2016年11月9日 星期三
以西結書23:1-4
23:1 耶和華的話又臨到我說：
23:2 「人子啊，有兩個女子，是一母所生，
23:3 她們在埃及行邪淫，在幼年時行邪淫。她們在那裡作處女的時候，有人擁抱她們的懷，撫摸她們的乳。
23:4 她們的名字，姊姊名叫阿荷拉，妹妹名叫阿荷利巴。她們都歸於我，生了兒女。論到她們的名字，阿荷拉就是撒馬利亞，阿荷利巴就是耶路撒冷。
The word of the Lord came to me:2 "Son
of man, there were two women, the daughters of one mother. 3 They played the
whore in Egypt; they played the whore in their youth; there their breasts were
pressed and their virgin bosoms handled. 4 Oholah was the name of the elder and
Oholibah the name of her sister. They became mine, and they bore sons and
daughters. As for their names, Oholah is Samaria, and Oholibah is Jerusalem.
**********
此處是說以色列人在埃及時，在宗教與政治上就已經隨從埃及的神與統治。等於是「在埃及就當妓女」之意。
這兩個姐妹的名字都與「帳篷」有關，可能暗示以色列的先祖是遊牧民族或者出埃及的遷徙過程。另有一種說法是把「帳蓬」當成是「會幕」，這樣「阿荷拉」就是「他自己的會幕」（暗示自己有自己的敬拜中心），「阿荷利巴」則表示會幕（聖殿）在耶路撒冷。
這裡讓我們看見以色列人雖然是屬乎上帝的，但是他們的本質上仍然是不討上帝喜悅的，他們仍然是在信仰上混亂，沒有專一愛上帝！這也讓我們警戒，不要自以為剛強，以為靠自己的努力可以討上帝的喜悅！這是一條失敗的路，若不靠耶穌基督的拯救，一切都是虛空。
2016年11月8日 星期二
以西結書22:23-31
22:23 耶和華的話臨到我說：
22:24 「人子啊，你要對這地說：你是未得潔淨之地，在惱恨的日子也沒有雨下在你以上。
22:25 其中的先知同謀背叛，如咆哮的獅子抓撕掠物。他們吞滅人民，搶奪財寶，使這地多有寡婦。
22:26 其中的祭司強解我的律法，褻瀆我的聖物，不分別聖的和俗的，也不使人分辨潔淨的和不潔淨的，又遮眼不顧我的安息日；我也在他們中間被褻慢。
22:27 其中的首領彷彿豺狼抓撕掠物，殺人流血，傷害人命，要得不義之財。
22:28 其中的先知為百姓用未泡透的灰抹牆，就是為他們見虛假的異象，用謊詐的占卜，說：『主耶和華如此說』，其實耶和華沒有說。
22:29 國內眾民一味地欺壓，慣行搶奪，虧負困苦窮乏的，背理欺壓寄居的。
22:30 我在他們中間尋找一人重修牆垣，在我面前為這國站在破口防堵，使我不滅絕這國，卻找不著一個。
22:31 所以我將惱恨倒在他們身上，用烈怒的火滅了他們，照他們所行的報應在他們頭上。這是主耶和華說的。」
And the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, say to her, You are a land that
is not cleansed or rained upon in the day of indignation. The conspiracy of her prophets in her midst
is like a roaring lion tearing the prey; they have devoured human lives; they
have taken treasure and precious things; they have made many widows in her
midst. Her priests have done violence to
my law and have profaned my holy things. They have made no distinction between
the holy and the common, neither have they taught the difference between the
unclean and the clean, and they have disregarded my Sabbaths, so that I am
profaned among them. Her princes in her
midst are like wolves tearing the prey, shedding blood, destroying lives to get
dishonest gain. And her prophets have
smeared whitewash for them, seeing false visions and divining lies for them,
saying, ‘Thus says the Lord God,’ when the Lord has not spoken. The people of the land have practiced
extortion and committed robbery. They have oppressed the poor and needy, and
have extorted from the sojourner without justice. And I sought for a man among them who should
build up the wall and stand in the breach before me for the land, that I should
not destroy it, but I found none.
