Year: 2021

30/12/2021

引言:

本篇诗人亚萨四次呼求回转，三次是使我们回转的祷告3，7，19节，一次是求神转向我们。求神彰显大能，拯救选脱离仇敌。

一、向神回转求神拯救（V1-3）

回转：原文有复兴之意。 使你的脸发光 ：是恩待和宠爱的象征。

求你使我们回转: 向我们显明你的爱，这里不单是民族复兴的呼求，更是灵里的复兴，

二、向神回转求神息怒（V4-7）

「万军之神」原文是「众多军队的神」，形容神是大能的神。神的百姓被掳走，绝不是偶然，更不是神不能、不愿「眷顾」而是神向悖逆的百姓「发怒」（V4）的结果。

三、向神回转求神垂看（V8-16）

葡萄树是指以色列人说的：赶出外邦人，把这树栽上。指神领以色列人进迦南占领了整个迦南。

「为何拆毁这树的篱笆，任凭一切过路的人摘取」12节因他们不信服耶和华——随从虚无的神，效法周围的外邦人祭拜偶像，还为自己铸了两个牛犊的像，立了亚舍拉，敬拜天上的万象，事奉巴力，又使他们的儿女经火，（王下十七14-17）。

因此只有当神「拆毁这树的篱笆」（V12）、撤去祂的保护的时候，离弃神的百姓才能知道自己靠不住、偶像靠不住、盟国也靠不住，唯有神是他们的保障。

四、向神回转得见神面（V17-19）

「回转」是圣灵的工作圣灵催逼「回转」的人，但是人也要认识靠自己，「立志为善由得我，只是行出来由不得我」（罗七18），凭着肉身想回转的时候，很快有许多难处拦阻我们：肉体的败坏、世界的诱惑、撒但的阻挠，只有靠着圣灵的大能来到神的面前。

总结：

诗人亚萨描述百姓犯罪遭受管教，落入苦难的环境。诗人看到这种光景呼吁百姓回转归向神不要白白受苦，帮助百姓从苦难中学到教训，不能白白受苦丢掉生命。还告诉我们，当我们经历了苦难时，要求“神啊，求你回转！从天上垂看”使你的脸发光，光照我们便要得救。

Psalm 80: Turn to God and ask the Lord for revival
GK611 Morning Devotion
30/12/2021
Speaker: Rev Moses Li + Rev David Tan

Introduction:

The psalmist Asaph cries out four times in this Psalm, three times in the prayer to turn us back in verses 3, 7, and 19, and once in the prayer to ask God to turn to us. Ask God to show His power and save the chosen ones from the enemy.

1. Turn to God and Ask Him to Save (V1-3)

Restore: the original text has the meaning of revival.
[Cause Your face to shine]: a symbol of favor and affection.
Turn us back: show us your love. Here is not only a cry for national revival, but also spiritual revival.

2. Turn to God and Ask Him to calm His anger (V4-7)

The original word “Lord God of Hosts” means “God of many armies”, which describes God as a mighty God. The captivity of God’s people was not an accident, nor was it the result of God’s inability or unwillingness to “look out for” the rebellious people (v 4).

3. Turn to God and Ask God to watch (V8-16)

The vine refers to the Israelites who said, “Cast out the Gentiles and plant this tree. It refers to God leading the Israelites into Canaan to occupy all of Canaan.
“Why have You broken down her [g]hedges, So that all who pass by the way pluck her fruit?” verse 12 because they did not believe in the LORD their God. – they followed idols, became idolaters, and went after the nations who were all around them,made for themselves a molded image and two calves, made a wooden image and worshiped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. 17 And they caused their sons and daughters to pass through the fire, (2 Kings 17:14-17).

Therefore, it was only when God ” broken down her hedges,” (v. 12), and removed His protection, that the people who had forsaken God knew that they could not rely on themselves, nor on their idols, nor on their allies, but that God alone was their security.

4. Turn to God to See the Face of God (V17-19)

Turning back” is the work of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit compels those who “turn back”, but man must also recognize that he depends on himself, “for to will is present with me, but how to perform what is good I do not find.” (Rom. 7:18). When we try to turn back in the flesh, there are many difficulties that soon stop us: the corruption of the flesh, the temptation of the world, and the obstruction of Satan, and we can only come to God by the power of the Holy Spirit.

