This week, we shall continue the study of the book of Jeremiah in the
Old Testament.
7:21-29—Rejection by the Lord: The message against Jerusalem (likely after Josiah’s death) continues.
(1) The Lord rejects their offerings (7:21)
a. What is the distinct instruction specified by the Law of Moses concerning burnt offerings (especially how to deal with the meat)? (Lev. 1:8-9)
b. Therefore what does it mean to tell the people to go ahead and “eat the meat yourselves”?
(2) They have gone backward, not forward (7:22-26)
a. What does the Lord remind them of His “real” requirement when it comes to His command? (vv. 22-23)
b. What is the reason given for their disobedience? (v. 24)
c. How did they demonstrate that they had gone “backward and not forward”?(vv. 25-26)
(3) The Lord has now given up on them (9:27-29)
a. Why is it futile for Jeremiah to continue to rebuke and warn them? (v. 28)
b. Is this also a fitting description of your society? Why or why not?
c. In what ways are the following a sign of rejection (or giving up) by the Lord?
- The order to cut off (the prophet’s or Jerusalem’s) hair (see Num. 6:2-8; Job 1:20)
- The taking up of a lament on barren heights
7:30–8:3—Sinful Deeds in the Valley of Hinnom and Their Consequences:
(4) In justifying His rejection, the Lord cites some of the most detestable practices the people of Judah had brought back since the days of Manasseh:
a. How did they defile the temple of the Lord? (v. 30)
b. In addition to such defilement, what detestable practice had they re-introduced in Judah? (v. 31; see 2 Ki. 23:10)
c. What does the Law of Moses say about such a practice and what punishment is prescribed for such a sin? (Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5)
d. The Punishment (7:32–8:3)
- What will happen in the Valley in Topheth? (7:32)
- What will happen across Judah? (7:33)
- What will happen to the bones of those already buried? What does it signify? (8:1-2)
- What will happen to those who survive? (8:3)
(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
本週我們繼續研讀舊約耶利米書。請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
7:21-29— 被神棄絕：這仍是對耶路撒冷的信息
(1) 神不悅納他們所獻的祭(9:21)
a. 關於獻燔祭，摩西律法有什麼特別規條？(見利1:8-9)
b. 這裡帶諷刺的口吻叫他們“吃肉吧！” 是什麼意思？
(2) 向後不向前(7:22-26)
a. 神指出在律法中，其實只吩咐他們的一件事是什麼？(7:22-23)
b. 他們不聽從的原因何在？(7:24)
c. 他們如何顯出是「向後不向前」？(7:25-26)
(3) 被神棄絕(7:27-29)
a. 為何繼續的呼喚是徒然的？(7:28)
b. 這是否也是今日世代的寫照？為什麼？
c. 神以什麼來象徵對他們的掉棄？
i. 剪髮是什麼象徵？(見民6:2-8；伯1:20)
ii. 在淨光處舉哀又象徵什麼？
7:30–8:3 — 欣嫩子谷的惡行和後果：
(4) 神在此列舉猶大重新引入瑪拿西時代的大惡：
a. 他們在聖殿中作什麼惡行？(7:30)
b. 除這樣污穢聖殿外，他們更行什麼大惡？(7:31；參王下23:10)
c. 摩西律法對這種行徑作出什麼警告？(利18:21; 20:2-5)
d. 因此現在要帶來什麼審判？(7:32 – 8:3)
i. 神要在欣嫩子谷施行什麼審判(7:32)
ii. 在猶大遍地又將如何？(7:33)
iii. 已葬的骸骨也要遭到什麼災殃？這要表明什麼？(8:1-2)
iv. 生還者又如何？(8:3)
(5) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“They have built the high places of Topheth in the Valley of Ben Hinnom to burn their sons and daughters in the fire — something I did not command, nor did it enter my mind.” (Jer. 7:31)
While we do not know the exact time that Jeremiah received this message from the Lord which begins in chapter 7 (even if it was not immediately after the death of Josiah, but well into the time of Jehoiakim), the swiftness and extent of their return to idol worship was still alarming. Not only did they follow the footsteps of Manasseh in bringing back idols right inside the temple of the Lord which was a blatant defilement of the sanctuary (7:30), they even brought back perhaps the most detestable of all forms of idol worship — the burning of their sons and daughters as a sacrifice (7:31). When the Lord points out that it was something He did not command, nor did it enter His mind (7:31), it appears that “the people imagined that such human sacrifices were acceptable to Yahweh” (NICOT, Jeremiah, 294).
In other words, instead of sacrificing their children to Molech as prohibited by the Law of Moses (Lev. 18:21; 20:2-5), it appeared that they made these sacrifices not to Molech but in the name of the Lord. As we know such extreme forms of sacrifice were made by the pagans to appease the wrath of their gods, perhaps, this was the way they wished to appease the Lord given the warnings of destruction prophesied by successive prophets (the latest of whom was Jeremiah), and the prophecies concerning Israel had come to pass before the very eyes.
But what the Lord requires is not their sacrifices, not to mention human sacrifice which He had strongly forbidden, but their obedience to all His commands (7:23). Had Josiah not restored proper worship of the Lord and the reading of the Law, they might still have an excuse. But as it was, their complete disregard of the commands of the Lord and their following the ways of the pagans had plunged them right back into the time of the Judges when everyone did as they saw fit in spite of the repeated warnings of God’s prophets. No wonder the Lord says, “They were stiff-necked and did more evil than their ancestors" (7:26).
