耶利米書22: 10-19

22:10 不要為死人哭號；不要為他悲傷，卻要為離家出外的人大大哭號；因為他不得再回來，也不得再見他的本國。

22:11 因為耶和華論到從這地方出去的猶大王約西亞的兒子沙龍（在列王下二十三章三十節名約哈斯），就是接續他父親約西亞作王的，這樣說：「他必不得再回到這裡來，

22:12 卻要死在被擄去的地方，必不得再見這地。」

22:13 那行不義蓋房、行不公造樓、白白使用人的手工不給工價的有禍了！

22:14 他說：我要為自己蓋廣大的房、寬敞的樓，為自己開窗戶。這樓房的護牆板是香柏木的，樓房是丹色油漆的。

22:15 難道你作王是在乎造香柏木樓房爭勝嗎？你的父親豈不是也吃也喝、也施行公平和公義嗎？那時他得了福樂。

22:16 他為困苦和窮乏人伸冤，那時就得了福樂。認識我不在乎此嗎？這是耶和華說的。

22:17 惟有你的眼和你的心專顧貪婪，流無辜人的血，行欺壓和強暴。

22:18 所以，耶和華論到猶大王約西亞的兒子約雅敬如此說：人必不為他舉哀說：哀哉！我的哥哥；或說：哀哉！我的姊姊；也不為他舉哀說：哀哉！我的主；或說：哀哉！我主的榮華。

22:19 他被埋葬，好像埋驢一樣，要拉出去扔在耶路撒冷的城門之外。

Weep not for him who is dead,

nor grieve for him,

but weep bitterly for him who goes away,

for he shall return no more

to see his native land.

For thus says the Lord concerning Shallum the son of Josiah, king of Judah, who reigned instead of Josiah his father, and who went away from this place: “He shall return here no more,  but in the place where they have carried him captive, there shall he die, and he shall never see this land again.”

  “Woe to him who builds his house by unrighteousness,

and his upper rooms by injustice,

who makes his neighbor serve him for nothing

and does not give him his wages,

  who says, ‘I will build myself a great house

with spacious upper rooms,’

who cuts out windows for it,

paneling it with cedar

and painting it with vermilion.

  Do you think you are a king

because you compete in cedar?

Did not your father eat and drink

and do justice and righteousness?

Then it was well with him.

  He judged the cause of the poor and needy;

then it was well.

Is not this to know me?

declares the Lord.

  But you have eyes and heart

only for your dishonest gain,

for shedding innocent blood,

and for practicing oppression and violence.”

Therefore thus says the Lord concerning Jehoiakim the son of Josiah, king of Judah:      

“They shall not lament for him, saying,

Ah, my brother!’ or ‘Ah, sister!’

They shall not lament for him, saying,

Ah, lord!’ or ‘Ah, his majesty!’

  With the burial of a donkey he shall be buried,

dragged and dumped beyond the gates of Jerusalem.”

************

    上帝透過耶利米先知來指責以色列的國王沒有遵行上帝的旨意而行，因為上帝設立國王的目的是要行公義好憐憫，以此為樂！正如先知在這裡所說：「難道你作王是在乎造香柏木樓房爭勝嗎？你的父親豈不是也吃也喝、也施行公平和公義嗎？那時他得了福樂。他為困苦和窮乏人伸冤，那時就得了福樂。認識我不在乎此嗎？」

    然而現在的王，卻是「行不義蓋房、行不公造樓、白白使用人的手工不給工價」！先知宣告這樣的王：「有禍了」！這樣的王只顧自己的享受，不管百姓的死活。所以先知說，這樣的王「不得再回到這裡來，卻要死在被擄去的地方，必不得再見這地。」

    同樣，今日的教會中有公義嗎？有沒有使弟兄姊妹得著造就、得著牧養、得著保護呢？若沒有，治理教會的人要悔改，回到上帝的面前，好好靠基督的能力來牧養教會，而不是在教會中稱權奪利，想得好名聲。不然，上帝是會追討的！