2020年11月14日 星期六
約伯記27:1-23
27:1 約伯接著說：
27:2 上帝奪去我的理，全能者使我心中愁苦。我指著永生的上帝起誓：
27:3 我的生命尚在我裡面；上帝所賜呼吸之氣仍在我的鼻孔內。
27:4 我的嘴決不說非義之言；我的舌也不說詭詐之語。
27:5 我斷不以你們為是；我至死必不以自己為不正！
27:6 我持定我的義，必不放鬆；在世的日子，我心必不責備我。
27:7 願我的仇敵如惡人一樣；願那起來攻擊我的，如不義之人一般。
27:8 不敬虔的人雖然得利，上帝奪取其命的時候還有甚麼指望呢？
27:9 患難臨到他，上帝豈能聽他的呼求？
27:10 他豈以全能者為樂，隨時求告上帝呢？
27:11 上帝的作為，我要指教你們；全能者所行的，我也不隱瞞。
27:12 你們自己也都見過，為何全然變為虛妄呢？
27:13 上帝為惡人所定的分，強暴人從全能者所得的報（原文是產業）乃是這樣：
27:14 倘或他的兒女增多，還是被刀所殺；他的子孫必不得飽食。
27:15 他所遺留的人必死而埋葬；他的寡婦也不哀哭。
27:16 他雖積蓄銀子如塵沙，預備衣服如泥土；
27:17 他只管預備，義人卻要穿上；他的銀子，無辜的人要分取。
27:18 他建造房屋如蟲做窩，又如守望者所搭的棚。
27:19 他雖富足躺臥，卻不得收殮，轉眼之間就不在了。
27:20 驚恐如波濤將他追上；暴風在夜間將他颳去。
27:21 東風把他飄去，又颳他離開本處。
27:22 上帝要向他射箭，並不留情；他恨不得逃脫上帝的手。
27:23 人要向他拍掌，並要發叱聲，使他離開本處。
And Job continued his discourse:
2 “As
surely as God lives, who has denied me justice,
the Almighty, who has made my life bitter,
3 as long as I have life within me,
the breath of God in my nostrils,
4 my lips will not say anything wicked,
and my tongue will not utter lies.
5 I will never admit you are in the right;
till I die, I will not deny my integrity.
6 I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it;
my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.
7 “May
my enemy be like the wicked,
my adversary like the unjust!
8 For what hope have the godless when they are cut off,
when God takes away their life?
9 Does God listen to their cry
when distress comes upon them?
10 Will they find delight in the Almighty?
Will they call on God at all times?
11 “I
will teach you about the power of God;
the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal.
12 You have all seen this yourselves.
Why then this meaningless talk?
13 “Here
is the fate God allots to the wicked,
the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:
14 However many his children, their fate is the sword;
his offspring will never have enough to eat.
15 The plague will bury those who survive him,
and their widows will not weep for them.
16 Though he heaps up silver like dust
and clothes like piles of clay,
17 what he lays up the righteous will wear,
and the innocent will divide his silver.
18 The house he builds is like a moth’s cocoon,
like a hut made by a watchman.
19 He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;
when he opens his eyes, all is gone.
20 Terrors overtake him like a flood;
a tempest snatches him away in the night.
21 The east wind carries him off, and he is gone;
it sweeps him out of his place.
22 It hurls itself against him without mercy
as he flees headlong from its power.
23 It claps its hands in derision
and hisses him out of his place.”