「他們在欣嫩子谷建築陀斐特的邱壇，好在火中焚燒自己的兒女。這並不是我所吩咐的，也不是我心所起的意。」(耶7:31)
我們不曉得耶利米得到由第七章開始的信息的正確年代。若然是在約西亞死後，甚至是在約雅敬的年代，猶大百姓轉向偶像之迅速和程度，實在令人驚訝。他們不但立刻跟隨瑪拿西的腳踪，把偶像直接帶進聖殿來污辱神的聖所(7:30)，更恢復相信是神最憎厭的陀斐特邱壇，使兒女經火被焚燒為祭(7:31) 。當神說：“這並不是我所吩咐的，也不是我心所起的意” ，這意味著“百姓以為這獻人為祭是耶和華所悅納的”(NICOT, 294) 。
換句話說，他們以為因不是獻給摩洛，就不觸犯摩西的律法(利18:21; 20:2-5) ，更竟以耶和華的名獻上。我們知道這種可怕的人祭，是未開化的民族因懼怕神靈的怒氣而獻上的；這些猶大百姓可能聽到連串先知宣告審判的信息，又看到北國以色列已遭毀滅，就學鄰邦這樣做，以為可以止住神的忿怒。
但耶和華所要的只有「一件」，就是要他們聽從祂的話(7:23) ，而非獻任何的祭，更不用說是兒女經火的祭。如果約西亞沒有全然恢復聖殿的敬拜和誦讀神的律法，他們或許尚有藉口；但事實卻不是這樣。他們這樣的全然不理會神的吩咐，把自己帶回士師黑暗的時代—雖有先知眾多的勸喻，他們還是定意「各人任意而行」。無怪神說他們是“硬著頸項行惡，比……列祖更甚” 。(7:26)
8:4-12—The People are Senseless and Shameless
(1) The way they remain apostate (vv. 4-5)
a. Is it a matter of “cannot” or a matter of “will not”?
b. Why?
(2) Their Senselessness (vv. 6-7)
a. How has the Lord demonstrated His patience? (v. 6)
b. How they are worse than the stork, the dove, the swift and the thrush:
- How do these birds know when to migrate?
- What do the people have that are far superior to these birds?
(3) Self-deception (vv. 8-9)
a. Shouldn’t the Law of God give wisdom? (Ps. 19:7)
b. Why are they not wise instead? (v. 8)
c. Whose fault is it? Just the scribes? (v. 9)
(4) Their shamelessness (vv. 10-12)
a. How does the Lord sum up their sins in terms of the following?
- How widespread it is (v. 10b)
- Their attitude towards their detestable conduct
b. What punishments await them? (v. 10a and v. 12b)
8:13-17—Depiction of the Horror of Judgment
(5) What judgments are pronounced by the Lord in v. 13 and v. 17?
(6) The horror depicted by the words of the people in trouble:
a. Who are those who urge the people to flee to fortified cities? What for? (v. 14)
b. How hopeless will their situation be? (v. 15)
c. Dan is the northern most city that will first encounter the invasion of the armies from the north: What kind of a picture is depicted by v. 16?
8:18–9:1—The Weeping Prophet—As Jeremiah prophesies, he probably sees the destruction in a vision:
(7) Do the people not deserve God’s punishment? Why then would he grieve? (8:21)
(8) In his vision, what did he hear? (8:18-20)
a. Would he find comfort?
b. What are the questions he asked? (8:19)
c. What is God’s answer to him? (8:19)
(9) How does v. 20 reveal the pining of the people? Do you know how long they had to pine until they would receive deliverance/salvation in history?
(10) When the prophet realizes the wound of his people is beyond healing (8:22), how does he express his grief? (9:1)
(11) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
8:4-12— 愚頑、無恥的百姓
(1) 他們的背道而不回頭(8:4-5)
a. 是出於不能或是不肯？
b. 為什麼？
(2) 比雀鳥更無性（8:6-7）
a. 神怎樣顯出祂的忍耐？(8:6)
b. 與雀鳥相比：
i. 這些候鳥憑什麼知道來去的定時？
ii. 這百姓怎樣顯出他們連雀鳥也不如？
(3) 自欺(8: 8-9)
a. 耶和華的律法豈不是使人有智慧嗎？(見詩19:7)
b. 為何他們卻得不著智慧？(8:8)
c. 是誰之過？單單是文士嗎？(8:9)
(4) 沒有羞恥(8:10-12)
a. 他們的惡行：
i. 是怎樣的普遍？(8:10)
ii. 為何他們不感到羞恥？
b. 什麼是他們的審判？(8:10a, 12b)
8:13-17—審判的可怕
(5) 神怎樣生動的論到將臨的審判？(8:13, 17)
(6) 藉百姓的口道出審判的可怕：
a. 百姓欲從什麼地方找堅固城？為什麼？(8:14)
b. 但結果如何？(8:15)
c. 「但」是他們最北的城市：8:16所形容的重點是什麼？
8:18 – 9:1—流淚的先知：相信先知是在異象中目睹一切的。
(7) 按以上所列舉種種的惡行，猶大是否該受這些審判？為何先知要為他們哀傷？
(8) 在異象中，他聽到什麼？(8:18-20)
a. 他能尋到安慰嗎？
b. 他在第19節發出什麼問題？
c. 神卻怎樣回應？
(9) 第20節道出百姓什麼心聲？按歷史的記載，他們終要等到什麼時候才得救？
(10) 當先知明白到百姓的損傷是不能得醫治時(8:22) ，他作出什麼回應？(9:1)
(11) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“Is there no balm in Gilead? Is there no physician there? Why then is there no healing for the wound of my people?” (Jer. 8:22)
We have read only the first eight of the 52 chapters of the Book of Jeremiah, and we have already gotten a sense of the severity of the evil deeds of Judah; it is pretty well summed up by this extremely emotional accusation of the Lord, “Why have they aroused my anger with their images, with their worthless foreign idols?” (8:19). At the same time, we have also gotten a sense of the stubbornness and stiff-neckness of the people (7:26). Therefore, we can certainly conclude that the people fully deserve the punishment that the Lord has pronounced through the prophet.
