08月18日 一年的第231天 筆者:黃哲輝牧師
讀經:耶43-46章
第44章主要在講:「對住在埃及地猶太人的警告」。
一.有臨到耶利米的話,論及一切住在埃及地的猶大人,就是住在密奪、答比匿、挪弗、巴忒羅境內的猶大人,說:耶44:1
1.萬軍之耶和華以色列的神如此說:我所降與耶路撒冷和猶大各城的一切災禍你們都看見了。那些城邑今日荒涼,無人居住;耶44:2
2.這是因居民所行的惡,去燒香事奉別神,就是他們和你們,並你們列祖所不認識的神,惹我發怒。耶44:3
3.我從早起來差遣我的僕人眾先知去說,你們切不要行我所厭惡這可憎之事。耶44:4
4.他們卻不聽從,不側耳而聽,不轉離惡事,仍向別神燒香。耶44:5
5.因此,我的怒氣和忿怒都倒出來,在猶大城邑中和耶路撒冷的街市上,如火著起,以致都荒廢淒涼,正如今日一樣。耶44:6
二.現在耶和華萬軍之神、以色列的神如此說:你們為何作這大惡自害己命,使你們的男人、婦女、嬰孩,和喫奶的都從猶大中剪除、不留一人呢?耶44:7
1.就是因你們手所作的,在所去寄居的埃及地向別神燒香惹我發怒,使你們被剪除,在天下萬國中令人咒詛羞辱。耶44:8
2.你們列祖的惡行,猶大列王和他們后妃的惡行,你們自己和你們妻子的惡行,就是在猶大地、耶路撒冷街上所行的,你們都忘了麼?耶44:9
3.到如今還沒有懊悔,沒有懼怕,沒有遵行我在你們和你們列祖面前所設立的法度律例。耶44:10
三.所以萬軍之耶和華以色列的神如此說:我必向你們變臉降災,以致剪除猶大眾人。耶44:11
1.那定意進入埃及地、在那裏寄居的,就是所剩下的猶大人,我必使他們盡都滅絕,必在埃及地仆倒,必因刀劍饑荒滅絕;從最小的到至大的都必遭刀劍饑荒而死,以致令人辱罵、驚駭、咒詛、羞辱。耶44:12
2.我怎樣用刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫刑罰耶路撒冷,也必照樣刑罰那些住在埃及地的猶大人;耶44:13
3.甚至那進入埃及地寄居的,就是所剩下的猶大人,都不得逃脫,也不得存留歸回猶大地。他們心中甚想歸回居住之地;除了逃脫的以外,一個都不能歸回。」耶44:14
四.那些住在埃及地巴忒羅知道自己妻子向別神燒香的,與旁邊站立的眾婦女,聚集成群,回答耶利米說:耶44:15
1.「論到你奉耶和華的名向我們所說的話,我們必不聽從。耶44:16
A.我們定要成就我們口中所出的一切話,向天后燒香、澆奠祭,按著我們與我們列祖、君王、首領在猶大的城邑中和耶路撒冷的街市上素常所行的一樣;因為那時我們喫飽飯、享福樂,並不見災禍。耶44:17
B.自從我們停止向天后燒香、澆奠祭,我們倒缺乏一切,又因刀劍饑荒滅絕。耶44:18
2.婦女說:「我們向天后燒香、澆奠祭,作天后像的餅供奉他,向他澆奠祭,是外乎我們的丈夫麼?」耶44:19
3.耶利米對一切那樣回答他的男人婦女說:耶44:20
A.你們與你們列祖、君王、首領,並國內的百姓,在猶大城邑中和耶路撒冷街市上所燒的香,耶和華豈不記念,心中豈不思想麼?耶44:21
B.耶和華因你們所作的惡、所行可憎的事,不能再容忍,所以你們的地荒涼,令人驚駭咒詛,無人居住,正如今日一樣。耶44:22
C.你們燒香,得罪耶和華,沒有聽從他的話,沒有遵行他的律法、條例、法度,所以你們遭遇這災禍,正如今日一樣。」耶44:23
五.耶利米又對眾民和眾婦女說:「你們在埃及地的一切猶大人當聽耶和華的話。耶44:24
1.萬軍之耶和華以色列的神如此說:你們和你們的妻都口中說、手裏作,說:『我們定要償還所許的願,向天后燒香、澆奠祭。』現在你們只管堅定所許的願而償還罷!耶44:25
2.所以你們住在埃及地的一切猶大人當聽耶和華的話。耶和華說:我指著我的大名起誓,在埃及全地,我的名不再被猶大一個人的口稱呼說:『我指著主永生的耶和華起誓。』耶44:26
3.我向他們留意降禍不降福;在埃及地的一切猶大人必因刀劍、饑荒所滅,直到滅盡。耶44:27
4.脫離刀劍、從埃及地歸回猶大地的人數很少;那進入埃及地要在那裏寄居的,就是所剩下的猶大人,必知道是誰的話立得住,是我的話呢?是他們的話呢?耶44:28
5.耶和華說:我在這地方刑罰你們,必有豫兆,使你們知道我降禍與你們的話必要立得住。耶44:29
耶和華如此說:我必將埃及王法老合弗拉交在他仇敵和尋索其命的人手中,像我將猶大王西底家交在他仇敵和尋索其命的巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒手中一樣。」耶44:30
◎心得分享:先知耶利米在埃及的答比匿,一樣對猶大人責備發預言說:「耶和華說:你們列祖的惡行,猶大列王和他們后妃的惡行,向天后燒香、澆奠祭,到如今還沒有懊悔,沒有懼怕,沒有遵行我在你們和你們列祖面前所設立的法度律例,你們住在埃及地的一切猶大人當聽耶和華的話,在埃及地的一切猶大人必因刀劍、饑荒所滅,直到滅盡,脫離刀劍、從埃及地歸回猶大地的人數很少;那進入埃及地要在那裏寄居的,就是所剩下的猶大人,必知道是誰的話立得住,是我的話呢?是他們的話呢?」。那些拜偶像的猶大人,以為埃及是他們的「避難處」,上帝卻說埃及要成為逃難的猶大人的「葬身處」,真的的避難處不在外面,而是在裡面,上帝才是我們的避難處。
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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。