列王紀下6:24-33

 

6:24 此後，亞蘭王便‧哈達聚集他的全軍，上來圍困撒馬利亞。
6:25 於是撒馬利亞被圍困，有饑荒，甚至一個驢頭值銀八十舍客勒，二升鴿子糞值銀五舍客勒。
6:26 一日，以色列王在城上經過，有一個婦人向他呼叫說：「我主，我王啊！求你幫助。」
6:27 王說：「耶和華不幫助你，我從何處幫助你？是從禾場，是從酒醡呢？」
6:28 王問婦人說：「你有甚麼苦處？」她回答說：「這婦人對我說：『將你的兒子取來，我們今日可以吃，明日可以吃我的兒子。』
6:29 我們就煮了我的兒子吃了。次日我對她說：『要將你的兒子取來，我們可以吃。』她卻將她的兒子藏起來了。」
6:30 王聽見婦人的話，就撕裂衣服；（王在城上經過）百姓看見王貼身穿著麻衣。
6:31 王說：「我今日若容沙法的兒子以利沙的頭仍在他項上，願上帝重重地降罰與我！」
6:32 那時，以利沙正坐在家中，長老也與他同坐。王打發一個伺候他的人去；他還沒有到，以利沙對長老說：「你們看這兇手之子，打發人來斬我的頭；你們看著使者來到，就關上門，用門將他推出去。在他後頭不是有他主人腳步的響聲嗎？」
6:33 正說話的時候，使者來到，王也到了，說：「這災禍是從耶和華那裡來的，我何必再仰望耶和華呢？」

 

²⁴ Some time later, Ben-Hadad king of Aram mobilized his entire army and marched up and laid siege to Samaria. ²⁵ There was a great famine in the city; the siege lasted so long that a donkey’s head sold for eighty shekels^[a] of silver, and a quarter of a cab^[b] of seed pods^[c] for five shekels.^[d]

²⁶ As the king of Israel was passing by on the wall, a woman cried to him, “Help me, my lord the king!”

²⁷ The king replied, “If the Lord does not help you, where can I get help for you? From the threshing floor? From the winepress?” ²⁸ Then he asked her, “What’s the matter?”

She answered, “This woman said to me, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him today, and tomorrow we’ll eat my son.’ ²⁹ So we cooked my son and ate him. The next day I said to her, ‘Give up your son so we may eat him,’ but she had hidden him.”

³⁰ When the king heard the woman’s words, he tore his robes. As he went along the wall, the people looked, and they saw that, under his robes, he had sackcloth on his body. ³¹ He said, “May God deal with me, be it ever so severely, if the head of Elisha son of Shaphat remains on his shoulders today!”

³² Now Elisha was sitting in his house, and the elders were sitting with him. The king sent a messenger ahead, but before he arrived, Elisha said to the elders, “Don’t you see how this murderer is sending someone to cut off my head? Look, when the messenger comes, shut the door and hold it shut against him. Is not the sound of his master’s footsteps behind him?” ³³ While he was still talking to them, the messenger came down to him.

The king said, “This disaster is from the Lord. Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”

 

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    許多人面對苦難時，常常把不滿歸到上帝身上，卻沒有去真正檢討原因。正如以色列王約蘭，在亞蘭王便‧哈達聚集他的全軍上來圍困撒馬利亞的時候，使得撒馬利亞有饑荒。竟然不去和亞蘭王征戰，反而來怪上帝並且要殺害先知以利沙！

 

    更讓人難過的是，他竟然說：「這災禍是從耶和華那裡來的，我何必再仰望耶和華呢？」王這樣的表現，讓我們感受到：不敬畏耶和華的人，真的是沒有智慧！雖然貴為君王，也是讓人覺得他真的與他的身分不對稱。

 

    求主幫助我們，讓我們不要在苦難中亂了方寸，說了得罪上帝的話，而破壞了與上帝之間的關係！我們在苦難中，更是要仰望上帝、依靠上帝，而不是埋怨上帝！如此，我們才能在上帝的引導與保守下走過苦難的日子，享受真正的平安！

列王紀下6:8-23

 

