約書亞記5:1-15

5:1 約旦河西亞摩利人的諸王和靠海迦南人的諸王，聽見耶和華在以色列人前面使約旦河的水乾了，等到我們過去，他們的心因以色列人的緣故就消化了，不再有膽氣。
5:2 那時，耶和華吩咐約書亞說：「你製造火石刀，第二次給以色列人行割禮。」
5:3 約書亞就製造了火石刀，在「除皮山」那裡給以色列人行割禮。
5:4 約書亞行割禮的緣故，是因為從埃及出來的眾民，就是一切能打仗的男丁，出了埃及以後，都死在曠野的路上。
5:5 因為出來的眾民都受過割禮；惟獨出埃及以後、在曠野的路上所生的眾民都沒有受過割禮。
5:6 以色列人在曠野走了四十年，等到國民，就是出埃及的兵丁，都消滅了，因為他們沒有聽從耶和華的話。耶和華曾向他們起誓，必不容他們看見耶和華向他們列祖起誓、應許賜給我們的地，就是流奶與蜜之地。
5:7 他們的子孫，就是耶和華所興起來接續他們的，都沒有受過割禮；因為在路上沒有給他們行割禮，約書亞這才給他們行了。
5:8 國民都受完了割禮，就住在營中自己的地方，等到痊癒了。
5:9 耶和華對約書亞說：「我今日將埃及的羞辱從你們身上滾去了。」因此，那地方名叫吉甲（就是滾的意思），直到今日。
5:10 以色列人在吉甲安營。正月十四日晚上，在耶利哥的平原守逾越節。
5:11 逾越節的次日，他們就吃了那地的出產；正當那日吃無酵餅和烘的穀。
5:12 他們吃了那地的出產，第二日嗎哪就止住了，以色列人也不再有嗎哪了。那一年，他們卻吃迦南地的出產。
5:13 約書亞靠近耶利哥的時候，舉目觀看，不料，有一個人手裡有拔出來的刀，對面站立。約書亞到他那裡，問他說：「你是幫助我們呢，是幫助我們敵人呢？」
5:14 他回答說：「不是的，我來是要作耶和華軍隊的元帥。」約書亞就俯伏在地下拜，說：「我主有甚麼話吩咐僕人。」
5:15 耶和華軍隊的元帥對約書亞說：「把你腳上的鞋脫下來，因為你所站的地方是聖的。」約書亞就照著行了。

 Now when all the Amorite kings west of the Jordan and all the Canaanite kings along the coast heard how the Lord had dried up the Jordan before the Israelites until they^[a] had crossed over, their hearts melted in fear and they no longer had the courage to face the Israelites.

² At that time the Lord said to Joshua, “Make flint knives and circumcise the Israelites again.” ³ So Joshua made flint knives and circumcised the Israelites at Gibeath Haaraloth.^[b]

⁴ Now this is why he did so: All those who came out of Egypt—all the men of military age—died in the wilderness on the way after leaving Egypt. ⁵ All the people that came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness during the journey from Egypt had not. ⁶ The Israelites had moved about in the wilderness forty years until all the men who were of military age when they left Egypt had died, since they had not obeyed the Lord. For the Lord had sworn to them that they would not see the land he had solemnly promised their ancestors to give us, a land flowing with milk and honey. ⁷ So he raised up their sons in their place, and these were the ones Joshua circumcised. They were still uncircumcised because they had not been circumcised on the way. ⁸ And after the whole nation had been circumcised, they remained where they were in camp until they were healed.

⁹ Then the Lord said to Joshua, “Today I have rolled away the reproach of Egypt from you.” So the place has been called Gilgal^[c] to this day.

¹⁰ On the evening of the fourteenth day of the month, while camped at Gilgal on the plains of Jericho, the Israelites celebrated the Passover. ¹¹ The day after the Passover, that very day, they ate some of the produce of the land: unleavened bread and roasted grain. ¹² The manna stopped the day after^[d] they ate this food from the land; there was no longer any manna for the Israelites, but that year they ate the produce of Canaan.

¹³ Now when Joshua was near Jericho, he looked up and saw a man standing in front of him with a drawn sword in his hand. Joshua went up to him and asked, “Are you for us or for our enemies?”

¹⁴ “Neither,” he replied, “but as commander of the army of the Lord I have now come.” Then Joshua fell facedown to the ground in reverence, and asked him, “What message does my Lord^[e] have for his servant?”

¹⁵ The commander of the Lord’s army replied, “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy.” And Joshua did so.

