撒母耳記上24:1-22

 

24:1 掃羅追趕非利士人回來，有人告訴他說：「大衛在隱‧基底的曠野。」
24:2 掃羅就從以色列人中挑選三千精兵，率領他們往野羊的磐石去，尋索大衛和跟隨他的人。
24:3 到了路旁的羊圈，在那裡有洞，掃羅進去大解。大衛和跟隨他的人正藏在洞裡的深處。
24:4 跟隨的人對大衛說：「耶和華曾應許你說：『我要將你的仇敵交在你手裡，你可以任意待他。』如今時候到了！」大衛就起來，悄悄地割下掃羅外袍的衣襟。
24:5 隨後大衛心中自責，因為割下掃羅的衣襟；
24:6 對跟隨他的人說：「我的主乃是耶和華的受膏者，我在耶和華面前萬不敢伸手害他，因他是耶和華的受膏者。」
24:7 大衛用這話攔住跟隨他的人，不容他們起來害掃羅。掃羅起來，從洞裡出去行路。
24:8 隨後大衛也起來，從洞裡出去，呼叫掃羅說：「我主，我王！」掃羅回頭觀看，大衛就屈身、臉伏於地下拜。
24:9 大衛對掃羅說：「你為何聽信人的讒言，說大衛想要害你呢？
24:10 今日你親眼看見在洞中，耶和華將你交在我手裡；有人叫我殺你，我卻愛惜你，說：『我不敢伸手害我的主，因為他是耶和華的受膏者。』
24:11 我父啊，看看你外袍的衣襟在我手中。我割下你的衣襟，沒有殺你；你由此可以知道我沒有惡意叛逆你。你雖然獵取我的命，我卻沒有得罪你。
24:12 願耶和華在你我中間判斷是非，在你身上為我伸冤，我卻不親手加害於你。
24:13 古人有句俗語說：『惡事出於惡人。』我卻不親手加害於你。
24:14 以色列王出來要尋找誰呢？追趕誰呢？不過追趕一條死狗，一個虼蚤就是了。
24:15 願耶和華在你我中間施行審判，斷定是非，並且鑒察，為我伸冤，救我脫離你的手。」
24:16 大衛向掃羅說完這話，掃羅說：「我兒大衛，這是你的聲音嗎？」就放聲大哭，
24:17 對大衛說：「你比我公義；因為你以善待我，我卻以惡待你。
24:18 你今日顯明是以善待我；因為耶和華將我交在你手裡，你卻沒有殺我。
24:19 人若遇見仇敵，豈肯放他平安無事地去呢？願耶和華因你今日向我所行的，以善報你。
24:20 我也知道你必要作王，以色列的國必堅立在你手裡。
24:21 現在你要指著耶和華向我起誓，不剪除我的後裔，在我父家不滅沒我的名。」
24:22 於是大衛向掃羅起誓，掃羅就回家去；大衛和跟隨他的人上山寨去了。

 

After Saul returned from pursuing the Philistines, he was told, “David is in the Desert of En Gedi.” 2 So Saul took three thousand able young men from all Israel and set out to look for David and his men near the Crags of the Wild Goats.

 

3 He came to the sheep pens along the way; a cave was there, and Saul went in to relieve himself. David and his men were far back in the cave. 4 The men said, “This is the day the Lord spoke of when he said[b] to you, ‘I will give your enemy into your hands for you to deal with as you wish.’” Then David crept up unnoticed and cut off a corner of Saul’s robe.

 

5 Afterward, David was conscience-stricken for having cut off a corner of his robe. 6 He said to his men, “The Lord forbid that I should do such a thing to my master, the Lord’s anointed, or lay my hand on him; for he is the anointed of the Lord.” 7 With these words David sharply rebuked his men and did not allow them to attack Saul. And Saul left the cave and went his way.

 

8 Then David went out of the cave and called out to Saul, “My lord the king!” When Saul looked behind him, David bowed down and prostrated himself with his face to the ground. 9 He said to Saul, “Why do you listen when men say, ‘David is bent on harming you’? 10 This day you have seen with your own eyes how the Lord delivered you into my hands in the cave. Some urged me to kill you, but I spared you; I said, ‘I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed.’ 11 See, my father, look at this piece of your robe in my hand! I cut off the corner of your robe but did not kill you. See that there is nothing in my hand to indicate that I am guilty of wrongdoing or rebellion. I have not wronged you, but you are hunting me down to take my life. 12 May the Lord judge between you and me. And may the Lord avenge the wrongs you have done to me, but my hand will not touch you. 13 As the old saying goes, ‘From evildoers come evil deeds,’ so my hand will not touch you.