Conclusion:

The psalmist Asaph describes the circumstances in which the people sinned and suffered discipline, and fell into misery. The psalmist saw this situation and called the people to turn to God and not to suffer in vain, and helped them to learn from their suffering that they should not suffer and lose their lives in vain. He also tells us that when we go through suffering, we should ask, “O God, turn back! Look down from heaven” so that Cause Your face to shine,And we shall be saved!

29/12/2021

引言：

耶利米哀歌第5章是第五首哀歌，这是一首祷告诗,也是全书的结束祷告。是先知耶利米为他的人民-以色列子民求告神的祷告。整个祷告是求神记念祂子民的苦难，并使他们回转向神，再次得到复兴。

一、求神记念子民受苦（V1-18）

这段经文一开始就是‘耶和华啊，求你记念’，先知耶利米切切祈求神垂听他的祷告。他求神‘记念我们所遭遇的事’， ‘观看我们所受的凌辱’。
‘观看’ 原文是‘眷顾’的意思。

先知耶利米求神记着他们的苦难，眷顾他们所受的凌辱，希望耶和华给他们施恩救助。

接着，耶利米向神倾诉，他们现在面对因列祖和自己所犯的罪，所带来的祸害困苦：

1.失去产业（V2）

V2 我们的产业归与外邦人。我们的房屋归与外路人。

从前以色列人出埃及之后，神赶出迦南地的外邦人，让百姓得土地为业。如今，产业却归外邦人，没有安定的居所。

产业是神‘应许的福分’！罪使人失去神所要赐给我们各样属灵的福分，神已在基督里给我们各样属灵的福气，不要让罪使我们失去了神的应许与祝福而遭遇审判与咒诅！

2.失去倚靠（V3-13）

V3 我们是无父的孤儿。我们的母亲好像寡妇。

第三节经文让我们看见罪使以色列子民成为‘无父的孤儿’， 失去了最主要的‘倚靠’。

事实上，我们有一位富足赐恩给我们享受的天父，而‘罪’却使我们远离天父。
当我们因罪失去父的供应时，我们会成为贫穷、饥渴、疲乏不得歇息、可怜无助的人(V4-10)；
也成为一个失去父亲保护、到处被欺侮的人(V11-13)；
让我们离弃‘罪’重新回到神的怀抱，再次享受祂成为爱我们、保护我们的父亲和良人！

3.失去自由（V8）

V8 奴仆辖制我们，无人救我们脱离他们的手。

奴仆是指巴比伦人，他们从前是奴仆，现在反过来辖制神的子民。更严重的是，没有人来帮助神的子民，别人也无力帮助。

罪使我们成为不自由的人，成为欲望的仆人！成为撒但的奴仆！被罪恶辖制！
我们基督徒应当过的是自由得胜的生活！让我们远离罪恶的网罗，好让我们成为真正自由的人！

4.失去喜乐（V14-18）

V14 老年人在城门口断绝。少年人不再作乐。15 我们心中的快乐止息，跳舞变为悲哀。16 冠冕从我们的头上落下。我们犯罪了，我们有祸了。

先知耶利米在这段经文总结了他们心里的悲哀。
以前的安定、‘作乐’、‘快乐’、‘跳舞’、繁荣已经没有了，代表地位、权柄和荣耀的‘冠冕’都没有了，一切换来了‘悲哀’、‘心里发昏’、‘眼睛昏花’。

犯罪的人心中背负良心的谴责和神的震怒，心中不可能有真正的喜乐。所有的只是短暂的、虚假的‘罪中之乐’！而喜乐才是我们当有的人生，‘罪’会夺走它们！但愿我们远离罪恶，好让我们心中有真实的喜乐和平安！重新得着荣耀的冠冕！

二、求神动工使民回转（V19-22）

V19 耶和华阿，你存到永远。你的宝座存到万代。20 你为何永远忘记我们。为何许久离弃我们。21 耶和华阿，求你使我们向你回转，我们便得回转。求你复新我们的日子，像古时一样。22 你竟全然弃绝我们，向我们大发烈怒。

