約伯記38:1-41

 

38:1 那時，耶和華從旋風中回答約伯說：
38:2 誰用無知的言語使我的旨意暗昧不明？
38:3 你要如勇士束腰；我問你，你可以指示我。
38:4 我立大地根基的時候，你在哪裡呢？你若有聰明，只管說吧！
38:5 你若曉得就說，是誰定地的尺度？是誰把準繩拉在其上？
38:6 地的根基安置在何處？地的角石是誰安放的？
38:7 那時，晨星一同歌唱；上帝的眾子也都歡呼。
38:8 海水衝出，如出胎胞，那時誰將它關閉呢？
38:9 是我用雲彩當海的衣服，用幽暗當包裹它的布，
38:10 為它定界限，又安門和閂，
38:11 說：你只可到這裡，不可越過；你狂傲的浪要到此止住。
38:12 你自生以來，曾命定晨光，使清晨的日光知道本位，
38:13 叫這光普照地的四極，將惡人從其中驅逐出來嗎？
38:14 因這光，地面改變如泥上印印，萬物出現如衣服一樣。
38:15 亮光不照惡人；強橫的膀臂也必折斷。
38:16 你曾進到海源，或在深淵的隱密處行走嗎？
38:17 死亡的門曾向你顯露嗎？死蔭的門你曾見過嗎？
38:18 地的廣大你能明透嗎？你若全知道，只管說吧！
38:19 光明的居所從何而至？黑暗的本位在於何處？
38:20 你能帶到本境，能看明其室之路嗎？
38:21 你總知道，因為你早已生在世上，你日子的數目也多。
38:22 你曾進入雪庫，或見過雹倉嗎？
38:23 這雪雹乃是我為降災，並打仗和爭戰的日子所預備的。
38:24 光亮從何路分開？東風從何路分散遍地？
38:25 誰為雨水分道？誰為雷電開路？
38:26 使雨降在無人之地、無人居住的曠野？
38:27 使荒廢淒涼之地得以豐足，青草得以發生？
38:28 雨有父嗎？露水珠是誰生的呢？
38:29 冰出於誰的胎？天上的霜是誰生的呢？
38:30 諸水堅硬（或譯：隱藏）如石頭；深淵之面凝結成冰。
38:31 你能繫住昴星的結嗎？能解開參星的帶嗎？
38:32 你能按時領出十二宮嗎？能引導北斗和隨它的眾星（星：原文是子）嗎？
38:33 你知道天的定例嗎？能使地歸在天的權下嗎？
38:34 你能向雲彩揚起聲來，使傾盆的雨遮蓋你嗎？
38:35 你能發出閃電，叫它行去，使它對你說：我們在這裡？
38:36 誰將智慧放在懷中？誰將聰明賜於心內？
38:37 誰能用智慧數算雲彩呢？塵土聚集成團，土塊緊緊結連；那時，誰能傾倒天上的瓶呢？
38:38 【併於上節】
38:39 母獅子在洞中蹲伏，少壯獅子在隱密處埋伏；你能為牠們抓取食物，使牠們飽足嗎？
38:40 【併於上節】
38:41 烏鴉之雛因無食物飛來飛去，哀告上帝；那時，誰為牠預備食物呢？

 

“ Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm. He said:

² “Who is this that obscures my plans
    with words without knowledge?
³ Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.

⁴ “Where were you when I laid the earth’s foundation?
    Tell me, if you understand.
⁵ Who marked off its dimensions? Surely you know!
    Who stretched a measuring line across it?
⁶ On what were its footings set,
    or who laid its cornerstone—
⁷ while the morning stars sang together
    and all the angels^[a] shouted for joy?

⁸ “Who shut up the sea behind doors
    when it burst forth from the womb,
⁹ when I made the clouds its garment
    and wrapped it in thick darkness,
¹⁰ when I fixed limits for it
    and set its doors and bars in place,
¹¹ when I said, ‘This far you may come and no farther;
    here is where your proud waves halt’?

