暫受苦難，得神榮耀(伯十一)

惟願神說話；願他開口攻擊你，並將智慧的奧祕指示你；他有諸般的智識。所以當知道神追討你比你罪孽該得的還少。你考察就能測透神嗎？你豈能盡情測透全能者嗎？(伯 11：5-7) 

這是約伯的友人—瑣法，在看到約伯遭遇患難時對約伯所說，對瑣法而言，自己肯定字字在理，但聽在約伯耳中，必然相當不適與冤屈；然而也可以從約伯的哭求及朋友的勸慰、指責中發現，在他們所理解的道理中，「遭遇患難」彷彿和「犯罪」畫上等號，但神的意思真是如此嗎? 瑣法指責約伯雖與真相不符，但傳達的道理我們也當思想；神確實有著諸般的智慧，任憑我們用盡一生考察也無法測透，亦無須猜測全能者，因神教導我們的是順服，是倚靠祂。 然而，當我們以「過去完成式」的視角，看待約伯記裡的人、事，也許會為約伯鳴不平，倘套用到我們的生活中，就會發現其實這似乎是我們容易落入的思考陷阱，即便熟悉聖經、明白背後是神的美意，但對於遭患難的親友、同靈，要能發出智慧的安慰，確非易事。 

遇亨通的日子你當喜樂；遭患難的日子你當思想；因為神使這兩樣並列，為的是叫人查不出身後有什麼事。有義人行義，反致滅亡；有惡人行惡，倒享長壽。這都是我在虛度之日中所見過的。(傳 7：14-15) 

所羅門王告訴我們，神的智慧與作為，從不是我們能以管窺天的，身在世間的我們，眼中的福與禍、肉體的壽命長短、身體強健或衰弱，從不是我們信仰的核心，人的年歲與眼界有限，神的大能與智慧卻是無垠。義人肉體滅亡，卻能脫離苦痛，早早回到神的懷抱；惡人肉身再長壽剛健，也阻止不了下到火湖的那天來臨。 既然在世的日子福禍相依，那無論亨通或患難，我們都該榮耀、讚美神！

小妹受洗後一直有大小病痛纏身，甚至曾與死亡擦肩，常覺得好像平安了，結果又有其他狀況發生，直到最近一次檢查，才發現原來有先天的心臟疾病，在胎兒時期心臟就沒有發育好；回想年少時期熱愛高強度運動，出社會後極為不良的生活習慣，我居然可以好好活到受洗、得聖靈，神也賜給我一個很愛主、順服的孩子，雖然醫師一邊說著未來要安排手術…可能聽起來有些危險，但我心中卻是大大喜樂，大大感謝讚美神，因為神從我在母親腹中，就一路伸手扶持，直到我回到羊圈，直到今日，有真神與我同行，這是多大的福氣！

那賜諸般恩典的神曾在基督裡召你們，得享他永遠的榮耀，等你們暫受苦難之後，必要親自成全你們，堅固你們，賜力量給你們。願權能歸給他，直到永永遠遠。阿們！(彼前 5：10-11) 

by沈秉儀

真耶穌教會石牌教會、天母教會線上講道

石牌教會https://www.youtube.com/@TJChurchShipai

天母教會https://www.youtube.com/c/TJC_Tianmu/featured

Temporary Suffering, Eternal Glory from God (Job 11)

 

September 02, 2025

Oh, that God would speak and open his lips to you, and that he would tell you the secrets of wisdom! For he is manifold in understanding. Know then that God exacts of you less than your guilt deserves. Can you find out the deep things of God? Can you find out the limit of the Almighty? (Job 11:5-7, ESV)

This was spoken by Job’s friend—Zophar—when he saw Job’s suffering. To Zophar, his words surely sounded righteous and reasonable; but to Job’s ears, they must have been grievous and unjust. Yet, from both Job’s cry and his friends’ words of comfort and reproach, we see their thought: “to suffer” seemed equal to “to sin.” But is this truly God’s meaning?

Zophar’s rebuke did not fit the truth. Still, the lesson in his words is worth our reflection: God indeed has varied wisdom, which no man, even with all his life, can fully search out. Neither do we need to measure the Almighty. What He teaches us is to submit, and to trust Him.

When we look at Job’s story from a “completed” view, we might feel angry for him. Yet when applied to our own life, we see this same trap of thought is easy for us to fall into. Even when we know the Bible well, even when we know God’s will is good, it is not easy to give true words of wisdom and comfort to a friend or brother in affliction.

In the day of prosperity be joyful, and in the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that man may not find out anything that will be after him. In my vain life I have seen everything. There is a righteous man who perishes in his righteousness, and there is a wicked man who prolongs his life in his evildoing. (Ecclesiastes 7:14-15, ESV)

King Solomon tells us: God’s wisdom and His deeds are never to be measured by man’s small sight. In this world, what we call blessing or disaster, long or short life, strong or weak body—none of these are the center of our faith. Man’s years are few, his sight is narrow; but God’s power and wisdom are without end.The righteous may die early, yet are freed from pain and return to God’s embrace. The wicked may live long and strong, yet cannot escape the coming day of the lake of fire. Since in this world blessing and suffering walk together, whether in prosperity or affliction, we must glorify and praise God!

After baptism, I have long been troubled by many sicknesses, even once close to death. Often, when I felt peace was restored, another illness came. Not until my most recent check did I learn: from birth, I had a congenital heart disease, not well formed in my mother’s womb. Looking back, I loved hard exercise in youth, and later lived with poor habits. Yet I survived until baptism, until I received the Holy Spirit. God even gave me a child who loves Him and submits to Him. Though the doctor now says I must prepare for surgery—perhaps with danger—I am filled with joy and thanksgiving. For God’s hand has held me since I was in the womb, until I returned to His fold, even until today. To have the true God walk with me—what greater blessing is there!

And after you have suffered a little while, the God of all grace, who has called you to his eternal glory in Christ, will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you. To him be the dominion forever and ever. Amen. (1 Peter 5:10-11, ESV)

by Shen Bing-Yi