旋风中的答案

In the final chapters of Job, when all human words had been spoken and Job’s heart was prepared, God broke His silence, answering Job from the whirlwind. God’s ultimate revelation made no mention of Job’s suffering, nor did it present an indictment or a verdict. Instead, it offered a long list of creation. God did […]

Timna铜矿

The Timna copper mines are located in the Arabah Valley, part of the Dead Sea rift in southern Israel, 26 kilometers from the southern port city of Eilat, and about 19 miles north of the city of Eilat in the Gulf of Aqaba. This mine is extremely rich in copper and has been exploited since […]

俄斐

Ophir is a place famous in the Bible for producing high-quality gold. As early as Job’s time (c. 1600 BC), “gold” or “pure gold” was almost synonymous with “gold of Ophir” (Job 22:24; 28:15-16). Psalm 45:9 describes royal women of the era wearing precious gold from Ophir. Isaiah 13:11-12 prophesies that after Babylon’s fall, tyrants […]

约伯记背景

在希伯来圣经《塔纳赫》(תנ״ך‎‎ / Tanakh)中,《约伯记》是《诗歌》的最后一卷,位于《箴言》之后。本书可能是圣经中最古老的一卷书,风格与摩西五经相近,犹太传统认为是摩西。虽然不能完全确定作者和成书年代,但内证却表明,故事背景是从亚伯拉罕到摩西之前的族长时代,比如:父亲作家庭的祭司(一5),财富以牲畜计算(一3;四十二12),人的寿命很长(四十二16),使用银块和金环(四十二11),经常使用「全能者」来称呼神(五17),但却没有提到出埃及、西奈之约和律法。 《约伯记》是一部论善恶之意义的经典之作,记叙了约伯是位正直良善的富人,在几次巨大灾难中失去了人生最珍贵的事物,包括子女、财产和健康等等。然而书中所启示的真理远比苦难深刻得多。 俗话说,善恶有报、因果有律。传统的因果律认为有「因」才有「果」,过去决定现在、现在决定未来,时间之箭(Arrow of time)永远向前。但现代量子力学却发现,现在的测量可以决定光子在过去所走的路径。换句话说,现在的行为似乎可以改变历史,「果」可以没有「因」,「无」可以生「有」。这个事实提示我们,过去并没有过去,未来也不是还没存在,它们之间相互影响,我们必须从全新的时间跨度来思考因果关系。 然而,《约伯记》在三千多年前,就已经深刻地回答了哲学家和物理学家们百思不得其解的这些问题。神就是那「自在之物」,自有永有的神不需要有「因」,反而是万物之「因」,所以祂超越时空,在一切因果关系之上。因果关系并不局限在时空之中,过去不会消失、未来早已预定,并将延续到永恒(弗一4-12)。人连受造之物都不可能完全认识,更不可能认识神。但这位「自在之物」是有位格的神,祂乐意向人启示自己;人只有认识神、得着神的生命,才能超越因果律,得着真正的自由。 《约伯记》虽然是在三千多年前写成的,但那些辉煌壮丽、气势磅礴的语句,却足以和荷马、莎士比亚最伟大的作品媲美;虽然大部分是诗歌,但几乎包括了旧约的每一种文学类型,堪称希伯来文学的最高成就;虽然是在谈论苦难,但却没有停留在肤浅的解释上,而是时时峰回路转、处处高潮迭起,令人叹为观止。 虽然古代美索不达米亚和埃及都有不少谈论苦难的智慧文学,但在深刻程度、涉及范围、冲击力量和文学技巧上,之前没有一本书堪与比拟,之后也没有一本书能出其右,任何比较只会使《约伯记》显得更加鹤立鸡群。英国桂冠诗人丁尼生(Alfred Tennyson)称本书为「古今最佳诗篇」。法国文学家雨果(Victor Marie Hugo)则说:「约伯记是人类心灵中所产生出来最伟大的杰作。」在旧约圣经中,可能没有一卷书比《约伯记》对西方文坛的影响力更大。在但丁的《神曲》、弥尔顿的《失乐园》、歌德的《浮士德》、雨果的《悲惨世界》和莎士比亚的《李尔王》里,都能找到约伯的痕迹。

箴言背景

在希伯来圣经《塔纳赫》(תנ״ך‎‎ / Tanakh)中,《箴言》是《诗歌》的第二卷,位于《诗篇》和《约伯记》之间。 《箴言》的希伯来名是「箴言 מָשָׁל/mä·shäl’」,意思是「比喻、比拟」,指用一件事来比拟类似的事,以说明事物的本质、使人易于明白。本书就是用许多简洁有力、生动活泼、印象深刻的短语,对比人生各个方面的祸福之道,帮助神的百姓作出明智的选择,把「敬畏耶和华」(一7)从抽象的概念变成生活各个层面的实际智慧,教导生活的价值观,并告诉人们应该如何生活。 本书有多个作者,写作时间从所罗门到希西家王时期,可能由希西家派人最后编辑而成。84%的内容都是所罗门发表或收集的(一1-九18;十1-二十二16;二十五1-二十九27),其他的作者包括智慧人(二十二17-二十四34)、亚古珥(三十1-33)和利慕伊勒王(三十一1-31)。本书采取了智慧文学的形式,收集了一些古代埃及和美索不达米亚的格言,但即使形式相似、本质也完全不同:外邦人的智慧是从人的角度看世界,只谈利弊、不问是非,目的是满足肉体、赢得竞争、出人头地。而《箴言》的智慧是从神的角度看世界,瞩目永恒、轻看眼见,目的是拒绝肉体、活出「仁义、公平、正直」。 《箴言》的根基、前提和目的都是生命。因此,圣经把《箴言》放在《诗篇》之后,两者必须连在一起读,才能正确地理解和应用《箴言》:《诗篇》是生命之根,《箴言》是生命之果;《诗篇》教我们祷告,《箴言》教我们处事;《诗篇》是人与神的关系,《箴言》是人与人的关系;《诗篇》是「尽心、尽性、尽意爱主——你的神」(太二十二37),《箴言》是「爱人如己」(太二十二39)。

以色列的十个长期仇敌

[Psalm 83:3-8] “They conspire with malicious craftiness against your people; they consult together against your treasured ones. They say, ‘Come, let us wipe them out as a nation; let the name of Israel be remembered no more.’ For they conspire with one accord; against you they make a covenant—the tents of Edom and the Ishmaelites, […]

雅各羊

The Jacob sheep breed originated in the Middle East and is recognized as one of the oldest and most unique breeds. Its most distinctive feature is its four horns: two vertical central horns and two lateral horns that curl along the sides of the head. Their wool, spotted with black and white, is a precious […]

牧者与羊群

In economics, the “herd instinct” is often used to describe the tendency of economic individuals to conform and follow trends. The “herd instinct” illustrates that people have a conformity bias, which can easily lead to blind obedience, often resulting in scams or failures. Sheep do not act alone; they always prefer to follow the lead […]

黑门山

Mount Hermon is not a very famous mountain in the Bible, appearing only 14 times in total. Mount Hermon (Hebrew: הר חרמון), also known as Mount Sion, Hermon, or Mount Hermon, is a transliterated place name. Its English name is Mount Hermon, meaning “place of dedication.” Mount Hermon is a large mountain range. It stands […]

高台马萨达

[Psalm 18:2-3] “The LORD is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold. I call upon the LORD, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies.” Masada (Hebrew: מצדה‎), literally meaning […]

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