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约伯向神倾诉

2022-02-27 in , /by

〈约伯记〉7:7 求祢想念我的生命不过是一口气！我的眼睛必不再见福乐。

阅读经文：〈约伯记〉7 章

与其说约伯在回答朋友们，倒不如说，他倾诉的对象其实是神，他一向仰望的神。这是人的本性，有不幸的事发生，总是先叫：“天啊！”有坏人遭报应，也会说：“老天有眼！”没有人教我们，我们就会呼天唤地了。那是不是一种心灵的感应呢？最近有个朋友癌症漫延全身，被送到安宁病房。当她被发现患了癌症时，她非常努力地按著各种自然疗法去帮助自己，吃的全是有机食品，每天按时走路运动、休息。现在她说，什么人为的方法她都不相信了，她只相信只有神能医治她。若神许可，她才能得医治。在人的尽头，人才能明白只有神才有掌管生死的权柄。所以在人的尽头，很多话都只能跟神说了。

约伯的言语其实是一连串诗句组成的，我试着把1-5节译得白话一点：“人生在世岂不是劳劳碌碌，终日烦累？他的日子都像雇工，不断地被催逼作息。就好像一个仆人渴望得到遮荫，又像雇工盼望得到工价，我也是活在无尽的指望里，每晚却疲倦地挣扎。当我躺下时，我就自问：何时才到天亮？黑夜何时结束？因为我辗转反复，直到黎明。我的肉体爬满虫子，且被尘土所覆蓋，我的皮肤一收口就又破裂。”约伯虽然只是坐在炉灰之中，心里却很疲累。白天要刮脓，还要忍受难吃的食物和别人的歧视嘲笑，巴不得夜晚来临可以休息；夜晚来临了，他也睡不着，因为肉体承受着各样的折磨，想睡睡不了，夜晚比白天更难挨，只能期待黎明来临。日复一日，夜复一夜，都是无止尽的痛苦。

有失眠经验的人大约都能体会约伯躺下去后，翻来覆去的无奈。睡不着是一种很难受的经验，所以巿面上有很多种帮助睡眠的药物和方法。有不少人在见证时提到原本失眠很厉害，信耶稣时求主让他一夜好睡，神就应允，让他（她）能得安眠。但是像约伯这样虔诚的人也睡不着，那怎么办？难道神不爱他了吗？信耶稣而睡不着的人也不少，一是觉得问题太小，不用向神求，所以不得医治；二是自己习惯不好，没有调整自己的作息；三是到了某个年龄，身体的内分泌失去平衡；四是心里有事，担心的事太多，没有交托；五呢，身体的疼痛，疾病的影响。当然还有其他原因。不过，假如我们把它当回事，不断在神面前祈求，神总会帮助我们。

Lay Down Your Mirror

2022-02-27 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 38:1-31.  Let’s go! 

Exodus 38:1-7 (NIV)
1  They built the altar of burnt offering of acacia wood, three cubits high; it was square, five cubits long and five cubits wide.
2  They made a horn at each of the four corners, so that the horns and the altar were of one piece, and they overlaid the altar with bronze.
3  They made all its utensils of bronze–its pots, shovels, sprinkling bowls, meat forks and firepans.
4  They made a grating for the altar, a bronze network, to be under its ledge, halfway up the altar.
5  They cast bronze rings to hold the poles for the four corners of the bronze grating.
6  They made the poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with bronze.
7  They inserted the poles into the rings so they would be on the sides of the altar for carrying it. They made it hollow, out of boards.
 
On verses 1-7:  The altar of burnt offering, which was used to sacrifice animals, was made of bronze, as were the utensils (v3), the grating (v4), the poles for carrying the altar (v6) as well as the rings that the poles went through (v5).  Why bronze?  A pretty good argument can be made that in the Law of Moses (contained the first five books of the Bible) bronze symbolizes God’s judgment.  See for example Deuteronomy 28:23 where God says that if the Israelites do not obey the LORD, the Israelites will be under God’s curse and as part of that “The sky over your head will be bronze, the ground beneath you iron.”  Similarly, in Leviticus 26:18-19, the LORD’s message to the Israelites is that if they do not listen to Him, He will punish them and, as part of this, the LORD says, “If after all this you will not listen to me, I will punish you for your sins seven times over.  I will break down your stubborn pride and make the sky above you like iron and the ground beneath you like bronze.” 
 

