《寄居者的見證》Day03
《在世俗的崗位上仍可作見證》
18「這是我－尼布甲尼撒王所做的夢。伯提沙撒啊，你要說明這夢的講解；因為我國中的一切哲士都不能將夢的講解告訴我，惟獨你能，因你裏頭有聖神的靈。」19 於是稱為伯提沙撒的但以理驚訝片時，心意驚惶。王說：「伯提沙撒啊，不要因夢和夢的講解驚惶。」伯提沙撒回答說：「我主啊，願這夢歸與恨惡你的人，講解歸與你的敵人。20 你所見的樹漸長，而且堅固，高得頂天，從地極都能看見；21 葉子華美，果子甚多，可作眾生的食物；田野的走獸住在其下；天空的飛鳥宿在枝上。22「王啊，這漸長又堅固的樹就是你。你的威勢漸長及天，你的權柄管到地極。23 王既看見一位守望的聖者從天而降，說：『將這樹砍伐毀壞，樹墩卻要留在地內，用鐵圈和銅圈箍住；在田野的青草中，讓天露滴濕，使他與地上的獸一同吃草，直到經過七期。』24「王啊，講解就是這樣：臨到我主我王的事是出於至高者的命。25 你必被趕出離開世人，與野地的獸同居，吃草如牛，被天露滴濕，且要經過七期。等你知道至高者在人的國中掌權，要將國賜與誰就賜與誰。26 守望者既吩咐存留樹墩，等你知道諸天掌權，以後你的國必定歸你。27 王啊，求你悅納我的諫言，以施行公義斷絕罪過，以憐憫窮人除掉罪孽，或者你的平安可以延長。」⋯⋯ 33 當時這話就應驗在尼布甲尼撒的身上，他被趕出離開世人，吃草如牛，身被天露滴濕，頭髮長長，好像鷹毛；指甲長長，如同鳥爪。34 日子滿足，我－尼布甲尼撒舉目望天，我的聰明復歸於我，我便稱頌至高者，讚美尊敬活到永遠的神。祂的權柄是永有的；祂的國存到萬代。35 世上所有的居民都算為虛無；在天上的萬軍和世上的居民中，祂都憑自己的意旨行事。無人能攔住他手，或問祂說，你做甚麼呢？36 那時，我的聰明復歸於我，為我國的榮耀、威嚴，和光耀也都復歸於我；並且我的謀士和大臣也來朝見我。我又得堅立在國位上，至大的權柄加增於我。37 現在我－尼布甲尼撒讚美、尊崇、恭敬天上的王；因為祂所做的全都誠實，祂所行的也都公平。那行動驕傲的，祂能降為卑。 (但以理書四18-27、33-37)
18 “This is the dream that I, King Nebuchadnezzar, had. Now, Belteshazzar, tell me what it means, for none of the wise men in my kingdom can interpret it for me. But you can, because the spirit of the holy gods is in you.” 19 Then Daniel (also called Belteshazzar) was greatly perplexed for a time, and his thoughts terrified him. So the king said, “Belteshazzar, do not let the dream or its meaning alarm you.” Belteshazzar answered, “My lord, if only the dream applied to your enemies and its meaning to your adversaries! 20 The tree you saw, which grew large and strong, with its top touching the sky, visible to the whole earth, 21 with beautiful leaves and abundant fruit, providing food for all, giving shelter to the wild animals, and having nesting places in its branches for the birds— 22 Your Majesty, you are that tree! You have become great and strong; your greatness has grown until it reaches the sky, and your dominion extends to distant parts of the earth. 23 “Your Majesty saw a holy one, a messenger, coming down from heaven and saying, ‘Cut down the tree and destroy it, but leave the stump, bound with iron and bronze, in the grass of the field, while its roots remain in the ground. Let him be drenched with the dew of heaven; let him live with the wild animals, until seven times pass by for him.’ 24 “This is the interpretation, Your Majesty, and this is the decree the Most High has issued against my lord the king: 25 You will be driven away from people and will live with the wild animals; you will eat grass like the ox and be drenched with the dew of heaven. Seven times will pass by for you until you acknowledge that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes. 26 The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules. 27 Therefore, Your Majesty, be pleased to accept my advice: Renounce your sins by doing what is right, and your wickedness by being kind to the oppressed. It may be that then your prosperity will continue.” ...
33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird. 34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion; His kingdom endures from generation to generation. 35 All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: “What have you done?”
36 At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything He does is right and all His ways are just. And those who walk in pride He is able to humble. (Daniel 4:8-27, 33-37)
33 Immediately what had been said about Nebuchadnezzar was fulfilled. He was driven away from people and ate grass like the ox. His body was drenched with the dew of heaven until his hair grew like the feathers of an eagle and his nails like the claws of a bird. 34 At the end of that time, I, Nebuchadnezzar, raised my eyes toward heaven, and my sanity was restored. Then I praised the Most High; I honored and glorified him who lives forever.
His dominion is an eternal dominion; His kingdom endures from generation to generation. 35 All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing. He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth. No one can hold back His hand or say to Him: “What have you done?”
36 At the same time that my sanity was restored, my honor and splendor were returned to me for the glory of my kingdom. My advisers and nobles sought me out, and I was restored to my throne and became even greater than before. 37 Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and exalt and glorify the King of heaven, because everything He does is right and all His ways are just. And those who walk in pride He is able to humble. (Daniel 4:8-27, 33-37)
分享：靠著神的祝福和保守，但以理不單滿有才智和聰明，又為王解夢和解異象，身居要位，得到各王的賞識。事實上，我們不難發現但以理沒有被狹隘的民族情緒主導，他知道以色列的亡國是因為眾人偏行己路，是神按律法所行的公義 (參但以理書九13-14) ；因此，他在異國仍能盡忠職守，讓外邦人見到神的大能。
猶記得尼布甲尼撒再次請但以理解夢，經文記載王知道解夢的能力是出於但以理裡頭聖神的靈，君臣之間少了第一次的劍拔弩張，但以理也規勸王施行公義、斷絕罪過，或者可讓平安延長。經中甚至記載但以理因知道夢的解說而心意驚惶。我們知道忠實傳達神話語的但以理從來都不懼轉達壞消息，這裡的驚惶更可能是他悲憫夢中所示尼布甲尼撒王即將瘋如走獸的命運。從這一個片段，我們可見到但以理忠心於自己作為總理的崗位，盡心輔助，得著王的信任，以至能讓人見到神的掌權；同時但以理又悲憫王將來的命運，真誠的希望驕傲的王能回轉，除掉罪孽。
是的，但以理與尼布甲尼撒王原來的信仰和價值觀南猿北轍，但神就是將我們放置在這樣的一個世界，讓我們一方面將自己分別為聖，不被世界的價值觀同化，同時又忠心在俗世的崗位和職份上，關愛身邊的人，作神在地上的見證，以改變這個世界。
主耶穌被捕前曾向神禱告：「祢怎樣差我到世上，我也照樣差他們到世上。我為他們的緣故，自己分別為聖，叫他們也因真理成聖。」(約翰福音十七18-19) 作為寄居者，我們不屬於這個世界，但神差我們在世上，因真理成聖，作祂的見證。
反思：知道神期望我在自己的崗位和職份上見證祂，這為我的工作帶來甚麼影響？
禱告：親愛的天父，感謝祢讓但以理展示了一個寄居者在異鄉仍會盡忠於自己的職份，以作神美好的見證。就讓我學效前人，順服祢的安排，因著祢的真理成聖，盡力於崗位上見證祢的名。奉主名求，阿們！
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