神的异象
神奇怪的困境
经文
耶利米书二十六1-16
1犹大王约西亚的儿子约雅敬登基的时候，有这话从耶和华临到耶利米说：
2耶和华如此说：你站在耶和华殿的院内，对犹大众城邑的人，就是到耶和华殿来礼拜的，说我所吩咐你的一切话，一字不可删减。
3或者他们肯听从，各人回头离开恶道，使我后悔不将我因他们所行的恶，想要施行的灾祸降与他们。
4你要对他们说，耶和华如此说：你们若不听从我，不遵行我设立在你们面前的律法，5不听我从早起来差遣到你们那里去我仆人众先知的话（你们还是没有听从），
6我就必使这殿如示罗，使这城为地上万国所咒诅的。
7耶利米在耶和华殿中说的这些话，祭司、先知与众民都听见了。
8耶利米说完了耶和华所吩咐他对众人说的一切话，祭司、先知与众民都来抓住他，说：你必要死！
9你为何托耶和华的名预言，说这殿必如示罗，这城必变为荒场无人居住呢？于是众民都在耶和华的殿中聚集到耶利米那里。
10犹大的首领听见这事，就从王宫上到耶和华的殿，坐在耶和华殿的新门口。
11祭司、先知对首领和众民说：这人是该死的；因为他说预言攻击这城，正如你们亲耳所听见的。
12耶利米就对众首领和众民说：耶和华差遣我预言，攻击这殿和这城，说你们所听见的这一切话。
13现在要改正你们的行动作为，听从耶和华你们神的话，他就必后悔，不将所说的灾祸降与你们。
14至于我，我在你们手中，你们眼看何为善，何为正，就那样待我吧！
15但你们要确实地知道，若把我治死，就使无辜人的血归到你们和这城，并其中的居民了；因为耶和华实在差遣我到你们这里来，将这一切话传与你们耳中。
16首领和众民就对祭司、先知说：这人是不该死的，因为他是奉耶和华我们神的名向我们说话。
信息分享
我们要再来思考神的呼喊：「我可以差遣谁呢？谁肯为我们去呢？」有人形容这是「神奇怪的困境」──全能者要求人类帮助。在基督教的真理中，很可能没有甚么比这更难以理解，将世界放在掌中的全能神，竟然尝试征召我们支持祂、传递祂的真理。
我在想，这样的呼声有没有令以赛亚感到疑惑？他看见神的威严的异象，现在这全能的神要求以赛亚与祂合作。为甚么神会忽然间显得那样软弱无力？不，不是神软弱无力需要我们的帮助，而是神选择要这样做，因为这是祂的方式，祂要我们参与祂救赎的计划。
但是神为甚么要这样束缚自己呢？祂要我们加入祂的队伍是基于甚么原因？约翰卫斯理（John Wesley）说：「神在世上所做的救赎工作都是透过祷告完成。」他这句话的意思似乎是，在为宇宙带来救赎性转变时，神透过祂百姓的祷告，而且单单透过他们的祷告行动。这是卫斯理令人吃惊的话，但我完全认同他这句话。神没有我们也可以在地上实行祂的救赎工作，但祂不这么做，因为祂希望有团队效应。我在想，这是否意味你和我不让神使用的话，某些事情就不能完成？
「神要我们参与祂救赎的计划」
进深研究
该二20-23；彼前二1-10
1. 哈该要告诉所罗巴伯甚么？
2. 彼得怎样描述神的百姓？
祈祷
天父，因您要我加入您的队伍，这令我感到不配。这个邀请令我慑服，我心里呼喊说「好的，好的，好的！」求您按您所希望的方式使用我，差遣我到您要我到的地方去。主啊，我在这里，请差遣我！
The Vision of God
"The strange predicament of God"
Bible reading:
Jeremiah 26:1-16
1 Early in the reign of Jehoiakim son of Josiah king of Judah, this word came from the Lord:
2 "This is what the Lord says: Stand in the courtyard of the Lord's house and speak to all the people of the towns of Judah who come to worship in the house of the Lord. Tell them everything I command you; do not omit a word.
3 Perhaps they will listen and each will turn from their evil ways. Then I will relent and not inflict on them the disaster I was planning because of the evil they have done.
4 Say to them, 'This is what the Lord says: If you do not listen to me and follow my law, which I have set before you,
5 and if you do not listen to the words of my servants the prophets, whom I have sent to you again and again (though you have not listened),
6 then I will make this house like Shiloh and this city a curse[a] among all the nations of the earth.'"
7 The priests, the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speak these words in the house of the Lord.
8 But as soon as Jeremiah finished telling all the people everything the Lord had commanded him to say, the priests, the prophets and all the people seized him and said, "You must die!
9 Why do you prophesy in the Lord's name that this house will be like Shiloh and this city will be desolate and deserted?" And all the people crowded around Jeremiah in the house of the Lord.
10 When the officials of Judah heard about these things, they went up from the royal palace to the house of the Lord and took their places at the entrance of the New Gate of the Lord's house.
11 Then the priests and the prophets said to the officials and all the people, "This man should be sentenced to death because he has prophesied against this city. You have heard it with your own ears!"
12 Then Jeremiah said to all the officials and all the people: "The Lord sent me to prophesy against this house and this city all the things you have heard.
13 Now reform your ways and your actions and obey the Lord your God. Then the Lord will relent and not bring the disaster he has pronounced against you.
14 As for me, I am in your hands; do with me whatever you think is good and right.
15 Be assured, however, that if you put me to death, you will bring the guilt of innocent blood on yourselves and on this city and on those who live in it, for in truth the Lord has sent me to you to speak all these words in your hearing."
16 Then the officials and all the people said to the priests and the prophets, "This man should not be sentenced to death! He has spoken to us in the name of the Lord our God."
Message
We spend another day reflecting on the cry of God: "Whom shall I send. And who will go for us?" Someone has described this as "the strange predicament of God" - the Almighty asking help of human beings. Probably nothing is more difficult to understand as regards Christian truth than this, that the Almighty God, who holds the world in the hollow of His hand, seeks to enlist our support in relaying His truth.
Did this confuse Isaiah, I wonder? He had seen a vision of the majesty of God, and now this Almighty God was asking for Isaiah's co-operation. Why does He suddenly appear to be so powerless? Well, it isn't because God is powerless that He asks our help. He chooses to do so because that is His way. He wants us to be involved with Him in redeeming the world.
But we ask again: Why has God tied His own hands in this way? What is His rationale for wanting us on His team? John Wesley is reported to have said: "God does nothing in the world redemptively except through prayer." He seems to be saying in this statement that in bringing about redemptive changes in the universe, God moves, and only moves, through the prayers of His people. These are staggering words of Wesley's but I am in agreement with them fully and wholeheartedly God could do His redemptive work here on earth without us, but He chooses not to because He wants it to be a team effort. Does that mean that if you and I do not make ourselves available to Him then some things just might not get done? I wonder.
"He wants us to be involved with Him in redeeming the world"
Prayer
Father, it humbles me to think that You want me on Your team. I am overwhelmed by the invitation, but my heart cries out "Yes, Yes, Yes!" Use me in any way you want to and to go anywhere You want me to go. Here I am. Send me!
Further study
Haggai 2:20-23
1 Peter 2:1-10
1. What was Haggai to tell Zerubbabel?
2. How does Peter describe God's people?
本文英文版权属 CWR 所有，承蒙允准刊载。
背景音乐版权属 赞美之泉音乐事工 所有，承蒙允准使用。