撒母耳記上26:1-25

 

26:1 西弗人到基比亞見掃羅，說：「大衛不是在曠野前的哈基拉山藏著嗎？」
26:2 掃羅就起身，帶領以色列人中挑選的三千精兵下到西弗的曠野，要在那裡尋索大衛。
26:3 掃羅在曠野前的哈基拉山，在道路上安營。大衛住在曠野，聽說掃羅到曠野來追尋他，
26:4 就打發人去探聽，便知道掃羅果然來到。
26:5 大衛起來，到掃羅安營的地方，看見掃羅和他的元帥尼珥的兒子押尼珥睡臥之處；掃羅睡在輜重營裡，百姓安營在他周圍。
26:6 大衛對赫人亞希米勒和洗魯雅的兒子約押的兄弟亞比篩說：「誰同我下到掃羅營裡去？」亞比篩說：「我同你下去。」
26:7 於是大衛和亞比篩夜間到了百姓那裡，見掃羅睡在輜重營裡；他的槍在頭旁，插在地上。押尼珥和百姓睡在他周圍。
26:8 亞比篩對大衛說：「現在上帝將你的仇敵交在你手裡，求你容我拿槍將他刺透在地，一刺就成，不用再刺。」
26:9 大衛對亞比篩說：「不可害死他。有誰伸手害耶和華的受膏者而無罪呢？」
26:10 大衛又說：「我指著永生的耶和華起誓，他或被耶和華擊打，或是死期到了，或是出戰陣亡；
26:11 我在耶和華面前，萬不敢伸手害耶和華的受膏者。現在你可以將他頭旁的槍和水瓶拿來，我們就走。」
26:12 大衛從掃羅的頭旁拿了槍和水瓶，二人就走了，沒有人看見，沒有人知道，也沒有人醒起，都睡著了，因為耶和華使他們沉沉地睡了。
26:13 大衛過到那邊去，遠遠地站在山頂上，與他們相離甚遠。
26:14 大衛呼叫百姓和尼珥的兒子押尼珥說：「押尼珥啊，你為何不答應呢？」押尼珥說：「你是誰？竟敢呼叫王呢？」
26:15 大衛對押尼珥說：「你不是個勇士嗎？以色列中誰能比你呢？民中有人進來要害死王─你的主，你為何沒有保護王─你的主呢？
26:16 你這樣是不好的！我指著永生的耶和華起誓，你們都是該死的；因為沒有保護你們的主，就是耶和華的受膏者。現在你看看王頭旁的槍和水瓶在哪裡。」
26:17 掃羅聽出是大衛的聲音，就說：「我兒大衛，這是你的聲音嗎？」大衛說：「主─我的王啊，是我的聲音」；
26:18 又說：「我做了甚麼？我手裡有甚麼惡事？我主竟追趕僕人呢？
26:19 求我主我王聽僕人的話：若是耶和華激發你攻擊我，願耶和華收納祭物；若是人激發你，願他在耶和華面前受咒詛；因為他現今趕逐我，不容我在耶和華的產業上有分，說：『你去事奉別神吧！』
26:20 現在求王不要使我的血流在離耶和華遠的地方。以色列王出來是尋找一個虼蚤，如同人在山上獵取一個鷓鴣一般。」
26:21 掃羅說：「我有罪了！我兒大衛，你可以回來，因你今日看我的性命為寶貴；我必不再加害於你。我是糊塗人，大大錯了。」
26:22 大衛說：「王的槍在這裡，可以吩咐一個僕人過來拿去。
26:23 今日耶和華將王交在我手裡，我卻不肯伸手害耶和華的受膏者。耶和華必照各人的公義誠實報應他。
26:24 我今日重看你的性命，願耶和華也重看我的性命，並且拯救我脫離一切患難。」
26:25 掃羅對大衛說：「我兒大衛，願你得福！你必做大事，也必得勝。」於是大衛起行，掃羅回他的本處去了。

 

 The Ziphites went to Saul at Gibeah and said, “Is not David hiding on the hill of Hakilah, which faces Jeshimon?”

² So Saul went down to the Desert of Ziph, with his three thousand select Israelite troops, to search there for David. ³ Saul made his camp beside the road on the hill of Hakilah facing Jeshimon, but David stayed in the wilderness. When he saw that Saul had followed him there, ⁴ he sent out scouts and learned that Saul had definitely arrived.

