Manna issue 81 - The Mountains Moses Ascended 摩西爬過的山
Climbing the mountains to
re-establish our ties with God
爬上山，與神重新建立連結。
Philip Shee— Singapore 新加坡 許腓利執事
The life of Moses has many precious
lessons for modern-day Christians like
us. Among the many highlights in his
life, the mountains that Moses
ascended represent critical turning
points for him. These events can
provide important insights for us as
we navigate our own journey of faith
and service. Over time, our life may
become mundane, and our faith,
lifeless and sterile. If this happens, we
need to break away from the hustle
and bustle of life and ascend the
mountains, as Moses did. On higher
ground, we can quieten down to
reflect, re-align and rejuvenate, and
to re-establish our ties with God.
摩西的一生，對於今日基督徒的我們，有許多寶貴的教導。
在他一生中，有許多突出的地方，
而摩西所爬過的各個山地，代表了他重要的轉捩點。
當我們在自已信仰和服事的旅程中，尋找方向時，
這些故事都可以給我們當作重要的參考。
久而久之，我們的生活就會變得世俗化，
而我們的信仰變得毫無生命，非常貧瘠。
若是這種情況發生的時候，我們就要打破日常生活中的忙忙碌碌，
爬到山上去，就好像摩西所作的一樣。
MOUNT HOREB 何烈山
Re-acquaintance with God 與神重新認識
Horeb marked Moses’ re-acquaintance
with God after forty years in the
wilderness. As a young man in Egypt,
Moses had been full of passion and
ideals. He had a strong sense of
mission and, on his own initiative,
visited his own people, the Israelites.
He courageously attempted to lead
them, intervening when he witnessed
two of them fighting. He even killed
an Egyptian who was mistreating one
of them. But despite his good
intentions, the Israelites rejected him.
In utter dejection and confusion,
Moses withdrew to Midian, where he
settled into a life of peace and
contentment. He found himself a
wife, became a father, and took on
the job of tending the flock of Jethro,
his father-in-law (Acts 7:22–29).
何烈山代表的是，摩西在曠野四十年之後，重新與神認識。
當他在埃及年輕的時候，就已經充滿了熱情和理想。
他有強列的使命感，雖然這是他自已產生的的念頭，
造訪看看自已的百姓，以色列人的情況如何。
他提起勇氣試著想要帶領他們，
當他看到兩個人在打架的時候，試著調解。
甚至他殺了一個埃及人，因為他虐待他們之中的一個人。
雖然他有善意，但是百性卻拒絕了他。
在完全的灰心和困惑之中，摩西逃到的米甸去，
他在那裡過著一種平靜和知足的生活。
他聚了一個老婆，終於當了爸爸，
接了一份工作，為岳父葉忒羅照顧羊群。
(徒 7：22-29)
The turning point came forty years
later, when Moses led his flock to the
back of the desert and came to Horeb,
the mountain of God. There, the
Angel of the Lord appeared to him in
a flame of fire, in the midst of a bush.
The burning bush1 was somehow not
consumed, which prompted Moses to
take a closer look. It was then that
God called him from within the bush.
In the dialogue that followed, God
corrected Moses’ misconception that
God had deserted His people in Egypt.
In fact, God had seen the oppression
of His people, and had heard their
cries. His grace had seen them through
their trials in Egypt, and that was why
they had not been annihilated, just as
the bush was not consumed. On the
contrary, the Israelites continued to
grow in might and in number. God
then revealed that He would send
Moses to Egypt to deliver His people
and lead them to the promised land, a
land flowing with milk and honey (Ex
3:1–10).
四十年之後，轉捩點終於來到，
當摩西帶著羊群走到沙漠的後面，來到何烈山，神的山。
在那裡神的天使在燃燒的火焰中向他顯現，在荊棘叢中。
燃燒的荊棘叢，不何怎了都燒不了，
就因為這樣讓摩西想更靠近的看一看。
就在那個時刻，神從荊棘之中呼叫他。
接下來的對話，神糾正了摩西的誤解，
因為他認為神拋棄了埃及的百姓。
事實上，神都看到祂的百姓受到期壓，也聽到他們的哭求聲。
他們在埃及受到試煉的時候，神的恩典一直伴隨著，
這就是為什麼他們沒有被毀滅，就如同荊棘並沒有被火燒掉一樣。
相反地，以色列人在力量和人數上，一直成長。
然後神才表示，祂要派摩西到埃及去拯救自已的百姓，
帶領他們到應許之地，一個流奶與蜜的地方。
(出 3：1-10)
God’s Timeline Revealed 神顯明祂的時間安排
At this time, Moses was no longer the
same young man full of energy,
passion and ideals. He had settled
down, and was content with a quiet
and comfortable life. He was certainly
not seeking any thrills, excitement or
disruption to his current way of life.
