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Job 6 To Win the Victory in Love 愛中得勝

Wednesday, 20th December 2023

Rev Daniel Xi An Poon

V1-13

V1-7 “Then Job answered and said: Oh, that my grief were fully weighed, and my calamity laid with it on the scales! For then it would be heavier than the sand of the sea— Therefore my words have been rash. For the arrows of the Almighty are within me; my spirit drinks in their poison; the terrors of God are arrayed against me. Does the wild donkey bray when it has grass, or does the ox low over its fodder? Can flavorless food be eaten without salt? Or is there any taste in the white of an egg? My soul refuses to touch them; they are as loathsome food to me.” Job’s three friends had good intentions for Job, but they were bound by the religious mindset, they only gave Job accusation and judgement. Job finally responded and told them that even though the words they spoke seem to be good teaching, but for him they were words of discouragement him and destroyed his spirit. They thought they were helping Job but they didn’t help him, instead they made him more miserable.

V1-7「約伯回答說：唯願我的煩惱稱一稱，我一切的災害放在天平裡！現今都比海沙更重，所以我的言語急躁。因全能者的箭射入我身，其毒，我的靈喝盡了；神的驚嚇擺陣攻擊我。野驢有草豈能叫喚？牛有料豈能吼叫？物淡而無鹽豈可吃嗎？蛋青有什麼滋味呢？看為可厭的食物，我心不肯挨近。」約伯的三個朋友對約伯是有好意的，但他們受宗教思維的束縛，只對約伯提出指責和論斷。約伯終於回應，告訴他們，雖然他們所說的話看似很好的教訓，但對他來說卻是灰心的話，摧毀了他的靈。他們以為自己在幫助約伯，但他們不但沒有幫助他，反而讓他更痛苦。

V8-13 “Oh, that I might have my request, that God would grant me the thing that I long for! That it would please God to crush me, that He would loose His hand and cut me off! Then I would still have comfort; though in anguish I would exult, He will not spare; for I have not concealed the words of the Holy One. What strength do I have, that I should hope? And what is my end, that I should prolong my life? Is my strength the strength of stones? Or is my flesh bronze? Is my help not within me? And is success driven from me?” Job knew he didn’t leave the Word of God, he knew everything happened not because of his mistakes. He had peace inside his heart, and the Word of God gave him strength. When we live in the Word of God, we will not be afraid of the challenges ahead of us. We must know that it’s never about how much or how well we do, but because of God.

V8-13「唯願我得著所求的，願神賜我所切望的，就是願神把我壓碎，伸手將我剪除！我因沒有違棄那聖者的言語，就仍以此為安慰，在不止息的痛苦中還可踴躍。 我有什麼氣力使我等候？我有什麼結局使我忍耐？我的氣力豈是石頭的氣力？我的肉身豈是銅的呢？在我豈不是毫無幫助嗎？智慧豈不是從我心中趕出淨盡嗎？」約伯知道他沒有離開神的話語，他知道一切的發生不是因為他的錯誤。他內心有平安，神的話給了他力量。當我們活在神的話語中時，我們就不會害怕眼前的挑戰。我們必須知道，這從來不是關於我們做得多少或做得如何，而是因為神。

V14-21 Only Love is Able in the Drought 在乾旱中唯有愛能夠

V14-17 “To him who is [a]afflicted, kindness should be shown by his friend, even though he forsakes the fear of the Almighty. My brothers have dealt deceitfully like a brook, like the streams of the brooks that pass away, which are dark because of the ice, and into which the snow vanishes. When it is warm, they cease to flow; when it is hot, they vanish from their place.” People need love, only love can bring people out of their misery, if people can simply change in judgement and accusation, then Jesus would not need to die. People need love and hope. In despair only love and hope can encourage people again. When we lose hope we will feel ashamed and we will want to give up.

V14-17「那將要灰心，離棄全能者，不敬畏神的人，他的朋友當以慈愛待他。 我的弟兄詭詐，好像溪水，又像溪水流乾的河道。 這河因結冰發黑，有雪藏在其中。 天氣漸暖就隨時消化，日頭炎熱便從原處乾涸。」人需要愛，只有愛才能讓人脫離痛苦，如果人能簡單地改變判斷和控訴，那麼耶穌就不需要死。人需要愛和希望。絕望中只有愛和希望才能再次鼓舞人們。當我們失去希望時，我們會感到羞愧並想要放棄。

V18-21 “The paths of their way turn aside, they go nowhere and perish. The caravans of Tema look, the travelers of Sheba hope for them. They are disappointed because they were confident; they come there and are confused. For now you are nothing, you see terror and are afraid.” We need to wait upon God, not by our doing, not by our strength, but follow God only. When God moves then we move, if God doesn’t move then we don’t move. We must believe in God, not to live in fear. Job’s friends lived in fear, they continued to talk to Job with their own understanding. But only by coming to God we can have hope.

V18-21「結伴的客旅離棄大道，順河偏行，到荒野之地死亡。提瑪結伴的客旅瞻望，示巴同夥的人等候。他們因失了盼望就抱愧，來到那裡便蒙羞。現在你們正是這樣，看見驚嚇的事便懼怕。」我們需要等候神，不是靠我們的行為，不是靠我們的力量，而是單單跟隨神。當神動時，我們就動；神不動，我們就不動。我們必須相信神，而不是活在恐懼之中。約伯的朋友們活在恐懼之中，他們繼續用自己的理解與約伯交談。但只有來到神面前我們才能有希望。

V22-30 Stop Judging, Love Others as Ourselves 離棄分辨,愛人如己

V22-23 “Did I ever say, ‘Bring something to me’? Or, ‘Offer a bribe for me from your wealth’? Or, ‘Deliver me from the enemy’s hand’? Or, ‘Redeem me from the hand of oppressors’?” From the beginning to the end Job didn’t ask his friends or his wife to save him. It’s so easy for us to judge, it’s so easy for us to see other people’s problems. But we must be awaken, face ourselves, stop all the judging and accusations. God loves us, we must also learn to love.

V22-23「我豈說『請你們供給我，從你們的財物中送禮物給我』？豈說『拯救我脫離敵人的手』嗎？『救贖我脫離強暴人的手』嗎？」約伯自始至終都沒有要求他的朋友或他的妻子來拯救他。我們很容易做出判斷，我們很容易看到別人的問題。但我們必須醒悟，面對自己，停止所有的評斷和指責。神愛我們，我們也必須學會去愛。