¹² “Have you ever given orders to the morning,
    or shown the dawn its place,
¹³ that it might take the earth by the edges
    and shake the wicked out of it?
¹⁴ The earth takes shape like clay under a seal;
    its features stand out like those of a garment.
¹⁵ The wicked are denied their light,
    and their upraised arm is broken.

¹⁶ “Have you journeyed to the springs of the sea
    or walked in the recesses of the deep?
¹⁷ Have the gates of death been shown to you?
    Have you seen the gates of the deepest darkness?
¹⁸ Have you comprehended the vast expanses of the earth?
    Tell me, if you know all this.

¹⁹ “What is the way to the abode of light?
    And where does darkness reside?
²⁰ Can you take them to their places?
    Do you know the paths to their dwellings?
²¹ Surely you know, for you were already born!
    You have lived so many years!

²² “Have you entered the storehouses of the snow
    or seen the storehouses of the hail,
²³ which I reserve for times of trouble,
    for days of war and battle?
²⁴ What is the way to the place where the lightning is dispersed,
    or the place where the east winds are scattered over the earth?
²⁵ Who cuts a channel for the torrents of rain,
    and a path for the thunderstorm,
²⁶ to water a land where no one lives,
    an uninhabited desert,
²⁷ to satisfy a desolate wasteland
    and make it sprout with grass?
²⁸ Does the rain have a father?
    Who fathers the drops of dew?
²⁹ From whose womb comes the ice?
    Who gives birth to the frost from the heavens
³⁰ when the waters become hard as stone,
    when the surface of the deep is frozen?

³¹ “Can you bind the chains^[b] of the Pleiades?
    Can you loosen Orion’s belt?
³² Can you bring forth the constellations in their seasons^[c]
    or lead out the Bear^[d] with its cubs?
³³ Do you know the laws of the heavens?
    Can you set up God’s^[e] dominion over the earth?

³⁴ “Can you raise your voice to the clouds
    and cover yourself with a flood of water?
³⁵ Do you send the lightning bolts on their way?
    Do they report to you, ‘Here we are’?
³⁶ Who gives the ibis wisdom^[f]
    or gives the rooster understanding?^[g]
37 Who has the wisdom to count the clouds?
    Who can tip over the water jars of the heavens
³⁸ when the dust becomes hard
    and the clods of earth stick together?

³⁹ “Do you hunt the prey for the lioness
    and satisfy the hunger of the lions
⁴⁰ when they crouch in their dens
    or lie in wait in a thicket?
⁴¹ Who provides food for the raven
    when its young cry out to God
    and wander about for lack of food?

 

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

 

    上帝顯現自己來面對約伯，卻是用一連串的問話來讓約伯思考，並不向約伯回答他所問的問題，也不替約伯在他的朋友面前辯駁什麼，而是像以利戶的話語的接續，要約伯放下自己來面對上帝的偉大作為好得智慧的心，不要再質疑上帝為何讓他遇見這麼大的苦難！

 

    這樣的表達好像是在啟示錄6章9-11節中的記載：

 

6:9 揭開第五印的時候，我看見在祭壇底下，有為上帝的道、並為作見證被殺之人的靈魂，
6:10 大聲喊著說：「聖潔真實的主啊，你不審判住在地上的人，給我們伸流血的冤，要等到幾時呢？」
6:11 於是有白衣賜給他們各人；又有話對他們說，還要安息片時，等著一同作僕人的和他們的弟兄也像他們被殺，滿足了數目。

 

    這些為主而被殺的人，照自己的想法要主快快為他們伸冤，以至於像抱怨的口氣像主說：「聖潔真實的主啊，你不審判住在地上的人，給我們伸流血的冤，要等到幾時呢？」

 

    主卻要他們繼續等候，對他們說：「還要安息片時，等著一同作僕人的和他們的弟兄也像他們被殺，滿足了數目。」

 

   而主這樣做的緣故是為了「完全」，正如希伯來書11章39-40節說：「  這些人都是因信得了美好的證據，卻仍未得著所應許的；因為上帝給我們預備了更美的事，叫他們若不與我們同得，就不能完全。」

