約伯記42:1-17

 

42:1 約伯回答耶和華說：
42:2 我知道，你萬事都能做；你的旨意不能攔阻。
42:3 誰用無知的言語使你的旨意隱藏呢？我所說的是我不明白的；這些事太奇妙，是我不知道的。
42:4 求你聽我，我要說話；我問你，求你指示我。
42:5 我從前風聞有你，現在親眼看見你。
42:6 因此我厭惡自己（或譯：我的言語），在塵土和爐灰中懊悔。
42:7 耶和華對約伯說話以後，就對提幔人以利法說：「我的怒氣向你和你兩個朋友發作，因為你們議論我不如我的僕人約伯說的是。
42:8 現在你們要取七隻公牛，七隻公羊，到我僕人約伯那裡去，為自己獻上燔祭，我的僕人約伯就為你們祈禱。我因悅納他，就不按你們的愚妄辦你們。你們議論我，不如我的僕人約伯說的是。」
42:9 於是提幔人以利法、書亞人比勒達、拿瑪人瑣法照著耶和華所吩咐的去行；耶和華就悅納約伯。
42:10 約伯為他的朋友祈禱。耶和華就使約伯從苦境（原文是擄掠）轉回，並且耶和華賜給他的比他從前所有的加倍。
42:11 約伯的弟兄、姊妹，和以先所認識的人都來見他，在他家裡一同吃飯；又論到耶和華所降與他的一切災禍，都為他悲傷安慰他。每人也送他一塊銀子和一個金環。
42:12 這樣，耶和華後來賜福給約伯比先前更多。他有一萬四千羊，六千駱駝，一千對牛，一千母驢。
42:13 他也有七個兒子，三個女兒。
42:14 他給長女起名叫耶米瑪，次女叫基洗亞，三女叫基連‧哈樸。
42:15 在那全地的婦女中找不著像約伯的女兒那樣美貌。她們的父親使她們在弟兄中得產業。
42:16 此後，約伯又活了一百四十年，得見他的兒孫，直到四代。
42:17 這樣，約伯年紀老邁，日子滿足而死。

 

Then Job replied to the Lord:

² “I know that you can do all things;
    no purpose of yours can be thwarted.
³ You asked, ‘Who is this that obscures my plans without knowledge?’
    Surely I spoke of things I did not understand,
    things too wonderful for me to know.

⁴ “You said, ‘Listen now, and I will speak;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.’
⁵ My ears had heard of you
    but now my eyes have seen you.
⁶ Therefore I despise myself
    and repent in dust and ashes.”

⁷ After the Lord had said these things to Job, he said to Eliphaz the Temanite, “I am angry with you and your two friends, because you have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has. ⁸ So now take seven bulls and seven rams and go to my servant Job and sacrifice a burnt offering for yourselves. My servant Job will pray for you, and I will accept his prayer and not deal with you according to your folly. You have not spoken the truth about me, as my servant Job has.” ⁹ So Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite did what the Lord told them; and the Lord accepted Job’s prayer.

¹⁰ After Job had prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes and gave him twice as much as he had before. ¹¹ All his brothers and sisters and everyone who had known him before came and ate with him in his house. They comforted and consoled him over all the trouble the Lord had brought on him, and each one gave him a piece of silver^[a] and a gold ring.

¹² The Lord blessed the latter part of Job’s life more than the former part. He had fourteen thousand sheep, six thousand camels, a thousand yoke of oxen and a thousand donkeys. ¹³ And he also had seven sons and three daughters. ¹⁴ The first daughter he named Jemimah, the second Keziah and the third Keren-Happuch. ¹⁵ Nowhere in all the land were there found women as beautiful as Job’s daughters, and their father granted them an inheritance along with their brothers.

¹⁶ After this, Job lived a hundred and forty years; he saw his children and their children to the fourth generation. ¹⁷ And so Job died, an old man and full of years.

