進入應許地
約書亞記一章1至9節
1耶和華的僕人摩西死了以後，耶和華曉諭摩西的幫手，嫩的兒子約書亞，說：
2我的僕人摩西死了。現在你要起來，和眾百姓過這約但河，往我所要賜給以色列人的地去。
3凡你們腳掌所踏之地，我都照著我所應許摩西的話賜給你們了。
4從曠野和這黎巴嫩，直到幼發拉底大河，赫人的全地，又到大海日落之處，都要作你們的境界。
5你平生的日子，必無一人能在你面前站立得住。我怎樣與摩西同在，也必照樣與你同在；我必不撇下你，也不丟棄你。
6你當剛強壯膽！因為你必使這百姓承受那地為業，就是我向他們列祖起誓應許賜給他們的地。
7只要剛強，大大壯膽，謹守遵行我僕人摩西所吩咐你的一切律法，不可偏離左右，使你無論往那裡去，都可以順利。
8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。
9我豈沒有吩咐你麼？你當剛強壯膽！不要懼怕，也不要驚惶；因為你無論往那裡去，耶和華─你的神必與你同在。
信息分享
我們已經在上個月的讀經中，大致讀完了出埃及記。新一代以色列人走到西乃山腳下紮營。然而，神並非要他們永遠留在山下，也不是要他們永遠在曠野中漂流；神的心意是要帶領他們進入迦南地。約書亞記便記述了他們進入迦南地的經過。
以色列民的種種經歷，可以成為我們人生的借鑑，讓我們領悟到很多屬靈的道理。約書亞記大致可以分為三大部分：進入迦南(第一至五章)，征服迦南(第六至十二章)，佔領迦南(第十三至二十四章)。
全書以約書亞作為中心人物。他在埃及出生，跟隨以色列人一同出埃及，在曠野生活了整整40年；可是，當眾人不斷向神抱怨，並作出種種背逆行為的時候，他卻一直盡忠於神。如今，他被神揀選作摩西的接任人，成為眾民的領袖。神在他成為領袖的一開始，便給他三個應許和三個命令。請再讀第5節。神對他說：「我必與你同在，我必不撇下你，也不丟棄你。」還有甚麼應許比這更寶貴呢？
然後，神吩咐約書亞「要剛強、要膽壯、不可偏離左右」。言下之意，是當約書亞繼續往前走，他所遇到的境況，必定使他感到軟弱、膽怯，甚或是想往後退。
恐懼是我們的頭號敵人；只有信心才能克勝恐懼。然而，唯有我們願意花時間去研讀神的話語──聖經──我們才能得著神的應許，信心才能剛強起來。留意神在第8節對約書亞說甚麼。約書亞當時只有摩西所寫的五經──即舊約的頭五卷書──但我們現在卻擁有全本新舊約聖經，因此，我們對神的認識理應可以更深。神昔日吩咐約書亞的話，同樣是對我們今天的信徒說的──要用心研讀和思想神的話語；這既是我們的責任，也是我們的特權。
反思：
假設第8節所記的那句話，是神對你的吩咐，你會怎樣回應呢？
TIME TO ENTER IN
Joshua 1: 1-9
1 After the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, it came to pass that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying:
2 “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.
3 Every place that the sole of your foot will tread upon I have given you, as I said to Moses.
4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon as far as the great river, the River Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and to the Great Sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your territory.
5 No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life; as I was with Moses, so I will be with you. I will not leave you nor forsake you.
6 Be strong and of good courage, for to this people you shall divide as an inheritance the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.
7 Only be strong and very courageous, that you may observe to do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you; do not turn from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.
8 This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success.
9 Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go.”
Message
Earlier in this series we read together part of the book of Exodus. We left the Children of Israel camped at Mt Sinai, but that was not the place God intended them to live permanently. Nor did he intend that they should wander for ever in the wilderness. His plan was to take them to Canaan. The book of Joshua tells us how they entered into that land.
This book tells us of their experiences and we can learn many lessons from those happenings. Here is historical fact which illustrates spiritual truth. There are three sections in the book:
- Entering the land - Chapters 1-5
- Overcoming the land- Chapters 6-12
- Occupying the land - Chapters 13-24
The story centres around the man Joshua. He had been born in Egypt and lived through the 40 years of the wilderness wanderings. He had been faithful when others complained and rebelled.
Now, as leader of the people, God gives to him three promises and three commands. Look at verse 5 again. God said, 'I will be with you; I will not fail you; I will not forsake or leave you'. Aren't those tremendous promises?
Then God said to Joshua 'Be strong'. That means he must have felt weak as he looked ahead. 'Be courageous.' That means he must have been afraid. 'Be not dismayed.' Does that mean he felt like resigning?
Fear is one of our worst enemies. Faith is the answer to it. Faith is made stronger by spending time in the Word of God, the Bible. Notice what God also said to Joshua in verse 8. Joshua had only the first five books of the Bible. We have the whole Bible. But our responsibility and privilege are the same - to spend time in reading and meditating on what God has said.
A QUESTION:
What is your response to verse 8?