Your Buffer Zone

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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. 

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以色列人在什亭犯罪

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〈民数记〉25: 12 因此，你要说：我将我平安的约赐给他。

以色列人在当时并不知道摩押王请了术士巴兰去咒诅他们。因为这事是摩押王偷偷去做的，为了削减以色列人的力量，以便将来和他们打仗时，可以一举把他们赶出摩押平原。

此时以色列人安营在约旦河东大约廿多里外之地，那里有一片数里宽的平原，也是一个低洼的山谷，因为是热带气候，那里的皂荚树很多，又长得十分茂盛，因此那地又称为什亭谷。什亭是皂荚树原文的发音。什亭亦称亚伯什亭，与耶利哥城隔着约旦河遥遥相对。先知约珥曾说：「到那日，大山要滴甜酒，小山要流奶子，犹大溪河，都有水流，必有泉源从耶和华的殿中流出来，滋润什亭谷。（珥3:18）」表明神至终要祝福以色列人，连他们停留的地方也要祝福和供应。

在犹太人的记录里，巴兰咒诅以色列人失败，回家后耶和华神的灵也离开他了。他越想越不甘心，不仅名利双失，并且失去了摩押王的恩竉。他的贪念一起，便回去向摩押王献计，因为他已经从神的祝福中得知，只要以色列人犯罪，便会失去耶和华神的祝福和护佑。摩押王依照巴兰的计谋，为他们的神明举办了一个盛大的庆祝，并私下由巴兰去引诱以色列人去参加这个庆典。

以色列人以为巴兰是上帝的先知。假如巴兰把上述的经历告诉以色列人，以色列人当然觉得，耶和华神都把祝福以色列人的话给了巴兰，让巴兰祝福以色列人，那他肯定是从耶和华神来的先知了。巴兰只要隐瞒他自己要害以色列人的心意就行了。所以百姓中有人随着巴兰去参加摩押神明的庆典。

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Take Initiative and Fight for God’s Best

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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).

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It’s All in the Approach

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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).

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巴兰之歌3和预言

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〈民数记〉24章12-13节    巴兰对巴勒说：「我岂不是对你所差遣到我那里的使者说：『巴勒就是将他满屋的金银给我，我也不得越过耶和华的命，凭自己的心意行好行歹。耶和华说甚么，我就要说甚么』？

第三次，巴勒就领巴兰到那下望旷野的毘珥山顶上。

 巴勒对巴兰说：「来吧，我领你往别处去，或者神喜欢你在那里为我咒诅他们。巴勒就领巴兰到那下望旷野的毗珥山顶上。」

巴兰一直跟巴勒说：「我岂不是告诉你说『凡耶和华所说的，我必须遵行』吗？」但是巴勒还是坚持，想用各种方法引诱巴兰不听神的话。他不明白，所有的灵都在神的权下。

从毘珥山顶上望下去正好是以色列人的营地。以色列人的营地非常整齐，是按著神在西乃山上的指示所安排的。有个画家把整个营地画出来，其形状竟有如一个巨大的十字架。巴兰是个术士，在前两次他曾经想用法术来咒诅以色列人，但是都失败了，神的临在使他不能任意妄为，他只能听神的话，按著神的意思去祝福。巴兰见耶和华喜欢赐福与以色列，就不像前两次去求法术，却面向旷野。「面向旷野」就是面向摩押的平原观看以色列人。

当他观看以色列人时，神的灵临到他身上，巴兰开始赞美。这段话的英文NIV是这样写的：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。我是这样译的：比珥的儿子巴兰预言，一位眼目看得清楚的人预言，一位听神之话的人预言，那些得见从全能者来的异象之人，那些仆倒敬拜之人，以及那些眼目睁开之人（的预言）。这是一段前言，来表示他巴兰能清楚看见神给他的异象而做出的预言。他不是随便讲的，因为神开了他的眼，使他得以清楚看见。神让他看见什么呢？

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The Blessing of Taking Initiative

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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.

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巴兰之歌1/2

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〈民数记〉23章20节    我奉命祝福；神也曾赐福，此事我不能翻转。

第一次，巴勒带巴兰来到一个名为巴力的高处，从那里往下，可以望到以色列民的营地。巴兰对神有一些了解，因为他要求摩押王巴勒为他准备七座坛，七只公牛、七只公羊。在《圣经》里，有许多地方都显示「七」代表神的数目。一周有七天，神在第七天安息，又立第七日为安息日，圣所的金灯台有七座；人若犯罪，祭司应当七次为他蘸血，七次洒血在圣所的幔前；赎罪日的血要七次洒在施恩座前，〈启示录〉里的七间教会，等等。说不完的「七」例子。巴兰对巴勒明说，他得准备去迎见耶和华神，看看神要他说什么。

神迎见巴兰，将话传给巴兰。

等巴兰一开口，巴勒不禁愣住了，他究竟是巴兰来做何事呢？他付了一大笔钱给这家伙，听听他说些什么？：「巴勒引我出亚兰，摩押王引我出东山，说：来啊，为我咒诅雅各；来啊，怒骂以色列。神没有咒诅的，我焉能咒诅？耶和华没有怒骂的，我焉能怒骂？我从高峰看他，从小山望他；这是独居的民，不列在万民中。谁能数点雅各的尘土？谁能计算以色列的四分之一？我愿如义人之死而死；我愿如义人之终而终。 (23:7-10) 」

