QT 01/06/2025 Sun. Jeremiah 16. A Life Set Apart To Deliver God's Message 为传递上帝的信息而被分别出来的生命

QT 01/06/2025 Sun. Jeremiah 16. A Life Set Apart To Deliver God's Message
READ http://www.esv.org/jer16

Jeremiah 16 is a powerful and often sobering chapter where God commands the prophet Jeremiah to live out a symbolic life that reflects the coming judgment on Judah.

📖 Main Scripture Focus: Jeremiah 16:1–2 (ESV)
"The word of the Lord came to me: ‘You shall not take a wife, nor shall you have sons or daughters in this place.’"

(1) A Life of Prophetic Obedience

God calls Jeremiah to an unusual and deeply personal obedience: he is forbidden to marry or have children. This command symbolises the harsh judgment that is coming upon Judah—so severe that future generations will suffer greatly.

👉 Devotional Insight: As believers, we are sometimes called to live in ways that are counter-cultural, even sacrificial. God may ask us to lay down good and natural desires—not because He withholds joy, but because our lives are meant to preach a greater message.

🧎‍♂️ Prayer: “Lord, help me to trust You even when You call me to walk a path that others don’t understand. Make my life a living message of Your truth.”

(2) The Judgment and Mercy of God

Jeremiah 16 speaks of the coming judgment due to Israel's persistent sin and idolatry (vv. 10–13). Yet, even amid this message of wrath, verses 14–15 shine a light of hope:

Jeremiah 16:14–15 The LORD Will Restore Israel
[14] “Therefore, behold, the days are coming, declares the LORD, when it shall no longer be said, ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ [15] but ‘As the LORD lives who brought up the people of Israel out of the north country and out of all the countries where he had driven them.’ For I will bring them back to their own land that I gave to their fathers. (ESV)

👉 Devotional Insight: God’s discipline is never the end of the story. Judgment is real, but so is redemption. God always preserves a remnant. His plan of salvation is unfolding—even in the darkest moments.

🧎‍♂️ Prayer: “Father, help me to see Your mercy even in discipline. Remind me that Your heart is always to restore, not to destroy.”

(3) A Call to Holiness in a Corrupt Culture

God's command to Jeremiah is not only about future judgment; it's also a call to live differently now. Jeremiah's celibate, separated life was a daily reminder to the people of God's disapproval of their ways.

👉 Application: We, too, are called to live as “signs” of God's truth. Romans 12:2 says, "Do not be conformed to this world." Like Jeremiah, our lives should be living testimonies of God’s holiness.

🧎‍♂️ Prayer: “Jesus, set me apart for Your glory. Let my choices reflect Your character, even when they cost me something.”

✝️ Gospel Connection

Jeremiah’s life points to a greater Prophet—Jesus Christ—who also lived a life of rejection, sacrifice, and obedience for the sake of salvation. Christ bore the ultimate judgment so that we might receive eternal mercy.

Isaiah 53:3: “He was despised and rejected by men, a man of sorrows and acquainted with grief…”

📝 Reflection Questions
(1) What might God be calling me to give up for the sake of a greater witness?

(2) Am I willing to live a set-apart life even when misunderstood?

(3) How does knowing God’s mercy shape the way I respond to His discipline?

QT 01/06/2025 星期日. 耶利米书 16 为传递上帝的信息而被分别出来的生命
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Jer/16/

耶利米书第 16 章是强有力的一章，常常令人唏嘘不已。在这一章中，上帝命令先知耶利米过一种象征性的生活，以反映对犹大即将到来的审判。

主要经文重点： 耶利米书 16：1-2 耶和华的话临到我，说： 2 “在这地方你不可娶妻，不可生儿育女。”

(1) 先知顺服的生活

上帝呼召耶利米做出不同寻常的、深刻的个人服从：禁止他结婚生子。这一命令象征着即将降临犹大的严酷审判--严重到子孙后代将遭受巨大的苦难。

👉 灵修亮光： 作为信徒，我们有时会被呼召以反文化，甚至是牺牲的方式生活。神可能要求我们放下美好和自然的欲望--不是因为祂不赐予我们喜乐，而是因为我们的生命是为了传扬一个更大的信息。

🧎‍♂️ 祷告： "主啊，帮助我相信你，即使你呼召我走一条别人不理解的路。让我的生命成为您真理的活信息。”

(2)神的审判与仁慈

耶利米书第 16 章讲到，由于以色列人持续不断地犯罪和拜偶像，审判即将来临（第 10-13 节）。然而，即使在这愤怒的信息中，第 14-15 节也闪耀着希望的光芒：

耶利米书 16：14-15 耶和华必复兴以色列
14 “看哪！日子快到，人必不再指着那领以色列人从埃及地上来的永活的耶和华起誓。”这是耶和华的宣告。15 “他们却要指着那领以色列人从北方之地，从他们被赶逐到的各国上来的永活的耶和华起誓。因我要领他们回到自己的土地，就是我从前赐给他们列祖的。

👉 灵修亮光： 上帝的惩戒永远不会是故事的结局。审判是真实的，但救赎也是真实的。上帝总是保留余数。即使在最黑暗的时刻，祂的救赎计划也在展开。

🧎‍♂️ 祷告： "天父，求你帮助我，即使在管教中也能看到你的怜悯。提醒我，你的心总是要恢复，而不是毁灭。

(3) 在腐败文化中圣洁的呼召

上帝对耶利米的命令不仅关乎未来的审判，也是对现在以不同方式生活的呼召。耶利米独身、与世隔绝的生活每天都在提醒人们，上帝不赞同他们的做法。

应用： 我们也被呼召活出神真理的 “记号”。罗马书12：2 说，“不要效法这个世界”。像耶利米一样，我们的生活应该成为上帝圣洁的活见证。

🧎‍♂️ 祷告： "亲爱的天父，为你的荣耀将我分别为圣。让我的选择反映出您的品格，即使这些选择会让我付出代价。

✝️ 福音联系

耶利米的一生指向了一位更伟大的先知--耶稣基督，祂的一生也是为了救赎而被他人拒绝、却过着牺牲和顺服的生活。基督承担了最终的审判，使我们得到了永恒的怜悯。

以赛亚书 53：3 “他被人藐视，为人所弃，是受忧伤的人，也知道悲哀......”

📝 反思问题
(1) 上帝会呼召我放弃什么来做更伟大的见证？

(2) 即使被误解，我是否愿意过一个有分别的生活？

(3) 认识神的怜悯如何影响我的生活方式？