Therefore I have poured out my indignation upon them. I have consumed
them with the fire of my wrath. I have returned their way upon their heads,
declares the Lord God.”
**********
上帝要把乾旱當成是對以色列人的懲罰。而在此上帝向先知以西結說到：先知、祭司、首領（君王）的失敗。因為他們都沒有完成上帝給他們的託付，這是上帝要人認清，人是無法承擔上帝的作為，是失敗的！
雖然如此，上帝的拯救工作仍然進行，祂透過「道成肉身」的耶穌，完成先知、祭司、首領（君王）的要求，也透過祂使這三重職分集中於祂一生，使上帝的拯救完全實現！
基督就是這三重職分的統稱，就是說耶穌基督完成上帝對人的一切要求。透過基督，上帝接納屬乎基督的人，成為祂的兒女、後嗣，並以聖靈為記號、為憑據，保證我們是上帝國的一分子！
以西結書22:17-22
22:17 耶和華的話臨到我說：
22:18 「人子啊，以色列家在我看為渣滓。他們都是爐中的銅、錫、鐵、鉛，都是銀渣滓。
22:19 所以主耶和華如此說：因你們都成為渣滓，我必聚集你們在耶路撒冷中。
22:20 人怎樣將銀、銅、鐵、鉛、錫聚在爐中，吹火鎔化；照樣，我也要發怒氣和忿怒，將你們聚集放在城中，鎔化你們。
22:21 我必聚集你們，把我烈怒的火吹在你們身上，你們就在其中鎔化。
22:22 銀子怎樣鎔化在爐中，你們也必照樣鎔化在城中，你們就知道我─耶和華是將忿怒倒在你們身上了。」
And the word of the Lord came to me: “Son of man, the house of Israel has become
dross to me; all of them are bronze and tin and iron and lead in the furnace;
they are dross of silver. Therefore thus
says the Lord God: Because you have all become dross, therefore, behold, I will
gather you into the midst of Jerusalem.
As one gathers silver and bronze and iron and lead and tin into a
furnace, to blow the fire on it in order to melt it, so I will gather you in my
anger and in my wrath, and I will put you in and melt you. I will gather you and blow on you with the
fire of my wrath, and you shall be melted in the midst of it. As silver is melted in a furnace, so you
shall be melted in the midst of it, and you shall know that I am the Lord; I
have poured out my wrath upon you.”
********
煉銀的方法就是把含銀的合金融化，讓不純的金屬浮在銀液上，把這些渣滓移除，就取得了純銀。此處就是用煉銀的過程來描述上帝要把罪惡的猶大人當成是「待毀滅的雜質」，聚集在耶路撒冷中，一次清除。其文字暗示的就是有如煉銀烈火一般的災難要臨到罪惡的猶大人身上。
也因為如此，許多基督徒常常用「煉我愈精」或「煉我愈純」來禱告，來忍受苦難的考驗，認為這些熬煉之後，就真正屬乎上帝的寶貝，就覺得心滿意足，覺得自己是完完全全屬乎主了！
但是事實剛好相反，是因為我們先屬乎主，所以主才要熬煉我們、鍛鍊我們，把我們舊的、不好的除掉，讓基督來取代這一切，也因此越來越有主的榮形！但是，我們早就是屬乎主的，在信耶穌為救主的那一刻開始就是上帝的兒女了！
以西結書22:1-16
22:1 耶和華的話又臨到我說：
22:2 「人子啊，你要審問審問這流人血的城嗎？當使她知道她一切可憎的事。
22:3 你要說，主耶和華如此說：哎！這城有流人血的事在其中，叫她受報的日期來到，又做偶像玷污自己，陷害自己。
22:4 你因流了人的血，就為有罪；你做了偶像，就玷污自己，使你受報之日臨近，報應之年來到。所以我叫你受列國的凌辱和列邦的譏誚。
22:5 你這名臭、多亂的城啊，那些離你近、離你遠的都必譏誚你。
22:6 「看哪，以色列的首領各逞其能，在你中間流人之血。
22:7 在你中間有輕慢父母的，有欺壓寄居的，有虧負孤兒寡婦的。
22:8 你藐視了我的聖物，干犯了我的安息日。
22:9 在你中間有讒謗人、流人血的；有在山上吃過祭偶像之物的，有行淫亂的。
22:10 在你中間有露繼母下體羞辱父親的，有玷辱月經不潔淨之婦人的。
22:11 這人與鄰舍的妻行可憎的事；那人貪淫玷污兒婦；還有玷辱同父之姊妹的。
22:12 在你中間有為流人血受賄賂的；有向借錢的弟兄取利，向借糧的弟兄多要的。且因貪得無饜，欺壓鄰舍奪取財物，竟忘了我。這是主耶和華說的。
22:13 「看哪，我因你所得不義之財和你中間所流的血，就拍掌歎息。
22:14 到了我懲罰你的日子，你的心還能忍受嗎？你的手還能有力嗎？我─耶和華說了這話，就必照著行。
22:15 我必將你分散在列國，四散在列邦。我也必從你中間除掉你的污穢。
22:16 你必在列國人的眼前因自己所行的被褻瀆，你就知道我是耶和華。」
