Scripture Reading : Jeremiah 8
Theme : Desecration of Israel
Desecration of Israel (1-13)
Since the Jews worshipped, served, and consulted worthless idols, they will also become worthless like dung. Even their ancestors’ bones, who worshipped idols, will be exhumed and spread out like worthless dung. They desecrated God’s place so God will desecrate them. Even in the midst of proclamation of judgement, God continues to give grace to them by appealing to the Jews to return to Him, but they are mindless animals without shame for their sins. Their conscience has been seared.
Jeremiah’s Sorrow (14-22).
Because of their sins, God will destroy Israel. The Babylonians have already come to Dan, in the northern borders of Israel. Those who are in the country side will flee into fortified cities, but still there will be no peace because the Babylonians will conquer even the fortified cities. Babylonian successfully sieged Jerusalem three times (2 Kgs 24-25). As Jeremiah receives God’s message of punishment on the Jews, he is torn to pieces and plagued with grieve. He constantly lives in the state of tension between his love for the people and being faithful to God’s calling.
Praying the Scripture
The prophet Jeremiah is the most autobiographical prophet in the OT. He often writes about his personal feelings and experiences. Jeremiah is not an emotionally unstable guy but a great prophet who loves his people; therefore he mourns for their destruction. He has the same heart as Jesus who also mourned for the destruction of Jerusalem, His own people (Luke 19:41). God calls us to imitate Him since He is love. So we should mourn when we see calamity on sinners. We should weep with those who weep (Rom. 12:15). Never gloat over sinners’ destruction or be self-righteous, for God takes no pleasure in the death of the wicked (Eze. 18:23).
经文：耶利米书8
主题：以色列的亵渎
以色列的亵渎（1-13）。由于犹太人敬拜、侍奉并咨询虚无的偶像，他们也将变得如粪土一样虚妄；他们敬拜偶像的祖先之骸骨也将像无用的粪土被挖掘、抛散。他们亵渎了神，因此神也会玷污他们。即便在宣告审判时，神继续向犹太人施恩，呼吁他们要归向祂，可他们却像无情的动物一样，对自己的罪不觉羞愧。他们的良心如同被热铁烙惯了一般。
耶利米的哀伤（14-22）。因着以色列的罪，神会使他们灭绝。巴比伦已经来到了以色列北方边境的但。在农村的百姓将逃入坚固城中，但即便如此，他们仍不会有平安，因为巴比伦会继而攻克坚固城。巴比伦成功地围攻了耶路撒冷三次（列下24-25）。当耶利米领受神对犹太人所发的审判宣告后，他的心被撕成碎片，极其疼痛。他持续活在对百姓之爱与忠实传达神之信息的两难局面。
用经文祷告
耶利米是旧约中纳入最多自传记载的先知。他经常写及个人的感受和经历。耶利米并非情绪不稳定，乃因他是一位对其百姓含有深爱的伟大先知，所以他为他们的毁灭哀痛。他与耶稣有同样的心——耶稣也曾为耶路撒冷以及祂的百姓之毁哀痛（路19:41）。神呼召我们效仿祂，因为祂是爱。因此，当我们看到灾难临到罪人时应，我们应当哀痛。我们当与哀哭的人同哭（罗12:15）。不因对罪人的毁灭幸灾乐祸或者自以为是，因为神不喜悦恶人死亡（结18:23）。
