出埃及记7:1-25

耶和华一再命令摩西让他转告法老耶和华的旨意，摩西依然缺乏信心，担心法老不听他的话。
耶和华神再三警告法老，如果他不让以色列民离开埃及，神就降灾给埃及，但是法老心里依然刚硬，不肯听从耶和华的命令，不仅如此，骄傲的法老还让埃及术士行法术，与神抗衡。于是神开始降下变水为血的灾难给埃及。埃及百姓因法老的顽梗悖逆而饱受痛苦。           —- Jenny Yang

出埃及記6:1-30

神主動的愛與拯救

神創造萬有，掌管萬有，是萬有的主宰。
神的作為奇妙，神的愛長闊高深，是神首先揀選，與人立約，並且信實守約，以慈愛憐憫施行拯救直到永遠。

神的自我啟示是漸進的，祂首先揀選亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各，與之立約，那時，他們都還不認識神，不曾知道神的名，神是誰。
直到摩西，神揀選摩西帶領以色列百姓從埃及出來，建立以色列民為神的選民，神開始啟示祂自己。

「我是耶和華。我從前向亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各顯現為全能的神；至於我名耶和華，他們未曾知道。我與他們堅定所立的約，要把他們寄居的迦南地賜給他們。我也聽見以色列人被埃及人苦待的哀聲，我也記念我的約。……我也聽見以色列人被埃及人苦待的哀聲，我也記念我的約。」（出6:2-5, 7, 8）

神讓約瑟先到埃及成為宰相，又帶領雅各家七十人進入埃及寄居之地，使以色列人繁衍成為大族。
神又揀選摩西，讓摩西成為埃及王子，卻又進入曠野牧羊，經歷炫燦與荒蕪，造就摩西的睿智、堅忍、謙卑，成為合乎主用的人，既是神的僕人、先知，也是神的朋友，是世人眼中的神人the Man of God。
神首先向摩西啟示「神是誰、神的名」，又啟示神的奇妙權能，聖潔公義，又啟示神的信實守約；通過摩西，使世人可以認識神的屬性，明白神的真理，知道神的旨意，可以得著神的拯救，與贖罪的法則。

感謝神，神愛世人，設立了耶穌基督十字架的救贖，使人可以得救、重生、有新生命，得享永生。

感謝神，是神揀選了我們，使我們可以藉著耶穌基督德蒙救贖，成為神的兒女。

感謝神，惟有基督在我們還作罪人的時候為我們死，神的愛就在此向我們顯明了。（羅5:8）
神就是愛；不是我們愛神，乃是神愛我們，差他的兒子，為我們的罪作了挽回祭，這就是愛了。我們愛，因為神先愛我們。（約一4:8, 10, 16, 19）

主啊，感謝您，您這樣愛我們，因著耶穌基督，使我們成為被揀選的族類，是有君尊的祭司，是聖潔的國度，是屬神的子民。
您是召我們出黑暗入奇妙光明的奇妙救主，求您幫助我們宣揚您的美德、您的救恩、您的愛。        —- Solomon Liu

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Exodus 5:1-23

Would you consider your boss as Pharaoh, slave driver or overseer?
Do we forget what we really work for?
The Bible clearly states that “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for human masters.” (Colossians 3:23)
The Israelites faced slavery and infanticide. One of the reason the Bible had given us was the new Pharaoh did not know who Joseph was. (Exodus 1:8)  The second reason was the Israelites were exceedingly fruitful and Pharaoh afraid they might join the enemies and threaten the national security. (Exodus 1:10)  Would there be a third reason that the Israelites had forgotten who they really serve/work for?

Moses gave Pharaoh the reason to let his people go so that they could hold a festival and offer sacrifices to their God.  Pharaoh stopped them because this would cost him time and money (productivity) in his construction project.

What about you? Would you rather sacrifice your time/ productivity on Sunday to worship God than to serve the other masters?
As a Christian parent, I know my main job is to show my children the importance of gospel and how to live like Christ.
If our children acquire these truths, other things will fall into place (SAT score, athletic/extra curricular achievement(s), monetary gain, saving time on your road trip…etc.)
Do not be a wimpy Christian parent. For example, we can show our children that they should avoiding competing in any team on Sunday.
We can schedule our travel so that we can still worship the Lord on Sunday.
We need to show our children and the world that our time and money are worth sacrificing to our Lord. Sacrifice is an essential part of a Christian’s life.           —- Alan Yam

 

Exodus 4:1-31

Previously in chapter 3, God already identified Himself, gave the message, and asked Moses to deliver and carry out the message. Also He laid out the plan and shared with Moses what would happen.

