Manna issue 75 - Conquest of Canaan— Jericho (II)佔領迦南─耶利哥城(第二部分)
Are we on God’s side?我們是否站在神的立場呢？
Caleb Lee—Singapore 著/李加勒─新加坡
翻譯/Margaret HK
Based on a sermon by Caleb Lee—Singapore
根據李加勒的講道內容─新加坡
In our previous issue, we studied two
of the protagonists of the conquest of
Jericho: Rahab and the inhabitants of
Jericho. The latter serves as a reminder
to us to quickly repent when we have
stepped out of God’s love. In contrast,
Rahab serves as an example of faith that
is demonstrated through immediate action.
在上一篇文中，我們探討了征服耶利哥城事件的兩個主角：喇合和耶利哥城的居民。
後者提醒我們，當我們離開神的愛時，要趕緊悔改。
相反地，喇合透過立即行動，給了我們信心的模範。
Part 2 of this article focuses on Joshua
and the people of Israel who went to war.
第二部分，本文將著重在約書亞與以色列士兵身上。
JOSHU約書亞
Acknowledging the True Leader認識真正的領導者
So He said, “No, but as Commander
of the army of the LORD I have
now come.” And Joshua fell on his
face to the earth and worshipped,
and said to Him, “What does my
Lord say to His servant?” Then the
Commander of the LORD’s army
said to Joshua, “Take your sandal
off your foot, for the place where
you stand is holy.” And Joshua did
so. (Josh 5:14–15)
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。」
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。
(書5:14-15)
Being the leader of the people of
Israel, Joshua may have considered
himself to be the commander of the
LORD’s army. But this encounter
reminded him who was actually in
charge. Joshua might have been
appointed to lead the people of
Israel, but God was the true ruler
and commander. To his credit,
Joshua responded immediately and
appropriately to acknowledge God as
the commander of the Israelites.
The consequences of being too
presumptuous can be deadly, as the
following example illustrates.
作為一個以色列的領導者，約書亞可能考慮過自己是耶和華軍隊的元帥。
但是，這次遭遇提醒他，誰才是真正的主宰。
約書亞被任命去帶領以色列人，但神才是真正的元帥。
值得表揚的是，約書亞立即承認神為以色列人的元帥。
過於驕傲可能會造成致命的後果，如下面的例子說明。
In the year that King Uzziah died,
I saw the Lord sitting on a throne,
high and lifted up, and the train of
His robe filled the temple. Above it
stood seraphim; each one had six
wings: with two he covered his face,
with two he covered his feet, and
with two he flew. And one cried to
another and said: “Holy, holy, holy
is the LORD of hosts; The whole
earth is full of His glory!” … And
the posts of the door were shaken
by the voice of him who cried
out, and the house was filled with
smoke. So I said: “Woe is me, for
I am undone! Because I am a man
of unclean lips, And I dwell in the
midst of a people of unclean lips;
For my eyes have seen the King, The
LORD of hosts.”
(Isa 6:1–5)
當烏西雅王崩的那年，我見主坐在高高的寶座上。他的衣裳垂下，遮滿聖殿。
其上有撒拉弗侍立，各有六個翅膀：用兩個翅膀遮臉，兩個翅膀遮腳，兩個翅膀飛翔；
彼此呼喊說：聖哉！聖哉！聖哉！萬軍之耶和華；他的榮光充滿全地！
因呼喊者的聲音，門檻的根基震動，殿充滿了煙雲。
那時我說：「禍哉！我滅亡了！因為我是嘴唇不潔的人，又住在嘴唇不潔的民中，又因我眼見大君王─萬軍之耶和華。」
(賽6:1-5)
In this passage, there are two
persons who had made the same
mistake. One of these is King Uzziah
who started off as a very good king.
He did what was right in God’s eyes;
he sought out the LORD (2 Chr
26:4–5). He modernized agriculture
and improved the nation’s economy;
he was a brilliant military tactician
and weapons inventor (2 Chr 26:6–
15). Unfortunately, he let fame get
to his head; he forgot who the true
ruler of the Israelite nation was. He
overstepped the boundaries of his
royal office by burning incense, which
was the exclusive duty of priests.
