撒母耳記上27:1-12

 

27:1 大衛心裡說：「必有一日我死在掃羅手裡，不如逃奔非利士地去。掃羅見我不在以色列的境內，就必絕望，不再尋索我；這樣我可以脫離他的手。」
27:2 於是大衛起身，和跟隨他的六百人投奔迦特王─瑪俄的兒子亞吉去了。
27:3 大衛和他的兩個妻，就是耶斯列人亞希暖和作過拿八妻的迦密人亞比該，並跟隨他的人，連各人的眷屬，都住在迦特的亞吉那裡。
27:4 有人告訴掃羅說：「大衛逃到迦特。」掃羅就不再尋索他了。
27:5 大衛對亞吉說：「我若在你眼前蒙恩，求你在京外的城邑中賜我一個地方居住。僕人何必與王同住京都呢？」
27:6 當日亞吉將洗革拉賜給他，因此洗革拉屬猶大王，直到今日。
27:7 大衛在非利士地住了一年零四個月。
27:8 大衛和跟隨他的人上去，侵奪基述人、基色人、亞瑪力人之地。這幾族歷來住在那地，從書珥直到埃及。
27:9 大衛擊殺那地的人，無論男女都沒有留下一個，又奪獲牛、羊、駱駝、驢，並衣服，回來見亞吉。
27:10 亞吉說：「你們今日侵奪了甚麼地方呢？」大衛說：「侵奪了猶大的南方、耶拉篾的南方、基尼的南方。」
27:11 無論男女，大衛沒有留下一個帶到迦特來。他說：「恐怕他們將我們的事告訴人，說大衛住在非利士地的時候常常這樣行。」
27:12 亞吉信了大衛，心裡說：「大衛使本族以色列人憎惡他，所以他必永遠作我的僕人了。」

 

 But David thought to himself, “One of these days I will be destroyed by the hand of Saul. The best thing I can do is to escape to the land of the Philistines. Then Saul will give up searching for me anywhere in Israel, and I will slip out of his hand.”

² So David and the six hundred men with him left and went over to Achish son of Maok king of Gath. ³ David and his men settled in Gath with Achish. Each man had his family with him, and David had his two wives: Ahinoam of Jezreel and Abigail of Carmel, the widow of Nabal. ⁴ When Saul was told that David had fled to Gath, he no longer searched for him.

⁵ Then David said to Achish, “If I have found favor in your eyes, let a place be assigned to me in one of the country towns, that I may live there. Why should your servant live in the royal city with you?”

⁶ So on that day Achish gave him Ziklag, and it has belonged to the kings of Judah ever since. ⁷ David lived in Philistine territory a year and four months.

⁸ Now David and his men went up and raided the Geshurites, the Girzites and the Amalekites. (From ancient times these peoples had lived in the land extending to Shur and Egypt.) ⁹ Whenever David attacked an area, he did not leave a man or woman alive, but took sheep and cattle, donkeys and camels, and clothes. Then he returned to Achish.

¹⁰ When Achish asked, “Where did you go raiding today?” David would say, “Against the Negev of Judah” or “Against the Negev of Jerahmeel” or “Against the Negev of the Kenites.” ¹¹ He did not leave a man or woman alive to be brought to Gath, for he thought, “They might inform on us and say, ‘This is what David did.’” And such was his practice as long as he lived in Philistine territory. ¹² Achish trusted David and said to himself, “He has become so obnoxious to his people, the Israelites, that he will be my servant for life.”

 

***********

 

    大衛雖然有上帝的應許，也受了撒母耳膏抹為以色列王，卻是一職在掃羅的壓迫下，無法成為以色列的王不打緊，還常常受到掃羅的威脅。雖然一次又一次的蒙上帝的保守，平安的度過，但是最後還決定離開以色列寄居在非利士地，成為迦特王─瑪俄的兒子亞吉的手下！

 

    當然大衛需要做一些事取得亞吉的信任，就去攻打猶大附近的迦南人，並且殺人滅口，讓亞吉誤認為猶大去攻擊自己的同胞，表現自己對亞吉的忠心，好可以長久安居在非利士地。

 

