約伯記18:1-21

 

18:1 書亞人比勒達回答說：
18:2 你尋索言語要到幾時呢？你可以揣摩思想，然後我們就說話。
18:3 我們為何算為畜生，在你眼中看作污穢呢？
18:4 你這惱怒將自己撕裂的，難道大地為你見棄、磐石挪開原處嗎？
18:5 惡人的亮光必要熄滅；他的火焰必不照耀。
18:6 他帳棚中的亮光要變為黑暗；他以上的燈也必熄滅。
18:7 他堅強的腳步必見狹窄；自己的計謀必將他絆倒。
18:8 因為他被自己的腳陷入網中，走在纏人的網羅上。
18:9 圈套必抓住他的腳跟；機關必擒獲他。
18:10 活扣為他藏在土內；羈絆為他藏在路上。
18:11 四面的驚嚇要使他害怕，並且追趕他的腳跟。
18:12 他的力量必因飢餓衰敗；禍患要在他旁邊等候。
18:13 他本身的肢體要被吞吃；死亡的長子要吞吃他的肢體。
18:14 他要從所倚靠的帳棚被拔出來，帶到驚嚇的王那裡。
18:15 不屬他的必住在他的帳棚裡；硫磺必撒在他所住之處。
18:16 下邊，他的根本要枯乾；上邊，他的枝子要剪除。
18:17 他的記念在地上必然滅亡；他的名字在街上也不存留。
18:18 他必從光明中被攆到黑暗裡，必被趕出世界。
18:19 在本民中必無子無孫；在寄居之地也無一人存留。
18:20 以後來的要驚奇他的日子，好像以前去的受了驚駭。
18:21 不義之人的住處總是這樣；此乃不認識上帝之人的地步。

 

Then Bildad the Shuhite replied:

² “When will you end these speeches?
    Be sensible, and then we can talk.
³ Why are we regarded as cattle
    and considered stupid in your sight?
⁴ You who tear yourself to pieces in your anger,
    is the earth to be abandoned for your sake?
    Or must the rocks be moved from their place?

⁵ “The lamp of a wicked man is snuffed out;
    the flame of his fire stops burning.
⁶ The light in his tent becomes dark;
    the lamp beside him goes out.
⁷ The vigor of his step is weakened;
    his own schemes throw him down.
⁸ His feet thrust him into a net;
    he wanders into its mesh.
⁹ A trap seizes him by the heel;
    a snare holds him fast.
¹⁰ A noose is hidden for him on the ground;
    a trap lies in his path.
¹¹ Terrors startle him on every side
    and dog his every step.
¹² Calamity is hungry for him;
    disaster is ready for him when he falls.
¹³ It eats away parts of his skin;
    death’s firstborn devours his limbs.
¹⁴ He is torn from the security of his tent
    and marched off to the king of terrors.
¹⁵ Fire resides^[a] in his tent;
    burning sulfur is scattered over his dwelling.
¹⁶ His roots dry up below
    and his branches wither above.
¹⁷ The memory of him perishes from the earth;
    he has no name in the land.
¹⁸ He is driven from light into the realm of darkness
    and is banished from the world.
¹⁹ He has no offspring or descendants among his people,
    no survivor where once he lived.
²⁰ People of the west are appalled at his fate;
    those of the east are seized with horror.
²¹ Surely such is the dwelling of an evil man;
    such is the place of one who does not know God.”

 

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    這位朋友「比勒達」真是名符其實，因為這個名字的意義是「迷惑混淆的愛」！真是搞不清楚是來安慰受苦中的約伯，還是來和約伯辯論，爭一口氣到底誰說的對？真是搞不清楚狀況！

 

    正如我們面對不信的人，要將福音傳給他們，希望他們能夠信靠耶穌基督成為救主，可使一開始就對他們說：「只有像我們這些得勝者，才能進入上帝的城，享受永生的福樂；你們這些不信的和拜偶像的，上帝要你們在城外哀哭切齒，無法享受到上帝的福分！」

 

    想想看這樣傳福音，內容似乎沒有問題，也符合聖經的教導，但是這樣傳是要人悔改還是要炫耀自己呢？這樣不信的人聽了以後還會有興趣來認識基督的信仰嗎？

 

