每週一妥拉（新的開始！）+（做工的果子(喬納)）
每週一妥拉2013/9/22-9/28
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。
2013年九月28日
新的循環開始！
起初，神…
這週的妥拉閱讀循環重新開始，這週的閱讀稱為『起初』（B'resheet）：
妥拉：創世記 1:1-6:8
先知書：以賽亞書 42:5-43:10
妥拉
*創世記 1:1-5. 『起初，神創造天地。地是空虛混沌，淵面黑暗；神的靈運行在水面上。神說：要有光，就有了光。神看光是好的，就把光暗分開了。神稱光為晝，稱暗為夜。有晚上，有早晨，這是頭一日。』
當我們翻開充滿神氣息（提後3:16）的書卷第一章，神在創造天地，神的靈在那裡運行（第2節）。當神說話，祂的道也在那裡（第3節；約翰福音1:1）。伊羅興Elohim就是神的意思，是一個複數的字，動詞卻總是以單數型態出現。
*創世記1:3. 『神說：要有光，就有了光。』聖經並沒有說神『創造了』光（神自己就是光，約壹1:5）。而是說『要有光』，就這樣成了！約翰福音1:1-9節說耶穌就是神的話/道，生命在祂裏頭，『這生命就是人的光』。
在創世記的頭幾章，有幾個字用來描述神的動作：創造（從無到有，希伯來書11:3）；製造；建造、形成或塑造（有趣的是，要用祂的形象造人，用了創造和形成這二個動作（創世記1:27，2:7）。
*創世記1:5. 『有晚上，有早晨，這是頭一日。』今日，在以色列所奉行的一些宗教節日（如安息日或節期），都是從前一天晚上日落開始計算，而不是從日出。
*創世記2:3. 『到第七日，神造物的工已經完畢，就在第七日歇了祂一切的工，安息了。神賜福給第七日，定為聖日（希伯來文：使這日聖潔）；因為在這日，神歇了祂一切創造的工，就安息了。』值得注意的是，這裡是聖經第一個地方我們看見神使某件事『聖潔』或『分別為聖』，此事和每週的第七日有關，在這裡祂安息─停止一切工作。
*創世記1:27. 『神就照著自己的形像造人，乃是照著祂的形像造男造女。』人的希伯來文是亞當（adam），在創世記2:7，我們看見神用地上的塵土（adomah─紅色）造人。今日希伯來文的『人』仍以『亞當之子』來稱呼。從這段經文清楚看到，雖然人們總是以男性的性別、鬍子提到神；然而，在神裡面男性和女性的本質，轉化成按祂的形象所創造的男女。
在創世記第三章尾聲，因著罪，那形象遭到破壞，領受生命氣息的人已奄奄一息。到了4:1男人和女人開始生養，他們瞭解到那賜下生命的造物主有一個名字，叫雅威YHVH（耶和華，『主』）。他們的兒子們將供物獻給這位雅威（4:3）；卻過了許多世代，人們才以比較個人和親密的方式來認識並使用這名字（出埃及記3:15b；6:2-3）。
在創世記4:8有謀殺案發生，供物較討神喜悅的好人亞伯成為第一個死去的人。有趣的是，亞伯名字的希伯來文拼法與『虛空』或『虛幻』相同，這剛好是我們在住棚節期間所閱讀的傳道書的開端與精髓所在。人的生命不過是一片雲霧，出現少時就不見了，而好人亞伯與惡人該隱的生命都不過片時。
*創世記4:26. 『塞特也生了一個兒子，起名叫以挪士。那時候，人才求告耶和華的名。』或許賽特意識到他兄弟亞伯的死，以及罪顯然在他長兄該隱身上的工作，賽特將他長子取名以挪士（Ehnoshe），英文通常翻出來的意思就是『人』（詩篇8:4人算什麼，你竟顧念他？世人算什麼，你竟眷顧他？）。但以挪士的實質意思是『會死去的』（mortal），正如英文『會死的』（mortal）與人的死亡有關，以挪士這名字便成為亞當之子因罪沈淪結果的參照。與以挪士相同的希伯來字（Ehnoshe）也被用在耶利米書17:9，人心比萬物都詭詐，『壞到極處』（ehnoshe），又可翻為病入膏肓，或無藥可解。
到了創世記第六章，地上都敗壞了，充滿罪惡的人連同悖逆的天使。『耶和華見人在地上罪惡很大，終日所思想的盡都是惡，耶和華說：我要將所造的人（希伯來文：adam）和走獸，並昆蟲，以及空中的飛鳥，都從地上（希伯來文：adamah）除滅，惟有挪亞在耶和華眼前蒙恩』（6:5,7a, 8）。在現代希伯來文這句話仍有『帶來喜悅』之意。
請禱告：『就像挪亞的日子一樣』(馬太福音24:37)，地上雖然充滿邪惡，卻有許多末後的『挪亞』興起，為主帶來喜悅，『在祂的眼前蒙恩』。
有一首很受歡迎的希伯來文敬拜歌曲，是幾年前由一些以色列青少年所寫成的：
聖靈請來，聖靈請來，今日就來
我心中的渴望就是在你眼前蒙恩
我心靈的渴望就是更多像你
神啊請來，住在我裡面，使我純淨
讓我的眼目專注在討你喜悅的事上
使我全然歸於你
(聖靈請來Boi Ruakh. c2004 by Keren Seguin)
先知書
*以賽亞書 42:5-7. 『創造諸天，鋪張穹蒼，將地和地所出的一併鋪開，賜氣息給地上的眾人，又賜靈性給行在其上之人的神耶和華，祂如此說：我─耶和華憑公義召你，必攙扶你的手，保守你，使你作眾民的中保（中保：原文是約），作外邦人的光，開瞎子的眼，領被囚的出牢獄，領坐黑暗的出監牢。』
