每日读经

何西阿书 第四章（英文）

作者：

Luke

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This chapter highlights the consequences of Israel’s disobedience and the depth of God’s sorrow over their actions. This chapter serves as a reminder of the importance of faithfulness, knowledge of God, and the dangers of turning away from His commandments.

As stated in Hosea 4:1, “There is no truth, no mercy, no knowledge of God in the land.” When people forsake the knowledge of God, truth and mercy vanish as well. True wisdom and understanding always begin with the fear of God and the knowledge of Him (Proverbs 9:10). The absence of these elements affects every aspect of life, leading to moral and spiritual corruption. However, turning back to God will bring healing and restoration.

Truth, mercy, and the knowledge of God are interconnected and essential for our spiritual lives. Truth without mercy can become harsh and judgmental, while mercy without truth can lead to indulgence. The knowledge of God binds them together, guiding us to live in a way that glorifies Him. 

As we reflect on this chapter, let us examine our lives and align them with God’s standards of truth, mercy, and knowledge. For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting, And His truth endures to all generations (Psalms 100:5).

May the Holy Spirit inspire us to grow in faithfulness, deepen our love for God, and increase our knowledge of Him, so we may understand The Truth of God and receive His mercy.

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约拿书 第三章 - 神的丰富怜悯

约拿书 第三章 - 神的丰富怜悯

“这是好的，在我们救主神面前可蒙悦纳；祂愿意万人得救，并得以认识真理。”（提摩太前书2:3-4）。   《约拿书》第3章记录了这一情感的经典例证。它记载了先知约拿向尼尼微人传道，以及尼尼微人悔改的故事。   当我们看到尼尼微人悔改的故事时，我们可以从中找到一种安慰。正如神在尼尼微人真心悔改时宽恕了他们一样，我们也有信心，只要我们以真诚的心悔改，神今天也会以怜悯宽恕我们的罪。   然而，我们不应因为认为神会对我们仁慈而变得自满。在这一章中，我们看到尼尼微人为了寻求神的宽恕所付出的努力。首先，第6节记载，王自己披麻蒙灰，坐在灰中。第7至9节记录了王颁布的命令，要求所有百姓禁食哀哭，促使他们都在神面前悔改。让我们花点时间反思一下，这是我们最终转向神之前想要达到的状态吗？尽管尼尼微人最终得到了赦免，但我们不要被欺骗，他们当时的状态是悲惨的。   此外，《希伯来书》 10:26告诉我们：“因为我们得知真道以后，若故意犯罪，赎罪的祭就再没有了。”  神的爱是丰盛的，祂的怜悯是充足的，但我们要小心，永远不要滥用这种爱和怜悯。   约拿的故事也教导我们如何对待那些我们可能认为有罪的人。《约拿书》的叙事围绕着约拿拒绝向尼尼微宣讲的故事，因他憎恨那座城市，并怀疑那里的人民是否会改变。 当我们读到约拿的故事时，我们会很快说约拿的态度是不对的。然而，当我们看周围的同伴时，我们是否也不知不觉地采取了约拿的心态？我们是否轻易地评判他人？是否给他们贴上某些标签，并拒绝在他们的信仰上帮助他们？我们必须记住，神愿意万人得救。在神的眼中，每一个灵魂都是宝贵的。既然如此，作为神的仆人，我们必须履行祂的旨意，努力拯救每一个灵魂，无论我们对他们的看法如何。   总而言之，我们已经从神那里领受了这份爱与怜悯的礼物。我们也应当将这美好的礼物与他人分享。