Now in chapter 4, the conversation on the mountain of God (Horeb) continued with Moses asking about how to have the people listen and believe.
Moses started with the ‘what if’ questions about the authenticity of the message.

Remember that in Chapter 3, God already said that Israelites would listen to him (v18a) and the Pharaoh would ultimately let them go (v20).
Still Moses was simulating other scenarios and assumed the worst.
God patiently helped Moses to practice and strengthen his faith.
Three different miraculous signs were given to Moses, at his disposal to convince people that it was the God of their fathers – the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob that appeared.

Then Moses challenged God with His choice of the deliverer of the message.
Moses considered himself not eloquent and even suggested God to pick someone else.
God challenged Moses back for He is the Creator and would help and teach Moses and Aaron (Yes, God appointed a ‘mouth’ for Moses too).

So off they went, and the Israelites believed and worshiped the Lord.
God was patient with Moses and many of his challenges and resistance and showed His mercy and provision to Moses.
Our God is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Through the work of Jesus, we got the message and became the beneficiary of the message.
Given the Great Commission and the scripture, should we still be asking ‘what if’s or requesting our Lord to send someone else?
Lord, please forgive our little faith and help us to be courageous and diligent in following your commandment.   Amen!           —- Ivy Lin

Exodus 3:1-22

The third chapter of Exodus begins with Moses, now a shepherd in the service of his father-in-law, Jethro, alone with his sheep.  He was at Horeb, also known as Sinai – the mountain of God.  Moses had, in fact, been tending Jethro’s sheep for 40 years. He must have been alone much of the time.  He surely remembered his years in Pharaoh’s court as the adopted son of Pharaoh’s daughter.  He knew God’s purpose for him was to deliver the Israelites from slavery in Egypt.  But – so much time had passed!  What had happened?

It was here at Mount Sinai that Moses experienced an amazing site – the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush and the bush did not burn up.  The appearance of God in fire in the burning bush reveals two things about Him:  His immanence (ever present) and his transcendence (Holiness).

God calls Moses from within the bush and Moses answers ‘Here I am’.  God instructs Moses to not come any closer and to take off his sandals.  The ground Moses is standing on is holy ground.  The place was holy because God was there.  Holiness is the characteristic of God that more than any other sets Him apart from sinful humanity – the root meaning of holy is ‘that which is separate’.  God is without sin or, completely separate from sin. (One interesting note: This is the first passage in the Bible where we see the use of the word ‘HOLY’.)

Moses hid his face and God told him three things:
1.  I am God of your father and God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
2.  I have seen the misery of my people in Egypt.
3.  I am send you (Moses) to Pharaoh to bring my people out of Egypt.

But Moses objects – he considers himself unworthy.  And of course he was unworthy!  That was not the point,  God was doing this, not Moses. And God makes that very clear when He promises “I will be with you.’

Moses objects a second time and asks God what His name is.  God had already told Moses who He was.  However, God now answers with a new name:  ‘I AM WHO I AM’.  This name is not random.  Names in the Bible are highly significant.  A name usually reveals something about the person.  God’s names reveal specific truths about His character.  From His names, we can truly know His attributes.

This is God’s personal name. ‘I AM’ tells us God is a person; He is self-existent, self-sufficient, eternal and immutable.  The Jews regard this as God’s supreme name.  “I AM” is God’s covenant name.  When Jesus used this name to refer to Himself, He declared Himself to be God.

From verse 16 to the end of the chapter, God begins to give Moses instructions on how to talk to the elders of Israel and to Pharaoh, declaring the Israelite slaves will plunder their well-armed and powerful captors.  This must have seemed incredible and impossible to Moses.  He seems to forget he is TALKING to GOD in the midst of a burning bush that does not burn up.