*以賽亞書43:1-3a. 『雅各啊，創造你的耶和華，以色列啊，造成你的那位，現在如此說：你不要害怕！因為我救贖了你。我曾提你的名召你，你是屬我的。你從水中經過，我必與你同在；你逿過江河，水必不漫過你；你從火中行過，必不被燒，火焰也不著在你身上。因為我是耶和華─你的神，是以色列的聖者─你的救主。』
*以賽亞書43:5-7. 『不要害怕，因我與你同在；我必領你的後裔從東方來，又從西方招聚你。我要對北方說，交出來！對南方說，不要拘留！將我的眾子從遠方帶來，將我的眾女從地極領回，就是凡稱為我名下的人，是我為自己的榮耀創造的，是我所做成，所造作的。』
*以賽亞書43:10. 『耶和華說：你們是我的見證，我所揀選的僕人。既是這樣，便可以知道，且信服我，又明白我就是耶和華。在我以前沒有真神（真：原文是造作的）；在我以後也必沒有。』
下週的閱讀（9/29-10/5）稱為挪亞，讀經進度為妥拉：創世記6:9-11:32；先知書：以賽亞書54:1-55:5。新月閱讀：民數記28:9-15；以賽亞書66:1-24。
馬汀和娜瑪‧賽維士（Martin & Norma Sarvis）
於耶路撒冷
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大使命37
做工的果子
在瞭解人這事上，對於那些不認識神而信靠政府的人，我們不該感到驚訝，那是他們唯一可以信靠的。即便如此，政府正在衰退中，而且會持續衰退。大使命是在提供世界一個永不失望的盼望。
凡是心存盼望並給予盼望的人，將在要來的時候成為最明亮的光。福音的意思是『好消息』，不是壞消息。神所賜給我們傳揚的福音是這世界所能聽到最好的消息，萬王之王就要來了，祂的國度會被建立在地上，好讓祂的旨意行在地上如在天上。正如確切的預言宣告，祂會重建全地如同當初所造的樂園，就連獅子都可以與羔羊一同躺臥，孩子能與眼鏡蛇一同玩耍。神應許我們再也沒有疾病、痛苦或死亡，沒有孩子被虐待，也沒有人會傷害他人。
聖經在一些地方也告訴我們，義人要吃自己行為/勞動所結的果子，如以賽亞書三章10節。許多人有一種很不正確的想法，就是在樂園裡，每一樣東西都會供應給我們。真理是，那將嚴重剝奪我們個人的福祉。倘若你認為自己將要與基督一同掌權，你會對掌權需要預備多少工作而感到震驚。
人受造首要是為了與神相交，其次是工作、耕種園子。工作不是人類墮落的咒詛，勞累才是。勞累是以極大、極痛苦的努力來工作。然而，沒有在人類墮落咒詛下的工作是必須的，好使人有成就感。心理學主張，當一個人被剝奪有意義的勞動力時會發瘋，這樣的說法一點也沒錯。我們受造是為了完成任務，倘若我們被剝奪此事，我們會開始失去我們基本的人性。那即是何以那些以政府津貼維生的人，反而被剝奪他們之所以為人最重要的部分。他們被俘虜在可怕的監獄裡，神的國度不會對人做出這樣的事。
幾年前，我和幾個中情局情報員有一段非常有趣的談話，他們告訴我一個投入在基督教宣教機構所做的研究報告。他們知道有多少基督徒投入在各國的宣教，也知道其結果。我很訝異他們做了如此的研究報告，對其結果同感訝異。我覺得每一個教會和宣教機構需要聽到他們所做出的結論。
這些情報員分享南韓戰後的故事，他們說基督教宣教團體湧進南韓，供應此被破壞殆盡的國家豐富的資源。中情局到州政府要他們制止這些宣教團隊給予如此多的資源，因為他們若能到宣教團隊那裡免費得著物品，人們便失去生產任何東西的動力。當這些慈善團體終於停止供應，南韓的經濟才開始運作，現在它是全世界第六大經濟國。更重要的是，南韓在過去50年間擁有全世界最高比例改信基督教的人口。一些全世界最大的教會，最偉大的基督徒都在那裡被興起。
俗語說的好，你若給人一條魚，他會有一頓飯，但你若教他如何釣魚，他餘生都可以養活自己。儘管給予這些東西都是出於最好的動機，但無限制與無條件的慈惠工作可能無法真正為人們帶來幫助。
當我們開始在非洲為村莊挖井時，學到此功課。我們宣教團的領隊與第一個村莊約定，倘若他們挖出一個洞，我們將提供石頭、水管，還有其他挖井所需的配備。當我們的團隊抵達那裡準備收成時，他們卻還沒有開挖。當我們詢問原因，部落的領袖說宣教士總為他們做每一件事。我們的團隊開始撤離，當地的領袖則表達抗議。然而，宣教團隊說唯有部落做自己的部分，他們才會做他們的部分，於是村莊的領袖叫了一些人開始挖井。因為當他們投注自己的時間和精力在其上，他們才會感覺那是自己的井，也才會小心維護。
後來我們發現不同的宣教團隊和慈善團體在那地方挖了八千多個井，還在用的卻非常的少。許多井無法運作，單單因為缺少一個只要五美元的零件。沒人在維護它們，也沒人教導當地人要如何維護。此不僅浪費掉千萬美元，更為當地人帶來悲慘的後果，倘若他們的井不是白白得來的，他們的生活或許會更好。
當我們與一個村莊共同合作，我們教導他們如何挖井或如何預備水源，也教導他們要如何維護，全村的人經歷對該井所有權的自豪。這也可以應用在建造學校和教會建築，當人們投入工作時，就會跟著改變。當我們為他們做了一切，反而是在傷害他們。
