01月27日讀經 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
經文:伯38-42章
第38章主要在講:「 上帝讓約伯知道自己知識有限,不能以自己的準則來批判創造者的上帝」。
那時上帝從旋風中對約伯說話,上帝說:1.誰用無知的話對我的智慧表示懷疑v2,2.約伯你要如勇士束腰v3,3.你可以回答我的問題,A.大地根基設立時,你在那裡v4?B. 地的尺度v5-7,海水關閉是誰做的v8-11?C.日光與晨光是誰命定v12-15?D.海源、深淵、冰雹、雨水是誰預備v16-30?D.眾星、雲彩、閃電是誰在引導管理v31-38?E.獅子、烏鴉是誰為他們預備食物v39-49。
◎心得分享:這一章在講上帝的創造,透過這個創造,上帝在告訴約伯:「一切都在我的掌握之中,你不用擔心,你只要剛強像勇士一樣,我怎樣改變世界,也會怎樣改變你」,我們遇到問題會擔心,是因為我們忘了上帝在掌權,當大水患難的時候,上帝仍然坐著為王,遇到問題不用害怕,應當剛強像勇士,求神幫助我們有勇士的剛強。
第39章主要在講:「上帝透過野生動物的特性:來詢問約伯」v9。 上帝說:1.野山羊、野驢、野牛,是誰在帶領它們v1-12?2.為什麼鴕鳥不害怕腳踹破,在地上的鴕鳥蛋v13-18?3.馬是誰賜給牠大力?為什麼馬不害怕刀劍聲音,但是聽見號角就,就往前衝呢v19-25?,4.老鷹展翅,向南飛,在高處搭窩,是誰吩咐的?v26-30 第40章主要在講:「上帝說:強辯的人,是無法駁倒上帝,於是約伯自認是卑賤」。 上帝說:約伯你跟我爭論與辯解,你現在可以回答我的話v1-3,約伯說:我是無知卑賤的,我還能說甚麼呢?我不敢再說了v4,上帝從旋風中對約伯說話,上帝說:1.約伯你要如勇士束腰v7,你可以回答我的問題,A.你可以廢掉我的計劃,定我有罪,好顯示出你自己的義嗎v8?B.你有上帝膀臂,能發雷聲v9,以榮耀莊嚴為妝飾,制伏惡人嗎v10-13?C.如果你能這樣作,我就承認你為自己打了勝仗v14,2.約伯你看河馬,我造你也造它,河馬A.牠身上的力氣多麼大!牠的肌肉多麼結實v15-17,B.牠的骨頭像銅管;牠的腿像鐵棍v18,C.在我創造的百獸中牠最奇特;只有我能擊敗牠v19-22,D.河水氾濫時,牠是安然無恙v23,E.當牠防備時,是沒有人能抓到牠v24。 第41章主要在講:「上帝說:人連鱷魚都鬥不過,怎能跟造鱷魚的上帝鬥呢?」v10。 上帝說:1.你能用魚鈎、繩索、倒鈎槍、魚叉叉,捉拿兇猛的鱷魚嗎?如果你能制服鱷魚的能力都沒有,你怎能在我面前站立得住呢v1-11?2.誰跟我對抗,我還須與他講和呢?普天之下、都屬於我v12,3.論到鱷魚:A.牠的身體,是堅固鱗甲,結實如石頭v13-24,B.人用刀、用槍、標槍、尖槍扎牠是沒有用的v25-32,C.一切高大動物都怕牠v33-34。
◎心得分享:這一章在講上帝的供應野生動物的一切需要。這些野生動物,包含野出羊、野驢、野牛、野鴕鳥、野馬,他們都不是家禽,不是人類餵養的,但是他們卻活的很好,這就讓我想到我們主耶穌告訴我們,天上的飛鳥,天父養活牠們,上帝在照顧野生動物,相對的上帝也會照顧約伯,也會照顧我們一切需要。
◎心得分享:這一章在講上帝的計劃,上帝造了「河馬」,也造了約伯,上帝的計劃是希望約伯能勇士束腰,像河馬那樣的堅強,不會被擊敗,在患難中,仍然能夠「安然無恙」,不被任何人影響,也不被任何人抓住,求神把「像河馬的剛強」,賞賜給我們。
◎心得分享:這一章上帝用「動物喻道法」,在對約伯說:「約伯你就像鱷魚一樣,無有人能制服你,但若是你要跟我辯論,最少你要先制服你自己的驕傲自大」。有人說人類最大的敵人是自己,其實制服別人很難,制服自己更難,求神幫助我們能制服自己。
第42章主要在講:「上帝使約伯從苦境轉回」v10。
約伯回答上帝說:1.我知道上帝你的計劃,都是會成就v1-2,2.上帝你奇妙旨意,我承認有很多是我不知道的v3,3.上帝求你聽我、指示我,A.我曾經風聞有你,現在親眼見你v5,B.我厭惡自己,在塵土和爐灰中懊悔v6。上帝對約伯三個朋友說:1.你們議論不如我的僕人,說的是v7,2.你們要取7隻公牛、7隻公羊獻燔祭v8,3.我的僕人要為你們禱告,我悅納了,就不按你們愚妄辦你們,他們就去作v9,約伯為他朋友禱告,上帝就使約伯從苦境轉回,加倍賜福給約伯v10-15,約伯活了140歲,就日子滿足而死v16-17。
◎心得分享:故事的結局,總是令人興奮的,約伯得到加倍的祝福,當他為「曾經得罪他的朋友」禱告之後,上帝使他從苦境中轉回,這就如我們主耶穌說的,要為仇敵禱告,如果我們要承受上帝更大的祝福,我們就不能讓過去的傷害,一直牽絆著我們向前走,要饒恕那些得罪我們的人。
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"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。