先知耶利米向神诉说他们的悲苦情况之后，最后便向神呼求拯救，呼求神采取行动使人回转。因为人回转向神，是得神复新的第一步！

接着耶利米宣告：耶和华阿，你存到永远。你的宝座存到万代（V19）。并带领以色列子民继续求神拯救。因为知道耶和华是掌王权、居首位的神，所以将主权交给祂，让祂亲自动工。所以第21节耶利米就呼求神‘使我们向你回转，我们便得回转’。耶利米恳求神使人‘回转’，这也是在祈求神和人一同‘回转’！就是：神转向祂的子民，拯救帮助他们回转向神、悔改专心信靠主。因为，若不是神主动施恩，罪人没有可能、也没有能力自己主动回转。

而神使‘刚硬者’回转、向‘顽梗者’施怜悯的方式，就是‘大发烈怒’（V22）；天性悖逆的人只有经历过神管教的烈怒，才能知道神是应当敬畏的，才肯回转归向祂，好使祂能‘复新我们’（V21）！如果人拒绝管教，在管教中挣扎反抗，就拦阻了神施怜悯的管道，而无法回转归向神！

耶利米用一个疑问诗句来结束本章，我们看来好像有点不顺。其实，这个疑问是要引发我们思考的最好结尾。

其实，神深不可测的爱，以及刑罚，都是为了叫我们更明白神的作为都是有计划的。我们的祷告，不一定能看见它成就，我们的困难也不一定可以快速解决，但我们可以好好交托给神，‘求神纪念，让神动工’。神希望我们‘不为明天忧虑’，‘一天的难处一天当就够的’。所以，我们除了要好好祷告之外，现在要做的，是努力活在当下，每一天抓紧神的恩典生活，信实的神愿意与我们同在，祝福我们，也借我们祝福他人。

总结：

弟兄姐妹，耶利米哀歌虽然只有短短的5章，但却让我们看见，不要忽视神叫我们悔改的宝贵机会。因为我们一直不悔改重复犯罪，当神出手审判甚至毁灭我们的时候，那是非常可怕的!

愿耶利米哀歌成为我们基督徒的提醒，也让我们不要只管自己的事，也要关心国家社会的事。
为我们所在的城市来祷告，并且起来传福音做见证。因为当越来越多不信主的人，他们的心转而归向神的时候，世界上不公不义的邪恶事情、战争侵略就会减少！

Lamentation 5: Pray for God’s Remembrance to Turn the People Around
GK611 Morning Devotion
29/12/2021
Speaker: IP Daniel Kew + Rev David Tan

Introduction:

Lamentations Chapter 5 is the fifth lamentation, which is a prayer and the closing prayer of the book. It is the prophet Jeremiah’s prayer of supplication to God for his people, the children of Israel. The whole prayer is to ask God to remember the suffering of His people and to turn them back to Him for revival again.

1. Pleading God to Remember the People’s Suffering (V1-18)

The prophet Jeremiah prayed earnestly for God to hear his prayer, beginning with the words ‘Remember, O LORD’. He asks God to ‘remember what has happened to us’ and to ‘see the abuse we have suffered’.
The original word ‘watch’ means ‘to look upon’.

The prophet Jeremiah asked God to remember their sufferings and to look on their humiliation, hoping that the Lord would give them relief.

Jeremiah then confided in God about the woes they were now facing because of the sins of their fathers and of themselves.

(1) Loss of Inheritance (V2)

V2 Our inheritance is given to the Gentiles. Our houses are given to the Gentiles.

Once upon a time, after the Israelites came out of Egypt, God drove out the Gentiles from the land of Canaan, so that the people could have land for their property. Now, the inheritance is given to the Gentiles, and there is no stable dwelling place.

Property is the ‘promised blessing’ of God! Sin deprives man of all the spiritual blessings that God wants to give us. God has given us all spiritual blessings in Christ, so do not let sin deprive us of God’s promises and blessings and bring judgment and curses upon us!

(2) Loss of Dependence (V3-13)

V3 We have become orphans and waifs, Our mothers are like widows.

Verse 3 shows us that sin has made the children of Israel ‘fatherless orphans’, losing their primary ‘dependence’.

In fact, we have a Father who is rich in grace for our enjoyment, but ‘sin’ has kept us from Him.

