約伯記28:1-28

 

28:1 銀子有礦；煉金有方。
28:2 鐵從地裡挖出；銅從石中鎔化。
28:3 人為黑暗定界限，查究幽暗陰翳的石頭，直到極處，
28:4 在無人居住之處刨開礦穴，過路的人也想不到他們；又與人遠離，懸在空中搖來搖去。
28:5 至於地，能出糧食，地內好像被火翻起來。
28:6 地中的石頭有藍寶石，並有金沙。
28:7 礦中的路鷙鳥不得知道；鷹眼也未見過。
28:8 狂傲的野獸未曾行過；猛烈的獅子也未曾經過。
28:9 人伸手鑿開堅石，傾倒山根，
28:10 在磐石中鑿出水道，親眼看見各樣寶物。
28:11 他封閉水不得滴流，使隱藏的物顯露出來。
28:12 然而，智慧有何處可尋？聰明之處在哪裡呢？
28:13 智慧的價值無人能知，在活人之地也無處可尋。
28:14 深淵說：不在我內；滄海說：不在我中。
28:15 智慧非用黃金可得，也不能平白銀為它的價值。
28:16 俄斐金和貴重的紅瑪瑙，並藍寶石，不足與較量；
28:17 黃金和玻璃不足與比較；精金的器皿不足與兌換。
28:18 珊瑚、水晶都不足論；智慧的價值勝過珍珠（或譯：紅寶石）。
28:19 古實的紅璧璽不足與比較；精金也不足與較量。
28:20 智慧從何處來呢？聰明之處在哪裡呢？
28:21 是向一切有生命的眼目隱藏，向空中的飛鳥掩蔽。
28:22 滅沒和死亡說：我們風聞其名。
28:23 上帝明白智慧的道路，曉得智慧的所在。
28:24 因他鑒察直到地極，遍觀普天之下，
28:25 要為風定輕重，又度量諸水；
28:26 他為雨露定命令，為雷電定道路。
28:27 那時他看見智慧，而且述說；他堅定，並且查究。
28:28 他對人說：敬畏主就是智慧；遠離惡便是聰明。

 

There is a mine for silver
    and a place where gold is refined.
² Iron is taken from the earth,
    and copper is smelted from ore.
³ Mortals put an end to the darkness;
    they search out the farthest recesses
    for ore in the blackest darkness.
⁴ Far from human dwellings they cut a shaft,
    in places untouched by human feet;
    far from other people they dangle and sway.
⁵ The earth, from which food comes,
    is transformed below as by fire;
⁶ lapis lazuli comes from its rocks,
    and its dust contains nuggets of gold.
⁷ No bird of prey knows that hidden path,
    no falcon’s eye has seen it.
⁸ Proud beasts do not set foot on it,
    and no lion prowls there.
⁹ People assault the flinty rock with their hands
    and lay bare the roots of the mountains.
¹⁰ They tunnel through the rock;
    their eyes see all its treasures.
¹¹ They search^[a] the sources of the rivers
    and bring hidden things to light.

¹² But where can wisdom be found?
    Where does understanding dwell?
¹³ No mortal comprehends its worth;
    it cannot be found in the land of the living.
¹⁴ The deep says, “It is not in me”;
    the sea says, “It is not with me.”
¹⁵ It cannot be bought with the finest gold,
    nor can its price be weighed out in silver.
¹⁶ It cannot be bought with the gold of Ophir,
    with precious onyx or lapis lazuli.
¹⁷ Neither gold nor crystal can compare with it,
    nor can it be had for jewels of gold.
¹⁸ Coral and jasper are not worthy of mention;
    the price of wisdom is beyond rubies.
¹⁹ The topaz of Cush cannot compare with it;
    it cannot be bought with pure gold.

