詩篇95:2

 

我們要來感謝他，用詩歌向他歡呼！

Let us come before him with thanksgiving
    and extol him with music and song.

 

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

 

    上帝是我們敬拜的對象，我們如何敬拜祂呢﹖就是向祂發出感謝和用詩歌向祂歡呼！為什麼要如此呢﹖

 

    保羅在《哥林多前書》4章7節也說：「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？」

 

    可見我們的上帝是永遠的施恩者，我們是永遠的領受者！祂將一切的美物賞賜我們享用，我們本當為此感謝，更應當為此來敬拜祂，因為祂是我們的賜予者，更是創造我們的主，更是救贖我們的主！就是因為這樣就配得我們來敬拜祂，正如保羅在《以弗所書》中也說到：「我們也在他裡面得（得：或譯成）了基業；這原是那位隨己意行、做萬事的，照著他旨意所預定的，叫他的榮耀從我們這首先在基督裡有盼望的人可以得著稱讚。」（1:11-12）

 

    因此「當用各樣的智慧，把基督的道理豐豐富富地存在心裡（或譯：當把基督的道理豐豐富富地存在心裡，以各樣的智慧），用詩章、頌詞、靈歌，彼此教導，互相勸戒，心被恩感，歌頌上帝。無論做甚麼，或說話或行事，都要奉主耶穌的名，藉著他感謝父上帝。」（歌羅西書3:16-17）

 

    是的，要奉主耶穌的名，藉著他感謝父上帝！

 

 

 

 

撒母耳記下10章

       撒母耳記下10:1-19  ,

撒母耳記下10:1-19

 

10:1 此後，亞捫人的王死了，他兒子哈嫩接續他作王。
10:2 大衛說：「我要照哈嫩的父親拿轄厚待我的恩典厚待哈嫩。」於是大衛差遣臣僕，為他喪父安慰他。大衛的臣僕到了亞捫人的境內。
10:3 但亞捫人的首領對他們的主哈嫩說：「大衛差人來安慰你，你想他是尊敬你父親嗎？他差臣僕來不是詳察窺探、要傾覆這城嗎？」
10:4 哈嫩便將大衛臣僕的鬍鬚剃去一半，又割斷他們下半截的衣服，使他們露出下體，打發他們回去。
10:5 有人告訴大衛，他就差人去迎接他們，（因為他們甚覺羞恥），告訴他們說：「可以住在耶利哥，等到鬍鬚長起再回來。」
10:6 亞捫人知道大衛憎惡他們，就打發人去，招募伯‧利合的亞蘭人和瑣巴的亞蘭人，步兵二萬，與瑪迦王的人一千、陀伯人一萬二千。
10:7 大衛聽見了，就差派約押統帶勇猛的全軍出去。
10:8 亞捫人出來，在城門前擺陣；瑣巴與利合的亞蘭人、陀伯人，並瑪迦人，另在郊野擺陣。
10:9 約押看見敵人在他前後擺陣，就從以色列軍中挑選精兵，使他們對著亞蘭人擺陣。
10:10 其餘的兵交與他兄弟亞比篩，對著亞捫人擺陣。
10:11 約押對亞比篩說：「亞蘭人若強過我，你就來幫助我；亞捫人若強過你，我就去幫助你。
10:12 我們都當剛強，為本國的民和上帝的城邑作大丈夫。願耶和華憑他的意旨而行！」
10:13 於是，約押和跟隨他的人前進攻打亞蘭人；亞蘭人在約押面前逃跑。
10:14 亞捫人見亞蘭人逃跑，他們也在亞比篩面前逃跑進城。約押就離開亞捫人那裡，回耶路撒冷去了。
10:15 亞蘭人見自己被以色列人打敗，就又聚集。
10:16 哈大底謝差遣人，將大河那邊的亞蘭人調來；他們到了希蘭，哈大底謝的將軍朔法率領他們。
10:17 有人告訴大衛，他就聚集以色列眾人，過約旦河，來到希蘭。亞蘭人迎著大衛擺陣，與他打仗。
10:18 亞蘭人在以色列人面前逃跑；大衛殺了亞蘭七百輛戰車的人，四萬馬兵，又殺了亞蘭的將軍朔法。
10:19 屬哈大底謝的諸王見自己被以色列人打敗，就與以色列人和好，歸服他們。於是亞蘭人不敢再幫助亞捫人了。

