CKI基督國度代禱團

這週的閱讀（1/15-1/21）稱為『顯現』（Va'Era）『我從前向亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各顯現為全能的神』，讀經進度為： 

妥拉：出埃及記6:2-9:35 

先知書：以西結書28:25-29:21

*出埃及記 7:1. 『耶和華對摩西說：我使你在法老面前代替神，你的哥哥亞倫是替你說話的。 』在希伯來原文中並沒有『代替』這兩個字。我們是祂的身體，藉此祂以一種很真實的方式釋放祂的旨意『在地上如同在天上』。 

*出埃及記7:9-10. 『法老若對你們說：你們行件奇事吧！你就吩咐亞倫說：把杖丟在法老面前，使杖變作蛇。摩西、亞倫進去見法老，就照耶和華所吩咐的行。亞倫把杖丟在法老和臣僕面前，杖就變作蛇。』希伯來文在這裡所翻譯出來的字並不是蛇，希伯來文提到蛇一般是用nakhash這個字，例如在伊甸園中誘惑夏娃的那條蛇。這裡用的字則是tanin，翻譯為鱷魚。尼羅河的鱷魚從古時就為人所懼怕（遠勝過其他受造物），因為它喜好掠食人。在創世記1:21裡，tanin是神所造出的『大魚』，但此受造物通常被用來比喻與神對立的靈界或自然界力量。 

在以西結書29:3裡（這週的先知書內容），tanin則被翻為怪物，用來描述另一位法老（或掌控他的靈界勢力），『埃及王法老啊，我與你這臥在自己河中的大魚（怪物）為敵。你曾說：這河是我的，是我為自己造的。我─耶和華必用鉤子鉤住你的腮頰。』（在耶利米書51:34同樣的字也被翻譯成『怪物』，在那裡以色列人說：巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒像『大魚（怪物）』將我吞下。）在詩篇74:13則將其描述為『水中大魚（水中怪物）』，神將它的頭打破以拯救那些信靠它的人。在以賽亞書27:1說：『耶和華將殺海中的大魚（龍）。』 

現代希伯來文對新約啟示錄12:3-4『有一條大紅龍，七頭十角…站在那將要生產的婦人面前，要吞吃他的孩子。』此紅龍稱為tanin，而12:9清楚說到『大龍（tanin）就是那古蛇（nakhash），名叫魔鬼，又叫撒但』。在詩篇91:13裡大蛇（tanin）就是龍，那些住在至高者隱密處的，必住在全能者蔭下的人將踐踏大蛇（龍）！

所以，在出埃及記7:15變作蛇的杖，藉由信心成為『神的杖』（4:20），它很有可能變作很可怕的怪物（tanin），吞吃其他可怕的受造物，或是變作有權柄的杖，將尼羅河中的水變為血（7:17）。簡而言之，杖成為權柄的象徵，摩西藉由杖在法老面前代替神（7:1），而神透過摩西彰顯祂自己至高的屬靈能力，可以擊敗、征服並吞吃所有反對的靈界勢力。 

*出埃及記7:14. 『耶和華對摩西說：法老心裡固執，不肯容百姓去。』主知道法老的心剛硬，從一開始的奇事與災難，我們看見法老的心變得越來越剛硬（7:13, 22），或自己硬著心（8:15）。在8:29, 32經歷蒼蠅之災後，摩西特別警告法老不可再行詭詐，但『這一次法老又硬著心』。最後，到了9:12特別說到『耶和華使法老的心剛硬』。在這裡描繪出人的選擇與責任，以及神的預知和主權。在摩西禱告讓大雨、冰雹與雷轟停止後，法老『就越發犯罪；他和他的臣僕都硬著心。法老的心剛硬。』（9:34-35） 

*出埃及記8:23. 『我要將我的百姓和你的百姓分別出來。明天必有這神蹟。』分別這個字的字根是『從危險中贖回、救贖與搶救』，這也記載在詩篇25篇的最後一句話『神啊，求?救贖以色列脫離她一切的愁苦。』以色列將會得知神已救贖她脫離一切的愁苦，藉由彌賽亞所成就的工，最後不僅會救贖以色列，還會救贖一切受罪綑綁的人。

*以西結書 28:25-26. 『主耶和華如此說：我將分散在萬民中的以色列家招聚回來，向他們在列邦人眼前顯為聖的時候，他們就在我賜給我僕人雅各之地，仍然居住。他們要在這地上安然居住。我向四圍恨惡他們的眾人施行審判以後，他們要蓋造房屋，栽種葡萄園，安然居住，就知道我是耶和華─他們的神。』
在為以色列重建禱告，很重要的是不單只為了她回到以色列這塊土地禱告，而是神會在他們中間顯為聖。沒有一處說只要以色列回到這塊土地，就保證平安。我們禱告聖靈的工作，能喚起對罪與不潔的察覺，並渴望潔淨、聖潔與重建─禱告在猶太人心中的帕子除掉，真理照亮出以色列神和救贖主的愛與生命。錫安將一直成為列國的『路標』，但那也是神的心意與渴望，讓錫安在世人眼中成為標誌，神在那個地方顯為聖！祂應許有一天祂要作耶路撒冷四圍的火城，並要作其中的榮耀（撒迦利亞書2:5）。 

下週的閱讀進度（1/22-1/28）被稱為『進去/來』（Bo），妥拉─出埃及記10:1-13:16；先知書─耶利米書46:13-28。

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 are called Va'Era-"And I Appeared"-to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob as El Shaddai)

TORAH: Exodus 6:2-9:35
HAFTARAH: Ezekiel 28:25-29:21

*Exodus 7:1. "So the LORD said to Moses: 'See, I have made you Elohim (Literal Hebrew) to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet." The word "as" before "Elohim" is not in the Hebrew. In a very real way, we are His body through whom He looses His will "on earth as it is in Heaven."