    想想保羅怎樣論到上帝的拯救呢？羅馬書5章6-11節：「因我們還軟弱的時候，基督就按所定的日期為罪人死。為義人死，是少有的；為仁人死，或者有敢做的。惟有基督在我們還作罪人的時候為我們死，上帝的愛就在此向我們顯明了。 現在我們既靠著他的血稱義，就更要藉著他免去上帝的忿怒。因為我們作仇敵的時候，且藉著上帝兒子的死，得與上帝和好；既已和好，就更要因他的生得救了。 不但如此，我們既藉著我主耶穌基督得與上帝和好，也就藉著他以上帝為樂。」

 

    比較起來就知道，都是傳福音，效果是不是不一樣！

 

    因此，我們當求聖靈給我們智慧像保羅一般，可以把上帝的恩典說清楚，使人感受到是上帝透過基督所展現的慈愛和恩典，使不信的人可以悔改快跑來跟隨主，不是光有熱心，要學習如何陳明上帝的心意，才是真正為主耶穌的緣故來呼召人成為耶穌基督的門徒！不要交差了事！

 

 

撒母耳記下5:1-25

 

5:1 以色列眾支派來到希伯崙見大衛，說：「我們原是你的骨肉。
5:2 從前掃羅作我們王的時候，率領以色列人出入的是你；耶和華也曾應許你說：『你必牧養我的民以色列，作以色列的君。』」
5:3 於是以色列的長老都來到希伯崙見大衛王，大衛在希伯崙耶和華面前與他們立約，他們就膏大衛作以色列的王。
5:4 大衛登基的時候年三十歲，在位四十年；
5:5 在希伯崙作猶大王七年零六個月，在耶路撒冷作以色列和猶大王三十三年。
5:6 大衛和跟隨他的人到了耶路撒冷，要攻打住那地方的耶布斯人。耶布斯人對大衛說：「你若不趕出瞎子、瘸子，必不能進這地方」；心裡想大衛決不能進去。
5:7 然而大衛攻取錫安的保障，就是大衛的城。
5:8 當日，大衛說：「誰攻打耶布斯人，當上水溝攻打我心裡所恨惡的瘸子、瞎子。」從此有俗語說：「在那裡有瞎子、瘸子，他不能進屋去。」
5:9 大衛住在保障裡，給保障起名叫大衛城。大衛又從米羅以裡，周圍築牆。
5:10 大衛日見強盛，因為耶和華─萬軍之上帝與他同在。
5:11 泰爾王希蘭將香柏木運到大衛那裡，又差遣使者和木匠、石匠給大衛建造宮殿。
5:12 大衛就知道耶和華堅立他作以色列王，又為自己的民以色列使他的國興旺。
5:13 大衛離開希伯崙之後，在耶路撒冷又立后妃，又生兒女。
5:14 在耶路撒冷所生的兒子是沙母亞、朔罷、拿單、所羅門、
5:15 益轄、以利書亞、尼斐、雅非亞、
5:16 以利沙瑪、以利雅大、以利法列。
5:17 非利士人聽見人膏大衛作以色列王，非利士眾人就上來尋索大衛；大衛聽見，就下到保障。
5:18 非利士人來了，布散在利乏音谷。
5:19 大衛求問耶和華說：「我可以上去攻打非利士人嗎？你將他們交在我手裡嗎？」耶和華說：「你可以上去，我必將非利士人交在你手裡。」
5:20 大衛來到巴力‧毘拉心，在那裡擊殺非利士人，說：「耶和華在我面前沖破敵人，如同水沖去一般。」因此稱那地方為巴力‧毘拉心。
5:21 非利士人將偶像撇在那裡，大衛和跟隨他的人拿去了。
5:22 非利士人又上來，布散在利乏音谷。
5:23 大衛求問耶和華；耶和華說：「不要一直地上去，要轉到他們後頭，從桑林對面攻打他們。
5:24 你聽見桑樹梢上有腳步的聲音，就要急速前去，因為那時耶和華已經在你前頭去攻打非利士人的軍隊。」
5:25 大衛就遵著耶和華所吩咐的去行，攻打非利士人，從迦巴直到基色。

 

 

 

All the tribes of Israel came to David at Hebron and said, “We are your own flesh and blood. ² In the past, while Saul was king over us, you were the one who led Israel on their military campaigns. And the Lord said to you, ‘You will shepherd my people Israel, and you will become their ruler.’”