After all, he was already eighty years
old. He had gone about his own
business for the past forty years while
God was silent.
這時的摩西，不再是相同充滿精力，熱情和理想的年青人了。
他已經安頓下來，並且對於平靜和舒適的生活感到滿意。
很確定的是，他不會尋求任何的驚奇，令人興奮的事，
或是想要打斷目前的生活方式。
畢竟他已經八十歲了。
在過去大約的四十年裡，他都在從事自已的工作，
而神都是沉默的。
It is no surprise that Moses was
reluctant and raised a number of
questions, but God had an answer for
each one. This encounter at Horeb
was to be the defining moment in
Moses’ life—it was when he became
re-acquainted with God. He now
understood God’s grace, and how
God had been with the Israelites
throughout their suffering in Egypt.
More importantly, Moses realized that
the first forty years of his life in Egypt
was to equip him with the best
knowledge and wisdom of the leading
civilization at that time. This provided
the necessary training required to lead
a nation.
這時的摩西就不願意出頭，並提出一堆問題，
這種情況令人感覺一點也不奇怪，
但神對任何人都有答案的。
這次何烈山的相遇，是摩西一生的關鍵時刻 -
也就是在這時，他和神重新再認識。
現在他終於了解神的恩典，
以色列人在埃及受苦的時候，神到底是如何一直與他們同在。
更重要的是，摩西明白了，他以前四十年的埃及歲月，
就是要用當時，最先進的文明世界，其中最好的知識和智慧來裝備他。
這讓他未來，有需要領導國家的時候，有必備的訓練。
The second forty years of his life,
spent in Midian, was equally
important. It was to cultivate his
nature. During this period, alone in a
vast expanse with only sheep for
company, Moses learned meekness
and humility. He learned to slow
down, stay calm and operate in
solitude. The rugged environment
equipped him with the skills necessary
for the subsequent wilderness journey,
where he would endure criticisms and
loneliness. With his previous impulsive
character, he would not have been
able to endure Israel’s repeated
rebellions.
他後來的四十年生活，都在米甸，同樣也很重要。
為的就是造就他的本性。
在這段時間裡，獨自一人在巨大寬闊之地，
只有羊群來他陪伴，摩西學會了溫柔和謙卑。
他學會慢下來，保持鎮定，在孤獨中工作。
嚴苛的環境，讓他在接下來的曠野旅程之後，先學會許多必要的技能，
因為在曠野的時候，他要承受許多批評和寂寞。
和之前他很衝動的性格相比，
他很有可能不會忍受以色列人一直重覆的背逆。
After eighty years of learning and
cultivation, Moses was now ready for
the final third of his life. This period
was to be the fulfillment of his life’s
purpose, the very reason God had
placed him in the world. He had left
Egypt with the mindset of a man who
perceived himself as an undisputed
leader, who "supposed that his
brethren would have understood that
God would deliver them by his hand"
(Acts 7:25). He was confident with his
fists, ever ready to fight and kill. He
returned to Egypt forty years later
with the mindset of "Who am I?" (Ex
3:11), feeling ill-equipped even to
speak, let alone fight (Ex 4:10). Moses
finally understood that this was God’s
mission, not his own. It was God who
would deliver His people through His
power, not through Moses’ abilities.
With this understanding, Moses now
returned to Egypt with nothing but
the "rod of God in his hand" (Ex
4:20).
