耶利米書44:15-30

44:15 那些住在埃及地巴忒羅知道自己妻子向別神燒香的，與旁邊站立的眾婦女，聚集成群，回答耶利米說：
44:16 「論到你奉耶和華的名向我們所說的話，我們必不聽從。
44:17 我們定要成就我們口中所出的一切話，向天后燒香、澆奠祭，按著我們與我們列祖、君王、首領在猶大的城邑中和耶路撒冷的街市上素常所行的一樣；因為那時我們吃飽飯、享福樂，並不見災禍。
44:18 自從我們停止向天后燒香、澆奠祭，我們倒缺乏一切，又因刀劍饑荒滅絕。」
44:19 婦女說：「我們向天后燒香、澆奠祭，做天后像的餅供奉她，向她澆奠祭，是外乎我們的丈夫嗎？」
44:20 耶利米對一切那樣回答他的男人婦女說：
44:21 「你們與你們列祖、君王、首領，並國內的百姓，在猶大城邑中和耶路撒冷街市上所燒的香，耶和華豈不記念，心中豈不思想嗎？
44:22 耶和華因你們所作的惡、所行可憎的事，不能再容忍，所以你們的地荒涼，令人驚駭咒詛，無人居住，正如今日一樣。
44:23 你們燒香，得罪耶和華，沒有聽從他的話，沒有遵行他的律法、條例、法度，所以你們遭遇這災禍，正如今日一樣。」
44:24 耶利米又對眾民和眾婦女說：「你們在埃及地的一切猶大人當聽耶和華的話。
44:25 萬軍之耶和華─以色列的上帝如此說：你們和你們的妻都口中說、手裡做，說：『我們定要償還所許的願，向天后燒香、澆奠祭。』現在你們只管堅定所許的願而償還吧！
44:26 所以你們住在埃及地的一切猶大人當聽耶和華的話。耶和華說：我指著我的大名起誓，在埃及全地，我的名不再被猶大一個人的口稱呼說：『我指著主─永生的耶和華起誓。』
44:27 我向他們留意降禍不降福；在埃及地的一切猶大人必因刀劍、饑荒所滅，直到滅盡。
44:28 脫離刀劍、從埃及地歸回猶大地的人數很少；那進入埃及地要在那裡寄居的，就是所剩下的猶大人，必知道是誰的話立得住，是我的話呢？是他們的話呢？
44:29 耶和華說：我在這地方刑罰你們，必有預兆，使你們知道我降禍與你們的話必要立得住。
44:30 耶和華如此說：我必將埃及王法老合弗拉交在他仇敵和尋索其命的人手中，像我將猶大王西底家交在他仇敵和尋索其命的巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒手中一樣。」

¹⁵ Then all the men who were aware that their wives had been making offerings to other gods, and all the women who stood by, a great assembly, all the people who lived in Pathros in the land of Egypt, answered Jeremiah: ¹⁶“As for the word that you have spoken to us in the name of the Lord, we are not going to listen to you. ¹⁷Instead, we will do everything that we have vowed, make offerings to the queen of heaven and pour out libations to her, just as we and our ancestors, our kings and our officials, used to do in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem. We used to have plenty of food, and prospered, and saw no misfortune. ¹⁸But from the time we stopped making offerings to the queen of heaven and pouring out libations to her, we have lacked everything and have perished by the sword and by famine.” ¹⁹And the women said, “Indeed we will go on making offerings to the queen of heaven and pouring out libations to her; do you think that we made cakes for her, marked with her image, and poured out libations to her without our husbands’ being involved?”

²⁰ Then Jeremiah said to all the people, men and women, all the people who were giving him this answer: ²¹“As for the offerings that you made in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem, you and your ancestors, your kings and your officials, and the people of the land, did not the Lord remember them? Did it not come into his mind? ²²The Lord could no longer bear the sight of your evil doings, the abominations that you committed; therefore your land became a desolation and a waste and a curse, without inhabitant, as it is to this day. ²³It is because you burned offerings, and because you sinned against the Lord and did not obey the voice of the Lord or walk in his law and in his statutes and in his decrees, that this disaster has befallen you, as is still evident today.”