约伯自述苦况

2022-02-25 in , /by

〈约伯记〉6:14 那将要灰心，离弃全能者，不敬畏神的人，他的朋友当以慈爱待他。

阅读经文：〈约伯记〉6 章

有一部〈失孤〉的影片，形容一个儿子被拐走的农民父亲，除了春播秋收的时间之外，用了十五年的时间在中国大陆各地寻找他的儿子。其中还包括另外两个例子，一个被拐走的女儿后来获救，但她的母亲却因为伤心到绝望而在找到女儿之前自杀了；另一个小时候被拐走后，被转卖两次的小伙子十分幸运，在农民父亲和一位志工的帮助下，终于找回亲生父母，回到自己的家。这个农民父亲说他很怕一个人回家，因为家人都在期待他把儿子带回来。刘德华饰演那位农民父亲，把失去儿子的伤痛表达得很感人。

约伯说：“我一切的灾害放在天平里！现今都比海沙更重”。假如失去一个儿子都可以让人花十五年或更多的时间去寻找，失去一个女儿的悲哀会逼人走上自杀的绝路，那么约伯失去七个儿子三个女儿，那种痛苦又岂是我们可以想像的？我有时觉得神允许约伯有这个经历，是为了帮助我们面对人生的苦难。当我们看到约伯的失去，再比较自己的苦难，感觉上就好多了。至少上帝没有允许撒旦像对待约伯那样对待我们。

我们也因可明白：“各样美善的恩赐和各样全备的赏赐都是从上头来的，从众光之父那里降下来的，在祂并没有改变，也没有转动的影儿。（雅1:17）”而各种灾难若不是出于人本身的罪恶所遭致，便是撒旦在使坏。但是神依然在掌权。神允许我们落在百般的试炼中，但提醒我们要倚靠祂，因为神可以使万事互相效力，叫爱神的人得益处。

The Furniture That Looks Like You

2022-02-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 37:1-29.  When you begin to understand God’s calling on your life, you’ll find that you actually resemble the furniture that Bezalel and his team made for the tabernacle.  How so?  Let’s find out.

Exodus 37:1-9 (NIV)
1  Bezalel made the ark of acacia wood–two and a half cubits long, a cubit and a half wide, and a cubit and a half high.
2  He overlaid it with pure gold, both inside and out, and made a gold molding around it.
3  He cast four gold rings for it and fastened them to its four feet, with two rings on one side and two rings on the other.
4  Then he made poles of acacia wood and overlaid them with gold.
5  And he inserted the poles into the rings on the sides of the ark to carry it.
6  He made the atonement cover of pure gold–two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide.
7  Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover.
8  He made one cherub on one end and the second cherub on the other; at the two ends he made them of one piece with the cover.
9  The cherubim had their wings spread upward, overshadowing the cover with them. The cherubim faced each other, looking toward the cover.

On verses 1-9:  Here Bezalel makes the ark.  Notice the parallels between the ark and our lives today:
–        Like the ark which was wooden but covered in gold, we’re wooden, fragile and breakable, but we are covered in something extremely precious, in fact more precious than gold; we’re covered with the blood of Jesus.

Figuring Out Your Purpose and Appreciating Your Value

2022-02-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 36:8-38.  Let’s go!

Exodus 36:8-38 (NIV)
8  All the skilled men among the workmen made the tabernacle with ten curtains of finely twisted linen and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, with cherubim worked into them by a skilled craftsman.
9  All the curtains were the same size–twenty-eight cubits long and four cubits wide.
10  They joined five of the curtains together and did the same with the other five.
11  Then they made loops of blue material along the edge of the end curtain in one set, and the same was done with the end curtain in the other set.
12  They also made fifty loops on one curtain and fifty loops on the end curtain of the other set, with the loops opposite each other……

On verses 8-38:  When I read these verses I’m once again struck by how intricate, intentional and detailed was the work that went into the tabernacle.  God’s original designs for the tabernacle were full of intricate details, and He entrusted those designs into the “expert hands” (v8) of Bezalel, Oholiab and the skilled craftspeople they worked with (v1, 8).

Just as the tabernacle was made up of different parts, each with its own purpose and function, so the church today is made of different parts, each with its own purpose and function.  As 1 Corinthians 12 teaches us:

1 Corinthians 12:12 (NIV)
12  The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts; and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So it is with Christ.

