Read: Exodus 17:1–7

阅读: 出埃及记章-节

Only Jesus, the Living Water, can satisfy our thirst for God.

耶稣是活水，唯有祂能满足我们对上帝的渴望。

The message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed. Hebrews 4:2

只是所听见的道与他们无益，因为他们没有信心与所听见的道调和。-希伯来书4章2节

In the 1960s, the Kingston Trio released a song called “Desert Pete.” The ballad tells of a thirsty cowboy who is crossing the desert and finds a hand pump. Next to it, Desert Pete has left a note urging the reader not to drink the water in the jar left there but to use its contents to prime the pump.

在六十年代，金斯顿三重唱录制了一首歌曲，名为《荒野彼得》（Desert Pete），描述一个口干舌燥的牛仔，在穿越沙漠时发现一个抽水机。旁边有一个水瓶，还有一张荒野彼得留下的字条，提醒看到字条的人不要喝瓶中的水，而是要将水注入抽水机，才能将水引出来。

The cowboy resists the temptation to drink and uses the water as the note instructs. In reward for his obedience, he receives an abundance of cold, satisfying water. Had he not acted in faith, he would have had only a jar of unsatisfying, warm water to drink.

这位牛仔遏制想一口把瓶中的水喝干的渴望，并按字条的指示使用那瓶水。因着他的顺服，结果他可以尽情享用清凉的水。若他没有凭着信心按指示而行，他便只有一瓶温热而少量的水可喝。

This reminds me of Israel’s journey through the wilderness. When their thirst became overwhelming (Ex. 17:1–7), Moses sought the Lord. He was told to strike the rock of Horeb with his staff. Moses believed and obeyed, and water gushed from the stone.

这使我想到以色列人在旷野中的旅程。当他们因为没有水喝而争闹时（出埃及记17章1-7节），摩西寻求上帝，上帝要他用手杖击打何烈的磐石。摩西相信且顺服，水因而从石头中泉涌而出。

Sadly, Israel would not consistently follow Moses’s example of faith. Ultimately, “the message they heard was of no value to them, because they did not share the faith of those who obeyed” (Heb. 4:2).

可悲的是，以色列民并没有一直效法摩西信而顺服的榜样。最终“所听见的道与他们无益，因为他们没有信心与所听见的道调和”（希伯来书4章2节） 。

Sometimes life can seem like an arid desert. But God can quench our spiritual thirst in the most unlikely circumstances. When by faith we believe the promises of God’s Word, we can experience rivers of living water and grace for our daily needs.

有时人的一生就像是个荒芜的旷野，但是上帝却能在最令人无法预料的情况下，解除我们灵性的干渴。当我们凭信心相信上帝的应许时，我们便能经历到上帝的活水与恩典，足以供应我们每日所需。

Help us to place our trust in You, Lord.

You are what our heart thirsts after.

主啊，求祢帮助我们，能全然信靠祢，
祢才是我们心中所渴求的。

INSIGHT

Three days after the Israelites left Egypt, the water they brought along was depleted. Finding no drinkable water in the Desert of Shur, they grumbled against Moses, and God miraculously made bitter water into good water (Ex. 15:22–25). Soon their food supplies ran out, and they complained again. God miraculously fed them with manna and quail (16:1–36). As they approached Sinai, they complained yet again of no water (17:1–2). God had already shown them He could provide the water and food they needed. All they had to do was to trust Him! (Deut. 8:2; Ps. 81:7–8). 

Consider how God has been faithful to provide for your physical needs. How has He satisfied your spiritual thirst?

灵粮透视

以色列人离开埃及三天之后，他们携带的水就用尽了。在书珥旷野，他们找不到可以饮用的水，就向摩西发怨言，后来上帝施行神迹，把苦水变成了甜水（出埃及记15章22-25节）。不久之后，他们的食物也吃完了，就再次发怨言。于是，上帝又行神迹，用吗哪和鹌鹑让他们得着饱足（16章1-36节）。当他们临近西奈山时，他们又再度抱怨没有水喝（17章1-2节）。其实上帝早已向他们显明，祂会供应他们所需要的饮水和食物。他们唯一必须做的，就是倚靠祂！（申命记8章2节；诗篇81篇7-8节）

不妨花点时间思想，上帝曾多么信实地供应你生活中的需要。祂曾如何满足你干渴的心灵呢？

Exodus 17:1-7New International Version (NIV)

Water From the Rock

17 The whole Israelite community set out from the Desert of Sin,traveling from place to place as the Lord commanded. They camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. 2 So they quarreled with Moses and said, “Give us water to drink.”

Moses replied, “Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you put the Lord to the test?”

3 But the people were thirsty for water there, and they grumbledagainst Moses. They said, “Why did you bring us up out of Egypt to make us and our children and livestock die of thirst?”

4 Then Moses cried out to the Lord, “What am I to do with these people? They are almost ready to stone me.”

5 The Lord answered Moses, “Go out in front of the people. Take with you some of the elders of Israel and take in your hand the staff with which you struck the Nile, and go. 6 I will stand there before you by the rock at Horeb. Strike the rock, and water will come out of it for the people to drink.” So Moses did this in the sight of the elders of Israel.7 And he called the place Massah[a] and Meribah[b] because the Israelites quarreled and because they tested the Lord saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?”

出埃及 17:1-7Chinese Union Version Modern Punctuation (Simplified) (CUVMPS)

Footnotes:

1. Exodus 17:7 Massah means testing.

2. Exodus 17:7 Meribah means quarreling.

耶和华命摩西击磐出水

17 以色列全会众都遵耶和华的吩咐，按着站口从汛的旷野往前行，在利非订安营。百姓没有水喝， 2 所以与摩西争闹，说：“给我们水喝吧！”摩西对他们说：“你们为什么与我争闹，为什么试探耶和华呢？” 3 百姓在那里甚渴，要喝水，就向摩西发怨言，说：“你为什么将我们从埃及领出来，使我们和我们的儿女并牲畜都渴死呢？” 4 摩西就呼求耶和华说：“我向这百姓怎样行呢？他们几乎要拿石头打死我。”5 耶和华对摩西说：“你手里拿着你先前击打河水的杖，带领以色列的几个长老，从百姓面前走过去。 6 我必在何烈的磐石那里，站在你面前。你要击打磐石，从磐石里必有水流出来，使百姓可以喝。”摩西就在以色列的长老眼前这样行了。 7 他给那地方起名叫玛撒[a]，又叫米利巴[b]，因以色列人争闹，又因他们试探耶和华，说：“耶和华是在我们中间不是？”

Footnotes:

1. 出埃及 17:7 就是“试探”的意思。

2. 出埃及 17:7 就是“争闹”的意思。

整理：于姊妹