²⁴ Jeremiah said to all the people and all the women, “Hear the word of the Lord, all you Judeans who are in the land of Egypt, ²⁵Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You and your wives have accomplished in deeds what you declared in words, saying, ‘We are determined to perform the vows that we have made, to make offerings to the queen of heaven and to pour out libations to her.’ By all means, keep your vows and make your libations! ²⁶Therefore hear the word of the Lord, all you Judeans who live in the land of Egypt: Lo, I swear by my great name, says the Lord, that my name shall no longer be pronounced on the lips of any of the people of Judah in all the land of Egypt, saying, ‘As the Lord God lives.’ ²⁷I am going to watch over them for harm and not for good; all the people of Judah who are in the land of Egypt shall perish by the sword and by famine, until not one is left. ²⁸And those who escape the sword shall return from the land of Egypt to the land of Judah, few in number; and all the remnant of Judah, who have come to the land of Egypt to settle, shall know whose words will stand, mine or theirs! ²⁹This shall be the sign to you, says the Lord, that I am going to punish you in this place, in order that you may know that my words against you will surely be carried out: ³⁰Thus says the Lord, I am going to give Pharaoh Hophra, king of Egypt, into the hands of his enemies, those who seek his life, just as I gave King Zedekiah of Judah into the hand of King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, his enemy who sought his life.”

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    耶利米面對的是一群十分悖逆的百姓，竟然直接向他說：「論到你奉耶和華的名向我們所說的話，我們必不聽從。我們定要成就我們口中所出的一切話，向天后燒香、澆奠祭，按著我們與我們列祖、君王、首領在猶大的城邑中和耶路撒冷的街市上素常所行的一樣；因為那時我們吃飽飯、享福樂，並不見災禍。自從我們停止向天后燒香、澆奠祭，我們倒缺乏一切，又因刀劍饑荒滅絕。」

    我們聽到這樣的話，一定會「昏倒」！明明是因為他們拜偶像才會被巴比倫所滅，竟然怪到先知不給他們拜偶像，才會有今天的狀況！真是做賊的人，還說別人是賊！一點也不知檢討，不知羞恥！這就是人性啊！

    其實牧者在牧會的時候，也會碰到這一些傷腦筋的人物！這些人真的像魔鬼的僕役，常常阻擋傳道人，在教會按照上帝給的權柄來教導弟兄姊妹，尤其是依些自以為老資格的會友或長執，常常在教會彰顯他們的權威，要來壓制上帝的僕人，這樣的人將會面臨上帝的攻擊，因為他們自力權柄超過上帝的權柄，是與上帝為敵！

耶利米書44章

   耶利米書44:1-14   ,   耶利米書44:15-30  ,

耶利米書44:1-14

44:1 有臨到耶利米的話，論及一切住在埃及地的猶大人，就是住在密奪、答比匿、挪弗、巴忒羅境內的猶大人，說：
44:2 「萬軍之耶和華─以色列的上帝如此說：我所降與耶路撒冷和猶大各城的一切災禍你們都看見了。那些城邑今日荒涼，無人居住；
44:3 這是因居民所行的惡，去燒香事奉別神，就是他們和你們，並你們列祖所不認識的神，惹我發怒。
44:4 我從早起來差遣我的僕人眾先知去說，你們切不要行我所厭惡這可憎之事。
44:5 他們卻不聽從，不側耳而聽，不轉離惡事，仍向別神燒香。
44:6 因此，我的怒氣和忿怒都倒出來，在猶大城邑中和耶路撒冷的街市上，如火著起，以致都荒廢淒涼，正如今日一樣。
44:7 現在耶和華─萬軍之上帝、以色列的上帝如此說：你們為何作這大惡自害己命，使你們的男人、婦女、嬰孩，和吃奶的都從猶大中剪除、不留一人呢？
44:8 就是因你們手所做的，在所去寄居的埃及地向別神燒香惹我發怒，使你們被剪除，在天下萬國中令人咒詛羞辱。
44:9 你們列祖的惡行，猶大列王和他們后妃的惡行，你們自己和你們妻子的惡行，就是在猶大地、耶路撒冷街上所行的，你們都忘了嗎？
44:10 到如今還沒有懊悔，沒有懼怕，沒有遵行我在你們和你們列祖面前所設立的法度律例。
44:11 「所以萬軍之耶和華─以色列的上帝如此說：我必向你們變臉降災，以致剪除猶大眾人。
44:12 那定意進入埃及地、在那裡寄居的，就是所剩下的猶大人，我必使他們盡都滅絕，必在埃及地仆倒，必因刀劍饑荒滅絕；從最小的到至大的都必遭刀劍饑荒而死，以致令人辱罵、驚駭、咒詛、羞辱。
44:13 我怎樣用刀劍、饑荒、瘟疫刑罰耶路撒冷，也必照樣刑罰那些住在埃及地的猶大人；
44:14 甚至那進入埃及地寄居的，就是所剩下的猶大人，都不得逃脫，也不得存留歸回猶大地。他們心中甚想歸回居住之地；除了逃脫的以外，一個都不能歸回。」