 

14 “Against whom has the king of Israel come out? Who are you pursuing? A dead dog? A flea? 15 May the Lord be our judge and decide between us. May he consider my cause and uphold it; may he vindicate me by delivering me from your hand.”

 

16 When David finished saying this, Saul asked, “Is that your voice, David my son?” And he wept aloud. 17 “You are more righteous than I,” he said. “You have treated me well, but I have treated you badly. 18 You have just now told me about the good you did to me; the Lord delivered me into your hands, but you did not kill me. 19 When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today. 20 I know that you will surely be king and that the kingdom of Israel will be established in your hands. 21 Now swear to me by the Lord that you will not kill off my descendants or wipe out my name from my father’s family.”

 

22 So David gave his oath to Saul. Then Saul returned home, but David and his men went up to the stronghold.

 

***********

 

    大衛在此展現的君王風範勝過了掃羅，掃羅求大衛：「我也知道你必要作王，以色列的國必堅立在你手裡。現在你要指著耶和華向我起誓，不剪除我的後裔，在我父家不滅沒我的名。」

 

    雖然掃羅向他示好，當然並不是從此以後掃羅與大衛之間就平安無事，掃羅依然是心胸狹小，仍然時時刻刻想除掉大衛！只是大衛保持一個原則，就是不可以傷害耶和華的受膏者！他不是不恨惡掃羅，是因為耶和華的緣故尊重保羅而已！

 

    其實對一位事奉上帝的人，尊重教會中有權柄的人也是非常必要的！因為尊重上帝的僕人，就是敬畏上帝！正如大衛尊重掃羅的背後原因，不是害怕掃羅的權勢，而是因為敬畏上帝！

 

    我們要成為一位敬畏上帝的人，就需要從這樣的操練開始，為主的緣故尊重在教會中的領袖，就如牧師、長老、執事和傳道師、…等等，不在乎他們如何，而是在乎設立他們的主！

 

 

約翰福音11:1-7

 

11:1 有一個患病的人，名叫拉撒路，住在伯大尼，就是馬利亞和她姊姊馬大的村莊。

11:2 這馬利亞就是那用香膏抹主，又用頭髮擦他腳的；患病的拉撒路是她的兄弟。

11:3 她姊妹兩個就打發人去見耶穌，說：「主啊，你所愛的人病了。」

11:4 耶穌聽見，就說：「這病不至於死，乃是為上帝的榮耀，叫上帝的兒子因此得榮耀。」

11:5 耶穌素來愛馬大和她妹子並拉撒路。

11:6 聽見拉撒路病了，就在所居之地仍住了兩天。

11:7 然後對門徒說：「我們再往猶太去吧。」

 

Now a man named Lazarus was sick. He was from Bethany, the village of Mary and her sister Martha. ² (This Mary, whose brother Lazarus now lay sick, was the same one who poured perfume on the Lord and wiped his feet with her hair.) ³ So the sisters sent word to Jesus, “Lord, the one you love is sick.”

⁴ When he heard this, Jesus said, “This sickness will not end in death. No, it is for God’s glory so that God’s Son may be glorified through it.” ⁵ Now Jesus loved Martha and her sister and Lazarus. ⁶ So when he heard that Lazarus was sick, he stayed where he was two more days, ⁷ and then he said to his disciples, “Let us go back to Judea.”