How has God spoken to you through His Word?  Are we willing to do as He asks?  We cannot expect to really hear from God until we receive Jesus – God’s Son –  as our Lord and Savior.  If you have not asked Jesus to be your Lord and Savior, please considering praying and inviting Him into your life.  Then you too will know the GREAT ‘I AM”.            —- Mary Mauderer

出埃及記1:1-22;  2:1-25

神的计划与预备

第一章记述以色列人受欺压，为的是要预备他们离开埃及的心志。
以色列人正如神所应许的，人数众多，而且昌盛繁茂，迅速蔓延，以致惹起埃及人的恐惧，用各种方法来欺虐他们，目的是在消灭或削减他们。
然而，神不单应许他们要多如海边的沙，天上的星，也应许赐迦南地为他们的产业，并且因为当地人的罪恶尚未满盈，要他们在别人之地寄居四百年，然后才会带许多财物从那里出来（创十五7、13～16）。

至于神预备谁来领导以色列人离开埃及，这是第二章的中心主题。
摩西在埃及人逼害以色列人最残酷的时代诞生，并神奇的为逼害者的女儿所收养而得以生存；
在皇宫时摩西想以自己的血气来反抗逼害自己同胞的人，结果却被迫逃亡旷野米甸；在米甸四十年神预备摩西的领导人的个性，准备去领导以色列人出离埃及，前往神应许他们列祖的迦南地去。

在平淡的生活中经历神

在米甸四十年的过程里，摩西默默的在旷野接受神的造就，神没有给他什么特殊的经历，很平凡的让他在那里牧羊。但是在牧羊的生活里面，就锻炼了他属灵生命的品格，为他以后带领二百多万有各种问题的以色列人出埃及做好了准备。
对于我们这些属主的人来说，属灵的品格是难能可贵的，愿我们都能在平凡的生活中承蒙神的造就。阿们！          —- Haiyue Nie

创世記50:1-26

本章记述了在以色列历史上两位重要人物的结局。
雅各：雅各（后来被上帝改名以色列）所生的十二个儿子构成以色列十二个支派，所以他是所有以色列族人的共同祖先。
雅各一生在灵性成长路上有六个阶段：1，向他哥哥以扫买长子名份，这说明他看重神的祝福，尽管他的手段不光彩；2，在伯特利见到异象，与神立约；3，在异乡立业，尽管饱受舅舅拉班的欺骗和压榨，但神祝福他，二十年后他家大业大；4，雅博渡口与神摔跤，求取神的祝福，他的生命得到更新。5，回伯特利，清除偶像，重整家风；6，晚年的信心生活，子孙满堂，在平静祝福中结束一生，死后并享尽哀荣。

约瑟：1，少年得志，备受父亲宠爱，然而也因此被兄长们嫉妒，苦害，甚至被卖为奴；2，在埃及法老的护卫长波提乏家先是受主人信任，后又因拒绝犯罪而蒙冤入狱；3，在狱中受信任而成为管理囚犯的人；4，因为成功地给法老解梦而得法老赏识，从此逐渐走上人生巅峰，成为埃及宰相；5，与兄弟相认，和好，原谅兄长们当初对他犯下的大罪。

约瑟的一生始终信靠上帝，即使他在即使蒙受冤屈时也没有放弃信仰，所以在他的兄长们担心约瑟会报复他们时，“約瑟對他們說：「不要害怕，我豈能代替神呢？ 從前你們的意思是要害我，但神的意思原是好的，要保全許多人的性命，成就今日的光景。 現在你們不要害怕，我必養活你們和你們的婦人孩子。」”
约瑟是我们基督徒学习的榜样。           —- Jenny Yang

創世紀49:1-32；詩篇12:1-8; 13:1-6

祝福

祝福是奉天父上帝的名祝福，祝福是求天父上帝成就，祝福就必須按天父上帝的旨意祝福。

祝福不是一廂情願的事，祝福不是有口無心的順口溜。
雅各／以色列給眾子的祝福，是最好的祝福的典範。
雅各得蒙上帝親自的應許，承繼了上帝對亞伯拉罕、以撒的約（應許得迦南為業，萬族因亞伯拉罕蒙福）。他心中明白上帝的旨意，上帝樂意賜福給人，但人必須敬畏上帝、遵行上帝旨意。
雅各眾子各自任意而為，有偏行己路，得罪上帝的，就不配承繼上帝與先祖所立之約，若隨意給予祝福，並無意義。