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    我們的生命有時候需要重整之後再出發，就像以色列人過了約旦河，上帝沒有讓他們冒進繼續向前征戰，反而讓他們在吉甲接受割禮之後，並且在那裏休息和養傷。

    在吉甲上帝也讓他們回顧過去的歷史：「以色列人在曠野走了四十年，等到國民，就是出埃及的兵丁，都消滅了，因為他們沒有聽從耶和華的話。耶和華曾向他們起誓，必不容他們看見耶和華向他們列祖起誓、應許賜給我們的地，就是流奶與蜜之地他們的子孫，就是耶和華所興起來接續他們的，都沒有受過割禮；因為在路上沒有給他們行割禮，約書亞這才給他們行了。」

    不僅如此，他們還在吉甲過逾越節，上帝更是宣告：「我今日將埃及的羞辱從你們身上滾去了。」

    上帝在我們的生命中也是如此的對待，他從世界拯救我們，也使「魔鬼僕役」的羞辱從我們身上滾去，讓我們得著「上帝兒女」的榮耀，使我們不再受到罪和死的轄制，而是獲得生命和聖靈，成為上帝兒女的保證，成為真自由的人！

    當以色列人身上埃及的羞辱滾去時，約書亞遇見「耶和華軍隊的元帥」，使以色列民有真正的元帥！同樣，今日我們成為上帝的兒女，耶穌基督就成為我們的元帥，帶領我們得上帝國之榮耀境為永遠產業！

詩篇88篇

         詩篇88:1-18  ,

詩篇88:1-18

88:1 （可拉後裔的詩歌，就是以斯拉人希幔的訓誨詩，交與伶長。調用麻哈拉利暗俄。）耶和華─拯救我的上帝啊，我晝夜在你面前呼籲。
88:2 願我的禱告達到你面前；求你側耳聽我的呼求！
88:3 因為我心裡滿了患難；我的性命臨近陰間。
88:4 我算和下坑的人同列，如同無力（或譯：沒有幫助）的人一樣。
88:5 我被丟在死人中，好像被殺的人躺在墳墓裡。他們是你不再記念的，與你隔絕了。
88:6 你把我放在極深的坑裡，在黑暗地方，在深處。
88:7 你的忿怒重壓我身；你用一切的波浪困住我。（細拉）
88:8 你把我所認識的隔在遠處，使我為他們所憎惡；我被拘困，不得出來。
88:9 我的眼睛因困苦而乾癟。耶和華啊，我天天求告你，向你舉手。
88:10 你豈要行奇事給死人看嗎？難道陰魂還能起來稱讚你嗎？（細拉）
88:11 豈能在墳墓裡述說你的慈愛嗎？豈能在滅亡中述說你的信實嗎？
88:12 你的奇事豈能在幽暗裡被知道嗎？你的公義豈能在忘記之地被知道嗎？
88:13 耶和華啊，我呼求你；我早晨的禱告要達到你面前。
88:14 耶和華啊，你為何丟棄我？為何掩面不顧我？
88:15 我自幼受苦，幾乎死亡；我受你的驚恐，甚至慌張。
88:16 你的烈怒漫過我身；你的驚嚇把我剪除。
88:17 這些終日如水環繞我，一齊都來圍困我。
88:18 你把我的良朋密友隔在遠處，使我所認識的人進入黑暗裡。

A song. A psalm of the Sons of Korah. For the director of music. According to mahalath leannoth. A maskil of Heman the Ezrahite.

¹ Lord, you are the God who saves me;
    day and night I cry out to you.
² May my prayer come before you;
    turn your ear to my cry.

³ I am overwhelmed with troubles
    and my life draws near to death.
⁴ I am counted among those who go down to the pit;
    I am like one without strength.
⁵ I am set apart with the dead,
    like the slain who lie in the grave,
whom you remember no more,
    who are cut off from your care.

⁶ You have put me in the lowest pit,
    in the darkest depths.
⁷ Your wrath lies heavily on me;
    you have overwhelmed me with all your waves.
⁸ You have taken from me my closest friends
    and have made me repulsive to them.
I am confined and cannot escape;
⁹     my eyes are dim with grief.

I call to you, Lord, every day;
    I spread out my hands to you.
¹⁰ Do you show your wonders to the dead?
    Do their spirits rise up and praise you?
¹¹ Is your love declared in the grave,
    your faithfulness in Destruction?
¹² Are your wonders known in the place of darkness,
    or your righteous deeds in the land of oblivion?

¹³ But I cry to you for help, Lord;
    in the morning my prayer comes before you.
¹⁴ Why, Lord, do you reject me
    and hide your face from me?

¹⁵ From my youth I have suffered and been close to death;
    I have borne your terrors and am in despair.
¹⁶ Your wrath has swept over me;
    your terrors have destroyed me.
¹⁷ All day long they surround me like a flood;
    they have completely engulfed me.
¹⁸ You have taken from me friend and neighbor—
    darkness is my closest friend.

