QT 11/06/2025 Wed. Jeremiah 25 When God’s Patience Run Out. 当上帝的耐心耗尽时。
QT 11/06/2025 Wed. Jeremiah 25 When God’s Patience Run Out.
READ http://www.esv.org/jer25
The Bible reveals that while God is "slow to anger" (Exodus 34:6) and "patient, not wanting anyone to perish" (2 Peter 3:9), there are clear moments when His patience reaches a limit.
Jeremiah 25:4–5 [4] You have neither listened nor inclined your ears to hear, although the LORD persistently sent to you all his servants the prophets, [5] saying, ‘Turn now, every one of you, from his evil way and evil deeds, and dwell upon the land that the LORD has given to you and your fathers from of old and forever. (ESV)
✝️ Devotional Thought
Jeremiah 25 is a sobering wake-up call. For 23 years, Jeremiah had warned God’s people to turn from their sins, but they “did not listen.” God had patiently sent prophets “again and again,” yet the people hardened their hearts. Now the time of warning was over, and judgment was at hand — seventy years of exile in Babylon.
This passage reveals a vital truth: God’s patience is great, but it is not endless. His mercy delays judgment, but unrepentant sin eventually brings consequences. God had not forgotten His people — He was disciplining them so they would return to Him.
Even in the midst of judgment, there is hope. In verse 12, God promises that Babylon’s power will also be judged and that His people will one day return. God’s justice is real, but so is His plan to restore.
For us today, the message is clear: Don’t ignore God’s voice. If the Spirit is convicting you of sin or calling you to deeper obedience, respond today. Don’t wait until it’s too late. And more than anything, look to Jesus — the One who drank the “cup of wrath” (v.15) so that we could receive grace instead.
Here are some examples which show that God's justice eventually follows prolonged rebellion and unrepentance:
- The Days of Noah (Genesis 6–7)
“Then the Lord said, ‘My Spirit shall not abide in man forever, for he is flesh: his days shall be 120 years.’” — Genesis 6:3. For over a century, Noah built the ark and preached righteousness (2 Peter 2:5). Yet people mocked and refused to repent. God eventually judged the entire world through the flood, sparing only Noah and his family. - Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 18–19)
“Then the Lord rained down burning sulfur on Sodom and Gomorrah…” — Genesis 19:24. God was willing to spare the cities for even ten righteous people (Genesis 18:32), showing His mercy. But when none could be found, God destroyed the cities for their extreme wickedness. - Pharaoh and Egypt (Exodus 7–12)
“But Pharaoh's heart was hard and he would not listen…” — Exodus 7:13. God sent Moses to warn Pharaoh and gave him multiple chances to release Israel. Pharaoh hardened his heart repeatedly, until God confirmed that hardness. The final plague — the death of the firstborn — showed that God’s patience had ended. - The Wilderness Generation (Numbers 14)
“Not one of you will enter the land I swore with uplifted hand to make your home…” — Numbers 14:30. After repeated complaints and rebellion, especially after the spies’ report, God declared that the generation who left Egypt would die in the wilderness. Only Joshua and Caleb would enter the Promised Land. - Israel and Judah’s Exile (2 Kings 17; 2 Chronicles 36; Jeremiah 25)
“The Lord, the God of their ancestors, sent word to them through his messengers again and again… But they mocked God’s messengers…” — 2 Chronicles 36:15–16. Despite centuries of prophetic warnings, idolatry and injustice continued. Assyria conquered Israel, and Babylon exiled Judah. God’s patience was long — but judgment finally came. - Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1–11)
“You have not lied just to human beings but to God… and he fell down and died.” — Acts 5:4–5. In the early church, this couple lied to the Holy Spirit about their giving. Their sudden deaths serve as a dramatic New Testament example of God's holiness and the seriousness of hypocrisy. - Final Judgment (Revelation 20:11–15)
“Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire.” God's patience with the world’s sin will one day end. This is the ultimate demonstration of His justice for those who reject Christ.
🙏 Prayer
Lord, thank You for Your incredible patience and mercy. Help me to listen when You speak and respond with repentance and obedience. Thank You that Jesus took the punishment I deserved. May I never take Your grace for granted. In Jesus' name, Amen.
