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耶利米哀歌［第3章|Book of Lamentations 3

【为受审判的世代呼求】

主讲:陈惠菁传道+陈炎明牧师

23/12/2021

引言:

前两天牧师解释了，耶利米哀歌是用希伯来文22个字母作为每节经文起首的离合诗。今天第3章也是一首字母诗，不同的是，它是每3节用同一字母作为开始。一共有66节，是哀歌里最长的一章。昨天牧师在第二章提到百姓因陷入悲惨的光景、神圣殿被毁时不断的在问 “为什么？”时，也正是人开始反省检视祸因何在的时刻。今天这章也是整本耶利米哀歌的核心，有承先启后的作用。因为这是神百开始明白到，他们陷入这样的光景，皆因长久硬颈悖逆神，不肯悔改所带来神的管教和审判。

从今天这章的经文中，我们看到作者耶利米，除了抒发个人的感受以外，也以个人身份替因神的管教而遭受审判的同胞哀叹呼求。主题：为受审判的世代哀叹。

一、遭遇神反对的手 (V1-18)

1我是因耶和华忿怒的杖，遭遇困苦的人。2他引导我，使我行在黑暗中，不行在光明里。3他真是终日再三反手攻击我。4他使我的皮肉枯乾；他折断（或译：压伤）我的骨头。5他筑垒攻击我，用苦楚（原文是苦胆）和艰难围困我。6他使我住在幽暗之处，像死了许久的人一样。7他用篱笆围住我，使我不能出去；他使我的铜炼沉重。8我哀号求救；他使我的祷告不得上达。9他用凿过的石头挡住我的道；他使我的路弯曲。10他向我如熊埋伏，如狮子在隐密处。11他使我转离正路，将我撕碎，使我凄凉。12他张弓将我当作箭靶子。13他把箭袋中的箭射入我的肺腑。14我成了众民的笑话；他们终日以我为歌曲。15他用苦楚充满我，使我饱用茵陈。16他又用沙石碜（chěn）断我的牙，用灰尘将我蒙蔽。17你使我远离平安，我忘记好处。18我就说：我的力量衰败；我在耶和华那里毫无指望！

耶利米先知一开始就带出了，以色列百姓今天进入这样悲惨的光景，全因悖逆惹神忿怒而受到的审判。V3先知承认自己和百姓所遭遇到的这一切，都是出于神反对的手，终日反复不停地施加在他们身上。蒙神所爱的人为什么会遭遇到神反对的手呢？神真的是因为百姓的顽梗悖逆而要致他们于死地吗？其实不然。慈爱的神总是用大能的手和伸出来的膀臂，成为我们随时的帮助。但是当圣灵一再的提醒，我们却不愿悔改时，神不会永无止境的宽容。而是会伸出他管教的手亲自‘攻击’我们。当我们落入这样的光景时，应当如何是好？

弟兄姐妹，以其说是神攻击我们，更正确的说法是，因为我们的罪孽，使生命出现破口，导致神允许仇敌攻击我们。

曾经就看到有姐妹因生命的破口，圣灵再三提醒，可是姐妹却没有认真的回应，结果困难和问题是接二连三的迎着她而来，不但自己遭殃，连孩子也受苦。导致她差点想放弃。可是，在这样被管教的过程中，神的爱依然很明显的天天伴随她。她说，无论是在路上，还是去到不同的地方，到处都看到‘611’。也因为这样，她勇敢的面对困境，并且以信心来回应神、堵住生命的破口。

弟兄姐妹，很常我们的生命或生活出了状况，都因为在属灵上出了偏差。是我们和神的关系出了问题，所以导致被攻击。最近我看了一本禁食祷告的书，当中就提到我们的财务问题不在于金钱，而是在于我们跟神的关系。所以，无论是神大有能力帮助的手、还是管教的手，都是神爱的双手和祂美善工作。人若在黑暗中能看到和明白神手的工作，愿意谦卑回应神的管教，真实悔改堵住破口，让生命与真理对齐，生命就一定会有转机而重新进入蒙福。

二、审判中找到出路 (V19-47)

