約伯記20:1-29

 

20:1 拿瑪人瑣法回答說：
20:2 我心中急躁，所以我的思念叫我回答。
20:3 我已聽見那羞辱我，責備我的話；我的悟性叫我回答。
20:4 你豈不知亙古以來，自從人生在地，
20:5 惡人誇勝是暫時的，不敬虔人的喜樂不過轉眼之間嗎？
20:6 他的尊榮雖達到天上，頭雖頂到雲中，
20:7 他終必滅亡，像自己的糞一樣；素來見他的人要說：他在哪裡呢？
20:8 他必飛去如夢，不再尋見，速被趕去，如夜間的異象。
20:9 親眼見過他的，必不再見他；他的本處也再見不著他。
20:10 他的兒女要求窮人的恩；他的手要賠還不義之財。
20:11 他的骨頭雖然有青年之力，卻要和他一同躺臥在塵土中。
20:12 他口內雖以惡為甘甜，藏在舌頭底下，
20:13 愛戀不捨，含在口中；
20:14 他的食物在肚裡卻要化為酸，在他裡面成為虺蛇的惡毒。
20:15 他吞了財寶，還要吐出；上帝要從他腹中掏出來。
20:16 他必吸飲虺蛇的毒氣；蝮蛇的舌頭也必殺他。
20:17 流奶與蜜之河，他不得再見。
20:18 他勞碌得來的要賠還，不得享用（原文是吞下）；不能照所得的財貨歡樂。
20:19 他欺壓窮人，且又離棄；強取非自己所蓋的房屋（或譯：強取房屋不得再建造）。
20:20 他因貪而無厭，所喜悅的連一樣也不能保守。
20:21 其餘的沒有一樣他不吞滅，所以他的福樂不能長久。
20:22 他在滿足有餘的時候，必到狹窄的地步；凡受苦楚的人都必加手在他身上。
20:23 他正要充滿肚腹的時候，上帝必將猛烈的忿怒降在他身上；正在他吃飯的時候，要將這忿怒像雨降在他身上。
20:24 他要躲避鐵器；銅弓的箭要將他射透。
20:25 他把箭一抽，就從他身上出來；發光的箭頭從他膽中出來，有驚惶臨在他身上。
20:26 他的財寶歸於黑暗；人所不吹的火要把他燒滅，要把他帳棚中所剩下的燒毀。
20:27 天要顯明他的罪孽；地要興起攻擊他。
20:28 他的家產必然過去；上帝發怒的日子，他的貨物都要消滅。
20:29 這是惡人從上帝所得的分，是上帝為他所定的產業。

 

 Then Zophar the Naamathite replied:

² “My troubled thoughts prompt me to answer
    because I am greatly disturbed.
³ I hear a rebuke that dishonors me,
    and my understanding inspires me to reply.

⁴ “Surely you know how it has been from of old,
    ever since mankind^[a] was placed on the earth,
⁵ that the mirth of the wicked is brief,
    the joy of the godless lasts but a moment.
⁶ Though the pride of the godless person reaches to the heavens
    and his head touches the clouds,
⁷ he will perish forever, like his own dung;
    those who have seen him will say, ‘Where is he?’
⁸ Like a dream he flies away, no more to be found,
    banished like a vision of the night.
⁹ The eye that saw him will not see him again;
    his place will look on him no more.
¹⁰ His children must make amends to the poor;
    his own hands must give back his wealth.
¹¹ The youthful vigor that fills his bones
    will lie with him in the dust.

¹² “Though evil is sweet in his mouth
    and he hides it under his tongue,
¹³ though he cannot bear to let it go
    and lets it linger in his mouth,
¹⁴ yet his food will turn sour in his stomach;
    it will become the venom of serpents within him.
¹⁵ He will spit out the riches he swallowed;
    God will make his stomach vomit them up.
¹⁶ He will suck the poison of serpents;
    the fangs of an adder will kill him.
¹⁷ He will not enjoy the streams,
    the rivers flowing with honey and cream.
¹⁸ What he toiled for he must give back uneaten;
    he will not enjoy the profit from his trading.
¹⁹ For he has oppressed the poor and left them destitute;
    he has seized houses he did not build.

