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耶利米书生命读经 · 第15篇

以色列干犯耶和华的罪，

Israel’s Sin against Jehovah
1与耶和华对以色列的惩罚（八）
1and Jehovah’s Punishment upon Israel (8
耶和华对耶利米进一步的任命，
Jehovah’s Further Commission to Jeremiah
2并进一步论到犹大的罪（一）读经：15:10—17:27。本篇信息要开始来看，耶和华对耶利米进一步的任命，并进一步论到犹大的罪。
2and His Further Statement of Judah’sS ins (1) Scripture Reading: Jer. 15:10—17:27 In this message we will begin to consider Jehovah's further commission to Jeremiah and His further statement of Judah'ss ins
壹 耶和华对耶利米进一步的任命
I. JEHOVAH'S FURTHER COMMISSION TO JEREMIAH
3十五章十节至十六章九节说到耶和华对耶利米进一步的任命。
3Jehovah's further commission to Jeremiah is covered in 15:10 through 16:9
一 耶利米的懊悔与耶和华的鼓励并加力
A. Jeremiah's Remorse and Jehovah's Encouragement and Strengthening
4在十五章十至十四节，我们看见耶利米的懊悔与耶和华的鼓励并加力。在这些经文里有三方：耶利米、他的母亲、和神。耶利米很失望，对他母亲说，『我的母亲哪，我有祸了，因你生我作为遍地相争相竞的人。我素来没有借贷取利，人也没有借贷与我，人人却都咒骂我。』（10。）当然，没有母亲会乐于听见儿子说这样的话。耶利米的母亲静默不语，神却进来对他说话。当耶利米对他母亲说话时，神就进来对他说话，我觉得这是非常有意义的。这指明神总是与耶利米同在。无论耶利米去那里，神都与他同在。每当耶利米说话的时候，神都在场参与那谈话。甚至耶利米在失望中和他母亲谈话的时候，神也与他同在。耶利米的母亲也许很喜乐神这样对她儿子说话，鼓励并加强他。
4In 15:10-14 we see Jeremiah's remorse and Jehovah's encouragement and strengthening. In these verses there are three parties: Jeremiah, his mother, and God. Jeremiah was disappointed and said to his mother, "Woe is me, my mother, because you bore me, / A man of strife and a man of contention to the whole land. / I have not lent with interest, / Nor have they lent to me; / Yet everyone curses me" (v. 10). Surely, no mother would be happy to hear such a word from her son. Whereas Jeremiah's mother was silent, God came in to say something to him. I feel that it is very significant that as Jeremiah was speaking to his mother, God came in to speak to him. This indicates that God was always with Jeremiah. Wherever Jeremiah went, God was there with him. Whenever Jeremiah spoke, God was present to participate in the conversation. God was with Jeremiah even when he, in his disappointment, was talking to his mother. She might have been very happy about how God spoke to her son to encourage and strengthen him
5神对耶利米说话时，不是以神圣者或大能者的身分，而几乎像是一个人，满有人性且亲切的说话。照著本书的记载，神对付祂的百姓时，常常这样对他们说话。例如，当祂称以色列为祂背道的妻子，慈爱的恳求她归回时，也是以很有人性的方式说话。在耶利米告诉他的母亲，人人都咒骂他以后，耶和华插进来对他说，『我必叫你自由，使你得好处。灾祸苦难临到的时候，我必使仇敌央求你。人岂能将铜或铁，就是北方的铁，折断呢？我必因你在四境之内所犯的一切罪，把你的资财宝物，白白的交给仇敌为掠物。我也必使仇敌带这掠物到你所不认识的地去；因我怒中有火著起，要将你们焚烧。』（11～14。）我们需要留意十三、十四节的代名词『你的』和『你』。在十三节，神说到『你的资财宝物。』这些是谁的资财宝物？这些必是以色列的资财宝物。然而，神不是直接对以色列说这话，乃是对耶利米说。当然，这里『你的』一辞包括听话者。这就是说，神看申言者耶利米与以色列是一。以色列的资财宝物，也是耶利米的的资财宝物。这指明神看以色列全国是一个实体。因为耶利米是这实体的一部分，当以色列把资财宝物交给他们的仇敌时，耶利米也就成为贫穷的。以色列的资财宝物，也是耶利米的资财宝物，要被带到他们所不认识的地去。神怒中有火著起，要将他们焚烧。在这件事上，耶利米也包括在内。这里不仅有三方－耶利米、他的母亲、和耶和华，也有第四方－以色列。神的话是对耶利米说的，但在对耶利米说话时，祂将以色列人与耶利米包括在一起。神对耶利米和以色列说话时，好像是一个人在与别人谈话。祂说话就像参与这谈话的四方中的一方。
