4:7 祭司越發增多,就越發得罪我;我必使他們的榮耀變為羞辱。
4:8 他們吃我民的贖罪祭,滿心願意我民犯罪。
4:9 將來民如何,祭司也必如何;我必因他們所行的懲罰他們,照他們所做的報應他們。
4:10 他們吃,卻不得飽;行淫,而不得立後;因為他們離棄耶和華,不遵他的命。
4:11 姦淫和酒,並新酒,奪去人的心。
4:12 我的民求問木偶,以為木杖能指示他們;因為他們的淫心使他們失迷,他們就行淫離棄上帝,不守約束,
4:13 在各山頂,各高岡的橡樹、楊樹、栗樹之下,獻祭燒香,因為樹影美好。所以,你們的女兒淫亂,你們的新婦(或譯:兒婦;下同)行淫。
4:14 你們的女兒淫亂,你們的新婦行淫,我卻不懲罰她們;因為你們自己離群與娼妓同居,與妓女一同獻祭。這無知的民必致傾倒。
7 The more they increased,
the more they sinned against me;
I
will change their glory into shame.
8 They feed on the sin of my people;
they are greedy for their iniquity.
9 And it shall be like people, like priest;
I will punish them for their ways
and repay them for their deeds.
10 They shall eat, but not be satisfied;
they shall play the whore, but not
multiply,
because they have forsaken the Lord
to cherish 11 whoredom, wine, and new wine,
which take away the understanding.
12 My people inquire of a piece of wood,
and their walking staff gives them oracles.
For a spirit of whoredom has led them
astray,
and they have left their God to play the
whore.
13 They sacrifice on the tops of the
mountains
and burn offerings on the hills,
under oak, poplar, and terebinth,
because their shade is good.
Therefore your daughters play the whore,
and your brides commit adultery.
14 I will not punish your daughters when
they play the whore,
nor your brides when they commit adultery;
for the men themselves go aside with
prostitutes
and sacrifice with cult prostitutes,
and a people without understanding shall
come to ruin.
**************************************
上帝透過先知的描述,看見祭司的失敗,因為他們貪圖祭物,反倒盼望以色列人多犯罪,好獻更多的贖罪祭,好有更多的享受,正如先知在此所說:「祭司越發增多,就越發得罪我;我必使他們的榮耀變為羞辱。他們吃我民的贖罪祭,滿心願意我民犯罪。」
不僅如此,當以色列民罪惡增多時,相對祭司也更墮落,甚至於好食和行淫,正如先知在此所說:「他們吃,卻不得飽;行淫,而不得立後;因為他們離棄耶和華,不遵他的命。」
而整個以色列最後的結果是:「姦淫和酒,並新酒,奪去人的心。我的民求問木偶,以為木杖能指示他們;因為他們的淫心使他們失迷,他們就行淫離棄上帝,不守約束,在各山頂,各高岡的橡樹、楊樹、栗樹之下,獻祭燒香,因為樹影美好。」
因為信仰上的淫亂,也導致肉體上的淫亂,甚至整個民風敗壞!這一切都起於不敬畏上帝!忘記上帝的律法!
今日的教會若不看重上帝的話語,也將落到如此的下場!請記住,沒有上帝的話,就不再是教會了!不要讓社會上的「積極思想」、「功利主義」、「消費者主義」來汙染教會,教會要得是「上帝的話」!