以西結書24:1-14

24:1 第九年十月初十日，耶和華的話又臨到我說：

24:2 「人子啊，今日正是巴比倫王就近耶路撒冷的日子，你要將這日記下，

24:3 要向這悖逆之家設比喻說，主耶和華如此說：將鍋放在火上，放好了，就倒水在其中；

24:4 將肉塊，就是一切肥美的肉塊、腿，和肩都聚在其中，拿美好的骨頭把鍋裝滿；

24:5 取羊群中最好的，將柴堆在鍋下，使鍋開滾，好把骨頭煮在其中。

24:6 「主耶和華如此說：禍哉！這流人血的城，就是長鏽的鍋。其中的鏽未曾除掉，須要將肉塊從其中一一取出來，不必為它拈鬮。

24:7 城中所流的血倒在淨光的磐石上，不倒在地上，用土掩蓋。

24:8 這城中所流的血倒在淨光的磐石上，不得掩蓋，乃是出於我，為要發忿怒施行報應。

24:9 所以主耶和華如此說：禍哉！這流人血的城，我也必大堆火柴，

24:10 添上木柴，使火著旺，將肉煮爛，把湯熬濃，使骨頭烤焦；

24:11 把鍋倒空坐在炭火上，使鍋燒熱，使銅燒紅，鎔化其中的污穢，除淨其上的鏽。

24:12 這鍋勞碌疲乏，所長的大鏽仍未除掉；這鏽就是用火也不能除掉。

24:13 在你污穢中有淫行，我潔淨你，你卻不潔淨。你的污穢再不能潔淨，直等我向你發的忿怒止息。

24:14 我─耶和華說過的必定成就，必照話而行，必不返回，必不顧惜，也不後悔。人必照你的舉動行為審判你。這是主耶和華說的。」

​ In the ninth year, in the tenth month, on the tenth day of the month, the word of the Lord came to me:  “Son of man, write down the name of this day, this very day. The king of Babylon has laid siege to Jerusalem this very day.  And utter a parable to the rebellious house and say to them, Thus says the Lord God:      

“Set on the pot, set it on;

pour in water also;

  put in it the pieces of meat,

all the good pieces, the thigh and the shoulder;

fill it with choice bones.

  Take the choicest one of the flock;

pile the logs under it;

boil it well;

seethe also its bones in it.

  “Therefore thus says the Lord God: Woe to the bloody city, to the pot whose corrosion is in it, and whose corrosion has not gone out of it! Take out of it piece after piece, without making any choice.  For the blood she has shed is in her midst; she put it on the bare rock; she did not pour it out on the ground to cover it with dust. To rouse my wrath, to take vengeance, I have set on the bare rock the blood she has shed, that it may not be covered.  Therefore thus says the Lord God: Woe to the bloody city! I also will make the pile great.  Heap on the logs, kindle the fire, boil the meat well, mix in the spices, and let the bones be burned up.  Then set it empty upon the coals, that it may become hot, and its copper may burn, that its uncleanness may be melted in it, its corrosion consumed.  She has wearied herself with toil; its abundant corrosion does not go out of it. Into the fire with its corrosion!  On account of your unclean lewdness, because I would have cleansed you and you were not cleansed from your uncleanness, you shall not be cleansed anymore till I have satisfied my fury upon you.  I am the Lord. I have spoken; it shall come to pass; I will do it. I will not go back; I will not spare; I will not relent; according to your ways and your deeds you will be judged, declares

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    「第九年十月初十日」，正是巴比倫軍隊開始圍困耶路撒冷的日子。換算為陽曆是西元前588年1月15日。後來以色列人也在十月禁食哀悼耶路撒冷被毀。由於耶路撒冷用「鍋子」來比喻，鍋中如果裝血，不管裡面的食物再高貴，都是不潔淨不可吃的。所以不必抽籤，全部的食物都必須倒出來。

7節的「城中所流的血」動詞是完成式，指的是過去耶路撒冷殺人流的血。8節的「城中所流的血」指的似乎是因為巴比倫攻打而流出的血。如果此處還是指耶路撒冷殺害的人之血，那就是上帝要顯露這些血，以便要公開報應耶路撒冷的不義。先知指出那個鍋繡就是「淫亂」，指着宗教上與宗教帶來的實際淫亂。上帝要潔淨猶大國，猶大卻還是不願意悔改，以致必須滅國。在14節重申上帝的公義，上帝雖然憤怒、傷心，但還是會照猶大應得的審判懲罰之。