When warned of his error, he reacted
by losing his temper. Consequently,
he died a leper (cf. 2 Chr 26:16–23).
在這段中，有兩個人犯了同樣的錯誤。
其中一人是烏西雅王，他一開始是個很好的國王。
他行耶和華眼中看為正的事;他尋求神（代下26：4-5）。
他將農業現代化，改善國家經濟。
他是一個傑出的軍事戰略家和武器發明家（代下26：6-15）。
不幸的是，他讓名譽沖昏了頭;他忘了誰才是以色列民族的真正統治者。
他身為皇室卻到殿裏燒香，這本是祭司的職分。
當祭司警告他時，他卻發怒。
因此，他死時身患大痲瘋（參見代下26：16-23）。
(參見代下26:4-5)
烏西雅行耶和華眼中看為正的事，效法他父亞瑪謝一切所行的；
通曉 神默示，撒迦利亞在世的時候，烏西雅定意尋求 神；他尋求耶和華， 神就使他亨通。
(參見代下26:6-15)
他出去攻擊非利士人，拆毀了迦特城、雅比尼城，和亞實突城；在非利士人中，在亞實突境內，又建築了些城。
神幫助他攻擊非利士人和住在姑珥巴力的阿拉伯人，並米烏尼人。
亞捫人給烏西雅進貢。他的名聲傳到埃及，因他甚是強盛。
烏西雅在耶路撒冷的角門和谷門，並城牆轉彎之處，建築城樓，且甚堅固；
又在曠野與高原和平原，建築望樓，挖了許多井，因他的牲畜甚多；又在山地和佳美之地，有農夫和修理葡萄園的人，因為他喜悅農事。
烏西雅又有軍兵，照書記耶利和官長瑪西雅所數點的，在王的一個將軍哈拿尼雅手下，分隊出戰。
族長、大能勇士的總數共有二千六百人，
他們手下的軍兵共有三十萬七千五百人，都有大能，善於爭戰，幫助王攻擊仇敵。
烏西雅為全軍預備盾牌、槍、盔、甲、弓，和甩石的機弦，
又在耶路撒冷使巧匠做機器，安在城樓和角樓上，用以射箭發石。烏西雅的名聲傳到遠方；因為他得了非常的幫助，甚是強盛。
(參見代下26:16–23)
他既強盛，就心高氣傲，以致行事邪僻，干犯耶和華─他的 神，進耶和華的殿，要在香壇上燒香。
祭司亞撒利雅率領耶和華勇敢的祭司八十人，跟隨他進去。
他們就阻擋烏西雅王，對他說：「烏西雅啊，給耶和華燒香不是你的事，乃是亞倫子孫承接聖職祭司的事。
你出聖殿吧！因為你犯了罪。你行這事，耶和華 神必不使你得榮耀。」
烏西雅就發怒，手拿香爐要燒香。他向祭司發怒的時候，在耶和華殿中香壇旁眾祭司面前，額上忽然發出大痲瘋。
大祭司亞撒利雅和眾祭司觀看，見他額上發出大痲瘋，就催他出殿；他自己也急速出去，因為耶和華降災與他。
烏西雅王長大痲瘋直到死日，因此住在別的宮裡，與耶和華的殿隔絕。他兒子約坦管理家事，治理國民。
烏西雅其餘的事，自始至終都是亞摩斯的兒子先知以賽亞所記的。
烏西雅與他列祖同睡，葬在王陵的田間他列祖的墳地裡；因為人說，他是長大痲瘋的。他兒子約坦接續他作王。
The other is Isaiah, narrator of the
above passage. Being the prophet
entrusted with the task of proclaiming
judgment on the people of Israel and
reprimanding them for their sins may
have led him to think more highly of
himself than he ought (cf. Isa 1–5).
But at the sight of God’s awesome
glory, he realized his own lowliness
and immediately acknowledged his
uncleanness (Isa 6:5). In response,
God sent a seraphim to touch his
mouth with a piece of coal, and he
was cleansed of his iniquity.
