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Chinese11/10/2006English
經文:阿摩斯書第五、六、七章
鑰節:「你們要尋求我,就必存活。」(5:4)
提要

        第五章是篇語重心長的哀歌,為罪和審判哀傷。阿摩斯說:「以色列的處女跌倒」(5:2),可能因以色列過去從未被別的國家侵佔,這次她要像女子被強暴,卻無人攙扶、幫助她。他預言將有百分之九十的居民要被消滅(5:3),這驚人的數字又激起上帝的憐憫,要他們速速悔改(5:4~5;參賽55:6~7)。如果他們只單單尋求上帝、敬拜上帝,不再拜偶像、行不公義的惡事、壓榨別人,那麼她們還有希望。審判或許會延期或消除,上帝也可能向那些餘民施恩典(5:15)。

        這些百姓將要知道全能的創造,主必能使阿摩斯的預言實現,諸如摧毀拜偶像的中心(5:8~9)。上帝完全不要那些空洞無實的宗教獻禮,因那攙雜著對偶像的崇拜。祂要的是單一純潔敬拜祂的心,而非虛偽做作的儀禮。國家之所以會分裂,正是因為拜偶像的關係(5:21~27;何10:2;參賽1:10~20;詩50:7~15;撒上15:22;瑪6:6~8;約4:23-24)。

        阿摩斯的信息不斷暴露人民的罪惡,指責他們壓迫窮人、顛倒是非、塞住忠言之口--包括對先知在內。有錢的人勢力如此之大,老百姓噤若寒蟬不敢吭一聲(5:13)。上帝絕不允許這種光景繼續下去,祂懲罰過埃及人,當然也要派滅命的天使臨到他們,使所有的人都要為此悲劇而痛哭(5:16~17)。那時,人就要知道,這是耶和華的刑罰,當那些死人的親屬要來埋死屍,為屍體燒香料時(不是燒屍體6:10;參耶34:5;歷下16:14;21:19),他們因為家破人亡及恐懼的心理,甚至不敢提說耶和華的名(6:9~10)。

        阿摩斯澄清所謂「耶和華的日子」,有些以色列人期待那日的來到,因他們以為上帝的審判只臨到敵人,不會臨到自己,他們覺得自己是上帝所偏愛的百姓。但是阿摩斯不同意此看法,他要人去檢點自己的行為與外邦有何不同,就可以知道自己並沒有更好(6:2)。那個黑暗的日子,也要突然臨到他們,如臨到外邦一樣。

        另一種對「耶和華日子」的看法是,那日決不會來到,即或會,也是在遙遠的將來。所以人可以活得好像上帝全然不察看一般。他們沈溺在奢華醉酒之中,完全不管窮人的疾苦。其麻木不仁的生活方式,就要像馬在崖石上奔跑會折斷腿,其生活至終要導向災難(6:12)。他們犧牲窮人為代價,去營造豪華巨屋,令上帝極厭惡。所以他們的國土要被征服,家院要被壓碎而無法修護(6:13~14),他們自己也要首批被亞述俘擄(5:27;6:3~8、11)。

        第七章起是預言的另一部份,包括五個異象(7:1~9;10)。上帝藉這些異象告訴阿摩斯,祂定意要以色列遭遇的事(參1:1;4:6~13)。前六章都是上帝告訴阿摩斯的話,這些異象的用意在警告以色列,那將要來臨的毀滅,以促使以色列人悔改呼求上帝。阿摩斯看完這些異象後向上帝求情,上帝受感動願意停止蝗災(7:1~3)。這裡的「後悔」不是說上帝改變心意,而是上帝基於祂憐恤慈愛的本質,做了方向上的轉變。第二個異象之後,他又向上帝求情,使上帝停止了旱災。阿摩斯的求情顯明他是一個忠實有愛的真先知,即使他們不聽他,他也不會幸災樂禍。然而,第三個異象完後沒有任何求情可改變上帝的心意(參結14:14~20)。這個異象顯示百姓離上帝的標準實在差太遠了,審判是無可避免的(7:7~9;參王下14:23~24;15:8~10)。

        阿摩斯竟敢在伯特利這個拜偶像的中心發預言,真是勇敢!伯特利的祭司想塞住其口或遣返回南方,他卻越發勇敢地說:他的本行不是先知,也不是從先知的學校畢業,更非先知的兒子,他只是很真誠地為上帝說話。他對那群墮落的祭司說,他們要被擄,遭遇不測,最後都應驗了。

禱告

        主啊!求您教導我們更有效、真實地為您說話。我們把自己交給您,求用我們去向人宣揚您的好消息。奉主耶穌基督的名,阿們!

