约伯述恶人未受报应

〈约伯记〉21:34 你们对答的话中既都错谬,怎么徒然安慰我呢?

阅读经文:〈约伯记〉21章

听完琐法的话之后,约伯却说出一番令人吃惊的回答。但是他的回答,却是许多人心中的疑问。就像大卫王在〈诗篇〉10篇问的:“耶和华啊,祢为什么站在远处?在患难的时候为什么隐藏?恶人面带骄傲,说:‘耶和华必不追究。’他一切所想的,都以为没有神。凡他所做的,时常稳固,祢的审判超过他的眼界。至于他一切的敌人,他都向他们喷气。他心里说:‘我必不动摇,世世代代不遭灾难。’他满口是咒骂、诡诈、欺压,舌底是毒害、奸恶。他屈身蹲伏,无倚无靠的人就倒在他爪牙之下。他心里说:‘神竟忘记了,他掩面永不观看。’”

琐法说恶人终必灭亡,像自己的粪一样;恶人的儿女要求穷人的恩,他的手要赔还不义之财;他因贪而无厌,所喜悦的连一样也不能保守,等等。但是约伯却问:“恶人为何存活,享大寿数,势力强盛呢?”这也是许多人的问题。很多贪官污吏,压榨百姓,但是他们不但没遭报应,反而住大房子,盛气凌人。“他们的家宅平安无惧,神的杖也不加在他们身上”,从外表看过去,他们都很平安啊,不管做了多少黑心生意,儿女一个个开名车穿名牌,神的杖在哪里?“他们的公牛孳生而不断绝,母牛下犊而不掉胎”,用现在的比喻,或可以说,他们玩弄股票巿场,尽赚不赔。“他们随着琴鼓歌唱,又因箫声欢喜”,他们经常去夜总会和高级酒家,吃喝玩乐,纵情声色。“他们度日诸事亨通”,看起来非常写意的人生,但是约伯不忘加上一句:“转眼下入阴间”。约伯不但反应快,而且还挺幽默的。一转眼就给他下阴间了。

就像大卫在〈诗篇〉37篇里说:“还有片时,恶人要归于无有,你就是细察他的住处,也要归于无有”(v.10)。所以恶人虽然不信有神,不信神会审判,神会报应。但是一到阴间,就知道大事不妙。但是约伯说,为何要等到下阴间或是让其儿女受苦呢?“我说不如本人受报,好使他亲自知道”。这也是一般人的想法,假如人做了恶事,立刻遭报,还有谁敢乱来?

You’re Uniquely Blessed to Be a Blessing

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 3:12-26.  Let’s go! 

Acts 3:12-16 (NIV)
12  When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Men of Israel, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?
13  The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go.
14  You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you.
15  You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this.
16  By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him, as you can all see.
 
On verses 12-16:  As Peter speaks to a Jewish audience that has just seen this crippled man healed, notice a few things:
 
–        Instead of taking credit for this healing, Peter credits Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through Him as giving complete healing to this once crippled man. 
 
–        Notice the words Peter uses to describe Jesus.  Peter calls Jesus a servant of the God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (v13).  He calls Jesus “the Holy and Righteous One” (v14).  He calls Jesus “the author of life” (v15).  In other words, Peter presents Jesus as the Messiah Israel has been waiting for, the one Israel was made to worship.
 

在胃酸与蛇毒看到上帝造物之美

〈约伯记〉20:5 恶人夸胜是暂时的,不敬虔人的喜乐不过转眼之间吗?

阅读经文:〈约伯记〉20章

今天要和大家分享张文亮教授写的〈在胃酸与蛇毒看到上帝造物之美〉。拿玛人琐法听到约伯的辩白后十分激动,不仅咒诅约伯,连他的儿女也不放过。琐法所言的咒诅包罗万象,仿佛一个失去理智的人,疯狂地攻击一个在受苦中的人。我们有时听到人家对我们负面的批评时也会有类似的反应,因为没有人喜欢被批被攻击。但是约伯的朋友若能不怀偏见去聆听约伯,或许他们会明白,约伯实际上是在向神恳求,要明白自己究竟何处得罪神,并不是要抵御神。他们听话听一半,所以只觉得受到人身攻击而反击了。以下便是张教授的读经笔记。

在大学里有一门迷人的课叫「环境化学」(environmental chemistry),介绍各种污染与毒性的化学机制,与去除污染或减轻毒性的方法。在我任教的科系里,环境化学是大二的必修课,我教授这门课已近二十 年,管他上课时学生是否或趴、或睡、或流口水,教这门课多年,我从不觉得厌烦,我常在课堂兴高采烈,讲到口沫横飞,似乎进入不见众人,只见耶稣的境界,因 为课本上许多内容,总是让我体会上帝的奇妙。

胃液──保护人体的第一线

例如在环境化学的「生化反应」,上到胃蛋白酵素(pepsin)的代谢功能,我就会很high、很喜乐,每一年教到那一章,就会重新high一次,就 像老狗看到老骨头,不自觉的会摇尾巴。我会high的原因,是胃液中的胃蛋白酵素最高活性,必须在pH接近2的环境,才能将食物(肉、蛋、菜)中所含的蛋 白质分解,而我们的胃液实在是酸,pH总在1.5-2.0之间。

There is Healing and Hope in Jesus’ Name

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 3:1-11.  Let’s go!

