08月10日 一年的第223天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:耶17-20章
第18章主要在講:「窯匠弄泥,耶和華有絕對的主權」。
一.耶和華的話臨到耶利米說:耶18:1
1.「你起來,下到窯匠的家裏去,我在那裏要使你聽我的話。」耶18:2
2.我就下到窯匠的家裏去,正遇他轉輪作器皿。耶18:3
3.匠用泥作的器皿,在他手中作壞了,他又用這泥另作別的器皿;匠看怎樣好,就怎樣作。耶18:4
二.耶和華的話就臨到我說:耶18:5
1.耶和華說:以色列家阿,我待你們,豈不能照這匠弄泥麼?以色列家阿,泥在窯匠的手中怎樣,你們在我的手中也怎樣。耶18:6
2.我何時論到一邦或一國說,要拔出、拆毀、毀壞;耶18:7
我所說的那一邦,若是轉意離開他們的惡,我就必後悔,不將我想要施行的災禍降與他們。耶18:8
3.我何時論到一邦或一國說,要建立、栽植;耶18:9
他們若行我眼中看為惡的事,不聽從我的話,我就必後悔,不將我所說的福氣賜給他們。耶18:10
三.現在你要對猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民說:『耶和華如此說:我造出災禍攻擊你們,定意刑罰你們。你們各人當回頭離開所行的惡道,改正你們的行動作為。』耶18:11
1.「他們卻說:『這是枉然。我們要照自己的計謀去行。』各人隨自己頑梗的惡心作事。」耶18:12
2.所以,耶和華如此說:你們且往各國訪問,有誰聽見這樣的事?以色列民行了一件極可憎惡的事。耶18:13
A.利巴嫩的雪從田野的磐石上豈能斷絕呢?從遠處流下的涼水豈能乾涸呢?耶18:14
B.我的百姓竟忘記我,向假神燒香,使他們在所行的路上,在古道上絆跌,使他們行沒有修築的斜路,耶18:15
C.以致他們的地令人驚駭,常常嗤笑;凡經過這地的必驚駭搖頭。耶18:16
D.我必在仇敵面前分散他們,好像用東風吹散一樣。遭難的日子,我必以背向他們,不以面向他們。耶18:17
3.他們就說:「來罷!我們可以設計謀害耶利米;因為我們有祭司講律法,智慧人設謀略,先知說豫言,都不能斷絕。來罷!我們可以用舌頭擊打他,不要理會他的一切話。」耶18:18
四.耶和華阿,求你理會我,且聽那些與我爭競之人的話。耶18:19
1.豈可以惡報善呢?他們竟挖坑要害我的性命!求你記念我怎樣站在你面前為他們代求,要使你的忿怒向他們轉消。耶18:20
2.故此,願你將他們的兒女交與饑荒和刀劍;願他們的妻無子,且作寡婦;又願他們的男人被死亡所滅,他們的少年人在陣上被刀擊殺。耶18:21
3.你使敵軍忽然臨到他們的時候,願人聽見哀聲從他們的屋內發出;因他們挖坑要捉拿我,暗設網羅要絆我的腳。耶18:22
4.耶和華阿,他們要殺我的那一切計謀,你都知道。不要赦免他們的罪孽,也不要從你面前塗抹他們的罪惡,要叫他們在你面前跌倒;願你發怒的時候罰辦他們。耶18:23
◎心得分享:本章是「窯匠弄泥的故事」,第一段「上帝要耶利米去窯匠的家裏去看窯匠用泥作的器皿」,第二段「上帝對耶利米說:祂就是窯匠,祂對祂選民有絕對的主權」,第三段「上帝耶利米要對猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民說:耶和華如此說:我造出災禍攻擊你們,定意刑罰你們。你們各人當回頭離開所行的惡道,改正你們的行動作為。」,第四段「耶利米遭到逼迫心裡痛苦的向上帝禱告」。上帝說:「我何時論到一邦或一國說,要拔出、拆毀、毀壞;我所說的那一邦,若是轉意離開他們的惡,我就必後悔,不將我想要施行的災禍降與他們,我何時論到一邦或一國說,要建立、栽植;他們若行我眼中看為惡的事,不聽從我的話,我就必後悔,不將我所說的福氣賜給他們。」,這句話不懂的人會以為,上帝怎麼「出爾反爾」,不守信用,其實不是這樣,就像「父母對孩子說:我愛你」,孩子作錯了被父母處罰了,他會說:「你們說愛我,為什麼要處罰我?」,事實上,「上帝是活人的上帝,不是死人的上帝,是活著的上帝,上帝每天stand by在我們旁邊,教導我們、關心我們、引導我們,祂在乎我們所作的每一件事」。
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"God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world is crucified unto me, and I unto the world."(Gal. 6:14)
THEY were living to themselves; self with its hopes, and promises and dreams, still had hold of them; but the Lord began to fulfill their prayers. They had asked for contrition, and had surrendered for it to be given them at any cost, and He sent them sorrow; they had asked for purity, and He sent them thrilling anguish; they had asked to be meek, and He had broken their hearts; they had asked to be dead to the world, and He slew all their living hopes; they had asked to be made like unto Him, and He placed them in the furnace, sitting by "as a refiner and purifier of silver," until they should reflect His image; they had asked to lay hold of His cross, and when He had reached it to them it lacerated their hands.
