Your Buffer Zone

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 18:11-20.  Let’s go!

Joshua 18:11-20 (NIV) 
11  The lot came up for the tribe of Benjamin, clan by clan. Their allotted territory lay between the tribes of Judah and Joseph:
12  On the north side their boundary began at the Jordan, passed the northern slope of Jericho and headed west into the hill country, coming out at the desert of Beth Aven.
13  From there it crossed to the south slope of Luz (that is, Bethel) and went down to Ataroth Addar on the hill south of Lower Beth Horon…….

On verses 11-20:  According to scholars, the tribes of Judah and Joseph were rivals, even though they were all part of the nation of Israel.  Interestingly, the lot is cast and Benjamin ends up getting the land right “between the tribes of Judah and Joseph” (v11).  In this way the tribe of Benjamin acted as a buffer between the two rivaling tribes, Judah and Joseph.

It reminds me of the role that Jesus plays in our lives.  When we were enemies of God because of our sin, Jesus stepped in the middle and acted as the buffer between us and God. 

Read more

以色列人在什亭犯罪

/in /by

〈民數記〉25: 12 因此，你要說：我將我平安的約賜給他。

以色列人在當時並不知道摩押王請了術士巴蘭去咒詛他們。因為這事是摩押王偷偷去做的，為了削減以色列人的力量，以便將來和他們打仗時，可以一舉把他們趕出摩押平原。

此時以色列人安營在約旦河東大約廿多里外之地，那裡有一片數里寬的平原，也是一個低窪的山谷，因為是熱帶氣候，那裡的皂莢樹很多，又長得十分茂盛，因此那地又稱為什亭谷。什亭是皂莢樹原文的發音。什亭亦稱亞伯什亭，與耶利哥城隔著約旦河遙遙相對。先知約珥曾說：「到那日，大山要滴甜酒，小山要流奶子，猶大溪河，都有水流，必有泉源從耶和華的殿中流出來，滋潤什亭谷。（珥3:18）」表明神至終要祝福以色列人，連他們停留的地方也要祝福和供應。

在猶太人的記錄裡，巴蘭咒詛以色列人失敗，回家後耶和華神的靈也離開他了。他越想越不甘心，不僅名利雙失，並且失去了摩押王的恩竉。他的貪念一起，便回去向摩押王獻計，因為他已經從神的祝福中得知，只要以色列人犯罪，便會失去耶和華神的祝福和護佑。摩押王依照巴蘭的計謀，為他們的神明舉辦了一個盛大的慶祝，並私下由巴蘭去引誘以色列人去參加這個慶典。

以色列人以為巴蘭是上帝的先知。假如巴蘭把上述的經歷告訴以色列人，以色列人當然覺得，耶和華神都把祝福以色列人的話給了巴蘭，讓巴蘭祝福以色列人，那他肯定是從耶和華神來的先知了。巴蘭只要隱瞞他自己要害以色列人的心意就行了。所以百姓中有人隨著巴蘭去參加摩押神明的慶典。

Read more

Take Initiative and Fight for God’s Best

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 18:1-10.  Let’s go!

Joshua 18:1-10 (NIV) 
1  The whole assembly of the Israelites gathered at Shiloh and set up the Tent of Meeting there. The country was brought under their control,
2  but there were still seven Israelite tribes who had not yet received their inheritance.
3  So Joshua said to the Israelites: “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?……

On verses 1-10:  The Tent of Meeting was a portable tent that was set up as a place where God could meet with the people of Israel.  The Tent of Meeting is set up at Shiloh (v1) and there Joshua speaks to the entire assembly of Israelites, saying “How long will you wait before you begin to take possession of the land that the LORD, the God of your fathers, has given you?” (v3)  At this point 7 tribes of Israel had still not received their allotments and had been waiting to take over some land in the promised land.  So Joshua sends 21 surveyors, 3 from each of the remaining 7 tribes that did not have land, to survey the remaining land (v4-9).  Joshua then cast lots to see which tribes would get what land (v10).

Read more

It’s All in the Approach

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s GAME passage is Joshua 17:11-18.  Let’s go!

