Books
耶利米哀歌生命读经 · 第2篇

第三首哀歌－

The Third Lamentation—A Lamentation
为那与受惩罚的百姓联合为一，受困苦之申言者哀悼的诗歌
Over The Afflicted Prophet Identified With His Punished People
1读经：耶利米哀歌三章。在本篇信息中，我们要说到耶利米的第三首哀歌。这是为那与受惩罚的百姓联合为一，受困苦之申言者哀悼的诗歌。虽然耶利米自己没有因神受困苦，但他与神受困苦的百姓是一。这指明无论情况如何，特别是在困苦的情况中，主的仆人都必须学习，如何使自己与神的百姓联合为一。他受困苦，因为他与神受困苦的百姓是一。
1Scripture Reading: Lam. 3 In this message we will cover Jeremiah’s third lamentation. This is a lamentation over the afflicted prophet identified with his punished people. Although Jeremiah himself was not afflicted by God, he was one with God’s afflicted people. This indicates that a servant of the Lord must learn how to identify himself with God’sp eople, regardless of the situation, and especially in a situation of affliction. He is afflicted because he is identified with God’s afflicted people
2现在我们来看这整首哀歌，然后特别留意二十二至二十五节。
2Let us now consider this lamentation as a whole and then pay particular attention to verses 22 through 25
壹 申言者
I. THE PROPHET’S
（代表他百姓）的困苦
REPRESENTING HIS PEOPLE’S) AFFLICTION
3一至二十节说到申言者（代表他百姓）的困苦。这困苦是因耶和华忿怒的杖。（1～17。）申言者（代表他百姓）的力量，和他在耶和华里的指望，都衰败了。（18。）在十九至二十节申言者说，『求你记念我如茵𫈟和苦胆的困苦流离。我魂想念这些，就在里面忧闷。』
3Verses 1 through 20 are the prophet’s (representing his people’s) affliction. This affliction was by the rod of Jehovah’s wrath (vv. 1-17). Both the prophet’s (representing his people’s) strength and his hope in Jehovah had perished (v. 18). In verses 19 and 20 the prophet says, “Remember my affliction and my wandering, / The wormwood and the gall. / My soul remembers them well / And is bowed down within me
4这一切经文里所描述的困苦，耶利米并没有亲身遭遇。神没有这样直接的使耶利米受困苦。然而，因为耶利米与神受困苦的百姓是一，在他的感觉里，在他的同情里，他就在受同样的困苦。
4The affliction described in all these verses did not happen personally to Jeremiah. God did not afflict Jeremiah directly in this way. However, because Jeremiah was one with God’s afflicted people, in his feeling, in his sympathy, he was suffering the same kind of affliction
贰 申言者
II. THE PROPHET’S
（代表他百姓）的盼望
REPRESENTING HIS PEOPLE’S) HOPE
5在二十一至三十九节，我们看见申言者（代表他百姓）的盼望。申言者的盼望在于耶和华的慈爱、怜恤和信21-实；耶和华是他的分。（21～24。）他藉著等候祂并寻求祂的救恩而仰望耶和华，（25～30。）同时他倚靠主的作为和审判。（31～39。）
5In verses 2 1 through 3 9 we see the prophet’s (representing his people’s) hope. The prophet’s hop ew as in the lovingkindness, compassions, and faithfulness of Jehovah, who was his portion (vv. 24). He hoped in Jehovah by waiting on Him and seeking after Him for His salvation (vv. 25-30), while depending on the Lord’s doing and judging (vv. 31-39).
6参申言者向他百姓的要求
6III. THE PROPHET’S REQUEST TO HIS PEOPLE
7四十至五十四节是申言者向他百姓的要求。首先，他要求他们察验自己的行径，又当转向耶和华。（40～。）然后他要求他们为自己的犯罪悖逆悔改，他们的犯罪悖逆使主向他们遮蔽自己，并激动他们的仇敌毁灭他们。（42～54。）
7In verses 40 through 54 we have the prophet’s request to his people. First, he requests that they would examine their ways and turn again to Jehovah (vv. 40-41). Then he requests that they repent of their 41 transgressions and rebellion that caused the Lord to cover Himself from them and to stir up their enemies to destroy them (vv. 42-54).