And yet, as Jeremiah prophesied, likely visually seeing their coming plight in a vison, he basically broke down and cried. Apart from the fact that the horror of the destruction gripped him, Jeremiah said, “since my people are crushed, I am crushed” (8:21).
It is such an important reminder to us who are leaders or pastors of the church, Christ’s Body. As we face opposition and rebellion of the people we serve in the name of Christ, it is so easy to be bitter and even pray for God’s judgment, forgetting that
- If God does choose to judge, who can bear the wrath of God?! And,
- They are “our” people; if they are crushed, we should be crushed too!
It is true that Jeremiah was also enraged by the sins of the people—“I am full of the wrath of the Lord and I cannot hold it” (6:11); but even in his anger, he has not forgotten that he is only a mouth-piece of the Lord; ultimately, those are his people!
「在基列豈沒有乳香呢？在那裡豈沒有醫生呢？我百姓為何不得痊愈呢？」(耶8:22)
我們剛讀過耶利米書的首八章，相信對猶大當時所行的惡感到甚可怕；他們惹起神的忿怒也可以從這句話看得出：“他們為甚麼以雕刻的偶像和外邦虛無的神惹我發怒呢？”(8:19) 。雖然他們曉得神的忿怒，卻“不聽從，不側耳而聽，竟硬著頸項行惡，比……列祖更甚”(7:26) 。故此，先知審判的預言雖然嚴厲，卻是他們罪有應得的。
誰知，當先知（相信是在異象中）看見他們所要承擔的災殃時，他竟然痛哭流淚。當然這是因看到這些審判的可怖，也是因為“我百姓的損傷，我也受了損傷，我哀痛”(8:21) 。
這句話是今天我們事奉主的人，特別是牧者的提醒。在神的家—基督的身體事奉時，免不了有被人誤會，甚至攻擊的時刻。在這些情景下，難免感到苦毒，甚至求神施行審判，這是極自然的事。但我們不要忘記：
- 如果神真的施行審判，誰能當得起神的忿怒呢？
- 我們所服侍的，是「我們的百姓」—正如耶利米說：“他們受損傷，我也受了損傷” ！
對，耶利米豈不也因看到百姓的罪而感到激憤：”因此我被耶和華的忿怒充滿，難以含忍”(6:11) 。但在激憤之餘，他並沒有忘記，他只不過是神的信差，而自己是百姓之一。
9:2-9—A Depraved People
(1) Since Jeremiah so deeply identifies with the agony of the people, why would he seek to flee from them? What does it say about his grief? (v. 2)
(2) Sins in Prosperity (v. 3)
a. How should God’s people respond to their prosperity?
b. How do these people make use of their prosperity? Why?
(3) A Society of Deceit (vv. 4-9)
a. How unethical have they turned their society into? (vv. 4-5, 8)
b. How will you live in a society that is marked by lies and deception? (v. 6)
c. What impact will it have on your own life?
d. How could God’s people degenerate into such a pitiful state? (v. 6)
e. Should they be punished by the Lord? Why or why not? (v. 9)
9:10-16—Jerusalem’s Ruin
(4) Because of their sins:
a. What will happen to the cities? (vv. 11-12)
b. Will the surrounding lands be immune? (v. 10)
c. Can you imagine such utter ruin descending upon your city?
d. If it does happen to your city, would you not ask the question in v. 12?
e. What are the sins summed up by the Lord about Judah and Jerusalem? (vv. 13-14)
f. Is your city and its people any better?