6:8 亞蘭王與以色列人爭戰，和他的臣僕商議說：「我要在某處某處安營。」
6:9 神人打發人去見以色列王，說：「你要謹慎，不要從某處經過，因為亞蘭人從那裡下來了。」
6:10 以色列王差人去窺探神人所告訴所警戒他去的地方，就防備未受其害，不止一兩次。
6:11 亞蘭王因這事心裡驚疑，召了臣僕來，對他們說：「我們這裡有誰幫助以色列王，你們不指給我嗎？」
6:12 有一個臣僕說：「我主，我王！無人幫助他，只有以色列中的先知以利沙，將王在臥房所說的話告訴以色列王了。」
6:13 王說：「你們去探他在哪裡，我好打發人去捉拿他。」有人告訴王說：「他在多坍。」
6:14 王就打發車馬和大軍往那裡去，夜間到了，圍困那城。
6:15 神人的僕人清早起來出去，看見車馬軍兵圍困了城。僕人對神人說：「哀哉！我主啊，我們怎樣行才好呢？」
6:16 神人說：「不要懼怕！與我們同在的比與他們同在的更多。」
6:17 以利沙禱告說：「耶和華啊，求你開這少年人的眼目，使他能看見。」耶和華開他的眼目，他就看見滿山有火車火馬圍繞以利沙。
6:18 敵人下到以利沙那裡，以利沙禱告耶和華說：「求你使這些人的眼目昏迷。」耶和華就照以利沙的話，使他們的眼目昏迷。
6:19 以利沙對他們說：「這不是那道，也不是那城；你們跟我去，我必領你們到所尋找的人那裡。」於是領他們到了撒馬利亞。
6:20 他們進了撒馬利亞，以利沙禱告說：「耶和華啊，求你開這些人的眼目，使他們能看見。」耶和華開他們的眼目，他們就看見了，不料，是在撒馬利亞的城中。
6:21 以色列王見了他們，就問以利沙說：「我父啊，我可以擊殺他們嗎？」
6:22 回答說：「不可擊殺他們！就是你用刀用弓擄來的，豈可擊殺他們嗎（或譯：也不可擊殺，何況這些人呢）？當在他們面前設擺飲食，使他們吃喝回到他們的主人那裡。」
6:23 王就為他們預備了許多食物；他們吃喝完了，打發他們回到他們主人那裡。從此，亞蘭軍不再犯以色列境了。

 

⁸ Now the king of Aram was at war with Israel. After conferring with his officers, he said, “I will set up my camp in such and such a place.”

⁹ The man of God sent word to the king of Israel: “Beware of passing that place, because the Arameans are going down there.” ¹⁰ So the king of Israel checked on the place indicated by the man of God. Time and again Elisha warned the king, so that he was on his guard in such places.

¹¹ This enraged the king of Aram. He summoned his officers and demanded of them, “Tell me! Which of us is on the side of the king of Israel?”

¹² “None of us, my lord the king,” said one of his officers, “but Elisha, the prophet who is in Israel, tells the king of Israel the very words you speak in your bedroom.”

¹³ “Go, find out where he is,” the king ordered, “so I can send men and capture him.” The report came back: “He is in Dothan.” ¹⁴ Then he sent horses and chariots and a strong force there. They went by night and surrounded the city.

¹⁵ When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

¹⁶ “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”

¹⁷ And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

¹⁸ As the enemy came down toward him, Elisha prayed to the Lord, “Strike this army with blindness.” So he struck them with blindness, as Elisha had asked.

¹⁹ Elisha told them, “This is not the road and this is not the city. Follow me, and I will lead you to the man you are looking for.” And he led them to Samaria.

²⁰ After they entered the city, Elisha said, “Lord, open the eyes of these men so they can see.” Then the Lord opened their eyes and they looked, and there they were, inside Samaria.

²¹ When the king of Israel saw them, he asked Elisha, “Shall I kill them, my father? Shall I kill them?”

²² “Do not kill them,” he answered. “Would you kill those you have captured with your own sword or bow? Set food and water before them so that they may eat and drink and then go back to their master.” ²³ So he prepared a great feast for them, and after they had finished eating and drinking, he sent them away, and they returned to their master. So the bands from Aram stopped raiding Israel’s territory.

 

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    上帝的作為常常是超乎人的想像，因為人都是憑眼見，然而上帝的作為是超過人的眼睛所能看見。

 

    正如以利沙禱告：「耶和華啊，求你開這少年人的眼目，使他能看見。」

 

    耶和華就開以利沙之僕人的眼目，他就看見滿山有火車火馬圍繞以利沙。

 

    這也就是說看不見的天使天軍的圍繞保護，多過外在敵人的士兵！表示上帝保守以利沙，是何等的嚴密！

 

    同樣上帝保守我們也是如此，正如《詩篇》34篇7節所說：「耶和華的使者在敬畏他的人四圍安營，搭救他們。」

列王紀下6章

    列王紀下6:1-7  ,

    列王紀下6:8-23 ,

    列王紀下6:24-33 ,

列王紀下6:1-7

 

6:1 先知門徒對以利沙說：「看哪，我們同你所住的地方過於窄小，
6:2 求你容我們往約旦河去，各人從那裡取一根木料建造房屋居住。」他說：「你們去吧！」
6:3 有一人說：「求你與僕人同去。」回答說：「我可以去。」
6:4 於是以利沙與他們同去。到了約旦河，就砍伐樹木。
6:5 有一人砍樹的時候，斧頭掉在水裡，他就呼叫說：「哀哉！我主啊，這斧子是借的。」
6:6 神人問說：「掉在哪裡了？」他將那地方指給以利沙看。以利沙砍了一根木頭，拋在水裡，斧頭就漂上來了。
6:7 以利沙說：「拿起來吧！」那人就伸手拿起來了。

 

 The company of the prophets said to Elisha, “Look, the place where we meet with you is too small for us. ² Let us go to the Jordan, where each of us can get a pole; and let us build a place there for us to meet.”