肆 申言者
IV. THE PROPHET’S
（代表他百姓）向耶和华的祷告
REPRESENTING HIS PEOPLE’S) PRAYER TO JEHOVAH
8最终，五十五至六十六节是申言者（代表他百姓）向耶和华的祷告。他呼求耶和华的名，求祂申明他们的冤，并审判他们的案件。（55～62。）然后他求耶和华因他们仇敌的邪恶，向他们施行报应。（63～66。）虽然这首哀歌带著旧约的味道，然而却是在新约经纶的范围里，二十二至二十五节特别是如此。现在我们要详细的来看这几节。
8Finally, in verses 55 through 66 we have the prophet’s (representing his people’s) prayer to Jehovah. He called upon His name that He would plead their case and judge their cause (vv. 55-62). Then he asked Him to avenge them of their enemies because of their evils (vv. 63-66). Although this lamentation bears an Old Testament flavor, it is nevertheless in the sphere of the New Testament economy. This is true especially of verses 22 through 25, which we will now consider in some detail
9哀歌三章二十二至二十三节说，『我们不至消灭，是出于耶和华的慈爱，因祂的怜恤不至断绝；每早晨这些都是新的。你的信实，极其广大。』我信这话是耶利米在早晨接触主，回想他百姓一切的困苦时临到他的。耶利米在回想这些困苦时，必定为以色列的罪恶懊悔。这时耶和华的话临到他说，无论祂怎样惩罚以色列，祂并没有完全消灭他们。耶利米和许多人仍然存留。这是神的慈爱。耶利米领悟他和所有与他一同存留的人，都在神的怜恤之下，就赞美说，『因祂的怜恤不至断绝。』（22下。）以色列人失败了，但神的怜恤不至断绝。祂的怜恤保守了以色列余民。耶利米继续题到耶和华的怜恤，说，『每早晨这些都是新的。』（23上。）这指明耶利米每早晨都接触主这怜恤人者。藉著他与主的接触，他得著了这关于祂的慈爱、怜恤、和信实的话。在二十三节下半耶利米宣告说，『你的信实，极其广大。』神的怜恤不至断绝，因为祂是信实者。神的信实是指祂的话。祂的信实也与祂的约有关。因为神与亚伯拉罕立了约，并与以撒和雅各坚定了这约，祂就必须信实的遵守祂的话。神向以色列的列祖说了话，祂也信实的遵守祂的话。
9Lamentations 3:2 2 and 2 3 say, “It is Jehovah’s lovingkindness that we are not consumed, / For His compassions do not fail; / They are new every morning. / Great is Your faithfulness.” I believe that this word came to Jeremiah as he was contacting the Lord in the morning, reviewing all the afflictions of his people. While Jeremiah was reviewing these afflictions, he must have regretted the sinfulness of Israel. At this juncture the word of Jehovah came to him, that no matter how much He had punished Israel, He had not utterly consumed them. Jeremiah and many others remained. This was God’s lovingkindness. Realizing that he and all the others who remained with him were under God’s compassions, Jeremiah praised, saying, “For His compassions do not fail” (v. 22b). The people of Israel had failed, but God’s compassions did not fail. His compassions had preserved the remnant of Israel. Referring to Jehovah’s compassions, Jeremiah went on to say, “They are new every morning” (v. 23a). This indicates that Jeremiah contacted the Lord as the compassionate One every morning. It was through his contact with the Lord that he received this word regarding His lovingkindness, compassions, and faithfulness. In verse 2 3 b Jeremiah declared, “Great is Your faithfulness.” God’s compassions do not fail, because He is the faithful One. The faithfulness of God refers to His word. His faithfulness is also related to His covenant. Because He had made a covenant with Abraham and confirmed it with Isaac and Jacob, God had to be faithful to keep His word. God had spoken to Israel’s forefathers, and He was faithful to keep His word.
10在二十四至二十五节，耶利米继续从他的深处说，『我心里说，耶和华是我的分；因此我仰望祂。那等候耶和华，心里寻求祂的，耶和华必恩待他。』这论到耶和华是我们的分，以及仰望祂的话，的确有新约的味道。这指明耶利米在写二十二至二十五节时，是在新约的经纶里。耶利米享受耶和华作他的分，并且他不仰望自己，不仰望人，也不仰望别的事物，只单单仰望耶和华。一面，耶利米领悟神是慈爱的神，祂是怜恤的，并且祂的话是信实的。另一面，耶利米领悟，我们仍需要每早晨接触主，完全仰望祂、等候祂。在耶利米的时代，以色列人的光景不好。似乎神并不是这么仁慈，这么亲切、怜恤并信实;反而看来正好相反。我们在类似的光景中时，该怎么办？我们和耶利米一样，需要领悟神仍然是我们的分，我们该仰望祂、等候祂、并呼求祂的名。（55。）然而，即使我们这样作，也不该期望光景会立刻改变。因为可能没有立刻的改变，所以我们需要继续等候主。
10In verses 24 and 25 Jeremiah continued, saying from the depths of his being, “Jehovah is my portion, says my soul; / Therefore I hope in Him. / Jehovah is good to those who wait on Him, / To the soul that seeks Him.” This word about Jehovah being our portion and about hoping in Him surely has a New Testament flavor. This indicates that as Jeremiah was writing verses 22 through 25, he was in the New Testament economy. Jeremiah enjoyed Jehovah as his portion, and he put his hope not in himself nor in the people nor in anything else but only in Jehovah. On the one hand, Jeremiah realized that God is a God of lovingkindness, that He is compassionate, and that His word is faithful. On the other hand, Jeremiah realized that we still need to contact the Lord every morning, put our entire hope in Him, and wait on Him. In Jeremiah’st i me, the situation of the people of Israel was not good. It did not seem that God was so loving, kind, compassionate, and faithful. Rather, it looked just the opposite. When we are in a similar situation, what should we do? Like Jeremiah, we need to realize that God is still our portion and that we should hope in Him, wait on Him, and call upon His name (v. 55). However, even though we do these things, we should not expect the situation to change immediately. Since there may be no immediate change, we need to continue to wait on the Lord