When we lose our Father’s provision because of sin, we become poor, hungry, thirsty, weary and restless, poor and helpless (V4-10).
Also become a person who is without the protection of the Father and is bullied everywhere (V11-13).

Let us turn away from ‘sin’ and return to God’s embrace and enjoy Him again as a loving, protecting Father and good man!

(3) Loss of Freedom (V8)

V8 Servants rule over us; there is none to deliver us from their hand.

The slaves are the Babylonians, who were once slaves, but now they have come back to dominate God’s people. What is worse, no one comes to help God’s people, and no one else is able to help.

Sin makes us unfree men, servants of our desires! To become slaves of Satan! To be ruled by sin!

We Christians should live a free and victorious life! Let us be free from the snare of sin, so that we may become truly free!

(4) Loss of Joy (V14-18)

V14 The elders have ceased gathering at the gate, and the young men from their music. 15 The joy of our heart has ceased; our dance has turned into mourning. 16 The crown has fallen from our head. Woe to us, for we have sinned!

The prophet Jeremiah summed up the sorrow of their hearts in this passage.
The old stability, ‘making merry,’ ‘joy,’ ‘dancing,’ and prosperity were gone, and the ‘crowns’ that represented status, power, and glory ‘ are gone, and everything has been replaced by ‘sorrow’, ‘faintness of heart’, and ‘dimness of eyes’.

The sinner bears the condemnation of his conscience and the wrath of God in his heart, and there can be no true joy in his heart. All that is there is a short-lived, false ‘joy in sin’! And joy is what we should have in life, and ‘sin’ takes them away! May we turn away from sin, so that we may have true joy and peace in our hearts! To be crowned with glory again!

2. Ask God to Turn the People Around (V19-22)

V19 You, O Lord, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation. 20 Why do You forget us forever, and forsake us for so long a time? 21 Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored; renew our days as of old, 22 unless You have utterly rejected us, and are very angry with us!

After the prophet Jeremiah had told God about their misery, he finally cried out to God for salvation, and asked God to act to turn people back. For turning back to God is the first step to God’s restoration!

Then Jeremiah declared: You, O Lord, remain forever; Your throne from generation to generation. (V19). And he led the children of Israel to continue to ask God for salvation. Knowing that the LORD is the reigning and first God, the sovereignty is given to Him to work in person. So next, in verse 21 the prophet Jeremiah cries out to God ‘Turn us back to You, O Lord, and we will be restored’. Jeremiah pleads with God to ‘turn’ the people, and this is a prayer for God to ‘turn’ with the people! That is, that God would turn to His people and save and help them to turn to God and repent and trust in the Lord. For there is no possibility or power for man to turn of his own accord, if God does not take the initiative to give grace.
And the way God turns the ‘hardened’ and shows mercy to the ‘stubborn’ is by ‘great wrath’ (V22); It is only when the rebellious by nature have experienced the wrath of God’s discipline that they will know that God is to be feared and will turn to Him so that He may ‘restore us’. (V21)! If man rejects discipline and struggles against it, he blocks the channel of God’s mercy and cannot turn back to Him!

Jeremiah ends the chapter with a questioning verse that seems to us to be a bit out of place. In fact, this question is the best way to end to provoke us to think.

In fact, God’s unfathomable love, as well as the punishment, are meant to make us more aware that God’s actions are all planned. Our prayers may not always see their fulfillment, and our difficulties may not always be solved quickly, but we can entrust them to God well, and ‘ask God to remember and let Him work’. God wants us to ‘not worry about tomorrow’, and ‘one day’s difficulty is enough for one day’. Therefore, besides praying well, what we need to do now is to try to live in the present moment and grasp God’s grace to live each day, and the faithful God is willing to be with us and bless us, and through us to bless others.

Conclusion:

Brothers and sisters, although the Book of Lamentations is only 5 short chapters, it shows us not to neglect the precious opportunity of God to call us to repentance. For if we keep on not repenting and sinning repeatedly, it will be very scary when God steps in to judge and even destroy us!

May Lamentations of Jeremiah be a reminder to us as Christians, and that we should not only care about our own affairs, but also about the affairs of our nations and society.