g. How unprecedented will their punishment be? (v. 16)
(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
9:2-9 —敗壞的社群
(1) 先知既深深為民哀傷，何以卻欲離去？這表明什麼？(9:2)
(2) 勢力增長(或興盛) 的罪(9:3)
a. 屬神的人當怎樣處理勢力或興盛？
b. 這百姓是怎樣處理呢？為什麼？
(3) 奸詐的社群(9:4-9)
a. 他們把社會變成怎樣的社群？(9:4-5, 8)
b. 處身於這樣的社會，你會怎樣面對？(9:6)
c. 你會多少也被它影響嗎？為什麼？
d. 為何屬神的人會落到這地步？(9:6)
e. 他們該受神的「報復」嗎？為什麼？(9:9)
9:10-16—耶路撒冷的毀滅
(4) 因著他們的罪：
a. 他們的城市會變成怎樣？(9:11-12)
b. 城市之外又如何？(9:10)
c. 你能否想像所居住之地，有一天會變成這樣嗎？
d. 第12節的問題是指出在此之前，是指出在此之前，猶大和耶路撒冷是絕對不能想像到會變成這樣的：你以為你的城市有一天也會變成這樣嗎？為什麼？
e. 神再次道出引至連串災禍是什麼原故？(9:13-14)
f. 這是否你居住之地的寫照？
g. 這審判有多麼嚴厲？(9:16)
(5) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“Beware of your friends; do not trust anyone in your clan. For every one of them is a deceiver [or deceiving Jacob], and every friend a slanderer.” (Jer. 9:4)
When we left college and dived into the workplace, as much as we were determined to live a holy life and even bear witness for Christ, we found ourselves sucked imperceptibly into the culture of the workplace. I still remember that one of our leaders in the college’s Christian fellowship shared that because everyone in his workplace swore a lot, he found himself thinking also in foul language.
This is perhaps the reason why the Lord also warned Jeremiah saying, “You live in the midst of deception” (9:6). Such was the experience of another prophet, Isaiah who lived a bit earlier than Jeremiah, but who also was in the midst of a people whose lips were marked by lies and filth. It took the majestic appearance of the Holy God to make him aware of this and he thus exclaimed, “Woe to me…I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips” (Isa. 6:5).
If prophets like Isaiah and Jeremiah could be sucked into the lying and filthy culture of their societies, how much more vigilant should we be in guarding ourselves in today’s society.
「你們各人當謹防鄰舍，不可信靠弟兄；因為弟兄盡行欺騙，鄰舍都往來讒謗人。」(耶9:4)
我們一群基督徒團契的青年人，在畢業後投身社會工作時，都有一個心志要為主而活，這就包括要過聖潔的生活了。誰知一踏進社會，就發覺工作場所世俗的文化，不是這樣容易抗拒的。我尚記得一位弟兄的分享，提到在他工作的地方，人人都說粗言穢語；久而久之，他發覺自己在思想中，竟也出現了粗言穢語。
或許這正是神提醒耶利米的原因，說：“你的住處在詭詐的人中”(9:6) 。這也正是另一個先知以賽亞的經歷。他比耶利米較早作先知的，但他同樣是活在敗壞的猶大社會中，直到神向他顯現時，他才看到自己被身處的社會所影響，不禁喊叫說：“禍哉！我滅亡了！因為我是嘴唇不潔的人，又住在嘴唇不潔的民中”( 賽6:5) 。
如果連先知們也被社會的不潔和詭詐文化所影響，我們豈不要加倍的作出防範嗎！
9:17-22a—Dirge over Jerusalem
(1) Why would people in ancient culture call the professional women to wail on their behalf? Would it be to prove that they were rich, or to express their extreme sorrow?
(2) Which is the case here? (v. 18)
(3) What is the substance of such a wailing? (v. 19)
(4) But who will be the ones who wail? The professional or the women in Zion? (v. 20)
(5) What will they be wailing over? (vv. 21-22)
9:23-26—Boasting in Knowing the Lord
(6) If we think we are wise without knowing the Lord, what kind of wisdom do we really have?
(7) If we are strong without knowing the Lord, how futile will our strength be?
(8) If we are very wealthy and yet do not know the Lord, in what ways are we really poor?
(9) How important are the following?
a. To know that He is the Lord (What does it mean?)
b. To know that what God really delights in are the exercises of:
- Kindness
- Justice
- Righteousness
c. How can we have such an understanding? (Prov. 9:10)
(10) These prophecies of judgment pronounced by the Lord are primarily on the whole house of Israel (including Judah). Why will the nations be punished as well one day? (vv. 25-26)
(11) What is meant by “really uncircumcised”?
(12) Why is this message of knowing who the Lord is and punishment of all nations introduced after the dirge over Jerusalem?
(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
9:17-22—為耶路撒冷的哀哭
(1) 在古時，請人哭喪的用意是什麼？為表明財富？或是表示極深的哀悼？
(2) 這裡哭喪的吩咐原因又是什麼？(9:18)
(3) 哭喪的內容是什麼？(9:19)
(4) 但這一次，哭喪的是請來的人嗎？是誰？(9:20)
(5) 他們自己婦女哭喪的原因是什麼？(9:21-22)
9:23-26—要為什麼誇口
(6) 如果人不認識神，卻自以為有智慧：這是什麼智慧？
(7) 如果人不認識神，卻自以為有能力：這是什麼能力？
(8) 如果人不認識神，卻自以為很富有：這是什麼富足？
(9) 9:24的吩咐有多重要：
a. 認識祂是耶和華？（這句話是什麼意思？）
b. 知道祂喜悅在世上施行：
i. 慈愛？
ii. 公平？
iii. 公義？
c. 我們如何能有這樣的「認識」？(見箴9:10)
(10) 這些審判的預言是針對以色列全家（包括猶大在內）而發的。為何列邦也有一天受神的審判？(9:25-26)
(11) 列國「都沒有受割禮」是什麼意思？（參下註）
(12) 為何在吩咐要為耶路撒冷哭喪之後，發出這要認識耶和華及列國也受審判的信息？
(13) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中?