²⁰ “Surely he will have no respite from his craving;
    he cannot save himself by his treasure.
²¹ Nothing is left for him to devour;
    his prosperity will not endure.
²² In the midst of his plenty, distress will overtake him;
    the full force of misery will come upon him.
²³ When he has filled his belly,
    God will vent his burning anger against him
    and rain down his blows on him.
²⁴ Though he flees from an iron weapon,
    a bronze-tipped arrow pierces him.
²⁵ He pulls it out of his back,
    the gleaming point out of his liver.
Terrors will come over him;
²⁶     total darkness lies in wait for his treasures.
A fire unfanned will consume him
    and devour what is left in his tent.
²⁷ The heavens will expose his guilt;
    the earth will rise up against him.
²⁸ A flood will carry off his house,
    rushing waters^[b] on the day of God’s wrath.
²⁹ Such is the fate God allots the wicked,
    the heritage appointed for them by God.”

 

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

 

    約伯說完了，下台一鞠躬。接著是稱為「麻雀」的拿瑪人瑣法上台說話了，他好像等了很久，有點不耐煩一上台就說：「我心中急躁，所以我的思念叫我回答。我已聽見那羞辱我，責備我的話；我的悟性叫我回答。你豈不知亙古以來，自從人生在地，惡人誇勝是暫時的，不敬虔人的喜樂不過轉眼之間嗎？」

 

    什麼跟什麼！一上台又是罵約伯是惡人，不僅如此接下去的更難聽：「他的尊榮雖達到天上，頭雖頂到雲中，他終必滅亡，像自己的糞一樣；素來見他的人要說：他在哪裡呢？」

 

    竟然罵人罵得那麼難聽，把約伯用「糞」來比喻，這也太不禮貌了！到底是來安慰約伯，還是來損約伯？讓讀者都為約伯叫屈，真是誤交了損友，有這樣的朋友真是不幸！

 

    而這個稱為「麻雀」的拿瑪人瑣法，竟然在這段談話的最後下這樣的結論：「天要顯明他的罪孽；地要興起攻擊他。他的家產必然過去；上帝發怒的日子，他的貨物都要消滅。這是惡人從上帝所得的分，是上帝為他所定的產業。」

 

    瑣法的言論就像一些「自以為義」的基督徒一般，認為自己是正義的使者，要打擊罪惡，對於「傷風敗俗」的事總是先跳出來責備一番，而他們的禱告真的像主耶穌所說的比喻中的法利賽人的禱告：「上帝啊，我感謝你，我不像別人勒索、不義、姦淫，也不像這個稅吏。我一個禮拜禁食兩次，凡我所得的都捐上十分之一。」（路加福音18:11-12）

 

    說到好事都是自己做的，說到壞事都是別人做的！不僅如此，臉不紅、氣不粗，向人炫耀自己多麼敬虔和愛主，多麼委身於教會的事奉呢！將來必得主大大的獎賞，還要人效法他呢！

 

    在以前我也很尊敬這樣的人，覺得他們是很好的基督徒，應該會帶領很多人信主！但是，實際上並非如此，他周邊的人都受不了他，因為他們太愛自誇了！怪不得，會有許多爭執發生在他的生活圈。

 

    也因為這樣，常常向主禱告，讓我不要成為這樣的人，能夠學習保羅成為真正謙卑的人，所以常常拿保羅說的來自勉：「弟兄們，我為你們的緣故，拿這些事轉比自己和亞波羅，叫你們效法我們不可過於聖經所記，免得你們自高自大，貴重這個，輕看那個。使你與人不同的是誰呢？你有甚麼不是領受的呢？若是領受的，為何自誇，彷彿不是領受的呢？」（哥林多前書4:6-7）

 

 

撒母耳記下6:12-23

 