 

In the course of time, the king of the Ammonites died, and his son Hanun succeeded him as king. ² David thought, “I will show kindness to Hanun son of Nahash, just as his father showed kindness to me.” So David sent a delegation to express his sympathy to Hanun concerning his father.

When David’s men came to the land of the Ammonites, ³ the Ammonite commanders said to Hanun their lord, “Do you think David is honoring your father by sending envoys to you to express sympathy? Hasn’t David sent them to you only to explore the city and spy it out and overthrow it?” ⁴ So Hanun seized David’s envoys, shaved off half of each man’s beard, cut off their garments at the buttocks, and sent them away.

⁵ When David was told about this, he sent messengers to meet the men, for they were greatly humiliated. The king said, “Stay at Jericho till your beards have grown, and then come back.”

⁶ When the Ammonites realized that they had become obnoxious to David, they hired twenty thousand Aramean foot soldiers from Beth Rehob and Zobah, as well as the king of Maakah with a thousand men, and also twelve thousand men from Tob.

⁷ On hearing this, David sent Joab out with the entire army of fighting men. ⁸ The Ammonites came out and drew up in battle formation at the entrance of their city gate, while the Arameans of Zobah and Rehob and the men of Tob and Maakah were by themselves in the open country.

⁹ Joab saw that there were battle lines in front of him and behind him; so he selected some of the best troops in Israel and deployed them against the Arameans. ¹⁰ He put the rest of the men under the command of Abishai his brother and deployed them against the Ammonites. ¹¹ Joab said, “If the Arameans are too strong for me, then you are to come to my rescue; but if the Ammonites are too strong for you, then I will come to rescue you. ¹² Be strong, and let us fight bravely for our people and the cities of our God. The Lord will do what is good in his sight.”

¹³ Then Joab and the troops with him advanced to fight the Arameans, and they fled before him. ¹⁴ When the Ammonites realized that the Arameans were fleeing, they fled before Abishai and went inside the city. So Joab returned from fighting the Ammonites and came to Jerusalem.

¹⁵ After the Arameans saw that they had been routed by Israel, they regrouped. ¹⁶ Hadadezer had Arameans brought from beyond the Euphrates River; they went to Helam, with Shobak the commander of Hadadezer’s army leading them.

¹⁷ When David was told of this, he gathered all Israel, crossed the Jordan and went to Helam. The Arameans formed their battle lines to meet David and fought against him. ¹⁸ But they fled before Israel, and David killed seven hundred of their charioteers and forty thousand of their foot soldiers. He also struck down Shobak the commander of their army, and he died there. ¹⁹ When all the kings who were vassals of Hadadezer saw that they had been routed by Israel, they made peace with the Israelites and became subject to them.

So the Arameans were afraid to help the Ammonites anymore.

 

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    在歷史的是件讓我們看見說話的確要小心，尤其是在國王身邊的人！就像大衛本來是派臣僕去祝賀亞捫王的登基大典，他的心意是：「我要照哈嫩的父親拿轄厚待我的恩典厚待哈嫩。」

 

    但是哈嫩旁邊的亞們人首領卻向哈嫩說：「大衛差人來安慰你，你想他是尊敬你父親嗎？他差臣僕來不是詳察窺探、要傾覆這城嗎？」

 