在上段敘述中提到另外一位是以賽亞，
身為先知，他有責任教導以色列民神的律法，指出百姓的罪行，或許會令他自視過高。（參見賽1-5）
當他見到神的榮光時，他意識到自己的渺小，立即承認他的罪。（賽6：5）
作為回應，神差遣撒拉弗將炭沾在以賽亞的口上，他的罪便除掉了。
(參見賽6:1-7)
當烏西雅王崩的那年，我見主坐在高高的寶座上。他的衣裳垂下，遮滿聖殿。
其上有撒拉弗侍立，各有六個翅膀：用兩個翅膀遮臉，兩個翅膀遮腳，兩個翅膀飛翔；
彼此呼喊說：聖哉！聖哉！聖哉！萬軍之耶和華；他的榮光充滿全地！
因呼喊者的聲音，門檻的根基震動，殿充滿了煙雲。
那時我說：「禍哉！我滅亡了！因為我是嘴唇不潔的人，又住在嘴唇不潔的民中，又因我眼見大君王─萬軍之耶和華。」
有一撒拉弗飛到我跟前，手裡拿著紅炭，是用火剪從壇上取下來的，
將炭沾我的口，說：「看哪，這炭沾了你的嘴，你的罪孽便除掉，你的罪惡就赦免了。」
We can thus see the dramatically
different ends befalling two leaders.
Both had received reminders of their
error. But one persisted in pride and
died; the other realized his error and
was cleansed.
因此，我們可以在兩位領導人身上，看到截然不同的結局。
兩人犯錯後均被提醒。
但一個因繼續專橫跋扈而死;
另一個意識到自己的錯誤，並得享潔淨。
Doubting God’s support is
tantamount to making ourselves—
instead of God— the center of our
faith. In contrast, we can make God
the center by asking whether we
are on His side.
懷疑神的幫助，會使我們的信仰以自我為中心，取代了神的位置。
相反地，我們可以問，我們是否站在神的立場中。
Taking God’s Side站在神的立場
And it came to pass, when Joshua
was by Jericho, that he lifted his
eyes and looked, and behold, a Man
stood opposite him with His sword
drawn in His hand. And Joshua
went to Him and said to Him, “Are
You for us or for our adversaries?”
(Josh 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？」
(書5:13)
Joshua’s question “Are You for us or
for our adversaries?” is a very natural
one. Humans are wont to divide
the world into different camps—
friend or foe; ally or competitor.
Such categorization may be useful in
society or at the workplace to help
us guard against danger. However,
we may unknowingly bring such a
mindset into church—dividing our
brethren into “friend” or “foe”
camps, depending on whether their
stances on issues align with ours;
or claiming our spiritual “lineage”
from different leaders (cf. 1 Cor 3:4).
Worse, we begin to think of God in
this way as well. When things go
well for us, we are full of praise and
thanksgiving. When we encounter
obstacles, we wonder whether God
is on our side.
約書亞問“你是幫助我們呢，是幫助我們敵人呢？”是很尋常的問題。
人類總會將世界劃分為不同的陣營-朋友還是敵人;盟友還是競爭對手。
在社會或工作場所中，這樣的分類有助於我們防範風險。
但是，我們可能不知不覺中把這樣的心態帶入教會，分類我們的弟兄到“朋友”或“敵人”的陣營，
這取決於他們對問題的立場是否與我們一致
或聲稱我們屬靈上傳承於不同的領袖（參見林前3：4）。
更糟的是，我們開始用這種方式理解神。
如果一切順利，我們心中充滿了讚美和感恩。
當遇到阻擋，我們想知道神是否站在我們的這一邊。
（參見林前3：4）
有說：「我是屬保羅的」；有說：「我是屬亞波羅的。」這豈不是你們和世人一樣嗎？
Doubting God’s support is
tantamount to making ourselves—
instead of God—the center of our
faith. In contrast, we can make God
the center by asking whether we
are on His side. This question can
also help us examine ourselves to
see whether we have unnecessarily
placed ourselves in different camps.
The most important position for us to
be in is to be on the side of God. How
do we do this?