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    有許多人認為環境是上帝的作為，所以不能接受自己在苦難的環境中，正如作者感受到自己好像被上帝遺棄一般！因為環境的一切都是對他不利，讓他感受到充滿挫折，於是向上帝抱怨：「因為我心裡滿了患難；我的性命臨近陰間。我算和下坑的人同列，如同無力（或譯：沒有幫助）的人一樣。我被丟在死人中，好像被殺的人躺在墳墓裡。他們是你不再記念的，與你隔絕了。你把我放在極深的坑裡，在黑暗地方，在深處。你的忿怒重壓我身；你用一切的波浪困住我。」

    但是我們仔細想想，我們所處的世界是怎樣的情況呢？是一個魔鬼所掌權的地方，是充滿苦難的地方，是充滿罪惡和不義的地方，我們更要因基督的名與這個世界格格不入，正如使徒保羅所說：「因我們並不是與屬血氣的爭戰（原文是摔跤；下同），乃是與那些執政的、掌權的、管轄這幽暗世界的，以及天空屬靈氣的惡魔爭戰。」（以弗所書6:12）

    我們不要忘記：魔鬼、世界、肉體，是基督徒屬靈爭戰中天天要面對的三合一仇敵。也因此，詩人的苦悶也是我們會面對，是上帝所允許！正如保羅勉勵哥林多教會：「我們在一切患難中，他(上帝)就安慰我們，叫我們能用上帝所賜的安慰去安慰那遭各樣患難的人。我們既多受基督的苦楚，就靠基督多得安慰。我們受患難呢，是為叫你們得安慰，得拯救；我們得安慰呢，也是為叫你們得安慰；這安慰能叫你們忍受我們所受的那樣苦楚。」(哥林多後書1:4-6)

    也願上帝安慰在各樣苦難中的人，正如祂必安慰寫這首詩的詩人以及讀這首詩的讀者們，雖然在世上有苦難，在基督裡卻有平安！

約書亞記4章

         約書亞記4:1-24  ,

約書亞記4:1-24

4:1 國民盡都過了約旦河，耶和華就對約書亞說：
4:2 「你從民中要揀選十二個人，每支派一人，
4:3 吩咐他們說：『你們從這裡，從約旦河中、祭司腳站定的地方，取十二塊石頭帶過去，放在你們今夜要住宿的地方。』」
4:4 於是，約書亞將他從以色列人中所預備的那十二個人，每支派一人，都召了來。
4:5 對他們說：「你們下約旦河中，過到耶和華─你們上帝的約櫃前頭，按著以色列人十二支派的數目，每人取一塊石頭扛在肩上。
4:6 這些石頭在你們中間可以作為證據。日後，你們的子孫問你們說：『這些石頭是甚麼意思？』
4:7 你們就對他們說：『這是因為約旦河的水在耶和華的約櫃前斷絕；約櫃過約旦河的時候，約旦河的水就斷絕了。這些石頭要作以色列人永遠的紀念。』」
4:8 以色列人就照約書亞所吩咐的，按著以色列人支派的數目，從約旦河中取了十二塊石頭，都遵耶和華所吩咐約書亞的行了。他們把石頭帶過去，到他們所住宿的地方，就放在那裡。
4:9 約書亞另把十二塊石頭立在約旦河中，在抬約櫃的祭司腳站立的地方；直到今日，那石頭還在那裡。
4:10 抬約櫃的祭司站在約旦河中，等到耶和華曉諭約書亞吩咐百姓的事辦完了，是照摩西所吩咐約書亞的一切話。於是百姓急速過去了。
4:11 眾百姓盡都過了河，耶和華的約櫃和祭司就在百姓面前過去。
4:12 流便人、迦得人、瑪拿西半支派的人都照摩西所吩咐他們的，帶著兵器在以色列人前頭過去。
4:13 約有四萬人都準備打仗，在耶和華面前過去，到耶利哥的平原，等候上陣。
4:14 當那日，耶和華使約書亞在以色列眾人眼前尊大。在他平生的日子，百姓敬畏他，像從前敬畏摩西一樣。
4:15 耶和華曉諭約書亞說：
4:16 「你吩咐抬法櫃的祭司從約旦河裡上來。」
4:17 約書亞就吩咐祭司說：「你們從約旦河裡上來。」
4:18 抬耶和華約櫃的祭司從約旦河裡上來，腳掌剛落旱地，約旦河的水就流到原處，仍舊漲過兩岸。
4:19 正月初十日，百姓從約旦河裡上來，就在吉甲，在耶利哥的東邊安營。
4:20 他們從約旦河中取來的那十二塊石頭，約書亞就立在吉甲，
4:21 對以色列人說：「日後你們的子孫問他們的父親說：『這些石頭是甚麼意思？』
4:22 你們就告訴他們說：『以色列人曾走乾地過這約旦河；
4:23 因為耶和華─你們的上帝在你們前面使約旦河的水乾了，等著你們過來，就如耶和華─你們的上帝從前在我們前面使紅海乾了，等著我們過來一樣，
4:24 要使地上萬民都知道，耶和華的手大有能力，也要使你們永遠敬畏耶和華─你們的上帝。』」