6:12 有人告訴大衛王說：「耶和華因為約櫃賜福給俄別‧以東的家和一切屬他的。」大衛就去，歡歡喜喜地將上帝的約櫃從俄別‧以東家中抬到大衛的城裡。
6:13 抬耶和華約櫃的人走了六步，大衛就獻牛與肥羊為祭。
6:14 大衛穿著細麻布的以弗得，在耶和華面前極力跳舞。
6:15 這樣，大衛和以色列的全家歡呼吹角，將耶和華的約櫃抬上來。
6:16 耶和華的約櫃進了大衛城的時候，掃羅的女兒米甲從窗戶裡觀看，見大衛王在耶和華面前踴躍跳舞，心裡就輕視他。
6:17 眾人將耶和華的約櫃請進去，安放在所預備的地方，就是在大衛所搭的帳幕裡。大衛在耶和華面前獻燔祭和平安祭。
6:18 大衛獻完了燔祭和平安祭，就奉萬軍之耶和華的名給民祝福，
6:19 並且分給以色列眾人，無論男女，每人一個餅，一塊肉，一個葡萄餅；眾人就各回各家去了。
6:20 大衛回家要給眷屬祝福；掃羅的女兒米甲出來迎接他，說：「以色列王今日在臣僕的婢女眼前露體，如同一個輕賤人無恥露體一樣，有好大的榮耀啊！」
6:21 大衛對米甲說：「這是在耶和華面前；耶和華已揀選我，廢了你父和你父的全家，立我作耶和華民以色列的君，所以我必在耶和華面前跳舞。
6:22 我也必更加卑微，自己看為輕賤。你所說的那些婢女，她們倒要尊敬我。」
6:23 掃羅的女兒米甲，直到死日，沒有生養兒女。

 

¹² Now King David was told, “The Lord has blessed the household of Obed-Edom and everything he has, because of the ark of God.” So David went to bring up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with rejoicing. ¹³ When those who were carrying the ark of the Lord had taken six steps, he sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. ¹⁴ Wearing a linen ephod, David was dancing before the Lord with all his might, ¹⁵ while he and all Israel were bringing up the ark of the Lord with shouts and the sound of trumpets.

¹⁶ As the ark of the Lord was entering the City of David, Michal daughter of Saul watched from a window. And when she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she despised him in her heart.

¹⁷ They brought the ark of the Lord and set it in its place inside the tent that David had pitched for it, and David sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings before the Lord. ¹⁸ After he had finished sacrificing the burnt offerings and fellowship offerings, he blessed the people in the name of the Lord Almighty. ¹⁹ Then he gave a loaf of bread, a cake of dates and a cake of raisins to each person in the whole crowd of Israelites, both men and women. And all the people went to their homes.

²⁰ When David returned home to bless his household, Michal daughter of Saul came out to meet him and said, “How the king of Israel has distinguished himself today, going around half-naked in full view of the slave girls of his servants as any vulgar fellow would!”

²¹ David said to Michal, “It was before the Lord, who chose me rather than your father or anyone from his house when he appointed me ruler over the Lord’s people Israel—I will celebrate before the Lord. ²² I will become even more undignified than this, and I will be humiliated in my own eyes. But by these slave girls you spoke of, I will be held in honor.”

²³ And Michal daughter of Saul had no children to the day of her death.

 

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

 

    上帝雖然擊殺了烏撒，但是上帝並沒有因此就不賜福在意色列中間，反到藉由賜福給俄別‧以東的家和一切屬他的，來讓大衛知道祂並不是常常發怒的上帝！正如大衛的詩句所說：「因為，他的怒氣不過是轉眼之間；他的恩典乃是一生之久。一宿雖然有哭泣，早晨便必歡呼。」（詩篇30:5）

 

    而這一次大衛謙卑的穿著細麻布的以弗得，在耶和華面前極力跳舞，就像一位祭司，不是以君王身分在上帝面前。並且這次不用牛車，而是將耶和華的約櫃抬上來。

 

    然而大衛這樣的行動竟然被掃羅的女兒米甲所輕視，說：「以色列王今日在臣僕的婢女眼前露體，如同一個輕賤人無恥露體一樣，有好大的榮耀啊！」

 

    大衛對米甲說：「這是在耶和華面前；耶和華已揀選我，廢了你父和你父的全家，立我作耶和華民以色列的君，所以我必在耶和華面前跳舞。我也必更加卑微，自己看為輕賤。你所說的那些婢女，她們倒要尊敬我。」