Come and pray for our city, and rise up as witnesses to the gospel. For as more and more unbelievers turn their hearts to God, there will be less unjust and evil things, wars and aggression in the world!

28/12/2021

引言:

在前面几章经文的里面，我们读到耶路撒冷遭难后是多么地悲哀。耶路撒冷在哀叹中，仿佛再也没有了别的出路，只能够向神祷告。自上一章开始，我们从经文的描述中，开始看到了一丝的盼望。而来到今天的经文，虽然耶路撒冷遭难的描述仍然占据了很大的篇幅，尤其今天这章经文讲到当时耶路撒冷被围困然后最终陷落，但是来到这一章的最后，我们还是可以看到苦难后神仍要施恩。

一、百姓所受的苦 (V 1-10)

耶路撒冷的荣耀已经褪去。所罗门所建筑起的圣殿被毁，圣殿的石头也被倒在耶路撒冷各个的地方。本来住在锡安的众子是尊贵的，可是如今他们只能卑贱到像瓦瓶一样，一碰就碎了。

这是一般百姓的状态，让我们特别地看两个群体：

1.锡安城的孩子。经文表达，就是野狗也懂得要用奶来哺乳孩子，但是如今锡安城因为缺水缺粮，许多母亲就只能忍着心先顾自己了，她们也没有能力供给她们的幼童奶水了。就是大一点的孩童因为饥饿想要吃饼，也是没有人可以满足到他们。

2.锡安城的富户。这些富户素来都是吃美好食物的，但如今因为饥荒的临到，他们只能在街上等死。过去他们躺卧在高贵的朱红褥子里，如今他们只能躺卧在灰尘堆中。

追究其原因，就是因为犹大众百姓的罪。从前这些贵胄都是脸色红润的，但如今因为饥荒，他们都瘦得像枯干的木头一样。这种饥饿致死的悲剧，甚至还不如被刀剑所杀的悲剧，因为这让人活在了一种渐渐死去的痛苦当中。本来出于母性就会在本能上爱孩子的妇人，如今在饥荒的状态中，为了能填填肚子，也残忍地煮起了自己的孩子。

罪是有苦果的。例子：马来西亚的水灾与人恶待环境的关系。我们基督徒尤其要比不信主的人更要看清这一点，而且我们还要把能够从根源上去解决罪的福音传给周围的人。如果我们不去影响身边的人，不做福音的使者，罪在社会中蔓延所带来的问题最终也会影响到我们。例子：欧洲国家偏离神的真理所带来经济问题，公共卫生问题还有国家安全问题等等。

二、领袖所犯的罪 (V 11-20)

1. 先知祭司的过犯 (V 11-16)

神对着耶路撒冷居民的罪发出祂的烈怒，让耶路撒冷完全地被玷污和倾覆，让世上的君王和百姓都惊叹到一个地步就是：对于耶路撒冷这样一个拥有易守难攻地势的地方，巴比伦人怎么会有能力去攻陷这个地方呢？而耶利米表达其实如果要再追究，都是因为神子民犹大国的领袖们所犯的罪。

先知是虚假的，不按神的心意发预言；祭司也不按神的心意去服事和引导百姓，只顺从百姓的私欲。当有义人起来说实话的时候，他们就把义人杀害。他们作为领袖，实质上却是属灵的瞎子，因为他们流无辜人血的罪，他们就成为不洁了，所以人都不可以靠近他们。而当耶路撒冷被攻陷，这些先知祭司都逃走漂流的时候，外邦人也唾弃他们，不让他们停留。本来他们作为国家的首领是受人尊崇的，但如今神将他们分散在不同的地方，不再眷顾他们，人也不再尊重他们了。

这里经文提醒我们，领袖的责任和影响力。今天我们作为一位领袖，我们都需要按着神的心意去引导我们的下属，以至于他们都能够走在神公义诚实的正路中。否则的话，我们有时候以为我们用讨好人，体贴人肉体的方式去带领，就像经文提到当时的先知祭司那样，放纵百姓们活在敬拜偶像的罪中，最后不单导致百姓们的灵性光景低下，还导致了亡国，自己和百姓们都被掳，最终自己也被人唾弃（例子：历史上好的领袖跟坏的领袖对国家带来影响力的巨大差别）。

