苦難的背後 (The Behind of Suffering)

在聖經列王記下6:24-7:2有這麼一段記載：

亞蘭王率領軍隊圍困以色列的撒瑪利亞城，使得撒瑪利亞城鬧飢荒，食物貴到無法想像，一個驢子的頭要賣到80舍客勒，就連二升鴿子糞也要賣5舍客勒。（註：鴿子糞是一種白色植物，生長在山坡上，一撮一撮的，看起來很像鴿子糞，所以俗稱鴿子糞）

有一個婦人來哭求以色列王的幫助，因為另一個婦人叫她把孩子帶來，讓她們今日可以把孩子吃了，明日她們再一起吃那婦人的孩子，可是隔日那婦人卻把自己的孩子藏了起來，不准別人吃他。以色列王聽了很傷心，沒想到大家的生活苦到這種地步，沒有食物可以吃，竟然要把自己的孩子都吃了。

以色列王很生氣的帶著人馬去找先知以利沙，恨不得把以利沙給殺了，因為當初若不是以利沙叫他把那些亞蘭人放虎歸山，如今亞蘭人就不會來圍攻撒瑪利亞城，他的百姓也不至於落到這個光景。

以色列王對以利沙說，「這災禍是從耶和華那裡來的，我何必再仰望耶和華呢？」他實在不能理解，原本日子過得好好的，耶和華怎麼會讓這種事發生呢？他把所有的責任都推到以利沙身上，他也不要再信靠耶和華，他要靠自己來掌控全局。

以利沙安慰以色列王和一同前來的軍兵們說，「你們要聽耶和華的話。耶和華如此說，明日約到這時候，這城就要豐裕了，一細亞細麵要賣一舍客勒，二細亞大麥也要賣一舍客勒。」意思是說，明天市場上就可以買到好吃的細麵和大麥了，食物的供應會很充裕，再也不用花大把的銀子，只能買到難吃的驢頭和鴿子糞。

以色列王旁邊的一個軍長說，「即便耶和華使天開了窗戶，也不能有這事。」他覺得以利沙說這話很可笑，哪有飢荒在一天之內就可以解決呢？這簡直是天方夜譚。

以利沙聽得出來他話中輕蔑之意，就回答他說，「你必親眼看見，卻不得吃。」

到了傍晚，耶和華使長期包圍在撒瑪利亞城外的亞蘭大軍，突然聽見不知從何而來的千軍萬馬響聲，他們以為是以色列人去找了許多救兵來，害怕再晚一步就會被四面包圍，所以就撇下所有的東西急忙逃走。

(Art Work of D. Yang)

第二天，當以色列人聽說亞蘭軍隊無緣無故的潰逃了，並且留下大量的食物、衣物和金銀，大家你推我擠的要出城去搶食物，以色列王旁的那個軍長就在那混亂中被人民踐踏而死了。以利沙所說的真的實現了：「你必親眼看見，卻不得吃。」

苦難常常會蒙蔽我們的眼睛，苦難常常使我們唱出悲嘆的哀歌，苦難更會使我們的心剛硬，拒絕從神而來的安慰，拒絕接受神慈愛的召喚。

然而，聖經中不斷的告所我們，苦難是神要靠近我們的一個方法，苦難的背後一定有神的祝福。神慈愛的應許已經藉著先知告訴歷世歷代的人們，更藉著祂的愛子耶穌基督為我們的罪死在十字架上表明出來。

神要救我們脫離苦難的應許一定會實現的，我們千萬不要像以利沙告訴那以色列王旁的軍長一樣：「你必親眼看見，卻不得吃。」，因為不願意相信，而永遠不能得享神要給我們的福份啊！