And he said, “Go.”

³ Then one of them said, “Won’t you please come with your servants?”

“I will,” Elisha replied. ⁴ And he went with them.

They went to the Jordan and began to cut down trees. ⁵ As one of them was cutting down a tree, the iron axhead fell into the water. “Oh no, my lord!” he cried out. “It was borrowed!”

⁶ The man of God asked, “Where did it fall?” When he showed him the place, Elisha cut a stick and threw it there, and made the iron float. ⁷ “Lift it out,” he said. Then the man reached out his hand and took it.

 

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    在以利沙行神蹟使掉到水裡的斧頭可以浮起來！

 

馬太福音21:33-46

 

21:33 「你們再聽一個比喻：有個家主栽了一個葡萄園，周圍圈上籬笆，裡面挖了一個壓酒池，蓋了一座樓，租給園戶，就往外國去了。
21:34 收果子的時候近了，就打發僕人到園戶那裡去收果子。
21:35 園戶拿住僕人，打了一個，殺了一個，用石頭打死一個。
21:36 主人又打發別的僕人去，比先前更多；園戶還是照樣待他們。
21:37 後來打發他的兒子到他們那裡去，意思說：『他們必尊敬我的兒子。』
21:38 不料，園戶看見他兒子，就彼此說：『這是承受產業的。來吧，我們殺他，佔他的產業！』
21:39 他們就拿住他，推出葡萄園外，殺了。
21:40 園主來的時候要怎樣處治這些園戶呢？」
21:41 他們說：「要下毒手除滅那些惡人，將葡萄園另租給那按著時候交果子的園戶。」
21:42 耶穌說：「經上寫著：匠人所棄的石頭已作了房角的頭塊石頭。這是主所做的，在我們眼中看為希奇。這經你們沒有念過嗎？
21:43 所以我告訴你們，上帝的國必從你們奪去，賜給那能結果子的百姓。
21:44 誰掉在這石頭上，必要跌碎；這石頭掉在誰的身上，就要把誰砸得稀爛。」
21:45 祭司長和法利賽人聽見他的比喻，就看出他是指著他們說的。
21:46 他們想要捉拿他，只是怕眾人，因為眾人以他為先知。

 

³³ “Listen to another parable: There was a landowner who planted a vineyard. He put a wall around it, dug a winepress in it and built a watchtower. Then he rented the vineyard to some farmers and moved to another place. ³⁴ When the harvest time approached, he sent his servants to the tenants to collect his fruit.

³⁵ “The tenants seized his servants; they beat one, killed another, and stoned a third. ³⁶ Then he sent other servants to them, more than the first time, and the tenants treated them the same way. ³⁷ Last of all, he sent his son to them. ‘They will respect my son,’ he said.

³⁸ “But when the tenants saw the son, they said to each other, ‘This is the heir. Come, let’s kill him and take his inheritance.’ ³⁹ So they took him and threw him out of the vineyard and killed him.

⁴⁰ “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will he do to those tenants?”

⁴¹ “He will bring those wretches to a wretched end,” they replied, “and he will rent the vineyard to other tenants, who will give him his share of the crop at harvest time.”

⁴² Jesus said to them, “Have you never read in the Scriptures:

“‘The stone the builders rejected
    has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
    and it is marvelous in our eyes’^[h]?

⁴³ “Therefore I tell you that the kingdom of God will be taken away from you and given to a people who will produce its fruit. ⁴⁴ Anyone who falls on this stone will be broken to pieces; anyone on whom it falls will be crushed.”^[i]

⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard Jesus’ parables, they knew he was talking about them. ⁴⁶ They looked for a way to arrest him, but they were afraid of the crowd because the people held that he was a prophet.

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    主耶穌清楚自己必須走十字架的道路，早就有要捨棄生命的準備，即使面對到抵抗的力量也不怕，這正是上帝要成就救恩的方法，所以祂勇敢地說出群自以為有權柄的祭司長們的心中意圖！

 

    從這個比喻中我們看見：以色列民族本來就是殘害先知的民族，他們不願意聽上帝的警告，甚至將說警告的先知一一殺死，以為這樣上帝要降的懲罰就不會臨到！甚至最後上帝差祂的愛子來到世間，還是要面對被殺害的事實。

 

    然而這些人以為這樣就可以勝過上帝，因為他們被罪挾制，所要表現的就是敵對上帝。然而上帝的得勝卻是人無法想像的，就是藉由死破壞罪惡與死亡的力量！當人認為自己勝過上帝的時候，就是被上帝勝過的時候。這是我們無法用我們有限的頭腦所能明白！正如保羅是要逼迫基督的，反而被基督得著！

 

    親愛的弟兄姊妹，我們要感謝上帝，我們能夠信靠主耶穌的人，也是被基督所得著的人，一切都是出於上帝的恩典，不是我們的意志，是基督將我們的意志奪去，使我們能尊基督為主，情願放下自己背十字架來跟從祂！使我們本是悖逆之子，反而成為上帝的兒女！