懷疑神的幫助，會使我們的信仰以自我為中心，取代了神的位置。
相反地，我們可以問，我們是否站在神的立場中。
這個問題也幫助我們省察自己，看看我們是否已不必要地將自己放在不同的陣營中。
對於我們來說，最重要是要站在神的立場。
我們是如何做到這一點？
When the Commander of the
LORD’s army replied that He had
come “as Commander of the LORD’s
army,” Joshua fell on his face to the
earth and worshiped. He did not
stop there but continued to ask what
God’s command was and went on
to fulfill it. Because of his obedience,
the walls of Jericho crumbled before
Israel.
當耶和華軍隊的元帥回答說，他來“作耶和華軍隊的元帥，”
約書亞就俯伏在地下拜。
他沒有就此止步，而是繼續問什麼是神的命令，直到完成神的命令為止。
由於他的順從，耶利哥的城牆在以色列人面前土崩瓦解。
Besides acknowledging his true
leader, Joshua’s example highlights
what a person on God’s side will do—
he seeks to know what God wants
and immediately does what God
commands. And each time we take
God’s side, we shall fell the strongest
of walls; the seemingly impossible
becomes possible.
約書亞的例子強調，一個站在神立場的人會如何去行，除了認識真正的領袖，
他尋求知道神想要什麼，並立即行出神的命令。
每當我們站在神的立場時，我們將會使最堅固的牆倒塌;
將不可能變為可能。
THE PEOPLE OF ISRAEL以色列民
Obeying God’s Word順從神的話語
At that time the LORD said to
Joshua, “Make flint knives for
yourself, and circumcise the sons
of Israel again the second time.”
So Joshua made flint knives for
himself, and circumcised the sons of
Israel at the hill of the foreskins. …
So it was, when they had finished
circumcising all the people, that
they stayed in their places in the
camp till they were healed.”
(Josh 5:2–3, 8)
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。」
約書亞就製造了火石刀，在「除皮山」那裡給以色列人行割禮。
國民都受完了割禮，就住在營中自己的地方，等到痊癒了。
(書五:2–3, 8)
Besides acknowledging his true leader,
Joshua’s example highlights what a
person on God’s side will do—
he seeks to know what God wants and
immediately does what God commands.
約書亞的例子強調，一個站在神立場的人會如何去行，除了認識真正的領袖，
他尋求知道神想要什麼，並立即行出神的命令。
It took a certain amount of faith
for the men of Israel to obey God’s
command to be circumcised at that
particular moment. Geographically,
they were very near the city of
Jericho. It does not take a veteran
soldier to know that alertness and
top-level fitness would be absolutely
critical if one’s enemies were just a
stone’s throw away. While these ablebodied
men were recovering from
circumcision, their enemies could
have easily attacked and slaughtered
everybody. Despite such a risk, the
Israelites obeyed God’s command,
for they understood that circumcision
was the sign of the covenant
between them and God, which the
LORD had established with Abraham
(Gen 17:10–14). Wandering in the
wilderness, they had no chance to
be circumcised. This would have
rendered them ineligible to receive
God’s promised blessings under the
terms of the covenant between God
and Abraham.
在特殊時刻行割禮，以色列男子服從神的命令需要相當程度的信心。
從地理位置來看，他們非常靠近耶利哥城。
不是經驗老道的士兵都知道，如果敵人離你只有一步之遙，警覺性和最佳的體能狀態是至關重要的。
當這些身強體壯的男人正從割禮中恢復，他們的敵人可以輕易地攻擊和屠殺全部的人。
儘管冒這樣的風險，以色列人仍服從神的命令，
因為百姓明白，因為耶和華已和亞伯拉罕立約，割禮是他們與神之間立約的記號（創17：10-14）。
在曠野中徘徊，百姓沒有機會接受割禮。
這已經使他們沒有資格獲得神與亞伯拉罕立約所應許的祝福。
除了肉體上的割禮，神也盼望他的人民為他們的心行割禮：
（參見創17：10-14）
你們所有的男子都要受割禮；這就是我與你並你的後裔所立的約，是你們所當遵守的。
你們都要受割禮；這是我與你們立約的證據。
你們世世代代的男子，無論是家裡生的，是在你後裔之外用銀子從外人買的，生下來第八日，都要受割禮。
你家裡生的和你用銀子買的，都必須受割禮。這樣，我的約就立在你們肉體上作永遠的約。
但不受割禮的男子必從民中剪除，因他背了我的約。」
“The LORD delighted only in your
fathers, to love them; and He chose
their descendants after them, you
above all peoples, as it is this day.