 

    同樣「滿足了數目」，也是為了「完全」！因此，上帝的伸冤是一定會成就，而這個成就是在我們將來在榮耀境時的到「完全」的安慰！因為我們一見了主的榮面，主就將一切為我們補足了！因為他將我們失去的，用自己來滿足我們！有甚麼比基督更好呢？

 

    因此，上帝像約伯顯現自己，是要讓約伯清楚有上帝勝過了一切的冤屈！所以，上帝給我一個美好的名號「以馬內利」，也就是上帝的同在！

 

 

列王紀上3章

     列王紀上3:1-28 ,

列王紀上3:1-28

 

3:1 所羅門與埃及王法老結親，娶了法老的女兒為妻，接她進入大衛城，直等到造完了自己的宮和耶和華的殿，並耶路撒冷周圍的城牆。
3:2 當那些日子，百姓仍在邱壇獻祭，因為還沒有為耶和華的名建殿。
3:3 所羅門愛耶和華，遵行他父親大衛的律例，只是還在邱壇獻祭燒香。
3:4 所羅門王上基遍去獻祭；因為在那裡有極大（或譯：出名）的邱壇，他在那壇上獻一千犧牲作燔祭。
3:5 在基遍，夜間夢中，耶和華向所羅門顯現，對他說：「你願我賜你甚麼？你可以求。」
3:6 所羅門說：「你僕人─我父親大衛用誠實、公義、正直的心行在你面前，你就向他大施恩典，又為他存留大恩，賜他一個兒子坐在他的位上，正如今日一樣。
3:7 耶和華─我的上帝啊，如今你使僕人接續我父親大衛作王；但我是幼童，不知道應當怎樣出入。
3:8 僕人住在你所揀選的民中，這民多得不可勝數。
3:9 所以求你賜我智慧，可以判斷你的民，能辨別是非。不然，誰能判斷這眾多的民呢？」
3:10 所羅門因為求這事，就蒙主喜悅。
3:11 上帝對他說：「你既然求這事，不為自己求壽、求富，也不求滅絕你仇敵的性命，單求智慧可以聽訟，
3:12 我就應允你所求的，賜你聰明智慧，甚至在你以前沒有像你的，在你以後也沒有像你的。
3:13 你所沒有求的，我也賜給你，就是富足、尊榮，使你在世的日子，列王中沒有一個能比你的。
3:14 你若效法你父親大衛，遵行我的道，謹守我的律例、誡命，我必使你長壽。」
3:15 所羅門醒了，不料是個夢。他就回到耶路撒冷，站在耶和華的約櫃前，獻燔祭和平安祭，又為他眾臣僕設擺筵席。
3:16 一日，有兩個妓女來，站在王面前。
3:17 一個說：「我主啊，我和這婦人同住一房；她在房中的時候，我生了一個男孩。
3:18 我生孩子後第三日，這婦人也生了孩子。我們是同住的，除了我們二人之外，房中再沒有別人。
3:19 夜間，這婦人睡著的時候，壓死了她的孩子。
3:20 她半夜起來，趁我睡著，從我旁邊把我的孩子抱去，放在她懷裡，將她的死孩子放在我懷裡。
3:21 天要亮的時候，我起來要給我的孩子吃奶，不料，孩子死了；及至天亮，我細細地察看，不是我所生的孩子。」
3:22 那婦人說：「不然，活孩子是我的，死孩子是你的。」這婦人說：「不然，死孩子是你的，活孩子是我的。」她們在王面前如此爭論。
3:23 王說：「這婦人說『活孩子是我的，死孩子是你的』，那婦人說『不然，死孩子是你的，活孩子是我的』」，
3:24 就吩咐說：「拿刀來！」人就拿刀來。
3:25 王說：「將活孩子劈成兩半，一半給那婦人，一半給這婦人。」
3:26 活孩子的母親為自己的孩子心裡急痛，就說：「求我主將活孩子給那婦人吧，萬不可殺他！」那婦人說：「這孩子也不歸我，也不歸你，把他劈了吧！」
3:27 王說：「將活孩子給這婦人，萬不可殺他；這婦人實在是他的母親。」
3:28 以色列眾人聽見王這樣判斷，就都敬畏他；因為見他心裡有上帝的智慧，能以斷案。