 

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

 

    主耶穌的作為常常超過人的想像，就像拉撒路生病了，應該病得很嚴重，所以她姊妹兩個就打發人去見耶穌，說：「主啊，你所愛的人病了。」

 

    然而主耶穌卻活答說：「這病不至於死，乃是為上帝的榮耀，叫上帝的兒子因此得榮耀。」

 

    作者還故意強調：「耶穌素來愛馬大和她妹子並拉撒路。」

 

    但是奇怪的是，耶穌並沒有馬上去，「聽見拉撒路病了，就在所居之地仍住了兩天。」

 

    這樣的記載讓人很不解，主耶穌聽見應該趕快去的，還等兩天才去，甚至還認為拉撒路不會死的，這也太奇怪的！怪不得拉撒路的姊姊，會向主耶穌說：「主啊，你若早在這裡，我兄弟必不死。」

 

    在我們的生命經歷中，也有這些奇怪讓人不解的事，為何上帝會讓我們遇到這樣的事呢？為何上帝沒有照我們的心意和想法引導我們呢？這些的問號其實是反映出我們的問題，這怎麼說呢？

 

    因為我們若有這些質疑，表示我們沒有真正讓上帝在我們生命中作主和王，我們還是活在自己的期盼和想法之中，所以我們不能接受上帝在我們身上的作為！

 

    我們的想法就是希望凡是對我們都有益處，順我們意而行！但是上帝的想法是：「為上帝的榮耀，叫上帝的兒子因此得榮耀。」

 

    也就是上帝要在我們身上得榮耀，我們是不是以這樣的心志來生活呢？是不是將生命的主權交給上帝呢？

 

約伯記6章

       約伯記6:1-30 ,

約伯記6:1-30

 

6:1 約伯回答說：
6:2 惟願我的煩惱稱一稱，我一切的災害放在天平裡；
6:3 現今都比海沙更重，所以我的言語急躁。
6:4 因全能者的箭射入我身；其毒，我的靈喝盡了；上帝的驚嚇擺陣攻擊我。
6:5 野驢有草豈能叫喚？牛有料豈能吼叫？
6:6 物淡而無鹽豈可吃嗎？蛋青有甚麼滋味呢？
6:7 看為可厭的食物，我心不肯挨近。
6:8 惟願我得著所求的，願上帝賜我所切望的；
6:9 就是願上帝把我壓碎，伸手將我剪除。
6:10 我因沒有違棄那聖者的言語，就仍以此為安慰，在不止息的痛苦中還可踴躍。
6:11 我有甚麼氣力使我等候？我有甚麼結局使我忍耐？
6:12 我的氣力豈是石頭的氣力？我的肉身豈是銅的呢？
6:13 在我豈不是毫無幫助嗎？智慧豈不是從我心中趕出淨盡嗎？
6:14 那將要灰心、離棄全能者、不敬畏上帝的人，他的朋友當以慈愛待他。
6:15 我的弟兄詭詐，好像溪水，又像溪水流乾的河道。
6:16 這河因結冰發黑，有雪藏在其中；
6:17 天氣漸暖就隨時消化，日頭炎熱便從原處乾涸。
6:18 結伴的客旅離棄大道，順河偏行，到荒野之地死亡。
6:19 提瑪結伴的客旅瞻望；示巴同夥的人等候。
6:20 他們因失了盼望就抱愧，來到那裡便蒙羞。
6:21 現在你們正是這樣，看見驚嚇的事便懼怕。
6:22 我豈說：請你們供給我，從你們的財物中送禮物給我？
6:23 豈說：拯救我脫離敵人的手嗎？救贖我脫離強暴人的手嗎？
6:24 請你們教導我，我便不作聲；使我明白在何事上有錯。
6:25 正直的言語力量何其大！但你們責備是責備甚麼呢？
6:26 絕望人的講論既然如風，你們還想要駁正言語嗎？
6:27 你們想為孤兒拈鬮，以朋友當貨物。
6:28 現在請你們看看我，我決不當面說謊。
6:29 請你們轉意，不要不公；請再轉意，我的事有理。
6:30 我的舌上豈有不義嗎？我的口裡豈不辨奸惡嗎？

 

Then Job replied:

² “If only my anguish could be weighed
    and all my misery be placed on the scales!
³ It would surely outweigh the sand of the seas—
    no wonder my words have been impetuous.
⁴ The arrows of the Almighty are in me,
    my spirit drinks in their poison;
    God’s terrors are marshaled against me.
⁵ Does a wild donkey bray when it has grass,
    or an ox bellow when it has fodder?
⁶ Is tasteless food eaten without salt,
    or is there flavor in the sap of the mallow^[a]?
⁷ I refuse to touch it;
    such food makes me ill.