English

Scriptures:Read Amos 5, 6&7
Key Verse:"... Seek Me and live".(Amos 5:4)
Overview

        In chapter five, Amos takes up a lamentation, speaking with a heavy heart, because of the people's sin and coming judgment. With his mind's eye he sees the falling of the "virgin of Israel" (5:2), possibly so called because she had never before been dominated by a conquering nation, Amos envisions her raped and forsaken, with no one to help her. He prophesies that ninety percent of the inhabitants of Israel will be destroyed (5:3). Such a thought grieved the Lord and prompted Him to give yet another call for repentance (5:4-5; cf. Isa, 55:6-7). If they would only seek Him and worship Him alone, forsaking all their idols and the evil of social injustice and oppression, then they would have hope. The judgment might be postponed or diminished, and it might cause the Lord to be gracious to those who would escape (5:15).

        The people were to know that the almighty Creator God was certainly able to perform all that Amos had prophesied, such as destroying their idolatrous city centres (5:8-9). The Lord despised and rejected their empty, vain acts of religious devotion to Him, which were also accompanied by devotion to idols. He demands that His people worship Him alone and with pure hearts and right motivations, not hypocritically with outward man-made ceremonies. Since the very beginning of the nation, however, their hearts had been divided because of their idolatry (5:21-27; Hos. 10:2; cf. Isa. 1:10-20; Ps. 50:7-15; 1 Sam. 15:22; Micah 6:6-8; John 4:23-24).

        Amos constantly exposes the sins of the people in the midst of his messages. Again he condemns them for oppressing the poor, perverting justice, and quieting anyone who speaks against them, including the prophets. These rich leaders were so strong and corrupt that the common people were afraid to voice their opinions and complaints (5:13). The Lord would not permit such a situation to continue. As He once punished the Egyptians, so also He would now send His death angel through Israel, and all the people will be in mourning, for no household would escape without tragedy (5:16-17). On that day, they will know it was the Lord's judgment, and when the surviving relatives come to bury the dead and burn spices or incense for them (not burn the bodies; 6:10; cf. Jer. 34:5; 2 Chron. 16:14; 21:19), they will not even mention the name of the Lord, out of fear He hear and make a complete end of the household (6:9-10).

        Amos exposes two misconceptions about the day of the Lord. There were those who wanted that day to come, thinking God's judgment would come only upon their enemies and not themselves, since they were the people of God. They mistook God's favour for favouritism. Amos asks them to examine the heathens around them, so they might conclude that they were no better (6:2). "Woe" was pronounced, for that dark day would come upon them suddenly and unexpectedly, just as it had previously come upon the heathens.

        Another misconception was that the day of the Lord would never come, and if it did, it would be far in the future. Therefore, they lived their lives as though God was not taking notice. They indulged in luxuries, drank to excess, and did not care about the plight of the poor. Their lifestyle was senseless and would surely lead to disaster, just as a horse would break its leg if it ran on rocks (6:12). God hated their lifestyle and their palaces which were built at the expense of the poor. What they thought would never come would come upon them first. Their homes would be crushed beyond repair, all the land they had conquered would be conquered by another (6:13-14), and they would be the first to go into the captivity that would take them beyond Damascus (i.e. into Assyria, 5:27; 6:3-8, 11).

        Chapter seven begins another portion of the prophecy that relates five of Amos' visions (7:1-9:10). The Lord now allowed Amos to see, through a direct visual revelation, the things that He had purposed to bring upon Israel (cf. 1:1; 4:6-13). In the first six chapters of the book, however, it was the spoken word of the Lord that Amos heard. The purpose of the visions was to warn Israel of the coming destruction and move them to call upon God and repent. Amos' intercession moved the Lord to change His course of action and stop the plague of locust before it destroyed the people's food for the winter (7:1-3). That the Lord "relented" does not mean He changed His mind; it is a change of direction based upon His merciful and loving nature. In a similar vision, Amos' intercession once again moved the Lord to stop the intense heat which would produce a drought. Amos' intercession shows the faithfulness and love of a true prophet who did not wish to see their destruction, even though they did not listen to him. In the third vision, however, no amount of intercession would change God's purpose (cf. Ezk. 14:14-20). The Lord showed how far off they were from where they should be by employing the plumb-line (used to test if a wall is perpendicular). Judgment, which included the destruction of the dynasty of Jeroboam II, was inevitable (7:7-9; cf. 2 Kings 14:23-24; 15:8-10).

        How bold Amos was to prophesy these things right from Bethel, the idolatrous centre of Israel! Even when the priest of Bethel attempted to quiet him and send him back to Judah, Amos became even more bold by telling him that his was not just a profession, nor was he a graduate from the school of the prophets or the son of a prophet, but the Lord had called him and he genuinely spoke the word of the Lord. His prediction of the corrupted priests' captivity and misfortune was surely to be fulfilled.

Prayer

        Oh Lord, teach us to speak Your Word more effectively and in truth. We present ourselves to You today. Use us to share Your good news with others.


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