EXODUS – THE BOOK OF REDEMPTION

出埃及記：救贖之書

粵語 國語 第1天

讀經：   出埃及記一章1至7節

出埃及記是舊約的第二卷書。作為第一卷書的創世記，是一卷始源之書。它記述世界的始源、人類的始源，以及罪的始源等等。 出埃及記是一卷救贖和拯救之書。創世記講述神的創造大能；而出埃及記所顯示的，卻是神拯救祂百姓的大能。 「出埃及記」是沿用古希臘文聖經所用的書名，該希臘字的原意是「出去」或「離去」，正好道出全書的主要內容，就是記述以色列人出埃及的經歷。至於帶領以色列人出埃及的領袖摩西，他便是本書的作者。我們在這卷書裡面，還可以看到許多有關基督的預表。 第5節告訴我們，雅各一家昔日共有七十人一起到埃及定居，當中包括了早已在那裡生活的約瑟和他的妻子及兩個兒子。 神曾經分別應許亞伯拉罕，以撒及雅各，他們的後裔將如地上的塵沙那樣多。神就是在埃及開始，以不可思議的方式來成就祂的應許。無論是在創世記四十七章47節，或是我們今天選讀的經文(第7節)，都清楚表明以色列民的人口迅速加增。他們在埃及定居四百年，人口由原先的七十人繁衍至超過二百萬人。難怪埃及王會擔心他們的勢力過於強盛。 他們的後代為何能如此繁衍？因為神的恩手祝福他們。我們未必可以心事想成，擁有一切所想望的物質財富，然而，只要神的恩手在我們身上，萬事都會為我們帶來益處。我們可以信靠祂，因為祂必會把最好的給予我們。 神不會忘記祂的百姓，祂也不會忘記我們。讓我們牢記祂的應許：「我永不離棄你。」 牢記： 神言出必行，祂永遠信守承諾。

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EXODUS – THE BOOK OF REDEMPTION

Day 30

Bible Reading:   Exodus 1: 1 – 7

Exodus is of course the second book in the Old Testament. Genesis is the book of beginnings, the beginning of the world, the beginning of man and of sin, as well as many other things. Exodus is a book of redemption and deliverance. Genesis tells of God's power in creation. In Exodus we see God's power on behalf of his people. The word 'Exodus' means to go out and that tells us the main story of the book. There are also many wonderful pictures of Christ in this remarkable book, written down by Moses, the man who led the Israelites out of Egypt. Notice what verse 5 in our reading tells us. The number of Jacob's family that went down into Egypt totalled 70, including Joseph, his wife and two sons, who were already there. God had promised Abraham and later Isaac and Jacob that their children would be as many as the sand on the seashore. It was in Egypt that God began to fulfil that promise in a remarkable way. Both in Genesis 47:27 and again in our reading today (v.7) we are told that the numbers of Israelites increased very rapidly. They had large families and in the 400 years they were in Egypt they multiplied from 70 persons to over two million. No wonder the kind of Egypt finally became afraid of them. Why was there such a big increase? Because God's hand of blessing was on them. We may not always have all the money or material things which we feel we would like, but if God's hand is on us, it will always be for our good and we can trust him to bless us in the way that is best for us. God never forget his people nor will he forget us. Remember his promise, 'I will never leave you nor forsake you'. REMEMBER: God always keeps his word.