⁸ “Oh, that I might have my request,
    that God would grant what I hope for,
⁹ that God would be willing to crush me,
    to let loose his hand and cut off my life!
¹⁰ Then I would still have this consolation—
    my joy in unrelenting pain—
    that I had not denied the words of the Holy One.

¹¹ “What strength do I have, that I should still hope?
    What prospects, that I should be patient?
¹² Do I have the strength of stone?
    Is my flesh bronze?
¹³ Do I have any power to help myself,
    now that success has been driven from me?

¹⁴ “Anyone who withholds kindness from a friend
    forsakes the fear of the Almighty.
¹⁵ But my brothers are as undependable as intermittent streams,
    as the streams that overflow
¹⁶ when darkened by thawing ice
    and swollen with melting snow,
¹⁷ but that stop flowing in the dry season,
    and in the heat vanish from their channels.
¹⁸ Caravans turn aside from their routes;
    they go off into the wasteland and perish.
¹⁹ The caravans of Tema look for water,
    the traveling merchants of Sheba look in hope.
²⁰ They are distressed, because they had been confident;
    they arrive there, only to be disappointed.
²¹ Now you too have proved to be of no help;
    you see something dreadful and are afraid.
²² Have I ever said, ‘Give something on my behalf,
    pay a ransom for me from your wealth,
²³ deliver me from the hand of the enemy,
    rescue me from the clutches of the ruthless’?

²⁴ “Teach me, and I will be quiet;
    show me where I have been wrong.
²⁵ How painful are honest words!
    But what do your arguments prove?
²⁶ Do you mean to correct what I say,
    and treat my desperate words as wind?
²⁷ You would even cast lots for the fatherless
    and barter away your friend.

²⁸ “But now be so kind as to look at me.
    Would I lie to your face?
²⁹ Relent, do not be unjust;
    reconsider, for my integrity is at stake.^[b]
30 Is there any wickedness on my lips?
    Can my mouth not discern malice?

 

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    提幔人以利法的話聽到約伯的耳中，約伯的心裡當然不高興！因為覺得自己並不如他所說的狀況，自己並沒有得罪上帝也沒有得罪人，卻平白無故受到這樣的災難，讓他心中也非常不能接受，所以約伯的回應，也有兩章的篇幅。

 

    約伯首先提到自己是無端遭變故，心中當然想要問上帝為什麼要將這樣的災害臨到他呢？因為他已經做好一切敬畏上帝的行為，包括是為自己的兒女做的，上帝好像不領情一般，並沒有保守他免除一切的災害。不僅如此，還要受不明就裡的朋友教訓一段，讓他的心靈感到十分傷害！

 

    因此我們會說天災和人禍是不會選擇好人和壞人的，受到傷害的人不一定是壞人，不可以隨便批評受到災害的人。要是認為是因為他做傷天害理的事情，所以才受到天災和人禍的報應！這樣對當事人是二次傷害，更是給他陰影離不開苦難！

 

    就像最近美國川普總統染上的新冠病毒的肺炎，站在上帝僕人的立場，應該是禱告上帝祈求他可以得著痊癒。而不是論斷他個人的道德，認為他作惡端會有今天。一般人這樣講話都會被人責備沒有良心，更何況基督徒更不可以這樣說的！

 

    從約伯了經歷，我們學習到：要將人生遇到災禍與道德行為的好壞分開！尤其是我們去探訪或安慰在苦難中的人，我們要對人說：「我知道您的狀況讓你心中很難過，您可以勇敢將心中的疑惑和難處向上帝祈求，上帝也曾經面對到祂的愛子耶穌基督，被釘十字架而死的景況，祂了解您目前的苦境，祂會差遣聖靈來安慰的！」

 

    然而約伯並不完全失望，正如他所說：「我因沒有違棄那聖者的言語，就仍以此為安慰，在不止息的痛苦中還可踴躍。」

 

    可見遵行上帝的話語所帶來的肯定和確信，是上帝藉以支持約伯的力量！其實我們對上帝的信靠，更是支取上帝的力量面對苦難與考驗之管道，正如保羅說：「我們這至暫至輕的苦楚，要為我們成就極重無比、永遠的榮耀。」(哥林多後書4:17)