經過八十年的學習和培養之後，
現在摩西已經準備好，來迎接他生命中，最後的第三段時光。
這個時期，就是他生命存在目的的完成實踐，
也是為什麼神讓他生在這世上的原因。
他帶著人的想法，認為自已的一個無可爭辯的領導者，離開了埃及，
25他以為弟兄必明白神是藉他的手搭救他們；
(徒 7：25)
他對自已雙手的拳頭很有信心，時時都準備好反抗和殺戮。
四十年之後，他回到的埃及，卻帶著這樣的想法，
我是甚麼人？(出 3：11)
覺得自已沒有準備好，甚至口才很不好，更不用說要獨自奮鬥。
(出 4：10)
摩西最後了解到，這是神的使命，不是他自已的使命。
這是因為神要拯救祂的子民，用祂的力量，而不是用摩西的能力。
有了這樣的認知之後，現在摩西回到埃及，
什麼裝備都沒有帶，什麼想法都沒有，只有
手裡拿著神的杖。(出 4：20)
Rediscovering Our Life’s Purpose 重新發現生命的目標
Moses’ meeting with God at Horeb
leaves us with some key points for
reflection. Our lives may become so
routine that we operate on autopilot.
We wake up, go to work or school,
return home at the day’s end, and do
exactly the same things before we
retire to bed. Every weekend, we also
have a routine: reading newspapers,
grocery shopping, housework, taking
an afternoon nap. Life is ordinary and
monotonous. But we want no more
and no less, as we view the status quo
to be a blessing.
摩西與神在何烈山會面，給我們留下幾個重點來反思。
我們的生活可能變得像公式一樣沒有變化，
而我們就像自動導航一樣，自行在運作。
我們早起，上班或上學，一天結束的時候，就回到家，
在爬上床睡覺之前，都作一些同樣的事情。
每個週末，我們也依照慣例而行：
讀讀報紙，到大賣補充家庭用品，買買雜貨，
作些家務事，或是下午午休一下打個盹。
生命即平常又單調。
但我們要的卻是不多不少，因為我們把現狀看成是一種祝福。
Like Moses, we were zealous when
we were young. We had a strong
sense of purpose and mission.
However, as we approach middle age,
the disappointment of failed ideals,
the practicalities of life, and the
commitments of career and family
have worn us out. We are resigned to
our unfulfilled lives, and are satisfied
to relax into our comfort zone of
inertia. At this point, like Moses, we
need to ascend our Horeb. We need
to rediscover our life’s purpose. Have
we forgotten what we are meant to
fulfill while we are still alive? Or do
we feel that we can no longer do it?
Moses was eighty when he found
meaning in his life. He returned to his
original mission, but with a renewed
approach—not by his own might, or
his own fist, but with the rod of God
in his hand. Indeed, we need to take
stock of our life and faith.
就像摩西一樣，年輕的時候，我們很熱心。
我們有很強的動力要追求目標，很有使命感。
然而，當我們到中年的時候，
不能完成理想的灰心，工作上的付出及對家庭的承諾，
已經讓我們變得精疲力竭。
我們就屈服了自已沒有成就感的生活，
但卻滿足於自已過去習慣的舒適圈之中。
若說到這一點的時候，就像摩西一樣，
我們要爬上自已的何烈山。
我們要重新找出自已生活的目標。
難道我們已經忘了，當我們還活著的時候，
到底我們有什麼使命要去完成了嗎？
或者我們覺得，自已不再能夠完成自已的使命呢？
當摩西找到自已生命中的意義時，他是八十歲了。
他回歸到自已最原始的使命，只是用的卻是一種更新後的方式 -
不是靠他自已的力量，或是靠著自已拳頭的武力，
而是靠著他自已手中拿的神的杖。
是的，我們要好好盤點自已的生活和信仰。
If we find ourselves being like Moses
in Midian, just counting sheep every
day, we really must climb Mount
Horeb. We need to unleash the last
burst of fire within us. In fact, Moses’
real value was proven in the last third
of his life. The first eighty years merely
prepared him for the final forty years
of work. Today, what have we left
undone in this world? Before we go
and meet our Lord, should we not
journey to Horeb? Should we not get
out of our comfort zone and leave
Midian?
