以色列民离开了他们多年来为奴的埃及地（参看出埃及记 1-4），民数记这卷书便是以记载这件事开始的。离开埃及之后十三个月，以色列民需要继续走过前面的漫长旷野路程，才能进入神应许赐给他们的祖先亚伯拉罕的地业（创世记 13: 14-18）。
民众住在西奈的帐棚中已有超过一年的时间，很快神便会带领他们起程前往应许之地的了。他们要怎样做，才能安全无恙走过前面的旷野路程呢？他们需要记着，神已经拯救他们脱离为奴之地，而他们也是神的子民；神既然已拯救他们，就断不会在旷野撇下他们。神已释放他们不再作奴隶，就必定会带领他们进入所应许的地方。
当生活艰苦时，我们必须记着，神也已经拯救了我们。藉着差遣衪的儿子耶稣基督，神已经把我们从罪和死的奴役中释放出来。耶稣已受死，为我们偿还了罪债，藉着衪，我们已经得到拯救和新的生命，并享受神永远的同在了。
我们生命中或许会经历困扰，有时，我们甚至似乎活在沙漠中，然而，神提醒我们，因着在基督里的救恩，我们是属衪的。衪已经释放我们脱离罪和死亡，衪是不会在旷野撇下我们的。假若你正流落在旷野中，你应当把你的盼望放在神身上，因为衪必定会带领你走过这条路的。
主，我们的神啊，当我们的生命正经历旷野之路时，求你与我们同行，又提醒我们，因着耶稣的缘故，我们是属于你的。阿们。
民数记 1:1-4
1以色列人出埃及地后，第二年二月初一日，耶和华在西奈的旷野，会幕中晓谕摩西说：
2“你要按以色列全会众的家室、宗族，人名的数目，计算所有的男丁。
3凡以色列中，从二十岁以外，能出去打仗的，你和亚伦要照他们的军队数点。
4每支派中，必有一人做本支派的族长，帮助你们。
"The LORD spoke to Moses . . . in the Desert of Sinai on the first day of the second month of the second year after the Israelites came out of Egypt." - Numbers 1:1
The book of Numbers begins with a reference to the Israelites' coming out of Egypt, where they had been slaves for many years (see Exodus 1-14). Thirteen months had passed since then, and many miles of wilderness lay ahead before they would enter the land God had promised to their ancestor Abraham (Genesis 13:14-18).
The people had been camped at Sinai for more than a year. And soon God would get them moving again toward the promised land. How would they survive in the wilderness journey ahead? They needed to remember that God had delivered them out of slavery, and that they were God's people. God had rescued them, and he would not abandon them in the wilderness. God had delivered them and would bring them to the land he had promised.
When life is difficult, we must remember that God has delivered us too. By sending his Son, Jesus Christ, God has freed us from our slavery to sin and death. Jesus died to pay the price for our sin. Through him, we are saved and given new life to enjoy with God forever.
We may experience troubles in life. At times, life can even seem like a desert, but God reminds us that we belong to him because of his salvation in Christ. He has delivered us from sin and death; he will not abandon us in the wilderness. If you find yourself in the wilderness, put your hope in God, who will carry you through.
Lord God, walk with us in the wilderness experiences of life and remind us that because of Jesus we are yours. Amen.
诵读: 骆云秀
片头: 张妙阳
