01月23日讀經 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
經文:伯25-28章
第25章主要在講:「比勒達讚美神的權能和聖潔,反駁約伯不公義的講法」。
比勒達說:上帝大權能,萬民要敬畏祂;祂使天上的國度和平,服事祂的天使,多到不能數,每一個地方,都被上帝光照,在神的眼中,月亮星星不是最明亮皎潔的,像蛆蟲的人是不義的,也不算是什麼。
◎心得分享:比勒達眼中的上帝是「公義至高無上」,但又是「無情冷酷沒有慈愛」,對許多事都很不滿意的,這是對神很偏激的想法,是錯誤的,上帝雖然是公義的,但也是慈愛,在神的眼中,創世記告訴我,神認為所創造的都是好,也都是甚好,比勒達用他自己想法,以為是神的想法,從這裡在告訴我們,我們不應該從單方面來看上帝,我們應該客觀來看上帝,因為上帝根本就超越「人對祂有限的認識」。
第26章主要在講:「約伯反諷比勒達對他的幫助無能力、指教無智慧,他比他更認識神」v2-3。 約伯說:1.你說話是對人沒有幫助,是沒有知識的,誰會想要聽你的指教,誰感動你說出這樣的話呢?v2-4,2.在上帝面前陰間與陰魂都是顯露戰競v5-6,3.上帝鋪開北極的天空,把地球懸掛在太空、把水注入密雲中,使雲不因水的重量破裂,遮蔽了滿月的面貌,使雲彩鋪在它上面,在海面上畫了地平,使光和暗隔開v7-10,4.上帝一斥責天的柱子,柱子就震動v11,祂以能力平靜大海,用技巧打傷海怪「拉哈伯」v12,吹氣潔淨了天空;用手擊殺了奔逃的海怪v13,5.我說的這些,不過是上帝小試祂的權能,上帝的工作,沒有人能完全了解v14。 第27章主要在講:「約伯說:我至死都堅持自已是對的、正確的」v5。 約伯又說話,他說:1.上帝的作為我比你們更知道,但是上帝對我是不公道的,我是無辜的,我有生之日,永不放棄堅持自已良心清白的立場v2-12,2.上帝對待惡人是:A.惡人的兒女必被刀殺,子孫喫不飽v13-15,B.惡人積蓄銀子給義人和無辜的人用v16-17,建造的房屋一樣脆弱,雖然富有,轉眼之間就不在v18-21,C.上帝要毫無留情的,向惡人射箭,大家都要拍手,嘲笑他v22-23。
◎心得分享:約伯驕傲的說出他對上帝的認識,確實他比當時人,更認識神,但這些認識並沒幫助他,解決他信仰上的疑惑,因為就如傳道書所說:「多有知識,就多有愁煩」傳1:19,這在提醒我們,認識神很重要,但如果這些不能與生活連結在一起,只會帶來更多愁煩,我們應該讓「信仰生活化、生活信仰化」,認識神的道理,應該實行在我們的生活中。
◎心得分享:約伯的信仰認識和實際生活,出現了太大的落差,他知道上帝是會懲罰惡人,但是他堅持自己不是惡人,這樣的堅持,雖然對上帝的態度,不是很好,但是也有他值得我們學習的地方,就是在他患難中,仍然遠離惡事,沒有給魔鬼留地步犯罪。
第28章主要在講:「約伯說:只有上帝是明白智慧v23,敬畏主才是智慧v28」。
約伯說:1.人用各種技能去開採及提煉金屬和寶石,但卻找不到智慧v1-14,2.智慧是無價的,勝過寶石與珍珠v15-19,3.智慧是從神來的,敬畏主、遠離惡事就是智慧v20-28。
◎心得分享:約伯是一個懂得智慧的人,也是一個徹徹底實踐智慧的人,就是他一直都是堅持著敬畏神、遠離惡事,雖然他有太多對信仰的疑惑與不解,但是他仍然相信上帝,最後會給他最公平合理的伸冤。
今天: | ![]() ![]() ![]() |
昨天: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
總計: | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."(Gal. 6:14)
THEY were living to themselves; self with its hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfill their prayers. They had asked for contrition, and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost, and He sent them sorrow; they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish; they had asked to be meek, and He had broken their hearts; they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all their living hopes; they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in the furnace, sitting by "as a refiner and purifier of silver," until they should reflect His image; they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.