*************
約伯清楚自己不是因為不義而有今天的遭遇，所以不管朋友怎樣說，他都堅持自己是義人，並且要持續成為義人，不要因為今日的遭遇而遠離上帝！這也正是上帝要他表現出來的信心，因為「義人必因信得生」（哈巴谷書2:4）
其實上帝讓約伯受苦難的目的，就是要向魔鬼誇勝，讓魔鬼知道苦難並不會讓敬畏上帝的人離棄上帝，反而會更堅定自己的信心，更願意信靠上帝而活，而不會離開上帝去作惡！也唯有這樣，約伯的受苦才有意義、才有價值！
從約伯的身上我們學習到，信靠上帝不是為了凡事亨通；而是要讓我們在不管任何的處境當中，都願意倚靠上帝，行在上帝的光中，不離棄上帝！正如約翰一書1章7節所說：「我們若在光明中行，如同上帝在光明中，就彼此相交，他兒子耶穌的血也洗淨我們一切的罪。」
這也是說，我們信靠主是要追求聖潔，與上帝的性情有分，遠離惡事，凡是敬畏上帝，不管在任何的景況，我們都要確信我們是活在上帝的榮光之中！上帝既然要保守我們直到那日，我們更是不可離開上帝，到那日必得上帝的榮耀，與基督同在榮耀之中！這就是約伯受苦中之所以可以忍受下去的重要原因！
2020年11月13日 星期五
撒母耳記下14:1-33
14:1 洗魯雅的兒子約押，知道王心裡想念押沙龍，
14:2 就打發人往提哥亞去，從那裡叫了一個聰明的婦人來，對她說：「請你假裝居喪的，穿上孝衣，不要用膏抹身，要裝作為死者許久悲哀的婦人；
14:3 進去見王，對王如此如此說。」於是約押將當說的話教導了婦人。
14:4 提哥亞婦人到王面前，伏地叩拜，說：「王啊，求你拯救！」
14:5 王問她說：「你有甚麼事呢？」回答說：「婢女實在是寡婦，我丈夫死了。
14:6 我有兩個兒子，一日在田間爭鬥，沒有人解勸，這個就打死那個。
14:7 現在全家的人都起來攻擊婢女，說：『你將那打死兄弟的交出來，我們好治死他，償他打死兄弟的命，滅絕那承受家業的。』這樣，他們要將我剩下的炭火滅盡，不與我丈夫留名留後在世上。」
14:8 王對婦人說：「你回家去吧！我必為你下令。」
14:9 提哥亞婦人又對王說：「我主我王，願這罪歸我和我父家，與王和王的位無干。」
14:10 王說：「凡難為你的，你就帶他到我這裡來，他必不再攪擾你。」
14:11 婦人說：「願王記念耶和華─你的上帝，不許報血仇的人施行滅絕，恐怕他們滅絕我的兒子。」王說：「我指著永生的耶和華起誓：你的兒子連一根頭髮也不致落在地上。」
14:12 婦人說：「求我主我王容婢女再說一句話。」王說：「你說吧！」
14:13 婦人說：「王為何也起意要害上帝的民呢？王不使那逃亡的人回來，王的這話就是自證己錯了！
14:14 我們都是必死的，如同水潑在地上，不能收回。上帝並不奪取人的性命，乃設法使逃亡的人不致成為趕出、回不來的。
14:15 我來將這話告訴我主我王，是因百姓使我懼怕。婢女想，不如將這話告訴王，或者王成就婢女所求的。
14:16 人要將我和我兒子從上帝的地業上一同除滅，王必應允救我脫離他的手。
14:17 婢女又想，我主我王的話必安慰我；因為我主我王能辨別是非，如同上帝的使者一樣。惟願耶和華─你的上帝與你同在！」
14:18 王對婦人說：「我要問你一句話，你一點不要瞞我。」婦人說：「願我主我王說。」
14:19 王說：「你這些話莫非是約押的主意嗎？」婦人說：「我敢在我主我王面前起誓：王的話正對，不偏左右，是王的僕人約押吩咐我的，這些話是他教導我的。
14:20 王的僕人約押如此行，為要挽回這事。我主的智慧卻如上帝使者的智慧，能知世上一切事。」
14:21 王對約押說：「我應允你這事。你可以去，把那少年人押沙龍帶回來。」
14:22 約押就面伏於地叩拜，祝謝於王，又說：「王既應允僕人所求的，僕人今日知道在我主我王眼前蒙恩了。」
14:23 於是約押起身往基述去，將押沙龍帶回耶路撒冷。
14:24 王說：「使他回自己家裡去，不要見我的面。」押沙龍就回自己家裡去，沒有見王的面。
14:25 以色列全地之中，無人像押沙龍那樣俊美，得人的稱讚，從腳底到頭頂毫無瑕疵。
14:26 他的頭髮甚重，每到年底剪髮一次；所剪下來的，按王的平稱一稱，重二百舍客勒。
14:27 押沙龍生了三個兒子，一個女兒。女兒名叫她瑪，是個容貌俊美的女子。
14:28 押沙龍住在耶路撒冷足有二年，沒有見王的面。
14:29 押沙龍打發人去叫約押來，要託他去見王，約押卻不肯來。第二次打發人去叫他，他仍不肯來。
14:30 所以押沙龍對僕人說：「你們看，約押有一塊田，與我的田相近，其中有大麥，你們去放火燒了。」押沙龍的僕人就去放火燒了那田。
14:31 於是約押起來，到了押沙龍家裡，問他說：「你的僕人為何放火燒了我的田呢？」
14:32 押沙龍回答約押說：「我打發人去請你來，好託你去見王，替我說：『我為何從基述回來呢？不如仍在那裡。』現在要許我見王的面；我若有罪，任憑王殺我就是了。」
14:33 於是約押去見王，將這話奏告王，王便叫押沙龍來。押沙龍來見王，在王面前俯伏於地，王就與押沙龍親嘴。
Joab son of Zeruiah knew that the king’s heart longed for Absalom. 2 So Joab sent someone to Tekoa and had a wise woman brought from there. He said to her, “Pretend you are in mourning. Dress in mourning clothes, and don’t use any cosmetic lotions. Act like a woman who has spent many days grieving for the dead. 3 Then go to the king and speak these words to him.” And Joab put the words in her mouth.