Acts 3:1 (NIV)
1  One day Peter and John were going up to the temple at the time of prayer–at three in the afternoon.

On verse 1:  At this point the early church was still comprised entirely of Jewish Christians.  Thus these early Christians would continue the habit of going to the Jewish temple to worship God.  Later on, as more and more non-Jewish (Gentile) people became Christians, the early church would need to tackle the question of whether these Gentile Christians had to follow Jewish customs like going to the temple.  In the meantime, here we see Peter and John going to the temple just like other Jews.  The traditional temple prayer times included 9am, 3pm and sunset.

Acts 3:2 (NIV)
2  Now a man crippled from birth was being carried to the temple gate called Beautiful, where he was put every day to beg from those going into the temple courts.

On verse 2:  I wonder who put the crippled man at the temple gate called Beautiful every day.  Who put him there?  Whoever it was, I bet it was someone who believed that if there was anywhere in the world that a crippled man should be able to find hope, it’s at the gate of the place where people worshiped God.

我知道我的救赎主活着

〈约伯记〉19:25 我知道我的救赎主活着,末了必站立在地上。

阅读经文:〈约伯记〉19章

在《圣经》里,你会发现很多优美和犀利的言词。约伯虽然失去子女和财产,并且身体受苦,但是他的意志和心思依然十分敏锐,并不因疾病而变得迟缓或呆滞。昨天我看到有人拿教会儿童主日学教导的一夫一妻制上网嘲笑,当我正在思想应该怎样回应时,圣灵就赐下当讲的话。我写,“这个社会上人人都有自由,你有喜欢同性恋的自由,我有喜欢异性恋的自由。但你不可以因为你喜欢同性恋就来眨低教会的教导。教会之所以为教会,就因为它有不同的教导。你不会去问回教、犹太教、印度教,他们对夫妻的定义。那么也不要践踏别人的权利和自由”。后来就没有人继续嘲笑了。

该容忍时要容忍,但是为了我们的下一代,为了我们的子孙,该说话时一定要说。约伯的反击十分犀利:“你们搅扰我的心,用言语压碎我,要到几时呢?你们这十次羞辱我,你们苦待我也不以为耻”。探病探到病人说你羞辱他?未免太没面子了。苦待一个病人,实在没良心。还说是好朋友?这使我想到大卫在〈诗篇〉64篇里的祷告:“求祢把我隐藏,使我脱离作恶之人的暗谋和作孽之人的扰乱。他们磨舌如刀,发出苦毒的言语,好像比准了的箭,要在暗地射完全人”(诗64:2-4)。现在约伯感到的可能就是磨舌如刀后所发出的言语,刀刀割肉,箭箭穿心。

约伯比喻神用网罗围绕他,用篱笆拦住他的道路,又使他的路径黑暗。他找不到出路,他看不到前景,他无法躲避神的攻击。神又使他孤独认识的都与他生疏,亲戚与他断绝,密友都不来往。连在他家寄居的和使唤的,都把他当外人看待,仆人也不理他。个个都不想靠近他。连最亲密的妻子也厌恶他的气味。一身无完肤,只剩牙皮!

不要作个尖牙利齿的人

〈约伯记〉18:5 恶人的亮光必要熄灭,他的火焰必不照耀。

阅读经文:〈约伯记〉18章

谢谢张文亮教授概允引用他的〈约伯记〉笔记,使我们有机会从一个专家的眼光来明白约伯和朋友们说的比喻。张教授有更多文章刊登在河马教授的网站,欢迎大家多去阅读。今天要来看看张教授这一篇:〈不要作个尖牙利齿的人〉,对比勒达的形容。

比勒达是生气了,他第二次发言时,也许是等太久了,几乎用谩骂取代劝勉,用咒诅取代祝福。很难想像一个饱读史书、知书达礼的智者,一转眼就变成尖牙利 嘴的咒骂者。这也许是喜好历史者容易滋生的苦闷,看不惯别人时,就容易产生苦毒。他在第二次发言时,责骂约伯是「恶人」(wicked)。

恶人也有改变时

什么是恶人?比勒达眼中的恶人是不敬虔的人,有自己的亮光,却不靠上帝的光,他说那亮光必要熄灭。他也认为恶人是离开正道、偏行己路的人。他在这一点 的论述上,呈现他丰富的字汇与词藻,「网」、「网罗」、「圈套」、「机关」、「活扣」、「羁绊」会将恶人绊倒,使他们不能往前。他也认为恶人是不义的人, 所以饥饿、祸患要临到他们身上,末了,他为恶人作了个总结──根本要枯干,绝子绝孙,他真是会骂恶人。

比勒达厌恶恶人,但是对恶人的厌恶,也不能无限制的延伸,甚至骂到恶人的子孙,因为恶人也可能会悔改,变成义人,恶人的子孙也可能不是恶人。比勒达对于恶人遭受审判的逻辑也太过简化,许多恶人的审判不在今世,而在未来。

The Way Church Is Meant to Be

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 2:37-47.  Let’s go! 

