也許很多人都知道Apple Steve Jobs，
但也許知道舊約那位Job的人少很多
每次想起約伯，
心中不免同情，
你也有這感受嗎？
也想為他喊冤，
總覺得他含冤受屈。
明明他為人這麼好，
世上難得。
何竟受難至此？
我的工作路上曾被陷害，
我險成代罪羔羊，
害我數月失眠，
幾乎要死。
起因卻是人的私利，
唯感謝神才倖免於難。
你也曾經同樣無辜受罪嗎？
如果有，
也許我們對約伯遭遇會加倍同情吧？
論到聖經中得神直接稱讚兩次，
而且評價極高又完全，
聖經中又有幾多人可比肩約伯呢？
正因如此才加倍同情他。
小時候不懂事，
總覺得事情不公道。
雖然心中也會暗暗怪責天父刁難約伯，
但始終所謂「上帝沒有錯」，
想不通時就容易把矛頭轉向約伯記中的撒旦，
認為那惡者蓄意陷害。
但人大了，
近來聽神學院牧師講道，
才明白實在太大誤會神。
神學院老師提問「到底是誰先挑起話題？」
細看之下不是撒但，
竟是上帝。
是神自己先說話，
而且向魔鬼說話。
其實約伯實在好。
未遭遇變故前已為子女獻祭，
怕他們心中詛咒神。
為人父親愛護至此，
實在難能可貴。
約伯自己屬靈正直得神兩次稱讚已可見一斑。
所以心中才更會難過，
何以好人約伯如此遭害？
竟幾乎滅門，
妻棄子喪，
身長毒瘡又家破人亡。
口中雖不敢承認，
心中總覺得上帝不公平。
但神憐憫我，
不因我愚昧無知而嫌棄，
反而指教我細想經文，
嘗試易地而處思考約伯境況。
以前總覺得何以神使約伯妻離子喪，
但其實神從沒有出手加害於約伯。
而且聖經已告訴我們線索，
讓細心的人體察到。
首先約伯妻子的說話已表明她的信仰是「成功神學」之類，
經不起考驗，
也不會同甘共苦。
至於約伯死去的子女，
聖經雖無明言其惡，
卻自約伯口中明言了。
約伯遭逢巨變，
初期尚且不敢出言得罪神，
其敬畏神的心實在明確。
所以約伯為子女獻祭時說的話、
即是「怕子女心中詛咒神」那句，
一句足以說明細節，
暗示了兒女對神的態度。
要知道「不認識神」、「不信神」、「詛咒神」三者層次差天共地，
不認識、不相信也不等於敵對神，
但詛咒神就必定是敵對了。
我們不是神，
不能一口咬定兒女死有餘辜，
但的確不敢排除有原因（而且不是神殺死兒女）
而且不應忘記，
上帝自起初已為約伯築起籬笆保護約伯，
是撒但以言詞激動神撤去保護，
反過來證明神的保護必定平安，
神本來就保護他。
再者撒但雖領命「約伯交在你手中，只是不可害他性命」，
聖經中也無經文明言約伯遭此巨變是直接因撒旦而起 (即使當中之奇令人不能排除)。
有天降火，有人禍刀殺，但沒有直言是撒但所為 ;
約伯三友其後惡言相向也不是撒但附身，
唯有約伯身長毒瘡是聖經明言歸因於撒但。
因此我們不應冤枉上帝，
聖經清楚可見約伯之遭逢巨變不是神直接加害，
就是撒但所為也不過其一，
其餘涉及天災人禍 (至少聖經明言記載可見是如此)。
嘗試易地而處去想像，
約伯之處境悲涼竟包括了屬靈戰爭、天災與人禍，
可謂至善之人有極惡之遇，
難怪約伯一心求死，詛咒自己生日。
但凡信主稍有年日，
想必曾遇上此疑問「自殺之人能否入天國得見神?」
答此問極難。
不單人死不能復生而無古人可答，
就是將來復生之時能入天國者已能入，
不能入者則其死不論因自殺與否已亳不重要。
何況神學與哲學上也有惑難解。
如果自殺之人可進天國，
則地上生活其實無必要，
因為天國更好，
無憂無慮更無眼淚。
留在地上又有何必要?
更進一步，
會人人皆厭世棄生，
早早往生豈不妙哉 ?
所以此說似乎不通。
但若說自殺者皆不容於天國，
其實也有難處。
聖經明言沒有人與事可令人與神的愛隔絕，
即是從客觀而言神的能力不受限。
換言之只有人的心不願意跟從神而使人不能進天國，
而沒有可能因為神「被阻隔」了而救不了自殺的人。
以此類推，
好像所謂自殺又不會阻礙人「直接提早返天家」了?
但若此說成立，
又會回到剛才「提早往生而厭世棄生」的迷思，
又成不解之惑了?