 When the whole nation had finished crossing the Jordan, the Lord said to Joshua, ² “Choose twelve men from among the people, one from each tribe, ³ and tell them to take up twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, from right where the priests are standing, and carry them over with you and put them down at the place where you stay tonight.”

⁴ So Joshua called together the twelve men he had appointed from the Israelites, one from each tribe, ⁵ and said to them, “Go over before the ark of the Lord your God into the middle of the Jordan. Each of you is to take up a stone on his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, ⁶ to serve as a sign among you. In the future, when your children ask you, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ⁷ tell them that the flow of the Jordan was cut off before the ark of the covenant of the Lord. When it crossed the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. These stones are to be a memorial to the people of Israel forever.”

⁸ So the Israelites did as Joshua commanded them. They took twelve stones from the middle of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the Israelites, as the Lord had told Joshua; and they carried them over with them to their camp, where they put them down. ⁹ Joshua set up the twelve stones that had been^[a] in the middle of the Jordan at the spot where the priests who carried the ark of the covenant had stood. And they are there to this day.

¹⁰ Now the priests who carried the ark remained standing in the middle of the Jordan until everything the Lord had commanded Joshua was done by the people, just as Moses had directed Joshua. The people hurried over, ¹¹ and as soon as all of them had crossed, the ark of the Lord and the priests came to the other side while the people watched. ¹² The men of Reuben, Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh crossed over, ready for battle, in front of the Israelites, as Moses had directed them. ¹³ About forty thousand armed for battle crossed over before the Lord to the plains of Jericho for war.

¹⁴ That day the Lord exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel; and they stood in awe of him all the days of his life, just as they had stood in awe of Moses.

¹⁵ Then the Lord said to Joshua, ¹⁶ “Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant law to come up out of the Jordan.”

¹⁷ So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”

¹⁸ And the priests came up out of the river carrying the ark of the covenant of the Lord. No sooner had they set their feet on the dry ground than the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and ran at flood stage as before.

¹⁹ On the tenth day of the first month the people went up from the Jordan and camped at Gilgal on the eastern border of Jericho. ²⁰ And Joshua set up at Gilgal the twelve stones they had taken out of the Jordan. ²¹ He said to the Israelites, “In the future when your descendants ask their parents, ‘What do these stones mean?’ ²² tell them, ‘Israel crossed the Jordan on dry ground.’ ²³ For the Lord your God dried up the Jordan before you until you had crossed over. The Lord your God did to the Jordan what he had done to the Red Sea^[b] when he dried it up before us until we had crossed over. ²⁴ He did this so that all the peoples of the earth might know that the hand of the Lord is powerful and so that you might always fear the Lord your God.”

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    約書亞要百姓立石為記，好讓以色列人的子孫可以知道上帝奇妙的作為！正如他教導百姓說：「日後你們的子孫問他們的父親說：『這些石頭是甚麼意思？』 你們就告訴他們說：『以色列人曾走乾地過這約旦河；因為耶和華─你們的上帝在你們前面使約旦河的水乾了，等著你們過來，就如耶和華─你們的上帝從前在我們前面使紅海乾了，等著我們過來一樣，要使地上萬民都知道，耶和華的手大有能力，也要使你們永遠敬畏耶和華─你們的上帝。』」

    這是很重要的，要有紀錄或記號，才能讓後來的人知道以前發生的事情。這也是為甚麼各個地區都會有石碑或銅像，讓人可以記起以前的事件與人物！而過約旦河這個事件更是上帝奇妙的作為，豈能不留下記號為念呢？

    也因為這樣，教會特別看重歷史，因為上帝所完成的事是有永恆的功效的！正如主耶穌的一生各樣的事蹟除了聖經有福音書記載，教會還用教會曆不斷的紀念，讓信徒可以隨時述說上帝透過耶穌基督所行的拯救！

    正如今天是「耶穌升天日」，讓我們藉由今天可以思考耶穌基督被上帝高舉到祂寶座的右邊，也讓我們期盼耶穌基督的再來！因為天使想耶穌的眾門徒說：「加利利人哪，你們為甚麼站著望天呢？這離開你們被接升天的耶穌，你們見他怎樣往天上去，他還要怎樣來。」(使徒行傳1:11)