How does it make you feel that God rejoices over you with singing? How have you experienced His love?
它是如何让你觉得上帝以唱歌来喜悦你的呢?你是如何感受到他的爱的?
[God] will rejoice over you with singing.Zephaniah 3:17
[上帝]因你喜乐欢唱。-西番雅书3章17节,新译本
My grandmother recently sent me a folder full of old photographs, and as I thumbed through them, one caught my eye. In it, I’m two years old, and I’m sitting on one end of a hearth in front of a fireplace. On the other end, my dad has his arm around my mom’s shoulders. Both are gazing at me with expressions of love and delight.
最近,祖母寄给我一本相簿,我翻着这些旧照片,其中一张格外吸引我的目光。照片中,年仅两岁的我坐在壁炉前面,另一边则是父亲把手搭在母亲的肩上,两人都满脸慈爱地看着我,喜悦之情溢于言表。
I pinned this photo to my dresser, where I see it every morning. It’s a wonderful reminder of their love for me. The truth is, though, that even the love of good parents is imperfect. I saved this photo because it reminds me that although human love may fail sometimes, God’s love never fails—and according to Scripture, God looks at me the way my parents are looking at me in this picture.
我将这张照片贴在梳妆台上。每早晨看着这张照片,总能令我回想起父母对我的关爱。纵使父母的关爱确实无法尽善尽美,但我却仍保留这张照片来提醒自己,即使父母的爱可能会令人失望,但上帝的爱却永远值得信靠。圣经让我知道,上帝正慈爱地凝视着我,就像我父母在照片中那样的慈爱眼神。
The prophet Zephaniah described this love in a way that astounds me. He describes God as rejoicing over His people with singing. God’s people had not earned this love. They had failed to obey Him or to treat each other with compassion. But Zephaniah promised that in the end, God’s love would prevail over their failures. God would take away their punishment (Zephaniah 3:15), and He would rejoice over them (v. 17). He would gather His people into His arms, bring them home, and restore them (v. 20).
先知西番雅对上帝慈爱的描述令我惊讶,先知形容上帝因祂的百姓而欢然歌唱。当时,上帝的百姓并不配得到这份爱,因为他们不愿顺服上帝,也不以恩慈待人。尽管如此,西番雅仍宣告上帝的应许说,上帝的爱终究会胜过他们的软弱,也必除去他们的刑罚(西番雅书3章15节);上帝必因他们喜乐(17节);上帝必招聚百姓重回祂的怀抱,带领他们归回故土,并复兴他们的国度(20节)。
That’s a love worth reflecting on every morning.
上帝的爱,值得你我每早晨深思体会。
God, thank You for Your forgiveness and faithful love for us.
上帝啊,感谢祢对我们的宽容饶恕,也谢谢祢对我们的爱从未改变。

Zephaniah 3:14-20   NIV

3 Sing, Daughter Zion;shout aloud, Israel!Be glad and rejoice with all your heart,Daughter Jerusalem! 15 The Lord has taken away your punishment,he has turned back your enemy.The Lord, the King of Israel, is with you;never again will you fear any harm. 16 On that daythey will say to Jerusalem,“Do not fear, Zion;do not let your hands hang limp. 17 The Lord your God is with you,the Mighty Warrior who saves.He will take great delight in you;in his love he will no longer rebuke you,but will rejoice over you with singing.” 18 “I will remove from you all who mourn over the loss of your appointed festivals,which is a burden and reproach for you. 19 At that time I will deal with all who oppressed you.I will rescue the lame;I will gather the exiles.I will give them praise and honor in every land where they have suffered shame. 20 At that time I will gather you;at that time I will bring you home.I will give you honor and praise among all the peoples of the earth when I restore your fortunes before your very eyes,”says the Lord.

西番雅书 3:14-20 

3 锡安的民哪,应当歌唱!以色列啊,应当欢呼!耶路撒冷的民哪,应当满心欢喜快乐! 15 耶和华已经除去你的刑罚,赶出你的仇敌。以色列的王耶和华在你中间,你必不再惧怕灾祸。 16 当那日,必有话向耶路撒冷说:“不要惧怕!锡安哪,不要手软! 17 耶和华你的神是施行拯救、大有能力的主,他在你中间必因你欢欣喜乐,默然爱你,且因你喜乐而欢呼。 18 那些属你,为无大会愁烦,因你担当羞辱的,我必聚集他们。 19 那时,我必罚办一切苦待你的人,又拯救你瘸腿的,聚集你被赶出的。那些在全地受羞辱的,我必使他们得称赞,有名声。 20 那时,我必领你们进来,聚集你们。我使你们被掳之人归回的时候,就必使你们在地上的万民中有名声,得称赞。”这是耶和华说的。

INSIGHT

灵粮透视

Although Zephaniah concludes his message with powerful hope, most of this brief book warns of severe judgment. Why? Despite God’s efforts to correct His people, Jerusalem was “still eager to act corruptly in all they did” (Zephaniah 3:7). Yet God promises them a peace-filled unity. “I will purify the lips of the peoples, that all of them may call on the name of the Lord and serve him shoulder to shoulder,” God said through the prophet (v. 9). The emphasis on “lips” is intriguing; God singles out the specific sins of lying and boasting—sins that involve speech. His corrective measures will be effective. “I will leave within [Israel] the meek and humble,” He says. “They will do no wrong; they will tell no lies” (vv. 12–13). It’s God’s judgment that sets the stage for Zephaniah’s encouraging conclusion.
虽然西番雅以热切的盼望来结束他的信息,但这本简短的书卷,大部分的内容都是关于严厉审判的警戒。为什么呢?尽管上帝不断纠正祂的百姓,可是耶路撒冷城中的居民仍“在一切事上败坏自己”(西番雅书3章7节)。然而,上帝却应许他们,将来必会和睦合一。上帝藉着先知说:“我必使万民用清洁的言语,好求告我耶和华的名,同心合意地事奉我”(9节)。这里强调的“言语”颇发人深省。上帝特别指出说谎和自夸这两种和言语有关的罪,而祂更正的措施也将发挥果效。祂说:“但我要在[以色列]中间留下谦虚卑微的人,……以色列的余民必不再行不义,也必不说谎;他们的口里也没有诡诈的舌头”(12-13节,新译本)。上帝的审判为西番雅鼓舞人心的结论奠定了基础。

编辑:Sarah
校对:Snow
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