也因此，上帝要以色列人再次確認上帝必定審判他們的惡行；以色列如此，也更凸顯我們需要上帝的拯救，故此我們特別需要上帝在基督的救恩，使我們透過耶穌基督，蒙上帝的悅納！

以西結書23:43-49

23:43 「我論這行淫衰老的婦人說：現在人還要與她行淫，她也要與人行淫。

23:44 人與阿荷拉，並阿荷利巴二淫婦茍合，好像與妓女苟合。

23:45 必有義人，照審判淫婦和流人血的婦人之例，審判她們；因為她們是淫婦，手中有殺人的血。」

23:46 主耶和華如此說：「我必使多人來攻擊她們，使她們拋來拋去，被人搶奪。

23:47 這些人必用石頭打死她們，用刀劍殺害她們，又殺戮她們的兒女，用火焚燒她們的房屋。

23:48 這樣，我必使淫行從境內止息，好叫一切婦人都受警戒，不效法你們的淫行。

23:49 人必照著你們的淫行報應你們；你們要擔當拜偶像的罪，就知道我是主耶和華。」

“Then I said of her who was worn out by adultery, ‘Now they will continue to use her for a whore, even her!’  For they have gone in to her, as men go in to a prostitute. Thus they went in to Oholah and to Oholibah, lewd women!  But righteous men shall pass judgment on them with the sentence of adulteresses, and with the sentence of women who shed blood, because they are adulteresses, and blood is on their hands.”

  For thus says the Lord God: “Bring up a vast host against them, and make them an object of terror and a plunder.  And the host shall stone them and cut them down with their swords. They shall kill their sons and their daughters, and burn up their houses.  Thus will I put an end to lewdness in the land, that all women may take warning and not commit lewdness as you have done.  And they shall return your lewdness upon you, and you shall bear the penalty for your sinful idolatry, and you shall know that I am the Lord God.”

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    上帝要讓外國來懲罰毀滅猶大與以色列國，作為其他國家的警戒。這個懲罰雖然嚴厲，不過也只是照着這兩個國家的行為報應罷了。

    這也告訴我們信靠耶穌基督的人，要全心全意來愛上帝，不可以愛上帝又愛世界，若我們愛世界，就會失去愛上帝的心，最後必在上帝的審判台前站立不住，受到上帝永遠的審判！

    為何會如此呢？因為我們蒙受了上帝莫大的恩典，我們豈可辜負他對我們的愛呢？豈可繼續貪戀眼前的而放棄永恆的恩典呢！

以西結書23:36-42

23:36 耶和華又對我說：「人子啊，你要審問阿荷拉與阿荷利巴嗎？當指出她們所行可憎的事。

23:37 她們行淫，手中有殺人的血，又與偶像行淫，並使她們為我所生的兒女經火燒給偶像。

23:38 此外，她們還有向我所行的，就是同日玷污我的聖所，干犯我的安息日。

23:39 她們殺了兒女獻與偶像，當天又入我的聖所，將聖所褻瀆了。她們在我殿中所行的乃是如此。

23:40 「況且你們二婦打發使者去請遠方人。使者到他們那裡，他們就來了。你們為他們沐浴己身，粉飾眼目，佩戴妝飾，

23:41 坐在華美的床上，前面擺設桌案，將我的香料膏油擺在其上。

23:42 在那裡有群眾安逸歡樂的聲音，並有粗俗的人和酒徒從曠野同來，把鐲子戴在二婦的手上，把華冠戴在她們的頭上。

36 The Lord said to me: "Son of man, will you judge Oholah and Oholibah? Declare to them their abominations. 37 For they have committed adultery, and blood is on their hands. With their idols they have committed adultery, and they have even offered up to them for food the children whom they had borne to me. 38 Moreover, this they have done to me: they have defiled my sanctuary on the same day and profaned my Sabbaths. 39 For when they had slaughtered their children in sacrifice to their idols, on the same day they came into my sanctuary to profane it. And behold, this is what they did in my house. 40 They even sent for men to come from afar, to whom a messenger was sent; and behold, they came. For them you bathed yourself, painted your eyes, and adorned yourself with ornaments. 41 You sat on a stately couch, with a table spread before it on which you had placed my incense and my oil. 42 The sound of a carefree multitude was with her; and with men of the common sort, drunkards were brought from the wilderness; and they put bracelets on the hands of the women, and beautiful crowns on their heads.