Joshua 17:11-18 (NIV) 
11  Within Issachar and Asher, Manasseh also had Beth Shan, Ibleam and the people of Dor, Endor, Taanach and Megiddo, together with their surrounding settlements (the third in the list is Naphoth). 
12  Yet the Manassites were not able to occupy these towns, for the Canaanites were determined to live in that region. 
13  However, when the Israelites grew stronger, they subjected the Canaanites to forced labor but did not drive them out completely. ……

On verses 11-18:  The tribe of Manasseh was supposed to drive out the Canaanites from the land they had been allotted, but the Canaanites were too strong for them (v12).  Eventually when they are able to subdue the Canaanites, rather than driving them out as Deuteronomy 20:16-18 commanded, they subjected them to forced labour instead (v13).  Then the people of Joseph (i.e. the tribes of Manasseh and Ephraim together) approach Joshua, complaining that Joshua has given them too little land for a people as numerous as them (v14).  Joshua turns their complaint into a challenge for them:  “if you are so numerous, then go up into the forest and clear land for yourselves there” (v15).  The people of Joseph further complain to Joshua that they are scared of the Canaanites who live in that area and their iron chariots (v16).  Joshua encourages them, telling them that they are numerous, powerful and capable of taking that land (v17-18).

Read more

巴蘭之歌3和預言

/in /by

〈民數記〉24章12-13節    巴蘭對巴勒說：「我豈不是對你所差遣到我那裡的使者說：『巴勒就是將他滿屋的金銀給我，我也不得越過耶和華的命，憑自己的心意行好行歹。耶和華說甚麼，我就要說甚麼』？

第三次，巴勒就領巴蘭到那下望曠野的毘珥山頂上。

 巴勒對巴蘭說：「來吧，我領你往別處去，或者神喜歡你在那裡為我咒詛他們。巴勒就領巴蘭到那下望曠野的毗珥山頂上。」

巴蘭一直跟巴勒說：「我豈不是告訴你說『凡耶和華所說的，我必須遵行』嗎？」但是巴勒還是堅持，想用各種方法引誘巴蘭不聽神的話。他不明白，所有的靈都在神的權下。

從毘珥山頂上望下去正好是以色列人的營地。以色列人的營地非常整齊，是按著神在西乃山上的指示所安排的。有個畫家把整個營地畫出來，其形狀竟有如一個巨大的十字架。巴蘭是個術士，在前兩次他曾經想用法術來咒詛以色列人，但是都失敗了，神的臨在使他不能任意妄為，他只能聽神的話，按著神的意思去祝福。巴蘭見耶和華喜歡賜福與以色列，就不像前兩次去求法術，卻面向曠野。「面向曠野」就是面向摩押的平原觀看以色列人。

當他觀看以色列人時，神的靈臨到他身上，巴蘭開始讚美。這段話的英文NIV是這樣寫的：The prophecy of Balaam son of Beor,  the prophecy of one whose eye sees clearly,  the prophecy of one who hears the words of God,  who sees a vision from the Almighty, who falls prostrate, and whose eyes are opened。我是這樣譯的：比珥的兒子巴蘭預言，一位眼目看得清楚的人預言，一位聽神之話的人預言，那些得見從全能者來的異象之人，那些仆倒敬拜之人，以及那些眼目睜開之人（的預言）。這是一段前言，來表示他巴蘭能清楚看見神給他的異象而做出的預言。他不是隨便講的，因為神開了他的眼，使他得以清楚看見。神讓他看見什麼呢？

Read more

The Blessing of Taking Initiative

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 17:1-10.  Let’s go!

Joshua 17:1-2 (NIV) 
1  This was the allotment for the tribe of Manasseh as Joseph’s firstborn, that is, for Makir, Manasseh’s firstborn. Makir was the ancestor of the Gileadites, who had received Gilead and Bashan because the Makirites were great soldiers.
2  So this allotment was for the rest of the people of Manasseh–the clans of Abiezer, Helek, Asriel, Shechem, Hepher and Shemida. These are the other male descendants of Manasseh son of Joseph by their clans.

