- " 'Will you
steal and murder, commit adultery and perjury, burn incense to Baal
and follow other gods you have not known,
- And then come and stand before me in
this house, which bears my Name, and say, "We are safe"-safe
to do all these detestable things?
- Has this house,
which bears my Name, become a den of robbers to you? But I have been
watching! declare the LORD.
There are several parallels between how the people of Judah viewed their
temple and how many today view their churches: 1, They didn’t make the
temple part of their daily living. We go to beautiful churches
well-prepared for worship, but often we don’t take the presence of God with
us through the week.
2, The image of the
temple became more important than the substance of faith. The image of
going to church and belonging to a group can become more important than a
life changed for God. 3, The people used their temple as a sanctuary. Many use religious
affiliation as a hideout, thinking it will protect them from evil and
problems.
C. Don’t Believe God to Shiloh: Jeremiah 7:12:15
12. 'Go now to the place in
Shiloh where I first made a
dwelling for my name, and see what I did
to it because of the wickedness of my people Israel. 13. While you were doing all these things,
declares the LORD, I spoke to you again and again, but you did not listen;
I called you, but you did not answer.14. Therefore, what I did to Shiloh I will now do to the
house that bears my Name, the temple you trust in, the place I gave to you
and your fathers. 15. I
will thrust you from my presence, just as I did all your brothers, the
people of Ephraim.'
Commentary from the Faith
Connection: In verses 12-15, God
reminds the people of what took place in the village of “Shiloh.”
Understanding what the significance of Shiloh is critical
to gaining a deeper understanding of God’s message both to the people in
Jeremiah’s day, as well as for us today. In verse 12 God tells the people
to take notice of how He destroyed the very dwelling place He made among
the people at Shiloh. God refuses
to lightly dismiss our sin, for the wages of sin is death. My take: Therefore, we must have the
right belief.
POINT: Can you think of specific examples of how God speaks to us “again
and again,” but we do not listen? What damage is caused by our refusal to
answer God’s call and listen to Him?
Please
consider
the ways we can truly express our true worship of God! Today, we must be
careful that religious practices do not replace our daily walk with God and
service to the poor, needy, and the broken-hearted around us.
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- 你們偷盜、殺害、姦淫、起假誓、向巴力燒香、並隨從素不認識的別神．
- 且來到這稱為我名下的殿、在我面前敬拜、又說、我們可以自由了．你們這樣的舉動、是要行那些可憎的事麼。
- 這稱為我名下的殿、在你們眼中、豈可看為賊窩麼．我都看見了．這是耶和華說的。
昔日的猶大人看聖殿和今日大多人看教會的態度有不少的共同處：
1, 他們不把聖殿看為生活的一部分。我們也是走進教會才肅然敬拜上帝，一步出教會整個生活就忘了上帝。
2, 教會的外貌比信心的內涵更重要。人們把參加教會活動時個人的外表、形像和群體的歸屬感看得比被上帝改變了的生命還要重要。
3, 昔日的人看聖殿如敝難所。現在很多人也以為依附於宗教便可消災解難。
C. Don’t Believe God to Shiloh:耶利米書7:12-15. 12, 你們且往示羅去、就是我先前立為我名的居所、察看我因這百姓以色列的罪惡、向那地所行的如何。
13, 耶和華說、現在因你們行了這一切的事、我也從早起來警戒你們、你們卻不聽從、呼喚你們、你們卻不答應．
14, 所以我要向這稱我為名下、你們所倚靠的殿、與我所賜給你們和你們列祖的地施行、照我從前向示羅所行的一樣。
15, 我必將你們從我眼前趕出、正如趕出你們的眾弟兄、就是以法蓮的一切後裔。
“Faith Connection”之解經： 在12-15句, 上帝提醒人們示羅就是先前立為上帝的居所，但因百姓不聽故受苦，如今我們也一樣要受苦。上帝警告我們要記載下來祂是如何毀掉曾是祂的居所示羅(Shiloh) – 第 12句。上帝拒絕對我們罪的放棄，因為罪的工價就是死，所以，我提醒要快點信主。
要點 : 您能想出幾個例子，是上帝曾經向您再度說過的話，但您並沒聽進去嗎？什麼是我們拒絕上帝的呼召而帶來的傷害呢？
請為真心敬拜上帝的方式着想吧！
今日，在信仰上的實賤必須要與主同行，並為週圍人的需要、窮人、和傷心人的服務。
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向往教會者之挑戰A Challenge to Churchgoers
