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The Story Will Continue

2020-12-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 13:1-7.  Let’s go!

Joshua 13:1-7 (NIV) 
1  When Joshua was old and well advanced in years, the LORD said to him, “You are very old, and there are still very large areas of land to be taken over. 
2  “This is the land that remains: all the regions of the Philistines and Geshurites: 
3  from the Shihor River on the east of Egypt to the territory of Ekron on the north, all of it counted as Canaanite (the territory of the five Philistine rulers in Gaza, Ashdod, Ashkelon, Gath and Ekron–that of the Avvites); 
4  from the south, all the land of the Canaanites, from Arah of the Sidonians as far as Aphek, the region of the Amorites, 
5  the area of the Gebalites; and all Lebanon to the east, from Baal Gad below Mount Hermon to Lebo Hamath. 
6  “As for all the inhabitants of the mountain regions from Lebanon to Misrephoth Maim, that is, all the Sidonians, I myself will drive them out before the Israelites. Be sure to allocate this land to Israel for an inheritance, as I have instructed you, 
7  and divide it as an inheritance among the nine tribes and half of the tribe of Manasseh.”

On verses 1-7:  The Lord speaks to Joshua in his old age and tells him that there are still very large areas of land that the Israelites have yet to take over. After describing these remaining lands (v2-5), God promises to Joshua that He Himself will drive out the Sidonians living in the mountain regions (v6).  In other words, God would do this part without Joshua.  God tells Joshua to allocate this area to Israel, dividing it among the nine and a half tribes of Israel that would be living west of the Jordan (v7).

Kings to Conquer

2020-12-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 12:9-24.  Let’s go!

Joshua 12:9-24 (NIV) 
9  the king of Jericho, one the king of Ai (near Bethel), one 
10  the king of Jerusalem, one the king of Hebron, one 
11  the king of Jarmuth, one the king of Lachish, one 
12  the king of Eglon, one the king of Gezer, one 
13  the king of Debir, one the king of Geder, one 
14  the king of Hormah, one the king of Arad, one …….

On verses 9-24:  What can we learn from this list of 31 kings that Joshua and the Israelites defeated?    As I look at this list of conquered kings, I am reminded that we all have certain kings to conquer in our lives.  Maybe it’s a king called worry, a king called laziness, a king called pride, or self-centeredness? Maybe it’s the king of negativity and complaining? Maybe it’s the king of jealousy or bitterness?  Which king poses the biggest threat to you at this time?

米利暗患大痲疯

2020-12-23 in /by

民数记 12: 7-8   我的仆人摩西不是这样，他是在我全家尽忠的，我要与他面对面说话，乃是明说，不用谜语，并且他必见我的形像。你们毁谤我的仆人摩西，为何不惧怕呢？

摩西的古实妻子是指谁？解经家有三种解释：一，就是摩西在米甸娶的妻子西坡拉。二，是摩西在埃及地当将军时娶的妻子。三，西坡拉死后，摩西另娶。「Cush」古实，是希伯来文；在希腊文则称为「Ethiopian」依索匹亚，是挪亚儿子含的后裔之一。每一种解释都有说法，所以我们不用在这事上多费心。问题是，为何摩西的古实妻子会给米利暗和亚伦有毁谤的理由？

根据百度百科：「诽是背地议论，谤是公开指责。毁谤，指以言语相攻击或嘲讽丑化，将不好的事夸大化，故意捏造事实，以诋毁和破坏他人名誉。」摩西有何事可以让他们毁谤呢？若是因为他的妻子，这其中有什么利害关系？摩西是当时以色列人的领袖，摩西的年记越来越大了，年记大了会让人关心何事？既然神拣选亚伦做大祭司，亚伦的儿子是大祭司的接班人；那么，谁是摩西的接班人？摩西的妻子既是古实人，不是以色列人，她生的儿子有没有资格接摩西之位呢？除了这件事，还有何事让摩西会因为妻子的缘故被毁谤？