 

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    約伯記的最後，約伯在上帝面前承認：「上主啊，我知道你事事都能；你能實現一切計畫。你問，無知的我怎能疑惑你的智慧；我講論自己所不明白的事，奇妙異常，不能領悟。你要我留心聽你的話，答覆你提出的問題。從前我聽別人談論你；現在我親眼看見你。所以，我對說過的話覺得羞愧，坐在塵土和爐灰中懺悔。」

 

    然而上帝對以利法說：「我對你和你的兩個朋友很不滿意，因為你們議論我的話不比我的僕人約伯所說的正確。現在，你們要拿七隻公牛，七隻公羊，到約伯那裡去，為你們自己獻上燒化祭。約伯要為你們祈求；我會悅納他的祈求，不按照你們的愚昧責罰你們。你們對我的議論，不如約伯所說的有理。」

 

    上帝沒有讓約伯被這三位朋友白白數落，上帝為約伯討回公道，所以上帝並沒有不理會約伯！不僅如此，約伯失去的，上帝加倍奉還給他，不只是財富還有兒女！

 

    這養讓我們看見上帝是不虧待人的上帝，是公平正義的典範，是值得我們信靠與依賴的！

 

約伯記41章

   約伯記41:1-34   ,

約伯記41:1-34

 

41:1 你能用魚鉤釣上鱷魚嗎？能用繩子壓下牠的舌頭嗎？
41:2 你能用繩索穿牠的鼻子嗎？能用鉤穿牠的腮骨嗎？
41:3 牠豈向你連連懇求，說柔和的話嗎？
41:4 豈肯與你立約，使你拿牠永遠作奴僕嗎？
41:5 你豈可拿牠當雀鳥玩耍嗎？豈可為你的幼女將牠拴住嗎？
41:6 搭夥的漁夫豈可拿牠當貨物嗎？能把牠分給商人嗎？
41:7 你能用倒鉤槍扎滿牠的皮，能用魚叉叉滿牠的頭嗎？
41:8 你按手在牠身上，想與牠爭戰，就不再這樣行吧！
41:9 人指望捉拿牠是徒然的；一見牠，豈不喪膽嗎？
41:10 沒有那麼兇猛的人敢惹牠。這樣，誰能在我面前站立得住呢？
41:11 誰先給我甚麼，使我償還呢？天下萬物都是我的。
41:12 論到鱷魚的肢體和其大力，並美好的骨骼，我不能緘默不言。
41:13 誰能剝牠的外衣？誰能進牠上下牙骨之間呢？
41:14 誰能開牠的腮頰？牠牙齒四圍是可畏的。
41:15 牠以堅固的鱗甲為可誇，緊緊合閉，封得嚴密。
41:16 這鱗甲一一相連，甚至氣不得透入其間，
41:17 都是互相聯絡、膠結，不能分離。
41:18 牠打噴嚏就發出光來；牠眼睛好像早晨的光線（原文是眼皮）。
41:19 從牠口中發出燒著的火把，與飛迸的火星；
41:20 從牠鼻孔冒出煙來，如燒開的鍋和點著的蘆葦。
41:21 牠的氣點著煤炭，有火焰從牠口中發出。
41:22 牠頸項中存著勁力；在牠面前的都恐嚇蹦跳。
41:23 牠的肉塊互相聯絡，緊貼其身，不能搖動。
41:24 牠的心結實如石頭，如下磨石那樣結實。
41:25 牠一起來，勇士都驚恐，心裡慌亂，便都昏迷。
41:26 人若用刀，用槍，用標槍，用尖槍扎牠，都是無用。
41:27 牠以鐵為乾草，以銅為爛木。
41:28 箭不能恐嚇牠使牠逃避；彈石在牠看為碎秸。
41:29 棍棒算為禾秸；牠嗤笑短槍颼的響聲。
41:30 牠肚腹下如尖瓦片；牠如釘耙經過淤泥。
41:31 牠使深淵開滾如鍋，使洋海如鍋中的膏油。
41:32 牠行的路隨後發光，令人想深淵如同白髮。
41:33 在地上沒有像牠造的那樣，無所懼怕。
41:34 凡高大的，牠無不藐視；牠在驕傲的水族上作王。