4 When the woman from Tekoa went[a] to the king, she fell with her face to the ground to pay him honor, and she said, “Help me, Your Majesty!”
5 The king asked her, “What is troubling you?”
She said, “I am a widow; my husband is dead. 6 I your servant had two sons. They got into a fight with each other in the field, and no one was there to separate them. One struck the other and killed him. 7 Now the whole clan has risen up against your servant; they say, ‘Hand over the one who struck his brother down, so that we may put him to death for the life of his brother whom he killed; then we will get rid of the heir as well.’ They would put out the only burning coal I have left, leaving my husband neither name nor descendant on the face of the earth.”
8 The king said to the woman, “Go home, and I will issue an order in your behalf.”
9 But the woman from Tekoa said to him, “Let my lord the king pardon me and my family, and let the king and his throne be without guilt.”
10 The king replied, “If anyone says anything to you, bring them to me, and they will not bother you again.”
11 She said, “Then let the king invoke the Lord his God to prevent the avenger of blood from adding to the destruction, so that my son will not be destroyed.”
“As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “not one hair of your son’s head will fall to the ground.”
12 Then the woman said, “Let your servant speak a word to my lord the king.”
“Speak,” he replied.
13 The woman said, “Why then have you devised a thing like this against the people of God? When the king says this, does he not convict himself, for the king has not brought back his banished son? 14 Like water spilled on the ground, which cannot be recovered, so we must die. But that is not what God desires; rather, he devises ways so that a banished person does not remain banished from him.
15 “And now I have come to say this to my lord the king because the people have made me afraid. Your servant thought, ‘I will speak to the king; perhaps he will grant his servant’s request. 16 Perhaps the king will agree to deliver his servant from the hand of the man who is trying to cut off both me and my son from God’s inheritance.’
17 “And now your servant says, ‘May the word of my lord the king secure my inheritance, for my lord the king is like an angel of God in discerning good and evil. May the Lord your God be with you.’”
18 Then the king said to the woman, “Don’t keep from me the answer to what I am going to ask you.”
“Let my lord the king speak,” the woman said.
19 The king asked, “Isn’t the hand of Joab with you in all this?”
The woman answered, “As surely as you live, my lord the king, no one can turn to the right or to the left from anything my lord the king says. Yes, it was your servant Joab who instructed me to do this and who put all these words into the mouth of your servant. 20 Your servant Joab did this to change the present situation. My lord has wisdom like that of an angel of God—he knows everything that happens in the land.”
21 The king said to Joab, “Very well, I will do it. Go, bring back the young man Absalom.”
22 Joab fell with his face to the ground to pay him honor, and he blessed the king. Joab said, “Today your servant knows that he has found favor in your eyes, my lord the king, because the king has granted his servant’s request.”
23 Then Joab went to Geshur and brought Absalom back to Jerusalem. 24 But the king said, “He must go to his own house; he must not see my face.” So Absalom went to his own house and did not see the face of the king.
25 In all Israel there was not a man so highly praised for his handsome appearance as Absalom. From the top of his head to the sole of his foot there was no blemish in him. 26 Whenever he cut the hair of his head—he used to cut his hair once a year because it became too heavy for him—he would weigh it, and its weight was two hundred shekels[b] by the royal standard.
27 Three sons and a daughter were born to Absalom. His daughter’s name was Tamar, and she became a beautiful woman.
28 Absalom lived two years in Jerusalem without seeing the king’s face. 29 Then Absalom sent for Joab in order to send him to the king, but Joab refused to come to him. So he sent a second time, but he refused to come. 30 Then he said to his servants, “Look, Joab’s field is next to mine, and he has barley there. Go and set it on fire.” So Absalom’s servants set the field on fire.
31 Then Joab did go to Absalom’s house, and he said to him, “Why have your servants set my field on fire?”
32 Absalom said to Joab, “Look, I sent word to you and said, ‘Come here so I can send you to the king to ask, “Why have I come from Geshur? It would be better for me if I were still there!”’ Now then, I want to see the king’s face, and if I am guilty of anything, let him put me to death.”
