第四十八天： 2011年11月14日(Cheshvan 17, 5772)
請讀： 出埃及記15:27 申命記28:47 出埃及記第十六章
「五個曠野考驗」
(二) 以琳：豐盛的祝福
以色列百姓走到下一站–以琳，出埃及記15:27寫著：「他們到了以琳，在那裡有十二股水泉，七十棵棕樹；他們就在那裡的水邊安營。」以琳是一個美麗的地方，是休息之處，充滿供應之所在。通常人們在提及以色列百姓在曠野的考驗時，都會跳過以琳，但以琳也是一個考驗，這是一個不同類型的考驗，以琳並不是一個關於缺乏的考驗，而是關於神的祝福的考驗。就在炎熱、乾旱的沙漠以及在瑪拉事件的失望之後，神帶領他們走到一個美麗的地方，而在這裡的考驗是，他們如何回應祝福？當神祝福我們時，祂在尋找一個感恩的回應，祂的目的是希望我們「在富有的時候，能歡心樂意地事奉耶和華─你的神，」—「因為你富有的時候，不歡心樂意地事奉耶和華─你的神，」(申命記28:47)。
當情況不好的時候，以色列百姓總是很快地抱怨，而當神祝福他們時，他們是否有帶著感恩的心，同樣很快地讚美神嗎？他們在考驗中再度失敗了。我們讀到他們停留在以琳的故事時，並沒有提到他們有感恩的回應。
(三) 汛的曠野：沒有食物
接著，他們來到了汛的曠野，那裡的所面臨的問題是食物缺乏。到了這個時候，人們應該已經開始學會明白神的良善恩慈，他們應該知道他們是可以信任祂在看顧著他們。但是又再一次，他們只是發怨言。出埃及記第十六章告訴我們，他們來到汛的曠野，他們對摩西埋怨說：「我們寧願死在埃及！在那裡有我們想要吃的一切食物。」(出埃及記16:3)當他們感到饑餓時，突然間在埃及奴役之地看起來就沒有那麼地糟糕，他們很快就忘了自己的孩子被殺害，而且他們是工作到死！而他們竟然只記得食物。他們的問題是，他們向後看著埃及，而不是往前看這應許。在受考驗的時候，要將你的眼目定睛在應許上是非常重要的。但是，即使他們未能通過考驗，神仍表明祂願意供應，祂在晚上給他們帶來了鵪鶉，在清晨供應他們嗎哪。【註：汛的曠野(Wilderness of Sin)，字面意思是罪的曠野。】
(四) 利非訂：沒有水
然後他們來到利非訂。在利非訂所面臨的問題是沒有水喝，所以他們又埋怨摩西說，「給我們水喝。」上帝又再次考驗他們，看看他們是否信任祂。他們已經見識過上帝的能力與權柄，他們見過神很輕鬆地就解決了水的問題，祂將尼羅河的水變成血，然後又變回水；祂在紅海中開了一條路，之後又將海水合起來淹沒整個埃及軍隊；祂在瑪拉治好了苦水。根據他們所看到的一切，他們在水的問題上應該可以選擇相信神，但相反地他們還是抱怨。儘管他們的不信，但是神是仁慈的，並為他們供應一切，神從磐石中流出水來。在所有這些情況中，他們有一個清楚的選擇，就是他們可以選擇定睛在神的信實上，並充滿期待，或者是他們可以專注在他們的恐懼上，並充滿焦慮。這種考驗在通過整個曠野的路上都一直持續著。
(五) 利非訂：亞瑪力人的攻擊
另外在利非訂他們遇到亞瑪力人的攻擊。亞瑪力人一直在埋伏等著這些脫隊、虛弱的人。 (這仍然是撒旦的計謀，牠企圖讓人們感到孤立，當你是孤立的時候，你會變得軟弱，你應該一直連結在某處)，但是神又再次顯明祂的良善恩慈。摩西派約書亞去領導軍隊來對抗亞瑪力人。當戰爭激烈開打時，摩西就去代禱。他爬到山頂上俯瞰著戰場，舉起他的手並禱告著。只要摩西舉起手禱告，以色列人就得勝。但是當摩西疲憊、把他的手下垂時，亞瑪力人就開始得勝。亞倫和戶珥看到摩西太疲憊而無法維持舉手的狀態，所以他們就在摩西的兩側扶著他的手，使他可以繼續禱告。摩西為神築了一座壇，起名叫「耶和華尼西」，就是耶和華是我旌旗的意思—「耶和華已經起了誓」(出埃及記17:16)。摩西為百姓建立了一個榜樣，他說，「你不必抱怨、發牢騷，你可以向神舉起你的手，而祂將會幫助。祂將與你一同爭戰，祂會賜給你勝利，祂是一位奇妙的神，祂將成為你的後盾，而且也帶領著你向前進。」
Day 48 Of 100 Days: “Five Wilderness Tests” Read: Ex. 15:27, Deut. 28:47, Ex. 16
Chuck Pierce 寫於 2011年11月13日 22:10
2. Elim: abundant blessing
Their next stop was Elim. Exodus 15:27 reads, “Then they came to Elim, where there were twelve wells of water and seventy palm trees; so they camped there by the waters.” Elim was a beautiful place, a place of rest and full provision. Usually when people teach about Israel’s testing in the wilderness, they skip right over Elim. But Elim was a test also. This was a different kind of test. Elim wasn’t a test based on lack but a test based on God’s blessing. After the hot, dry desert and the disappointment at Marah, God brought them to a beautiful place. The test here was,How would they respond to blessing? When God blesses us, He’s looking for a response of thankfulness. His goal is that we “serve the Lord your God with joy and gladness of heart, for the abundance of everything” (Deut. 28:47).
When things were bad, Israel was always quick to complain. Would they be just as quick to praise God with a thankful heart when He blessed them? Again, they failed the test. We read the account of their stay at Elim, and there is no mention of a thankful response.
3. The Wilderness of Sin: no food