³ When all the elders of Israel had come to King David at Hebron, the king made a covenant with them at Hebron before the Lord, and they anointed David king over Israel.

⁴ David was thirty years old when he became king, and he reigned forty years. ⁵ In Hebron he reigned over Judah seven years and six months, and in Jerusalem he reigned over all Israel and Judah thirty-three years.

⁶ The king and his men marched to Jerusalem to attack the Jebusites, who lived there. The Jebusites said to David, “You will not get in here; even the blind and the lame can ward you off.” They thought, “David cannot get in here.” ⁷ Nevertheless, David captured the fortress of Zion—which is the City of David.

⁸ On that day David had said, “Anyone who conquers the Jebusites will have to use the water shaft to reach those ‘lame and blind’ who are David’s enemies.^[a]” That is why they say, “The ‘blind and lame’ will not enter the palace.”

⁹ David then took up residence in the fortress and called it the City of David. He built up the area around it, from the terraces^[b] inward. ¹⁰ And he became more and more powerful, because the Lord God Almighty was with him.

¹¹ Now Hiram king of Tyre sent envoys to David, along with cedar logs and carpenters and stonemasons, and they built a palace for David. ¹² Then David knew that the Lord had established him as king over Israel and had exalted his kingdom for the sake of his people Israel.

¹³ After he left Hebron, David took more concubines and wives in Jerusalem, and more sons and daughters were born to him. ¹⁴ These are the names of the children born to him there: Shammua, Shobab, Nathan, Solomon, ¹⁵ Ibhar, Elishua, Nepheg, Japhia, ¹⁶ Elishama, Eliada and Eliphelet.

¹⁷ When the Philistines heard that David had been anointed king over Israel, they went up in full force to search for him, but David heard about it and went down to the stronghold. ¹⁸ Now the Philistines had come and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; ¹⁹ so David inquired of the Lord, “Shall I go and attack the Philistines? Will you deliver them into my hands?”

The Lord answered him, “Go, for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hands.”

²⁰ So David went to Baal Perazim, and there he defeated them. He said, “As waters break out, the Lord has broken out against my enemies before me.” So that place was called Baal Perazim.^{[c] 21} The Philistines abandoned their idols there, and David and his men carried them off.

²² Once more the Philistines came up and spread out in the Valley of Rephaim; ²³ so David inquired of the Lord, and he answered, “Do not go straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the poplar trees. ²⁴ As soon as you hear the sound of marching in the tops of the poplar trees, move quickly, because that will mean the Lord has gone out in front of you to strike the Philistine army.” ²⁵ So David did as the Lord commanded him, and he struck down the Philistines all the way from Gibeon^[d] to Gezer.

 

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

 

    對大衛的生命而言，要不是耶和華與他同在，他就不能成為以色列的王！所以他每次的與敵人的征戰，都會尋求上帝的引導，正如他面對強大的非利士軍隊更是如此！也正是因為尋求耶和華，他的戰術兩次都不一樣，讓非利士人難以應付和招架，建立戰功。

 

    又如耶路撒冷本使在耶布斯人的手下，是一個易守難攻的城池，然而大衛王卻能夠掌握正確的戰術，就如大衛機是士兵所說：「誰攻打耶布斯人，當上水溝攻打我心裡所恨惡的瘸子、瞎子。」

 

    由此可見大衛是用逆水而上的方式，打入耶路掃冷，是那些耶布斯人沒有想到的，相信這也是上帝給他的指示。

 

   從大衛這些的功績讓我們感受到，有上帝同在的人，上帝必定在他的身上大顯榮耀！這些不是他本人有多麼本事，完全是上帝的作為！我們將自己交託給上帝，上帝也必定用祂的榮耀扶持我們，正如祂扶持大衛一般！

 

    讓我們來立志成為和上帝心意的人，我們也必經歷上帝榮耀的作為，使上帝的榮光界我們彰顯！

 

