我在乎的是什麼 (耶三十五)中英bilingual

利甲的兒子約拿達的子孫能遵守先人所吩咐他們的命，這百姓卻沒有聽從我！(耶 35：16)  

猶大王約雅敬年間，神吩咐耶利米一件有趣的事，要他去將利甲族領到神殿的一間屋子裡，請他們喝酒；但利甲全族卻在設擺盛滿酒的杯和碗面前拒絕先知的邀請，因為他們世代恪守先祖約拿達的命：禁戒喝酒、蓋房、務農，並且只住帳棚。利甲族為何願意如此行？他們在乎的是什麼？

萬軍之耶和華─以色列的神如此說：你去對猶大人和耶路撒冷的居民說，耶和華說：你們不受教訓，不聽從我的話嗎？利甲的兒子約拿達所吩咐他子孫不可喝酒的話，他們已經遵守，直到今日也不喝酒，因為他們聽從先祖的吩咐。我從早起來警戒你們，你們卻不聽從我。我從早起來，差遣我的僕人眾先知去，說：你們各人當回頭，離開惡道，改正行為，不隨從事奉別神，就必住在我所賜給你們和你們列祖的地上。只是你們沒有聽從我，也沒有側耳而聽。因此，耶和華─萬軍之神、以色列的神如此說：我要使我所說的一切災禍臨到猶大人和耶路撒冷的一切居民。因為我對他們說話，他們沒有聽從；我呼喚他們，他們沒有答應。 (耶 35：13-15、17)  

神藉著「忠誠順服」先祖遺訓的外族，來指責神選民對神的「不忠不信」。利甲人確實守訓，過著近三百年簡樸自制的生活，此舉使他們這一族脈在寄居之地得以延長，能永遠侍立在神面前。相反地，以色列民有神差遣的先知，經常受到警告、提醒，但卻把神的話當成耳邊風，沒有聽從的、沒有答應的。 

從屬靈角度來看，利甲族滴酒不沾、不耕種且住帳棚的游牧生活，就像是用「對屬世誘惑避而遠之」的態度在世界生活。有時，我們難以界定何謂「屬世界」的事物，每個人心裡都有自己的衡量，但屬神子民的真教會信徒，是否願意以「神的標準」為心中的那把尺，劃定界線、持之以恆地信守與重申？

利甲族堅定立場的決心，全家謹守先祖規範，也讓我們反思，在職場、學校、社會裡碰到與信仰衝突的事情，我們是否願意不顧世人眼光，不顧他人嘲諷，只在乎神？神的命令清潔且正直，本就與世界價值觀念不同，我們若停留在轉瞬即逝的肉體享樂，而拖慢奔向天國的腳步，那在嚥下人生最後一口氣時，是否有把握還保守在主裡？

不要為自己積攢財寶在地上；地上有蟲子咬，能銹壞，也有賊挖窟窿來偷。只要積攢財寶在天上；天上沒有蟲子咬，不能銹壞，也沒有賊挖窟窿來偷。因為你的財寶在哪裡，你的心也在那裡。(太 6：19-21) 

By 郭怡雯

 

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

What Do I Really Care About? (Jeremiah 35)

August 1, 2026

“The descendants of Jonadab the son of Rechab have followed the command of their father which he commanded them, but this people has not listened to Me.” (Jeremiah 35:16, NASB 2020)

During the reign of Jehoiakim king of Judah, God gave Jeremiah an interesting instruction. He was to bring the Rechabites into one of the rooms of the temple and offer them wine to drink. Yet the entire clan of the Rechabites refused the prophet’s invitation, even though cups and bowls filled with wine had been set before them. Why? Because for generations they had faithfully kept the command of their ancestor Jonadab: they were forbidden to drink wine, build houses, cultivate fields; instead, they were to live in tents. Why were the Rechabites willing to live this way? What was it that they truly cared about?

“Thus says the LORD of armies, the God of Israel: ‘Go and say to the people of Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, “Will you not receive instruction by listening to My words?” declares the LORD. “The words of Jonadab the son of Rechab, which he commanded his sons not to drink wine, are being observed. So they do not drink wine to this day, for they have obeyed their father’s command. I have spoken to you again and again, but you have not listened to Me. Also I have sent to you all My servants the prophets, sending them again and again, saying, ‘Turn now, everyone from his evil way and amend your deeds, and do not follow other gods to worship them; then you will live in the land which I have given to you and to your fathers.’ But you did not incline your ear or listen to Me. Therefore this is what the LORD God of armies, the God of Israel says: ‘Behold, I am bringing on Judah and on all the inhabitants of Jerusalem all the disaster that I have pronounced against them; because I spoke to them, but they did not listen, and I called them but they did not answer.’”’” (Jeremiah 35:13–15, 17, NASB 2020)

God used the foreign Rechabites, who were "faithful and obedient" to the instructions handed down by their ancestor, to rebuke His chosen people for their unfaithfulness and unbelief. The Rechabites truly kept their ancestral command, living a simple and self-disciplined life for nearly three hundred years. As a result, their family line was preserved and prolonged in the land where they sojourned, and they were promised that they would always stand before God. In contrast, the Israelites had prophets sent by God who repeatedly warned and reminded them, yet they treated God’s words as though they were merely passing sounds in their ears. They neither listened nor responded.

From a spiritual perspective, the Rechabite do not get a drop of wine, their refusal to cultivate the land, and their life in tents as nomads can be seen as an attitude of keeping their distance from worldly temptations while living in this world. At times, it is difficult for us to determine exactly what defines something “worldly.” Each person may have his or her own standards. But as members in the True Jesus Church, are we willing to make God’s standard the measuring line in our hearts—to draw clear boundaries and faithfully uphold and repeat them throughout our lives?

The Rechabites’ firm determination to stand by their beliefs, with the entire family carefully observing the regulations handed down by their ancestor, also causes us to reflect. When we encounter things in the workplace, at school, or in society that conflict with our faith, are we willing to disregard the opinions of others and endure their mock, caring only about what God thinks? God’s commands are pure and upright, and naturally they differ from the values of this world. If we remain attached to fleeting physical pleasures and allow them to slow our journey toward the kingdom of heaven, then when we breathe our last breath, will we have the assurance that we have remained faithful to the Lord?

“Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal. But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” (Matthew 6:19-21)

By Yiwen Guo