    可見這些說話的人別有用心，是要製造事端！哈嫩竟然傻傻地聽信這些人的話，便將大衛臣僕的鬍鬚剃去一半，又割斷他們下半截的衣服，使他們露出下體，打發他們回去。這樣做真的是羞辱了大衛，可是更傻的事竟然不道歉，還招募伯‧利合的亞蘭人和瑣巴的亞蘭人，步兵二萬，與瑪迦王的人一千、陀伯人一萬二千。

 

    於是就這樣產生了戰事，然而這些烏合之眾那是以色列軍隊的對手！亞蘭人被打敗以後，亞捫人也散了！然而亞蘭人打敗了又不甘心，於是又發生了戰爭！但是最後還是以色列得勝，亞蘭人只好乖乖臣服以色列！

 

    而從這些事件我們看見，和平事要付出代價，不是軟弱怕事表面的和好就是和平！真正的和平是靠主剛強，正如以色列的元帥約押說：「我們都當剛強，為本國的民和上帝的城邑作大丈夫。願耶和華憑他的意旨而行！」

 

    同樣教會要在這個社會成為耶穌基督的見證也是如此，我們既然認為誤用情慾是違反聖經的教導，我們就要反對哪些鼓吹性開放的運動，而不是反對那些弱勢的人！我們要弄清楚我們真正要反對的是罪惡的事件不是人，才能拯救被罪惡轄制的人！

 

 

 

約伯記22章

       約伯記22:1-30 , 約伯記22:21  ,

約伯記22:1-30

 

22:1 提幔人以利法回答說：
22:2 人豈能使上帝有益呢？智慧人但能有益於己。
22:3 你為人公義，豈叫全能者喜悅呢？你行為完全，豈能使他得利呢？
22:4 豈是因你敬畏他就責備你、審判你嗎？
22:5 你的罪惡豈不是大嗎？你的罪孽也沒有窮盡；
22:6 因你無故強取弟兄的物為當頭，剝去貧寒人的衣服。
22:7 困乏的人，你沒有給他水喝；飢餓的人，你沒有給他食物。
22:8 有能力的人就得地土；尊貴的人也住在其中。
22:9 你打發寡婦空手回去，折斷孤兒的膀臂。
22:10 因此，有網羅環繞你，有恐懼忽然使你驚惶；
22:11 或有黑暗蒙蔽你，並有洪水淹沒你。
22:12 上帝豈不是在高天嗎？你看星宿何其高呢！
22:13 你說：上帝知道甚麼？他豈能看透幽暗施行審判呢？
22:14 密雲將他遮蓋，使他不能看見；他周遊穹蒼。
22:15 你要依從上古的道嗎？這道是惡人所行的。
22:16 他們未到死期，忽然除滅；根基毀壞，好像被江河沖去。
22:17 他們向上帝說：離開我們吧！又說：全能者能把我們怎麼樣呢？
22:18 哪知上帝以美物充滿他們的房屋；但惡人所謀定的離我好遠。
22:19 義人看見他們的結局就歡喜；無辜的人嗤笑他們，
22:20 說：那起來攻擊我們的果然被剪除，其餘的都被火燒滅。
22:21 你要認識上帝，就得平安；福氣也必臨到你。
22:22 你當領受他口中的教訓，將他的言語存在心裡。
22:23 你若歸向全能者，從你帳棚中遠除不義，就必得建立。
22:24 要將你的珍寶丟在塵土裡，將俄斐的黃金丟在溪河石頭之間；
22:25 全能者就必為你的珍寶，作你的寶銀。
22:26 你就要以全能者為喜樂，向上帝仰起臉來。
22:27 你要禱告他，他就聽你；你也要還你的願。
22:28 你定意要做何事，必然給你成就；亮光也必照耀你的路。
22:29 人使你降卑，你仍可說：必得高升；謙卑的人，上帝必然拯救。
22:30 人非無辜，上帝且要搭救他；他因你手中清潔，必蒙拯救。

 

 Then Eliphaz the Temanite replied:

² “Can a man be of benefit to God?
    Can even a wise person benefit him?
³ What pleasure would it give the Almighty if you were righteous?
    What would he gain if your ways were blameless?

