瑪拉基書1:1-5

1:1 耶和華藉瑪拉基傳給以色列的默示。

1:2 耶和華說：「我曾愛你們。」你們卻說：「你在何事上愛我們呢？」耶和華說：「以掃不是雅各的哥哥嗎？我卻愛雅各，

1:3 惡以掃，使他的山嶺荒涼，把他的地業交給曠野的野狗。」

1:4 以東人說：「我們現在雖被毀壞，卻要重建荒廢之處。」萬軍之耶和華如此說：「任他們建造，我必拆毀；人必稱他們的地為『罪惡之境』；稱他們的民為『耶和華永遠惱怒之民』。」

1:5 你們必親眼看見，也必說：「願耶和華在以色列境界之外被尊為大！」

The oracle of the word of the Lord to Israel by Malachi.

“I have loved you,” says the Lord. But you say, “How have you loved us?” “Is not Esau Jacob's brother?” declares the Lord. “Yet I have loved Jacob  but Esau I have hated. I have laid waste his hill country and left his heritage to jackals of the desert.”  If Edom says, “We are shattered but we will rebuild the ruins,” the Lord of hosts says, “They may build, but I will tear down, and they will be called ‘the wicked country,’ and ‘the people with whom the Lord is angry forever.’”  Your own eyes shall see this, and you shall say, “Great is the Lord beyond the border of Israel!”

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    在這裡看見上帝和以色列人的爭辯，在這對話中我們看見：上帝愛以色列人，而以色列人無感又和上帝爭辯。

    然而上帝卻很耐心說明：祂是如何對待以東的，使以東成為荒涼之地，使人恥笑他們是「罪惡之境」，以東人被恥笑為「耶和華永遠惱怒之民」！

    而以色列人被稱為上帝的選民。雖然如此，以色列人竟然不敬畏耶和華！

    我們讀到這記載，我們也要反省，我們是不是受恩，卻不感恩的人？不將榮耀歸給上帝？