⁵ Then David set out and went to the place where Saul had camped. He saw where Saul and Abner son of Ner, the commander of the army, had lain down. Saul was lying inside the camp, with the army encamped around him.

⁶ David then asked Ahimelek the Hittite and Abishai son of Zeruiah, Joab’s brother, “Who will go down into the camp with me to Saul?”

“I’ll go with you,” said Abishai.

⁷ So David and Abishai went to the army by night, and there was Saul, lying asleep inside the camp with his spear stuck in the ground near his head. Abner and the soldiers were lying around him.

⁸ Abishai said to David, “Today God has delivered your enemy into your hands. Now let me pin him to the ground with one thrust of the spear; I won’t strike him twice.”

⁹ But David said to Abishai, “Don’t destroy him! Who can lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? ¹⁰ As surely as the Lord lives,” he said, “the Lord himself will strike him, or his time will come and he will die, or he will go into battle and perish. ¹¹ But the Lord forbid that I should lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. Now get the spear and water jug that are near his head, and let’s go.”

¹² So David took the spear and water jug near Saul’s head, and they left. No one saw or knew about it, nor did anyone wake up. They were all sleeping, because the Lord had put them into a deep sleep.

¹³ Then David crossed over to the other side and stood on top of the hill some distance away; there was a wide space between them. ¹⁴ He called out to the army and to Abner son of Ner, “Aren’t you going to answer me, Abner?”

Abner replied, “Who are you who calls to the king?”

¹⁵ David said, “You’re a man, aren’t you? And who is like you in Israel? Why didn’t you guard your lord the king? Someone came to destroy your lord the king. ¹⁶ What you have done is not good. As surely as the Lord lives, you and your men must die, because you did not guard your master, the Lord’s anointed. Look around you. Where are the king’s spear and water jug that were near his head?”

¹⁷ Saul recognized David’s voice and said, “Is that your voice, David my son?”

David replied, “Yes it is, my lord the king.” ¹⁸ And he added, “Why is my lord pursuing his servant? What have I done, and what wrong am I guilty of? ¹⁹ Now let my lord the king listen to his servant’s words. If the Lord has incited you against me, then may he accept an offering. If, however, people have done it, may they be cursed before the Lord! They have driven me today from my share in the Lord’s inheritance and have said, ‘Go, serve other gods.’ ²⁰ Now do not let my blood fall to the ground far from the presence of the Lord. The king of Israel has come out to look for a flea—as one hunts a partridge in the mountains.”

²¹ Then Saul said, “I have sinned. Come back, David my son. Because you considered my life precious today, I will not try to harm you again. Surely I have acted like a fool and have been terribly wrong.”

²² “Here is the king’s spear,” David answered. “Let one of your young men come over and get it. ²³ The Lord rewards everyone for their righteousness and faithfulness. The Lord delivered you into my hands today, but I would not lay a hand on the Lord’s anointed. ²⁴ As surely as I valued your life today, so may the Lord value my life and deliver me from all trouble.”

²⁵ Then Saul said to David, “May you be blessed, David my son; you will do great things and surely triumph.”

So David went on his way, and Saul returned home.

 

***********

 

    同樣的事情常常是一而再、再而三的發生，就像掃羅和大衛之間的恩恩怨怨，讓人看起來糾結不清！掃羅總是想找機會除掉大衛，只要有人向他報告大衛的行蹤，他就領大軍要去捉拿大衛。而大衛這邊卻常常有機會可以除掉掃羅，卻又因為尊重掃羅是上帝的受膏者，從來沒有殺他。

 

    然而這也展現掃羅的失敗之處，因為他沒有將軍隊訓練好之外，又展現其個人的人格上的缺陷，他的心胸不僅狹小，又在受大衛之恩待後，並沒有悔改的心，仍然我行我素，不敬畏上帝，把自己一步步推向滅亡的境地！

 

    對於我們屬上帝的人，我們當然要效法大衛對上帝敬畏的心，進而尊重上帝的兒女，和教會的弟兄姊妹維持美好的關係！就像我們平日不是在家裡看電視做禮拜，一定要參加教會，和弟兄姊妹相處過教會生活，才能操練出對上帝的敬畏！

 