正如我們在卡翠納颶風所學到的，雖然一開始我們必須提供人們一切所需，但很快讓他們一起工作是很重要的。雖然要這樣做很難，因為我們為他們在災難中失去那麼多感到難過，但這樣做卻很重要。倘若人們整天都坐在那裡悲傷，對他們反而更糟，他們可能會變得反覆無常。倘若我們讓他們去做一些建設性的事物，神奇的是他們竟可以如此快開始恢復。
(摘自喬納 word for the week, Week 37, 2013)
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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.
28 September 2013
A NEW CYCLE BEGINS!
In the Beginning God . . .
This week the cycle through the Torah begins anew. The reading for this weekend is called B'resheet-"In the Beginning".
TORAH: Genesis 1:1-6:8
HAFTARAH : Isaiah 42:5-43:10
TORAH
*Genesis 1:1-5. "In the beginning Elohim (English: God) created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters. Then Elohim said, "Let there be light; and there was light. And Elohim saw the light, that it was good; and Elohim divided the light from the darkness. Elohim called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, one day."
As we open to the first chapter of this God-breathed (II Timothy 3:16) book, GOD is si mply there--creating. The SPIRIT of God is there (vs. 2). And as God speaks, His living WORD is there (Vs. 3; John 1:1). Elohim is a Hebrew word translated into English God. It is a plural word-yet when used of the Hebrew God it is always treated with a singular verb.
*Genesis 1:3. "God said: 'Let there be light!' And there was light." The Scriptures do not say that God "created" light (God Himself is light, I John 1:5). Rather, He spoke it forth-"Be light!"-and it was released into His creation! John 1:1-9 speaks of Yeshua as being God's Word, in whom was life "which is the light for men".
There are a number of words used for God's actions during these early "beginnings" chapters: creating (from nothing that is seen, Hebrews 11:3); making; building; fashioning or shaping (out of something already created); working (Interestingly, for bringing into being the man in His image, both the acts of creating and fashioning are used (Genesis 1:2, 2:7).
*Genesis 1:5. "And there was evening and there was morning, one day." Today, in Israel all days for religious observance (such as the Sabbath or feast days) are reckoned from sundown the evening before rather than sunrise.