因此米利暗和亚伦说：「难道耶和华单与摩西说话，不也与我们说话吗？」在这里「摩西为人极其谦和，胜过世上的众人。」，在英文圣经里都用括弧（摩西为人极其谦和，胜过世上的众人。），表示不是摩西自己写的，是后人加上去的。摩西谦和到一个怎样的程度呢？他宁愿让兄姐骂他，也不把此事拿去跟神讲，他默默忍受下来，把所有的委屈往肚子里吞。米利暗和亚伦的挑衅显露出他们追根究底，心里极深的嫉妒。神跟米利暗说话了吗？神跟亚伦说话了吗？没有，从来神都是通过摩西传话。

耶和华的膀臂岂是缩短了

2020-12-22 in /by

〈民数记〉11:23 耶和华对摩西说：「耶和华的膀臂岂是缩短了吗？现在要看我的话向你应验不应验。」

在西乃山下，神的军队秩序井然地向着迦南地走去。神的云彩白天为他们遮蔽炎阳，夜里变为火柱，给他们保暖，并且防止野兽的侵袭。清晨有吗哪降下，日复一日。以色列人才走了三天，离西乃山不远，兴奋感却在面对「大而可畏的旷野面前」而消失了，取而代之的可能是失望、懊恼、不舒服……等等，无论甚么样的情绪，引出的是对神的埋怨而非感谢。

百姓在此发怨言，耶和华听到后怒气发作，使火在他们中间焚烧，直烧到营的边界。经摩西一再哀求，火才熄灭。该地因此得名「他备拉 Taberah 」，意思是 「耶和华的火在燃烧」。(民11:1-3；申9:22)

有一股怨气在他们中间蔓延开来。除了吗哪，还是吗哪，以色列人开始哭号：「谁给我们肉吃呢？我们记得，在埃及的时候不花钱就吃鱼，也记得有黄瓜、西瓜、韭菜、葱、蒜。现在我们的心血枯竭了，除这吗哪以外，在我们眼前并没有别的东西。」

记得我母亲年幼时，因为日本人统治台湾，战争连年不断，大家生活非常贫困，以蕃薯（地瓜）充饥。每天都是吃蕃薯，他们翻来覆去地变花样，吃到最后还是怕了，长大后，听到蕃薯，不管人家说有多好吃，怎样也不肯尝一口了。

再好吃的食物，若给你连续吃上三天九餐，你可能也会生厌；何况以色列人是日以继月，月以继年地吃。百姓里有闲杂人，也就是非以色列人。因为在埃及地时，有的埃及男人和以色列女人结婚了，当埃及人因为鉎的儿子和牲畜被杀死，因而急着要把以色列人赶出埃及时，可能也把那些和以色列人通婚的埃及人也赶了出来；还有一些埃及人或其他人种看到神的权能，因此也跟着以色列人出埃及。

Don’t Get Caught Up In Comparisons

2020-12-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 12:1-8.  Let’s go!

Joshua 12:1-8 (NIV) 
1  These are the kings of the land whom the Israelites had defeated and whose territory they took over east of the Jordan, from the Arnon Gorge to Mount Hermon, including all the eastern side of the Arabah: 
2  Sihon king of the Amorites, who reigned in Heshbon. He ruled from Aroer on the rim of the Arnon Gorge–from the middle of the gorge–to the Jabbok River, which is the border of the Ammonites. This included half of Gilead. 
3  He also ruled over the eastern Arabah from the Sea of Kinnereth to the Sea of the Arabah (the Salt Sea), to Beth Jeshimoth, and then southward below the slopes of Pisgah. ……

On verses 1-8:  In listing some of the kings and lands that the Israelites conquered, these verses show us how much each of Moses and Joshua accomplished from a military perspective.  It leads me to this question:  Do you ever feel like you’re living in someone else’s shadow? Do you often compare yourself, or do others often compare you, to someone you grew up with who accomplished great things? Maybe it was your sibling, your parent, your cousin, your spouse, a peer at school?

