8:4 你要對他們說,耶和華如此說:人跌倒,不再起來嗎?人轉去,不再轉來嗎?
8:5 這耶路撒冷的民,為何恆久背道呢?他們守定詭詐,不肯回頭。
8:6 我留心聽,聽見他們說不正直的話。無人悔改惡行,說:我做的是甚麼呢?他們各人轉奔己路,如馬直闖戰場。
8:7 空中的鸛鳥知道來去的定期;斑鳩燕子與白鶴也守候當來的時令;我的百姓卻不知道耶和華的法則。
4 "You shall say to them, Thus says
the Lord:
When
men fall, do they not rise again?
If one turns away, does he not return?
5 Why then has this people turned away
in perpetual backsliding?
They
hold fast to deceit;
they refuse to return.
6 I have paid attention and listened,
but they have not spoken rightly;
no man relents of his evil,
saying, 'What have I done? '
Everyone turns to his own course,
like
a horse plunging headlong into battle.
7 Even the stork in the heavens
knows her times,
and the turtledove, swallow, and crane
keep the time of their coming,
but
my people know not
the rules of the Lord.
***********
人被罪綑綁的結果就是:硬著心不悔改歸向上帝!這就是先知在這裡描寫由大的百姓的狀況,他們不悔改就像戰馬在戰場上折損的狀況也很慘烈,但是馬還是不顧危險衝入戰場,這件事情的確不智。猶大人背叛上帝不回頭,也一樣不智。
然而人如何才能脫離這種狀態呢?當然需要上帝的拯救,除非上帝施恩憐憫,透過聖靈來啟示,使人看見自己的真實狀態,不然人是無法悔改來歸向上帝的,無法出死入生。
上帝差派耶穌基督為我們死在十字架上,承擔我們的罪刑,並將祂完全的義賜給我們。但是,我們若不透過聖靈的引導,我們就無法明白祂的作為,更不會接受祂的拯救。但是我們今天能夠,就是上帝的恩典,透過聖靈來成就的!也唯有如此,我們的生命才能完全更新!這就是復活的大能了!