33 So Joab went to the king and told him this. Then the king summoned Absalom, and he came in and bowed down with his face to the ground before the king. And the king kissed Absalom.
*************
押沙龍流亡在外，對大衛而言總是覺得不妥當，這樣的思念之情竟然被約押察覺，於是約押用計讓大衛允許押沙龍回到以色列來。然而王心中的怨恨可能還沒有過去，所以一直都不見押沙龍。
經過幾年後押沙龍受不了，就用燒田的方式讓約押來處理他和大衛的關係。從他這樣闖理事情的方式，發現他對上帝沒有信靠的心，完全是用自己的想法在做事情，不像他的父親大衛。
從押沙龍的身上我們看不見對上帝敬畏的樣式，所以他的言行我們不必太多的注意與探討，不過我們也可以從聖經的記載中慢慢明白，他後來為何會叛變！而他的美貌也是讓他自傲，反而是讓他走向敗亡的路！
從他的身上我們要學習做一個敬畏上帝的人，不要自傲和自以為是，求聖靈保守我們常在上帝的愛與憐憫之中！
2020年11月12日 星期四
撒迦利亞書4:6
他對我說：「這是耶和華指示所羅巴伯的。萬軍之耶和華說：『不是倚靠勢力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠我的靈方能成事。』
Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts.
*********************
萬軍之耶和華說：『不是倚靠勢力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠我的靈方能成事。』
這句話也是上帝對我們說的話，我們要單單倚靠上帝來面對人生的各樣考驗，因為主權在乎上帝。
也因為如此，我們生命與時間的主權要交回上帝，我們一生的努力，不是成就自己，而是要榮耀上帝！
箴 言 3:27-35
27 你 手 若 有行 善 的 力 量 ， 不 可 推 辭 ， 就 當 向 那 應 得 的 人 施 行 。
28 你 那 裡 若 有 現 成 的 ， 不 可 對 鄰 舍 說 ： 去 罷 ， 明 天 再 來 ， 我 必 給 你。
29 你 的 鄰 舍 既 在 你 附 近 安 居 ， 你 不 可 設 計 害 他 。
30 人 未 曾 加 害 與 你 ， 不 可 無 故 與 他 相 爭 。
31 不 可 嫉 妒 強 暴 的 人 ， 也 不 可 選 擇 他 所 行 的 路 。
32 因 為 ， 乖 僻 人 為 耶 和 華 所 憎 惡 ； 正 直 人 為 他 所 親 密 。
33 耶 和 華 咒 詛 惡 人 的 家 庭 ， 賜 福 與 義 人 的 居 所 。
34 他 譏 誚 那 好 譏 誚 的 人 ， 賜 恩 給 謙 卑 的 人 。
35 智 慧 人 必 承 受 尊 榮 ； 愚 昧 人 高 升 也 成 為 羞 辱 。
*****************************************
箴言是智慧之話語，教導我們如何在世生活可以榮耀上帝並且使人得益處。
在此告訴我們有能力行善之時，不可以推辭，當然不可以用聖靈有沒有感動或上帝有沒命令為藉口來決定要不要行善，行善是人的本份，與宗教信仰無關，而且宗教信仰並非以勸人為善為目的，所以不是“宗教都是勸人為善”。
對於鄰舍要和平相處，不要計較太多，人與人相處免不了會有摩擦，只要對方沒有惡意，我們不要太在意，自找麻煩。人恨惡不公義之事，是因為人受造之時是按上帝之形象和樣式，性情上像上帝，雖然人被罪敗壞了。既然如此，上帝比人更公義，所以上帝比人更恨惡罪惡，正如箴言作者所言：『乖 僻 人 為 耶 和 華 所 憎 惡 ； 正 直 人 為 他 所 親 密 。』『耶 和 華 咒 詛 惡 人 的 家 庭 ， 賜 福 與 義 人 的 居 所 。』
你願你的家人蒙福嗎？你要成為一位義人，所謂義人必須是蒙上帝拯救與遵行上帝命令之人，兩者缺一不可，當然事有先後，你要先蒙上帝救贖之後，你才有能力遵行上帝之命令，我們必須行善，要有聖靈更新才能行得完全，才能真正榮耀上帝，使人得益處。因為真正為聖靈同在之人，才能明白行善不是為要得人稱讚或提高知名度，而是為了榮神益人，如此才能看到：“別人的需要是我的負擔”，才能“人飢己飢，人溺己溺”！
<禱告>
親愛的天父：
祢教導我們要“愛鄰舍”，幫助我們從別人之需要看到我的負擔與使命，靠聖靈所賜之新生命來行善，以榮耀祢的名與使人得益處，奉主耶穌之名，阿們！