²⁰ Where then does wisdom come from?
    Where does understanding dwell?
²¹ It is hidden from the eyes of every living thing,
    concealed even from the birds in the sky.
²² Destruction^[b] and Death say,
    “Only a rumor of it has reached our ears.”
²³ God understands the way to it
    and he alone knows where it dwells,
²⁴ for he views the ends of the earth
    and sees everything under the heavens.
²⁵ When he established the force of the wind
    and measured out the waters,
²⁶ when he made a decree for the rain
    and a path for the thunderstorm,
²⁷ then he looked at wisdom and appraised it;
    he confirmed it and tested it.
²⁸ And he said to the human race,
    “The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom,
    and to shun evil is understanding.”

 

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

 

    約伯這段像詩一般的智慧論述，讓我們可以看到他的結論和箴言的作者是一樣的：「敬畏主就是智慧；遠離惡便是聰明。」

 

    這一章的重要論述是在23-27節，用《現代中文譯本修訂版》來閱讀是：「只有上帝知道那條路，知道哪裏去找智慧；因為他的眼睛看到地極，觀察天下的萬事萬物。當上帝賜威力給風，為海洋決定容量，定下降雨的季節，劃定雷電的路線，那時候，他已經看見智慧，也立定它，測驗出它的價值。」

 

    可見上帝是智慧和聰明的源頭，人離了上帝就無法得著！這也為什麼人需要領受聖靈，因為人有了聖靈以後，才能得著與明白上帝的啟示，才有真正的靈明和能力！然而人如何能領受聖靈？唯有信靠耶穌基督為救主，奉祂的名受洗，人才可以領受上帝所賜的聖靈，成為上帝的兒女！

 

    然而信靠耶穌基督為救主怎麼會有這樣的結果呢？因為耶穌基督是上帝和人之間唯一的中保，是完全的上帝也是完全的人！耶穌基督耶也說：「我就是道路、真理、生命；若不藉著我，沒有人能到父那裡去。」(約翰福音14:6)

 

撒母耳記下15章

    撒母耳記下15:1-37  ,

撒母耳記下15:1-37

 