    在這裡讓我們感覺大衛好像落難英雄，鬱鬱不得志，變得很陰險的樣子！其實上帝所要重用的人，常常會遇見一些自己無法明白的事情！可是在這段時間，絕對不可以失志，一定要靠著上帝所賜的力量和應許活下去，無論如何要相信上帝的應許必定成就！

 

    感謝上帝，我也是在面對上帝未完成的應許，大衛的事蹟讓我有許多的思考和激勵！的確，跟隨主的道路，不是照我們的想像，我們必須忍耐下去，要相信：主必按照他的時刻，成就美好的事，不可以灰心！

 

 

約伯記10章

     約伯記10:1-22   ,

約伯記10:1-22

 

10:1 我厭煩我的性命，必由著自己述說我的哀情；因心裡苦惱，我要說話，
10:2 對上帝說：不要定我有罪，要指示我，你為何與我爭辯？
10:3 你手所造的，你又欺壓，又藐視，卻光照惡人的計謀。這事你以為美嗎？
10:4 你的眼豈是肉眼？你查看豈像人查看嗎？
10:5 你的日子豈像人的日子，你的年歲豈像人的年歲，
10:6 就追問我的罪孽，尋察我的罪過嗎？
10:7 其實，你知道我沒有罪惡，並沒有能救我脫離你手的。
10:8 你的手創造我，造就我的四肢百體，你還要毀滅我。
10:9 求你記念─製造我如摶泥一般，你還要使我歸於塵土嗎？
10:10 你不是倒出我來好像奶，使我凝結如同奶餅嗎？
10:11 你以皮和肉為衣給我穿上，用骨與筋把我全體聯絡。
10:12 你將生命和慈愛賜給我；你也眷顧保全我的心靈。
10:13 然而，你待我的這些事早已藏在你心裡；我知道你久有此意。
10:14 我若犯罪，你就察看我，並不赦免我的罪孽。
10:15 我若行惡，便有了禍；我若為義，也不敢抬頭，正是滿心羞愧，眼見我的苦情。
10:16 我若昂首自得，你就追捕我如獅子，又在我身上顯出奇能。
10:17 你重立見證攻擊我，向我加增惱怒，如軍兵更換著攻擊我。
10:18 你為何使我出母胎呢？不如我當時氣絕，無人得見我；
10:19 這樣，就如沒有我一般，一出母胎就被送入墳墓。
10:20 我的日子不是甚少嗎？求你停手寬容我，叫我在往而不返之先─就是往黑暗和死蔭之地以先─可以稍得暢快。
10:21 【併於上節】
10:22 那地甚是幽暗，是死蔭混沌之地；那裡的光好像幽暗。

 

“I loathe my very life;
    therefore I will give free rein to my complaint
    and speak out in the bitterness of my soul.
² I say to God: Do not declare me guilty,
    but tell me what charges you have against me.
³ Does it please you to oppress me,
    to spurn the work of your hands,
    while you smile on the plans of the wicked?
⁴ Do you have eyes of flesh?
    Do you see as a mortal sees?
⁵ Are your days like those of a mortal
    or your years like those of a strong man,
⁶ that you must search out my faults
    and probe after my sin—
⁷ though you know that I am not guilty
    and that no one can rescue me from your hand?

⁸ “Your hands shaped me and made me.
    Will you now turn and destroy me?
⁹ Remember that you molded me like clay.
    Will you now turn me to dust again?
¹⁰ Did you not pour me out like milk
    and curdle me like cheese,
¹¹ clothe me with skin and flesh
    and knit me together with bones and sinews?
¹² You gave me life and showed me kindness,
    and in your providence watched over my spirit.

¹³ “But this is what you concealed in your heart,
    and I know that this was in your mind:
¹⁴ If I sinned, you would be watching me
    and would not let my offense go unpunished.
¹⁵ If I am guilty—woe to me!
    Even if I am innocent, I cannot lift my head,
for I am full of shame
    and drowned in^[a] my affliction.
¹⁶ If I hold my head high, you stalk me like a lion
    and again display your awesome power against me.
¹⁷ You bring new witnesses against me
    and increase your anger toward me;
    your forces come against me wave upon wave.