19耶和华啊，求你记念我如茵陈和苦胆的困苦窘迫。20我心想念这些，就在里面忧闷。21我想起这事，心里就有指望。22我们不致消灭，是出於耶和华诸般的慈爱；是因他的怜悯不致断绝。23每早晨，这都是新的；你的诚实极其广大！

当人来到尽头，找不到任何出路时，若能像先知那样的的呼求：“耶和华啊，求祢记念我如茵陈和苦胆的困苦窘迫”时，那将会是生命的转折点。因为当属地的一切都毫无指望，人在苦难煎熬中就不得不把眼光从自己、从难处、从环境转向神。若我们在苦难中将心思意念转向神，思想神的应许、凭信心求神记念我们如茵陈和苦胆的困苦窘迫时，就会经历意想不到的从心里忧闷变成心里充满着指望。

弟兄姐妹，相信我们都有这样的经历。当我们把所遇到的苦，所遭受到不公平的对待、委屈，反覆思量时，越想就越情绪激动，越想就越忧闷，越失望、想放弃。其实当我们处在这样的时刻，一定要定义转向神。因为，当我们定义转向神的时候就会发现纵然问题处境没改变，我们的眼光思想却会被神调整到与祂的眼光对齐。

V24-26, 因为耶和华是我们的分，所以凡等候耶和华，心里寻求祂的，神的慈爱怜悯必不断绝。若我们想要每天都领受神的新鲜恩典，那一定要常常在神面前等候。等候神更是我们在患难中最有力的属灵武器之一。因为等候神使我们在以下的几方面对齐神：

1.放下自己（V26） 2.愿意成长（V27） 3.甘心受教（V28-33） 4.降服主权（V34-38） 5.考察行为（V39-47）

在逼迫困境中，我们要学会在神面前静默等候神，必会找到问题的原因和明白神的美意，而走出死地。而当人更认识神公义的审判，不但能时时警醒，检视自己的生命，还能从审判中体会到神无限的慈爱和怜悯，以致心被融化，就必定愿意降服于神的审判而真心悔改。从而更深的爱神，愿意降服在神的主权下，决心为主而活 。

三、破口中哀叹代求 (V48-66)

1.哀叹代求堵住破口 (V48-56)

48因我众民遭的毁灭，我就眼泪下流如河。49我的眼多多流泪，总不止息，50直等耶和华垂顾，从天观看。51因我本城的众民，我的眼，使我的心伤痛。52无故与我为仇的追逼我，像追雀鸟一样。53他们使我的命在牢狱中断绝，并将一块石头抛在我身上。54众水流过我头，我说：我命断绝了！55耶和华啊，我从深牢中求告你的名。56你曾听见我的声音；我求你解救，你不要掩耳不听。

耶利米爱耶路撒冷城，他更深爱耶路撒冷的百姓。眼看自己的同胞被摧残，他心中悲痛，泪流如河。 一方面是以色列人不听自己的警告，也不听神的话，另一方面这些人究竟是自己血肉之亲，怎忍心看着他们受害呢？ 先知的痛苦就在此，他把这种心情向神申诉。

有学者形容这本书每一笔是用眼泪写的，每一字是一颗破碎的心所发出的心声。这卷书最动人的特点，就在于神透过耶利米，流露了祂对祂正在管教的子民所有的慈爱和忧伤。神的心意渗透了耶利米先知的生命。以致我们看到他为了使以色列百姓悔改转向神，天天不停的为百姓代求，求神早日施怜悯，拯救他们。

弟兄姐妹，我们都知道神对失丧灵魂的心意。因此，教会的YAY在来临的星期六，要走上街头传爱传分享好信息传给人。还有，儿童教会也将在2022的第一个主日教导儿童们使用简单的布道工具和同学、朋友分享福音。让我们积极的来为他们祷告，让他们为主得人如得鱼。

此外，我们看到耶利米如何撕心裂肺地为同胞代祷，今天作为神的子民，我们之前读罗马书也明白到神的心意是要外邦教会与以色列合而为一。我们更知道，今天能得救，都是因为以色列。所以我们不能忘恩，更要天天不停的为我们长兄的救恩来代祷代求。让以色列全民归向基督。

2. 求神兴起对付仇敌 (V57-66)