啟示錄  3:20

「看哪，我站在門外叩門。若有聽見我聲音就開門的，我要進到他那裡去，我與他，他與我一同坐席。」

禱告

「神啊，有時我真不明白，你為什麼一定要給以色列人苦頭吃？為什麼我們的人生一定要有苦難？更多的時候，我覺得我在苦難中，無法自拔，無人可救。如果你真是那位創造天地萬物的神，請你在我向你呼求的時候給我一點點回應，好讓我知道你不是高高在上，袖手旁觀我搞砸自己的人生。請你幫助我相信，你要救我的應許一定會實現，讓我敞開心門接受你的安慰和幫助。奉耶穌的名禱告，阿們。」

The Behind of Suffering

In Bible 2 Kings 6:24-7:2 has recorded:

Ben-Hadad king of Aram mobilized his entire army and laid siege to Samaria.  There was a great famine in the city.  The food was too expensive to imagine.  A donkey’s head sold for 80 shekels of silver, and a quarter of a cab of seed pods for 5 shekels.

As the king of Israel was passing by the wall, a woman cried to him, “Help me, my lord the king!”  Because another woman told her, “Give up your son so we may eat him today, and tomorrow we’ll eat my son.”  The next day, however, she had hidden her son, didn’t allow others to eat him.  The king of Israel was very sad after hearing these words.  He cannot believe the life of his people was so hard; they didn’t have food to eat, and then turn to eat their own children.

The king of Israel was very angry and came to Elisha with soldiers.  He could not wait to cut off Elisha’s head.  Because if Elisha didn’t tell him not to kill those Arameans before, they wouldn’t lay siege to Samaria now and his people wouldn’t fall into this severe situation.

The king of Israel said to Elisha, “This disaster is from the Lord.  Why should I wait for the Lord any longer?”  He cannot understand their life was smoothly, why the Lord allows this disaster to happen?  He put all the blame on Elisha.  He didn’t want to rely on the Lord anymore and he wished to be in charge of the whole situation.

Elisha comforted the king of Israel and soldiers, “Hear the word of the Lord.  This is what the Lord says:  About this time tomorrow, a seah of flour will sell for a shekel and two seahs of barley for a shekel at the gate of Samaria.”  That meaning was:  People can buy delicious flour and barley in Samaria tomorrow.  Food supply will be sufficient in market.  It is not necessary to spend much money to get distasteful donkey’s head and cab of seed pods.

(Art Work of D. Yang)

The officer on whose arm the king said, “Look, even if the Lord should open the floodgates of heavens, could this happen?”  He thought the words of Elisha were very funny.  How could the famine be solved within one day?  It was really ridiculous.

Elisha realized his words showing contempt and answered him, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!”

At dusk the Lord had caused the Arameans to hear the sound of chariots and horses and a great army, they thought the Israeli ask Egyptian kings to attack them, so they got up and fled and abandoned their tents, horses and donkeys, ran for their lives. 

The next day Israeli heard that Arameans fled without any reasons and had thrown away a lot of foods, clothes, silver and gold.  Then the people went out and plundered the camp of the Arameans.  The officer of the king was trampled in the gateway and died.  Elisha’s words really became true, “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!”

Sufferings always becloud our eyes.  Sufferings often make us singing painful lamentations.  Furthermore, sufferings will make our heart hard to reject the comfort and the love calling from God.

But Bible constantly told us the suffering is one of the methods that God wants to be close to us.  The behind of suffering must be God’s blessing.  God’s mercy has promised by prophets telling to every generation people, and now reveal through His son, Jesus Christ died for our sin on the cross.

God saves us from sufferings will be promised.  Please do not be same as the officer of the king: “You will see it with your own eyes, but you will not eat any of it!”  Due to his doubt, he will never get the blessings from God!

Revelation 3:20

「Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock.  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me.」

Prayer:

「Dear Lord, sometimes I do not understand why you give hardship to Israelis?  And why should we have sufferings for sure in lifetime?  More often I feel in the sufferings I cannot extricate myself and no one can help me.  If you are the true God created the heaven and earth.  Please give me a little respond when I cry to you, in order that I know you are not just sitting in heaven and standing idly to watch me messing up my life.  Please help me believe that your promise saving me will implement certainly.  Help me to open my mind to accept your comfort and support.  In Jesus’ name, Amen.」