¹⁸ “Why then did you bring me out of the womb?
    I wish I had died before any eye saw me.
¹⁹ If only I had never come into being,
    or had been carried straight from the womb to the grave!
²⁰ Are not my few days almost over?
    Turn away from me so I can have a moment’s joy
²¹ before I go to the place of no return,
    to the land of gloom and utter darkness,
²² to the land of deepest night,
    of utter darkness and disorder,
    where even the light is like darkness.”

 

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

 

    透過約伯向上帝的質問和自我答辯，我們看出約伯是和上帝有親密的關係，這是約伯和他的朋友談論的教訓之中有不同的地方，因為他的朋友大多說到上帝的屬性，沒有談到上帝和他們的關係！

 

    我們和上帝的關係是不是建立在對話之中？還是建立在客觀的事實當中？這兩者在我們的信仰都很重要，但是我們信靠上帝的人，是要和上帝建立關係，不是只是在知識上認識祂。而主耶穌的拯救，也就要促成我們和上帝建立關係！正如主耶穌所說：「我就是道路、真理、生命；若不藉著我，沒有人能到父那裡去。你們若認識我，也就認識我的父。從今以後，你們認識他，並且已經看見他。」(約翰福音14:5-7)

 

    當然我們知道約伯本身是怎樣敬畏上帝，然而苦難的淬鍊，卻是越發彰顯約伯與上帝之間不是外表的遵行禮儀或是單單「善有善報、惡有惡報」的認識，讓他思考上帝為何如此這樣對他時，與上帝有更深的對話，將內心的感受像上帝抒發！

 

    所以，上帝讓約伯受到苦難似乎好像與撒但賭氣，卻進而讓約伯的生命得著成長！在我們的現實生命中，也像約伯的生命一樣，要經過苦難的陶造，激發出我們生命的光輝，這也是上帝的成全！

 

約伯記9:1-35

 

9:1 約伯回答說：
9:2 我真知道是這樣；但人在上帝面前怎能成為義呢？
9:3 若願意與他爭辯，千中之一也不能回答。
9:4 他心裡有智慧，且大有能力。誰向上帝剛硬而得亨通呢？
9:5 他發怒，把山翻倒挪移，山並不知覺。
9:6 他使地震動，離其本位，地的柱子就搖撼。
9:7 他吩咐日頭不出來，就不出來，又封閉眾星。
9:8 他獨自鋪張蒼天，步行在海浪之上。
9:9 他造北斗、參星、昴星，並南方的密宮；
9:10 他行大事，不可測度，行奇事，不可勝數。
9:11 他從我旁邊經過，我卻不看見；他在我面前行走，我倒不知覺。
9:12 他奪取，誰能阻擋？誰敢問他：你做甚麼？
9:13 上帝必不收回他的怒氣；扶助拉哈伯的，屈身在他以下。
9:14 既是這樣，我怎敢回答他，怎敢選擇言語與他辯論呢？
9:15 我雖有義，也不回答他，只要向那審判我的懇求。
9:16 我若呼籲，他應允我；我仍不信他真聽我的聲音。
9:17 他用暴風折斷我，無故地加增我的損傷。
9:18 我就是喘一口氣，他都不容，倒使我滿心苦惱。
9:19 若論力量，他真有能力！若論審判，他說誰能將我傳來呢？
9:20 我雖有義，自己的口要定我為有罪；我雖完全，我口必顯我為彎曲。
9:21 我本完全，不顧自己；我厭惡我的性命。
9:22 善惡無分，都是一樣；所以我說，完全人和惡人，他都滅絕。
9:23 若忽然遭殺害之禍，他必戲笑無辜的人遇難。
9:24 世界交在惡人手中；蒙蔽世界審判官的臉，若不是他，是誰呢？
9:25 我的日子比跑信的更快，急速過去，不見福樂。
9:26 我的日子過去如快船，如急落抓食的鷹。
9:27 我若說：我要忘記我的哀情，除去我的愁容，心中暢快；
9:28 我因愁苦而懼怕，知道你必不以我為無辜。
9:29 我必被你定為有罪，我何必徒然勞苦呢？
9:30 我若用雪水洗身，用鹼潔淨我的手，
9:31 你還要扔我在坑裡，我的衣服都憎惡我。
9:32 他本不像我是人，使我可以回答他，又使我們可以同聽審判。
9:33 我們中間沒有聽訟的人可以向我們兩造按手。
9:34 願他把杖離開我，不使驚惶威嚇我。
9:35 我就說話，也不懼怕他，現在我卻不是那樣。

