迫害中的呼求（耶二十）中英bilingual

因耶和華如此說：我必使你自覺驚嚇，你也必使眾朋友驚嚇，他們必倒在仇敵的刀下，你也必親眼看見，我必將猶大人全交在巴比倫王的手中，他要將他們擄到巴比倫去，也要用刀將他們殺戮。（耶 20：4） 

開篇接續第十九章，當巴施戶珥聽見耶利米預言以色列人將倒在仇敵的刀下，便毆打耶利米並將其枷在耶和華殿內，次日，當巴施戶珥將耶利米釋放時，耶利米再次預言猶大國與巴施戶珥一家的結局，便是被巴比倫擄去和殺戮。 

我每逢講論的時候，就發出哀聲，我喊叫說：有強暴，和毀滅，因為耶和華的話終日成了我的凌辱，譏刺。我若說：我不再提耶和華，也不再奉他的名講論，我便心裡覺得似乎有燒著的火，閉塞在我骨中，我就含忍不住，不能自禁。（耶 20：8-9） 

從七節開始，我們看到了耶利米先知的自白，在向神的呼求中，充滿了因傳預言而被迫害的痛苦，和那種明明自己所講為真，卻沒人相信的委屈，甚至連知己的朋友也願他跌倒，以致最後詛咒自己出生不蒙福，因過於勞碌愁苦。這和其他先知不同，他將人性的掙扎在書中展現，而正是這種不同，使得讀者在閱讀時能更加的產生共鳴，沉浸在他的情緒當中。 

看完了耶利米的呼求，不禁讓我想到現今的時代，其實我們和耶利米一樣，現今屬世的潮流和我們所認定的真理早已大相逕庭，我們持守真理，便成為了屬世的異類，我們所傳的福音，也會因末日臨近而不被世界接受，例如許多人無法理解為什麼我們不接受同性戀與婚前要保守聖潔。而提摩太後書三章所寫，末世必有危險的日子來到，且立志在基督耶穌裡敬虔度日的，也要受到逼迫。既已知會遭受逼迫，到了那時候我們是否能向耶利米一樣，雖知道無人相信，卻仍持守真理並傳揚呢？ 

然而耶和華與我同在，好像甚可怕的勇士，因此，逼迫我的必都絆跌，不能得勝，他們必大大蒙羞，就是受永不忘記的羞辱，因為他們行事沒有智慧。（耶 20：11） 

耶利米先知是位情感豐富且滿有勇氣的先知，他的事奉使自己成為了孤單的一人，卻不孤單，因神與他同在；我們也是如此，通往神國的道路雖不好走，中間會有許多困難與逼迫，但幸好我們並不孤單，因神會與我們同在。 

親愛的弟兄啊，有火煉的試驗臨到你們，不要以為奇怪（似乎是遭遇非常的事），倒要歡喜；因為你們是與基督一同受苦，使你們在祂榮耀顯現的時候，也可以歡喜快樂。你們若是為基督的名受辱罵，便是有福的，因為神榮耀的靈，常住在你們身上。（彼前 4：12-14）

By 張凱威

真耶穌教會石牌教會、天母教會線上講道

石牌教會https://www.youtube.com/@TJChurchShipai

天母教會https://www.youtube.com/c/TJC_Tianmu/featured

A Cry in the Midst of Persecution (Jeremiah 20)

July 17, 202 6

For this is what the Lord says: ‘Behold, I am going to make you a horror to yourself and to all your friends; and while your eyes look on, they will fall by the sword of their enemies. So I will hand all Judah over to the king of Babylon, and he will take them away as exiles to Babylon and will kill them with the sword.

(Jeremiah 20:4 NASB2020)

This chapter continues from Jeremiah 19. After Pashhur heard Jeremiah prophesy that the people of Israel would fall by the sword of their enemies, he struck Jeremiah and put him in the stocks at the temple of the  LORD. The next day, when Pashhur released him, Jeremiah once again prophesied the fate of Judah and of Pashhur’s own household—that they would be taken captive to Babylon and killed.

For each time I speak, I cry aloud; I proclaim violence and destruction, Because for me the word of the Lord has resulted in taunting and derision all day long. But if I say, “I will not remember Him Nor speak anymore in His name,” Then in my heart it becomes like a burning fire Shut up in my bones; And I am tired of holding it in, And I cannot endure it.

(Jeremiah 20:8-9 NASB2020)

From verse 7,we are given a deeply personal confession from the prophet Jeremiah. His cry to God is filled with the anguish of being persecuted for proclaiming His message, as well as the grief of knowing that what he spoke was true, yet finding that no one believed him. Even his closest friends hoped to see him stumble. In the end, overwhelmed by toil and sorrow, he even cursed the day of his birth. Unlike the other prophets, Jeremiah openly reveals his human struggles throughout his book. It is precisely this transparency that allows readers to find more closely with him and to enter into the depth of his emotions.

As I reflected on Jeremiah’s cry, I could not help but think of the world we live in today. In many ways, we are no different from Jeremiah. The values of this world have drifted far from the truth we hold. By remaining faithful to God’s truth, we inevitably become strangers in the eyes of the world. The gospel we proclaim will become increasingly unacceptable as the last days draw near. For example, many people cannot understand why we don't accept homosexuality and why we believe in maintaining sexual purity before marriage. And it is written in the third chapter of Timothy, difficult times will come in the last days, and indeed, all who desire to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will be persecuted. Since we already know that persecution will come, will we, like Jeremiah, continue to stand firm in the truth and faithfully proclaim it, even when no one believes?

But the Lord is with me like a powerful champion; Therefore my persecutors will stumble and not prevail. They will be put to great shame because they have failed, An everlasting disgrace that will not be forgotten.

(Jeremiah 20:11 NASB2020)

Jeremiah was a prophet of deep emotion and remarkable courage. His ministry left him standing alone, yet he was never truly alone, for the Lord was with him. The same is true for us. The road to God’s kingdom is not an easy one. It is marked by hardships, opposition, and persecution. Yet we can take comfort in knowing that we never walk alone, because God Himself is with us.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal among you, which comes upon you for your testing, as though something strange were happening to you; but to the degree that you share the sufferings of Christ, keep on rejoicing, so that at the revelation of His glory you may also rejoice and be overjoyed. If you are insulted for the name of Christ, you are blessed, because the Spirit of glory, and of God, rests upon you.

(1 Peter 4:12-14 NASB2020)

By Kai-Wei Chang