And the word of the Lord came to me,
saying, “And you, son of man, will you
judge, will you judge the bloody city? Then declare to her all her
abominations. You shall say, Thus says
the Lord God: A city that sheds blood in her midst, so that her time may come,
and that makes idols to defile herself!
You have become guilty by the blood that you have shed, and defiled by
the idols that you have made, and you have brought your days near, the
appointed time of your years has come. Therefore I have made you a reproach to
the nations, and a mockery to all the countries. Those who are near and those who are far from
you will mock you; your name is defiled; you are full of tumult.
“Behold, the princes of Israel in you, every one according to his power,
have been bent on shedding blood. Father
and mother are treated with contempt in you; the sojourner suffers extortion in
your midst; the fatherless and the widow are wronged in you. You have despised my holy things and profaned
my Sabbaths. There are men in you who
slander to shed blood, and people in you who eat on the mountains; they commit
lewdness in your midst. In you men
uncover their fathers' nakedness; in you they violate women who are unclean in
their menstrual impurity. One commits
abomination with his neighbor's wife; another lewdly defiles his
daughter-in-law; another in you violates his sister, his father's
daughter. In you they take bribes to
shed blood; you take interest and profit and make gain of your neighbors by
extortion; but me you have forgotten, declares the Lord God.
“Behold, I strike my hand at the dishonest
gain that you have made, and at the blood that has been in your midst. Can your courage endure, or can your hands be
strong, in the days that I shall deal with you? I the Lord have spoken, and I
will do it. I will scatter you among the
nations and disperse you through the countries, and I will consume your
uncleanness out of you. And you shall be
profaned by your own doing in the sight of the nations, and you shall know that
I am the Lord.”
************
這一段出現最多的詞是「血」和「在你中間」。這些罪行的懲罰就是「分散在列國」。猶大國主要的問題就是流人血與拜偶像。流人血與拜偶像的後果，就是導致全面敗壞。所以，耶路撒冷完全與上帝呼召他們出埃及所希望達成的目標背道而馳。先知說明了猶大人作惡多端的背後原因：「忘了上帝」。
我們會不會也常常忘記上帝是我們的神？這是很重要的提醒！要是我們忘記上帝是我們的神，就會任意而為，就像以色列人一般：流了人的血和拜偶像，導致全然拜壞！因此，我們要避免自己忘記上帝是我們的神，就必須常常以敬畏的心到上帝面前，透過耶穌基督與上帝維繫正確和合宜的關係。
因此，我們要在我們每天的生活中，撥出一段時間，奉主耶穌的名，向上帝禱告、讀聖經、聆聽上帝的話，讓我們感受上帝的愛，使我們不會忘記上帝是我們的神！
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