57我求告你的日子，你临近我，说：不要惧怕！58主啊，你伸明了我的冤；你救赎了我的命。59耶和华啊，你见了我受的委屈；求你为我伸冤。60他们仇恨我，谋害我，你都看见了。61耶和华啊，你听见他们辱骂我的话，知道他们向我所设的计，62并那些起来攻击我的人口中所说的话，以及终日向我所设的计谋。63求你观看，他们坐下，起来，都以我为歌曲。64耶和华啊，你要按着他们手所做的向他们施行报应。65你要使他们心里刚硬，使你的咒诅临到他们。66你要发怒追赶他们，从耶和华的天下除灭他们。

主段经文是耶利米先知为以色列百姓再一次迫切地呼求神，并相信他的祷告代求终必得到主的应许。因此，我们看到他以信心宣告地上还没发生的事，因为他的灵里已经与神对齐，并看见神必成就这些事。

弟兄姐妹，星期一的607，我心里有很深的感动，我觉得神要我们常常用口在我们的环境中、生活中、还有我们所盼望看到的突破上，来宣告神的大能作为。我们要相信我们的口是大有能力的，我们的宣告要改变所处的属灵氛围，我们的宣告更要打破仇敌的角，我们的宣告更是让许多人经历神超自然的作为，见证祂的荣耀。所以鼓励弟兄姐妹，要勒住自己的口，不说负面不造就的话语，反之要常常宣告神的祝福和应许。

总结：

弟兄姐妹，在过去的这两年，身为神儿女的我们都深深的明白，神的警钟已经敲响，从疫情的不断变化，变种病毒一次比一次厉害，还有最近的许多天灾，我们都知道世界的终结也在不远之处。但这世代仍有许多人，依然活在罪的深渊和蒙蔽中。，许多败坏、不公不义、错误的欲望和价值观、尔虞我诈的活在中。弟兄姐妹，让我们起来，站在破口中，为这将受审判的世代呼求神。

Lamentations 3: Cry Out for the Generations on Trial GK611 Morning Devotion 23/12/2021 Speaker: Ps Deborah + Rev Tan

Introduction:

Two days ago, Reverend explained that Lamentations of Jeremiah is a discrete poem using the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet as the beginning of each verse. Today's chapter 3 is also an alphabetic poem, the difference is that it begins every 3 verses with the same letter. With 66 verses in total, it is the longest chapter in Lamentations. Yesterday in chapter 2, Reverend mentioned that the people were constantly asking "why?" as they were plunged into a miserable light and the Holy Temple was destroyed. It was also a time when people began to reflect and examine what the cause of the woe was. Today's chapter is also the core of the entire book of Lamentations, which has a preceding and following function. For this is the time when the children of God begin to understand that they are in this situation because they have been hardened and rebellious to God for a long time, and that their refusal to repent has brought about God's discipline and judgment.

In today's chapter, we see that the author, Jeremiah, in addition to expressing his personal feelings, also laments and cries out in his personal capacity for his fellow man who is being judged by the discipline of God. Title: Lamentation for the generations on trial.

1. Encountering the Opposing Hand of God (V1-18)

I am the man who has seen affliction by the rod of His wrath. 2 He has led me and made me walk In darkness and not in light. 3 Surely He has turned His hand against me Time and time again throughout the day. 4 He has aged my flesh and my skin, And broken my bones. 5 He has besieged me And surrounded me with bitterness and woe. 6 He has set me in dark places Like the dead of long ago. 7 He has hedged me in so that I cannot get out; He has made my chain heavy. 8 Even when I cry and shout, He shuts out my prayer. 9 He has blocked my ways with hewn stone; He has made my paths crooked. 10 He has been to me a bear lying in wait, Like a lion in ambush. 11 He has turned aside my ways and torn me in pieces; He has made me desolate. 12 He has bent His bow And set me up as a target for the arrow. 13 He has caused the [c]arrows of His quiver To pierce my [d]loins. 14 I have become the ridicule of all my people— Their taunting song all the day. 15 He has filled me with bitterness, He has made me drink wormwood. 16 He has also broken my teeth with gravel, And covered me with ashes. 17 You have moved my soul far from peace; I have forgotten [f]prosperity. 18 And I said, “My strength and my hope Have perished from the Lord.”