The word that came to Jeremiah for all the Judeans living in the land of Egypt, at Migdol, at Tahpanhes, at Memphis, and in the land of Pathros, ²Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: You yourselves have seen all the disaster that I have brought on Jerusalem and on all the towns of Judah. Look at them; today they are a desolation, without an inhabitant in them, ³because of the wickedness that they committed, provoking me to anger, in that they went to make offerings and serve other gods that they had not known, neither they, nor you, nor your ancestors. ⁴Yet I persistently sent to you all my servants the prophets, saying, “I beg you not to do this abominable thing that I hate!” ⁵But they did not listen or incline their ear, to turn from their wickedness and make no offerings to other gods. ⁶So my wrath and my anger were poured out and kindled in the towns of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem; and they became a waste and a desolation, as they still are today. ⁷And now thus says the Lord God of hosts, the God of Israel: Why are you doing such great harm to yourselves, to cut off man and woman, child and infant, from the midst of Judah, leaving yourselves without a remnant? ⁸Why do you provoke me to anger with the works of your hands, making offerings to other gods in the land of Egypt where you have come to settle? Will you be cut off and become an object of cursing and ridicule among all the nations of the earth? ⁹Have you forgotten the crimes of your ancestors, of the kings of Judah, of their wives, your own crimes and those of your wives, which they committed in the land of Judah and in the streets of Jerusalem? ¹⁰They have shown no contrition or fear to this day, nor have they walked in my law and my statutes that I set before you and before your ancestors.

¹¹ Therefore thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I am determined to bring disaster on you, to bring all Judah to an end. ¹²I will take the remnant of Judah who are determined to come to the land of Egypt to settle, and they shall perish, everyone; in the land of Egypt they shall fall; by the sword and by famine they shall perish; from the least to the greatest, they shall die by the sword and by famine; and they shall become an object of execration and horror, of cursing and ridicule. ¹³I will punish those who live in the land of Egypt, as I have punished Jerusalem, with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, ¹⁴so that none of the remnant of Judah who have come to settle in the land of Egypt shall escape or survive or return to the land of Judah. Although they long to go back to live there, they shall not go back, except some fugitives.

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    先知耶利米和那一群留在耶路撒冷的人，一起被帶到埃及。而這一群在埃及的百姓竟然和他們在耶路撒冷時一樣，繼續拜偶像，甚至於把埃及的偶像都帶進來拜，讓上帝非常的憤怒，所以透過先知來責備他們。

    這也讓我想到以前牧過的教會中，竟然有些已經決志信主了，或是第二代的基督徒，竟然不能堅守信仰的原則，還跑去參加觀落陰、招魂的活動。還有已經讀了聖經學院，應該信仰很堅定，卻因為對學校反感而去讀佛經想要否定信仰！就讓我感覺到，這個信仰的持守實在不容易，要不是聖靈的保守，相信這樣的事會層出不窮，因為人心對上帝是悖逆的！

    求主保守我們警醒的心，使我們不要受到環境的影響，要好好的信靠主不要離開這個信仰。更要求聖靈隨時保守，靠自己的持守是非常軟弱的！正如這一群猶大百姓，真的是教不會！

耶利米書43章

     耶利米書43:1-7   ,  耶利米書43:8-13    ,

耶利米書43:8-13

43:8 在答比匿，耶和華的話臨到耶利米說：
43:9 「你在猶大人眼前要用手拿幾塊大石頭，藏在砌磚的灰泥中，就是在答比匿法老的宮門那裡，
43:10 對他們說：『萬軍之耶和華─以色列的上帝如此說：我必召我的僕人巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒來。在所藏的石頭上我要安置他的寶座；他必將光華的寶帳支搭在其上。
43:11 他要來攻擊埃及地，定為死亡的，必致死亡；定為擄掠的，必被擄掠；定為刀殺的，必交刀殺。
43:12 我要在埃及神的廟中使火著起，巴比倫王要將廟宇焚燒，神像擄去；他要得（原文是披上）埃及地，好像牧人披上外衣，從那裡安然而去。
43:13 他必打碎埃及地伯‧示麥的柱像，用火焚燒埃及神的廟宇。』」

⁸ Then the word of the Lord came to Jeremiah in Tahpanhes: ⁹Take some large stones in your hands, and bury them in the clay pavement that is at the entrance to Pharaoh’s palace in Tahpanhes. Let the Judeans see you do it, ¹⁰and say to them, Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: I am going to send and take my servant King Nebuchadrezzar of Babylon, and he will set his throne above these stones that I have buried, and he will spread his royal canopy over them. ¹¹He shall come and ravage the land of Egypt, giving

those who are destined for pestilence, to pestilence,

and those who are destined for captivity, to captivity,

and those who are destined for the sword, to the sword.

¹² He shall kindle a fire in the temples of the gods of Egypt; and he shall burn them and carry them away captive; and he shall pick clean the land of Egypt, as a shepherd picks his cloak clean of vermin; and he shall depart from there safely. ¹³He shall break the obelisks of Heliopolis, which is in the land of Egypt; and the temples of the gods of Egypt he shall burn with fire.