我沒有答案，
但有另一個想法，
人總有錯覺以為自己掌握到生死，
其實人不能掌握
人的確應該謙卑，
承認人很渺小，
承認人能做的太普通。
人不能改變逆境，
人能夠的不過是去死，
但人死不能復生。
大家都知道唯有神能叫人死裏復活，
也唯有神可令人的生命由無到有，
即是像嬰孩般的新生命，
與死人復活般失而復得。
人在神面前只有選擇權，
選擇要不要跟從神（得生命），
但從來沒法自有生命得勝死亡。
所以連「自殺能否進入神的國」都沒法掌握，
也因此所以連「用自殺去脫離痛苦」其實也是賭博，
其實也不過是賭有機會可以脫離。
聖經昭示了現實，
正直美好得神欣賞如約伯，
其結果尚且不免於苦難，
何況我這罪人呢？
更甚者如耶穌，
是神也是人也無罪，
卻仍然不免於苦難，
何況我這罪人呢？
約伯與耶穌的遭遇與痛苦，
的確不會令你與我的痛苦變成喜樂，
因為我與你都不應該因他人受苦而喜樂；
但約會與耶穌的遭遇有其中一個意義，
在於我們的神明白我們，
比我們更好的主內先祖約伯也明白我們（因為約伯更凄慘）。
因此我們在主內的傷心難過其實不孤獨，
也面對現實而明白「受苦是必然」，
因為耶穌說「你們在世有苦難，但你們可以放心，因為我已經勝過世界」。
所以我們知道，
在世界誰都要受苦，
有難過有傷心；
但在主內有盼望，
知道我們在世是客旅、是寄居的，
盼望回到我們更美的家鄉（神的國），
知道我與你在世上的苦難終有日會過去。
反面思考則得出比現世受苦更悲慘的結論，
就是如果不是相信神的人，
不論選擇是否自殺，
結果生與死都不能有神拯救自己脫離罪與苦，
其實才是真正痛苦
知道及明白這事相當重要，
意義重大，
因為神給予我們生命的盼望，
而不是被困於、迷思於「是否自殺」。
Perhaps many people know Apple Steve Jobs.
But maybe a lot less people know the Job of the Old Testament.
Every time I think of Job
I can’t help but feel sympathy.
Do you feel the same way?
I also want to cry out for him.
I always feel that he was wronged.
He was such a good man.
It is rare in this world.
How could he suffer so much?
I was framed seriously of my job by some people.
I was a scapegoat.
I lost sleep for months.
I almost died.
But the cause was man’s selfishness.
Only thanks be to God that I was spared.
Have you ever suffered innocently in the same way?
If so.
Perhaps we would be more sympathetic to what happened to Job?
When it comes to God’s direct praise twice in the Bible.
And that’s a very high and complete praise.
How many people in the Bible can compare to Job?
That’s why we have more sympathy for him.
When I was a child, I didn’t know any better.
I always felt that things were unfair.
Although I secretly blamed my heavenly father for making things difficult for Job, I always said, “God is not wrong.
But after all, “God is not wrong”.
When I couldn’t figure it out, I would easily turn to Satan in the book of Job, thinking that the evil one had deliberately set him up.
But I finally know that I am wrong.
Recently, after listening to a sermon by a seminary pastor,
I realized that I had misunderstood God too much.
The seminary pastor asked, “Who started the conversation?
When I looked closer, it wasn’t Satan.
It was God.
It was God Himself who spoke first.
And he spoke to Satan.
In fact, Job was really good.
He offered sacrifices for his children before anything happened to them.
He was afraid that they would curse God in their hearts.
He was a father who loved and cared for his children to such an extent.
This is a very precious thing.
Job’s own spiritual integrity was praised by God twice, which is evidence.
That is why his heart was so sad.
Why was the good man Job so victimized?
He was almost exterminated.
His wife was abandoned, his children were lost, and his family was destroyed.
Though he did not say anything against God even he was facing this.
I felt in my heart that God was unjust.
But God has mercy on me.
He did not reject me for my ignorance.
Instead, He taught me to think about the scriptures.
I tried to think about the situation of Job in a different place.
I used to think that God had caused the loss of Job’s wife.
But in fact God never did anything to harm Job.
And the Bible has given us clues.
The Bible has given us clues for those who are careful to perceive them.
First of all, the words of Job’s wife indicate that her faith was of the “theology of success”.
She could not stand the test of faith.
Nor would she share in the suffering.
As for Job’s dead children
Although the Bible does not explicitly speak of their evil,
but it does say it from the mouth of Job.
Given that the great changes of life that happened to Job,
he did not dare to speak out against God at the beginning.
His fear of God was clear.
So the words that Job spoke when he offered sacrifices for his children.
The phrase “Perhaps my son has sinned and cursed God in their hearts” is
one sentence that is enough to explain the details.
This phrase is sufficient to illustrate the details and implies the children’s attitude toward God.
The difference between “not knowing God,” “not believing God,” and “cursing God” is big between the three levels.
Not knowing or not believing in God is not the same as being hostile to God.