註：按Keil & Delitzsch所分析，「沒有受割禮」原文之意是「受了割禮，包皮尚存」之意。
“(B)ut let the one who boasts boast about this: that they have the understanding to know me, that I am the LORD, who exercises kindness, justice and righteousness on earth, for in these I delight.” (Jer. 9:24)
It is interesting that at this juncture of this series of rebukes and warnings against Judah (likely after the death of Josiah) that a message about true boasting appears. J.A. Thompson is right when he says, “there is a certain logic in placing the verses here, for they make the point that in such critical days the only hope for men lies in the faithfulness, justice and integrity of Yahweh” (NICOT, 318).
The truth of the matter is, the only hope of all mankind, not just those during the critical days of Judah, really lies in knowing the Lord and who He is.
As the New Testament unfolds, we have come to understand that “knowing the Lord” is through the establishment of a personal relationship with Him through faith in Jesus Christ which is eternal life (Jn. 17:3).
However, if we truly know God, we have to know what He delights in: The exercise of kindness, justice and righteousness on earth (Jer. 9:24). That means as those who truly know God, we are to exercise the same in our lives:
- “Kindness” is the word “hesed” used 245 times in the OT to refer to the unfailing kindness of God, committed to His covenanted people, expressed beautifully in the NT by Paul: “if we are faithless, He remains faithful, for He cannot disown himself” (2 Tim. 2:13).
- “Justice” is the word “mispat” which means more than just doing right, but the exercise of the appropriate sentence at the pronouncement of the right verdict the absence of which encourages people to do wrong (Eccl. 8:11).
- “Righteousness” is the word “sedaqa” which refers to God’s standards in all settings — social, legal, ethical and religious, exercised by His people in their relationship with family, clan, and nations grounded in their covenant relationship with the Lord.
This message is closely followed by the judgment pronounced beyond the whole house of Israel to all the nations because of their uncircumcised hearts. In other words, if we fail to exercise God’s kind of unfailing kindness, God’s kind of justice and God’s kind of righteousness, not just in the religious setting, but in all settings, our hearts are still uncircumcised, we have yet to truly know God!
「誇口的卻因他有聰明，認識我是耶和華，又知道我喜悅在世上施行慈愛、公平，和公義，以此誇口。這是耶和華說的。」(耶9:24)
這一段有關應為什麼而誇口的信息，放在一連串對猶大的責備和審判的警告中，是有原因的。J.A. Thompson就這樣解釋：“放在這裡是有它的邏輯的，因為要指出他們在這重要的關頭，惟一的希望是在乎耶和華的慈愛、公平，和公義”(NICOT, 318) 。
事實上，這不單是猶大當時惟一的希望，也是今天全人類惟一的希望：就是要認識耶和華，並祂是怎樣的。
我們處於新約時代，就清楚的知道，真正認識神是在乎認識、信靠神的兒子耶穌基督。 “耶穌說：”我就是道路、真理、生命；若不藉著我，沒有人能到父那裡去” ( 約14:6) 。認識耶穌基督，這就是永生(約17:3) 。
真正認識神的，也必認識祂喜悅的，就是“在世上施行慈愛、公平，和公義”( 耶9:24) 。意思是，真正認識神的人，在他們的生命中，同樣要活出：
- 慈愛：這“hesed” 字在舊約出現245次，是指神不變的慈愛，是向祂約中的子民因守約而施的慈愛。這就是保羅在新約中所強調的：“我們雖然失信，祂仍是可信的。” （提後2:13）
- 公平：“mispat” 這字不單是做對的事，更是在作出公允的裁判後，加以執行的意思。缺乏其執行是會助長罪惡的增加(傳8:11)
- 公義：“sedaqa” 這字是指到神的標準—包括社會、法律、道德和宗教的層面；是人須知在家庭、鄰舍和國家中，因與神有「約的關係」，而活出來的。
緊接這信息就是神不但是對以色列全家，乃伸延到所有邦國審判的預言，因他們的心都未受割禮。換句話說，如果我們沒有活出神的慈愛、神的公平、神的公義，不但是在教會當中，乃是在所有的層面上，我們的心尚未受割禮、我們尚未真正的認識神。
God versus Idols: In this section, the worthlessness of idols is compared to the greatness of the Lord.
(1) In each pair of contrasts, try to see the different emphases and how idols are compared to the Lord. The 1st pair:
a. Vv. 2-5: idols
b. Vv. 6-7: the Lord
c. What is the conclusion?
(2) The 2nd pair:
a. Vv. 8-9: idols
b. V. 10: the Lord
c. What is the conclusion?
(3) The 3rd pair:
a. V. 11: idols (this is the only line of this poetry written in Aramaic: see what is being highlighted)
b. Vv. 12-13: the Lord
c. What is the conclusion?
(4) The 4th pair:
a. Vv. 14-15: idols
b. V. 16: the Lord
c. What is the conclusion?
(5) Since pagans do know that the idols are made by their own hands, why would they still worship them? (v. 3)
(6) Since Israel knows this also very well, why would they follow these worthless practices?
(7) The Lord says, “Do not fear them, they can do no harm nor can they do any good” (v. 5).
a. Since all idols are man-made, why would people fear them, especially those called “Voodoos”?
b. If somehow, the evil spirits make use of idols to spread fear, should we be afraid? (1 Jn. 4:4)
c. In essence, can idols do harm? Why or why not?