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    以色列與猶大兩國明確的罪惡：殺人、拜偶像、燒兒女給偶像。可以注意的是上帝審判以色列、猶大的內容不完全是信仰性的，通常都伴隨司法性的公平正義。

    不僅如此，猶大人犯大罪時，裝作沒有感覺，又大搖大擺地進去聖所敬拜上帝。完全是一個形式、表象的信仰。他們一定不信上帝是一個真實活著，憑公義審判的神，只想著拜越多神越好，有拜有保佑。

    這兩國最後乾脆使用上帝給的資源公開宣揚信仰上的淫亂：那個國、那個神都好。實際上應該是指着國家末期，為了挽救滅亡的命運，到處去找國家結盟，拜其他國家的神，忘記自己的上帝。 

    教會是不是為了虛假的增長，而曾經借用世界的方法，以為這樣教會的名聲就宣揚出去，但是卻未讓人認識上帝，明白福音，忙了一大堆活動，最後仍然沒有果效，這是不是很可惜呢？讓我們以此為借鏡來思考，使我們真正走在主的道路中不偏離。

以西結書23:11-35

23:11 她妹妹阿荷利巴雖然看見了，卻還貪戀，比她姊姊更醜；行淫亂比她姊姊更多。

23:12 她貪戀鄰邦的亞述人，就是穿極華美的衣服，騎著馬的省長、副省長，都是可愛的少年人。

23:13 我看見她被玷污了，她姊妹二人同行一路。

23:14 阿荷利巴又加增淫行，因她看見人像畫在牆上，就是用丹色所畫迦勒底人的像，

23:15 腰間繫著帶子，頭上有下垂的裹頭巾，都是軍長的形狀，仿照巴比倫人的形像；他們的故土就是迦勒底。

23:16 阿荷利巴一看見就貪戀他們，打發使者往迦勒底去見他們。

23:17 巴比倫人就來登她愛情的床，與她行淫玷污她。她被玷污，隨後心裡與他們生疏。

23:18 這樣，她顯露淫行，又顯露下體；我心就與她生疏，像先前與她姊姊生疏一樣。

23:19 她還加增她的淫行，追念她幼年在埃及地行邪淫的日子，

23:20 貪戀情人身壯精足，如驢如馬。

23:21 這樣，你就想起你幼年的淫行。那時，埃及人擁抱你的懷，撫摸你的乳。

23:22 阿荷利巴啊，主耶和華如此說：「我必激動你先愛而後生疏的人來攻擊你。我必使他們來，在你四圍攻擊你。

23:23 所來的就是巴比倫人、迦勒底的眾人、比割人、書亞人、哥亞人，同著他們的還有亞述眾人，乃是作省長、副省長、作軍長有名聲的，都騎著馬，是可愛的少年人。

23:24 他們必帶兵器、戰車、輜重車，率領大眾來攻擊你。他們要拿大小盾牌，頂盔擺陣，在你四圍攻擊你。我要將審判的事交給他們，他們必按著自己的條例審判你。

23:25 我必以忌恨攻擊你；他們必以忿怒辦你。他們必割去你的鼻子和耳朵；你遺留（或譯：餘剩；下同）的人必倒在刀下。他們必擄去你的兒女；你所遺留的必被火焚燒。

23:26 他們必剝去你的衣服，奪取你華美的寶器。

23:27 這樣，我必使你的淫行和你從埃及地染來的淫亂止息了，使你不再仰望亞述，也不再追念埃及。

23:28 主耶和華如此說：我必將你交在你所恨惡的人手中，就是你心與他生疏的人手中。

23:29 他們必以恨惡辦你，奪取你一切勞碌得來的，留下你赤身露體。你淫亂的下體，連你的淫行，帶你的淫亂，都被顯露。

23:30 人必向你行這些事；因為你隨從外邦人行邪淫，被他們的偶像玷污了。

23:31 你走了你姊姊所走的路，所以我必將她的杯交在你手中。」

23:32 主耶和華如此說：你必喝你姊姊所喝的杯；那杯又深又廣，盛得甚多，使你被人嗤笑譏刺。

23:33 你必酩酊大醉，滿有愁苦，喝乾你姊姊撒馬利亞的杯，就是令人驚駭淒涼的杯。

23:34 你必喝這杯，以致喝盡。杯破又齦杯片，撕裂自己的乳；因為這事我曾說過。這是主耶和華說的。

23:35 主耶和華如此說：「因你忘記我，將我丟在背後，所以你要擔當你淫行和淫亂的報應。」

“Her sister Oholibah saw this, and she became more corrupt than her sister in her lust and in her whoring, which was worse than that of her sister.  She lusted after the Assyrians, governors and commanders, warriors clothed in full armor, horsemen riding on horses, all of them desirable young men.  And I saw that she was defiled; they both took the same way.  But she carried her whoring further. She saw men portrayed on the wall, the images of the Chaldeans portrayed in vermilion,  wearing belts on their waists, with flowing turbans on their heads, all of them having the appearance of officers, a likeness of Babylonians whose native land was Chaldea.  When she saw them, she lusted after them and sent messengers to them in Chaldea.  And the Babylonians came to her into the bed of love, and they defiled her with their whoring lust. And after she was defiled by them, she turned from them in disgust.  When she carried on her whoring so openly and flaunted her nakedness, I turned in disgust from her, as I had turned in disgust from her sister.  Yet she increased her whoring, remembering the days of her youth, when she played the whore in the land of Egypt  and lusted after her lovers there, whose members were like those of donkeys, and whose issue was like that of horses.  Thus you longed for the lewdness of your youth, when the Egyptians handled your bosom and pressed your young breasts.”