The prophet Jeremiah began by bringing out that the people of Israel had entered into such a miserable state today, all because of the judgment for rebelliousness that caused God’s wrath. v3 The prophet confessed that all that had happened to himself and the people was due to the opposing hand of God, which had been repeatedly inflicted on them all day long. Why did God's hand of opposition come upon those who are loved by God? Did God really want to kill the people because of their stubbornness and disobedience? Actually, no. The loving God always becomes our helper at all times with a mighty hand and an outstretched arm. But when the Holy Spirit reminds us again and again, and we do not want to repent, God does not forgive forever. Rather, He will personally 'attack' us with His disciplinary hand. What should we do when we fall into such a situation?

Brothers and sisters, instead of saying that God attacks us, it is more correct to say that because of our sins, a bondage in our lives has occurred, causing God to allow the enemy to attack us. I once saw a sister who was reminded repeatedly by the Holy Spirit of the brokenness in her life, but she did not respond seriously, and as a result, difficulties and problems came to her one after another, not only did the problems come to her, but the children were affected too. As a result, she almost wanted to give up. However, in the process of being disciplined in this way, God's love was still evident and accompanied her every day. She said that she saw '611' everywhere she went, whether on the road or in different places. Because of this, she was brave enough to face the difficulties, and responded to God with faith, plugging the holes in her life.

Brothers and sisters, very often things go wrong in our life or our living because of deviations in spirituality. It is our relationship with God that goes wrong and therefore leads to attacks. I recently read a book on fasting and prayer, and it said, 'Our financial problems are not about money, but about our relationship with God’. So, whether it is God's mighty helping hand or His disciplinary hand, it is the hands of God's love and His good work. If people can see and understand the work of God's hands in the darkness, and are willing to humbly respond to God's discipline, and truly repent to close the gap and align their lives with the truth, their lives will definitely turn around and enter into blessing again.

2. Finding a Way Out in Judgment (V19-47)

19 Remember my affliction and roaming, The wormwood and the gall. 20 My soul still remembers And [h]sinks within me. 21 This I recall to my mind, Therefore I have hope. 22 Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed,

Because His compassions fail not.

When a person comes to the end of his life and cannot find any way out, it will be a turning point in his life if he can cry out like the prophet: "Remember my affliction and roaming, the wormwood and the gall". For when everything on earth is hopeless, one is forced to turn his eyes from himself, from his difficulties, and from his circumstances to God in the midst of suffering. If we turn our minds to God in our suffering, think about God's promises, and ask God by faith to remember our distress and embarrassment like the The wormwood and the gall, we will experience an unexpected change from a sorrowful heart to a heart full of hope.

Brothers and sisters, I believe we have all had such experiences. When we think over and over about the suffering we encountered, the unfair treatment we suffered, and the aggression we suffered, the more we think about it, the more emotional we become, the more sorrowful we become, the more disappointed we become, and the more we want to give up. In fact, when we are in such a moment, we must define our turning to God. For when we turn to God, we will find that even though the situation has not changed, our vision and thoughts will be adjusted by God to align with His vision. V24-26, For the LORD is our portion; therefore the loving mercy of God will not be cut off to anyone who waits on the LORD and seeks Him in his heart. If we want to receive God's fresh grace every day, then we must always wait before God. Waiting on God is one of the most powerful spiritual weapons we have in times of trouble. Because waiting on God aligns us with Him in the following ways:

1. Laying down of ourselves (v26) 2. Willing to grow (v27) 3. Willingness to be taught (v28-33) 4. Surrendering to sovereignty (v34-38) 5. Examining behaviour (v39-47)

In the midst of persecution, we should learn to wait silently before God, and we will find the cause of the problem and understand God's good will, and get out of the deadly situation. And when people become more aware of God's righteous judgment, not only can they be alert and examine their own lives at all times, but they can also experience God's infinite love and mercy in the judgment, so that their hearts will be melted, and they will be willing to surrender to God's judgment and repent sincerely. Thus, they will love God more deeply, be willing to surrender to His sovereignty, and be determined to live for the Lord.