 

Can you pull in Leviathan with a fishhook
    or tie down its tongue with a rope?
² Can you put a cord through its nose
    or pierce its jaw with a hook?
³ Will it keep begging you for mercy?
    Will it speak to you with gentle words?
⁴ Will it make an agreement with you
    for you to take it as your slave for life?
⁵ Can you make a pet of it like a bird
    or put it on a leash for the young women in your house?
⁶ Will traders barter for it?
    Will they divide it up among the merchants?
⁷ Can you fill its hide with harpoons
    or its head with fishing spears?
⁸ If you lay a hand on it,
    you will remember the struggle and never do it again!
⁹ Any hope of subduing it is false;
    the mere sight of it is overpowering.
¹⁰ No one is fierce enough to rouse it.
    Who then is able to stand against me?
¹¹ Who has a claim against me that I must pay?
    Everything under heaven belongs to me.

¹² “I will not fail to speak of Leviathan’s limbs,
    its strength and its graceful form.
¹³ Who can strip off its outer coat?
    Who can penetrate its double coat of armor^[b]?
¹⁴ Who dares open the doors of its mouth,
    ringed about with fearsome teeth?
¹⁵ Its back has^[c] rows of shields
    tightly sealed together;
¹⁶ each is so close to the next
    that no air can pass between.
¹⁷ They are joined fast to one another;
    they cling together and cannot be parted.
¹⁸ Its snorting throws out flashes of light;
    its eyes are like the rays of dawn.
¹⁹ Flames stream from its mouth;
    sparks of fire shoot out.
²⁰ Smoke pours from its nostrils
    as from a boiling pot over burning reeds.
²¹ Its breath sets coals ablaze,
    and flames dart from its mouth.
²² Strength resides in its neck;
    dismay goes before it.
²³ The folds of its flesh are tightly joined;
    they are firm and immovable.
²⁴ Its chest is hard as rock,
    hard as a lower millstone.
²⁵ When it rises up, the mighty are terrified;
    they retreat before its thrashing.
²⁶ The sword that reaches it has no effect,
    nor does the spear or the dart or the javelin.
²⁷ Iron it treats like straw
    and bronze like rotten wood.
²⁸ Arrows do not make it flee;
    slingstones are like chaff to it.
²⁹ A club seems to it but a piece of straw;
    it laughs at the rattling of the lance.
³⁰ Its undersides are jagged potsherds,
    leaving a trail in the mud like a threshing sledge.
³¹ It makes the depths churn like a boiling caldron
    and stirs up the sea like a pot of ointment.
³² It leaves a glistening wake behind it;
    one would think the deep had white hair.
³³ Nothing on earth is its equal—
    a creature without fear.
³⁴ It looks down on all that are haughty;
    it is king over all that are proud.”

 

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    上帝不僅用河馬來激勵約伯，祂也用鱷魚來彰顯上帝創造的偉大，更讓約伯知道正義的彰顯是需要靠有能力的上帝，因此不是來質疑上帝的公平與正義，反倒要敬畏上帝並倚靠祂！

 

    我們常常忘記罪惡和苦難不是上帝造的，是受造之物變質產生的，所以要追討的是反對上帝的惡者，不是反過來質疑與否定上帝，這對上帝不僅不公平，更阻擋人與上帝的聯合，使得罪惡更囂張！

 

    因此面對罪惡和苦難，不是質疑和抱怨上帝怎麼讓我們遇到，而是要求上帝給我們倚靠和賜我們能力與智慧來勝過惡者的作為，並且相信上帝必定將魔鬼和其僕役送入地獄火湖！而我們要靠上帝在基督裡的拯救，使我們與基督同在榮耀裡，實現我們是上帝的兒女之應許！

