旧约 - 哈巴谷书(Habakkuk)第1章

The burden which Habakkuk the prophet did see.
O LORD, how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear! even cry out unto thee of violence, and thou wilt not save!
Why dost thou shew me iniquity, and cause me to behold grievance? for spoiling and violence are before me: and there are that raise up strife and contention.
Therefore the law is slacked, and judgment doth never go forth: for the wicked doth compass about the righteous; therefore wrong judgment proceedeth.
Behold ye among the heathen, and regard, and wonder marvellously: for I will work a work in your days, which ye will not believe, though it be told you.
For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwellingplaces that are not theirs.
They are terrible and dreadful: their judgment and their dignity shall proceed of themselves.
Their horses also are swifter than the leopards, and are more fierce than the evening wolves: and their horsemen shall spread themselves, and their horsemen shall come from far; they shall fly as the eagle that hasteth to eat.
They shall come all for violence: their faces shall sup up as the east wind, and they shall gather the captivity as the sand.
And they shall scoff at the kings, and the princes shall be a scorn unto them: they shall deride every strong hold; for they shall heap dust, and take it.
Then shall his mind change, and he shall pass over, and offend, imputing this his power unto his god.
Art thou not from everlasting, O LORD my God, mine Holy One? we shall not die. O LORD, thou hast ordained them for judgment; and, O mighty God, thou hast established them for correction.
Thou art of purer eyes than to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity: wherefore lookest thou upon them that deal treacherously, and holdest thy tongue when the wicked devoureth the man that is more righteous than he?
And makest men as the fishes of the sea, as the creeping things, that have no ruler over them?
They take up all of them with the angle, they catch them in their net, and gather them in their drag: therefore they rejoice and are glad.
Therefore they sacrifice unto their net, and burn incense unto their drag; because by them their portion is fat, and their meat plenteous.
Shall they therefore empty their net, and not spare continually to slay the nations?
哈巴谷书第一章   第 1 章 

  哈巴谷 

  哈 1:1> 不单是我,先知原来也满腹疑问…… 

  1:1 约雅敬王执政期间,哈巴谷在犹大国居住(参王下 23:36-24:5 )。公元前 612 年,即亚述国首都尼尼微沦陷的那一年,至公元前 589 年,即犹大国被巴比伦进攻的时候,哈巴谷向人传讲神的话语。随着亚述国军力的衰败,巴比伦渐渐成为世界强国。本书所记的乃是先知与神的对话,内容主要环绕先知的一连串疑问: " 神为什么好像对罪恶视若无睹?犯罪的人又为什么好像不用受罚? " 其他的先知书都是把神的话告诉我们,这卷书却把人的问题带到神面前。 

  哈 1:2-4> 神为何看着奸恶而不理呢?先知的问题正是我想问的── 

  1:2-4 哈巴谷看见周围的罪行,十分难过,便向神倾吐心中的感受。在今天,不公平的事依然经常发生,但切记不要妄生怀疑,甚至抗拒神。相反,我们应该细察神对哈巴谷所说的话,认识祂的长远计划和目标。纵使我们未必完全明白祂的用意,但也应知道祂所作的都是对的。 

  哈 1:3-5> 神回答了,原来…… 

  1:3-5 神回答哈巴谷的疑问,对先知所关注的情况,神表示必定要独行奇事,使哈巴谷惊讶不已。当四周环境坏得难以忍受时,我们或会怀疑神已经忘记了我们。不过,总要记住神仍然掌权。祂有自己的计划,并会在所定的时间惩罚恶人。如果我们能谦卑下来,自然会愿意接受神的答案,等候祂所定的时间。 

  哈 1:5> 人经常会错怪神,像我就…… 

  1:5 神把即将要行的事告诉耶路撒冷的居民,并说他们必定会非常诧异。这些人会看见连串叫人难以置信的事,包括:( 1 )他们的国家(犹大国)会忽然由一个繁荣的独立王国沦为附庸国。( 2 )几百年来一直强盛的埃及,差不多在一夜间覆灭。( 3 )亚述的首都尼尼微将被掳掠一空,甚至无人记得它的所在。( 4 )迦勒底人(巴比伦人)会日渐强盛。神的话虽然令人震惊,但百姓在有生之年会看见这些话一一成为现实。 

  哈 1:6> 迦勒底人也好不到哪儿去,怎么神要兴起他们? 

  1:6 迦勒底人(巴比伦人)居于波斯湾的西北部,在公元前 630 年前后迅速崛起,成为强国。其后,他们向亚述国显示实力,并于公元前 605 年把它攻陷,成为世上最强大的国家。然而他们跟亚述人一样败坏,同样喜欢掳掠别国人民( 1:9 ),又以军事谋略自夸( 1:10 ),倚赖自己的军力( 1:11 )。 

  哈 1:10> 筑垒,原来是…… 

  1:10 古代军队攻取城池时,会在城墙边堆沙石筑垒进攻。 

  哈 1:11> 巴比伦人依仗自己的军力,我依仗的又是什么?是自己的能力吗? 

  1:11 巴比伦一直以自己的军力强大,军备精良而心高气傲。他们不讲人道,只顾掠夺其他民族,从被征服的国家抢掳财宝和奴隶。敬拜偶像的人往往就是这样,总是求他们手所造的神灵帮助自己谋取想要的东西。但基督徒所求的,是创造我们的主赐我们心力,去好好地事奉祂。偶像敬拜的目的,是为自己的荣誉;基督教的目的,却是要荣耀神。 

  哈 1:13> 恶人吞灭比自己公义的,难道是神的安排? 

  1:13 对犹大国的惩罚将藉巴比伦人之手完成。对于神竟然用巴比伦人的手来惩罚犹大国,哈巴谷感到十分惊讶,因为这个民族远较犹大人败坏。另一方面,巴比伦人也并不知道神用他们来惩罚犹大国,好让百姓回转。他们将被胜利冲昏头脑,结果也走上灭亡之路。恶人自取灭亡,绝不能逃出神的手掌。神可能用很特别的工具来纠正我们、惩罚我们。如果我们确需纠正或惩罚,又怎能埋怨神所用的工具呢?──《灵修版圣经注释》