(8) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
先知分幾段來拿偶像與神相比
(1) 第一段的比較(10:2-7):
a. 試列出偶像的特點包括什麼(10:2-5)
b. 相比之下，神如何遠勝偶像？(10: 6-7)
c. 結論是什麼？
(2) 第二段的比較(10:8-10):
a. 試列出偶像的特點包括什麼(10:8-9)
b. 相比之下，神如何遠勝偶像？(10:10)
c. 結論是什麼？
(3) 第三段的比較(10:11-13):
a. 試列出偶像的特點包括什麼(10:11)
b. 相比之下，神如何遠勝偶像？(10:12-13)
c. 結論是什麼？
(4) 第四段的比較(10:14-16):
a. 試列出偶像的特點包括什麼(10:14-15)
b. 相比之下，神如何遠勝偶像？(10:16)
c. 結論是什麼？
(5) 其實人人都知道偶像是人手所造的，為何人仍敬拜偶像？
(6) 以色列當更清楚偶像不能與耶和華神相比，何故竟跟隨列邦拜他們的偶像？
(7) 神論到偶像時說：“ 你們不要怕他；他不能降禍，也無力降福。”(10:5)
a. 偶像既是人手所造，為何人總望之而生恐懼？
b. 如果邪靈使用偶像作其工具，我們是否也就因而生懼？(約壹4:4)
c. 既是這樣，偶像是否不能降禍？為什麼？
(8) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“Like a scarecrow in a cucumber field, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good.” (Jer. 10:5)
I suspect that most people these days know that idols are man-made, and yet many still go and worship them either in the temples or even in the shrines that they built at home.
One is at a loss as to why in this day and age, there are still so many who believe in idols, and it is not confined to pagans, but some Catholics who worship the Madonna and other saints whose statues are obviously by the hands of men.
Jeremiah explains that pagan worship is based on their fear of the “signs in the heavens” (10:2) that would include lightning, thunder, flood and earthquakes. The wonders and might demonstrated by nature have caused them both to humble themselves to believe in a greater power than humankind and because of the devastation that sometimes comes with these heavenly signs, they seek to appease these powers which they assume to be gods. However, since they have no idea who they might be, they use their imagination to make all kinds of idols and by giving names appropriate to that particular heavenly phenomenon, they worship them as such.
In a similar vein, those who worship the Madonna or other saints also use their imagination to make images that they assume to be appropriate to their characters, and worship them as such.
In both cases, it is obvious that these idols that they have made by their imagination are worthless, thereby rendering the worshippers just as worthless (2:5). Therefore, Jeremiah urges us not to fear them, because "they can do no harm nor can they do any good” (10:5)
Of course, this is absolutely true, except that these idols can be used by the evil spirits to deceive the people, as if they themselves carry some mystical power. Of course, under these circumstances, we are really dealing with the evil spirits, therefore the idols or objects remain nothing more than lifeless objects and we should not fear them.
In confronting the evil spirits themselves, we should not be afraid either, because the Apostle John reminds us, “You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” (1 Jn. 4:4).
「他好像棕樹(NIV譯作稻草人)，是鏇成的，不能說話，不能行走，必須有人抬著。你們不要怕他；他不能降禍，也無力降福。」(耶10:5)
相信沒有人會不承認偶像是人手所造的，但至今卻仍有很多人敬拜偶像，不但到廟宇中，更有在自己家中鑄偶像來敬拜的。在這時代仍是這樣真是叫人大惑不解的。這種現象不是限於異教的社會中，甚至不少的天主教徒也繼續向馬利亞或其他聖人像—全都是人手所造的—敬拜。
耶利米就指出這些偶像的敬拜是與人「為天象驚惶」有關的(10:2) 。天象是指閃電、雷轟、洪水和地震等。這些自然現象的威力震撼人心，使人不得不謙卑下來，相信世上有比人更大的力量；也因這些天象所帶來的毀滅，使一些人把它們當為神靈的去看待，求止息它們的忿怒。他們既然不曉得這些神靈是誰，就窮他們的想象力來塑造出各種配合這些自然現象威力的樣式，製造偶像來敬拜、供奉。
照樣地，有人也憑自己的想像力，造出與他們以為與馬利亞和其他聖人的性格相似的聖像來敬拜。同樣地，它們都是偶像，是憑人的想像力造出來的虛無的偶像；因此聖經說：他們“隨從虛無的神，自己成了虛妄的呢！” (2:5) 故此，耶利米告訴我們，“不要怕他，他不能降禍、也無力降福”(10:5) 。
他當然說得對；但是我們知道邪靈確是可以藉著偶像來迷惑人，叫人以為這些像的本身擁有什麼的神力。其實，在這些情況下，我們面對的乃是邪靈的本身；偶像仍是沒有生命的死物，我們絕不用怕它。至於邪靈，信主的人也不用怕，因為聖經說得很清楚：“小子們哪，你們是屬神的，並且勝了他們；因為那在你們裡面的，比那在世界上的更大。” (約壹4:4)
The Coming Destruction: The comparison of idols to the Lord only serves to condemn the worthlessness of God’s people, leaving them with the certainty of judgment:
(1) Judgment in the form of exile (vv. 17-18)
a. What does it mean for the people of God to leave the Promised Land?
b. What does the use of the words “to hurl out” signify?