15:1 此後，押沙龍為自己預備車馬，又派五十人在他前頭奔走。
15:2 押沙龍常常早晨起來，站在城門的道旁，凡有爭訟要去求王判斷的，押沙龍就叫他過來，問他說：「你是哪一城的人？」回答說：「僕人是以色列某支派的人。」
15:3 押沙龍對他說：「你的事有情有理，無奈王沒有委人聽你伸訴。」
15:4 押沙龍又說：「恨不得我作國中的士師！凡有爭訟求審判的到我這裡來，我必秉公判斷。」
15:5 若有人近前來要拜押沙龍，押沙龍就伸手拉住他，與他親嘴。
15:6 以色列人中，凡去見王求判斷的，押沙龍都是如此待他們。這樣，押沙龍暗中得了以色列人的心。
15:7 滿了四十年（有作四年的），押沙龍對王說：「求你准我往希伯崙去，還我向耶和華所許的願。
15:8 因為僕人住在亞蘭的基述，曾許願說：『耶和華若使我再回耶路撒冷，我必事奉他。』」
15:9 王說：「你平平安安地去吧！」押沙龍就起身，往希伯崙去了。
15:10 押沙龍打發探子走遍以色列各支派，說：「你們一聽見角聲就說：『押沙龍在希伯崙作王了！』」
15:11 押沙龍在耶路撒冷請了二百人與他同去，都是誠誠實實去的，並不知道其中的真情。
15:12 押沙龍獻祭的時候，打發人去將大衛的謀士、基羅人亞希多弗從他本城請了來。於是叛逆的勢派甚大；因為隨從押沙龍的人民，日漸增多。
15:13 有人報告大衛說：「以色列人的心都歸向押沙龍了！」
15:14 大衛就對耶路撒冷跟隨他的臣僕說：「我們要起來逃走，不然都不能躲避押沙龍了；要速速地去，恐怕他忽然來到，加害於我們，用刀殺盡合城的人。」
15:15 王的臣僕對王說：「我主我王所定的，僕人都願遵行。」
15:16 於是王帶著全家的人出去了，但留下十個妃嬪看守宮殿。
15:17 王出去，眾民都跟隨他，到伯墨哈，就住下了。
15:18 王的臣僕都在他面前過去。基利提人、比利提人，就是從迦特跟隨王來的六百人，也都在他面前過去。
15:19 王對迦特人以太說：「你是外邦逃來的人，為甚麼與我們同去呢？你可以回去與新王同住，或者回你本地去吧！
15:20 你來的日子不多，我今日怎好叫你與我們一同飄流、沒有一定的住處呢？你不如帶你的弟兄回去吧！願耶和華用慈愛誠實待你。」
15:21 以太對王說：「我指著永生的耶和華起誓，又敢在王面前起誓：無論生死，王在哪裡，僕人也必在那裡。」
15:22 大衛對以太說：「你前去過河吧！」於是迦特人以太帶著跟隨他的人和所有的婦人孩子，就都過去了。
15:23 本地的人都放聲大哭。眾民盡都過去，王也過了汲淪溪；眾民往曠野去了。
15:24 撒督和抬上帝約櫃的利未人也一同來了，將上帝的約櫃放下。亞比亞他上來，等著眾民從城裡出來過去。
15:25 王對撒督說：「你將上帝的約櫃抬回城去。我若在耶和華眼前蒙恩，他必使我回來，再見約櫃和他的居所。
15:26 倘若他說：『我不喜悅你』，看哪，我在這裡，願他憑自己的意旨待我！」
15:27 王又對祭司撒督說：「你不是先見嗎？你可以安然回城；你兒子亞希瑪斯和亞比亞他的兒子約拿單都可以與你同去。
15:28 我在曠野的渡口那裡等你們報信給我。」
15:29 於是撒督和亞比亞他將上帝的約櫃抬回耶路撒冷，他們就住在那裡。
15:30 大衛蒙頭赤腳上橄欖山，一面上一面哭。跟隨他的人也都蒙頭哭著上去；
15:31 有人告訴大衛說：「亞希多弗也在叛黨之中，隨從押沙龍。」大衛禱告說：「耶和華啊，求你使亞希多弗的計謀變為愚拙！」
15:32 大衛到了山頂、敬拜上帝的地方，見亞基人戶篩，衣服撕裂，頭蒙灰塵來迎接他。
15:33 大衛對他說：「你若與我同去，必累贅我；
15:34 你若回城去，對押沙龍說：『王啊，我願作你的僕人；我向來作你父親的僕人，現在我也照樣作你的僕人。』這樣，你就可以為我破壞亞希多弗的計謀。
15:35 祭司撒督和亞比亞他豈不都在那裡嗎？你在王宮裡聽見甚麼，就要告訴祭司撒督和亞比亞他。
15:36 撒督的兒子亞希瑪斯，亞比亞他的兒子約拿單，也都在那裡。凡你們所聽見的可以託這二人來報告我。」
15:37 於是，大衛的朋友戶篩進了城；押沙龍也進了耶路撒冷。

 

In the course of time, Absalom provided himself with a chariot and horses and with fifty men to run ahead of him. ² He would get up early and stand by the side of the road leading to the city gate. Whenever anyone came with a complaint to be placed before the king for a decision, Absalom would call out to him, “What town are you from?” He would answer, “Your servant is from one of the tribes of Israel.” ³ Then Absalom would say to him, “Look, your claims are valid and proper, but there is no representative of the king to hear you.” ⁴ And Absalom would add, “If only I were appointed judge in the land! Then everyone who has a complaint or case could come to me and I would see that they receive justice.”

⁵ Also, whenever anyone approached him to bow down before him, Absalom would reach out his hand, take hold of him and kiss him. ⁶ Absalom behaved in this way toward all the Israelites who came to the king asking for justice, and so he stole the hearts of the people of Israel.

