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英文原文
In this chapter we have, I. Judgment threatened, which the sinners shall not escape (Am 9:1-4), which an almighty power shall inflict (Am 9:5,6), which the people of Israel have deserved as a sinful people (Am 9:7,8); and yet it shall not be the utter ruin of their nation (Am 9:8), for a remnant of good people shall escape, Am 9:9. But the wicked ones shall perish, Am 9:10. II. Mercy promised, which was to be bestowed in the latter days (Am 9:11-15), as appears by the application of it to the days of the Messiah, Ac 15:16. And with those comfortable promises, after all the foregoing rebukes and threatenings, the book concludes.
1-10
The Certainty of the Sinner's Doom (784 BC)
罪人灭亡的必然（公元前784年）
¹ 我看见主站在祭坛旁边；祂说：你要击打柱顶，使门槛震动；打碎众人的头；剩下的我必用刀杀尽；他们中间逃走的，必逃脱不了；他们中间逃脱的，必无人搭救。
² 他们挖透阴间，我的手必取出他们来；他们爬上天去，我必拿下他们来。
³ 他们藏在迦密山顶，我必搜出他们来；他们避开我眼藏在海底，我必命蛇咬他们。
⁴ 他们被仇敌掳去，我必命刀剑杀灭他们；我必向他们定睛观看，降祸不降福。
⁵ 主万军之耶和华摸地，地就消化，凡住在地上的都必悲哀；地必全然像河涨起，如同埃及的河落下。
⁶ 那在天上建造楼阁、在地上安定穹苍、召唤海水浇在地面的——耶和华是祂的名。
⁷ 耶和华说：以色列人哪，我岂不看你们如古实人么？我岂不是领以色列人出埃及地，领非利士人出迦斐托，领叙利亚人出吉珥么？
⁸ 主耶和华的眼目察看这有罪的国，必将这国从地上除灭；却不将雅各家灭绝净尽。这是耶和华说的。
⁹ 我必出令，将以色列家在列国中筛，如同用筛子筛谷；然而最小的一粒也不落在地上。
¹⁰ 我民中的一切罪人必死在刀下，他们说：灾祸必不追上我们，也不能临到我们。
此处我们看见神对一个惹动祂怒气的百姓所下的判决；请观察，
I. 这判决是何等郑重地宣告。先知在异象中看见主站在祭坛旁边（摩9:1），就是燔祭坛；因为主有献祭之事，必有大批的人作为祂公义的祭物倒下。祂已离开基路伯之间的施恩座，站在祭坛——就是那审判座——之上，神的火常降在其上吞灭祭物。祂站在祭坛上，为要表明祂与这百姓争辩的根据，乃是他们亵渎祂圣物；祂在此站立，为祂祭坛的争讼报仇，同时也表明以色列家的罪，正如以利家的罪一样，永远不能借祭物和礼物得赎，撒上3:14。祂站在祭坛上，为要禁止献祭。如今所下的令是：你要击打柱顶，就是圣殿门廊的柱顶，要用足以使门槛震动的一击打它，并要打碎众人——伤他们的头，打碎一切；拆毁神殿宇的门，或祂殿宇院子的门，作为这事的记号——祂要从其中出去，离弃它，于是各种审判就要闯入。或者这象征先毁灭那些本该如门柱般为国家作防御的人，他们既被拆毁，那国就成了没有门闩的城。“击打那如柱顶的君王，使那如门柱的首领震动；打碎他们的头，把他们如柴火一样劈开，打碎一切；剩下的我必用刀杀尽，就是他们的后裔，他们和他们的家属，或他们中最小的，他们和他们手下一切服事的人；或者，我必杀尽他们，他们和他们一切剩下的人，直到最后一人；杀戮必是普遍的。”凡神说过我必用刀杀尽的人，无一人能存活；在祂的剑前无人能站立。