They had asked they knew not what, nor how, but He had taken them at their word, and granted them all their petitions. They were hardly willing to follow Him so far, or to draw so night to Him. They had upon them an awe and fear, as Jacob at Bethel, or Eliphaz in the night visions, or as the apostles when they thought that they had seen a spirit, and knew not that it was Jesus. They could almost pray Him to depart from them, or to hide His awfulness. They found it easier to obey than to suffer, to do than to give up, to bear the cross than to hang upon it. But they cannot to back, for they have come too near the unseen cross, and its virtues have pierced too deeply within them. He is fulfilling to them His promise, "And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me" (John 12:32).
But now at last their turn has come. Before, they had only heard of the mystery, but now they feel it. He has fastened on them His look of love, as He did on Mary and Peter, and they can but choose to follow.
Little by little, from time to time, by fitting gleams, the mystery of His cross shines out upon them. They behold Him lifted up, they gaze on the glory which rays from the wounds of His holy passion; and as they gaze they advance, and are changed into His likeness, and His name shines out throught them, for He dwells in them. They live alone with Him above, in unspeakable fellowship; willing to lack what others own (and what they might have had), and to be unlike all, so that they are only like Him.
Such, are they in all ages, "who follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth."
Had they chosen for themselves, or their friends chosen for them, they would have chosen otherwise. They would have been brighter here, but less glorious in His Kingdom. They would have had Lot's portion, not Abraham's. If they had halted anywhere-if God had taken off His hand and let them stray back-what would they not have lost? What forfeits in the resurrection?
But He stayed them up, even against themselves. Many a time their foot had well night slipped; but He in mercy held them up. Now, even in this life, they know that all He did was done well. It was good to suffer here, that they might reign hereafter; to bear the cross below, for they shall wear the crown above; and that not their will but His was done on them and in them.
-Anonymous.
基督曾說過:「我心柔和謙卑,你們當學我的樣式,這樣你們心裏就必得享安息。」這兒有雙重的真理,有忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的美德,這與傚法基督或信靠祂有相同的意義;同時因著你有這些美德,可以完全脫離亞當墮落的本性而有信靠主高尚的行為。
連帶而有的福份,是因著脫離罪惡和對基督初步信仰、期望,受基督忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好的靈引導並管理;當你具有這些德性,你的生命就有目的,是真理和生命的基督才會在你裏面,你不再掌權,而是基督在你裏面活著。除非你願在忍耐、溫柔、謙卑和與神和好裏治死老我,否則神聖愛的靈,因無立足之地而不能在你裏面產生;而當你又為不忍耐、驕傲所困擾之際,馬上完全捨己,求神施恩幫助。當你遇到難處就促使與神親近,最能使你忍耐接受神的幫助,我們對神有多少信心和期望就可得多少的啟示。
「這些雖然很簡短,但是真正確的教義,使我們因賜下的救恩而真正完全順服神的啟示下,也真正宣告承認三而一的真神。」現在願你有個思想:完全將我的心靈獻上,單單尋求救恩,直接藉著溫柔、謙卑、忍耐和與神和好的力量,使我的生命有屬天的德性。
「並且要作這更大的事,因為我往父那裡去。」約翰福音十四章12節
祈禱不是叫我們適於那偉大的工作;祈禱本身就是偉大的工作。我們以為祈禱,是叫我們得到較高的能力,去應付神的工作。但按照耶穌基督的眼光看,祈禱是我本已救贖的奇蹟,藉著神的能力,同時也是別人救贖的奇蹟。結果子之方法,是祈禱,但須記取的,這種祈禱是建立在救贖的痛苦,不是建立於我的痛苦。一個小孩能獲得祈禱的答覆,一個聰明人反而得不著。
你無論在那裡祈禱總是一種戰爭。不管神製造環境的方法怎樣,本分就是祈禱。切不可如此作想──「我所在的地方,不見得有用;」因為你不在的地方,你必沒有有用。無論神安排你在那裡,祈禱,常常向祂祈禱。「你們若奉我的名求甚麼,我必成就。」(約十四13)我們不肯祈禱,我們得不著奮興,就不肯祈禱,那就是靈性自私的極度形態。我們要依照神的指導而勞動,但祂指導我們的是祈禱,「所以你們當求莊稼的主,打發工人出去,收祂的莊稼。
通常的工人對於工作,是沒有興奮的,但是成功通常是工作勞作出來的;同樣基督的概念,沒有那些勞苦的聖徒是不會發現的。你慇勤祈禱,從神的立場看,是無時不發生效果的。當帕子揭開,一種說不出的驚奇必然發現,你可以看出你是慣於接受耶穌基督的命令的,已經為祂收穫了不少的靈魂。
「……亞伯拉罕信神……」羅馬書四章3節
亞伯拉罕的信心是向著神本身的,他認識帶領他的神,所以他對神有絕對的信心。
亞伯拉罕一生的秘訣在於他與神的友誼。他所認識的神是一位偉大、良善、信實的朋友。無怪乎他能聽神的話,從他自身所愛的本家本族出來,走向一條未知的道路。
除了信靠神的話語,我們是否已學會把自己全然交給神呢?神有無限的愛及力量,祂是與我們立約的主並永遠的好朋友。
經上告訴我們,亞伯拉罕因著信心而榮耀了神。最能榮耀神的辦法,乃是讓世人看見神是誰,以及祂的大能力。神並不希望藉著我們所能做的事,讓世人知道祂能做什麼;神也不用那些有乖謬性格的器皿。相反的,祂一直在找尋那些謙卑的人,並用這些人在世世代代中榮耀祂。