 

 

約翰一書1章1-4節

 

1:1 論 到 從 起 初 原 有 的 生 命 之 道 ， 就 是 我 們 所 聽 見 、 所 看 見 、 親 眼 看 過 、 親 手 摸 過 的 。

1:2 這 生 命 已 經 顯 現 出 來 ， 我 們 也 看 見 過 ， 現 在 又 作 見 證 ， 將 原 與 父 同 在 、 且 顯 現 與 我 們 那 永 遠 的 生 命 、 傳 給 你 們 。

1:3 我 們 將 所 看 見 、 所 聽 見 的 傳 給 你 們 ， 使 你 們 與 我 們 相 交 。 我 們 乃 是 與 父 並 他 兒 子 耶 穌 基 督 相 交 的 。

1:4 我 們 將 這 些 話 寫 給 你 們 ， 使 你 們 （ 有 古 卷 作 ： 我 們 ） 的 喜 樂 充 足 。

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    使徒約翰的著作有一個特色，強調耶穌基督是道成肉身之真理。

在這裡他描述耶穌基督是：“那原有的生命之道    原與父同在、且顯現與我們那永遠的生命…”。不僅僅如此，他實實在在與這位道成肉身的主有真實之接觸：“親眼看過、親手摸過”。這足以粉碎當時是耶穌為幻影之邪說，正因為耶穌是實實在在的人，所以祂真是上帝之羔羊，可以承擔世人之罪孽，我們蒙拯救是真實的而非理論而已。

使徒約翰在亦宣告：“我們將所看見、所聽見的傳給你們，使你們與我們相交。我們乃是與父並他兒子耶穌基督相交的。”使徒如說乃是希望與讀者在主裡面團契，也就是要讀者也與上帝有生命之交流。而這樣之生命交流有甚麼祝福呢？使徒約翰在此告訴我們：“使你們的喜樂充足。”

 

 

約伯記40章

     約伯記40:1-24 ,

約伯記40:1-24

 

40:1 耶和華又對約伯說：
40:2 強辯的豈可與全能者爭論嗎？與上帝辯駁的可以回答這些吧！
40:3 於是，約伯回答耶和華說：
40:4 我是卑賤的！我用甚麼回答你呢？只好用手摀口。
40:5 我說了一次，再不回答；說了兩次，就不再說。
40:6 於是，耶和華從旋風中回答約伯說：
40:7 你要如勇士束腰；我問你，你可以指示我。
40:8 你豈可廢棄我所擬定的？豈可定我有罪，好顯自己為義嗎？
40:9 你有上帝那樣的膀臂嗎？你能像他發雷聲嗎？
40:10 你要以榮耀莊嚴為妝飾，以尊榮威嚴為衣服；
40:11 要發出你滿溢的怒氣，見一切驕傲的人，使他降卑；
40:12 見一切驕傲的人，將他制伏，把惡人踐踏在本處；
40:13 將他們一同隱藏在塵土中，把他們的臉蒙蔽在隱密處；
40:14 我就認你右手能以救自己。
40:15 你且觀看河馬；我造你也造牠。牠吃草與牛一樣；
40:16 牠的氣力在腰間，能力在肚腹的筋上。
40:17 牠搖動尾巴如香柏樹；牠大腿的筋互相聯絡。
40:18 牠的骨頭好像銅管；牠的肢體彷彿鐵棍。
40:19 牠在上帝所造的物中為首；創造牠的給牠刀劍。
40:20 諸山給牠出食物，也是百獸遊玩之處。
40:21 牠伏在蓮葉之下，臥在蘆葦隱密處和水窪子裡。
40:22 蓮葉的陰涼遮蔽牠；溪旁的柳樹環繞牠。
40:23 河水泛濫，牠不發戰；就是約旦河的水漲到牠口邊，也是安然。
40:24 在牠防備的時候，誰能捉拿牠？誰能牢籠牠穿牠的鼻子呢？

 

The Lord said to Job:

² “Will the one who contends with the Almighty correct him?
    Let him who accuses God answer him!”