 

 

約伯記17章

     約伯記17:1-6 ,

約伯記17:1-6

 

17:1 我的心靈消耗，我的日子滅盡；墳墓為我預備好了。
17:2 真有戲笑我的在我這裡，我眼常見他們惹動我。
17:3 願主拿憑據給我，自己為我作保。在你以外誰肯與我擊掌呢？
17:4 因你使他們心不明理，所以你必不高舉他們。
17:5 控告他的朋友、以朋友為可搶奪的，連他兒女的眼睛也要失明。
17:6 上帝使我作了民中的笑談；他們也吐唾沫在我臉上。
17:7 我的眼睛因憂愁昏花；我的百體好像影兒。
17:8 正直人因此必驚奇；無辜的人要興起攻擊不敬虔之輩。
17:9 然而，義人要持守所行的道；手潔的人要力上加力。
17:10 至於你們眾人，可以再來辯論吧！你們中間，我找不著一個智慧人。
17:11 我的日子已經過了；我的謀算、我心所想望的已經斷絕。
17:12 他們以黑夜為白晝，說：亮光近乎黑暗。
17:13 我若盼望陰間為我的房屋，若下榻在黑暗中，
17:14 若對朽壞說：你是我的父；對蟲說：你是我的母親姊妹；
17:15 這樣，我的指望在哪裡呢？我所指望的誰能看見呢？
17:16 等到安息在塵土中，這指望必下到陰間的門閂那裡了。

 

¹ My spirit is broken,
    my days are cut short,
    the grave awaits me.
² Surely mockers surround me;
    my eyes must dwell on their hostility.

³ “Give me, O God, the pledge you demand.
    Who else will put up security for me?
⁴ You have closed their minds to understanding;
    therefore you will not let them triumph.
⁵ If anyone denounces their friends for reward,
    the eyes of their children will fail.

⁶ “God has made me a byword to everyone,
    a man in whose face people spit.
⁷ My eyes have grown dim with grief;
    my whole frame is but a shadow.
⁸ The upright are appalled at this;
    the innocent are aroused against the ungodly.
⁹ Nevertheless, the righteous will hold to their ways,
    and those with clean hands will grow stronger.

¹⁰ “But come on, all of you, try again!
    I will not find a wise man among you.
¹¹ My days have passed, my plans are shattered.
    Yet the desires of my heart
¹² turn night into day;
    in the face of the darkness light is near.
¹³ If the only home I hope for is the grave,
    if I spread out my bed in the realm of darkness,
¹⁴ if I say to corruption, ‘You are my father,’
    and to the worm, ‘My mother’ or ‘My sister,’
¹⁵ where then is my hope—
    who can see any hope for me?
¹⁶ Will it go down to the gates of death?
    Will we descend together into the dust?”

 

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    約伯在此表現的似乎是絕望的，就如他所說：「這樣，我的指望在哪裡呢？我所指望的誰能看見呢？等到安息在塵土中，這指望必下到陰間的門閂那裡了。」

 

    而他之所以這樣的絕望，是因為他的朋友們本是要來安慰他與支持他的，卻反過來責備他，讓他覺得黑白與是非搞不清楚，覺得自己的認知有錯亂，使自己長久有以來的價值觀感到懷疑！於是他對上帝呈明自己的疑惑，希望上帝指引！

 

    想到約伯的事情，讓我們反省，我們是不是也遇到一些不恰當的教導而感到錯亂呢？正如以前有人聽到：「貧窮是咒詛，豐盛才是賜福！」「生病是咒詛，健康是賜福！」真的是如此嗎？

 

    甚至有人還引用聖經教導弟兄姊妹，信主耶穌以後上帝要大大賜福，讓我們「作首不作尾，居上不居下」，真的如此嗎？

 

    其實我們還是要實在一點，看看主耶穌和使徒們以及早期的基督徒的經歷，通常是常經憂患，遇到許多逼迫，而上帝使他們在這樣的環境站立起來見證主的大能，這樣的福音總比所謂的「成功神學」更好！

 

 

撒母耳記下4章

     撒母耳記下4:1-12  ,