Therefore circumcise the foreskin of
your heart, and be stiff-necked no
longer.” (Deut 10:15–16)
耶和華但喜悅你的列祖，愛他們，從萬民中揀選他們的後裔，就是你們，像今日一樣。
所以你們要將心裡的污穢除掉，不可再硬著頸項。
(申10:15–16)
When the people of Israel willingly
subjected themselves to God’s
command and underwent physical
circumcision at Gilgal (Josh 5:9), their
hearts were also truly circumcised.
當以色列民心甘情願接受神的命令，在吉甲接受肉體的割禮（書5：9），
他們的心也真正接受割禮。
(參見書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。
After their circumcision, the people
were able to partake of the Passover
(Josh 5:10–11). The purpose of the
Passover was to remind the Israelites
how God had delivered them from
Egypt. But this particular Passover in
Joshua chapter 5 was more significant:
during the first Passover, the people
of Israel had physically come out
of Egypt, but their hearts had
remained there. In contrast, during
this particular Passover observance,
Egypt had been totally removed from
their hearts, and the people finally
enjoyed true deliverance.
當他們的割禮後，百姓可以守逾越節（書5：10-11）。
逾越節的目的是要提醒以色列人，神如何拯救他們出埃及。
但在約書亞記第五章，這個逾越節顯得更加特別：第一次的逾越節，以色列人民的身體已經從埃及出來，但他們的心卻在埃及停留。
相較之下，在這個特別紀念逾越節的日子，以色列人完全從心中除掉埃及，
終於享受到真正的解脫。
(書5:10–11)
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。
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。
This incident reminds us that if we
want true blessing and deliverance,
our obedience to God must not
be contingent on the surrounding
conditions. Even though it may be
inconvenient or even dangerous to
fulfill God’s command, we must still
do it, for God neither speaks nor
commands frivolously.
這件事提醒我們，如果我們想得著真正的祝福和拯救，
我們不是取決於周圍環境而順從神。
即使履行神的命令可能會帶來不便甚至危險，我們仍然去做，
神既不會說話，也不草率命令。
The Christian journey requires not just obedience but also
endurance. We must have the faith not just to do, but to persist in
doing what God has commanded. We must continue to hold fast
to the promise of God, even if our efforts appear to have changed
nothing and our present difficulties have not been resolved. …
When the urge to give up seems strongest, recall how the Israelites
kept marching yet another round, on yet another day. And trust
that our God is a faithful God who is true to His promises.
基督徒的旅程不單要順服，且要堅持。
我們必須有信心不僅做到，要堅持做神所吩咐的。
我們必須繼續堅守神的應許，
即使我們的努力似乎改變不了什麼，我們目前的困難沒有得到解決。
當想放棄的時候，回憶起以色列人持續進行一輪又一輪，日復一日。
並且信任我們的神是信實的，神的應許是實在的。
Listening and Persisting聽道與持守
And seven priests shall bear seven
trumpets of rams’ horns before
the ark. But the seventh day you
shall march around the city seven
times, and the priests shall blow
the trumpets. It shall come to pass,
when they make a long blast with
the ram’s horn, and when you hear
the sound of the trumpet, that all
the people shall shout with a great
shout; then the wall of the city will
fall down flat. And the people shall
go up every man straight before
him. (Josh 6:4–5)
七個祭司要拿七個羊角走在約櫃前。到第七日，你們要繞城七次，祭司也要吹角。
他們吹的角聲拖長，你們聽見角聲，眾百姓要大聲呼喊，城牆就必塌陷，各人都要往前直上。」
(書6:4–5)
The people of Israel were
commanded to circle the city for a
total of thirteen times. Even more
unusual, the people were to remain
silent as they walked. Why was
silence so important?