Next they came to the Wilderness of Sin. The problem there was a lack of food. By this time, the people should have begun learning about the goodness of God. They should have concluded that they could trust Him to watch over them. But again, they only murmured and complained. Exodus 16 tells us that they came to the Desert of Sin and grumbled against Moses: “If only we had died in Egypt! There we ate all the food we wanted.” When they got hungry, suddenly the place of bondage in Egypt didn’t look so bad. They quickly forgot that their children had been murdered and they were worked to death! All they remembered was the food. Their problem was that they were looking backward to Egypt instead of looking forward to the promise. In a time of testing, it’s important to keep your eyes on the promise. But even though they failed the test, God showed His willingness to provide. He brought them quail in the evening and manna in the morning.
4. Rephidim: no water
Then they came to Rephidim. The problem in Rephidim was that there was no water to drink. So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.” God was again testing them to see if they would trust Him. They had already seen God’s ability and power. They had seen that God handled water problems very easily. He turned the Nile to blood and then back to water. He opened the way through the water at the Red Sea then closed it back over the Egyptian armies. He healed the bitter water at Marah. In light of what they had seen, they could have chosen to trust God for water. But instead, they grumbled. But God was gracious and provided for them in spite of their unbelief. God gave water from the rock. In all of these situations, they had a clear choice. They could choose to focus on God’s faithfulness and be filled with anticipation, or they could focus on their fear and be filled with anxiety. That kind of testing continued all the way through the wilderness.
5. Rephidim: Amalekites attack
Also at Rephidim, the Amalekites attacked. The Amalekites had been ambushing the stragglers and the weak. (That’s still Satan’s strategy. He tries to get people isolated. When you are isolated, you become vulnerable. You should always be connectedsomewhere.) But God again showed His goodness. Moses sent Joshua to lead the army against the
Amalekites. As the battle raged, Moses went into intercession. He climbed to the top of the hill overlooking the battlefield, raised his hands, and prayed. As long as Moses held up his hands in prayer, the Israelites won. But when Moses grew weary and put his hands down, the Amalekites began to win. Aaron and Hur saw that Moses was too weary to keep his hands up, so they got on either side of Moses and held his hands up so he could continue
in prayer. Moses built an altar to the Lord. He proclaimed there the name of Yahweh Nissi—“the Lord, our Banner”—“for hands were lifted up to the throne of the Lord”(Exod. 17:16, niv). Moses was setting an example for the people. He was saying, “You don’t have to murmur and complain. You can lift up your hands to the Lord, and He will deliver. He will war with you. He will give you victory. He is a miraculous God and will be your rearguard as well as lead you forward.”
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