約珥書2:3-11

2:3 牠們前面如火燒滅，後面如火焰燒盡。未到以前，地如伊甸園；過去以後，成了荒涼的曠野；沒有一樣能躲避牠們的。

2:4 牠們的形狀如馬，奔跑如馬兵。

2:5 在山頂蹦跳的響聲如車輛的響聲，又如火焰燒碎秸的響聲，好像強盛的民擺陣預備打仗。

2:6 牠們一來，眾民傷慟，臉都變色。

2:7 牠們如勇士奔跑，像戰士爬城；各都步行，不亂隊伍。

2:8 彼此並不擁擠，向前各行其路，直闖兵器，不偏左右。

2:9 牠們蹦上城，躥上牆，爬上房屋，進入窗戶如同盜賊。

2:10 牠們一來，地震天動，日月昏暗，星宿無光。

2:11 耶和華在他軍旅前發聲，他的隊伍甚大；成就他命的是強盛者。因為耶和華的日子大而可畏，誰能當得起呢？

3 Fire devours before them,

and behind them a flame burns.

The land is like the garden of Eden before them,

but behind them a desolate wilderness,

and nothing escapes them.

4 Their appearance is like the appearance of horses,

and like war horses they run.

5 As with the rumbling of chariots,

they leap on the tops of the mountains,

like the crackling of a flame of fire

devouring the stubble,

 like a powerful army

drawn up for battle.

6 Before them peoples are in anguish;

 all faces grow pale.

7 Like warriors they charge;

like soldiers they scale the wall.

They march each on his way;

they do not swerve from their paths.

8 They do not jostle one another;

 each marches in his path;

they burst through the weapons

and are not halted.

9 They leap upon the city,

they run upon the walls,

 they climb up into the houses,

 they enter through the windows like a thief.

10 The earth quakes before them;

the heavens tremble.

 The sun and the moon are darkened,

and the stars withdraw their shining.

11 The Lord utters his voice

before his army,

for his camp is exceedingly great;

 he who executes his word is powerful.

 For the day of the Lord is great and very awesome;

 who can endure it?

***********

    上帝不僅是賜恩典，祂也是降災禍的上帝！祂不是為人設立之「有求必應者」；反倒是人要順服上帝的規則與旨意來生活，因為祂是創造主！正如先知宣告：「耶和華在他軍旅前發聲，他的隊伍甚大；成就他命的是強盛者。因為耶和華的日子大而可畏，誰能當得起呢？」

    今日上帝已經設立拯救的恩典，我們豈能捨棄祂的預備，用自以為是的方法呢？我們豈不應該將自己交託給拯救的主呢？因為上帝是憐憫人的上帝，祂不忍心人受審判，裕如猶大書21節說：「保守自己常在上帝的愛中，仰望我們主耶穌基督的憐憫，直到永生。」

    讓我們靠上帝的憐憫，藉由耶穌基督的救恩勝過審判的懲罰，也讓我們感念耶穌基督的恩典，求聖靈賜下能力，使我們活出聖潔的生命！