Therefore, O Oholibah, thus says the Lord God: “Behold, I will stir up against you your lovers from whom you turned in disgust, and I will bring them against you from every side:  the Babylonians and all the Chaldeans, Pekod and Shoa and Koa, and all the Assyrians with them, desirable young men, governors and commanders all of them, officers and men of renown, all of them riding on horses.  And they shall come against you from the north with chariots and wagons and a host of peoples. They shall set themselves against you on every side with buckler, shield, and helmet; and I will commit the judgment to them, and they shall judge you according to their judgments.  And I will direct my jealousy against you, that they may deal with you in fury. They shall cut off your nose and your ears, and your survivors shall fall by the sword. They shall seize your sons and your daughters, and your survivors shall be devoured by fire.  They shall also strip you of your clothes and take away your beautiful jewels.  Thus I will put an end to your lewdness and your whoring begun in the land of Egypt, so that you shall not lift up your eyes to them or remember Egypt anymore.

“For thus says the Lord God: Behold, I will deliver you into the hands of those whom you hate, into the hands of those from whom you turned in disgust,  and they shall deal with you in hatred and take away all the fruit of your labor and leave you naked and bare, and the nakedness of your whoring shall be uncovered. Your lewdness and your whoring  have brought this upon you, because you played the whore with the nations and defiled yourself with their idols.  You have gone the way of your sister; therefore I will give her cup into your hand.  Thus says the Lord God:      

“You shall drink your sister's cup

that is deep and large;

you shall be laughed at and held in derision,

for it contains much;

  you will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow.

A cup of horror and desolation,

the cup of your sister Samaria;

  you shall drink it and drain it out,

and gnaw its shards,

and tear your breasts;

for I have spoken, declares the Lord God.  Therefore thus says the Lord God: Because you have forgotten me and cast me behind your back, you yourself must bear the consequences of your lewdness and whoring.”

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    先知在這段描述：阿荷利巴更嚴重的淫亂與結局。猶大與亞述、巴比倫、埃及結盟行邪淫。事實上猶大的確也跟亞述、巴比倫與埃及都有結盟的歷史事件。這段說明了，猶大後期親巴比倫與親埃及兩派反覆得勢的狀況，讓人感覺猶大如同淫婦一般，沒有專一性。

    宣告耶路撒冷的所行既然與撒馬利亞一樣，那結局就要跟撒馬利亞一樣，喝下上帝憤怒的杯。結局是痛苦萬狀的。猶大人很清楚以色列國被亞述滅掉的狀況，卻比以色列更淫蕩，不專一倚靠上帝。所以，受到懲罰是應該的，怪不得別人。

    說到這裡，我們既然在基督裡蒙上帝拯救，就要專一的愛上帝，不可以再貪愛世界，與上帝為敵，因為我們是承受上帝國的人，不可虧負上帝的恩典。