⁷ At the end of four^[a] years, Absalom said to the king, “Let me go to Hebron and fulfill a vow I made to the Lord. ⁸ While your servant was living at Geshur in Aram, I made this vow: ‘If the Lord takes me back to Jerusalem, I will worship the Lord in Hebron.^[b]’”

⁹ The king said to him, “Go in peace.” So he went to Hebron.

¹⁰ Then Absalom sent secret messengers throughout the tribes of Israel to say, “As soon as you hear the sound of the trumpets, then say, ‘Absalom is king in Hebron.’” ¹¹ Two hundred men from Jerusalem had accompanied Absalom. They had been invited as guests and went quite innocently, knowing nothing about the matter. ¹² While Absalom was offering sacrifices, he also sent for Ahithophel the Gilonite, David’s counselor, to come from Giloh, his hometown. And so the conspiracy gained strength, and Absalom’s following kept on increasing.

¹³ A messenger came and told David, “The hearts of the people of Israel are with Absalom.”

¹⁴ Then David said to all his officials who were with him in Jerusalem, “Come! We must flee, or none of us will escape from Absalom. We must leave immediately, or he will move quickly to overtake us and bring ruin on us and put the city to the sword.”

¹⁵ The king’s officials answered him, “Your servants are ready to do whatever our lord the king chooses.”

¹⁶ The king set out, with his entire household following him; but he left ten concubines to take care of the palace. ¹⁷ So the king set out, with all the people following him, and they halted at the edge of the city. ¹⁸ All his men marched past him, along with all the Kerethites and Pelethites; and all the six hundred Gittites who had accompanied him from Gath marched before the king.

¹⁹ The king said to Ittai the Gittite, “Why should you come along with us? Go back and stay with King Absalom. You are a foreigner, an exile from your homeland. ²⁰ You came only yesterday. And today shall I make you wander about with us, when I do not know where I am going? Go back, and take your people with you. May the Lord show you kindness and faithfulness.”^[c]

²¹ But Ittai replied to the king, “As surely as the Lord lives, and as my lord the king lives, wherever my lord the king may be, whether it means life or death, there will your servant be.”

²² David said to Ittai, “Go ahead, march on.” So Ittai the Gittite marched on with all his men and the families that were with him.

²³ The whole countryside wept aloud as all the people passed by. The king also crossed the Kidron Valley, and all the people moved on toward the wilderness.

²⁴ Zadok was there, too, and all the Levites who were with him were carrying the ark of the covenant of God. They set down the ark of God, and Abiathar offered sacrifices until all the people had finished leaving the city.

²⁵ Then the king said to Zadok, “Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord’s eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and his dwelling place again. ²⁶ But if he says, ‘I am not pleased with you,’ then I am ready; let him do to me whatever seems good to him.”

²⁷ The king also said to Zadok the priest, “Do you understand? Go back to the city with my blessing. Take your son Ahimaaz with you, and also Abiathar’s son Jonathan. You and Abiathar return with your two sons. ²⁸ I will wait at the fords in the wilderness until word comes from you to inform me.” ²⁹ So Zadok and Abiathar took the ark of God back to Jerusalem and stayed there.

³⁰ But David continued up the Mount of Olives, weeping as he went; his head was covered and he was barefoot. All the people with him covered their heads too and were weeping as they went up. ³¹ Now David had been told, “Ahithophel is among the conspirators with Absalom.” So David prayed, “Lord, turn Ahithophel’s counsel into foolishness.”

³² When David arrived at the summit, where people used to worship God, Hushai the Arkite was there to meet him, his robe torn and dust on his head. ³³ David said to him, “If you go with me, you will be a burden to me. ³⁴ But if you return to the city and say to Absalom, ‘Your Majesty, I will be your servant; I was your father’s servant in the past, but now I will be your servant,’ then you can help me by frustrating Ahithophel’s advice. ³⁵ Won’t the priests Zadok and Abiathar be there with you? Tell them anything you hear in the king’s palace. ³⁶ Their two sons, Ahimaaz son of Zadok and Jonathan son of Abiathar, are there with them. Send them to me with anything you hear.”