*Genesis 2:3. "And on the seventh day Elohim ended His work which He had done, and He ceased on the seventh day from all His work which He had done. Then Elohim blessed the seventh day and sanctified it (Hebrew: "made it holy"), because in it He ceased from all His work which Elohim had created and made". It is significant that the first place in Scripture in which we see God making something "holy" or "set apart" is here in relation to the seventh day of the week when He shabbat-"ceased working".
*Genesis 1:27. "So God created man in His image, in the image of Elohim He created him; masculine and feminine He created them." "Man" in Hebrew is adam. In Genesis 2:7, we are shown that Elohim formed the adam our of adamah (earth-which, in turn, is adomah-"reddish in color"). The modern-day Hebrew term for "human being" is still benei-adam-"son (or child) of adam." From this passage it is clear that God, although always referred to in the masculine gender, bears, nevertheless, within His nature both the masculine and feminin e which is transferred into the nature of those created "in His image".
By the end of Chapter 3 that image is marred and what had received the breath of life is, because of sin, already dying. In 4:1 the man and woman have begun to reproduce, and realize that their Creator and the One through whom this new life comes has a name, YHVH (Yehovah, "The LORD"). Their sons bring offerings to this YHVH (4:3); yet it will be many generations before Humankind comes to know and use that Name in a personal and intimate sense (Exodus 3:15b; 6:2-3).
In Genesis 4:8 murder is committed, and Abel, a good man whose sacrifice pleased God, becomes the first man to die. It is interesting that Abel's name in the Hebrew is spelled the same as the Hebrew word for "vapor" or "vanity" (This word both begins and permeates the book of Ecclesiastes which we have been reading during the feast of Sukkot.). Life is but a vapor which is here and passes away, and the life of Abel the good and that of Cain the wicked are both temporary.
*Genesis 4:26. "And as for Seth, to him also a son was born; and he named him Ehnoshe."It was perhaps with an awareness of the death of his brother Abel, as well as of the sin-sickness obviousl y at work in his eldest brother Cain that Seth chose to name his first son Ehnoshe. Ehnoshe is often translated into English "man" (Psalm 8:4, "What is man (ehnoshe) that You are mindful of him, and the son of man (ben-adam) that you visit him?"). But the word more literally means "mortal". Just as English "mortal" has to do with that in man which dies ("mortuary" is related to that word), so ehnoshe has within it a reference to the fallen effect of sin in the children of Adam. Ehnushe, a word with the same Hebrew letters, is used in Jeremiah 17:9 where it says that the heart is deceitful above all things and "desperately wicked" (NJKV), "desperately sick" (ESV and NAS), "beyond cure" (NIV).
By Genesis 6 the earth is corrupted through sinful man in conjunction with rebellious angelic beings. "Then YHVH saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.So YHVH said, 'I will destroy the man (Hebrew: the adam) whom I have created from the face of the earth (Hebrew: the adamah).' But Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD" (6:5,7a, 8). To "find gra ce in the eyes of" is an expression which is still common in modern Hebrew, meaning "to bring pleasure to."
PLEASE PRAY: that "as it was in the days of Noah" (Matthew 24:37), along with a rising evil on the earth, a multitude of latter-day "Noah's" will also arise who bring pleasure to their LORD, who "find grace in His eyes."
The English translation of a popular Hebrew worship song, written some years back by an Israeli teenager read:
Come Spirit, Come Spirit, Come today/
The Desire of my heart is to find grace in your eyes/
The desire of my soul is to be more like you/
Come God, Dwell within me, Make me pure/
Focus my eyes on what pleases You that I may be devoted to You
; (Boi Ruakh. c2004 by Keren Seguin)
HAFTARAH
*Isaiah 42:5-7. "Thus says God the LORD, Who created the heavens and stretched them out, Who spread forth the earth and that which comes from it, Who gives breath to the people on it, and spirit to those who walk on it: 'I, YHVH, have called you in righteousness, and will hold your hand; I will keep you and give you as a covenant to the people, as a light to the Gentiles, to open blind eyes, to bring out prisoners from the prison, those who sit in darkness from the prison house.'"
*Isaiah 43:1-3b. "But now, thus says the LORD, who created you, O Jacob, and He who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; You are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk throu8gh the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Savior."
*Isaiah 43:5-7. "Fear not, for I am with you; I will bring your descendants from the east, and gather you from the west; I will say to the north, 'Give them up!' and to the south, 'Do not keep them back!' Bring my sons from afar, and my daughters from the ends of the earth-everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him.'"