On verses 1-2:  As we discussed in previous chapters of Joshua, Manasseh had the distinction of being the only tribe in Israel that was given land on both sides of the Jordan River. The descendants of Manasseh’s firstborn son Makir received land on the east side of the Jordan River, namely Gilead and Bashan (v1; see also Joshua 13:29-31).  The rest of the tribe of Manasseh would receive land on the west side of the Jordan.  Before we read of what land they would get on the west side of the Jordan, verses 3-6 tell us an interesting story.

Read more

巴蘭之歌1/2

/in /by

〈民數記〉23章20節    我奉命祝福；神也曾賜福，此事我不能翻轉。

第一次，巴勒帶巴蘭來到一個名為巴力的高處，從那裡往下，可以望到以色列民的營地。巴蘭對神有一些了解，因為他要求摩押王巴勒為他準備七座壇，七隻公牛、七隻公羊。在《聖經》裡，有許多地方都顯示「七」代表神的數目。一週有七天，神在第七天安息，又立第七日為安息日，聖所的金燈台有七座；人若犯罪，祭司應當七次為他蘸血，七次灑血在聖所的幔前；贖罪日的血要七次灑在施恩座前，〈啟示錄〉裡的七間教會，等等。說不完的「七」例子。巴蘭對巴勒明說，他得準備去迎見耶和華神，看看神要他說什麼。

神迎見巴蘭，將話傳給巴蘭。

等巴蘭一開口，巴勒不禁愣住了，他究竟是巴蘭來做何事呢？他付了一大筆錢給這傢伙，聽聽他說些什麼？：「巴勒引我出亞蘭，摩押王引我出東山，說：來啊，為我咒詛雅各；來啊，怒罵以色列。神沒有咒詛的，我焉能咒詛？耶和華沒有怒罵的，我焉能怒罵？我從高峰看他，從小山望他；這是獨居的民，不列在萬民中。誰能數點雅各的塵土？誰能計算以色列的四分之一？我願如義人之死而死；我願如義人之終而終。 (23:7-10) 」

這段話裡指出巴勒的惡念，但耶和華神高於一切，因此巴蘭必須順服神。這高峰指的就是巴蘭和巴勒所站之處，不管是從高峰看或從小山上看，以色列民都是與世人不同的民族。沒有人能夠數點雅各的後裔，連四分之一也算不過來，表明神給他們的祝福無限大。這裡的義人指的是屬神的人，有的人說是指雅各，因為以色列人是雅各的十二個兒子所組成的。神給雅各取名為以色列，所以他的後裔就叫做以色列人。雅各之死有何特別？

Read more

巴蘭和驢子

/in /by

〈民數記〉22:33   驢看見我就三次從我面前偏過去，驢若沒有偏過去，我早把你殺了，留牠存活。

以色列人在比珥歡歡喜喜地享用了神給他們的水，又從巴末到摩押地的谷，到那下望曠野之毘斯迦的山頂。毘斯迦的山頂也就是尼波山的山峰之一，那裡也是摩西的最後一站。但是在神的時間尚未到時，摩西繼續帶領以色列人戰勝亞摩利王西宏，巴珊王噩和他的眾民，長驅直入直到約但河東的摩押平原，對著耶利哥安營。

這時摩押王，西撥的兒子巴勒心急如焚，他聯合米甸的長老，因為以色列人：「要把我們四圍所有的一概餂盡，就如牛餂盡田間的草一般。」他不知道，神不允許以色列人侵犯摩押人：「耶和華吩咐我說：不可擾害摩押人，也不可與他們爭戰。他們的地，我不賜給你為業，因我已將亞珥賜給羅得的子孫為業。（申2:9）」

假如摩押人認識神，他們就不會因為以色列人的來臨而驚慌，因為亞伯拉罕的緣故，神已經把那地賜他們為業。(因為羅得是亞伯拉罕的侄子，亞捫人是羅得的後裔)。我們也是如此。我們若認識神，就知道神給我們的份是別人不能奪去的，我們就不必害怕別人的能力看起來比我們強，別人的後台看起來如何雄厚，別人如何懂得取悅上司。我們就可以安心地盡本分，不必走旁門走道，也不必嫉妒別人而採取卑鄙或不誠實的手段去害別人，來保護自己的利益。