5In His speaking to Jeremiah, God spoke not as the Divine Being, as the mighty One, but almost as if He were a man, talking in a very human and personal way. According to the record of this book, as God dealt with His people, He often spoke to them in such a way. For instance, when He addressed Israel as His apostate wife and lovingly pleaded for her to return, He spoke in a human way. After Jeremiah told his mother that everyone was cursing him, Jehovah intervened and said to him, "Surely I will set you free for your good; / Indeed I will cause the enemy to make supplication to you / In a time of trouble and in a time of distress. / Can one break iron, / Iron from the north, or bronze? / Your wealth and your treasures/I will give as plunder without price,/And that for all your sins,/And within all your borders. / I will cause your enemies to bring it / Into a land which you do not know; / For a fire is kindled in My anger, / Which will burn against you" (vv. 11-14). We need to pay attention to the pronouns your and you in verses 13 and 14. In verse 13 God refers to "your wealth" and "your treasures." Whose wealth and treasures are these? They must be the wealth and treasures of Israel. However, God spoke this word not directly to Israel but to Jeremiah. Surely, the word your here includes the addressee. This means that God regarded Jeremiah the prophet as being one with Israel. Israel's wealth and treasures were also Jeremiah's wealth and treasures. This indicates that God considered the entire nation of Israel as one entity. Because Jeremiah was a part of this entity, when the wealth and treasures of Israel were given to their enemies, Jeremiah also became poor. The wealth and treasures of Israel, and also of Jeremiah, would be brought to a land which they did not know. God had kindled a fire in His anger, which would burn against them. In this matter also, Jeremiah was included. Here we have not only three parties — Jeremiah, his mother, and Jehovah — but also a fourth party — Israel. God ' sword was addressed to Jeremiah, but in speaking to Jeremiah He included the children of Israel together with Jeremiah. In speaking to Jeremiah and to Israel, God spoke as if He were a human being talking to other human beings. He spoke as one of the four parties participating in this conversation.
二 耶利米恳求耶和华的眷顾，以及耶和华的答应，以对他进一步的任命
B. Jeremiah's Petition for Jehovah's Care and Jehovah's Answer with a Further Commission to Him
6耶利米回应耶和华的说话，恳求祂的眷顾。『耶和华阿，你是知道的。求你记念我，眷顾我，向逼迫我的人为我报仇。求你恒忍，不将我取去；要知道我为你的缘故，受了凌辱。』（15。）耶利米在他的恳求中用『知道』一辞，似乎在题醒神关于他的处境。耶利米的恳求指明，无论他多么刚强、属灵，他仍然是人。他求神记念他，眷顾他时，似乎说，『耶和华阿，不要忘记我。不要丢弃我。我需要你记念我，眷顾我，并为你的缘故，向逼迫我的人报仇。』
6Jeremiah responded to Jehovah's speaking by petitioning Him for His care. "O Jehovah, You know; / Remember me and visit me, / And avenge me of my persecutors. / In Your longsuffering do not take me away; / Know that for Your sake I bear reproach" (v. 15). By using the word know in his petition, Jeremiah seemed to be reminding God concerning his situation. Jeremiah's petition indicates that no matter how strong and spiritual he might have been, he was still human. As he asked God to remember him and visit him, he seemed to be saying, " O Jehovah, do not forget me. Do not give me up. I need You to remember me, to visit me, and to avenge me of those who are persecuting me for Your sake."