若我們發現自已就像摩西在米甸曠野一樣的時候，
每天能作的工作只是數點羊隻的數目，
那麼我們真的要爬上何烈山。
要釋放自已裡面最後燃燒的荊棘。
事實上，摩西真正的價值，是在他生命的第三段生活，才被顯明出來。
前面的八十年只不過是用來讓他好好準備，
讓他可以執行後來四十年的工作。
今日，到底我們在這個世界上，還有什麼事情還沒作呢？
在我們去見神的之前，難道我們不應該先有何烈山之旅嗎？
雖道我們不應該走出自已的舒適圈，離開米甸嗎？
As Egypt symbolizes the world
without God, we should return to
Egypt and take God’s people out of it.
因為埃及象徵了一個沒有神的世界，
我們應該回到埃及，把神的百姓帶出來。
THE MOUNTAIN AT REPHIDIM 利非訂的山地
Later, after Moses had led the Israelites
out of Egypt, the Amalekites attacked
them at Rephidim. In response, Moses
instructed Joshua to lead some ablebodied
men into battle, while he
would climb the mountain at Rephidim
to intercede in prayer. He did not go
alone; he took Aaron and Hur with
him.
後來，摩西在帶領以色列人出埃及之後，
亞瑪力人在利非訂攻擊他們。
為了有所應對，摩西命令約書亞帶領一些強壯的人去戰場，
而他爬到利非訂的山上為他們代禱。
他不是自已去；他帶著亞倫和戶珥一起去。
Victory through Teamwork and Unity 透過團隊合作及同心合意的勝利
This incident at Rephidim presents
some precious teachings for our
service to the Lord. As Moses led the
people through the wilderness, he
could decide when to lead from the
front, and when to support from
behind. He knew where he could
complement and add value to
whatever the Israelites needed to do
at the time. He was not at the front
line battling the Amalekites. But he
was able to provide critical
contributions away from the limelight.
As we can see, whenever Moses lifted
his hands, Israel prevailed, and
whenever he became tired and
dropped his hands, the Amalekites
prevailed. But Moses recognized his
limitations, and had brought Aaron
and Hur with him to the mountain so
that they could support him (Ex
17:8–13).
利非訂的故事，給我們服事神的態度，帶來一些珍貴的教導。
當摩西帶領百姓通過曠野的時候，
他可以決定什麼時候到前線去帶頭，什麼時候到後面去支援。
他知道自已可以去那裡幫忙，無論以色列人那時有什麼需要幫忙的時候，他都可以適時出手。
他雖然沒有在前線上，與亞瑪力人爭戰。
但他卻可以在眾人注目之外的地方，提供重大的幫助。
因為我們可以看到，當摩西舉起雙手的時候，以色列人就勝利，
當他累了垂下雙手的時候，亞瑪利人就會贏。
但摩西認知到自已的限制，所以帶著亞倫和戶珥和他在一起到山上去，
這樣他們才能一起幫忙他。
(出 17：8-13)
As we serve the Lord, we must learn
the lesson of Moses ascending the
mountain at Rephidim. There is no
room for individual ego or heroic
exploits in the ministry of the Lord.
Victory is not the result of any one
person, but that of teamwork, with
each playing his role. Moses on the
mountain might not have been visible
to those fighting, and yet his presence
was absolutely critical to the battle.
Aaron and Hur were even less
prominent, but their supporting roles
were equally critical. There are certain
areas for which we are best equipped,
and hence, each of us needs to find
the spot in the Lord’s battle where we
can contribute our utmost. After all,
we are all fighting for one common
purpose.
當我們在服事神的時候，就一定要學會摩西到利非訂山上的課程。
在神的事工上，並沒有任何個人自尊和英雄主義的餘地。
勝利並不是任何人付出的結果，而是每個人好好扮演自已的角色，團隊努力的結果。
在山上摩西或許沒有看到這些戰鬥，
然而他的存在，對整場戰鬥而言，是特別的重要。
亞倫和戶珥雖然沒有那麼出名，
但是他們幫助的角色是同等的重要。
有某些地方，我們的能力是比較強的，
因此，我們每一個人要找出這個強項，
讓我們在神的爭戰之中，發揮自已最強的能力。
畢竟，我們大家都是為著同樣的目標在戰鬥。
MOUNT SINAI 西奈山
In Exodus 19:20, the Bible records the
incident of Moses ascending Mount
Sinai at the instruction of God. The
next few chapters record the close
communion Moses enjoyed with God,
as he directly received the Ten
Commandments and many other
instructions. These formed the
foundation of his understanding of
the truth, and the basis of his teachings
to the people. When he left the
mountain, after interacting with God,
Moses’ face shone (Ex 34:35). He was
clearly spiritually uplifted.