以色列的人照著神的吩咐繞城十三次。
更為難得的是，當眾人行走時都保持靜默。
為什麼靜默這麼重要？
There are two possible reasons.
這裡有兩個重要的理由。
Listening to God’s Signal聆聽神的信號
First, silence was crucial so that the
people could hear the trumpets
sounded by the priests. The function
of the trumpets was to rally the
people to march as well as to shout
(cf. Josh 6:4–5, 8). Although it
was the same trumpets, different
sounds signaled different things.
The people had to know what they
were supposed to do. Today, are we
familiar with the sounds of God’s
trumpets? Are we able to hear God’s
voice? Do we understand what God
wants us to do?
首先，靜默是至關重要的，這樣子以色列人才能聽到祭司吹角。
羊角的作用是指揮人民行軍以及呼喊（參見書6：4-5，8）。
雖然這是同樣地羊角，不同的聲音信號代表著不同的事情。
以色列人必須知道他們應做什麼。
今天，我們熟悉神的角聲嗎？
我們能聽到神的聲音嗎？
我們明白神要我們做什麼嗎？
(參見書六:4–5, 8)
七個祭司要拿七個羊角走在約櫃前。到第七日，你們要繞城七次，祭司也要吹角。
他們吹的角聲拖長，你們聽見角聲，眾百姓要大聲呼喊，城牆就必塌陷，各人都要往前直上。」
約書亞對百姓說完了話，七個祭司拿七個羊角走在耶和華面前吹角；耶和華的約櫃在他們後面跟隨。
Test of Faith信心的試煉
Second, God commanded the people
to be silent in order to test their faith.
Imagine walking around a city for six
days without anything happening.
The people of Jericho may have
initially wondered what was going on
and perhaps even had been slightly
fearful. But as the days passed
without any attack, they may have
started to mock the Israelites.
第二點，神吩咐以色列人保持靜默，以考驗他們的信心。
想像一下，繞城六天沒有任何事情發生。
一開始，耶利哥城的人可能懷疑發生什麼事情，甚至稍微有些害怕。
但隨著日子一天天過去，沒有任何的攻擊行動，耶利哥人可能開始嘲笑以色列人。
If we were the people of Israel,
would we have endured the mockery
and the seeming pointlessness and
just carried on fulfilling the routine
until the seventh day? On the seventh
day, the Israelites still had to endure
Jericho’s derision and go round the
city another seven times. But relief
soon came—after the Israelites had
completed their seventh circuit of the
city, the trumpets blasted, a signal to
the Israelites to shout. The power of
God was manifested and the walls of
Jericho collapsed.
假設我們是以色列民，
我們會忍受嘲弄和看似毫無意義的繞城，直到第七日？
到了第七天，以色列人仍然不得不忍受耶利哥的嘲笑和繞城七次。
但救援很快就來到，當以色列人完成他們第七次的繞城後，角聲吹出一個信號，要以色列人大聲呼喊。
大能的神使耶利哥的城牆倒塌。
The Christian journey requires not
just obedience but also endurance.
We must have the faith not just to
do, but to persist in doing what God
has commanded. We must continue
to hold fast to the promise of God,
even if our efforts appear to have
changed nothing and our present
difficulties have not been resolved.
基督徒的旅程不單要順服，且要堅持。
我們必須有信心不僅做到，要堅持做神所吩咐的。
我們必須繼續堅守神的應許，
即使我們的努力似乎改變不了什麼，我們目前的困難沒有得到解決。
An oft-cited but still highly
important example is praying for
the Holy Spirit. We may have been
praying for decades without apparent
effect. We may have fasted, wept,
pleaded, or knelt for hours; we may
have been ridiculed by friends who
do not believe in the Holy Spirit or
tongue-speaking and been urged to
leave the true church. Through these,
God seems to be keeping silent.
When the urge to give up seems
strongest, recall how the Israelites
kept marching yet another round, on
yet another day. And trust that our
God is a faithful God who is true to
His promises.