⁴ “Is it for your piety that he rebukes you
    and brings charges against you?
⁵ Is not your wickedness great?
    Are not your sins endless?
⁶ You demanded security from your relatives for no reason;
    you stripped people of their clothing, leaving them naked.
⁷ You gave no water to the weary
    and you withheld food from the hungry,
⁸ though you were a powerful man, owning land—
    an honored man, living on it.
⁹ And you sent widows away empty-handed
    and broke the strength of the fatherless.
¹⁰ That is why snares are all around you,
    why sudden peril terrifies you,
¹¹ why it is so dark you cannot see,
    and why a flood of water covers you.

¹² “Is not God in the heights of heaven?
    And see how lofty are the highest stars!
¹³ Yet you say, ‘What does God know?
    Does he judge through such darkness?
¹⁴ Thick clouds veil him, so he does not see us
    as he goes about in the vaulted heavens.’
¹⁵ Will you keep to the old path
    that the wicked have trod?
¹⁶ They were carried off before their time,
    their foundations washed away by a flood.
¹⁷ They said to God, ‘Leave us alone!
    What can the Almighty do to us?’
¹⁸ Yet it was he who filled their houses with good things,
    so I stand aloof from the plans of the wicked.
¹⁹ The righteous see their ruin and rejoice;
    the innocent mock them, saying,
²⁰ ‘Surely our foes are destroyed,
    and fire devours their wealth.’

²¹ “Submit to God and be at peace with him;
    in this way prosperity will come to you.
²² Accept instruction from his mouth
    and lay up his words in your heart.
²³ If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored:
    If you remove wickedness far from your tent
²⁴ and assign your nuggets to the dust,
    your gold of Ophir to the rocks in the ravines,
²⁵ then the Almighty will be your gold,
    the choicest silver for you.
²⁶ Surely then you will find delight in the Almighty
    and will lift up your face to God.
²⁷ You will pray to him, and he will hear you,
    and you will fulfill your vows.
²⁸ What you decide on will be done,
    and light will shine on your ways.
²⁹ When people are brought low and you say, ‘Lift them up!’
    then he will save the downcast.
³⁰ He will deliver even one who is not innocent,
    who will be delivered through the cleanness of your hands.”

 

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    當約伯將現實的狀況向他的三個朋友說明時，沒想到這些人的腦袋還是沒有轉過來，心裡還在幻想著「善有善報、惡有惡報」；不僅如此，還沉溺在他們是義人所以蒙上帝賜福，而約伯是惡人，遭上帝報應！

 

    所以，提幔人以利法的論調還是跟之前的內容差不多，無視於約伯所說的！竟然以這樣的話語做結論：「你若歸向全能者，從你帳棚中遠除不義，就必得建立。要將你的珍寶丟在塵土裡，將俄斐的黃金丟在溪河石頭之間；全能者就必為你的珍寶，作你的寶銀。你就要以全能者為喜樂，向上帝仰起臉來。你要禱告他，他就聽你；你也要還你的願。你定意要做何事，必然給你成就；亮光也必照耀你的路。人使你降卑，你仍可說：必得高升；謙卑的人，上帝必然拯救。人非無辜，上帝且要搭救他；他因你手中清潔，必蒙拯救。」

 

    說得很敬虔，卻都是無視於現狀的廢話！根本是自我安慰、自以為是，還以為是上帝要他說的！這也提醒我們，這個世界是伏在那惡者之下，是非顛倒和不正義的事充斥是事實！所以，我們要盼望上帝的國快快實現，才會有真正的正義！因為有在公義的上帝治理下，正義才會彰顯！

 

 

 

使徒行傳5章

      使徒行傳5:1-11   ,

      使徒行傳5:12-16  ,

      使徒行傳5:17-42   , 使徒行傳5:33-42 ,