摩押王巴勒因為不認識神，不知道神的保守，因此想用重金去邀請米索波大米亞一個很有名的術師巴蘭，希望請他來咒詛以色列人，讓以色列人敗壞。可能因為摩押的兵力不是很強，自知不敵，所以不敢向以色列人示威，只好請人用黑法術暗中來害以色列人。

Read more

Blessings for Generations to Come

/in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 16:1-10.  Let’s go!

Joshua 16:1-4 (NIV) 
1  The allotment for Joseph began at the Jordan of Jericho, east of the waters of Jericho, and went up from there through the desert into the hill country of Bethel. 
2  It went on from Bethel (that is, Luz), crossed over to the territory of the Arkites in Ataroth, 
3  descended westward to the territory of the Japhletites as far as the region of Lower Beth Horon and on to Gezer, ending at the sea. 
4  So Manasseh and Ephraim, the descendants of Joseph, received their inheritance.

On verses 1-4:  Verses 1-4 describe the territory allotted to the tribe of Joseph, which was located in the centre of Canaan.  According to scholars, the land allotted to Joseph was arguably the most fertile and the most beautiful part of the promised land.   In the verses that follow (verses 4-10 as well as all of Joshua 17) we read of how this land was divided between Manasseh and Ephraim, Joseph’s two sons whose descendants are treated as two separate tribes of Israel named after Manasseh and Ephraim. 

Read more

火蛇與銅蛇

/in /by

〈民數記〉21:9摩西便製造一條銅蛇，掛在杆子上。凡被蛇咬的，一望這銅蛇就活了。

38年前在加低斯，摩西差派12個探子去窺探迦南地。以色列人聽信10個探子的話而發怨言，惹動神的怒氣，被罰再走曠野38年。聽到惡訊後，以色列人為了向神表示願意進迦南，沒有得到神的允許，就衝出去和迦南人打仗。但是因為沒有神的同在，他們被打得七零八落，被殺退直到何珥瑪。38年後，他們來到同一個地方，這次他們先取得神的同意，再出去爭戰。戰爭的果效大大不同，他們竟然把迦南人和迦南人的城邑盡行毀滅，後來那地方就取名「何珥瑪」。這是一個何等大的轉變啊！迦南人的強壯高大並沒有改變，但是因為以色列人的信心有了改進，他們就得勝了。

何珥瑪的意思是「毀滅」。為何神允許以色列人毀滅迦南人？當然這裡指的是一小部份的迦南人，也就是曾經擊敗他們的，住在南地的亞拉得王。因為這是神要帶領他們進駐的地方，是神給以色列人的應許之地。神把這地給了以色列人，因為迦南人敗壞的風俗污染了這地，甚至連地也要把這些人吐出去（利18:24-25）。當神的審判臨到時，毀滅便是唯一的結果。神若不毀滅，任憑罪惡滋長，那麼你會喜歡嗎？世界若無淨土，我們也活不下去了。很多地方的罪惡蔓延，以致平凡老百生都無法生活，要四處逃亡。因此我們看到神施行審判時，便知道不可忽視神的公義；其實當神彰顯祂的公義時，也正是彰顯慈愛的時候，消滅罪惡，人才能安樂地活下去。

帶著戰勝的喜悅，以色列人繼續往前走。沒想到路甚難行，使人煩燥。你有沒有這樣的時候呢？碰到不順利的情形，很多人都會心裡煩燥。當你心裡煩燥時，哪裡最容易犯罪？沒錯，就是嘴巴。以色列人心裡煩燥，就開始罵神和摩西。怨讟就是spoke against，除了怨聲載道之外，還有責備和攻擊的意思。他們討厭嗎哪。他們竟然不把嗎哪當做糧食，說他們沒有糧也沒有水。其實每一次神都按著他們的需要供應他們。

Read more