 

    也因為米甲不看重自己的丈夫，所以直到死日，沒有生養兒女。這也讓我們感到警戒，要我們不可輕看上帝所重用的僕人，因為這些人是合乎上帝心意為上帝所喜悅的人，我們要因為上帝的緣故敬重他們！

 

 

撒母耳記下6章

    撒母耳記下6:1-11  ,

    撒母耳記下6:12-23 ,  撒母耳記下6:12-19 ,

撒母耳記下6:1-11

 

6:1 大衛又聚集以色列中所有挑選的人三萬。
6:2 大衛起身，率領跟隨他的眾人前往，要從巴拉‧猶大將上帝的約櫃運來；這約櫃就是坐在二基路伯上萬軍之耶和華留名的約櫃。
6:3 他們將上帝的約櫃從岡上亞比拿達的家裡抬出來，放在新車上；亞比拿達的兩個兒子烏撒和亞希約趕這新車。
6:4 他們將上帝的約櫃從岡上亞比拿達家裡抬出來的時候，亞希約在櫃前行走。
6:5 大衛和以色列的全家在耶和華面前，用松木製造的各樣樂器和琴、瑟、鼓、鈸、鑼，作樂跳舞。
6:6 到了拿艮的禾場，因為牛失前蹄（或譯：驚跳），烏撒就伸手扶住上帝的約櫃。
6:7 上帝耶和華向烏撒發怒，因這錯誤擊殺他，他就死在上帝的約櫃旁。
6:8 大衛因耶和華擊殺（原文是闖殺）烏撒，心裡愁煩，就稱那地方為毘列斯‧烏撒，直到今日。
6:9 那日，大衛懼怕耶和華，說：「耶和華的約櫃怎可運到我這裡來？」
6:10 於是大衛不肯將耶和華的約櫃運進大衛的城，卻運到迦特人俄別‧以東的家中。
6:11 耶和華的約櫃在迦特人俄別‧以東家中三個月；耶和華賜福給俄別‧以東和他的全家。

 

David again brought together all the able young men of Israel—thirty thousand. ² He and all his men went to Baalah^[a] in Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, which is called by the Name,^[b] the name of the Lord Almighty, who is enthroned between the cherubim on the ark. ³ They set the ark of God on a new cart and brought it from the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill. Uzzah and Ahio, sons of Abinadab, were guiding the new cart ⁴ with the ark of God on it,^[c] and Ahio was walking in front of it. ⁵ David and all Israel were celebrating with all their might before the Lord, with castanets,^[d] harps, lyres, timbrels, sistrums and cymbals.

⁶ When they came to the threshing floor of Nakon, Uzzah reached out and took hold of the ark of God, because the oxen stumbled. ⁷ The Lord’s anger burned against Uzzah because of his irreverent act; therefore God struck him down, and he died there beside the ark of God.

⁸ Then David was angry because the Lord’s wrath had broken out against Uzzah, and to this day that place is called Perez Uzzah.^[e]

⁹ David was afraid of the Lord that day and said, “How can the ark of the Lord ever come to me?” ¹⁰ He was not willing to take the ark of the Lord to be with him in the City of David. Instead, he took it to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. ¹¹ The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite for three months, and the Lord blessed him and his entire household.

 

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

 

    大衛莽撞地接約櫃回耶路撒冷，沒有好好仔細地考察摩西的律法書對於約櫃遷移的做法，就派了牛車要從巴拉‧猶大將上帝的約櫃運到耶路撒冷，放在新車上；亞比拿達的兩個兒子烏撒和亞希約趕這新車。

 

    雖然大衛和以色列的全家在耶和華面前，用松木製造的各樣樂器和琴、瑟、鼓、鈸、鑼，作樂跳舞。到了拿艮的禾場，因為牛失前蹄（或譯：驚跳），烏撒就伸手扶住上帝的約櫃。上帝耶和華向烏撒發怒，因這錯誤擊殺他，他就死在上帝的約櫃旁。

 