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    耶利米先知也被這些首領帶到埃及去，而他在這樣的處境下，領受了上帝的話。要他向那些猶大的百姓說：「我必召我的僕人巴比倫王尼布甲尼撒來。在所藏的石頭上我要安置他的寶座；他必將光華的寶帳支搭在其上。他要來攻擊埃及地，定為死亡的，必致死亡；定為擄掠的，必被擄掠；定為刀殺的，必交刀殺。我要在埃及神的廟中使火著起，巴比倫王要將廟宇焚燒，神像擄去；他要得（原文是披上）埃及地，好像牧人披上外衣，從那裡安然而去。他必打碎埃及地伯‧示麥的柱像，用火焚燒埃及神的廟宇。」

    一方面說明上帝要藉巴比倫來懲罰埃及，誰也保護不了埃及！既然埃及保不住了，逃到埃及有甚麼意義呢？因為掌權的是上帝，祂要埃及被打敗，埃及是不可能打勝的！要那些百姓知道，逃到埃及是一個錯誤的選項！

    我們的人生也有許多選項，要是我們選擇悖逆上帝，就像這群猶大百姓一般，自取敗亡！您會這樣愚昧嗎？故意與上帝為敵呢？當然不會，要快快悔改吧！不要再做悖逆之子了！耶穌要拯救你，快快靠祂來進入上帝的恩典之中吧！

耶利米書43:1-7

43:1 耶利米向眾百姓說完了耶和華─他們上帝的一切話，就是耶和華─他們上帝差遣他去所說的一切話。
43:2 何沙雅的兒子亞撒利雅和加利亞的兒子約哈難，並一切狂傲的人，就對耶利米說：「你說謊言！耶和華─我們的上帝並沒有差遣你來說：『你們不可進入埃及，在那裡寄居。』
43:3 這是尼利亞的兒子巴錄挑唆你害我們，要將我們交在迦勒底人的手中，使我們有被殺的，有被擄到巴比倫去的。」
43:4 於是加利亞的兒子約哈難和一切軍長，並眾百姓，不聽從耶和華的話住在猶大地。
43:5 加利亞的兒子約哈難和一切軍長卻將所剩下的猶大人，就是從被趕到各國回來在猶大地寄居的男人、婦女、孩童，和眾公主，並護衛長尼布撒拉旦所留在沙番的孫子亞希甘的兒子基大利那裡的眾人，與先知耶利米，以及尼利亞的兒子巴錄，
43:6 【併於上節】
43:7 都帶入埃及地，到了答比匿。這是因他們不聽從耶和華的話。

When Jeremiah finished speaking to all the people all these words of the Lord their God, with which the Lord their God had sent him to them, ²Azariah son of Hoshaiah and Johanan son of Kareah and all the other insolent men said to Jeremiah, “You are telling a lie. The Lord our God did not send you to say, ‘Do not go to Egypt to settle there’; ³but Baruch son of Neriah is inciting you against us, to hand us over to the Chaldeans, in order that they may kill us or take us into exile in Babylon.” ⁴So Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces and all the people did not obey the voice of the Lord, to stay in the land of Judah. ⁵But Johanan son of Kareah and all the commanders of the forces took all the remnant of Judah who had returned to settle in the land of Judah from all the nations to which they had been driven— ⁶the men, the women, the children, the princesses, and everyone whom Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard had left with Gedaliah son of Ahikam son of Shaphan; also the prophet Jeremiah and Baruch son of Neriah. ⁷And they came into the land of Egypt, for they did not obey the voice of the Lord. And they arrived at Tahpanhes.  

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    當先知耶利米告訴他們上帝的心意以後，他們竟然發怒，對耶利米說：「你說謊言！耶和華─我們的上帝並沒有差遣你來說：『你們不可進入埃及，在那裡寄居。』這是尼利亞的兒子巴錄挑唆你害我們，要將我們交在迦勒底人的手中，使我們有被殺的，有被擄到巴比倫去的。」

    這讓我們看見：先知的工作是多麼的吃力不討好的工作啊！不滿意的答案，就被當成說謊的人，甚至還有可能被殺害呢！這是多麼危險的工作，做到命都會沒有了！若不是上帝的呼召，真是沒有人敢做啊！

    其實今日教會的牧者，也是如此！尤其是在這個個人主義高舉的世代，誰願意聽上帝的話呢？誰願意遵守看為寶貴呢？許多人的心目中，還是自己最大，上帝算甚麼呢？就像這些猶大的首領一樣。這不是教會之福，身為牧者的人要深思：如何讓上帝的話語，在教會是有權柄，讓弟兄姊妹成為順命的兒女！