They had asked they knew not what, nor how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so night to Him. They had upon them an awe and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot to back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced too deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32).
But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.
Little by little, from time to time, by fitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze they advance, and are changed into His likeness, and His name shines out throught them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to lack what others own (and what they might have had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.
Such, are they in all ages, "who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."
Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His Kingdom. They would have had Lot's portion, not Abraham's. If they had halted anywhere-if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back-what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the resurrection?
But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many a time their foot had well night slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.
-Anonymous.
基督曾說過:「我心柔和謙卑,你們當學我的樣式,這樣你們心裏就必得享安息。」這兒有雙重的真理,有忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的美德,這與傚法基督或信靠祂有相同的意義;同時因著你有這些美德,可以完全脫離亞當墮落的本性而有信靠主高尚的行為。
連帶而有的福份,是因著脫離罪惡和對基督初步信仰、期望,受基督忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的靈引導並管理;當你具有這些德性,你的生命就有目的,是真理和生命的基督才會在你裏面,你不再掌權,而是基督在你裏面活著。除非你願在忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好裏治死老我,否則神聖愛的靈,因無立足之地而不能在你裏面產生;而當你又為不忍耐、驕傲所困擾之際,馬上完全捨己,求神施恩幫助。當你遇到難處就促使與神親近,最能使你忍耐接受神的幫助,我們對神有多少信心和期望就可得多少的啟示。
「這些雖然很簡短,但是真正確的教義,使我們因賜下的救恩而真正完全順服神的啟示下,也真正宣告承認三而一的真神。」現在願你有個思想:完全將我的心靈獻上,單單尋求救恩,直接藉著溫柔、謙卑、忍耐和與神和好的力量,使我的生命有屬天的德性。
「並且要作這更大的事,因為我往父那裡去。」約翰福音十四章12節
祈禱不是叫我們適於那偉大的工作;祈禱本身就是偉大的工作。我們以為祈禱,是叫我們得到較高的能力,去應付神的工作。但按照耶穌基督的眼光看,祈禱是我本已救贖的奇蹟,藉著神的能力,同時也是別人救贖的奇蹟。結果子之方法,是祈禱,但須記取的,這種祈禱是建立在救贖的痛苦,不是建立於我的痛苦。一個小孩能獲得祈禱的答覆,一個聰明人反而得不著。
你無論在那裡祈禱總是一種戰爭。不管神製造環境的方法怎樣,本分就是祈禱。切不可如此作想──「我所在的地方,不見得有用;」因為你不在的地方,你必沒有有用。無論神安排你在那裡,祈禱,常常向祂祈禱。「你們若奉我的名求甚麼,我必成就。」(約十四13)我們不肯祈禱,我們得不著奮興,就不肯祈禱,那就是靈性自私的極度形態。我們要依照神的指導而勞動,但祂指導我們的是祈禱,「所以你們當求莊稼的主,打發工人出去,收祂的莊稼。
通常的工人對於工作,是沒有興奮的,但是成功通常是工作勞作出來的;同樣基督的概念,沒有那些勞苦的聖徒是不會發現的。你慇勤祈禱,從神的立場看,是無時不發生效果的。當帕子揭開,一種說不出的驚奇必然發現,你可以看出你是慣於接受耶穌基督的命令的,已經為祂收穫了不少的靈魂。
「……亞伯拉罕信神……」羅馬書四章3節
亞伯拉罕的信心是向著神本身的,他認識帶領他的神,所以他對神有絕對的信心。
亞伯拉罕一生的秘訣在於他與神的友誼。他所認識的神是一位偉大、良善、信實的朋友。無怪乎他能聽神的話,從他自身所愛的本家本族出來,走向一條未知的道路。
除了信靠神的話語,我們是否已學會把自己全然交給神呢?神有無限的愛及力量,祂是與我們立約的主並永遠的好朋友。
經上告訴我們,亞伯拉罕因著信心而榮耀了神。最能榮耀神的辦法,乃是讓世人看見神是誰,以及祂的大能力。神並不希望藉著我們所能做的事,讓世人知道祂能做什麼;神也不用那些有乖謬性格的器皿。相反的,祂一直在找尋那些謙卑的人,並用這些人在世世代代中榮耀祂。