約伯記38:1-41

 

38:1 那時，耶和華從旋風中回答約伯說：
38:2 誰用無知的言語使我的旨意暗昧不明？
38:3 你要如勇士束腰；我問你，你可以指示我。
38:4 我立大地根基的時候，你在哪裡呢？你若有聰明，只管說吧！
38:5 你若曉得就說，是誰定地的尺度？是誰把準繩拉在其上？
38:6 地的根基安置在何處？地的角石是誰安放的？
38:7 那時，晨星一同歌唱；上帝的眾子也都歡呼。
38:8 海水衝出，如出胎胞，那時誰將它關閉呢？
38:9 是我用雲彩當海的衣服，用幽暗當包裹它的布，
38:10 為它定界限，又安門和閂，
38:11 說：你只可到這裡，不可越過；你狂傲的浪要到此止住。
38:12 你自生以來，曾命定晨光，使清晨的日光知道本位，
38:13 叫這光普照地的四極，將惡人從其中驅逐出來嗎？
38:14 因這光，地面改變如泥上印印，萬物出現如衣服一樣。
38:15 亮光不照惡人；強橫的膀臂也必折斷。
38:16 你曾進到海源，或在深淵的隱密處行走嗎？
38:17 死亡的門曾向你顯露嗎？死蔭的門你曾見過嗎？
38:18 地的廣大你能明透嗎？你若全知道，只管說吧！
38:19 光明的居所從何而至？黑暗的本位在於何處？
38:20 你能帶到本境，能看明其室之路嗎？
38:21 你總知道，因為你早已生在世上，你日子的數目也多。
38:22 你曾進入雪庫，或見過雹倉嗎？
38:23 這雪雹乃是我為降災，並打仗和爭戰的日子所預備的。
38:24 光亮從何路分開？東風從何路分散遍地？
38:25 誰為雨水分道？誰為雷電開路？
38:26 使雨降在無人之地、無人居住的曠野？
38:27 使荒廢淒涼之地得以豐足，青草得以發生？
38:28 雨有父嗎？露水珠是誰生的呢？
38:29 冰出於誰的胎？天上的霜是誰生的呢？
38:30 諸水堅硬（或譯：隱藏）如石頭；深淵之面凝結成冰。
38:31 你能繫住昴星的結嗎？能解開參星的帶嗎？
38:32 你能按時領出十二宮嗎？能引導北斗和隨它的眾星（星：原文是子）嗎？
38:33 你知道天的定例嗎？能使地歸在天的權下嗎？
38:34 你能向雲彩揚起聲來，使傾盆的雨遮蓋你嗎？
38:35 你能發出閃電，叫它行去，使它對你說：我們在這裡？
38:36 誰將智慧放在懷中？誰將聰明賜於心內？
38:37 誰能用智慧數算雲彩呢？塵土聚集成團，土塊緊緊結連；那時，誰能傾倒天上的瓶呢？
38:38 【併於上節】
38:39 母獅子在洞中蹲伏，少壯獅子在隱密處埋伏；你能為牠們抓取食物，使牠們飽足嗎？
38:40 【併於上節】
38:41 烏鴉之雛因無食物飛來飛去，哀告上帝；那時，誰為牠預備食物呢？

 

“ Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

² “Who is this that obscures my plans
    with words without knowledge?
³ Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.

⁴ “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
    Tell me, if you understand.
⁵ Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
    Who stretched a measuring line across it?
⁶ On what were its footings set,
    or who laid its cornerstone—
⁷ while the morning stars sang together
    and all the angels^[a] shouted for joy?

⁸ “Who shut up the sea behind doors
    when it burst forth from the womb,
⁹ when I made the clouds its garment
    and wrapped it in thick darkness,
¹⁰ when I fixed limits for it
    and set its doors and bars in place,
¹¹ when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
    here is where your proud waves halt’?