人生在世必遇患难

2022-02-24 in , /by

〈约伯记〉5:7 人生在世必遇患难，如同火星飞腾。

阅读经文：〈约伯记〉5 章

以利法，这个觉得自己很有智慧的长者，继续苦口婆心地诉说下去。在这里他否定了约伯的信仰：“你且呼求，有谁答应你？诸圣者之中，你转向那一位呢？”他却高举自己：“至于我，我必仰望神，把我的事情托付他。”以利法是想帮助约伯的，我们不要忘记，他是约伯的朋友，不是敌人。但是在他的骄傲之中，他的话语变成很不公平的论断，他却以为句句在理。这也是一般人的盲点。当别人受祸，而我们平安时，我们就仿佛比别人高一级。觉得是别人不好，有问题，才会遭遇祸患。所以只要像我一样，你就没问题啦！这算不算骄傲？

所以他交托神，仰望神，而约伯的呼求就是随便向诸圣者发出的，所以无神理会约伯，因为诸圣不是神。以利法对约伯发出了如此的审判，然后用愚妄人、痴迷人、狡猾人、狡诈人、罪孽之辈的下场来比喻约伯所受的灾难；以利法自喻为好人，所以他必有指望。而约伯的儿女远离稳妥、无人搭救，庄稼连荆棘都被抢尽，财宝被吞灭，所谋不得成就，白昼遇见黑暗，午间摸索如在夜间，所以塞口无言。欸啊，他自己回头听听自己如此指责约伯，只因为约伯在患难中吗？

当时的人没有录音机，也不可能有人在一边记录，摩西怎能知道这些话，且记载得如此详尽？读四福音书时，我也会有这样的迷惑。耶稣升天后，门徒要回想三年来的事情，而且记下耶稣的言行，谈何容易？据说马太写福音书时，身边一直有天使在帮助他，所以古人画马太写书时，身边常有一位天使相伴。保罗也说《圣经》都是神的默示（提后3:16），若非神的默示，有谁能够知道创世之事，以及相继发生的一切事情？谁又能那样清楚知道约伯和朋友之间的对话？并且记下耶稣的言行？游笔至此，难免不想到，那么我们的言行必也在神的记录之中，岂能不更谨慎？

以利法之言

2022-02-23 in , /by

〈约伯记〉4:6 你的倚靠不是在你敬畏神吗？你的盼望不是在你行事纯正吗？

阅读经文：〈约伯记〉4 章

假如这个以利法是以扫的妻子亚太所生的儿子（创36:4），他有一妻一妾和七个儿子，其中包括亚玛力。这七个儿子都各成为一族的族长（创36:15-16）。可见他当时的年记也不小了，七个儿子做族长，可见他的地位和声望也相当高。就像以前的华人，最老的拥有最高的权威。所以他才会第一个发言。在〈耶利米书〉的第49章7节，神论以东（以扫的后裔）。“万军之耶和华如此说：‘提幔中再没有智慧吗？明哲人不再有谋略吗？他们的智慧尽归无有吗？’”提幔是以东的一个城巿，素来以智慧著称，以利法应是住在提幔，因此被称为提幔人。可以想见，以利法也相当以自己的智慧为傲。

他问约伯：“人若想与你说话，你就厌烦吗？” 厌烦的英文是weary,有几种解释，也可说是疲倦、累、厌倦，等等。真的病得很辛苦时，有时真的不想跟人说话。不是讨厌朋友，而是需要精力去支撑自己。数年前我动了个手术，拿掉腹中的一个大水瘤。很多弟兄姐妹和牧者都想来探望，但我一概谢绝。因为我要睡觉，我觉得非常需要睡觉。我没办法分出精力去应酬。我想约伯也有那样的感觉，他病了，病得很苦很累。别人没办法体会他的感受。探病的人都想着自己的好心好意应该被人很乐意地接受，却不想对方是处在一个怎样的心境之下。所以这句话的本身已经在指责，已经不能设身处地为约伯着想，而是为他自己着想：我要讲话，你不听吗？

我们要记得，以利法是善意的，他是约伯的好友之一，而且不是普通的好友，是可以陪约伯一声不出，坐七天七夜的好友。他的出发点是希望约伯能脱离苦楚，得到神的医治。因此他提醒约伯：你以前也会用言语帮助将要跌倒的人，又使软弱的坚固，怎么你现在有祸患，就不知道怎样帮助自己了？就好像有人笑医生，整天医别人，轮到自己生病时却医不好自己。当然这句话不很公平，因为医生也是人，而且是有限的人；即使像宋尚节博士那么有医病恩赐的人，他患肝癌时，神也没有医治他。所以我们要明白，我们可能在有能力时帮助过别人，但是当灾祸来临时，自己却帮不了自己。神要我们明白，我们是有限的。所以我们也不要这样去安慰人，因为听在受苦的人耳中，真像是嘲笑。虽然以利法的本意是想鼓励约伯。所以只有在自己身受过苦难后，才会明白哪些话该讲不该讲。不然反而使人受伤害更深。

What A Person Needs to Succeed

2022-02-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 36:1-7.  Let’s go!