    這事讓大衛非常震驚，更是認為不平安！甚至將那地稱為「毘列斯‧烏撒」表示烏撒不可照自己的意思去碰約櫃，違反摩西律法書的教導，所以這地名的意義是「烏撒的違背」！也因為這是讓大衛對於約櫃運回耶路撒冷的事暫緩，將約櫃放在「俄別‧以東」的家。

 

    而烏撒的事情，給我們很大的借鏡，人不應該用自己認為可以幫助上帝卻違反上帝命令的方式來服事上帝。這讓我想到以前曾經在一個地方聚會，每到選舉的時候，候選人就會將一筆錢託給一位執事，要將這一筆錢奉獻給教會當主日禮拜後的愛餐使用，但是要告訴弟兄姊妹這是某某候選人奉獻，大家要投他一票！也因為這樣，這個教會一直沒有蒙上帝的賜福，常常有許多不平安的事發生在他們中間，這也讓我感受到上帝的管教和警戒在其中！正如上帝藉由烏撒的死亡警戒大衛一般，要大衛認識：耶和華是輕慢不得的！

 

    今天我們也要學習這樣的功課，耶和華是輕慢不得的，我們要敬畏祂，不要招惹祂的怒氣！

 

 

 

約伯記19章

        約伯記19:1-29 ,

         約伯記19:25   ,

約伯記19:1-29

19:1 約伯回答說：
19:2 你們攪擾我的心，用言語壓碎我要到幾時呢？
19:3 你們這十次羞辱我；你們苦待我也不以為恥。
19:4 果真我有錯，這錯乃是在我。
19:5 你們果然要向我誇大，以我的羞辱為證指責我，
19:6 就該知道是上帝傾覆我，用網羅圍繞我。
19:7 我因委曲呼叫，卻不蒙應允；我呼求，卻不得公斷。
19:8 上帝用籬笆攔住我的道路，使我不得經過；又使我的路徑黑暗。
19:9 他剝去我的榮光，摘去我頭上的冠冕。
19:10 他在四圍攻擊我，我便歸於死亡，將我的指望如樹拔出來。
19:11 他的忿怒向我發作，以我為敵人。
19:12 他的軍旅一齊上來，修築戰路攻擊我，在我帳棚的四圍安營。
19:13 他把我的弟兄隔在遠處，使我所認識的全然與我生疏。
19:14 我的親戚與我斷絕；我的密友都忘記我。
19:15 在我家寄居的，和我的使女都以我為外人；我在他們眼中看為外邦人。
19:16 我呼喚僕人，雖用口求他，他還是不回答。
19:17 我口的氣味，我妻子厭惡；我的懇求，我同胞也憎嫌。
19:18 連小孩子也藐視我；我若起來，他們都嘲笑我。
19:19 我的密友都憎惡我；我平日所愛的人向我翻臉。
19:20 我的皮肉緊貼骨頭；我只剩牙皮逃脫了。
19:21 我朋友啊，可憐我！可憐我！因為上帝的手攻擊我。
19:22 你們為甚麼彷彿上帝逼迫我，吃我的肉還以為不足呢？
19:23 惟願我的言語現在寫上，都記錄在書上；
19:24 用鐵筆鐫刻，用鉛灌在磐石上，直存到永遠。
19:25 我知道我的救贖主活著，末了必站立在地上。
19:26 我這皮肉滅絕之後，我必在肉體之外得見上帝。
19:27 我自己要見他，親眼要看他，並不像外人。我的心腸在我裡面消滅了！
19:28 你們若說：我們逼迫他要何等地重呢？惹事的根乃在乎他；
19:29 你們就當懼怕刀劍；因為忿怒惹動刀劍的刑罰，使你們知道有報應（原文是審判）。

 

 Then Job replied:

² “How long will you torment me
    and crush me with words?
³ Ten times now you have reproached me;
    shamelessly you attack me.
⁴ If it is true that I have gone astray,
    my error remains my concern alone.
⁵ If indeed you would exalt yourselves above me
    and use my humiliation against me,
⁶ then know that God has wronged me
    and drawn his net around me.