一個經常被引用，但仍非常重要的例子是祈求聖靈。
我們可能禱告幾十年來沒有明顯的效果。
我們可能已經禁食，哭泣，哀求，或跪在地上幾個小時;
我們可能已受到不信聖靈的朋友嘲笑或鼓動離開真正的教會。
儘管如此，神似乎保持沉默。
當想放棄的時候，回憶起以色列人持續進行一輪又一輪，日復一日。
並且信任我們的神是信實的，神的應許是實在的。
Thoroughly Removing Sin完全除罪
When the Israelites finally took
Jericho, they killed all the men and
women, the young and the old, and
the animals. They had to destroy all
the accursed things and burn down
the entire city. They were warned
that anyone who tried to rebuild the
city would lose his son (Josh 6:16–21,
24, 26).
到了第七次，祭司吹角的時候，約書亞吩咐百姓說：「呼喊吧，因為耶和華已經把城交給你們了！
這城和其中所有的都要在耶和華面前毀滅；只有妓女喇合與她家中所有的可以存活，因為她隱藏了我們所打發的使者。
至於你們，務要謹慎，不可取那當滅的物，恐怕你們取了那當滅的物就連累以色列的全營，使全營受咒詛。
惟有金子、銀子，和銅鐵的器皿都要歸耶和華為聖，必入耶和華的庫中。」
於是百姓呼喊，祭司也吹角。百姓聽見角聲，便大聲呼喊，城牆就塌陷，百姓便上去進城，各人往前直上，將城奪取；
又將城中所有的，不拘男女老少，牛羊和驢，都用刀殺盡。
眾人就用火將城和其中所有的焚燒了；惟有金子、銀子，和銅鐵的器皿都放在耶和華殿的庫中。
當時，約書亞叫眾人起誓說：「有興起重修這耶利哥城的人，當在耶和華面前受咒詛。
他立根基的時候，必喪長子，安門的時候，必喪幼子。」
(書6:16–21, 24, 26)
Many are puzzled by these extremist
instructions; some point to this as
evidence that the Jewish / Christian
God is a cruel God. Understanding
history and the context will give us a
clearer picture.
許多人對這些極端命令感到困惑;某些時候作為證據，指猶太教/基督教的神是一個殘忍的神。
了解歷史背景會給我們一個更清晰的畫面。
Jericho belonged to one of the
seven nations that God had marked
for destruction in the land of Canaan.
One of these nations, the Amorites,
can be taken as an example of
God’s intention. The wickedness of
the Amorites can be inferred from
God’s comment to Abraham that
the Amorites would be destroyed
when their iniquities exceeded
God’s tolerance (cf. Gen15:16). Far
from being cruel, God had been
forgiving and longsuffering towards
Jericho. However, finally, their sin
and recalcitrance reached a point
where God had to execute justice.
The people of Israel were thus God’s
instruments for punishment.
耶利哥是屬於神在迦南地上標明要毀滅的七個國家之一。
其中的一個國家，亞摩利人，可以被視為神意向的一個例子。
從神對亞伯拉罕說的評論，可以知曉亞摩利人的罪惡，當他們的罪孽超出神的寬容限度，將會被毀滅（參見創15:16）。
不是神殘忍，神已原諒和長期使耶利哥在苦難中。
然而，最終他們的罪，達到了神應施行公義的地步。
神藉著以色列人作為審判的工具。
（參見創15:16）
到了第四代，他們必回到此地，因為亞摩利人的罪孽還沒有滿盈。」
The command to kill everyone in
the city ensured that there would
be a thorough removal of all the
iniquitous practices and culture that
had so displeased God. In addition,
it also served as a reminder to the
Israelites:
該命令殺死在城裡的所有人，保證徹底的清除所有的不義和導致神怒氣的習俗。
此外，它也作為一個提醒以色列人：
“Then it shall be, if you by any
means forget the LORD your God,
and follow other gods, and serve
them and worship them, I testify
against you this day that you shall
surely perish. As the nations which
the LORD destroys before you, so
you shall perish, because you would
not be obedient to the voice of the
LORD your God.” (Deut 8:19–20)
你若忘記耶和華你的 神，隨從別神，事奉敬拜，你們必定滅亡；這是我今日警戒你們的。
耶和華在你們面前怎樣使列國的民滅亡，你們也必照樣滅亡，因為你們不聽從耶和華你們 神的話。」
(申8:19–20)
God had promised that the Israelites
would be able to conquer nations
much more powerful than they (Deut
9:1–4). This was not because the
Israelites were righteous, but because
the Canaanites were unrighteous.