2. 受膏君王的过犯 (V 17-20)

由于在历史上北国以色列也好，南国犹大也好，每次当他们遇到敌人的袭击，他们的君王很常都会透过结交的盟国来帮忙解围。所以百姓们在耶路撒冷被围攻的日子，也盼望着过去结交的盟国会来帮助，尤其在这一次，犹大特别盼望着埃及来救援，但是最终都没有实现。本来百姓盼望着犹大王能做他们的遮盖，让他们在列国中得蒙国家元首的保护，但是最终也事与愿违，他们所面对到的是巴比伦人对着他们的凶残的追逼。

这里除了再次提醒我们领袖的重要性，其实也提醒我们唯独倚靠耶稣我们才能永不动摇。所以今天我们基督徒不应该是遇到问题，已经像当时的犹大人一样，靠援军不行了，靠耶路撒冷的防御力量不行了，才来到神的面前。我们需要在我们的日常生活中就常常来倚靠神，寻求神，活出神的心意！

三、锡安终受安慰 (V 21-22)

对着锡安居民落井下石的以东居民，他们只管享受暂时的快乐吧，因为公义的神也必会来讨他们的罪，他们必要喝神烈怒的杯。而反过来，在灾难中愿意反思己过，并重新归向神的锡安居民，神的管教终究会停住。最终他们必不会再被掳去，他们必能够回到神所赐给他们的应许之地去生活。今天无论我们在信仰上曾经有过多大的软弱，只要我们懂得回转归向神，我们都必能够再次地经历神的恩典。

而对于一些恶待我们，却不愿接受福音的人，我们要相信公义的神必有祂公义的处理（例子：信仰被逼迫的国度）！我们要学习不为自己伸冤，我们更是求神给我们一颗更宽大的心去为这些人代求，让他们有朝一日也能来回转归向神！

总结：除罪迎回神恩

罪带来苦果，所以我们要做神圣洁的子民，更要传除罪的福音！罪的问题需要领袖起来处理，领袖起来要带领下属活在神的心意里，不要放纵下属活在罪中！在我们人生所面对的大小事情上，我们也要学习单单靠神，而不是靠人的能力与聪明。当我们如此来除罪，并虚心地归向神，神必会对着我们再施恩典！

Lamentations 4: God Will Still Be Gracious After Suffering
GK611 Morning Devotion
28/12/2021
Speaker: IP Moses + Rev Tan

Introduction:

In the preceding chapters we read of the lamentation of Jerusalem after the suffering. Jerusalem was lamenting as if there was no other way out but to pray to God. Since the previous chapter, we have begun to see a glimmer of hope in the descriptions of the scriptures. And although the description of the suffering of Jerusalem still occupies a great deal of space in today’s passage, especially today’s chapter about the siege and then eventual fall of Jerusalem at that time, we can still see at the end of the chapter that God still wants to be gracious after the suffering.

1. The Sufferings of the People (V1-10)

The glory of Jerusalem had faded. The temple that Solomon had built was destroyed, and the stones of the temple were poured out in various places in Jerusalem. The sons who lived in Zion were noble, but now they are as lowly as a tile vase, which breaks at the touch.

This is the state of the people in general. Let us look at two groups in particular.

(1) The children of the city of Zion. The scriptures express that even wild dogs know how to nurse their children with milk, but nowadays, because of the lack of water and food in the city of Zion, many mothers had to take care of themselves first, and they were not able to provide milk for their young ones. Even if the older children wanted to eat bread because of hunger, there was no one to satisfy them.

(2) The rich families of Zion. These rich families had always eaten good food, but now, because of the famine, they had to wait for death in the streets.They used to lie down in scarlet, but now they were lying in the dust.

The reason for this was traced to the sin of the people of Judah. Once upon a time these noblemen were rosy-cheeked, but now because of the famine they were all as thin as dry wood. This tragedy of death by starvation was even worse than the tragedy of being killed by the sword, for it made people live in a kind of pain of gradual death. Women who would have instinctively loved their children out of motherhood, now in a state of famine, cruelly cooked their own children in order to fill their stomachs.