³ Then Job answered the Lord:

⁴ “I am unworthy—how can I reply to you?
    I put my hand over my mouth.
⁵ I spoke once, but I have no answer—
    twice, but I will say no more.”

⁶ Then the Lord spoke to Job out of the storm:

⁷ “Brace yourself like a man;
    I will question you,
    and you shall answer me.

⁸ “Would you discredit my justice?
    Would you condemn me to justify yourself?
⁹ Do you have an arm like God’s,
    and can your voice thunder like his?
¹⁰ Then adorn yourself with glory and splendor,
    and clothe yourself in honor and majesty.
¹¹ Unleash the fury of your wrath,
    look at all who are proud and bring them low,
¹² look at all who are proud and humble them,
    crush the wicked where they stand.
¹³ Bury them all in the dust together;
    shroud their faces in the grave.
¹⁴ Then I myself will admit to you
    that your own right hand can save you.

¹⁵ “Look at Behemoth,
    which I made along with you
    and which feeds on grass like an ox.
¹⁶ What strength it has in its loins,
    what power in the muscles of its belly!
¹⁷ Its tail sways like a cedar;
    the sinews of its thighs are close-knit.
¹⁸ Its bones are tubes of bronze,
    its limbs like rods of iron.
¹⁹ It ranks first among the works of God,
    yet its Maker can approach it with his sword.
²⁰ The hills bring it their produce,
    and all the wild animals play nearby.
²¹ Under the lotus plants it lies,
    hidden among the reeds in the marsh.
²² The lotuses conceal it in their shadow;
    the poplars by the stream surround it.
²³ A raging river does not alarm it;
    it is secure, though the Jordan should surge against its mouth.
²⁴ Can anyone capture it by the eyes,
    or trap it and pierce its nose?

 

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    上帝用自己的威嚴來向約伯質問：「約伯啊，你向全能者抗辯；你跟上帝爭論，現在你答覆吧。」

 

    約伯面對到上帝的威嚴，覺得自己在怎麼有理，也無法比過上帝，於是向上帝回答：「上主啊，我說了無知的話，我還能說什麼呢？我不敢再說了。我已經說了；我不再說。」

 

   接著上帝指示約伯，要成為一位正義的勇士需要怎樣的條件，祂說：「如果你能，要以尊貴莊嚴作裝飾，以尊嚴光榮作衣服。瞧那些狂傲的人；向他們發怒，貶低他們。看那些驕傲的人，把他們拉下來；把作惡的人擊潰。把他們都埋葬了；把他們捆綁在陰間裡。這樣，我就會稱讚你，承認你為自己打了勝仗。」

 

    上帝這番話的意思，就是要我們要勇敢起來面對一切惡勢力，不要屈服在惡勢力以下，不要覺得自己理當被他們欺負與欺騙，反過來要將他們打敗！當你聽了這話，會覺得有可能嗎？我們可以抵抗惡者、甚至是惡者背後之魔鬼嗎？

 

    相信上帝明白約伯也有這樣的疑慮，於上帝用河馬為例子，說明因為牠本身有上帝賦予牠的能力，因此可以對抗惡劣的環境，也可以贏過外來的敵人！同樣約伯若倚靠上帝，也會發揮這樣的能力！

 

    當然這不僅是約伯如此，我們倚靠上帝的恩典也能如此，也因此我們要靠主剛強，才可以為主做見證成為一個主持正義的勇士，對抗世界邪惡的力量，使人離開惡者的欺騙與欺負，進入上帝國的光明與喜樂滿溢！

 

    弟兄姊妹們，讓我們靠基督的救贖大恩剛強吧！