以西结书 第四十八章（英文）

以西结书 第四十八章（英文）

Ezekiel 48 outlines the division of the land among the twelve tribes of Israel and the city of the Lord. The division of the land shows that in God's Kingdom there is a place for all who believe in and obey the One True God (John 14:1-6). Ezekiel 48:1-7, 23-29 details the allocation of land to the tribes of Israel. This reminds us of God's faithfulness in keeping His promises. Despite Israel's history of rebellion, God remains true to His word. So, let us continue to trust in God's faithfulness, even when circumstances seem challenging. Remember that God’s timing is perfect, and His promises are sure. Ezekiel 48:8-22 describes the holy district set apart for the Lord, including the sanctuary and the land for the priests and Levites. This highlights the importance of holiness and dedicated spaces for worship. The pressures of everyday life may cause us to lose focus and forget God. That is why worship is so important . We need to dedicate time and space in our daily lives for worship and communion with God, which includes prayer, reading the Bible and reflecting on His words. The book of Ezekiel begins by describing the holiness of God that Israel had despised and ignored. As a result, God’s presence departed from the Temple, the city and the people. The book ends with a detailed vision of the new Temple, the new city and the new people, all demonstrating God’s holiness. No matter what challenges we face today, remember that God ‘s plan is always good for us. So, let us continue to hold on to the eternal hope we have in Christ and to look forward to the fulfilment of His promises in His glorious Kingdom, where God shall dwell with us, and we will be His people, and the name of the city from that day shall be: THE LORD IS THERE (Ezekiel 48:35).

以西结书 第二十一章（英文）

以西结书 第二十一章（英文）

This chapter talks about the sword of God against His people and the Ammonites, with the word “sword” being mentioned 15 times! This sword (i.e. Babylon, v19-20) is a sword of judgement that God would use to punish these two groups of people for their sins. Here are 3 things that will happen when this sword is drawn: Why both the righteous and wicked – is God being unfair? We know from the consistent message of the Bible that this is not so. God is just, and He does not indiscriminately slay the righteous with the wicked. Even for a city as depraved as Sodom and Gomorrah, God delivered Lot and his family, the only few righteous people remaining (fewer than 5!), before destroying the city (Genesis 18:23-26). Moreover, by cutting off the righteous from the land, God not only delivers them from further physical suffering including forced labour by the Babylonians, He also delivers them from further spiritual corruption by their wicked kinsmen who were steeped in idolatry. God’s promise of delivering the righteous from their troubles is a promise we must cling to (Psalm 34:19). We must also recognise that ultimately, God wants to deliver us in a spiritual sense – from the temptations of the evil one (Matthew 6:13), the corruption of the world caused by evil desires (2 Peter 1:4), and the corruption in hell (Psalm 16:10). Therefore, let us trust in the righteousness of God, knowing His will for us is not to perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). The original meaning of Israel is “prince with God”. However, now that their scepter is despised, Israel is no longer prince with God, no longer son of the King of kings. Israel is dethroned, because of the people’s wickedness. Yet, God foretells the coming of One whom God will crown because He is the rightful Ruler (v27b) – this One is none other than our Lord Jesus, whose reign and kingdom is everlasting (Luke 1:33). Just like how Esau lost his God-given birthright because of his choice to gratify a moment’s hunger, Israel lost their precious status as prince with God, children of God, because of their choice to persist in their unfaithfulness towards Him (Ezekiel 14:13). How about us: do we make personal choices that jeopardise our precious relationship with God? What does God remember? Their sins. As a result, what will God forget? His relationship with them – in other words, an utter disowning of His people. But… did God permanently forget His people? Again, we know from the consistent message of the Bible, as well as history, that this was not so. Rather, God disowns them with the purpose of cleansing them from their sins so that He can re-own them as His people – a people with a new spirit and heart of flesh that submits to God’s laws (Ezekiel 11:19-20), who will no longer stray from God (Ezekiel 14:11). As the psalmist says: “His anger is but for a moment, His favour is for life.” (Psalm 30:5) God promises that if we repent and return to Him wholeheartedly – fearing Him, meditating on His name, and serving Him (Malachi 3:16-18) – God will remember us and bless us with His favour for the rest of our life, in this age and the age to come. By always using the sword of His word to prune away sin from our hearts (Hebrews 4:12-13). Let us daily examine our thoughts and intents to see if they align with the Bible’s standards. Remember that we are naked and open to Him, secret sins and all, and one day we must give an account to God who will judge all our thoughts, words and deeds. Amen.

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