这段话里指出巴勒的恶念，但耶和华神高于一切，因此巴兰必须顺服神。这高峰指的就是巴兰和巴勒所站之处，不管是从高峰看或从小山上看，以色列民都是与世人不同的民族。没有人能够数点雅各的后裔，连四分之一也算不过来，表明神给他们的祝福无限大。这里的义人指的是属神的人，有的人说是指雅各，因为以色列人是雅各的十二个儿子所组成的。神给雅各取名为以色列，所以他的后裔就叫做以色列人。雅各之死有何特别？

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巴兰和驴子

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〈民数记〉22:33   驴看见我就三次从我面前偏过去，驴若没有偏过去，我早把你杀了，留牠存活。

以色列人在比珥欢欢喜喜地享用了神给他们的水，又从巴末到摩押地的谷，到那下望旷野之毘斯迦的山顶。毘斯迦的山顶也就是尼波山的山峰之一，那里也是摩西的最后一站。但是在神的时间尚未到时，摩西继续带领以色列人战胜亚摩利王西宏，巴珊王噩和他的众民，长驱直入直到约但河东的摩押平原，对着耶利哥安营。

这时摩押王，西拨的儿子巴勒心急如焚，他联合米甸的长老，因为以色列人：「要把我们四围所有的一概餂尽，就如牛餂尽田间的草一般。」他不知道，神不允许以色列人侵犯摩押人：「耶和华吩咐我说：不可扰害摩押人，也不可与他们争战。他们的地，我不赐给你为业，因我已将亚珥赐给罗得的子孙为业。（申2:9）」

假如摩押人认识神，他们就不会因为以色列人的来临而惊慌，因为亚伯拉罕的缘故，神已经把那地赐他们为业。(因为罗得是亚伯拉罕的侄子，亚扪人是罗得的后裔)。我们也是如此。我们若认识神，就知道神给我们的份是别人不能夺去的，我们就不必害怕别人的能力看起来比我们强，别人的后台看起来如何雄厚，别人如何懂得取悦上司。我们就可以安心地尽本分，不必走旁门走道，也不必嫉妒别人而采取卑鄙或不诚实的手段去害别人，来保护自己的利益。

摩押王巴勒因为不认识神，不知道神的保守，因此想用重金去邀请米索波大米亚一个很有名的术师巴兰，希望请他来咒诅以色列人，让以色列人败坏。可能因为摩押的兵力不是很强，自知不敌，所以不敢向以色列人示威，只好请人用黑法术暗中来害以色列人。

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Blessings for Generations to Come

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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. 

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火蛇与铜蛇

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〈民数记〉21:9摩西便制造一条铜蛇，挂在杆子上。凡被蛇咬的，一望这铜蛇就活了。

38年前在加低斯，摩西差派12个探子去窥探迦南地。以色列人听信10个探子的话而发怨言，惹动神的怒气，被罚再走旷野38年。听到恶讯后，以色列人为了向神表示愿意进迦南，没有得到神的允许，就冲出去和迦南人打仗。但是因为没有神的同在，他们被打得七零八落，被杀退直到何珥玛。38年后，他们来到同一个地方，这次他们先取得神的同意，再出去争战。战争的果效大大不同，他们竟然把迦南人和迦南人的城邑尽行毁灭，后来那地方就取名「何珥玛」。这是一个何等大的转变啊！迦南人的强壮高大并没有改变，但是因为以色列人的信心有了改进，他们就得胜了。

何珥玛的意思是「毁灭」。为何神允许以色列人毁灭迦南人？当然这里指的是一小部份的迦南人，也就是曾经击败他们的，住在南地的亚拉得王。因为这是神要带领他们进驻的地方，是神给以色列人的应许之地。神把这地给了以色列人，因为迦南人败坏的风俗污染了这地，甚至连地也要把这些人吐出去（利18:24-25）。当神的审判临到时，毁灭便是唯一的结果。神若不毁灭，任凭罪恶滋长，那么你会喜欢吗？世界若无净土，我们也活不下去了。很多地方的罪恶蔓延，以致平凡老百生都无法生活，要四处逃亡。因此我们看到神施行审判时，便知道不可忽视神的公义；其实当神彰显祂的公义时，也正是彰显慈爱的时候，消灭罪恶，人才能安乐地活下去。

带着战胜的喜悦，以色列人继续往前走。没想到路甚难行，使人烦燥。你有没有这样的时候呢？碰到不顺利的情形，很多人都会心里烦燥。当你心里烦燥时，哪里最容易犯罪？没错，就是嘴巴。以色列人心里烦燥，就开始骂神和摩西。怨讟就是spoke against，除了怨声载道之外，还有责备和攻击的意思。他们讨厌吗哪。他们竟然不把吗哪当做粮食，说他们没有粮也没有水。其实每一次神都按着他们的需要供应他们。

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