Joshua probably felt the burden of comparisons for a while. He was Moses’ assistant for many years.  When Joshua finally succeeded Moses as leader of the Israelites, he probably compared himself, and others probably compared him, to his predecessor Moses and wondered how he could possibly fill such big shoes.

有神同行

2020-12-21 in /by

〈民数记〉10:36约柜停住的时候，他就说：「耶和华啊，求祢回到以色列的千万人中！」

在以色列人离开西乃山之前，神给摩西下了最后的一个指示，就是做两支银号。想想看，在旷野和沙漠地带，两三百万人要同时行动，何等困难。即使有麦克风，也很难把领队的意思表达得很清楚。神设立银号，教导百姓听声而动，何等有效率！据史学家约瑟夫记载，银号为直筒形，长约45公分，末端张开如喇叭，吹时可发出大、小、长、短信号。依犹太人传统，吹长声召集人到会幕敬拜；短而急的声音用于起营与作战。不同场合用不同号音，有祭司专司其职。

神的云彩指示起行和安营，银号指挥军队的行动，两支银号配搭来吹，如此以色列民便可行动如一人。〈民数记〉讲神子民如何编组、配搭、和行动，再次让我们看到神是一个有计划有秩序的神。神不着急。我们做事都想一蹴而就，不想等待，但是神做事想得很远，想到整体。即使大家在西乃山下都很想离开了，祂还是不慌不忙地叫他们先造两支银号。可能有的人会说，唉啊，还造银号有啥用啊？但是这银号造好了，对以色列人的行动可真有极大的帮助。若没有银号，行动时就费劲了。这边叫了，那边听不到；那边叫了，这边还在打包！银号一吹，大家都上路了！值不值得花一点做银号的时间呢？更何况吹这号要成为世世代代的定例，那就更值得了。

当以色列人往前行时，他们的心里该是何等快乐。神与他们同行，神引领他们。旷野的路虽然崎岖险峻，但是在神的带领下，他们终于可以向迦南地出发了。一切都按著神的安排，神的指示：犹大营先行，然后革顺的子孙和米拉利的子孙拆卸帐幕，抬着帐幕往前行；再来是鲁本营。哥辖人抬着圣物先往前行，他们未到以前，革顺的子孙和米拉利的子孙已经把帐幕支好；等他们到了，就可把圣物一一摆进会幕里。再来是以法莲的营，但营压后。军队和利未子孙相互交叉，有保护，也有顺序，一点都不紊乱，有条有理。

It’s Not Just About You

2020-12-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 11:12-23.  Let’s go!

Joshua 11:12-15 (NIV) 
12  Joshua took all these royal cities and their kings and put them to the sword. He totally destroyed them, as Moses the servant of theLORD had commanded. 
13  Yet Israel did not burn any of the cities built on their mounds–except Hazor, which Joshua burned. 
14  The Israelites carried off for themselves all the plunder and livestock of these cities, but all the people they put to the sword until they completely destroyed them, not sparing anyone that breathed. 
15  As the LORD commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it; he left nothing undone of all that the LORD commanded Moses.

On verses 12-15:  Notice the emphasis on how Joshua did what his leader Moses told him to do.  Verse 15 describes it this way: “As the Lord commanded his servant Moses, so Moses commanded Joshua, and Joshua did it”.  Joshua was fully devoted not just to God but to his leader Moses.  Submission to his God-given leader was a crucial ingredient in Joshua’s recipe for success.

Focus on the Mountain Mover, Not on the Mountain

2020-12-20 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 11:1-11.  Let’s go!