    使徒約翰也教訓我們：人若說「我愛上帝」，卻恨他的弟兄，就是說謊話的；不愛他所看見的弟兄，就不能愛沒有看見的上帝（有古卷：怎能愛沒有看見的上帝呢）。（約翰一書4:20）

 

    所以有傳道人直接了當的教導弟兄姊妹：「要到教會過教會生活的人，才是真正的基督徒！」

 

    人靠自己是無法成為基督徒，要和弟兄姊妹互動才能成就基督徒的生命！因為沒有和弟兄姊妹互動，就無法成為敬畏上帝的人，也無法彰顯敬畏上帝的心，正如大衛沒有和掃羅之間的恩怨情仇，我們就看不出他是敬畏上帝的！

 

 

約伯記8章

       約伯記8:1-22  ,

約伯記8:1-22

 

8:1 書亞人比勒達回答說：
8:2 這些話你要說到幾時？口中的言語如狂風要到幾時呢？
8:3 上帝豈能偏離公平？全能者豈能偏離公義？
8:4 或者你的兒女得罪了他；他使他們受報應。
8:5 你若殷勤地尋求上帝，向全能者懇求；
8:6 你若清潔正直，他必定為你起來，使你公義的居所興旺。
8:7 你起初雖然微小，終久必甚發達。
8:8 請你考問前代，追念他們的列祖所查究的。
8:9 我們不過從昨日才有，一無所知；我們在世的日子好像影兒。
8:10 他們豈不指教你，告訴你，從心裡發出言語來呢？
8:11 蒲草沒有泥豈能發長？蘆荻沒有水豈能生發？
8:12 尚青的時候，還沒有割下，比百樣的草先枯槁。
8:13 凡忘記上帝的人，景況也是這樣；不虔敬人的指望要滅沒。
8:14 他所仰賴的必折斷；他所倚靠的是蜘蛛網。
8:15 他要倚靠房屋，房屋卻站立不住；他要抓住房屋，房屋卻不能存留。
8:16 他在日光之下發青，蔓子爬滿了園子；
8:17 他的根盤繞石堆，扎入石地。
8:18 他若從本地被拔出，那地就不認識他，說：我沒有見過你。
8:19 看哪，這就是他道中之樂；以後必另有人從地而生。
8:20 上帝必不丟棄完全人，也不扶助邪惡人。
8:21 他還要以喜笑充滿你的口，以歡呼充滿你的嘴。
8:22 恨惡你的要披戴慚愧；惡人的帳棚必歸於無有。

 

Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

² “How long will you say such things?
    Your words are a blustering wind.
³ Does God pervert justice?
    Does the Almighty pervert what is right?
⁴ When your children sinned against him,
    he gave them over to the penalty of their sin.
⁵ But if you will seek God earnestly
    and plead with the Almighty,
⁶ if you are pure and upright,
    even now he will rouse himself on your behalf
    and restore you to your prosperous state.
⁷ Your beginnings will seem humble,
    so prosperous will your future be.

⁸ “Ask the former generation
    and find out what their ancestors learned,
⁹ for we were born only yesterday and know nothing,
    and our days on earth are but a shadow.
¹⁰ Will they not instruct you and tell you?
    Will they not bring forth words from their understanding?
¹¹ Can papyrus grow tall where there is no marsh?
    Can reeds thrive without water?
¹² While still growing and uncut,
    they wither more quickly than grass.
¹³ Such is the destiny of all who forget God;
    so perishes the hope of the godless.
¹⁴ What they trust in is fragile^[a];
    what they rely on is a spider’s web.
¹⁵ They lean on the web, but it gives way;
    they cling to it, but it does not hold.
¹⁶ They are like a well-watered plant in the sunshine,
    spreading its shoots over the garden;
¹⁷ it entwines its roots around a pile of rocks
    and looks for a place among the stones.
¹⁸ But when it is torn from its spot,
    that place disowns it and says, ‘I never saw you.’
¹⁹ Surely its life withers away,
    and^[b] from the soil other plants grow.

²⁰ “Surely God does not reject one who is blameless
    or strengthen the hands of evildoers.
²¹ He will yet fill your mouth with laughter
    and your lips with shouts of joy.
²² Your enemies will be clothed in shame,
    and the tents of the wicked will be no more.”

