牧者心聲

背頌經文是信徒將神的話語藏在心裡，以至能反覆思想、謹守遵行的重要操練。約書亞記的卷首和卷尾各有一節金句，是我們常常引用的。首先是：「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。」（一 8），其次就是約書亞的臨別表述：「至於我和我家，我們必定事奉耶和華。」（二十四 15 下）這兩節經文給我們一個印象：約書亞記是有關忠誠持守上主的道，經歷祂的應許成就，並且要專一事奉祂。

無錯，「持守」確實是約書亞記一個重要的主題。然而，在今年的明道行道研經講座上，胡俊鑾博士幫助我們看到，上主的子民是在多方面的過渡中，學習持守上主的訓誨、命令和應許。希伯來文「過渡」עָבַר（ʿāḇar）（或譯「跨越、度過、經過、越過、逾越和違背」）這個動詞在約書亞記共使用了 58 次。此外，「希伯來人」一詞的原文是 עִבְרִי（單數，Ivri），意思就是「越界的、跨越的人」，帶有遷徙、通過疆界的意涵。從曠野過渡到應許地，以色列人經歷外在環境和處境的變遷、領袖的轉變，除了約書亞和迦勒，舊的世代都死在曠野，進入迦南的新世代是在曠野成長的，未曾經歷過出埃及、過紅海等事蹟。究竟以色列人在如此多方的變遷當中，能否持守上主所賜的一切，剛強壯膽、同心專一？

北宣家今年的年題是「立足未來，力行使命」，至於年度查經書的書名，則是《傳承．成全》。當我們一同查考約書亞記，讓我們記得，我們都是一群要「跨越」時代、處境和人事變遷的人，不同年紀的信徒都要一同前行，「越過」好像約旦河一樣的障礙。昔日，當祭司的腳踏入約旦河水的時候，河水便在 25 公里外的亞當城附近止住，所以在這 25 公里長的河道上，仍然有水沖刷祭司的腳，直到上游的流水都流乾了。祭司和人民是在信心中踏入河道，相信在頃刻間，河水就會止住，他們竭力站穩，維持適當的節奏前行。約書亞記展現了約書亞在信靠上主、持守吩咐方面的成長與堅持，也展現了人民在這方面的成功（如：聽命圍城）與失敗，包括「越過」上主的吩咐，偷竊了「當滅之物」。祈求主幫助我們，透過研讀此書，更全心信靠上主，傳承真理和使命，觀看祂如何成全恩約的計劃。

  Memorizing Scripture is an important spiritual practice through which believers store God’s word in their hearts, so that they may meditate on it repeatedly and carefully obey it. In the book of Joshua, there is a key verse at both the beginning and the end, which we often quote. The first is: “Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful” (1:8). The second is Joshua’s declaration at the close of his life: “But as for me and my household, we will serve the LORD” (Joshua 24:15b). These two verses give us a clear impression: the book of Joshua is about faithfully holding fast to the LORD’s ways, experiencing the fulfillment of His promises, and committing ourselves wholly to serve Him.

  Indeed, “holding fast” or “persevering” is a key theme in the book of Joshua. Yet, at this year’s “Understanding and Walking in the Truth Bible Exposition Seminar,” Dr. Chun Luen Wu helped us see that the people of the LORD were learning to hold fast to His instruction, commands, and promises amid transitions in many aspects. The Hebrew verb for “transition” is עָבַר （ʿāḇar） (a verb that carries meanings such as to pass over, cross, go through, move beyond, overstep, and even transgress). It appears 58 times in the book of Joshua. Moreover, the word “Hebrew” (designating the people) comes from the Hebrew word עִבְרִי (singular Ivri) that means “one who crosses over,” which carries the sense of migration and boundary-crossing. As the Israelites crossed over from the wilderness into the Promised Land, they experienced transitions in environment and circumstance and a change in leadership. Except for Joshua and Caleb, the old generation died in the wilderness. The new generation that entered Canaan had grown up in the wilderness and had never experienced events such as the Exodus or the crossing of the Red Sea. In the midst of so many transitions, would the Israelites be able to hold fast to all that the LORD had given them, to be strong and courageous, united and single-minded?

  This year, the theme of the NPAC family is “Future-focused, Mission-driven,” and the title of our annual Bible study resource is Inheritance · Fulfillment. As we study the book of Joshua together, let us remember that we, too, are a people who are to “cross over” eras, circumstances, and changes in personnel. Believers of all ages must move forward together, “crossing” obstacles that resemble the Jordan River. In the past, when the priests’ feet touched the waters of the Jordan, the river from upstream near the town of Adam twenty-five kilometers away stopped flowing. In the course of river of twenty-five kilometers, water was still rushing past the priests’ feet until the water from upstream completely dried up. The priests and the people stepped into the river in faith, trusting that the waters would stop at any moment. They strove to stand firm and moved forward at a steady pace. The book of Joshua shows Joshua’s growth and perseverance in trusting the LORD and holding fast to His commands. It also reveals both the people’s successes (such as obeying the command to march around the city) and their failures, including “passing over” the LORD’s command by stealing “things devoted to destruction.” May the LORD help us, through our study of this book, to trust Him more fully, to pass on truth and mission faithfully, and to witness how He brings His covenant plan to completion.