阿摩司書5:18-27

5:18 想望耶和華日子來到的有禍了！你們為何想望耶和華的日子呢？那日黑暗沒有光明，

5:19 景況好像人躲避獅子又遇見熊，或是進房屋以手靠牆，就被蛇咬。

5:20 耶和華的日子不是黑暗沒有光明嗎？不是幽暗毫無光輝嗎？

5:21 我厭惡你們的節期，也不喜悅你們的嚴肅會。

5:22 你們雖然向我獻燔祭和素祭，我卻不悅納，也不顧你們用肥畜獻的平安祭；

5:23 要使你們歌唱的聲音遠離我，因為我不聽你們彈琴的響聲。

5:24 惟願公平如大水滾滾，使公義如江河滔滔。

5:25 「以色列家啊，你們在曠野四十年，豈是將祭物和供物獻給我呢？

5:26 你們抬著為自己所造之摩洛的帳幕和偶像的龕，並你們的神星。

5:27 所以我要把你們擄到大馬士革以外。」這是耶和華、名為萬軍之上帝說的。

18 Woe to you who desire the day of the Lord!

Why would you have the day of the Lord?

 It is darkness, and not light,

19 as if a man fled from a lion,

and a bear met him,

or went into the house and leaned his hand against the wall,

and a serpent bit him.

20 Is not the day of the Lord darkness, and not light,

and gloom with no brightness in it?

21 "I hate, I despise your feasts,

and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies.

22 Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings,

I will not accept them;

and the peace offerings of your fattened animals,

I will not look upon them.

23 Take away from me the noise of your songs;

to the melody of your harps I will not listen.

24 But let justice roll down like waters,

and righteousness like an ever- flowing stream.

25 "Did you bring to me sacrifices and offerings during the forty years in the wilderness, O house of Israel? 26 You shall take up Sikkuth your king, and Kiyyun your star- god—your images that you made for yourselves, 27 and I will send you into exile beyond Damascus," says the Lord, whose name is the God of hosts.

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    上帝對以色列人的要求就是「惟願公平如大水滾滾，使公義如江河滔滔」。也因此，光有宗教的外表，沒有敬虔的實際，這樣的信仰不是上帝所喜悅，這也是先知要警告以色列人的。

    這也讓我們看見一個重要的真理：要有公平與公義，才有真正的平安！因為人與人之間有虧欠，人與上帝之間有虧欠，就沒有真正的平安，沒有平安就充滿憤怒，就永遠沒有安息。這是因為罪進入人的生命，所造成的結果。

    而耶穌基督來的目的就是為「人與人之間有虧欠，人與上帝之間有虧欠」，來補足，使人可以脫離罪惡，享受上帝同在，並領受兒女地位與實際的生命，這就是永生！