Scripture Reading : Jeremiah 13
Theme : Corrupted Nation
Ruined Loincloth (1-11)
God commands Jeremiah to buy and hide a loincloth in Babylon, and then dig out the ruined loincloth. This symbolizes Israel’s exile in Babylon because they are useless and corrupted. But God promises to restore this ruined loincloth so that it will be useful again and cling to God.
Ruined Nation (12-27).
The thoroughly corrupt nation will drink the wrath of God’s wine. God threatens judgment on them but also appeals them to repent. The statement “Give glory to the Lord your God” is an OT idiom for “Confess your sins” (cf. Josh 7:19; John 9:24). But they will not because they have persistently sinned. Their conscience has been seared. For the Jews to repent is like suspending the laws of nature, like a leopard changing its spots. Their only hope is in the mercy of God who promises to restore the nation in the future.
Praying the Scripture
This passage teaches that humans are hopeless and helpless sinners who cannot change themselves. They are dead in their transgression (Eph. 2:1). Their only hope is God’s undeserved grace, who is inclined to mercy when we ask for mercy. This is why it is important to pray for non-believers when you evangelize. And it is also why we must pray for ourselves and for other believers to be refined, to continuously be changed by God in order to conform to the image of Christ. This is what it means by being filled with the Spirit in Eph. 5:18. We must depend on God and let God change us. Any effort to change ourselves and others without depending on God is futile. Even your best effort is useless. It is like a Ferrari without gas; looks great outside but cannot go anywhere.
经文：耶利米书13
主题：败坏的国家
变坏的带子（1-11）。神吩咐耶利米去买一根带子并藏在巴比伦，然后把变坏的带子刨出来。这象征以色列将被放逐于巴比伦，乃因他们的无用和腐败。但神应许复兴这已变坏了的带子，使它重新变得有用并紧贴着神。
变坏的国家（12-27）。这彻底败坏的国家将要喝神忿怒之酒。神警告他们的审判将临，却也呼吁他们要悔改。“将荣耀归给耶和华你的神”是旧约时代的惯用语，意为“承认自己的罪”（书7:19；约9:24）。然而他们不愿那么做，因他们的良知早已被他们持续的罪行如同被热铁烙惯了一般。悔改对犹太人而言就如终止自然界的规律一样，也好比豹子改变其斑点。他们唯一的希望就在神的怜悯，因祂应许在将来会复兴以色列国。
用经文祷告
这段经文教导我们：人是绝望、无助的罪人——他们是无法改变自己的。他们都死在自己的罪恶过犯之中（弗2:1），其唯一的指望是神白白的恩典，而凡向神祈求怜悯的，祂不会掩耳不闻。这就是我们向非信徒传福音时必须祷告的原因。这也是我们为何要常常为自己与其他信徒祷告，祈求神不断地雕刻我们，叫我们能满有基督的形象。这就是以弗所书5:18所说“被圣灵充满”之意。我们必须依靠神改变我们。任何不依靠神而想改变自己与别人的努力都是枉然的；即使尽再大的努力也是无用的。这好比一辆没有汽油的法拉利名车——它有好看的外表，却没有实际的用途。