 

Solomon made an alliance with Pharaoh king of Egypt and married his daughter. He brought her to the City of David until he finished building his palace and the temple of the Lord, and the wall around Jerusalem. ² The people, however, were still sacrificing at the high places, because a temple had not yet been built for the Name of the Lord. ³ Solomon showed his love for the Lord by walking according to the instructions given him by his father David, except that he offered sacrifices and burned incense on the high places.

⁴ The king went to Gibeon to offer sacrifices, for that was the most important high place, and Solomon offered a thousand burnt offerings on that altar. ⁵ At Gibeon the Lord appeared to Solomon during the night in a dream, and God said, “Ask for whatever you want me to give you.”

⁶ Solomon answered, “You have shown great kindness to your servant, my father David, because he was faithful to you and righteous and upright in heart. You have continued this great kindness to him and have given him a son to sit on his throne this very day.

⁷ “Now, Lord my God, you have made your servant king in place of my father David. But I am only a little child and do not know how to carry out my duties. ⁸ Your servant is here among the people you have chosen, a great people, too numerous to count or number. ⁹ So give your servant a discerning heart to govern your people and to distinguish between right and wrong. For who is able to govern this great people of yours?”

¹⁰ The Lord was pleased that Solomon had asked for this. ¹¹ So God said to him, “Since you have asked for this and not for long life or wealth for yourself, nor have asked for the death of your enemies but for discernment in administering justice, ¹² I will do what you have asked. I will give you a wise and discerning heart, so that there will never have been anyone like you, nor will there ever be. ¹³ Moreover, I will give you what you have not asked for—both wealth and honor—so that in your lifetime you will have no equal among kings. ¹⁴ And if you walk in obedience to me and keep my decrees and commands as David your father did, I will give you a long life.” ¹⁵ Then Solomon awoke—and he realized it had been a dream.

He returned to Jerusalem, stood before the ark of the Lord’s covenant and sacrificed burnt offerings and fellowship offerings. Then he gave a feast for all his court.

¹⁶ Now two prostitutes came to the king and stood before him. ¹⁷ One of them said, “Pardon me, my lord. This woman and I live in the same house, and I had a baby while she was there with me. ¹⁸ The third day after my child was born, this woman also had a baby. We were alone; there was no one in the house but the two of us.

¹⁹ “During the night this woman’s son died because she lay on him. ²⁰ So she got up in the middle of the night and took my son from my side while I your servant was asleep. She put him by her breast and put her dead son by my breast. ²¹ The next morning, I got up to nurse my son—and he was dead! But when I looked at him closely in the morning light, I saw that it wasn’t the son I had borne.”

²² The other woman said, “No! The living one is my son; the dead one is yours.”

But the first one insisted, “No! The dead one is yours; the living one is mine.” And so they argued before the king.

²³ The king said, “This one says, ‘My son is alive and your son is dead,’ while that one says, ‘No! Your son is dead and mine is alive.’”

²⁴ Then the king said, “Bring me a sword.” So they brought a sword for the king. ²⁵ He then gave an order: “Cut the living child in two and give half to one and half to the other.”

²⁶ The woman whose son was alive was deeply moved out of love for her son and said to the king, “Please, my lord, give her the living baby! Don’t kill him!”

But the other said, “Neither I nor you shall have him. Cut him in two!”

²⁷ Then the king gave his ruling: “Give the living baby to the first woman. Do not kill him; she is his mother.”

²⁸ When all Israel heard the verdict the king had given, they held the king in awe, because they saw that he had wisdom from God to administer justice.

