下週的閱讀進度(11/17-11/23)被稱為住在(VaYeshev),妥拉─創世記37:1-40:23;先知書─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 (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 readings for this week 10-16 November 2013 are called VaYishlach-"And He Sent":

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 is an English word used to designate "heavenly" messengers; 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." As we have often mentioned, "Lovingkindness and Truth" (Hebrew: chesid and emet) form a pairing of divine attributes and blessings which appear many times throughout the Hebrew Scriptures. A 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)-a recognition that He was Himself present with the Patriarchs and throughout all of the history of the Hebrews! Nor will He ever 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.'" 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 printed below calls the being an "angel" (mal'akh). But remember, mal'akh means "messenger" and need 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" here 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 favor 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 favor 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 (Hebrew: "whole") 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 tend to be 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 long been associated with violence. In very recent years it has been a hot-bed for terrorism against Israel. Yet it is also the first place where Abraham is recorded 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 (Nablus) with several Jewish settlements nearby. In the early days of the 2nd 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. Muslims identify their deity with Ishmael, thus cutting themselves off from the Covenant which the Most High God made to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (Israel). He is the LORD (YHVH) God of Israel, and it is to Him that all of us, whatever our lineage must come.

PLEASE PRAY: grace for revelation and humility among both Jews and Muslims in Israel to bow to the one true God, who has Himself chosen to be identified with Israel (Jacob) 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."

Jacob came "in wholeness"-a new man with a new name, to Shechem (see Gen. 13:18-19 above).but his "house" was not whole.there were hidden gods smuggled from Aram (perhaps brought originally by Abram's father from Ur?), and obviously various other gods used as jewelry. The presence of these idols had caused a great breach in the protection of the family, occasioning violation (Dina), cruel and senseless violence (Shimon and Levi) and perhaps even eventually resulting in death (Rachel). For the "Family" of Israel to be made "whole"-for the family's armor to be made sound, all of this had to be dealt with. Only the God YHVH (Yehovah) had been a shield for Abraham in this spiritually dark and violent land (Genesis 15:1)-and only the same God would be protection for Israel and his seed. The same holds true today.

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!


*Genesis 35:16 (ESV). "Then they journeyed from Bethel. When they were still some distance from Ephrath, Rachel went into labor.so Rachel died, and she was buried on the way to Ephrath (that is Bethlehem), and Jacob set up a pillar over her tomb."

The Hebrew, which plainly has Rachel's tomb "some distance from" Bethlehem, has been explained away by religious Jews who insist that a building adjacent to the edge of the town is her resting place. That place has become a place of pilgrimage, and much superstitious and occult tradition amongst ultra-Orthodox Jews. I Samuel 10:2 clearly implies that in Samuel's day, Rachel's tomb was assumed to be "in the territory of Benjamin" a number of miles to the north, but "on the way [from Bethel] to Ephrath (that is Bethlehem).

ESAU, EDON, AMALEK AND THE SPIRIT OF ISLAM

*Genesis 36:12. "Now Timna was the concubine of Eliphaz, Esau's son, and she bore Amalek to Eliphaz. These were the sons of Adah, Esau's wife." Chapter 36 is dedicated to the genealogy of Esau, "father of the Edomites" (vs. 9). Central in that race would be the descendants of Amalek (36:12, 16). As has been mentioned, Amalek in Scripture typifies a Covenant-hating spirit which is the root of anti-Semitism. It would be "Amalek" who would first attack Israel after she came forth out of the Red Sea (Exodus 17:8), and against whom God would swear continual war until he was blotted out from under heaven (17:14); it would be Amalek who would pick off stragglers in Israel's rear when they were tired and weary (Deuteronomy 25:17-18). When Saul refused to follow God's commandment and spared the Amalekite Agag (I Samuel 15:9), he would be severely rebuked by Samuel, lose his Kingship, and eventually according to one report, be killed by an Amalekite (II Samuel I:8, 13). And in the book of Esther, we see that the architect of a proposed Holocaust of the Jews in the Persian kingdom was Haman, the Agagite, a descendant of Amalek. The Haftarah reading for this week is the Book of Obadiah.a grim prophecy of judgment on Edom, "for violence against your brother Jacob." (Ezekiel 35:5 attributes this violence to "an ancient hatred" of the children of Israel). God is not willing that any should perish. But He stands forever against that which opposes his covenant with Jacob/Israel-because that Covenant is ultimately a covenant of life for all Humankind. He cannot grant quarter to death, because he is Elohim Haim-the Life God! Because Islam claims that its god chose Ishmael (thereby choosing for itself a different covenant than the Life-Covenant which God gave through Isaac), the spirit behind that religion proves itself a Covenant-hating spirit, bringing all in its bondage under the judgment of the God of Life. God forever hates the power behind Esau/Edom/Amalek (Malachi 1:3; Obadiah 1:2,18; Ezekiel 35; Deuteronomy 25:19; Exodus 17:14-16).but He loves those captured within that system; to those who will come out of that darkness, He offers life, hope and a future!

Martin & Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem


[The readings for next week (17-23 November 2013) are called VaYeshev-"And He Settled": TORAH: Genesis 37:1-40:23; HAFTARAH: Amos 2:6-3:8]