旧约 - 约伯记(Job)第1章

There was a man in the land of Uz, whose name was Job; and that man was perfect and upright, and one that feared God, and eschewed evil.
And there were born unto him seven sons and three daughters.
His substance also was seven thousand sheep, and three thousand camels, and five hundred yoke of oxen, and five hundred she asses, and a very great household; so that this man was the greatest of all the men of the east.
And his sons went and feasted in their houses, every one his day; and sent and called for their three sisters to eat and to drink with them.
And it was so, when the days of their feasting were gone about, that Job sent and sanctified them, and rose up early in the morning, and offered burnt offerings according to the number of them all: for Job said, It may be that my sons have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts. Thus did Job continually.
Now there was a day when the sons of God came to present themselves before the LORD, and Satan came also among them.
And the LORD said unto Satan, Whence comest thou? Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, From going to and fro in the earth, and from walking up and down in it.
And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?
Then Satan answered the LORD, and said, Doth Job fear God for nought?
Hast not thou made an hedge about him, and about his house, and about all that he hath on every side? thou hast blessed the work of his hands, and his substance is increased in the land.
But put forth thine hand now, and touch all that he hath, and he will curse thee to thy face.
And the LORD said unto Satan, Behold, all that he hath is in thy power; only upon himself put not forth thine hand. So Satan went forth from the presence of the LORD.
And there was a day when his sons and his daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
And there came a messenger unto Job, and said, The oxen were plowing, and the asses feeding beside them:
And the Sabeans fell upon them, and took them away; yea, they have slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The fire of God is fallen from heaven, and hath burned up the sheep, and the servants, and consumed them; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, The Chaldeans made out three bands, and fell upon the camels, and have carried them away, yea, and slain the servants with the edge of the sword; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
While he was yet speaking, there came also another, and said, Thy sons and thy daughters were eating and drinking wine in their eldest brother's house:
And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee.
Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped,
And said, Naked came I out of my mother's womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.
In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.
约伯记第一章   第 1 章 

  伯 1 章 > 我们的社会中有没有约伯式的人物?你怎样看待好人受苦的事? 

  1 章 当我们从约伯记中看到灾害和苦难时,应该记住,我们也活在一个堕落的世界里,好行为不见得会得到赞赏,坏行为也不一定受到惩罚。我们看到一个恶名昭彰的罪犯享福,而一个无辜的儿童陷在痛苦之中时会说:“这不公平!”但事实的确是这样。罪恶已经扭曲了公义,使我们这个世界变得丑恶和不可理喻。 

  约伯记展示了一位好人无故受苦的经历。令人感叹的是,我们这个世界也常有这样的事。然而约伯的故事不是以绝望告终。通过约伯的生命,我们可以看到,即使我们处在无望的情况下,仍应该对神有信心。信心不应建立在得奖赏或成功的基础上,而应坚信神的国度最终会临到。 

  伯 1:1> 约伯反覆寻求自己遭难的原委,他的目的是什么? 

  1:1 我们读约伯记时得到的某些信息,是书中主要人物自己所不了解的。本书的主人公约伯虽然没有过错,却丧失了他所有的一切,在他挣扎着去理解为什么这些事会发生在他身上时,他并非是去寻求原委,而是要以这些事背后的答案和解释继续去面对自己的生活。只有这样,他才会充分建立信心。 

  我们也会像约伯一样,面对生活中不能解答的问题。我们是像约伯那样,无论怎么样都信赖神呢,还是向引诱屈服,说神不顾我们呢? 

  伯 1:1> 乌斯在什么地方── 

  1:1 乌斯地的位置不详。我们仅知道乌斯有大片草地和丰富的农作物( 1:3 ),它靠近沙漠( 1:19 ),极易受示巴人和迦勒底人的袭击( 1:14-17 );在耶利米书 25 章 19 至 20 节中也提到乌斯这地方。许多学者认为,乌斯位于约旦河东岸,离迦南即现今的以色列很近。 

  苦难的来源 

  伯 1:5> 约伯不是祭司,何以能为儿女献祭? 

  1:5 我们虽然不能确定,但约伯极可能生活在先祖(即亚伯拉罕,以撒、雅各)时期。那时神还没有颁布律法,也没有任命祭司作为宗教领袖。在约伯的时代,父亲是家庭中的宗教领袖,因为那时没有祭司指教神的律法。约伯担当了祭司的职责,向神献祭,为他和全家所犯的罪求赦免;由此可见约伯并没有自认无罪。约伯这样做是出于对神的坚信和爱,而并不只因为他是全家的首脑。你遵行神的诫命时,是出于尽本分,还是出于你对神的一颗忠心呢? 

  伯 1:5> 你以什么方式爱子女?你多久为他们作一次祷告? 

  1:5 约伯对儿女的属灵生命表达了深切的关心。他害怕他们无知地犯罪,故为他们献祭。今天的家长也可以藉着祷告来表示对子女的关心。每天“献上”一些时间来为子女祷告,求神赦免他们,帮助他们成长,保护他们,使他们讨神喜悦。 

  伯 1:6> “神的众子”?神不是只有一个独子耶稣吗? 