But cursing God is definitely being God’s enemy.
We are not gods.
We cannot say that Job’s children deserve to die.
But we can’t rule out that there was a reason (and it wasn’t God who killed the children)
And it should not be forgotten that God had built a hedge for Job from the beginning to protect him.
It was Satan’s words that provoked God to remove the protection.
In turn, it proves that God’s protection must be safe.
God had already protected him.
Furthermore, even though Satan was commanded by God “Behold, he is in your power, only spare his life.”
There is nothing in the Bible that says that the great change that happened to Job was directly due to Satan (even though the strange circumstances cannot be ruled out).
There was a fire from sky, and a man was killed by a sword, but there is no direct statement that Satan did it;
The three friends of Job were not possessed by Satan even when they spoke evil against each other afterwards.
Only Job’s poisonous sores were explicitly attributed to Satan in the Bible.
Therefore, we should not accuse God wrongly.
It is clear from the Bible that the great change that befell Job was not directly inflicted by God.
It is only one of the acts of Satan.
The rest involved natural and man-made disasters (at least that is what the Bible explicitly states).
Try to imagine this in a different place.
Job’s situation of desolation included spiritual warfare, natural and man-made disasters.
It can be said that the most good man had a very bad experience.
No wonder Job was so intent on death that he cursed his birthday.
I am sure you have encountered this question: “Can a man who commits suicide enter the kingdom of heaven and see God?
The answer to this question is extremely difficult.
Not only can a person not be resurrected from the dead, but there is no one who can answer this question.
Those who can enter the kingdom of heaven at the time of their resurrection can already do so.
For those who cannot enter the Kingdom of Heaven, their death, whether by suicide or not, is not important.
Moreover, there are theological and philosophical puzzles that are difficult to understand.
If a person who commits suicide can enter the kingdom of heaven
then there is no need to live on earth.
For the kingdom of heaven is better.
There are no worries, and no tears.
What is the need to stay on earth?
To go further.
Everyone will be disgusted with life and abandon it.
Wouldn’t it be good to go to heaven early?
Therefore, it seems that this statement does not make sense.
But if we say that all those who commit suicide are not allowed to live in heaven.
In fact, there are difficulties.
The Bible says that no one or thing can separate a person from God’s love.
That is, objectively speaking, God’s power is not limited.
In other words, it is only the unwillingness of the human heart to follow God that prevents one from entering the kingdom of heaven.
It is not possible to save a person who commits suicide because God is “cut off”.
By analogy It seems that the so-called suicide does not prevent one from “returning directly to heaven early”?
But if this is true, then we are back to the myth of “intend to pursue early death and abandonment of life”.
It would be an unanswered question again?
I don’t have an answer.
But I have another idea.
People always have the illusion that they are in control of life and death.
In fact, one cannot control it.
It is true that one should be humble and admit that man is small.
Admit that man can do too ordinary things.
Man cannot change adversity.
All one can do is to die.
But man cannot rise again from the dead.
We all know that only God can raise a man from the dead.
Only God can bring life from nothing to something.
That is, new life like a baby.
It is the same as the resurrection of a dead person who was lost and again found.
Man has only the right to choose before God.
To choose whether to follow God or not (to have life in God).
But there is never a way to have life over death.
Therefore, one cannot even “enter the kingdom of God by suicide”.
That is why even “suicide to get rid of suffering” is actually a gamble.
In fact, it is only a gamble on the chance to get out of suffering.
The Bible reveals the reality.
The Bible shows the reality that a righteous and good man, such as Job, is appreciated by God.
The Bible reveals the reality that even a righteous and good man like Job was not spared from suffering.
What about me, a sinner?
Worse still, like Jesus, he was a god and a man without sin.
He is God and man and sinless.
And yet he was not spared from suffering.
How can I, a sinner, be spared?
What happened to Job and Jesus and their suffering
Indeed, they do not turn your suffering into joy, nor mine.
For neither I nor you should rejoice at the suffering of others.
But there is a meaning to what happened to Job and Jesus.
It is that our God understands us.
Our better ancestor in the Lord, Job, understood us (because Job was more miserable).
So we are not alone in our sadness in the Lord.
We also face the reality and understand that “suffering is inevitable”.
For Jesus said, “In the world you have tribulation, but take courage,I have overcome the world”.
So we know that
Everyone in the world has to suffer.
There is sorrow and sadness.
But in the Lord there is hope.
We know that we are sojourners and sojourners in the world.
We hope to return to our more beautiful home (the kingdom of God).
I know that my suffering and yours in this world will one day pass away.
On the other hand, if we think about it, we come to a conclusion that is even more tragic than the suffering in this world.
that if one does not believe in God
Whether they choose to kill themselves or not
In the end, God cannot save them from sin, and also cannot save them from suffering in life or in death.
In fact, this is the real suffering.
It is very important to know and understand this.
It means a lot.
Because God gives us the hope of life.
not to be trapped and confused about “whether to kill ourselves or not”.