 

Then Job replied:

² “Indeed, I know that this is true.
    But how can mere mortals prove their innocence before God?
³ Though they wished to dispute with him,
    they could not answer him one time out of a thousand.
⁴ His wisdom is profound, his power is vast.
    Who has resisted him and come out unscathed?
⁵ He moves mountains without their knowing it
    and overturns them in his anger.
⁶ He shakes the earth from its place
    and makes its pillars tremble.
⁷ He speaks to the sun and it does not shine;
    he seals off the light of the stars.
⁸ He alone stretches out the heavens
    and treads on the waves of the sea.
⁹ He is the Maker of the Bear^[a] and Orion,
    the Pleiades and the constellations of the south.
¹⁰ He performs wonders that cannot be fathomed,
    miracles that cannot be counted.
¹¹ When he passes me, I cannot see him;
    when he goes by, I cannot perceive him.
¹² If he snatches away, who can stop him?
    Who can say to him, ‘What are you doing?’
¹³ God does not restrain his anger;
    even the cohorts of Rahab cowered at his feet.

¹⁴ “How then can I dispute with him?
    How can I find words to argue with him?
¹⁵ Though I were innocent, I could not answer him;
    I could only plead with my Judge for mercy.
¹⁶ Even if I summoned him and he responded,
    I do not believe he would give me a hearing.
¹⁷ He would crush me with a storm
    and multiply my wounds for no reason.
¹⁸ He would not let me catch my breath
    but would overwhelm me with misery.
¹⁹ If it is a matter of strength, he is mighty!
    And if it is a matter of justice, who can challenge him^[b]?
²⁰ Even if I were innocent, my mouth would condemn me;
    if I were blameless, it would pronounce me guilty.

²¹ “Although I am blameless,
    I have no concern for myself;
    I despise my own life.
²² It is all the same; that is why I say,
    ‘He destroys both the blameless and the wicked.’
²³ When a scourge brings sudden death,
    he mocks the despair of the innocent.
²⁴ When a land falls into the hands of the wicked,
    he blindfolds its judges.
    If it is not he, then who is it?

²⁵ “My days are swifter than a runner;
    they fly away without a glimpse of joy.
²⁶ They skim past like boats of papyrus,
    like eagles swooping down on their prey.
²⁷ If I say, ‘I will forget my complaint,
    I will change my expression, and smile,’
²⁸ I still dread all my sufferings,
    for I know you will not hold me innocent.
²⁹ Since I am already found guilty,
    why should I struggle in vain?
³⁰ Even if I washed myself with soap
    and my hands with cleansing powder,
³¹ you would plunge me into a slime pit
    so that even my clothes would detest me.

³² “He is not a mere mortal like me that I might answer him,
    that we might confront each other in court.
³³ If only there were someone to mediate between us,
    someone to bring us together,
³⁴ someone to remove God’s rod from me,
    so that his terror would frighten me no more.
³⁵ Then I would speak up without fear of him,
    but as it now stands with me, I cannot.

