【双语灵修】医治和生命的记号A SIGN OF HEALING AND LIFE

民数记 21:4-9

他们从何珥山起行，往红海那条路走，要绕过以东地。百姓因这路难行，心中甚是烦躁， 就怨讟神和摩西说：“你们为什么把我们从埃及领出来，使我们死在旷野呢？这里没有粮，没有水，我们的心厌恶这淡薄的食物！” 于是耶和华使火蛇进入百姓中间，蛇就咬他们，以色列人中死了许多。 百姓到摩西那里，说：“我们怨讟耶和华和你，有罪了。求你祷告耶和华，叫这些蛇离开我们。”于是摩西为百姓祷告。 耶和华对摩西说：“你制造一条火蛇，挂在杆子上。凡被咬的，一望这蛇，就必得活。” 摩西便制造一条铜蛇，挂在杆子上。凡被蛇咬的，一望这铜蛇就活了。

星期三

三月二十五日

医治和生命的记号

“摩西便制造一条铜蛇，挂在杆子上，凡被蛇咬的，一望这铜蛇，便活了。” - 民 21:9

关于怎样做那神圣和信实之神的子民，以色列人还有很多需要学习的地方。在今天的故事中，当以色列百姓在旷野前行时，他们再次对神感到不耐烦了。

他们对神和摩西发怨言，说：“你们为什么把我们从埃及领出来，使我们死在旷野呢？”当神的子民这样叛逆时，耶和华有时会怜悯他们；但当他们太过分了，耶和华便会惩罚他们。这次他们的行为带来的后果是“火蛇之灾”，许多人被蛇咬死。

跟着会发生什么事情？这些不守信之民如何得救呢？一条铜蛇被用作医治和拯救生命的工具，这是基督救赎工作的一个预表。摩西做了一条铜蛇，把它挂在杆子上，告诉百姓去仰望铜蛇，便能得救存活。多年后，耶稣解释这个在旷野的神迹，就是指向祂为所有人献上自己的生命（被挂在十字架上—《约翰福音》 3:14-15）。因着神的信实，我们从死亡中被释放出来！

在未来的一个星期，当我们把焦点放在耶稣受苦、受死和从死里复活那段时间时，让我们记着，如果没有神的信实，我们便会像在旷野中神的子民一样失落。

祷告

主啊，我们抵挡你，是多么反叛和固执。求你帮助我们，去仰望你和相信为我们被挂在十架上的耶稣。阿们。

Numbers 21:4-9

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 25

A SIGN OF HEALING AND LIFE

Moses made a bronze snake and put it up on a pole. Then when anyone was bitten by a snake and looked at the bronze snake, they lived. —Numbers 21:9

Israel had a lot to learn about being the people of the holy and faithful God. In our story today the people grew impatient with God again as they traveled through the wilderness.

They spoke against God and against Moses, saying, “Why have you brought us up out of Egypt to die in the wilderness?” Sometimes the Lord was merciful when the people acted so rebelliously, but other times, when they had gone too far, the Lord sent punishment. This time the consequence for their actions was a plague of venomous snakes, and a number of the people died from snakebites.

What would happen next? How would salvation appear for these unfaithful people?

In what is a preview of the saving work of Christ, a bronze snake became an instrument of healing and life. Moses made a bronze snake and lifted it up on a pole, and the people were told to look at this snake and live. Many years later Jesus explained that this miracle in the wilderness pointed to the gift of his own life for us all (being lifted up on a cross—John 3:14-15). Through this act of faith, we are freed from death!

In the coming week, as we focus on the time of Jesus’ suffering, death, and rising to life again, let’s remember that, like God’s people in the wilderness, we are lost without God’s faithfulness.

Lord, we can be so rebellious and stubborn in our resistance to you. Help us to look to you and believe in Jesus, who was lifted up for us. Amen.