(2) Jeremiah’s identification with his people (vv. 19-22)
a. What does the incurable wound or injury refer to?
b. Why does he say, “I must endure it”? Is there really any alternative?
c. What kind of desolation is depicted by both v. 20 and v. 22?
(3) The shepherds refer to the leaders of the people (vv. 21)
a. While the people are of course guilty of their sins, why does the Lord single out the leaders?
b. What are the sins of the leaders mentioned in v. 21?
(4) Jeremiah’s prayer in identification with his people (vv. 23-25)
a. Is v. 23 a confession of sin or words of submission? Why?
b. Why does he ask the Lord to discipline him (i.e. the people)?
c. What does he pray, concerning the nations of which he has prophesied, as the tool of judgment of God’s people? Why?
(5) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
將臨的審判：神與偶像的比較使百姓面對審判時無言以對
(1) 被擄的審判(10:17-18)
a. 要離開應許地對神的百姓是什麼審判？
b. 好像「用機弦甩出去」是什麼意思？
(2) 先知與民身同感受(10:19-22)
a. 這創傷有多嚴重？
b. 先知為何說：“必須忍受” ？有其他選擇嗎？
c. 第20和22節所形容的災情是怎樣厲害？
(3) 牧人是指他們的領袖：(10:21)
a. 為何特別要責備作領袖的？
b. 他們的罪在乎什麼？
(4) 先知與民身同感受的禱告（10:23-25）
a. 你認為第23節是認罪還是順服之言？
b. 先知為何不求神不懲治，只求從寬？
c. 至於神用來作審判工具的列國，先知怎樣向神求？為什麼？
(5) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中？
“LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps.”(Jer. 10:23)
As Jeremiah makes a powerful contrast between God and idols, he fittingly inserts a line in Aramaic (or Chaldee), which I believe is directed to the nations, that “These gods who did not make the heavens and the earth will perish from the earth and from under the heavens” (10:11). As a result, both the nations who brought these gods upon Israel, and Israel itself should be subjected to the judgment of God, hence his prayer (10:23-25) which brings this series of messages from chapters 7-10 to a close.
This prayer which Jeremiah makes in his identification with his people is two fold:
(1) He submits that they deserve God’s discipline, but he prays for mercy just as the prophet Habakkuk also does (referring to the same destruction awaiting Judah): “in wrath remember mercy” (Hab. 3:2).
(2) He asks God also to judge the nations which God uses to judge Jacob, because they too neither acknowledge Him nor call upon His name and they mercilessly devour Jacob completely (10:25).
Interestingly, this prayer is preceded by these words, “LORD, I know that people’s lives are not their own; it is not for them to direct their steps” (10:23), acknowledging that God ultimately has total say in the lives of men. For generations, Israel thought they could rebel against God and control their own destiny. The truth of the matter is, “it is not within man’s power to arrange the course of his life, nor in the power of the man who walks to fix his step” (K&D, 129). The only course of action for man is to plead for mercy from God which is exactly what Jeremiah is doing!
「耶和華啊，我曉得人的道路不由自己，行路的人也不能定自己的腳步。」(耶10:23)
當耶利米不斷的把虛無的偶像與創天造地的耶和華相比時，他用亞蘭文(當時加勒底人的語言)，相信是給列邦聽的，說：“你們要對他們如此說：不是那創造天地的神，必從地上從天下被除滅！”(10:11) 因此，不論是以色列，或是把這些偶像帶入以色列的列國，也要受到神的審判。先知就以禱告作回應(10:23-25) ，把第7-10章的預言和責備帶到一個段落。
先知這禱告不是以自己為中心，乃是在禱告中與他的百姓認同：
- 一方面對神的管教表示順服，但同時像先知哈巴谷一樣，在接受神的審判時、卻神求憐憫：“耶和華阿，求祢……在發怒時，以憐憫為念”( 哈3:2) ；
- 另一方面，他也求神審判祂用來作審判以色列工具的列邦，因為他們同樣不認識神，也不求告祂的名，更是沒有憐憫的「滅絕(雅各) 的住處，變為荒場。」(10:25)
不過這禱告開始時，耶利米是這樣說：“耶和華啊，我曉得人的道路不由自己，行路的人也不能定自己的腳步”(10:23) ；意思是承認神在人生命中是有絕對的主權的。歷代以來，以色列以為他們能操縱他們的命運，公然的背叛神。耶利米這句話就指出：「人是不能自定前程，也不由他踏出自定的腳步。」(K&D, 129) 人能作的是向全能者求憐憫；這正是耶利米藉這禱告所作的。
Chapters 11-13 are basically a collection of sayings concerning the covenantal obligations of Israel:
11:1-8—God’s Covenant with Their Ancestors
(1) What is the emphasis here concerning this covenantal relationship?
(2) Has God honored His part of the covenant?
(3) Did their ancestors honor their part of the covenant?
(4) What has been the result (especially in light of what had already happened to the northern kingdom)?
(5) In Deuteronomy 28, the Lord sums up the blessings of obedience and the curses of disobedience: Why does the Lord choose to recount these with the people of Judah at this time?
11:9-14—Their Response Today
(6) Have they learned a lesson from the destruction of Israel? (v. 10)
(7) In pointing out their sins of returning to the sins of their ancestors, why does the Lord use “conspiracy” to describe the actions of the people of Judah? (v. 9)
(8) It appears that the Lord hates their sin of idol worship the most (vv. 11-13)
a. When disaster strikes, what will the people do?
b. Why is there no help either from the Lord or from their idols?
c. How widespread is their idol worship?