QT 11/06/2025 星期三. 耶利米书 25 当上帝的耐心耗尽时。
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/Jer/25/
圣经揭示，虽然上帝 “不轻易发怒”（出埃及记 34：6），而且 “忍耐，不愿人灭亡”（彼得后书 3：9），但祂的忍耐显然也有达到极限的时候。
耶利米书 25：4-5 [4] 耶和华也从早起来，差遣他的仆人众先知到你们这里来（只是你们没有听从，也没有侧耳而听）， 5 说，你们各人当回头，离开恶道和所作的恶，便可居住耶和华古时所赐给你们和你们列祖之地，直到永远。
✝️ 灵修思想
耶利米书第 25 章是一个清醒的警钟。二十三年来，耶利米一直警告上帝的子民改过自新，但他们 “不听”。上帝耐心地 “一次又一次地 ”派遣先知，但人们却硬着心肠。现在，警告的时候到了，审判就在眼前--流亡巴比伦七十年。
这段经文揭示了一个重要的真理：上帝的忍耐是伟大的，但不是无止境的。祂的怜悯延迟了审判，但不悔改的罪最终会带来后果。上帝没有忘记祂的子民--祂在管教他们，让他们回到祂身边。
即使在审判中，也有希望。在第 12 节中，神应许巴比伦的势力也将受到审判，祂的子民终有一天会回归。神的公义是真实的，但祂的复兴计划也是真实的。
对今天的我们来说，这个信息很明确：不要忽视上帝的声音。如果圣灵让你知罪，或呼召你更深地顺服，今天就作出回应。不要等到为时已晚。更重要的是，要仰望耶稣--祂喝下了愤怒之杯（第 15 节），使我们得以接受恩典。下面的一些例子表明，上帝的公义最终会伴随着长期的悖逆和不悔改：
(1) 挪亚的日子（创世纪 6-7 章）
“耶和华说，人既属乎血气，我的灵就不永远住在他里面。然而他的日子还可到一百二十年。（创世纪6：3)。 一个多世纪以来，挪亚建造了方舟，并宣扬公义（彼得后书 2：5）。然而，人们嘲笑他，拒绝悔改。上帝最终通过洪水审判了整个世界，唯独放过了挪亚和他的家人。
(2) 所多玛和蛾摩拉（创世纪 18-19 章）
“当时，耶和华将硫磺与火从天上耶和华那里降与所多玛和蛾摩拉”（19：24）。上帝甚至愿意饶恕十个义人（创世记 18：32），显示了祂的仁慈。但当找不到十个义人时，神就因他们的极端邪恶而毁灭了这两座城市。
(3) 法老和埃及（出埃及记 7-12 章）
“法老心里刚硬，不肯听从摩西，亚伦，正如耶和华所说的。"（出埃及记7：13）。上帝派摩西去警告法老，并给了他多次释放以色列人的机会。法老一再心硬，直到上帝确认了他的心硬。最后一灾—长子的死亡--表明上帝的忍耐已经结束。
(4) 旷野一代（民数记 14 章）
“我曾举手起誓以你们为家的地，你们中间没有一个人可以进去..."--民数记 14：30。在反复的抱怨和反抗之后，特别是在探子报告之后，上帝宣布离开埃及的一代人将死在旷野。只有约书亚和迦勒会进入应许之地。
(5) 以色列和犹大的流亡（列王记下 17 章；历代志下 36 章；耶利米书 25 章）
“耶和华，他们祖先的神，藉着他的使者一再传话给他们...但他们嘲笑神的使者..." （历代志下36:15-16）。尽管先知发出了数百年的警告，但偶像崇拜和不公仍在继续。亚述征服了以色列，巴比伦流放了犹大。上帝的忍耐是漫长的--但审判终于来临了。
(6) 亚拿尼亚和撒非喇（使徒行传 5：1-11）
“4 田地还没有卖，不是你自己的吗？既卖了，价银不是你作主吗？你怎么心里起这意念呢？你不是欺哄人，是欺哄神了。5 亚拿尼亚听见这话，就仆倒断了气。听见的人都甚惧怕”（使徒行传 5：4-5）。在早期教会中，这对夫妇就他们的奉献向圣灵撒了谎。他们的突然死亡成为新约中一个戏剧性的例子，说明了上帝的圣洁和虚伪的严重性。
(7) 最终审判（启示录20：11-15）
凡名字没有写在生命册上的，都被扔在火湖里。上帝对世人罪恶的忍耐终有一天会结束。这是神对那些拒绝基督的人的公义的最终彰显。
🙏 祷告
主啊，感谢你不可思议的忍耐和怜悯。当您说话时，请帮助我聆听，并以悔改和顺服来回应。感谢您，耶稣为我承受了应得的惩罚。愿我永远不把你的恩典视为理所当然。奉耶稣的名，阿门。