³⁷ So Hushai, David’s confidant, arrived at Jerusalem as Absalom was entering the city.

 

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

 

    押沙龍不斷的用各種手段攏絡人心，一心想要取代大衛為王，最後真的是自立為王，甚至想要攻回耶路撒冷，然而大衛似乎掌握了他的行蹤和想法，為了避免正面衝突，他宣告：「我們要起來逃走，不然都不能躲避押沙龍了；要速速地去，恐怕他忽然來到，加害於我們，用刀殺盡合城的人。」

 

    然而大衛的臣僕還是心向大衛，他們對大衛說：「我主我王所定的，僕人都願遵行。」於是王帶著全家的人出去了，但留下十個妃嬪看守宮殿。王出去，眾民都跟隨他，到伯墨哈，就住下了。

 

    不僅如此，撒督和抬上帝約櫃的利未人也一同來了，將上帝的約櫃放下。王對撒督說：「你將上帝的約櫃抬回城去。」王又對祭司撒督說：「你不是先見嗎？你可以安然回城；你兒子亞希瑪斯和亞比亞他的兒子約拿單都可以與你同去。我在曠野的渡口那裡等你們報信給我。」

 

    大衛不僅安排祭司來做報信的人，他也告訴戶篩：「你若回城去，對押沙龍說：『王啊，我願作你的僕人；我向來作你父親的僕人，現在我也照樣作你的僕人。』這樣，你就可以為我破壞亞希多弗的計謀。祭司撒督和亞比亞他豈不都在那裡嗎？你在王宮裡聽見甚麼，就要告訴祭司撒督和亞比亞他。撒督的兒子亞希瑪斯，亞比亞他的兒子約拿單，也都在那裡。凡你們所聽見的可以託這二人來報告我。」

 

    可見大衛雖然表面不和押沙龍衝突，但是仍然有他的佈局，利用這些人來做他反攻的呼應者，仍然掌握著以色列的大局！而大衛這樣的作為，讓我們感受到上帝也是用這樣的方式來掌握撒但的作為，雖然撒但好像在世上掌權，攻擊上帝的僕人們，但是上帝清清楚楚掌握魔鬼的作為，在適當的時候，祂就要除滅魔鬼一切的作為，成就永遠的勝利，讓上帝國實現，榮光充滿全地！

 

   

 

約伯記27章

     約伯記27:1-23  ,

約伯記27:1-23

 

27:1 約伯接著說：
27:2 上帝奪去我的理，全能者使我心中愁苦。我指著永生的上帝起誓：
27:3 我的生命尚在我裡面；上帝所賜呼吸之氣仍在我的鼻孔內。
27:4 我的嘴決不說非義之言；我的舌也不說詭詐之語。
27:5 我斷不以你們為是；我至死必不以自己為不正！
27:6 我持定我的義，必不放鬆；在世的日子，我心必不責備我。
27:7 願我的仇敵如惡人一樣；願那起來攻擊我的，如不義之人一般。
27:8 不敬虔的人雖然得利，上帝奪取其命的時候還有甚麼指望呢？
27:9 患難臨到他，上帝豈能聽他的呼求？
27:10 他豈以全能者為樂，隨時求告上帝呢？
27:11 上帝的作為，我要指教你們；全能者所行的，我也不隱瞞。
27:12 你們自己也都見過，為何全然變為虛妄呢？
27:13 上帝為惡人所定的分，強暴人從全能者所得的報（原文是產業）乃是這樣：
27:14 倘或他的兒女增多，還是被刀所殺；他的子孫必不得飽食。
27:15 他所遺留的人必死而埋葬；他的寡婦也不哀哭。
27:16 他雖積蓄銀子如塵沙，預備衣服如泥土；
27:17 他只管預備，義人卻要穿上；他的銀子，無辜的人要分取。
27:18 他建造房屋如蟲做窩，又如守望者所搭的棚。
27:19 他雖富足躺臥，卻不得收殮，轉眼之間就不在了。
27:20 驚恐如波濤將他追上；暴風在夜間將他颳去。
27:21 東風把他飄去，又颳他離開本處。
27:22 上帝要向他射箭，並不留情；他恨不得逃脫上帝的手。
27:23 人要向他拍掌，並要發叱聲，使他離開本處。