¹² “Have you ever given orders to the morning,
    or shown the dawn its place,
¹³ that it might take the earth by the edges
    and shake the wicked out of it?
¹⁴ The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;
    its features stand out like those of a garment.
¹⁵ The wicked are denied their light,
    and their upraised arm is broken.

¹⁶ “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
    or walked in the recesses of the deep?
¹⁷ Have the gates of death been shown to you?
    Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
¹⁸ Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
    Tell me, if you know all this.

¹⁹ “What is the way to the abode of light?
    And where does darkness reside?
²⁰ Can you take them to their places?
    Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
²¹ Surely you know, for you were already born!
    You have lived so many years!

²² “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow
    or seen the storehouses of the hail,
²³ which I reserve for times of trouble,
    for days of war and battle?
²⁴ What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,
    or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?
²⁵ Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
    and a path for the thunderstorm,
²⁶ to water a land where no one lives,
    an uninhabited desert,
²⁷ to satisfy a desolate wasteland
    and make it sprout with grass?
²⁸ Does the rain have a father?
    Who fathers the drops of dew?
²⁹ From whose womb comes the ice?
    Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens
³⁰ when the waters become hard as stone,
    when the surface of the deep is frozen?

³¹ “Can you bind the chains^[b] of the Pleiades?
    Can you loosen Orion’s belt?
³² Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons^[c]
    or lead out the Bear^[d] with its cubs?
³³ Do you know the laws of the heavens?
    Can you set up God’s^[e] dominion over the earth?

³⁴ “Can you raise your voice to the clouds
    and cover yourself with a flood of water?
³⁵ Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?
    Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
³⁶ Who gives the ibis wisdom^[f]
    or gives the rooster understanding?^[g]
37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
    Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens
³⁸ when the dust becomes hard
    and the clods of earth stick together?

³⁹ “Do you hunt the prey for the lioness
    and satisfy the hunger of the lions
⁴⁰ when they crouch in their dens
    or lie in wait in a thicket?
⁴¹ Who provides food for the raven
    when its young cry out to God
    and wander about for lack of food?

 

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    上帝顯現自己來面對約伯，卻是用一連串的問話來讓約伯思考，並不向約伯回答他所問的問題，也不替約伯在他的朋友面前辯駁什麼，而是像以利戶的話語的接續，要約伯放下自己來面對上帝的偉大作為好得智慧的心，不要再質疑上帝為何讓他遇見這麼大的苦難！

 

    這樣的表達好像是在啟示錄6章9-11節中的記載：

 

6:9 揭開第五印的時候，我看見在祭壇底下，有為上帝的道、並為作見證被殺之人的靈魂，
6:10 大聲喊著說：「聖潔真實的主啊，你不審判住在地上的人，給我們伸流血的冤，要等到幾時呢？」
6:11 於是有白衣賜給他們各人；又有話對他們說，還要安息片時，等著一同作僕人的和他們的弟兄也像他們被殺，滿足了數目。

 

    這些為主而被殺的人，照自己的想法要主快快為他們伸冤，以至於像抱怨的口氣像主說：「聖潔真實的主啊，你不審判住在地上的人，給我們伸流血的冤，要等到幾時呢？」

 

    主卻要他們繼續等候，對他們說：「還要安息片時，等著一同作僕人的和他們的弟兄也像他們被殺，滿足了數目。」

 

   而主這樣做的緣故是為了「完全」，正如希伯來書11章39-40節說：「  這些人都是因信得了美好的證據，卻仍未得著所應許的；因為上帝給我們預備了更美的事，叫他們若不與我們同得，就不能完全。」

 

    同樣「滿足了數目」，也是為了「完全」！因此，上帝的伸冤是一定會成就，而這個成就是在我們將來在榮耀境時的到「完全」的安慰！因為我們一見了主的榮面，主就將一切為我們補足了！因為他將我們失去的，用自己來滿足我們！有甚麼比基督更好呢？

 

    因此，上帝像約伯顯現自己，是要讓約伯清楚有上帝勝過了一切的冤屈！所以，上帝給我一個美好的名號「以馬內利」，也就是上帝的同在！