*Isaiah 43:10. "'You are my witnesses,' says the LORD, 'and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me there was no God formed, nor shall there be after Me.'"
Martin and Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem
[The readings for next week (29 September-5 October) is called Noach-"Noah". TORAH: Genesis 6:9-11:32; HAFTARAH: Isaiah 54:1-55:5 Rosh Chodesh Cheshvan: Numbers 28:9-15, Isaiah 66:1-24]
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The Great Commission, Part 37
The Fruit of Our Labor, Week 37, 2013
Rick Joyner
Continuing with the matter of understanding people, again we should not be surprised by how those who do not know the Lord put their trust in government. It is all they have to trust in. Even so, governments are failing and will continue to fail. The Great Commission is to offer the world a hope that will never disappoint.
Those who have hope and give hope are going to be the brightest lights in the times to come. The gospel means “good news,” not bad news. The gospel we have been given to preach is the best news this world has ever heard. The King is coming, and His kingdom will be established on earth so that His will is done here just as it is in heaven. As the sure word of prophecy declares, He is going to restore earth to the paradise it was originally created to be. Even the lion will lie down with lambs, and children will be able to play with cobras. We are promised that there will be no more sickness, pain, or death. There will be no child abuse, and no one will hurt anyone else.
Also, as we are told in such places as Isaiah 3:10, the righteous will eat the fruit of their own labor. That is a shocking thought to many who have a concept that in paradise everything is provided for us. In truth, that would deprive us of something vital to our well-being. If you think you are going to rule with Christ, you will be shocked at how much work ruling is.
Man was created primarily to have fellowship with God and secondly to work, to cultivate the garden. Work was not a curse from the Fall, but toil was. Toil is to work with great and painful effort. However, work that is not under the curse of the Fall is needful for man’s fulfillment. Psychology is right when it maintains that a human being will go insane if deprived of meaningful labor. We were created to accomplish things. If we are deprived of this, we begin to lose our basic humanity. That is why those who live off entitlements are deprived of a vital part of their very being. They are captured in a terrible prison. The kingdom of God will not do that to people.
A few years ago, I had an interesting conversation with a couple of CIA agents. They told me of a study by the agency that focused on Christian missions. They knew how much Christians had spent on missions in virtually every nation, and they knew the results. I was amazed that they had done such a study, and I was just as amazed by the results. I felt that every church and missionary organization needed to hear what they concluded.
These agents shared the story of South Korea after the war. They said Christian missions swarmed South Korea supplying the devastated country with an abundance of resources. The CIA went to the State Department to ask them to stop these missions from giving so much, because no one was motivated to produce anything if they could go to the mission and get items for free. When this charity was finally cut off, the South Korean economy kicked into gear. Now it is the sixth biggest economy in the world. Even more importantly, South Korea had the highest conversion to Christianity in the world over the next half century. Some of the greatest churches in the world, and some of the greatest Christians, were raised up there.
This common saying is true: If you give a man a fish, he will have one meal, but if you teach him how to fish, he can feed himself for the rest of his life. Even though it is usually given with the best of intentions, unlimited and unconditional charity can be destructive.
We learned this when we started digging fresh water wells for villages in Africa. The leader of our ZAO missions made a deal with the first village that if they would dig the hole, we would supply the stone, pipes, and other requirements for the well. When our team got there ready to complete the well, it had not been dug. When they asked why, the leader of the village said that the missionaries always did everything for them. Our team started to leave and the leader protested. However, the team said they would only do their part if the village did theirs. The leader got some men and dug the well. Because they had their own time and energy invested in it, they had ownership and were careful to maintain the well.
We found out later that there had been about 8,000 wells dug in that region of Africa by various missions and charities, but few were still working. Many wells were not functioning due to the lack of just a $5 part. No one maintained them, and no one had shown the natives how to maintain them. Not only was about $10 million wasted, but this also had tragic consequences for people who might have been better off if they had not been given the wells in the first place.
When we partnered with a village, we taught them how to dig and prepare the well or water source, and also how to maintain it. The whole tribe experienced an important pride of ownership in the well that was elevating. This could be transferred into building schools and church buildings. When people get engaged in the work, it is transforming. When we do everything for them, we are hurting them.
As we learned at the Katrina disaster, though we had to provide everything for people at first, it was important to get them working and doing something quickly. Although this was hard to do because we felt sorry for people who had lost so much, it was crucial. If people sat in their grief all day, it was much worse for them. They could become very volatile. If they were given something constructive to do, it was amazing how quickly they would start recovering.
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