 

And Job continued his discourse:

² “As surely as God lives, who has denied me justice,
    the Almighty, who has made my life bitter,
³ as long as I have life within me,
    the breath of God in my nostrils,
⁴ my lips will not say anything wicked,
    and my tongue will not utter lies.
⁵ I will never admit you are in the right;
    till I die, I will not deny my integrity.
⁶ I will maintain my innocence and never let go of it;
    my conscience will not reproach me as long as I live.

⁷ “May my enemy be like the wicked,
    my adversary like the unjust!
⁸ For what hope have the godless when they are cut off,
    when God takes away their life?
⁹ Does God listen to their cry
    when distress comes upon them?
¹⁰ Will they find delight in the Almighty?
    Will they call on God at all times?

¹¹ “I will teach you about the power of God;
    the ways of the Almighty I will not conceal.
¹² You have all seen this yourselves.
    Why then this meaningless talk?

¹³ “Here is the fate God allots to the wicked,
    the heritage a ruthless man receives from the Almighty:
¹⁴ However many his children, their fate is the sword;
    his offspring will never have enough to eat.
¹⁵ The plague will bury those who survive him,
    and their widows will not weep for them.
¹⁶ Though he heaps up silver like dust
    and clothes like piles of clay,
¹⁷ what he lays up the righteous will wear,
    and the innocent will divide his silver.
¹⁸ The house he builds is like a moth’s cocoon,
    like a hut made by a watchman.
¹⁹ He lies down wealthy, but will do so no more;
    when he opens his eyes, all is gone.
²⁰ Terrors overtake him like a flood;
    a tempest snatches him away in the night.
²¹ The east wind carries him off, and he is gone;
    it sweeps him out of his place.
²² It hurls itself against him without mercy
    as he flees headlong from its power.
²³ It claps its hands in derision
    and hisses him out of his place.”

 

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

 

    約伯清楚自己不是因為不義而有今天的遭遇，所以不管朋友怎樣說，他都堅持自己是義人，並且要持續成為義人，不要因為今日的遭遇而遠離上帝！這也正是上帝要他表現出來的信心，因為「義人必因信得生」（哈巴谷書2:4）

 

    其實上帝讓約伯受苦難的目的，就是要向魔鬼誇勝，讓魔鬼知道苦難並不會讓敬畏上帝的人離棄上帝，反而會更堅定自己的信心，更願意信靠上帝而活，而不會離開上帝去作惡！也唯有這樣，約伯的受苦才有意義、才有價值！

 

    從約伯的身上我們學習到，信靠上帝不是為了凡事亨通；而是要讓我們在不管任何的處境當中，都願意倚靠上帝，行在上帝的光中，不離棄上帝！正如約翰一書1章7節所說：「我們若在光明中行，如同上帝在光明中，就彼此相交，他兒子耶穌的血也洗淨我們一切的罪。」

 

    這也是說，我們信靠主是要追求聖潔，與上帝的性情有分，遠離惡事，凡是敬畏上帝，不管在任何的景況，我們都要確信我們是活在上帝的榮光之中！上帝既然要保守我們直到那日，我們更是不可離開上帝，到那日必得上帝的榮耀，與基督同在榮耀之中！這就是約伯受苦中之所以可以忍受下去的重要原因！