耶利米書30:1-11

30:1 耶和華的話臨到耶利米說：
30:2 「耶和華─以色列的上帝如此說：你將我對你說過的一切話都寫在書上。
30:3 耶和華說：日子將到，我要使我的百姓以色列和猶大被擄的人歸回；我也要使他們回到我所賜給他們列祖之地，他們就得這地為業。這是耶和華說的。」
30:4 以下是耶和華論到以色列和猶大所說的話：
30:5 耶和華如此說：我們聽見聲音，是戰抖懼怕而不平安的聲音。
30:6 你們且訪問看看，男人有產難嗎？我怎麼看見人人用手掐腰，像產難的婦人，臉面都變青了呢？
30:7 哀哉！那日為大，無日可比；這是雅各遭難的時候，但他必被救出來。
30:8 萬軍之耶和華說：「到那日，我必從你頸項上折斷仇敵的軛，扭開他的繩索；外邦人不得再使你作他們的奴僕。
30:9 你們卻要事奉耶和華─你們的上帝和我為你們所要興起的王大衛。」
30:10 故此，耶和華說：我的僕人雅各啊，不要懼怕；以色列啊，不要驚惶；因我要從遠方拯救你，從被擄到之地拯救你的後裔；雅各必回來得享平靖安逸，無人使他害怕。
30:11 因我與你同在，要拯救你，也要將所趕散你到的那些國滅絕淨盡，卻不將你滅絕淨盡，倒要從寬懲治你，萬不能不罰你（不罰你：或譯以你為無罪）。這是耶和華說的。

The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: ²Thus says the Lord, the God of Israel: Write in a book all the words that I have spoken to you. ³For the days are surely coming, says the Lord, when I will restore the fortunes of my people, Israel and Judah, says the Lord, and I will bring them back to the land that I gave to their ancestors and they shall take possession of it.

⁴ These are the words that the Lord spoke concerning Israel and Judah:

5

Thus says the Lord:

We have heard a cry of panic,

of terror, and no peace.

6

Ask now, and see,

can a man bear a child?

Why then do I see every man

with his hands on his loins like a woman in labor?

Why has every face turned pale?

7

Alas! that day is so great

there is none like it;

it is a time of distress for Jacob;

yet he shall be rescued from it.

⁸ On that day, says the Lord of hosts, I will break the yoke from off his neck, and I will burst his bonds, and strangers shall no more make a servant of him. ⁹But they shall serve the Lord their God and David their king, whom I will raise up for them.

 

10

But as for you, have no fear, my servant Jacob, says the Lord,

and do not be dismayed, O Israel;

for I am going to save you from far away,

and your offspring from the land of their captivity.

Jacob shall return and have quiet and ease,

and no one shall make him afraid.

11

For I am with you, says the Lord, to save you;

I will make an end of all the nations

among which I scattered you,

but of you I will not make an end.

I will chastise you in just measure,

and I will by no means leave you unpunished.

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

    耶利米在這裡是放出拯救的信息，而這個信息是關乎基督的，因為「到那日，我必從你頸項上折斷仇敵的軛，扭開他的繩索；外邦人不得再使你作他們的奴僕。你們卻要事奉耶和華─你們的上帝和我為你們所要興起的王大衛。」

    不僅如此上帝更是說到：「我的僕人雅各啊，不要懼怕；以色列啊，不要驚惶；因我要從遠方拯救你，從被擄到之地拯救你的後裔；雅各必回來得享平靖安逸，無人使他害怕。因我與你同在，要拯救你，也要將所趕散你到的那些國滅絕淨盡，卻不將你滅絕淨盡，倒要從寬懲治你，萬不能不罰你（不罰你：或譯以你為無罪）。」

    這些都讓我們看見，上帝要透過祂所立的基督來拯救以色列。然而，在新約來看，以色列就是指在基督裡。我們只要在基督裡，就要蒙上帝的拯救，就要有分於上帝的國！我們更是要為此歡呼，因為在將來基督必定再來，讓我們同享基督的榮耀。雖然今日，我們有苦難、有困境，但是基督已經來了，我們要跟著上帝國的進行，直到上帝國完全實現的榮耀！

