耶利米書37:1-10

37:1 約西亞的兒子西底家代替約雅敬的兒子哥尼雅為王，是巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒立在猶大地作王的。
37:2 但西底家和他的臣僕，並國中的百姓，都不聽從耶和華藉先知耶利米所說的話。
37:3 西底家王打發示利米雅的兒子猶甲和祭司瑪西雅的兒子西番雅去見先知耶利米，說：「求你為我們禱告耶和華─我們的上帝。」
37:4 那時耶利米在民中出入，因為他們還沒有把他囚在監裡。
37:5 法老的軍隊已經從埃及出來，那圍困耶路撒冷的迦勒底人聽見他們的風聲，就拔營離開耶路撒冷去了。
37:6 耶和華的話臨到先知耶利米說：
37:7 「耶和華─以色列的上帝如此說：猶大王打發你們來求問我，你們要如此對他說：『那出來幫助你們法老的軍隊必回埃及本國去。
37:8 迦勒底人必再來攻打這城，並要攻取，用火焚燒。
37:9 耶和華如此說：你們不要自欺說「迦勒底人必定離開我們」，因為他們必不離開。
37:10 你們即便殺敗了與你們爭戰的迦勒底全軍，但剩下受傷的人也必各人從帳棚裡起來，用火焚燒這城。』」

Zedekiah son of Josiah, whom King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon made king in the land of Judah, succeeded Coniah son of Jehoiakim. ²But neither he nor his servants nor the people of the land listened to the words of the Lord that he spoke through the prophet Jeremiah.

³ King Zedekiah sent Jehucal son of Shelemiah and the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah to the prophet Jeremiah saying, “Please pray for us to the Lord our God.” ⁴Now Jeremiah was still going in and out among the people, for he had not yet been put in prison. ⁵Meanwhile, the army of Pharaoh had come out of Egypt; and when the Chaldeans who were besieging Jerusalem heard news of them, they withdrew from Jerusalem.

⁶ Then the word of the Lord came to the prophet Jeremiah: ⁷Thus says the Lord, God of Israel: This is what the two of you shall say to the king of Judah, who sent you to me to inquire of me: Pharaoh’s army, which set out to help you, is going to return to its own land, to Egypt. ⁸And the Chaldeans shall return and fight against this city; they shall take it and burn it with fire. ⁹Thus says the Lord: Do not deceive yourselves, saying, “The Chaldeans will surely go away from us,” for they will not go away. ¹⁰Even if you defeated the whole army of Chaldeans who are fighting against you, and there remained of them only wounded men in their tents, they would rise up and burn this city with fire.

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    雖然埃及出手幫助猶大，使他們面對巴比倫不再害怕。但是上帝還是執意要讓巴比倫來滅猶大。

    有許多時候，人會使用策略來做事，使人感受到不必倚靠上帝也會有所成就！其實這是違背信仰的精神，不是上帝所喜悅的！

    人要放下自己的一切企圖與策略，順服上帝的引導才是正路，尤其是教會的事工和服事，更是如此！