7耶利米特别祷告，求耶和华恒忍，不将他取去。耶利米似乎说，『耶和华阿，你是能长久忍耐的神，我求你在恒忍中，不容逼迫我的人杀我。你是恩慈、怜恤的，你也许容忍逼迫我的人继续长久作恶，但我求你在容忍的期间，不容逼迫我的人将我的命取去。』下一节（16）很不寻常，摆在这里似乎并不合式。在这节耶利米说，『耶和华万军之神阿，我得著你的言语，就当食物吃了，你的言语，成了我心中的欢喜快乐；因我是称为你名下的人。』照著圣经的整个启示，神的话适合给我们吃，我们需要吃神的话。我们吃神的话，祂的话就成为我们心中的欢喜快乐。在这节耶利米不仅说，他得著并吃了神的言语，他也说他是称为耶和华名下的人。『我是称为你名下的人，』原文也可译为『你的名在我之上被称呼。』无论是那种译文，耶利米都在说他是属于耶和华，是在祂的名下。在十七节耶利米继续说，『我没有坐在嘲弄者的会中，也没有欢腾。我因你的手独自坐著；因你使我满了愤恨。』这里『嘲弄者』一辞不是指藐视者，乃是指藉轻浮的欢乐嘲弄别人的人。这样的嘲弄者，可能是在嘲弄不欢腾也不喜乐的耶利米。不仅如此，因为耶和华的手在耶利米身上，他就独自坐著。耶和华的手压制他，困迫他安静的坐著，且忍受嘲弄。耶利米虽然安静，但他满了愤恨。他不可能有喜乐或欢乐。
7In particular, Jeremiah prayed that, in His longsuffering, Jehovah would not take him away. Jeremiah seemed to be saying, "Jehovah, You are a God who can suffer a long time. I ask that in Your longsuffering You do not allow my persecutors to kill me. You are kind and compassionate, and You may allow my persecutors to go on doing evil things for a long time. I ask that, during the time of Your longsuffering, You will not allow my persecutors to take my life." The next verse (v. 16) is very unusual and does not seem to fit here. In this verse Jeremiah says, "Your words were found and I ate them, / And Your word became to me / The joy and rejoicing of my heart, / For I am called by Your name, O Jehovah, God of hosts." According to the entire revelation in the Holy Bible, God'swords are good for us to eat, and we need to eat them. When we eat God'swords, His word becomes our heart's joy and rejoicing. In this verse Jeremiah says not only that he found and ate God'swords but also that he was called by Jehovah's name. The Hebrew words translated "I am called by Your name" may also be rendered "Your name is called over me." In either case, Jeremiah was saying that he belonged to Jehovah and was under His name. In verse 17 Jeremiah goes on to say, "I did not sit in the assembly of mockers, nor did I exult. / Because of Your hand I sat alone, / For You have filled me with indignation." The word mockers here does not denote despisers but those who mock others by rejoicing in a light way. Such mockers were probably mocking Jeremiah, who did not exult and who was not happy. Furthermore, because Jehovah's hand was upon Jeremiah, he sat alone. Jehovah's hand held him down and constrained him to sit quietly and endure the mocking. Although Jeremiah was quiet, he was filled with indignation. It was impossible for him to have joy or to rejoice
8十七节描述耶利米的痛苦。因著他的受苦和失望，他对他的母亲说，『我有祸了。』他母亲静默不语，耶和华却和耶利米谈话，鼓励并加强他。我无法分辨耶利米的回答是接受或拒绝神的鼓励。似乎神照著神的感觉来说话，耶利米却照著他的感觉以不同的方式回应。耶利米似乎对耶和华说，『我不喜乐，也不欢乐。我正在受苦，我充满愤恨，因为你的手在我身上。』
8Verse 17 depicts Jeremiah's suffering. Because of his suffering and disappointment, he said to his mother, "Woe is me." She was silent, but Jehovah talked with Jeremiah to encourage and strengthen him. I cannot tell from Jeremiah's answer whether he accepted or rejected God's encouragement. It seems that God spoke in one way according to His feeling and that Jeremiah responded in a different way according to his feeling. Jeremiah seemed to be saying to Jehovah, "I am not happy, and I am not rejoicing. I am suffering, and I am full of indignation because Your hand is upon me."