  1:6 “神的众子”指天使。圣经提过天上的会议;神和天使聚在一起计划他们在地上的活动,天使也要报告他们的工作(参王上 22:19-23 )。不论是服事神的天使还是反叛祂的天使,都是神所创造的,神拥有掌管他们的能力和权柄。 

  伯 1:6-7> 撒但不是魔鬼吗?怎么也能到神面前去? 

  1:6-7 撒但原是神的天使,由于它的骄傲而堕落了。它自反叛神开始便成为邪恶的(参约壹 3:8 )。撒但以神为敌,极力阻止神对人的工作,但它受到神权力的限制,只能做神许可的事情(参路 22:31-32 ;提前 1:19-20 ;提后 2:23-26 )。撒但被称为指控者,因为它积极寻找可用试探来攻击的人(参彼前 5:8-9 );它藉着谎言和欺骗,要令人恨神(参创 3:1-6 )。约伯是个无可指责的正直人,得到神极大的祝福,自然成为撒但的靶子。任何委身于神的人都应有受撒但攻击的心理准备。撒但恨神,也恨属神的人。 

  伯 1:6-12> 你对撒但的了解有多少? 

  1:6-12 从这段对话里,我们得知很多关于撒但的事情:( 1 )它要向神交代。所有天使,不论良善的或邪恶的,都要在神面前交代( 1:6 )。( 2 )神对撒但了如指掌( 1:7 ),祂知道撒但有意攻击约伯。( 3 )撒但在同一时间只能在同一个地方出现( 1:6-7 ),它虽然有邪灵的帮助,但作为被造者,它是有限的。( 4 )撒但不能看透我们的心或预言未来的事( 1:9-11 )。如果它能的话,便知道约伯不会在压力下屈服的。( 5 )撒但若没得到神的允许便什么都不能做( 1:7 ),所以属神的人能通过神的力量胜过它的攻击。( 6 )神给撒但定下了可做之事的界限( 1:12 ; 2:6 )。撒但的回应( 1:7 )告诉我们,它在地上是真实和活跃的。这些关于撒但的情况有助于我们靠近强大过撒但的神。 

  伯 1:7-12> 神与撒但的对话有可能发生吗? 

  1:7-12 有些人认为,这段对话是本书作者自己编出来的。但圣经中的其他书卷告诉我们,撒但确实会到神那里去(参启 12:10 ),它甚至到神的面前控告过大祭司约书亚(参亚 3:1-2 )。如果这段对话没有发生,那么约伯受苦的原因就变得毫无意义,而约伯记也就变成了小说而非记实了。 

  伯 1:8,12> 约伯那样敬虔的人都要受试炼,遑论他人呢。如果是我…… 

  1:8,12 约伯是信靠和顺服神的典范,神却允许撒但以特别严厉的方式攻击了他。神虽然爱我们,但相信和顺服祂并不代表我们可以免受生活的灾难。信徒或非信徒都难免遭遇挫折、悲剧和悲伤。但在考验和试炼中,神希望我们向世人显出我们的信心。你如何面对困难?是问神:“为什么是我呢?”还是说:“请使用我!”呢? 

  伯 1:9> 撒但的辩驳虽不适用于约伯,但对其他人呢?对你呢? 

  1:9 撒但认为约伯的无可指责以及正直仅因为他没有理由反对神。自从约伯开始跟随神,就一切顺利。撒但想要证明,约伯敬拜神不是出于爱,而是因为神给了他许多福分。 

  撒但精确地分析了许多人为什么信神。一些信徒只是在万事顺意的时候跟随神,或是为了得到些什么而相信祂。逆境能摧毁这分虚假的信心,也可以增强真正的信心。有真信心的人,在逆境中能在神里深深扎根,使自己经得起风浪。你信心的根有多深?让你的信心在神里扎根,你就可以面对任何风浪。 

  伯 1:12> 神知不知道我受的苦,为什么受苦? 

  1:12 从神与撒但之间的对话,我们得知关于神的一件重要事实──神完全知晓撒但将苦难和困难加给我们时的企图。神让我们受苦,我们虽然无法理解,但这些均不在祂意料之外,并且祂总是以恩慈待我们。 

  伯 1:15-17> 示巴人、迦勒底人都很熟啊,他们是…… 

  1:15-17 示巴人来自阿拉伯西南方,而迦勒底人来自波斯湾北部地区。 

  伯 1:16> 天上真的降下火来了么?还是…… 

  1:16 “神的火”为形容雷电的修辞短语(参王上 18:38 ;王下 1:10-14 )。在这里,这非比寻常的雷电击杀了七千只羊。 

  约伯 

  伯 1:20-22> 你不愿流露悲伤,怕别人说你软弱吗? 

  1:20-22 约伯没有掩饰他那难以抑制的悲痛,然而他并没有对神失去信心。约伯流露的感情显示出他有人性,非常爱自己的家人。神创造了我们的情感,而像约伯那样表达自己的感情并非不当或犯罪。如果你经历了一次巨大损失、失望或伤心,就坦承你的感情,表达自己的悲伤吧。 

  伯 1:20-22> 假若我失去了全部财产和儿女,我能说出约伯说的这些话吗? 

  1:20-22 约伯在撒但第一轮攻击中失去了财产和家人。但他正确地回应神,知道神对赐给他的一切拥有主权。撒但输掉了第一轮。约伯经受住了考验,证实了人爱神是因为祂是神,而非因祂的赏赐。──《灵修版圣经注释》