So when God used the Israelites as
an instrument of judgment, He also
wanted to remind them that if they
were wicked and sinful, they too
would be removed from the land.
神曾應許，以色列人將能夠征服比他們更強大的國家（申9：1-4）。
這不是因為以色列人是義的，而是因為迦南人是不義的。
所以，當神藉著以色列人作為審判的工具，
神也想提醒以色列人，如果他們是罪惡的，他們也將從地上滅亡。
（申9：1-4）
「以色列啊，你當聽！你今日要過約旦河，進去趕出比你強大的國民，得著廣大堅固、高得頂天的城邑。
那民是亞衲族的人，又大又高，是你所知道的；也曾聽見有人指著他們說：『誰能在亞衲族人面前站立得住呢？』
你今日當知道，耶和華─你的 神在你前面過去，如同烈火，要滅絕他們，將他們制伏在你面前。這樣，你就要照耶和華所說的趕出他們，使他們速速滅亡。
「耶和華─你的 神將這些國民從你面前攆出以後，你心裡不可說：『耶和華將我領進來得這地是因我的義。』其實，耶和華將他們從你面前趕出去是因他們的惡。
The holy God cannot tolerate any
sin. Hence, extreme measures must be
taken to combat it. Jesus once taught
that if the right eye caused us to sin, it
ought to be plucked out; a hand that
caused us to sin must be cut off. The
Lord stressed, “It is better for you to
enter heaven blind or maimed, than
to not enter heaven at all” (Mt 5:30;
Mk 9:34). Therefore, sin must never
be treated lightly; indeed, we must
go to extreme efforts to thoroughly
remove it from our hearts and lives.
聖潔的神不能容忍任何罪。
因此，必須堅決地與罪交戰。
耶穌曾經教導，如果若是你的右眼叫你跌倒，就剜出來丟掉;
若是右手叫你跌倒，就砍下來丟掉。
主強調，“失明或致殘，能使你進入天國，強如都不能進入天國”（太5:30;可9:34）。
因此，面對罪決不能掉以輕心;
的確，我們必須做出極大努力，以徹底從我們的心靈和生活中刪除。
（太5:30）若是右手叫你跌倒，就砍下來丟掉，寧可失去百體中的一體，不叫全身下入地獄。」
（可9:34）門徒不作聲，因為他們在路上彼此爭論誰為大。
CONCLUSION結論
God had promised the Israelites to
help them conquer Jericho. Likewise,
God has promised us victory over
sin and eventually, eternal life.
However, we must also do our part.
Joshua, the great general of the Old
Testament, teaches us to recognize
who our Leader is; ensure that we
are on His side always by being
eager to know and do His will.
From the Israelites, who successfully
conquered the bastion of Jericho
without a single offensive blow
(except on the trumpets), we learn to
obey God by faith, even in the face
of inconvenience and danger. If we
make an effort to listen to His voice,
persist in doing His will, and quickly
remove sin from our hearts, God will
surely give us the victory.
神曾應許幫助以色列人征服耶利哥城。
同樣地，神也應許我們勝過罪惡，最終得著永恆的生命。
然而，我們也必須盡本分。
舊約的大將軍約書亞，教導我們認識誰才是我們的領袖;
確保我們站在神的立場，常常渴望知曉神的旨意並且行出來。
成功征服耶利哥城的以色列人，沒有一人是單獨進攻的（除了吹號角的人），
即使面對困難和危險，我們要學習以信心順服神。
如果我們努力去傾聽神的聲音，堅持行神的旨意，
並迅速除去來自我們心中的罪，神必將勝利賜給我們。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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