 

********

 

    在中文聖經說到所羅門獻祭於「邱壇」，在英文翻譯為「high places」。邱壇最初用於偶像崇拜 ( 民數記 33:52; 利未記 26:30) 尤其是在摩押人中 ( 以賽亞書 16:12) 。 這些聖地通常包括一座壇和一個聖物，諸如各種形狀的石柱或木桿，與所敬拜的物相似 ( 動物、星座、女神和豐產之神 ) 。

 

    在上帝的殿建成之前，人們仍然在邱壇上獻祭，而且所羅門也加入了他們。之後在基遍，耶和華在夢中向他顯現。當然不是所有的邱壇都是敬拜偶像，因為像先知撒母耳也是在邱壇獻祭，只是後來聖殿建成之後就禁止以色列人於邱壇獻祭！

 

    不過所羅門在基遍，夜間夢中，耶和華向所羅門顯現，對他說：「你願我賜你甚麼？你可以求。」

 

    這是人類與上帝相會的一種狀態，所羅門竟然在夢中求上帝賜下智慧！而上帝也喜悅所羅門王的祈求，上帝還曉諭他：「你既然求這事，不為自己求壽、求富，也不求滅絕你仇敵的性命，單求智慧可以聽訟，我就應允你所求的，賜你聰明智慧，甚至在你以前沒有像你的，在你以後也沒有像你的。你所沒有求的，我也賜給你，就是富足、尊榮，使你在世的日子，列王中沒有一個能比你的。你若效法你父親大衛，遵行我的道，謹守我的律例、誡命，我必使你長壽。」

 

    可見上帝和所羅門同在如同與大衛同在一樣！在這是也讓我們看見，君王要完成他的使命必須有上帝的同在，不是照自己的心意來治國，需要有從上帝來的智慧！大衛如此，所羅門更是如此！

 

    當然我們今天藉由耶穌基督領受上帝兒女的身分，也有君王的功能，也因為如此，我們更需要求上帝賜給智慧，好讓我們在世上見證基督是王，引道人來歸向基督成為上帝的兒女，這是我們成為君王的使命，就是能帶領別人認識並接受基督為主！

 

    而要完成這使命就是要領受聖靈，讓我們的生命中有基督做王，如此我們才能真正成為王，領人歸主近如王的行列之中，彰顯基督王權的榮耀！

 

 

 

約伯記37章

    約伯記37:1-24  ,

約伯記37:1-24

 

37:1 因此我心戰兢，從原處移動。
37:2 聽啊，上帝轟轟的聲音是他口中所發的響聲。
37:3 他發響聲震遍天下，發電光閃到地極。
37:4 隨後人聽見有雷聲轟轟，大發威嚴，雷電接連不斷。
37:5 上帝發出奇妙的雷聲；他行大事，我們不能測透。
37:6 他對雪說：要降在地上；對大雨和暴雨也是這樣說。
37:7 他封住各人的手，叫所造的萬人都曉得他的作為。
37:8 百獸進入穴中，臥在洞內。
37:9 暴風出於南宮；寒冷出於北方。
37:10 上帝噓氣成冰；寬闊之水也都凝結。
37:11 他使密雲盛滿水氣，布散電光之雲；
37:12 這雲是藉他的指引游行旋轉，得以在全地面上行他一切所吩咐的，
37:13 或為責罰，或為潤地，或為施行慈愛。
37:14 約伯啊，你要留心聽，要站立思想上帝奇妙的作為。
37:15 上帝如何吩咐這些，如何使雲中的電光照耀，你知道嗎？
37:16 雲彩如何浮於空中，那知識全備者奇妙的作為，你知道嗎？
37:17 南風使地寂靜，你的衣服就如火熱，你知道嗎？
37:18 你豈能與上帝同鋪穹蒼嗎？這穹蒼堅硬，如同鑄成的鏡子。
37:19 我們愚昧不能陳說；請你指教我們該對他說甚麼話。
37:20 人豈可說：我願與他說話？豈有人自願滅亡嗎？
37:21 現在有雲遮蔽，人不得見穹蒼的光亮；但風吹過，天又發晴。
37:22 金光出於北方，在上帝那裡有可怕的威嚴。
37:23 論到全能者，我們不能測度；他大有能力，有公平和大義，必不苦待人。
37:24 所以，人敬畏他；凡自以為心中有智慧的人，他都不顧念。

