西番雅書3:1-5

3:1 這悖逆、污穢、欺壓的城有禍了！

3:2 她不聽從命令，不領受訓誨，不倚靠耶和華，不親近她的上帝。

3:3 她中間的首領是咆哮的獅子；她的審判官是晚上的豺狼，一點食物也不留到早晨。

3:4 她的先知是虛浮詭詐的人；她的祭司褻瀆聖所，強解律法。

3:5 耶和華在她中間是公義的，斷不做非義的事，每早晨顯明他的公義，無日不然；只是不義的人不知羞恥。

Woe to her who is rebellious and defiled,

the oppressing city!

  She listens to no voice;

she accepts no correction.

She does not trust in the Lord;

she does not draw near to her God.

  Her officials within her

are roaring lions;

her judges are evening wolves

that leave nothing till the morning.

  Her prophets are fickle, treacherous men;

her priests profane what is holy;

they do violence to the law.

  The Lord within her is righteous;

he does no injustice;

every morning he shows forth his justice;

each dawn he does not fail;

but the unjust knows no shame.

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    西番雅書讀起來十分沉重，是因為他一直述說著人的惡！然而人被罪性的影響的情形，真的是如此！也因此，我們在上帝面前一定要承認自己的罪，才有被拯救的機會！才會體會到：耶穌的拯救是必要的！

西番雅書2:12-15

2:12 古實人哪，你們必被我的刀所殺。

2:13 耶和華必伸手攻擊北方，毀滅亞述，使尼尼微荒涼，又乾旱如曠野。

2:14 群畜，就是各國（國：或譯類）的走獸必臥在其中；鵜鶘和箭豬要宿在柱頂上。在窗戶內有鳴叫的聲音；門檻都必毀壞，香柏木已經露出。

2:15 這是素來歡樂安然居住的城，心裡說：惟有我，除我以外再沒有別的；現在何竟荒涼成為野獸躺臥之處！凡經過的人都必搖手嗤笑她。

You also, O Cushites,

shall be slain by my sword.

  And he will stretch out his hand against the north

and destroy Assyria,

and he will make Nineveh a desolation,

a dry waste like the desert.

  Herds shall lie down in her midst,

all kinds of beasts;

even the owl and the hedgehog

shall lodge in her capitals;

a voice shall hoot in the window;

devastation will be on the threshold;

for her cedar work will be laid bare.

  This is the exultant city

that lived securely,

that said in her heart,

“I am, and there is no one else.”

What a desolation she has become,

a lair for wild beasts!

Everyone who passes by her

hisses and shakes his fist.

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    外邦人因為不顧惜以色列人，上帝也不顧惜他們，要他們受到審判！

西番雅書2:8-11

2:8 我聽見摩押人的毀謗和亞捫人的辱罵，就是毀謗我的百姓，自誇自大，侵犯他們的境界。

2:9 萬軍之耶和華─以色列的上帝說：我指著我的永生起誓：摩押必像所多瑪，亞捫人必像蛾摩拉，都變為刺草、鹽坑、永遠荒廢之地。我百姓所剩下的必擄掠他們；我國中所餘剩的必得著他們的地。

2:10 這事臨到他們是因他們驕傲，自誇自大，毀謗萬軍之耶和華的百姓。

2:11 耶和華必向他們顯可畏之威，因他必叫世上的諸神瘦弱。列國海島的居民各在自己的地方敬拜他。

“I have heard the taunts of Moab

and the revilings of the Ammonites,

how they have taunted my people

and made boasts against their territory.

  Therefore, as I live,” declares the Lord of hosts,

the God of Israel,

“Moab shall become like Sodom,

and the Ammonites like Gomorrah,

a land possessed by nettles and salt pits,

and a waste forever.

The remnant of my people shall plunder them,

and the survivors of my nation shall possess them.”

  This shall be their lot in return for their pride,

because they taunted and boasted

against the people of the Lord of hosts.

  The Lord will be awesome against them;

for he will famish all the gods of the earth,

and to him shall bow down,

each in its place,

all the lands of the nations.

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    摩押人和亞捫人對於上帝的子民不好，所以將要受到上帝的審判和攻擊！可見上帝是不容許他的子民被毀謗的。也因此，教會的弟兄姊妹不可以互相毀謗對方，以免遭上帝之憤怒！

西番雅書2:5-7

2:5 住沿海之地的基利提族有禍了！迦南、非利士人之地啊，耶和華的話與你反對，說：我必毀滅你，以致無人居住。

2:6 沿海之地要變為草場，其上有牧人的住處和羊群的圈。

2:7 這地必為猶大家剩下的人所得；他們必在那裡牧放群羊，晚上必躺臥在亞實基倫的房屋中；因為耶和華─他們的上帝必眷顧他們，使他們被擄的人歸回。

Woe to you inhabitants of the seacoast,

you nation of the Cherethites!

 The word of the Lord is against you,

 O Canaan, land of the Philistines;

and I will destroy you until no inhabitant is left.

And you, O seacoast, shall be pastures,

with meadows for shepherds

and folds for flocks.

The seacoast shall become the possession

of the remnant of the house of Judah,

 on which they shall graze,

and in the houses of Ashkelon

they shall lie down at evening.

For the Lord their God will be mindful of them

and restore their fortunes.

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    西番雅先知在此也預言被擄的猶大人將要歸回，這也讓我們藉由此感受上帝的救贖，祂必不永遠丟棄祂的子民，祂要他們悔改歸回祂面前！

    我們也要靠耶穌基督，回到上帝面前，這是祂永遠的拯救，也是唯一的拯救！

西番雅書2:1-4

2:1 不知羞恥的國民哪，你們應當聚集！趁命令沒有發出，日子過去如風前的糠，耶和華的烈怒未臨到你們，他發怒的日子未到以先，你們應當聚集前來。

2:2 【併於上節】

2:3 世上遵守耶和華典章的謙卑人哪，你們都當尋求耶和華！當尋求公義謙卑，或者在耶和華發怒的日子可以隱藏起來。

2:4 迦薩必致見棄；亞實基倫必然荒涼。人在正午必趕出亞實突的民；以革倫也被拔出根來。

Gather together, yes, gather,

O shameless nation,

 before the decree takes effect

—before the day passes away like chaff—

 before there comes upon you

the burning anger of the Lord,

before there comes upon you

the day of the anger of the Lord.

 Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land,

who do his just commands;

 seek righteousness; seek humility;

 perhaps you may be hidden

on the day of the anger of the Lord.

 For Gaza shall be deserted,

and Ashkelon shall become a desolation;

Ashdod's people shall be driven out at noon,

and Ekron shall be uprooted.

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    面對將來的審判，謙卑地在主面前悔改認罪是必要的，也因為如此，上帝會赦免我們，好使我們站立得住！