 

*************

 

     書亞人比勒達也是和先前的提幔人以利法一樣，是用膚淺想法來批評約伯。這兩個人的名字的意義都和他們的為人有些像：「以利法」的意思是「我的神是精金」；而「比勒達」的意思是「迷惑混淆的愛」。

 

    他們的共通點就是指約伯有今天的情形發生，是因為犯罪的結果。以利法還好一點是說約伯犯罪得罪上帝，而比勒達卻說：「上帝豈能偏離公平？全能者豈能偏離公義？或者你的兒女得罪了他；他使他們受報應。」

 

    比勒達可是抓準這個時機點教訓約伯一番，以為約伯不知道自己是怎樣得罪上帝！甚至還自以為有智慧說：「你若殷勤地尋求上帝，向全能者懇求；你若清潔正直，他必定為你起來，使你公義的居所興旺。」

 

    相信約伯聽了他的話，心裡一定會覺得他見識淺薄，心中會覺得：「到底是來安慰我還是來定我和我兒女的罪，還是來安慰我的？為什麼一直數落我們呢？倒不如不要來好了！」

 

    這也讓基督徒有一些反省，我們是不是認為「清潔正直」的人才會蒙上帝賜福！而忘記，若沒有上帝的恩典，人怎麼會「清潔正直」？照人的本性是被罪惡污染，是因為始祖犯罪造成罪性來綑綁人。而主耶穌降生到這個世界，是要救祂的百姓脫離罪性的影響，不是要懲罰有罪的百姓！若沒有上帝在基督裡的賜福，人是無法脫離罪惡的轄制的！我們傳福音是要告訴人：上帝救我們脫離罪惡，進入祂的光明國度！所以，我們傳福音，不是要宣判人有罪。

 

    親愛的弟兄姊妹，求主幫助，讓我們讀《約伯記》之後，得著智慧的心，知道如何將人完完全全帶到上帝的面前。

 

羅馬書8:18-21

 

8:18 我想，現在的苦楚若比起將來要顯於我們的榮耀就不足介意了。
8:19 受造之物切望等候上帝的眾子顯出來。
8:20 因為受造之物服在虛空之下，不是自己願意，乃是因那叫他如此的。
8:21 但受造之物仍然指望脫離敗壞的轄制，得享（享：原文是入）上帝兒女自由的榮耀。

 

That’s why I don’t think there’s any comparison between the present hard times and the coming good times. The created world itself can hardly wait for what’s coming next.

Everything in creation is being more or less held back. God reins it in until both creation and all the creatures are ready and can be released at the same moment into the glorious times ahead. Meanwhile, the joyful anticipation deepens. 

 

**************

 

    什麼是基督徒的盼望呢﹖是一夜致富嗎﹖是被高舉成為眾人的領袖嗎﹖當然都不是！我們所盼望的是基督的再來，上帝國完完全全實現，我們一同與基督享受永遠的榮耀！

 

    而這樣的盼望是產生我們料像不到的能力，就像古時的許多基督徒，為何能夠忍受那麼大的逼迫呢﹖雖然要犧牲自己的生命，身體受到極大的殘害，心靈被大大的壓抑，都是超越今天我們能夠承受的◦但是，他們卻毫無畏懼，甚至是從容就義！甚至還懷這喜悅的心，向上帝呼喊：「我將我的靈魂交在你的手中了！」

 

    當然這是在外表所看見的，在內心的掙扎的過程，也是可歌可泣！許多人為著將來的榮耀，忍受魔鬼在人心中的試探，和自己敗壞本性交戰，這也是基督徒生命之中常常經歷的，就像保羅所說的：「我是攻克己身，叫身服我，恐怕我傳福音給別人，自己反被棄絕了。」（哥林多前書:9:27）

 

    因此不管在什麼年代，基督徒要面對的仇敵是「肉體、世界、魔鬼」，而基督如何得勝呢﹖就是要靠「上帝的道、基督的代求、聖靈的內住」使我們對將來有「得榮耀」的盼望和確據！

 

    親愛的弟兄姊妹，我們得主耶穌已經勝過罪和死的權勢，賜下生命和聖靈，我們就存著盼望向前行，相著標竿直跑，要得著上帝在基督裡為我們預備的榮耀而努力，我們必定不會落空的！

 

撒母耳記上25章

        撒母耳記上25:1-44   ,