3. Lamentation and Intercession in the Breach (V48-66)

(1) Lament and Intercede to Block the Gap (v48-56)

48 My eyes overflow with rivers of water For the destruction of the daughter of my people. 49 My eyes flow and do not cease, Without interruption, 50 Till the Lord from heaven Looks down and sees. 51 My eyes bring suffering to my soul Because of all the daughters of my city. 52 My enemies without cause Hunted me down like a bird. 53 They silenced my life in the pit And threw [l]stones at me. 54 The waters flowed over my head; I said, “I am cut off!” 55 I called on Your name, O Lord, From the lowest pit. 56 You have heard my voice: “Do not hide Your ear From my sighing, from my cry for help.” Jeremiah loved the city of Jerusalem, and he loved the people of Jerusalem even more. As he watched the destruction of his countrymen, his heart was saddened and his tears flowed like rivers. On the one hand, the Israelites did not listen to his warnings, nor to the word of God, but on the other hand, these people were his own flesh and blood, so how could he bear to see them suffer? Herein lay the pain of the prophet, and he appealed to God with this feeling.

Some scholars have described this book as being written with tears in every stroke, each word the heartfelt voice of a broken heart. The most moving feature of this book is that God, through Jeremiah, reveals all His love and sorrow for the people He is disciplining. The heart of God permeated the life of Jeremiah the prophet. So much so that we see that he kept interceding for the people of Israel every day in order to turn them to God in repentance, asking God to show mercy and save them soon.

Brothers and sisters, we all know God's heart for the souls that are lost. Therefore, the YAY of the church is going to take to the streets to spread love and deepen the good news to people on the coming Saturday. Also, the children's church will be teaching the children to use simple preaching tools to share the gospel with their classmates and friends on the first Sunday of 2022. Let's actively come and pray for them that they will gain people for the Lord like fishers of men.

Furthermore, we saw how Jeremiah tore his heart out to intercede for his fellow man, and today, as God's people, we have previously read Romans to understand that God's heart is for the Gentile to be one with Israel. We know even more that we can be saved today because of Israel. Therefore, we must not forget our grace, and we must keep interceding for our elder brother's salvation every day. Let all Israel come to Christ.

(2) Ask God to Raise Up against the Enemy (V57-66)

57 You drew near on the day I called on You, And said, “Do not fear!” 58 O Lord, You have pleaded the case for my soul; You have redeemed my life. 59 O Lord, You have seen how I am wronged; Judge my case. 60 You have seen all their vengeance, All their schemes against me. 61 You have heard their reproach, O Lord, All their schemes against me, 62 The lips of my enemies And their whispering against me all the day. 63 Look at their sitting down and their rising up; I am their taunting song. 64 Repay them, O Lord, According to the work of their hands. 65 Give them [n]a veiled heart; Your curse be upon them! 66 In Your anger, Pursue and destroy them From under the heavens of the Lord.

This passage is where the prophet Jeremiah cries out to God once again urgently for the people of Israel, and believes that his prayerful intercession will eventually be answered by the Lord. Thus, we see him declaring by faith what had not yet happened on earth, for he was spiritually aligned with God, and saw that God would accomplish these things.

Brothers and sisters, I was deeply moved by Monday's 607. I think God wants us to use our mouths often to proclaim God's mighty works in our environment, in our lives, and in the breakthroughs we hope to see. We need to believe that our mouths are powerful, our proclamation will change the spiritual atmosphere we live in, our proclamation will break the enemy's horns, and our proclamation will let many people experience the supernatural works of God and witness His glory. Therefore, brothers and sisters are encouraged to be aware of your speech and not to speak negative and not encouraging words, but instead to proclaim God's blessings and promises often.

Conclusion:

Brothers and sisters, in these past two years, as God's children, we all deeply understand that God's alarm bell has been sounded. From the ever-changing pandemic, the mutated viruses that have become more powerful one after another, and the many recent natural disasters, we all know that the end of the world is coming soon. But there are still many people in this generation who are still living in the depth of sin and blindness. Many are still living in corruption, injustice, wrong desires and values, and deceitfulness. Brothers and sisters, let us rise up, stand in the gap, and call on God for this generation that will be judged.

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