Acts 2:37-41 (NIV)
37  When the people heard this, they were cut to the heart and said to Peter and the other apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?”
38  Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
39  The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off–for all whom the Lord our God will call.”
40  With many other words he warned them; and he pleaded with them, “Save yourselves from this corrupt generation.”
41  Those who accepted his message were baptized, and about three thousand were added to their number that day.
 
On verses 37-41:  God uses Peter and his sermon to lead approximately 3,000 new believers to faith in Jesus and to get baptized that day, an incredible move of God.  What can we learn from this?  Here are a few lessons I learn:
 
1. When God’s Word is preached well, the end result is that the hearer  is “cut to the heart” (v37) – i.e. touched, impacted and convicted in a way that leads them to want to follow Jesus.  Speaking of cutting to the heart, that’s why Hebrews 4:12 describes the word of God as “living and active, sharper than any double edged sword, dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow, judging the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.”  When God’s Word is preached well, the result is not just information but transformation. 

To Connect with Your Audience, You Need To…

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 2:29-36.  Let’s go! 

Acts 2:29-33 (NIV)
29  “Brothers, I can tell you confidently that the patriarch David died and was buried, and his tomb is here to this day.
30  But he was a prophet and knew that God had promised him on oath that he would place one of his descendants on his throne.
31  Seeing what was ahead, he spoke of the resurrection of the Christ, that he was not abandoned to the grave, nor did his body see decay.
32  God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of the fact.
33  Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.

On verses 29-33:  Peter connects the Scripture passages he quoted before (Joel 2 and Psalm 16) with what his audience is seeing in front of them to deliver one coherent message:  that Jesus Christ, who lived, died, and rose again is now the one at the Father’s right hand pouring out the Holy Spirit on His church.
 
Acts 2:34-36 (NIV)
34  For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said, “‘The Lord said to my Lord: “Sit at my right hand
35  until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.”‘
36  “Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ.”

义人要持守所行的道

〈约伯记〉17: 9  然而,义人要持守所行的道,手洁的人要力上加力。

阅读经文:〈约伯记〉17章

人生有的时候会像约伯一样,来到一个地步,感觉:“我的心灵消耗,我的日子灭尽,坟墓为我预备好了”。因为自己没有力量,什么都不能做,因而感到:“我的日子已经过了,我的谋算,我心所想望的,已经断绝”。假如你也落在这样的光景中,约伯的叹息会成为你的安慰;若是你的光景比约伯更好,还能自主,享受人生,你也可以因而感谢,并且珍惜神给你的福气。神为何让约伯如此消沉的话也放到《圣经》里呢?实在是要让我们知道人的有限,并且学习珍惜自己的人生。

2015年法国接受了许多叙利亚难民,却遭到ISIS的攻击,因此很多国家都拒绝收叙利亚的难民,尤其是加拿大对于接收叙利亚难民的反对声不断。有一天在敬拜时,牧师以〈彼得前书〉三章8-18节来勉励会众:“不以恶报恶、以辱骂还辱骂,倒要祝福,因你们是为此蒙召,好叫你们承受福气。也要离恶行善,寻求和睦,一心追赶。”假如我们因为惧怕而拒绝难民,就好像约伯臣服于撒旦的势力之下;但是假如我们敢以善拒恶的话,那么我们就凌驾于撒旦之上了。“不以恶报恶、以辱骂还辱骂”是一个基督徒的功课,主耶稣已经亲身做了榜样。当罗马兵丁鞭打侮辱祂之后,又把祂钉上十字架,在那锥心的苦痛之中,祂却祷告:“父啊,饶恕他们,因为他们做的,他们不晓得”。

Stronger Than Death

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Acts 2:22-28.  Let’s go! 

Acts 2:22-23 (NIV)
22  “Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among you through him, as you yourselves know.
23  This man was handed over to you by God’s set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross.

On verses 22-23:  After explaining in Acts 2:14-21 where this outpouring of the Holy Spirit was coming from, Peter transitions into talking about Jesus.  He begins by describing Jesus as a man accredited by God and through whom God did many miracles, wonders and sins (v22).  He then speaks of how, in accordance with God’s plan, Jesus was handed over and put to death on the cross, saying to his audience that “you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death” (v23).  

Peter, who was very much a people pleaser in the past, pulls no punches when telling his audience that they put Jesus to death.  With the filling of the Holy Spirit comes a boldness in you that you wouldn’t otherwise have.