出埃及記19章20節，聖經記載了，
摩西在接到的神的命令之後，爬上西奈山的故事。
接下來的幾章之中，記載了摩西與神快樂親密的溝通，
因為他直接從神領受了十誡，及許多其他的命令。
這些就是形成他對真理了解的基礎，
也是他對百姓教導的根基。
當他與神互通之後下山，摩西的臉上發出光來。
(出 34：35)
很明顯地，他在靈裡被提昇了。
Having Communion with God 與神聯合
In our journey of faith, we must find
time to have close communion with
God. We seem very busy in this
modern world, and we often lament
that there are not enough hours in the
day, yet we can, somehow, still find
time for other things—be it to read
the newspapers, log on to social
media, or check messages and surf
the net with our smartphones.
在我們信仰的旅程中，我們一定要找出時間，和神有緊密的溝通。
在現今的世界中，我們看起來很忙，
並且常常哀嘆每天的時間不夠，
但不知何故，我們總能為別的事情，找出一些時間 -
無論是看報紙，掛在社群媒體的網路上，
用智慧看一下有沒有私人簡訊，或是上網。
But as Christians, do we dedicate
any time each day for a quiet moment
with God in prayer and Bible reading?
And particularly on Sabbath days, do
we have close communion with God?
In fact, if we have the heart to draw
near to God, finding time is not that
difficult. We might find it difficult to
spend forty consecutive days
communing with God, like Moses did.
But if we can devote a specific time
each day to get on our knees, and
calm ourselves to reflect on God’s
words and our lives, we will surely be
spiritually uplifted. It will make all the
difference in our lives.
但是身為基督徒，我們有沒有每天拿出一些時間來，
在禱告中與神共享一些安靜的時刻，並且讀經呢？
特別是在安息日，我們有沒有好好的與神有緊密的團契呢？
事實上，若我們有心靠近神，要找出時間來並沒有那麼困難。
我們可能會發現，若要像摩西一樣，連續四十天一直與神溝通是很困難的。
但若我們每天若能獻出一些特別的時間，跪下來禱告，
讓自已平靜下來，好好思考神的話和自已的生活，
我們在屬靈上，一定會得到提昇。
這樣才會在我們生活中，改變我們的一切。
MOUNT NEBO 尼波山
Mount Nebo was the final mountain
Moses ascended. From that vantage
point, God showed him the entire
promised land, which He had sworn
to give Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.
This was God’s special concession to
Moses, who was not allowed to enter
the land because he had previously
disobeyed God. Instead of
commanding water to come out of
the rock, Moses had struck the rock
twice and rebuked the people in
anger. As a result, God punished
Moses by prohibiting him from
crossing the river into the promised
land (Num 20:1–12). Moses pleaded
with God but was rejected. Instead,
God instructed him to go up to the
top of Pisgah (Deut 3:23–26).
尼波山是摩西登上的最後一座山。
從那地勢高挑可遠望的點，神向他展示了整個應許之地，
這就是神向亞伯拉罕，以撒和雅各起誓應許要給他們的地方。
這是神給摩西的特權，因為之前違背了神的命令，所以不被允許進入迦南地。
他沒有命令水從岩石裡流出來，反而擊打了石頭二次，
並且在烈怒中責罵百姓。
結果，神處罰摩西，禁止他越過約旦河，進入應許之地。
(民 20：1-12)
雖然摩西有求神進去，但卻被拒絕了。
相對地，神命令他爬上毘斯迦山頂去。
(申 3：23-26)
On one hand, it seems that God
was very harsh. Moses had made one
mistake, and yet was denied his
lifelong dream of crossing the river
into the promised land. But God had
His reasons. In His righteousness, God
requires a price to be paid for sin and
disobedience. And yet, while Moses
could not cross the river, God had
special grace and love in store for him.