雅各／以色列給十二個兒子的祝福，有幾個讓我們有特別的領受──

長子流便，放縱情慾，干犯了上帝的旨意，汙穢了父親的床，就失去了長子的首位。罪可得赦免，但罪行的結果必須承受。
次子西緬與三子利未，怒氣暴烈殘忍可咒（屠殺示劍男子），必分居散住其他支派之中。西緬支派的分地在猶大支派的領地裡；利未支派沒有分地，散住在各支派及逃城中。
猶大原是四子，今得長子祝福，是因三個兄長背離上帝旨意。猶大是小獅子，掐住仇敵頸項，賜平安者（基督）出自猶大。
但，對分地不滿，自行覓地遷徙，如路上虺蛇，屠城掠地，漸行漸遠。
約瑟，是上帝為拯救雅各家的特別作為，是敬畏上帝、合上帝心意的人，配得與眾兄弟迥別的福份。（次子以法蓮得長子名份，瑪拿西也得以成為支派之一，分得領地。）

為父的雅各／以色列，不能憑己意給眾子祝福，必須按天父上帝的旨意祝福人。
「你們得不著，是因為你們不求。你們求也得不著，是因為你們妄求……」雅各書4:2, 3
「你們要先求祂的國、和祂的義這些東西都要加給你們了。」馬太福音6:33
「這律法書不可離開你的口，總要晝夜思想，好使你謹守遵行這書上所寫的一切話。如此，你的道路就可以亨通，凡事順利。」約書亞記1:8
「教養孩童，使他走當行的道，就是到老他也不偏離。」箴言22:6

「願耶和華賜福給你，保護你。願耶和華使他的臉光照你，賜恩給你。願耶和華向你仰臉，賜你平安。」要如此奉我的名為以色列人祝福；我也要賜福給他們。民數記6:24-27

「耶和華我的神啊，求祢看顧我，應允我！使我眼目光明，免得我沉睡至死；
但我倚靠祢的慈愛；我的心因祢的救恩快樂。我要向耶和華歌唱，因祂用厚恩待我。」詩篇13:3, 5, 6
讓我們用合天父上帝心意的祝福，祝福我們的兒女，祝福我們所當祝福的人。          —- Solomon Liu

 

 

 

Genesis 48:1-22

When Joseph heard about his father Jacob’s health is failing. He brought his two sons to Jacob. Jacob rallied his strength and sat on the bedside. Jacob told Joseph that he received his sons, Ephraim and Manasseh. Jacob adopted them into his family at the highest level (as if they were the first and second born). Jacob then crossed his hands to bless Joseph’s sons. Jacob put his right hand (favored hand) on the second-born Manasseh despite Joseph’s effort. Even Jacob gave the same blessings to Joseph’s sons but the son of the right hand received a greater proportion of the blessing. He told Joseph that the younger would be greater than the older. The younger, Ephraim will be ahead of the older, Manasseh.

‘This shows how the idea of firstborn in the Bible is often a position of pre-eminence, not necessarily meaning “first out of the womb” God chose Ephraim to take the position as firstborn.’ In Jeremiah 31:9 described this: For I am a Father to Israel, and Ephraim is My firstborn.

In my opinion, the comforting part of the story is what Jacob said in verse 21, ‘I am about to die, but God will be with you and take you back to the land of your fathers’. Jacob gave reassurance to his descendants that God is with them when he departed from this earth. This is also the most valuable legacy he could pass on to his next generations.

“His presence is sufficient to make up the loss. They leave us, but He will never fail us. He will bring us to the land of our fathers, the heavenly Canaan.” John Wesley.     —- Alan Yam

Genesis 47:1-31

Joseph settled his family of seventy at Goshen, with Pharaoh’s acknowledgement and approval.  At this moment, he focused his efforts on disaster relief, since the famine just started and there were still a few years of hardship ahead of them.
In a stepwise way, Joseph took this opportunity to be the policy maker to centralize the power under the state.  The wealth, the livestock, and the people of Egypt, all became state-owned under the will of the people in exchange of a chance to survive the famine.

That reminded me of the parable of the hidden treasure and pearl that Jesus shared (Matthew 13:44-46).  Egyptians knew the priority well – they sold everything in exchange of the ‘treasure’ or ‘pearl’, which was life, the chance to live.
Do we know our priority well? “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness”.  (Matthew 6:33a)

Lord, may you be pleased when we follow your words; may the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace as we trust in you so that we may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.  Amen.           —- Ivy Lin