耶利米书35章
神吩咐耶利米领利甲族人到圣殿那里神人的屋子里,请他们喝酒。然而,利甲人却因为他们先祖利甲的儿子,约拿达曾经吩咐他们与他们的子孙不可喝酒而拒绝喝耶利米给他们的酒。 利甲族人的祖先利甲,是摩西岳父的后裔,(也有文献指他们同基尼人),并不是亚伯拉罕的子孙。但他们后来在以色列民出埃及时也跟随他们一起进入神所应许祂百姓的迦南地。他们的祖先约拿达活在两百多年前,然而,他们却仍然严谨遵守约拿达的吩咐,滴酒不沾。不仅如此,他们也谨守约拿达其他的吩咐,包括不盖房子,不撒种,不栽种葡萄园,一生都住在帐棚,过着如同寄居的生活。 神以试验利甲族人来责备祂的子民。神将利甲族人对于耶利米先知的反应与选民对神先知的警告之反应做了个对比。利甲族人两百多年来仍然持守祖先吩咐的话;相反的,神借着祂众先知从早屡次警戒祂的百姓,百姓却把神的诫命和警戒当耳边风,不愿受教。 神的百姓可以喝酒,只是不能醉酒(弗5:18)。百姓进入迦南地后可以盖房子,撒种,栽种葡萄园,享受神赐给他们的佳美之地。可见,神赐福于祂的百姓,容许他们想用福乐。神不是一个要求过分,将不能承受的重轭加在祂所爱的百姓身上的神。只是,神出于爱将他的诫命赐给百姓,也原是为了他们得益处(耶7:23)。反之,利甲族人祖先的要求超越了神对百姓的要求。他们却做到了攻克己身,长期忍耐谨守吩咐。神的百姓真应该因而羞愧。 新约时代的我们同样是神所爱的选民,神也赐给我们祂的诫命来遵守。同时也将属灵的福气赐给我们,甚至偶尔也容许我们享用一些物质的享受。我们犯罪得罪神的时候,神也会用各样的警告,甚至管教来挽回我们。我们更有神赐给我们住在我们里面的圣灵,帮助我们明白神的话,提醒我们想起神的诫命 (约14:26),加添我们的力量胜过肉体的软肉及情欲 (罗8:26)。 我们无法确定利甲族人是否是出于虔诚而攻克己身,在世界上也有其他的宗教主张靠自己的毅力来攻克己身,他们的心智和纪律值得我们佩服。但是我们才是有福的,因为只要我们有敬畏,信靠,顺服神的心智,祂的灵将帮助我们克服肉体的软弱,胜过世界的潮流诱惑,成为配得神拣选的子民。
Jeremiah Chapter 34 – Setting Free Through Rest
It was not until in Jeremiah 34 that I realized how strongly God felt when the Israelites failed to liberate their fellow brothers and sisters. In Ex 21.2 and Deut 15.12, God commanded the Israelites to set…
Jeremiah Chapter 33 – Towards Restoration
Chapter 33 of Jeremiah describes the excellence of a restored nation. It is a utopia that God has ultimately promised to the Israelites. Yet the oracle was certainly a far cry from the everyday reality that Jeremiah…
Jeremiah Chapter 32: When we don’t understand God’s plan
My husband and I recently battled a bout of illness together. Hoping to boost our immune systems, I began taking ginseng tablets and encouraged him to do the same. When I passed him a tablet, he looked…
Jeremiah Chapter 31
Signs are everywhere! While signs are meant to guide us, warn us of potential dangers ahead, some of them can be very confusing! Just look at the some of the following signs! However, when done right, signs…
Jeremiah Chapter 30
A doctor walked up to his patient’s bed and told him. “Mr. Smith, I have good news and bad news for you, which would you like to hear first.” Mr. Smith replied, “Doc, just give me the…
Jeremiah Chapter 29
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope (Jeremiah 29:11) Jeremiah was a prophet who served before and…
Jeremiah Chapter 28
Jeremiah 28 talks about Hananiah, a prophet who made God’s people trust in a lie (Jeremiah 28:15) and spoke a vision of his own heart rather than the mouth of the Lord (Jeremiah 23:16). Despite the various…
Jeremiah Chapter 27
Imagine if you were living in the times of Jeremiah and you just experienced what was described in this chapter… what would be your choice? Would you listen to the uplifting, inspiring and patriotic voices of the…
Jeremiah Chapter 26– Take Heed & Take to Heart the Word of God
“If you say, “Surely we did not know this,”, does not He who weighs the hearts consider it? He who keeps your soul, does He not know it? And will He not render to each man according…