一方面，神看起來非常的嚴格。
摩西只不過犯了一個錯，
然而卻被拒絕了他一生之中，長久以來的夢想，可以越過約旦河，進入應許之地。
但神有祂的理由。
在祂的公義之中，神對罪摰和不順從的情況，
都要求有相對應的代價。
雖然，摩西不能越過河，
神仍對他，準備好特別的恩典和慈愛。
Moses’ Final Moments with God 摩西與神的最後時刻
As we read the account of Moses’
final moments (Deut 34:1–7), we
cannot help but feel touched by God’s
personal send-off for His faithful
servant. No one else was there apart
from Moses and his God. On this
mountain, God showed Moses a
panoramic view of the entire promised
land. This special concession God
made for Moses was a far superior
experience to crossing the river. At the
crossing, Moses would have only
been able to see a limited area of the
land. He would have had to travel and
battle for a number of years before he
could see the land in its entirety. But
from the vantage point of Mount
Nebo, his eyes were able to savour
the whole land. God’s grace had
preserved Moses so that, at 120 years
of age, his eyes were not dim and his
body was full of vigour. He did not die
in pain or sickness. He had simply
finished his mission and fulfilled his
purpose on earth, and it was time for
God to take him back. Even more
touchingly, only God knows the
location of Moses’ grave, because He
buried him personally. This was the
final private moment Moses spent
with God. Who else on earth could
have that privilege?
當我們讀到摩西最後時刻的記載時，(申 34：1-7)
我們不禁受到神對祂忠心僕人親自送別的感動。
除了摩西和他的神在那裡之外，沒有其他人在那裡。
在這座山上，神給摩西看了整個應許之地的全貌。
這個神所給摩西的特權，是一種比越過約旦河更好的經驗。
當越過河的時候，摩西將只能看到這塊地的有限區域。
在可以看見此地的整個全貌之前，
他將不得不花幾年的時間來旅行各處，到處爭戰。
但是從尼波山的遠挑點上，他的雙眼將能夠品味全地的風貌。
神已經為摩西保留了恩典，這樣，即使他已經120歲了，
雙眼仍然沒有昏暗，身體仍然充滿氣力。
他們沒有在疼痛和疾病中死去。
他只是完成自已的使命，達成他在世上的任務，
而這時也是神要帶他回去的時間。
更令人感動的是，只有神知道摩西埋葬的地方，
因為是神親自來埋葬。
這也是摩西與神相處，最後個人的時間。
在地上的任何人，誰有這種的特權呢？
All of us will reach the end of our
lives one day. When that time comes,
will we, like Moses, ascend Mount
Nebo? Will God be there with us? Will
we have the privilege of reflecting
with God on the completion of our
mission and the fulfilment of our
purpose? Will our promised land be in
sight? We may have a list of things we
want to do before we die—places to
visit, things to see, experiences to
savour. But when we get to our final
moment, do all these things really
matter? We should learn from Moses
on Nebo. In our final moment,
nothing else really matters other than
having God right there by our side.
What a blessing it would be for God
to acknowledge that we have fulfilled
our purpose on earth, and finally
welcome us into His eternal rest.
有一天，我們全部的人都會到達自已生命的終點。
當那個時刻來到之，我們是不是可以像摩西一樣，登上尼波山呢？
神會不會在那裡與我們在一起呢？
我們會不會有特權，和神一起想想我們完成的使命，我們生命目標的達成呢？
我們會不會看到自已應許之地的全貌呢？
在我們死之前，或許會有一張自已待辨事項的名單-
要去的地方？要看的事物？要品嚐的人生體驗。
但是當我們到達自已最後的時刻之時，
難道這一切的東西都很重要嗎？
我們應該向尼波山上的摩西學習。
在自已最後的時刻，別的事情都不是很重要，
只有神站在我們身邊和我們同在，才是真正重要的事。
試看看，若神承認了我們已經完成自已在世上的任務，
最後歡迎我們進入永生的安息，
難道不是一個很大的祝福嗎？
1 The burning bush signified the suffering of the people.
God speaking from the midst of the burning bush
reinforced His message to Moses, which is that He had
been with His people all along.
荊棘被火燒著象徵百姓的受苦，
神從被火燒著的荊棘中說話，受次向摩西強調祂的訊息，
就是祂一直以來，都和百姓同在。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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