阿摩司書4:6-13

4:6 我使你們在一切城中牙齒乾淨，在你們各處糧食缺乏，你們仍不歸向我。這是耶和華說的。

4:7 在收割的前三月，我使雨停止，不降在你們那裡；我降雨在這城，不降雨在那城；這塊地有雨，那塊地無雨；無雨的就枯乾了。

4:8 這樣，兩三城的人湊到一城去找水，卻喝不足；你們仍不歸向我。這是耶和華說的。

4:9 我以旱風、霉爛攻擊你們，你們園中許多菜蔬、葡萄樹、無花果樹、橄欖樹都被剪蟲所吃；你們仍不歸向我。這是耶和華說的。

4:10 我降瘟疫在你們中間，像在埃及一樣；用刀殺戮你們的少年人，使你們的馬匹被擄掠，營中屍首的臭氣撲鼻；你們仍不歸向我。這是耶和華說的。

4:11 我傾覆你們中間的城邑，如同我從前傾覆所多瑪、蛾摩拉一樣，使你們好像從火中抽出來的一根柴；你們仍不歸向我。這是耶和華說的。

4:12 以色列啊，我必向你如此行；以色列啊，我既這樣行，你當預備迎見你的上帝。

4:13 那創山、造風、將心意指示人、使晨光變為幽暗、腳踏在地之高處的，他的名是耶和華─萬軍之上帝。

“I gave you cleanness of teeth in all your cities,

and lack of bread in all your places,

yet you did not return to me,”

declares the Lord.

  “I also withheld the rain from you

when there were yet three months to the harvest;

I would send rain on one city,

and send no rain on another city;

one field would have rain,

and the field on which it did not rain would wither;

  so two or three cities would wander to another city

to drink water, and would not be satisfied;

yet you did not return to me,”

declares the Lord.

  “I struck you with blight and mildew;

your many gardens and your vineyards,

your fig trees and your olive trees the locust devoured;

yet you did not return to me,”

declares the Lord.

  “I sent among you a pestilence after the manner of Egypt;

I killed your young men with the sword,

and carried away your horses,

and I made the stench of your camp go up into your nostrils;

yet you did not return to me,”

declares the Lord.

  “I overthrew some of you,

as when God overthrew Sodom and Gomorrah,

and you were as a brand plucked out of the burning;

yet you did not return to me,”

declares the Lord.

  “Therefore thus I will do to you, O Israel;

because I will do this to you,

prepare to meet your God, O Israel!”

  For behold, he who forms the mountains and creates the wind,

and declares to man what is his thought,

who makes the morning darkness,

and treads on the heights of the earth—

the Lord, the God of hosts, is his name!

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    以色列雖然一直心硬不肯悔改，但是上帝並沒有放棄以色列人，仍然希望他們悔改，離開罪惡歸向上帝，所以上帝稱他們為「火中抽出來的一根柴」，雖經過如地獄一般的火之考驗，上帝也會拯救他們！

    其實，我們的命運也是如此，上帝將我們從地獄之火中拯救出來，原本我們是要受地獄之刑，若不是耶穌基督代死的拯救，我們就無法脫離死亡進入永生，所以我們屬基督的人也是「火中抽出來的一根柴」！

    感謝上帝如此的拯救，使我們出死入生！