Sin has bitter consequences. Example: The floods in Malaysia and the relationship between people treating their environment badly. We Christians in particular need to see this more clearly than unbelievers, and we need to preach the gospel to those around us that can address the root causes of sin. If we do not influence those around us and be messengers of the gospel, the problems caused by the spread of sin in society will eventually affect us as well. Examples: The economic problems, public health problems, and national security problems caused by the European countries’ deviation from God’s truth.

2. The Sins Committed by the Leaders (V11-20)

(1) The Transgressions of the Prophets and Priests (v11-16)

God sent His wrath against the sin of the inhabitants of Jerusalem, leaving Jerusalem completely defiled and overturned, so that the kings and people of the world marveled to the point that for a place like Jerusalem, with its easily defended terrain, how could the Babylonians have the ability to take the place? And Jeremiah expressed that in fact, if we were to pursue this further, it was because of the sins committed by the leaders of God’s people, the nation of Judah.

The prophets were false, and did not prophesy according to the mind of God; nor did the priests serve and guide the people according to the mind of God, but obeyed their selfish desires. They killed the righteous when they arose to speak the truth. They were leaders, but in essence they were spiritually blind, and because of their sin of shedding innocent blood, they became unclean, so that no man should come near them. And when Jerusalem was sacked, and all these prophets and priests fled and drifted away, the Gentiles also spurned them and would not let them stay. They had been honored as heads of nations, but now God had scattered them in different places, and no longer favored them, nor did men respect them any more.

Here the scriptures remind us of the responsibility and influence of leaders. As a leader today, we all need to guide our subordinates according to God’s heart, so that they can all walk in the righteous and honest ways of God. Otherwise, we sometimes think we are leading in a way that is pleasing to people and carnal, just like the prophet and priest of the time mentioned in the scriptures, who indulged the people in the sin of idolatry, which eventually led not only to the spiritual downfall of the people, but also to the downfall of the nation and the captivity of both himself and the people, and ultimately to his own rejection (example: the difference between good leaders and bad leaders in history in terms of their influence on the nation is huge).

(2) The Transgressions of the Anointed Kings (V17-20)

As in the history of both the northern kingdom of Israel and the southern kingdom of Judah, whenever they were attacked by their enemies, their kings often came to their aid through their allies. So when Jerusalem was under siege, the people looked forward to the help of their allies from the past, especially in this case, Judah looked forward to the rescue of Egypt, but in the end, it did not happen. The people had hoped that the king of Judah would be their covering, so that they would be protected by the head of state among the nations, but in the end it was not to be, and they were faced with a fierce pursuit by the Babylonians.

In addition to reminding us once again of the importance of leadership, we are actually reminded that we can never be shaken only when relying on Jesus. Therefore, today we Christians should not come to God only when we encounter problems, just like the Judeans at that time, when we cannot rely on reinforcements and the defensive power of Jerusalem. We need to rely on God in our daily lives, to seek God, and to live as God desires!

3. Zion is finally comforted (V21-22)

The inhabitants of Edom, who had been smitten with the inhabitants of Zion, were happy for a while, for the righteous God would come to condemn them, and they would drink the cup of God’s wrath. On the other hand, the inhabitants of Zion, who were willing to reflect on their faults in the midst of the disaster, and to turn to God again, will eventually cease to be disciplined by God. In the end they will not be taken into captivity again, and they will be able to return to the land of promise that God has given them to live in. No matter how weak we have been in our faith today, if we know how to turn back to God, we will be able to experience God’s grace again.

And for those who treat us badly but do not want to accept the gospel, we need to trust that the righteous God will have His righteous dealings (example: faith in the persecuted kingdom)! We need to learn not to seek justice for ourselves, but we need to ask God to give us a more generous heart to intercede for these people, so that they too can one day turn back to Him!

Conclusion: Removing Sins and Welcoming Back God’s Grace

Sin brings bitter fruit, so we need to be God’s holy people and preach the gospel of the removal of sin! The problem of sin needs to be dealt with by leaders who rise up to lead their subordinates to live in the mind of God and not to indulge them in sin!

In the big and small things we face in life, we also need to learn to rely on God alone, and not on human ability and wisdom. When we do this to get rid of our sins and turn to God with an open heart, God will be gracious to us again!