Joshua 11:1-11 (NIV) 
1  When Jabin king of Hazor heard of this, he sent word to Jobab king of Madon, to the kings of Shimron and Acshaph, 
2  and to the northern kings who were in the mountains, in the Arabah south of Kinnereth, in the western foothills and in Naphoth Dor on the west; 
3  to the Canaanites in the east and west; to the Amorites, Hittites, Perizzites and Jebusites in the hill country; and to the Hivites below Hermon in the region of Mizpah. 
4  They came out with all their troops and a large number of horses and chariots–a huge army, as numerous as the sand on the seashore. ……

On verses 1-11: Joshua and the Israelites are facing a massive army made up of many allied enemy nations. Verse 4 describes them “as numerous as the sand on the seashore”. Yet God speaks to Joshua and says “Do not be afraid of them, for this time tomorrow I will hand all of them, slain, over to Israel.” (v6) The key word after that is “So”: “So Joshua and his whole army came against them suddenly” (v7). In other words, Joshua chooses to focus on what God says over and beyond his circumstances.  As a result Joshua and the Israelites achieve their most dominant victory yet.

第二个逾越节

2020-12-20 in /by

〈民数记〉9: 17 云彩几时从帐幕收上去，以色列人就几时起行。云彩在哪里停住，以色列人就在哪里安营。

第二个逾越节在这里有两个意思，一是指从第一次出埃及前过逾越节算起，这是第二次的逾越节；另一个意思是指若有人因为不洁净而不能和大家一起过逾越节，那么一个月之后可以补过逾越节，是一年之中的第二个逾越节。所以神的意思是，逾越节是一个以色列人非参加不可的节日，若有人找借口推辞不守逾越节，那人要从民中剪除。在逾越节里，以色列人要记念神借着被杀的羔羊拯救他们出埃及，对基督徒而言，也是信徒非记念不可的受难节。因为借着耶稣的受难，我们的罪得以被遮盖；借着祂完成的救恩，我们能与神和好。

逾越节也是一个寄居的、本地人和外人都可以向神守的节日，因为神的救恩属于万民，并不局限在以色列人身上。在耶稣的受难节里，我们更看出这件事的实质，神的救恩属于万国万民。守逾越节必须先洁净自己，因此沾染了污秽的人不能参加，要延后一个月补过。不洁净的人不能守逾越节，那么我们若心里有罪孽，可否守受难节？所以受难节也是基督徒自我省察的时刻。因为守节是向神守的。

再一次，我被摩西感动。当有特殊的问题出现时，摩西不是说：「让我想想看」，他说：「你们暂且等候，我可以去听耶和华指着你们是怎样吩咐的。」摩西的心何等谦卑，他不是要人的荣耀，也不要做众人的老大；他宁可等候神的差遣，等候神的回复，等候神的带领。他不怕麻烦，只要知道神的心意如何。

God-Given Momentum

2020-12-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs,

Today’s passage is Joshua 10:33-43.  While we’re at it, let’s also look at verses 28-32, since they go together well.  Let’s go!

Joshua 10:28-43 (NIV) 
28  That day Joshua took Makkedah. He put the city and its king to the sword and totally destroyed everyone in it. He left no survivors. And he did to the king of Makkedah as he had done to the king of Jericho. 
29  Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Makkedah to Libnah and attacked it. 
30  The LORD also gave that city and its king into Israel’s hand. The city and everyone in it Joshua put to the sword. He left no survivors there. And he did to its king as he had done to the king of Jericho. 
31  Then Joshua and all Israel with him moved on from Libnah to Lachish; he took up positions against it and attacked it. 
32  The LORD handed Lachish over to Israel, and Joshua took it on the second day. The city and everyone in it he put to the sword, just as he had done to Libnah….

On verses 28-43:  After first taking over the middle portion of the promised land, in verses 28-39 we see Joshua and the Israelites taking over 7 cities in the southern part of the promised land, conquering many different kings and regions in the process.  Later in Joshua 11 they will start taking over the northern part.  Verses 40 to 42 summarize the incredible military success Joshua and the Israelites experienced before returning to their base camp at Gilgal (v43).  Verse 42 explains the reason for Israel’s success: it was because “the LORD, the God of Israel, fought for Israel.” (v42)