約珥書2:17-20

2:17 事奉耶和華的祭司要在廊子和祭壇中間哭泣，說：耶和華啊，求你顧惜你的百姓，不要使你的產業受羞辱，列邦管轄他們。為何容列國的人說：「他們的上帝在哪裡」呢？

2:18 耶和華就為自己的地發熱心，憐恤他的百姓。

2:19 耶和華應允他的百姓說：我必賜給你們五穀、新酒，和油，使你們飽足；我也不再使你們受列國的羞辱；

2:20 卻要使北方來的軍隊遠離你們，將他們趕到乾旱荒廢之地：前隊趕入東海，後隊趕入西海；因為他們所行的大惡（原文是事），臭氣上升，腥味騰空。

17 Between the vestibule and the altar

 let the priests, the ministers of the Lord, weep

and say, "Spare your people, O Lord,

and make not your heritage a reproach,

a byword among the nations.

 Why should they say among the peoples,

'Where is their God? '"

18 Then the Lord became jealous for his land

 and had pity on his people.

19 The Lord answered and said to his people,

"Behold, I am sending to you

grain, wine, and oil,

 and you will be satisfied;

and I will no more make you

a reproach among the nations.

20 "I will remove the northerner far from you,

and drive him into a parched and desolate land,

his vanguard into the eastern sea,

and his rear guard into the western sea;

 the stench and foul smell of him will rise,

for he has done great things.

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    先知在這裡說明了上帝的審判之後，仍然有憐憫，因為上帝這次的審判是管教的性質。若是願意悔改，上帝仍然要賜福祂的百姓，仍然要保守他們直到永遠，因為上帝沒有忘記祂與亞伯拉罕、以撒和雅各的約。

    這也告訴我們，上帝的賜福安定在天，祂的信實是何等廣大，祂不會撇棄祂的子民，必保守到底！

    同樣上帝在基督裡的應許，更是一定會實現的，是絕對不會落空，祂必保守我們直到永遠，基督所成就的，永不變更，永遠有效力的！