晨興聖言-經歷、享受並彰顯基督(四)(W42-2)
第四十二週.週二
晨興餧養
哀三22~23 『我們不至消滅,是出於耶和華的慈愛,因祂的憐恤不至斷絕;每早晨這些都是新的;你的信實,極其廣大。』
五19 『耶和華阿,你存到永遠,你的寶座,存到萬代。』
我信〔哀歌三章二十二至二十三節的〕話是耶利米在早晨接觸主,回想他百姓一切的困苦時臨到他的。耶利米在回想這些困苦時,必定為以色列人的罪惡懊悔。這時耶和華的話臨到他說,無論祂怎樣懲罰以色列,祂並沒有完全消滅他們。耶利米和其他許多人還存留下來。這是神的慈愛。耶利米領悟他和所有其他還與他一同存留下來的人,都在神的憐恤之下,就讚美說,『因祂的憐恤不至斷絕。』(22下。)以色列人失敗了,但神的憐恤不至斷絕。祂的憐恤保守了以色列餘民。
耶利米繼續題到耶和華的憐恤,說,『每早晨這些都是新的。』(23上。)這指明耶利米每早晨都接觸主這憐恤者。藉著他與主的接觸,他得著了關於祂的慈愛、憐恤、與信實的這話。
神的憐恤不至斷絕,因為祂是信實者。神的信實〔23下〕是指祂的話。…神向以色列的列祖說了話,祂也信實的遵守祂的話。(耶利米哀歌生命讀經,九至一○頁。)
信息選讀
當以色列全家接受主的救恩時,是誰先回轉?是以色列還是主?…〔撒迦利亞十二章〕啟示,那率先發起並回轉的是主,不是以色列。耶路撒冷被敵基督圍困時,主耶穌要轉向以色列人,向他們顯現。然後他們要仰望祂,就是他們所扎的一位,並要悔改。(10。)這就是說,他們看見主時,就要轉向祂,並得著祂對他們全家的救恩。
耶利米問耶和華兩個問題,藉此結束他的寫作:『或是你已經全然棄絕我們,向我們大發烈怒?』〔哀五22。〕耶和華沒有全然棄絕以色列,也沒有向他們大發烈怒。但他們需要等候祂,直到復興的時候,那時祂要復興以色列人,使他們在祂的身位裏,並在祂永遠的國裏,享受祂向他們先祖所應許的。
在第三首哀歌裏,耶利米說到神的慈愛、憐恤和信實;在第五首哀歌末了,他訴諸神永遠的所是和祂永遠的寶座,就是祂不變的行政。…神永遠的所是和寶座,高於祂的慈愛、憐恤和信實。
照著新約,神的救恩是在於祂的愛、(約三16、)祂的恩、(弗二8、)和祂的義。(羅一17。)神的愛和恩可能變動,但神的義不能變動,因為祂的義與祂的行政有關。(詩八九14。)…神的慈愛和憐恤可能變動,但神的身位和祂的行政永不變動。
耶利米不是用神的慈愛、憐恤、和信實結束〔耶利米哀歌〕這卷書,乃是用神永遠的所是和祂的寶座來結束。這是有力的標記,說出耶利米寫耶利米哀歌時摸著神的經綸。…在五章十九節那裏,他摸著神的身位和神的寶座。
在新耶路撒冷裏,神要在祂的身位和行政上完全得著揭示,這二者乃是神在對付我們的事上不可搖動的根基。那時,我們要看見神自己這永遠的王,和祂那永遠、不能震動的國。(來十二28。)(耶利米哀歌生命讀經,一七至一九頁。)
參讀:耶利米哀歌生命讀經,第三篇;耶利米書生命讀經,第十一篇。
WEEK 42 — DAY 2
Morning Nourishment
Lam. 3:22-23 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.
5:19 You, O Jehovah, abide forever; Your throne is from generation to generation.
I believe that this word [in Lamentations 3:22 and 23] 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.
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.
God’s compassions do not fail, because He is the faithful One. The faithfulness of God [v. 23b] refers to His word…God had spoken to Israel’s forefathers, and He was faithful to keep His word. (Life-study of Lamentations, 2nd ed., pp. 6-7)
Today’s Reading
When the household of Israel receives the Lord’s salvation, who will turn
first, Israel or the Lord?…[Zechariah 12] reveals that it is the Lord,
not Israel, who will take the initiative and turn. When Jerusalem is
besieged by Antichrist, the Lord Jesus will turn to the children of
Israel and appear to them. They will then look upon Him, the One whom
they have pierced, and repent (v. 10). This means that when they see the
Lord, they will turn to Him and receive His household salvation.
Jeremiah
concluded his writing by asking two questions of Jehovah: “Have You
utterly rejected us? / Are You exceedingly angry with us?” [Lam. 5:22]. Jehovah
had not utterly rejected Israel, nor was He exceedingly angry with
them. But they needed to wait on Him until the time of restoration, when
He will restore the children of Israel to be in His person and in His
eternal kingdom to enjoy what He had promised to their forefathers.
In
the third lamentation Jeremiah spoke of God’s loving-kindness,
compassions, and faithfulness, and at the end of the fifth lamentation
he appealed to God’s eternal being and His eternal throne, His
unchanging government…God’s eternal being and throne are higher than His
lovingkindness, compassions, and faithfulness.
According
to the New Testament, God’s salvation is a matter of His love (John
3:16), His grace (Eph. 2:8), and His righteousness (Rom. 1:17). God’s
love and grace may change, but God’s righteousness cannot change,
because His righteousness is related to His government (Psa.
89:14)…God’s lovingkindness and compassions can change, but God’s person
and His government remain unchanging forever.
Jeremiah
ended Lamentations not with God’s lovingkindness, compassions, and
faithfulness but with God’s eternal being and His throne. This is a
strong sign that in writing Lamentations Jeremiah touched
God’s economy…There, in 5:19, he touched God’s person and God’s throne.
In
the New Jerusalem, God will be fully unveiled in His person and in His
government, both of which are the unshakable foundation of His dealing
with us. At that time, we will see God Himself as the eternal King with
His eternal, unshakable kingdom (Heb. 12:28). (Life-study of
Lamentations, 2nd ed., pp. 14-15)
Further Reading: Life-study of Lamentations, msg. 3; Life-study of Jeremiah, msg. 11
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