(9) Why does the Lord ask Jeremiah not to intercede for the people? (v. 14)
11:15-17—God’s Lament
(10) As much as God is very angry with His people, what does He still call them in v. 15?
a. What are their wicked deeds? Where do they do them?
b. Given who they are to God, how wicked are their deeds?
(11) What does the Lord call them in v. 16?
a. What was God’s desire for them?
b. Why does God desire now to burn what He has planted?
(12) Israel and Judah are God’s
covenant people, His beloved and His beautiful olive tree.
a. How privileged are Israel and Judah compared to the rest of the world?
b. What would you do, if you were the Lord?
c. Do you remember what the Lord planned to do with them? (see Lk. 20:13)
(13) What is the main message to you today and how may you apply it to your life?
請慢慢細心讀每天指定的經文至少兩遍，然後反復思考問題。
第十一至十三章似是以一系列的信息組合而成的：
11:1-8—神與列祖所立的約
(1) 重述這約時，神所申明的重點包括什麼？(11:1-6)
(2) 神有否守祂的約？
(3) 列祖有否守約？
(4) 帶來了什麼後果？
(5) 神已在申命記第28章詳述守約之福，和不守約之咒詛，在這時候向猶大重述的原因何在？(註：北國已滅亡)
11:9-14—他們現今的景況
(6) 他們有否從以色列的滅亡學到功課？(11:10)
(7) 在論到他們效法列祖時，為何神用「同謀」來形容他們？(11:9)
(8) 看來神最憎恨的是他們拜偶像(11:11-13)
a. 當災禍臨到時，神說他們會怎樣作？
b. 能從神或偶像得幫助嗎？為什麼？
c. 他們拜偶像到了什麼程度？(11:13)
(9) 為何神要求先知不要為他們代求？(11:14)
11:15-17—神的哀歌
(10) 神雖然生怒，祂在第15節仍稱百姓為什麼？
a. 百姓在那裡、行什麼惡？(11:15)
b. 這樣的惡行有多可惡?
(11) 祂在第16節又稱他們為什麼？
a. 神曾對他們存什麼盼望？
b. 現在為何卻要折斷、焚燒？
(12) 既是神所親愛的、又是神栽種的橄欖樹：
a. 以色列國與列國相比，有多尊貴？
b. 如果你是神，你會怎樣處置以色列？
c. 結果神是否就此放棄他們？(參路20:13)
(13) 今日你得到的主要提醒是什麼？你會怎樣應用在你的生命中?
“What is my beloved doing in my temple...?” (Jer. 11:15)
As we read the rebukes and prophecies of judgment pronounced by the Lord through Jeremiah and from subsequent history, we know that the destruction of Judah and Jerusalem was unavoidable, given their stubbornness to “return to the sins of their ancestors” the most detestable of which was their serving of other gods. The anger of the Lord was fully revealed as He told Jeremiah not to intercede for the people (11:14), signifying that Judah and Jerusalem have passed the point of “no return”.
It is at this moment that the Lord bares His soul — His intense love for these rebellious people whom He has chosen as His people of the Covenant, having “brought them out of Egypt, out of the iron-smelting furnace” into “a land flowing with milk and honey” (11:4-5), and calls them “my beloved” (11:15).
By calling them His “beloved”, it obviously serves to reveal the horror of their betrayal of their God, but it also signals God’s undying love for them. As much as they would face severe judgment, God will not completely destroy them, as He has promised earlier (4:27; 5:10, 18). In fact, we know that He would not give up on them and would send His only Son, Jesus Christ to offer them the ultimate chance of repentance, thinking, “I will send my son, whom I love; perhaps they will respect him” (Lk. 20:13).
Indeed, God’s love is amazing! Our God is amazing!
「我所親愛的……你在我殿中做甚麼呢？」(耶11:15)
因著猶大和耶路撒冷的頑梗，定意的「效法他們的先祖」犯罪作孽，更「隨從別神事奉他」(11:10) ，我們知道耶利米所預言的審判是逃避不了的，猶大和耶路撒冷的毀滅是必然發生的事。我們也讀到神的忿怒已達到頂點，以至祂吩咐先知不要為民禱告(11:14) ，表示百姓犯罪已到「不能回頭」的地步。
就在這時刻，我們竟然看到神把祂對這叛逆的百姓、毀約之民，內心所深藏的愛，表露無遺，仍稱他們為「我所親愛的」(11:15) 。
神這樣稱他們為「親愛的」，一方面顯出他們背棄神的惡行是何等的卑劣，同時也顯出神不離不棄的愛。正如在極嚴厲審判的言詞中，神已多次的宣告，祂是不會全然的滅絕他們(4:27; 5:10, 18) 。是的，就是在這看來完全無望的時刻，神早已定意不會放棄他們，甚至已預備再給他們機會悔改，就是要藉著差祂自己獨生愛子耶穌基督降世，希望他們至終能悔改歸向祂。耶穌就以園戶的比喻，道出神的心聲：“我怎麼辦呢？我要打發我的愛子去，或者他們尊敬他。” (路20:13) 結果怎樣，這是我們知道的！
是的，神的愛是超奇的！