11在耶利米的事例中，他等候主相当长久。他所说关于复兴时代的豫言，尚未应验。相反的，以色列今天的光景看来并未证实这些豫言。这指明我们需要学习等候主的功课。今天不是终极完成的时候；所以，我们必须等候主。我们有时间的问题，时间的因素。因为我们在时间里，时间的因素对我们非常重要。我们留意时间的因素，所以很容易变得没有耐心。但我们的神没有时间的因素。等候主非常要紧。神是我们的分，祂满了慈爱和怜恤，并且祂是绝对信实的。现在我们需要仰望祂，等候祂，并呼求祂。然而，我们不该期望祂会快速行动。一位圣经教师指出，神在拯救我们的事上行动快速，但在许多别的事上，祂行动并不快速。例如，我们知道主答应祷告。我们为一件特别的事向祂祷告，但祂也许等候好几个月才答应我们的祷告。这帮助我们领悟，我们的神是真的、活的、怜恤的、并信实的，但祂常常不像我们所期待的那样快速行事。
11In Jeremiah’s case, the waiting on the Lord has been quite long. The fulfillment of his prophecies concerning the age of restoration has still not come. On the contrary, the situation of Israel today does not seem to be a confirmation of these prophecies. This indicates that we need to learn the lesson of waiting on the Lord. Today is not the time of the ultimate consummation; therefore, we must wait on the Lord. With us there is the matter of time, the time element. Because we are in time, the time element is very important to us. We are conscious of the time element, and therefore we easily become impatient. But with our God there is no time element. To wait on the Lord is very crucial. God is our portion; He is full of lovingkindness and compassion; and He is absolutely faithful. Now we need to hope in Him, wait on Him, and call upon Him. However, we should not expect that He will act quickly. A certain Bible teacher pointed out that God acted quickly in saving us, but in many other things He does not act quickly. For example, we know that the Lord answers prayer. We may pray to Him about a particular matter, but He may wait for several months before He answers our prayer. This helps us to realize that our God is true, living, compassionate, and faithful, yet He often does not do things as quickly as we expect.
12神耽延的原因乃是祂要试验我们。祂要试验我们到一个地步，叫我们失去自己的盼望，觉得自己完全了了。当我们觉得光景无望时，却常是神要进来的时候。这是我们在神分赐之下的经历。在这首哀歌的五十五节，耶利米说，『耶和华阿，我…呼求你的名。』（55上。）在主的恢复里，我们学会了呼求主耶稣的名。然而，许多新约的信徒不知道呼求主的名，也没有实行这事。有些人甚至为这实行批评我们。这是何等不幸的光景！我珍赏我们在本篇信息中所强调的三件事：仰望主，等候主，并呼求祂的名。我们若实行这些事，就会实际的在神的分赐之下。
12The reason God delays is that He intends to test us. He will test us to such an extent that we will lose our hope and feel that we are utterly finished. When we feel that the situation is hopeless, that is often the time when God will come in. This is our experience under God’s dispensing. In verse 55 of this lamentation, Jeremiah said, “I called upon Your name, O Jehovah” (v. 55a). In the Lord’s recovery we have learned to call upon the name of the Lord Jesus. However, many New Testament believers do not know about calling upon the name of the Lord and do not practice it. Some even criticize us for this practice. What an unfortunate situation this is! I appreciate the three matters we have emphasized in this message: to have our hope in the Lord, to wait on Him, and to call upon His name. If we practice these things, we will be under God’s dispensing in a practical way
13当我们周围的光景似乎无望时，我们需要领悟，我们的神绝不会被打败。凡祂所说的，祂必信实的履行。所以，我们该信圣经所说的一切。此外，我们需要领悟，神是祂百姓的分，我们需要仰望并信靠祂。无论祂现在或以后答应我们，我们都需要信靠祂。即使祂似乎不答应我们的祷告，我们也该继续祷告并等候祂。至终的结果将是照著祂的定旨，我们也将是蒙祂赐福的人。愿我们都学习这功课。
13When the situation around us seems to be hopeless, we need to realize that our God can never be defeated. Whatever He has spoken, He will be faithful to fulfill. Therefore, we should believe all that the Bible says. In addition, we need to realize that God is the portion of His people, and we need to put our hope and our trust in Him. We need to trust in Him and wait on Him whether He answers us now or later. Even if He seemingly does not answer our prayer, we should continue to pray and wait on Him. The eventual result will be according to His purpose, and we will be the ones benefited by Him. May we all learn this lesson