耶利米書29:24-32

29:24 「論到尼希蘭人示瑪雅，你當說，
29:25 萬軍之耶和華─以色列的上帝如此說：你曾用自己的名寄信給耶路撒冷的眾民和祭司瑪西雅的兒子西番雅，並眾祭司，說：
29:26 『耶和華已經立你西番雅為祭司，代替祭司耶何耶大，使耶和華殿中有官長，好將一切狂妄自稱為先知的人用枷枷住，用鎖鎖住。
29:27 現在亞拿突人耶利米向你們自稱為先知，你們為何沒有責備他呢？
29:28 因為他寄信給我們在巴比倫的人說：被擄的事必長久。你們要蓋造房屋，住在其中；栽種田園，吃其中所產的。』」
29:29 祭司西番雅就把這信念給先知耶利米聽。
29:30 於是耶和華的話臨到耶利米說：
29:31 「你當寄信給一切被擄的人說：『耶和華論到尼希蘭人示瑪雅說：因為示瑪雅向你們說預言，我並沒有差遣他，他使你們倚靠謊言；
29:32 所以耶和華如此說：我必刑罰尼希蘭人示瑪雅和他的後裔，他必無一人存留住在這民中，也不得見我所要賜與我百姓的福樂，因為他向耶和華說了叛逆的話。這是耶和華說的。』」

²⁴ To Shemaiah of Nehelam you shall say: ²⁵Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: In your own name you sent a letter to all the people who are in Jerusalem, and to the priest Zephaniah son of Maaseiah, and to all the priests, saying, ²⁶The Lord himself has made you priest instead of the priest Jehoiada, so that there may be officers in the house of the Lord to control any madman who plays the prophet, to put him in the stocks and the collar. ²⁷So now why have you not rebuked Jeremiah of Anathoth who plays the prophet for you? ²⁸For he has actually sent to us in Babylon, saying, “It will be a long time; build houses and live in them, and plant gardens and eat what they produce.”

²⁹ The priest Zephaniah read this letter in the hearing of the prophet Jeremiah. ³⁰Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah: ³¹Send to all the exiles, saying, Thus says the Lord concerning Shemaiah of Nehelam: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, though I did not send him, and has led you to trust in a lie, ³²therefore thus says the Lord: I am going to punish Shemaiah of Nehelam and his descendants; he shall not have anyone living among this people to see the good that I am going to do to my people, says the Lord, for he has spoken rebellion against the Lord.

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

    耶利米宣講上帝的話，常常受到假先知的干擾，甚至於到侮蔑的地步。正如這裡說到的尼希蘭人示瑪雅，他不僅傳講信息害人，更是寫信宣稱耶利米是假先知，要祭司西番雅斥責耶利米。

    這樣的行徑讓人感受到，有一些人常常在教會中自以為是，用自己的意思左右教會各樣的事務。但是說到真理，或對聖經的學習，卻是興趣缺缺。所以，當求聖靈動工，使弟兄姊妹渴慕上帝的話。更求上帝使牧者的講道或教導，可以改變這些人的心，使他們柔軟下來。

    因此，牧者牧會到一個地步必須常常為著羊群禱告。若不是聖靈的動工，人的話語效力是有限的！除非聖靈動工，使上帝的話語扎入信徒的心，才可以使剛硬的人醒悟過來，成為上帝的好同工！

耶利米書29:15-23

29:15 「你們說：『耶和華在巴比倫為我們興起先知』；
29:16 所以耶和華論到坐大衛寶座的王和住在這城裡的一切百姓，就是未曾與你們一同被擄的弟兄，
29:17 萬軍之耶和華如此說：『看哪，我必使刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫臨到他們，使他們像極壞的無花果，壞得不可吃。
29:18 我必用刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫追趕他們，使他們在天下萬國拋來拋去，在我所趕他們到的各國中，令人咒詛、驚駭、嗤笑、羞辱。
29:19 耶和華說：這是因為他們沒有聽從我的話，就是我從早起來差遣我僕人眾先知去說的，無奈他們不聽。這是耶和華說的。
29:20 所以你們一切被擄去的，就是我從耶路撒冷打發到巴比倫去的，當聽耶和華的話。』」
29:21 萬軍之耶和華─以色列的上帝論到哥賴雅的兒子亞哈，並瑪西雅的兒子西底家，如此說：「他們是託我名向你們說假預言的，我必將他們交在巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒的手中；他要在你們眼前殺害他們。
29:22 住巴比倫一切被擄的猶大人必藉這二人賭咒說：『願耶和華使你像巴比倫王在火中燒的西底家和亞哈一樣。』
29:23 這二人是在以色列中行了醜事，與鄰舍的妻行淫，又假託我名說我未曾吩咐他們的話。知道的是我，作見證的也是我。這是耶和華說的。」