 

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

 

    約伯還是有約伯的睿智，他雖然還是以「善有善報」的立場，不敢侵犯上帝的是正義的屬性。但是，他不敢自以為義，他用一些反問的話語來彰顯上帝有絕對的主權：「我真知道是這樣；但人在上帝面前怎能成為義呢？」、「他心裡有智慧，且大有能力。誰向上帝剛硬而得亨通呢？」、「他奪取，誰能阻擋？誰敢問他：你做甚麼？」、「既是這樣，我怎敢回答他，怎敢選擇言語與他辯論呢？」、「若論力量，他真有能力！若論審判，他說誰能將我傳來呢？」、「世界交在惡人手中；蒙蔽世界審判官的臉，若不是他，是誰呢？」、「我必被你定為有罪，我何必徒然勞苦呢？」

 

    要是我們想到上帝的威嚴，誰敢在上帝面前自稱為義人呢？誰敢說自己從來沒有犯罪？誰敢在上帝面前爭辯呢？的確！我們無法、無能、更是沒有資格和地位爭辯，若是上帝的安排，我們只能默默無聲地承受，雖然不是自己所盼望的！正如約伯雖然做了許多的措施，但是這些措施在上帝面前也是無效的，他的財產沒了，兒女都死了，身體也被毒瘡所害，老婆恥笑他，朋友教訓他，搭家都認為他自作惡受報應！在此時，約伯只能承認上帝的主權！

 

    想到約伯的事件臨到我們，要是我們也是以敬虔的心來過生活，是不是也這樣無奈的承認，一切都在上帝的主權之下，誰都無法反抗！甚至會消極到，我們所行的一切，在上帝的眼中都被看為惡，因為上帝是善惡的決定者，他認定是惡的，即使人看為善的也是惡的！

 

    其實許多宗教對義人受苦的看法，大多是認為人本是邪惡，人無法和至高永恆者爭辯，所以義人和歹人受到災害和刑罰都是應該的，這世人應該地的結局！正如《道德經》第五章，老子說了一句名言「天地不仁以萬物為芻狗，聖人不仁以百姓為芻狗」

 

    雖然這句話如果只看字面意思，很容易理解為天地不仁慈、虐待萬物，聖人不仁慈、魚肉百姓，但如果這樣理解是有問題的。但是，現實的世界是讓人有這樣的感受！宗教家有時候也是這樣勸告人要認命，不要與至高永恆者相爭！正如約伯的面對現實之後，他產生這樣的感想！

 

    親愛的弟兄姊妹，你是不是也以為：上帝是用這種方式在使人能夠順服祂的主權呢？若是這樣的想法，其實是沒有進入基督徒該有的信念，還是認為人是受命運操弄的宿命論！

 

    若是人是這樣的受上帝壓抑，豈能說上帝給人自由、給人愛呢？給人脫離惡的轄制呢？在這樣之下的敬畏、順服、敬拜是發自內心還是被上帝的權勢所迫？讓人感覺人在屋簷下不得不低頭，這是真的有福嗎？

 

    當然你會說不是！因為我們的上帝不是用權勢來壓迫我們的上帝，要是這樣祂何苦犧牲祂的愛子耶穌基督為我們死在十字架上呢？祂何苦用犧牲的愛呢？要何苦自己主動來成就上帝與人和好的救贖大功？就是我們無法明白上帝成全的愛，所以祂賜下聖經和聖靈，讓我們明白耶穌基督的救贖和成全，以及祂願意接納本是有罪的我們，藉由耶穌基督的拯救脫離罪惡，可以進入祂的榮耀境，與祂同享永恆的主權與福樂！

 

    這也是讓我們從「義人受苦」轉化到上帝真正的心意！雖然現實讓我們看見義仁和歹人都有苦難，但是主耶穌也說：「這樣就可以作你們天父的兒子；因為他叫日頭照好人，也照歹人；降雨給義人，也給不義的人。」(馬太福音5:45)

 

    這也是說上帝使好人和壞人都享福氣，也受災害！但是，上帝最後的心意是要人都離棄罪惡、歸向上帝，也就是都要悔改，上帝透過耶穌基督的贖罪大功，以及聖靈的有效呼召，就是要將祂的救恩臨到每一位屬祂的兒女，不分地位、財富、善惡、…，重要的是要聽到這呼召而歸向祂，就得想永生之福！雖然在世界上暫時有苦難，但是卻有永恆的平安和不變的愛為屬祂的人而預備！只要你願意回頭歸向祂，這一切都要成全在你身上！我們之所以尊崇與敬畏，都因上帝這樣主動的作為！

 

 

 

撒母耳記上26章

     撒母耳記上26:1-25 ,