⁷ “Though I cry, ‘Violence!’ I get no response;
    though I call for help, there is no justice.
⁸ He has blocked my way so I cannot pass;
    he has shrouded my paths in darkness.
⁹ He has stripped me of my honor
    and removed the crown from my head.
¹⁰ He tears me down on every side till I am gone;
    he uproots my hope like a tree.
¹¹ His anger burns against me;
    he counts me among his enemies.
¹² His troops advance in force;
    they build a siege ramp against me
    and encamp around my tent.

¹³ “He has alienated my family from me;
    my acquaintances are completely estranged from me.
¹⁴ My relatives have gone away;
    my closest friends have forgotten me.
¹⁵ My guests and my female servants count me a foreigner;
    they look on me as on a stranger.
¹⁶ I summon my servant, but he does not answer,
    though I beg him with my own mouth.
¹⁷ My breath is offensive to my wife;
    I am loathsome to my own family.
¹⁸ Even the little boys scorn me;
    when I appear, they ridicule me.
¹⁹ All my intimate friends detest me;
    those I love have turned against me.
²⁰ I am nothing but skin and bones;
    I have escaped only by the skin of my teeth.^[a]

²¹ “Have pity on me, my friends, have pity,
    for the hand of God has struck me.
²² Why do you pursue me as God does?
    Will you never get enough of my flesh?

²³ “Oh, that my words were recorded,
    that they were written on a scroll,
²⁴ that they were inscribed with an iron tool on lead,
    or engraved in rock forever!
²⁵ I know that my redeemer lives,
    and that in the end he will stand on the earth.
²⁶ And after my skin has been destroyed,
    yet in my flesh I will see God;
²⁷ I myself will see him
    with my own eyes—I, and not another.
    How my heart yearns within me!

²⁸ “If you say, ‘How we will hound him,
    since the root of the trouble lies in him,
²⁹ you should fear the sword yourselves;
    for wrath will bring punishment by the sword,
    and then you will know that there is judgment.

 

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

 

    約伯仍然是為自己抱屈，尤其是面對朋友們一次再一次的指責！然而這群朋友似乎聽不懂他的話，仍然是一直認為約伯是因為不義，才會遭受到今天的苦難，還是不善罷干休，一直爭辯下去，弄到約伯實在是很煩了！

 

    約伯還哀求他們：「我朋友啊，可憐我！可憐我！因為上帝的手攻擊我。你們為甚麼彷彿上帝逼迫我，吃我的肉還以為不足呢？惟願我的言語現在寫上，都記錄在書上；用鐵筆鐫刻，用鉛灌在磐石上，直存到永遠。」

 

    的確，要將約伯的遭遇告訴人，義人還是會受苦與災難的，不要看把人受災難當成上帝的報應，應當好好安慰人不好好安慰人，還一直攻擊人、批評人，這和魔鬼有甚麼兩樣呢？啟示錄12章10節提到：「…因為那在我們上帝面前晝夜控告我們弟兄的，已經被摔下去了」。那「控告我們弟兄的」，就是魔鬼！

 

    正如同性戀傾向的人，要像一般人找到異性伴侶組成家庭，過正常生活是非常困難的！他們甚至覺得要是能正常成立家庭該多好，但是沒辦法！只好和同性伴侶成立家庭，彼此扶持過日子，走完人生的路，連這樣一點點的渴求還被那些自以為有道德的人封殺，是不是很可憐呢？說起來那些自以為有道德的人其實就是魔鬼的化身，因為魔鬼之所以為魔鬼是自以為很崇高，需要受到尊崇和敬拜，搶奪上帝的榮耀，用控告貶抑天使和世人！

 

    如此看來約伯的朋友們和魔鬼真的沒有兩樣！但是，約伯並不失望與灰心，他相信上帝的拯救，正如他在這裡所說：「但是，我知道我的維護者( 「維護者」或譯「救贖主」。)活著；他最後要來為我伸冤。即使我的皮肉被疾病侵蝕，

我仍將以此身( 「我仍將以此身」或譯「我雖然不以此身，仍將」。)覲見上帝。」

 

    他仍然相信必然救贖他，必定為他申冤，不管如何他必親眼看見上帝！因為他知道上帝必不離棄他，有一天必定高舉他！

 

    讓我們也存約伯的信心來等候上帝國的實現，那時我們必得見上帝的榮光！