9十八节继续说，『我的痛苦为何长久不止？我的伤痕为何无法医治，不能痊愈？难道你待我像虚幻的河，像不可靠的水么？』『不可靠的』原文意『不稳定的』。耶利米受了创伤，他向神抱怨，问神是否像虚幻的河，或像不可靠的水。十九至二十一节是耶和华对耶利米抱怨的回应。在祂的回应里，祂给耶利米进一步的任命。十九节说，『所以耶和华如此说，你若归回，我就使你复兴；你必站在我面前。你若将宝贵的从下贱的分别出来，你就可以作我的口；他们必归向你，你却不可归向他们。』这里的代名词『你』也许进一步指明，神看耶利米与以色列是一。当然，以色列需要归向神，并为神所复兴。我们也可说，相当失望的耶利米，也需要归向神，好为神所复兴。神告诉耶利米，他若归向祂，就要得复兴，并要站在祂面前。
9Verse 18 continues, "Why is my pain unceasing, / And my wound incurable, refusing to be healed? / Will You indeed be to me like a deceitful brook? / Like waters that fail?" The Hebrew word for fail literally means "are not sure." Jeremiah had been hurt, wounded, and he made his complaint to God, asking Him if He would be like a deceitful brook or like waters that fail. In verses 19 through 21 we have Jehovah's response to Jeremiah's complaint. In His response He gave Jeremiah a further commission. Verse 19 says, "Therefore thus says Jehovah, / If you return, I will restore you; / You will stand before Me; / And if you bring out the precious from the worthless, / You will be as My mouth; / They will turn to you, / But you will not turn to them." The pronoun you here may be a further indication that God considered Jeremiah as being one with Israel. Surely Israel needed to return to God and be restored by Him. We may also say that Jeremiah, who was quite disappointed, also needed to return to God in order to be restored by Him. God told Jeremiah that if he returned to Him, he would be restored and would stand before Him
10神继续告诉耶利米，他若将宝贵的从下贱的分别出来，也就是发表出来，他就要作祂的口。耶和华题到要将宝贵的发表出来，这也许指明，祂看耶利米前几节里的说话是下贱的。神也许说，『耶利米，你刚才所说的不是宝贵的，乃是下贱的。你若说下贱的事，就不能作我的口。你需要将宝贵的从下贱的分别出来。你若是这样，就可以作我的出口，我的申言者，为我说话，并将我的话说出来。』神继续告诉耶利米，他若作神的口，以色列人就会归向他。然而，他不可归向他们。在二十节耶和华告诉耶利米，耶和华必使他向以色列人成为坚固的铜墙；他们必攻击他，却不能胜他；因耶和华要与他同在，要拯救他，搭救他。祂也应许祂必搭救耶利米脱离恶人的手，救赎他脱离强暴人的掌心。（21。）
10God went on to tell Jeremiah that if he brought out, that is, uttered, the precious things from the worthless, he would be as His mouth. Jehovah'sword concerning uttering precious things may indicate that He regarded Jeremiah's speaking in the previous verses as worthless. God might have been saying, "Jeremiah, what you have just said is not precious—it is worthless. You cannot be My mouth if you speak worthless things. You need to bring out the precious things from the worthless. If you do this, you will be My mouthpiece, My prophet, to speak for Me and to speak forth My word." God continued by telling Jeremiah that if he would be as His mouth, the people of Israel would turn to him. However, he was not to turn to them. In verse 20 Jehovah told Jeremiah that to the people of Israel He would make him a fortified wall of bronze. They would fight against him, but they would not prevail against him, for Jehovah would be with him to save him and deliver him. He also promised that He would deliver Jeremiah from the hand of the wicked and redeem him from the grasp of those who terrorize (v. 21).