¹⁵ Because you have said, “The Lord has raised up prophets for us in Babylon,”— ¹⁶Thus says the Lord concerning the king who sits on the throne of David, and concerning all the people who live in this city, your kinsfolk who did not go out with you into exile: ¹⁷Thus says the Lord of hosts, I am going to let loose on them sword, famine, and pestilence, and I will make them like rotten figs that are so bad they cannot be eaten. ¹⁸I will pursue them with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, and will make them a horror to all the kingdoms of the earth, to be an object of cursing, and horror, and hissing, and a derision among all the nations where I have driven them, ¹⁹because they did not heed my words, says the Lord, when I persistently sent to you my servants the prophets, but they would not listen, says the Lord. ²⁰But now, all you exiles whom I sent away from Jerusalem to Babylon, hear the word of the Lord: ²¹Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning Ahab son of Kolaiah and Zedekiah son of Maaseiah, who are prophesying a lie to you in my name: I am going to deliver them into the hand of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, and he shall kill them before your eyes. ²²And on account of them this curse shall be used by all the exiles from Judah in Babylon: “The Lord make you like Zedekiah and Ahab, whom the king of Babylon roasted in the fire,” ²³because they have perpetrated outrage in Israel and have committed adultery with their neighbors’ wives, and have spoken in my name lying words that I did not command them; I am the one who knows and bears witness, says the Lord.

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

    上帝透過耶利米讓猶大百姓知道，被擄的人是到上帝賜福與保守的人，不會因為他們被帶離家鄉而景況比較差，反倒是他們要好好聽上帝的話，上帝會保守他們，並且給他們歸回的盼望。雖然七十年是很久的時間，但是終會到來，上帝應許終會實現，只要他們耐心等候，如同平常一樣度日，不要著急。

    同樣，今日我們要相信主耶穌再來的應許，並且耐心等候，隨時以歡喜快樂的心來應接這日子，上帝的應許絕對不會落空，正如祂應許被擄歸回耶路撒冷，後來真的實現了！

    也因為如此，我們不要受到一些似是而非的話語影響，以為末世要面對上帝的審判是件非常可怕的事，以至於用恐懼感來擄掠地兄姐妹，讓弟兄姊妹以害怕恐懼的心來面對末世，受其控制！真不是真理，真理是讓人得自由，讓人充滿盼望與喜樂來面對耶穌基督的再來！因為耶穌基督在來之時，上帝國就實現了，我們與基督一同做王到永遠！末後的審判，不是讓我們這些屬基督的人下地獄，而是得永生！我們當為此歡呼，上帝的拯救永不落空！

耶利米書29:10-14

29:10 「耶和華如此說：為巴比倫所定的七十年滿了以後，我要眷顧你們，向你們成就我的恩言，使你們仍回此地。
29:11 耶和華說：我知道我向你們所懷的意念是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念，要叫你們末後有指望。
29:12 你們要呼求我，禱告我，我就應允你們。
29:13 你們尋求我，若專心尋求我，就必尋見。
29:14 耶和華說：我必被你們尋見，我也必使你們被擄的人歸回，將你們從各國中和我所趕你們到的各處招聚了來，又將你們帶回我使你們被擄掠離開的地方。這是耶和華說的。

¹⁰ For thus says the Lord: Only when Babylon’s seventy years are completed will I visit you, and I will fulfill to you my promise and bring you back to this place. ¹¹For surely I know the plans I have for you, says the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for harm, to give you a future with hope. ¹²Then when you call upon me and come and pray to me, I will hear you. ¹³When you search for me, you will find me; if you seek me with all your heart, ¹⁴I will let you find me, says the Lord, and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and all the places where I have driven you, says the Lord, and I will bring you back to the place from which I sent you into exile.  

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

    上帝對人的態度，就如上帝透過先知耶利米所說的話：「我向你們所懷的意念是賜平安的意念，不是降災禍的意念，要叫你們末後有指望」。不僅如此，上帝更對猶大人宣告；「為巴比倫所定的七十年滿了以後，我要眷顧你們，向你們成就我的恩言，使你們仍回此地。」

    從這裡我們了解：上帝的心意是盼望與人建立正確合宜的關係。然而人常常是想到自己，只是要脫離和上帝的關係。也因此稱為上帝選民的以色列，常常是以違背上帝所頒布的律法，來展現他們的悖逆！導致後來發生滅國的命運，人民被擄，四散在世界各處。

    雖然如此，上帝仍然要召聚他們回來，仍然盼望他們悔改歸向祂，甚至在猶大國被滅七十年後，猶大的百姓歸回耶路撒冷，重建聖殿並恢復耶和華的敬拜。這一切都說明，上帝盼望人的悔改，重新與祂合好的心意。而在這末世，上帝更透過耶穌基督來成就這事。