《節學》Day 10
節日的同在意義
33耶和華對摩西說：34「你曉諭以色列人說：這七月十五日是住棚節，要在耶和華面前守這節七日。35第一日當有聖會，甚麼勞碌的工都不可做。36七日內要將火祭獻給耶和華。第八日當守聖會，要將火祭獻給耶和華。這是嚴肅會，甚麼勞碌的工都不可做。 37「這是耶和華的節期，就是你們要宣告為聖會的節期；要將火祭、燔祭、素祭、祭物，並奠祭，各歸各日，獻給耶和華。38這是在耶和華的安息日以外，又在你們的供物和所許的願，並甘心獻給耶和華的以外。
39「你們收藏了地的出產，就從七月十五日起，要守耶和華的節七日。第一日為聖安息；第八日也為聖安息。40第一日要拿美好樹上的果子和棕樹上的枝子，與茂密樹的枝條並河旁的柳枝，在耶和華－你們的神面前歡樂七日。41每年七月間，要向耶和華守這節七日。這為你們世世代代永遠的定例。42你們要住在棚裏七日；凡以色列家的人都要住在棚裏，43好叫你們世世代代知道，我領以色列人出埃及地的時候曾使他們住在棚裏。我是耶和華－你們的神。」(利未記廿三33-43)
17我們這至暫至輕的苦楚，要為我們成就極重無比、永遠的榮耀。18原來我們不是顧念所見的，乃是顧念所不見的；因為所見的是暫時的，所不見的是永遠的。1我們原知道，我們這地上的帳棚若拆毀了，必得神所造，不是人手所造，在天上永存的房屋。(哥林多後書四17-五1)
33 The LORD said to Moses, 34 “Say to the Israelites: ‘On the fifteenth day of the seventh month the LORD’s Festival of Tabernacles begins, and it lasts for seven days. 35 The first day is a sacred assembly; do no regular work. 36 For seven days present food offerings to the LORD, and on the eighth day hold a sacred assembly and present a food offering to the LORD. It is the closing special assembly; do no regular work. 37 (“ ‘These are the LORD’s appointed festivals, which you are to proclaim as sacred assemblies for bringing food offerings to the LORD—the burnt offerings and grain offerings, sacrifices and drink offerings required for each day. 38 These offerings are in addition to those for the LORD’s Sabbaths and in addition to your gifts and whatever you have vowed and all the freewill offerings you give to the LORD.)
39 “ ‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the LORD for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. 40 On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. 41 Celebrate this as a festival to the LORD for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters 43 so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’ ” (Leviticus 23:33-43)
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (2 Corinthians 4:17-5:1)
39 “ ‘So beginning with the fifteenth day of the seventh month, after you have gathered the crops of the land, celebrate the festival to the LORD for seven days; the first day is a day of sabbath rest, and the eighth day also is a day of sabbath rest. 40 On the first day you are to take branches from luxuriant trees—from palms, willows and other leafy trees—and rejoice before the LORD your God for seven days. 41 Celebrate this as a festival to the LORD for seven days each year. This is to be a lasting ordinance for the generations to come; celebrate it in the seventh month. 42 Live in temporary shelters for seven days: All native-born Israelites are to live in such shelters 43 so your descendants will know that I had the Israelites live in temporary shelters when I brought them out of Egypt. I am the LORD your God.’ ” (Leviticus 23:33-43)
17 For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. 18 So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.1 For we know that if the earthly tent we live in is destroyed, we have a building from God, an eternal house in heaven, not built by human hands. (2 Corinthians 4:17-5:1)
分享：來到《節學》最後一天，讓我們來分享「住棚節」(The Festival of Tabernacles)，這是猶太三大節日之一 (另兩個為逾越節及五旬節，猶太人在這三個節日當中，都需要從以色列境內各地步行至耶路撒冷朝聖，並帶着祭祀之物到聖殿獻祭)。
住棚節有其歷史和農業的意義。歷史意義為記念上帝帶領猶太人出埃及以後，在曠野四十年的看顧保守 (他們在曠野正是以搭帳篷為住處)；而農業意義則是慶祝秋天的收穫。另外，因為要在冬天來臨之前收藏所有的農作物，所以住棚節也稱為「收藏節」。
按照《利未記》的教導，住棚節其中一個主要活動，就是要住在棚裡。猶太人會在戶外搭建一個棚，在裏面短暫生活，目的是記念上帝帶領他們的先祖出埃及，並以雲柱火柱引領前行，在一切生活所需，包括飲食、衣物以至人身安全，都有上帝的看顧，直至他們進入應許地為止。
因此，住棚節有一個很重要的屬靈意義，是關乎怎樣渡過在世的日子！在充滿試煉的生活裏，學習依靠上帝的帶領和供應而得滿足，同時要把盼望放在將來的應許地，而不是眼前的曠野生活。住棚節的「棚」是個暫時的棲身之所，這提醒我們在世的日子只不過是寄居的，我們的焦點並不是地上的物質生活和居所，而是要建立和維繫與上帝那份永恆的關係。
今天有上帝的同在，讓我們不再害怕眼前的困難；渴望在永恆裡永遠與上帝同在，讓我們輕看今天的物質生活，並將焦點放在屬靈的事情上。住棚節，是一個關於上帝同在的節日。
一個有趣的統計：有旅遊機構調查發現，亞洲人出外旅遊，最怕忘記攜帶手提電話。一些受訪者更形容沒有帶手提電話，令人缺乏安全感。各位，你的平安來自哪裏？上帝的同在給予你平安嗎？
過去十天，我們分享了上帝設立七個節期的屬靈意義，但願在新的一年，我們也可以透過這些節期來反思我們的屬靈生命。願主賜福大家。
反思：你渴望上帝的同在嗎？你今天正在努力經營的事情，有沒有永恆的價值？
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢過去十天的教導，讓我們在七個節期當中學習並反思。今天透過住棚節，祢再次提醒我們要靠着祢面對眼前的挑戰，同時要渴想祢的同在，將焦點放在永恆的事情上！無論我們身處何地、何境況，願我們重視永恆的事多於地上的事。以上禱告，奉主耶穌得勝的名求，阿們。
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