 

“At this my heart pounds
    and leaps from its place.
² Listen! Listen to the roar of his voice,
    to the rumbling that comes from his mouth.
³ He unleashes his lightning beneath the whole heaven
    and sends it to the ends of the earth.
⁴ After that comes the sound of his roar;
    he thunders with his majestic voice.
When his voice resounds,
    he holds nothing back.
⁵ God’s voice thunders in marvelous ways;
    he does great things beyond our understanding.
⁶ He says to the snow, ‘Fall on the earth,’
    and to the rain shower, ‘Be a mighty downpour.’
⁷ So that everyone he has made may know his work,
    he stops all people from their labor.^[a]
8 The animals take cover;
    they remain in their dens.
⁹ The tempest comes out from its chamber,
    the cold from the driving winds.
¹⁰ The breath of God produces ice,
    and the broad waters become frozen.
¹¹ He loads the clouds with moisture;
    he scatters his lightning through them.
¹² At his direction they swirl around
    over the face of the whole earth
    to do whatever he commands them.
¹³ He brings the clouds to punish people,
    or to water his earth and show his love.

¹⁴ “Listen to this, Job;
    stop and consider God’s wonders.
¹⁵ Do you know how God controls the clouds
    and makes his lightning flash?
¹⁶ Do you know how the clouds hang poised,
    those wonders of him who has perfect knowledge?
¹⁷ You who swelter in your clothes
    when the land lies hushed under the south wind,
¹⁸ can you join him in spreading out the skies,
    hard as a mirror of cast bronze?

¹⁹ “Tell us what we should say to him;
    we cannot draw up our case because of our darkness.
²⁰ Should he be told that I want to speak?
    Would anyone ask to be swallowed up?
²¹ Now no one can look at the sun,
    bright as it is in the skies
    after the wind has swept them clean.
²² Out of the north he comes in golden splendor;
    God comes in awesome majesty.
²³ The Almighty is beyond our reach and exalted in power;
    in his justice and great righteousness, he does not oppress.
²⁴ Therefore, people revere him,
    for does he not have regard for all the wise in heart?

 

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

 

    以利戶最後的談話，是以上帝的創造和祂如何運行大自然的一些現象，讓約伯來思考上帝的偉大，而產生敬畏上帝的心，以至於不會在自以為是，願意謙卑來面對上帝之所以讓他經歷這些苦難的用意，好得著智慧的心！

 

    正如使徒保羅在羅馬書1章19-20節所說：「上帝的事情，人所能知道的，原顯明在人心裡，因為上帝已經給他們顯明。自從造天地以來，上帝的永能和神性是明明可知的，雖是眼不能見，但藉著所造之物就可以曉得，叫人無可推諉。」

 

    有如希伯來書3章3-4節為了說明耶穌基督是高過摩西的，就說到：「他比摩西算是更配多得榮耀，好像建造房屋的比房屋更尊榮；因為房屋都必有人建造，但建造萬物的就是上帝。」

 

    耶穌基督之所以高過摩西，是因為創造主高過一切的受造者！也因為這樣約伯面對創造主時，不要忘記自己的身分和地位，更不可以忘記上帝的身分和地位！人是無法和上帝比擬的，人必須謙卑屈膝在上帝面前敬拜上帝，而不是與上帝對質，說到上帝不公平、沒有正義！這樣說，不管對錯如何，已經超越人的本分了！

 

    親愛的弟兄姊妹，讓我們思想上帝的偉大之後，認識自己的渺小，人到上帝面前理當只有敬畏、只有敬拜，不是抱怨與質疑上帝，雖然上帝允許，我們仍是要放下自己，願上帝的旨意和主權彰顯！