Exodus 36:1-3a (NIV)
1  So Bezalel, Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD has given skill and ability to know how to carry out all the work of constructing the sanctuary are to do the work just as the LORD has commanded.”
2  Then Moses summoned Bezalel and Oholiab and every skilled person to whom the LORD had given ability and who was willing to come and do the work.
3  They received from Moses all the offerings the Israelites had brought to carry out the work of constructing the sanctuary…

On verses 1-3a:  Bezalel, Oholiab and their team had all they needed to flourish in their ministry of designing the artwork for the tabernacle.  They had clear instructions and commands from the LORD (v1).  They had the encouragement and support of their leaders (v2 – “Moses summoned” Bezalel, Oholiab and every willing skilled person).  They had the financial resources to do the work from the offerings that the Israelites had brought (v3) and which Moses fully entrusted to them.

What’s the lesson here?  For any person to succeed in an important project (or in their career, business or work), what they need are: (1) a clear mandate and a sense of God’s call; (2) the encouragement and support of their leaders; and (3) the financial resources necessary to get the work done.  You need all three.

约伯自诅其生辰

2022-02-22 in , /by

〈约伯记〉3:23 人的道路既然遮隐，神又把他四面围困，为何有光赐给他呢？

阅读经文：〈约伯记〉3 章

已故的喜剧泰斗罗宾威廉斯的遗孀苏珊施耐德接受访问，首次提到罗宾曾患有路易氏体型失智症，而抑郁症只是其中的一个小症状。路易氏体型失智症会让患者身体僵硬、走路不稳，导致经常跌倒受伤、手震、焦虑及幻觉等。罗宾虽然努力抵抗病魔，但是难敌病痛，深感绝望，因而选择自杀。不知道您可曾想过自杀，以这样的方式来为自己找出路，希望不用再受苦；我曾经在沮丧时也想过自杀。好像不再活下去，就可以了无牵挂，不再被忧虑所困。这是人基本的愿望，自由，不管是心智或肉体都希望自由。

因此我们可以稍微去体会约伯当年的沮丧。他觉得丧失了做人的尊严，坐在炉灰中刮脓疮，像一只人人讨厌的癞皮狗。没有作为，没有功能，活着的意义和作人的目的尽都丧失，那么活着还有什么意思？罗宾在患病时感觉到不再行动自如时，变得非常敏感，觉得不管到哪里，人人都对他指指点点，好像都在讨论他有多糟糕。当然，那是出于他的自我幻觉。但是人在生病中，经常也会变得对他人的举止更加敏感，好像凡事都是针对自己，给自己更大的压力。

我想这就是疾病的可怕，撒旦不止让人的肉体软弱，也因而使人的精神软弱。当人失去独立自主的能力时，恐惧便占满了其心灵。害怕不再有人爱他（她），害怕成为别人的负担，惹人讨厌。这时才明白原来人是何等在意被接纳被需要，因此觉得不再被接纳也不再被需要，会让人失去活下去的志气。因此约伯咒诅自己的生日，他希望自己从来没有活过。你有没有这样想过呢？

The Winning Combination

2022-02-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Exodus 35:20-35.  Let’s go!

Exodus 35:20-35 (NIV)
20  Then the whole Israelite community withdrew from Moses’ presence,
21  and everyone who was willing and whose heart moved them came and brought an offering to the LORD for the work on the Tent of Meeting, for all its service, and for the sacred garments.
22  All who were willing, men and women alike, came and brought gold jewelry of all kinds: brooches, earrings, rings and ornaments. They all presented their gold as a wave offering to the LORD…..

On verses 1-35:  As we saw yesterday at THRIVE Church online looking at these verses, God’s house is built on the willingness of God’s people to give what they have.  God doesn’t always use the most talented, the most experienced, or the most qualified, but the most willing.  It all starts with the heart.

But willingness is not the only thing God looks for.  We see from Exodus 35 that God looks for people with skill to do the jobs necessary to build His house (v10), whether it’s the skilled women who spun the linen (v25), or the women skilled in spinning goat hair (v26), or Bezalel the chief artistic designer of the tabernacle (v31) or the craftsmen at his side (v35).  God uses excellent materials and the work of “master craftsmen and designers” (v35) to build His house.  May this encourage us to give our best to the Lord every time we serve Him, not giving Him the scraps, but giving Him our utmost.