*Exodus 7:9-10. "When Pharaoh speaks to you, saying, 'Show a miracle for yourselves.' then you shall say to Aaron, 'Take your rod and cast it before Pharaoh, and let it become a serpent'.and Aaron cast down his rod before Pharaoh and before his servants, and it became a serpent" (NKJV). The Hebrew word here translated "serpent" is a different word and may designate a different creature than that used for the snake from which Moses fled (mentioned in 4:3 and 7:15). There the word was nakhash, the common Hebrew word for snake, such as that which tempted Eve in Eden . Here the word is tanin, used in modern Hebrew for crocodile or alligator. The Nile crocodile has been feared from ancient times for its propensity (more than any other of the species) to prey upon humans. In Genesis 1:21 tanin is a "great sea creature" created by God. But this creature is often used as a metaphor for spiritual or physical powers in opposition to God. In Ezekiel 29:3 (Part of this week's Haftarah), this word tanin is translated "monster" (NKJV), and depicts another Pharaoh (or the spiritual power controlling him), "Behold, I am against you, O Pharaoh king of Egypt, O great monster (tanin) who lies in the midst of his rivers, who has said, 'My River is my own; I have made if for myself.' But I will put hooks in your jaws." (The word is also translated "monster" in Jeremiah 51:34 where it pictures Nebuchadnezzar swallowing up sinful Israel "like a tanin."). In Psalm 74:13 it is depicted as a many headed "sea monster" (NASB) whose heads God can break in delivering those who trust in him; and in Isaiah 27:1 the NASB reads, "And He will kill the dragon (tanin) who lives in the sea."

In the Modern Hebrew translation of the New Testament Scriptures, the "great, fiery red dragon having seven heads" of Revelation 12:3, who stands before the woman clothed with the sun to devour her baby, is call a tanin.and in 12:9 both tanin (dragon) and nakhash (serpent) are equated with "the Devil and Satan." Lastly, in Psalm 91:13 (NASB, margin) tanin is the dragon which those who dwell in the shelter of the Most High and abide under the shadow of the Almighty, will trample underfoot!

And so, the rod which had become a serpent nakhash (Exodus 7:15), through Moses' obedient faith became in his and Aaron's hands "the rod of God" (4:20), which could become a different fearful creature (tanin) which swallowed up other fearful creatures (7:12), or it could become a scepter of authority which could turn the waters of the Nile, over which the Pharaoh's claimed sovereignty (Ezek 29:3 above), into blood (7:17). In short, it became the symbol of authority through which Moses would be God to Pharaoh (7:1), through whom God would manifest Himself as the supreme spiritual Power who would defeat, subdue and swallow up all other opposing spiritual powers.

*Exodus 7:14. "So the LORD said to Moses: 'Pharaoh's heart is hard; he refuses to let the people go." The LORD knew that Pharaoh's heart was hard (Two words are used for "hard" or "hardened" in these passages, one meaning "heavy" or "settled", the other "tightened", "strengthened" or "fortified". Through the early signs, wonders and plagues, we see Pharaoh's heart growing hard according to its own nature (7:13, 22), or his actively hardening his own heart (8:15). In 8:29, 32, after the plague of flies, Moses especially warns him against continuing to do this, "But Pharaoh made his heart heavy and insensitive this time also." Finally, in 9:12 it is specifically stated that "the LORD hardened the heart of Pharaoh." We have here depicted both the choice and responsibility of man-and the foreknowledge and sovereignty of God. After Moses prays that the rain, hail and thunder cease, Pharaoh "sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. So the heart of Pharaoh was hard."

*Exodus 8:23. "And I shall set a ransom between My people [in Goshen ] and your people." (Robert Alter Translation; see also NASB margin). The word "ransom" is often translated here as "difference"-but everywhere else in the Bible the root means "to ransom, to redeem, to rescue from danger". It is in the last sentence of Psalm 25- "Redeem Israel , O God, out of all his troubles." Israel would learn that God was already redeeming her out of his troubles.and, through the work of her Messiah would eventually redeem not only Israel but all peoples from the bondage of sin.

*Ezekiel 28:25. "Thus says the Lord GOD: 'When I have gathered the house of Israel from the peoples among whom they are scattered, and am hallowed in them in the sight of the Gentiles, then they will dwell in their own land which I gave to My servant Jacob. And they will dwell safely there, build housed, and plant vineyards; yes, they will dwell securely, when I execute judgments on all those around them who despise them. Then they shall know that I am YHVH their God." In praying for Israel 's restoration, it is important not to merely pray for her return to the Land-rather that within the Land the God of her Fathers will come to be hallowed in her midst. Nowhere is Israel promised safety for herself or her roots in the Land just because she has been returned here. We pray for the work of the Holy Spirit in awakening awareness of sin and uncleanness and a longing for cleansing, holiness and restoration-for removal of the veil over Jewish hearts, and illumination of the truth of the love and life of Israel 's God and Saviour. Zion will always be a "signpost" to the nations (that is what the root of the word means).but it is God's heart and desire that she will be a signal in the eyes of the world of a place where HE is hallowed! He has promised a day when He will be a wall of fire around Jerusalem (Zechariah 2:5) and her glory within!

Martin & Norma Sarvis
Jerusalem

[The Torah and Haftarah portions for next week, Bo ("Come"-in to Pharaoh) will be: TORAH: Exodus 10:1-13:16; HAFTARAH: Jeremiah 46:13-28]