三 耶和华对耶利米的限制，为著祂进一步的任命
C. Jehovah's Restrictions to Jeremiah for His Further Commission
11在十六章一至九节，我们看见耶和华对耶利米的限制，为著祂进一步的任命。耶和华对他说，『你在这地方不可娶妻，生儿养女。因为论到在这地方所生的儿女，又论到在这地生养他们的父母，耶和华如此说，他们必死得甚惨，无人为他们哀哭，也不得葬埋。他们必在地上像粪土，必被刀剑和饥荒灭绝；他们的尸首必给空中的飞鸟，和地上的野兽作食物。』（2～4。）因为这是那地的未来和命定，耶利米就不可娶妻或生儿养女。他若娶妻并生儿养女，他们必会受苦。耶和华对耶利米说到不要娶妻或生儿养女，这话对他的确是个限制。这指明我们若要作神的出口，并为祂说话，我们就必须受限制。别人也许有自由作某些事，我们却没有这样的自由。
11In 16:1-9 we see Jehovah's restrictions to Jeremiah for His further commission. Jehovah said to him, "You shall not take a wife for yourself nor have sons or daughters in this place. For thus says Jehovah concerning the sons and daughters who are born in this place and concerning their mothers who bear them and concerning their fathers who beget them in this land: They will die grievous deaths and will not be mourned nor buried; they will be as dung on the surface of the ground and will be consumed by sword and by famine, and their corpses will become food for the birds of the sky and the beasts of the earth" (vv. 2-4). Because this was to be the future and destiny of the land, Jeremiah was not to take a wife or have children. If he had had a wife and children, they certainly would have suffered. Jehovah'sword to Jeremiah about not having wife or children surely was a restriction to him. This indicates that if we would be a mouthpiece of God and speak for Him, we must be restricted. Others may have the freedom to do certain things, but we will not have such freedom
12五至九节告诉我们神将进一步的限制，置于耶利米身上。他要受限制，不可哀哭或宴乐。耶和华嘱咐他不要进入丧家，不要哀哭，或为以色列人悲伤，因祂已将祂的平安、慈爱、怜恤，从他们夺去了。（5。）连大带小，都必在这地死亡，不得葬埋；人必不为他们哀哭，（6。）他们有丧事，人必不为他们擘饼，因死人安慰他们。他们丧父、丧母，人也不给他们一杯酒安慰他们。（7。）关于宴乐，耶和华对耶利米说，『你不可进入宴乐的家，与他们同坐吃喝。因为万军之耶和华以色列的神如此说，看哪，就在你们活著的日子，在你们的眼前，我必使欢喜和快乐的声音，新郎和新妇的声音，从这地方止息了。』（8～9。）这启示没有快乐，反有受苦。在这些经文里，耶和华向耶利米指明，他作神的出口，就要受苦。历代以来，神所使用为祂说话的人总是受苦的。倪弟兄的情形就是这样；我与他同在多年，我能见证他非常受苦。几乎没有一天平安，几乎每天都有误会、批评和反对。因为他是为神说话的人，所以他因许多人受了许多的苦。
12Verses 5 through 9 tell us of the further restrictions placed upon Jeremiah by God. He was to be restricted from both mourning and feasting. Jehovah charged him not to enter the house of mourning and not to mourn or lament for the people of Israel, for He has taken away His peace, lovingkindness, and compassions from them (v. 5). Both the great and the small would die in this land. They would not be buried, and they would not be mourned (v. 6). The people would not break bread in mourning to comfort anyone for the dead, and they would not give them a cup of consolation to drink for mother or father (v. 7). Concerning feasting, Jehovah said to Jeremiah, "You shall not enter the house of feasting to sit with them and eat and drink. For thus says Jehovah of hosts, the God of Israel, Behold, I will cause to cease from this place, before your eyes and in your days, the voice of gladness and the voice of joy, the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride" (vv. 8-9). This reveals that instead of joy there would be suffering. In these verses Jehovah was indicating to Jeremiah that, as God's mouthpiece, he would suffer. Throughout the generations, those who have been used by God to speak for Him have always suffered. This was the situation with Brother Nee. I was with him for many years, and I can testify that he suffered greatly. There was hardly a day of peace, a day without misunderstanding, criticism, and opposition. Because he was one who spoke for God, he was one who suffered many things from many people
13我们不为神说话，也许还不会遭遇难处。但为神说话就带来难处。我们越为神说话，难处就越多。然而，我们为神说话不该是出于我们的拣选。我们为神说话总该是出于神的启示。
13If we do not speak for God, we may not encounter problems. But speaking for God will bring problems. The more we speak for Him, the more problems we will have. However, our speaking for God should not depend on our choice. On the contrary, our speaking for God should always depend on God'sr evelation