II. 有何等有效的安排使无人能逃脱这判决的执行。这一点在此被详加阐述，为要警告一切惹动主嫉妒的人。愿罪人读了就战惧；正如无法与神相抗，也无法逃避祂。祂的审判既奉命而来，必能胜过那些妄想公然抵挡的最强者，也必追上那些妄想飞跑逃避的最捷者，摩9:2。他们中间逃跑、撒腿飞奔的，不久就气尽力竭，并不能逃出危险的范围；因为正如有时恶人无人追赶也逃跑，照样当神追讨时他也不能逃脱，尽管他恨不得从神手中逃脱。不但如此，那中间逃脱的，自以为已经得计的，也无人搭救。祸患追赶罪人，必抓住他们。这一点在此被详加阐述，表明罪人无论逃到何处寻求庇护以躲避神的公义，公义必追上他们，那庇护必证明不过是谎言的避难所。大卫论神无所不在之同在的话（诗139:7-10），在此被用来论及神的大能和公义之广大。(1.) 阴间本身，虽然在英文里得名于它被掩盖、被覆盖、被隐藏，却不能遮蔽他们（摩9:2）：“他们虽挖透阴间，挖到地的中心，或其中最黑暗的隐密处，我的手必从那里取出他们来，把他们带出来，作为彰显神公义的公开记号。”坟墓是义人躲避世界恶毒的藏身之处（伯3:17），却不能作他们躲避神公义的藏身之处；神的手必从那里把他们取出来，当他们在那大日子永远羞愧、被藐视地复活之时。(2.) 天，虽然得名于它被举起、被高举，也不能使他们脱离神审判的追及；正如阴间不能遮蔽他们，天也不能。他们虽在自傲中爬上天去，我必从那里拿下他们来。那些蒙神恩典带到天上的人，永不被带下来；但那些凭自己的僭妄和自信爬到那里的，必被带下来，满怀羞愧。(3.) 迦密山顶，那一带世上最高处的尘土之一，也不能保护他们：“他们虽藏在那里，自以为无人会寻找他们，我必搜出他们来；迦密山顶最密的灌木丛、最黑的洞穴，也不能遮蔽他们。”(4.) 海底也不能掩盖他们；他们虽想在那里藏身，就在那里神的审判也必找出他们、抓住他们：我必命蛇咬他们，就是那快行的蛇，海中的大鱼，赛27:1。他们要在自以为能找到庇护保护之处，遇见他们的瘟疫和死亡；潜水与攀登同样无济于事。(5.) 远方异国也不会偏袒他们，较轻的审判也不能使他们免于更大的（摩9:4）：他们虽被仇敌掳去，被带到极远之处，与他们本国的民混杂，在他们中间似乎已经湮没无闻，但那也救不了他们：我必命刀剑杀灭他们——仇敌的刀剑，或彼此相残的刀剑。神审判之时必得胜。使他们的逃脱成为不可能、使他们的灭亡成为必然的，乃是：神必向他们定睛观看，降祸不降福。祂的眼目无所不在，鉴察万人，鉴察人一切的道路；对一些人是为了赐福，在他们身上显大能；对另一些是为了降祸，鉴察他们的罪（伯13:27），并寻找一切机会因他们的罪刑罚他们。那些有神护理——以及护理一切安排——与他们为敌、为他们的损害而效力的人，他们的光景真是可悲。
3. 那向他们宣告这判决、并将亲自执行的神，是何等伟大全能的一位。威吓可畏与否，全看那威吓者的能力而定。我们嗤笑无能之怒；但神的怒气并非如此；那是无所不能之怒。谁能晓得祂怒气的权能？ 祂从前说过要作的事（摩8:8）在此重申：祂必使地消化震动，使其中所有的居民悲哀，审判必全然像河涨起，那地必被淹没，成为水底，如同埃及的河一样，摩9:5。但祂能成就祂所说的话吗？是的，确实能；祂不过摸地，地就消化；摸山，山就冒烟；祂能极其轻易地成就，因为：(1.) 答应成就这事的是主万军之耶和华，就是那把一切权能握在手中、一切受造之物都在祂号令之下、既已造了一切、并赋予它们各自的本能、便随己意使用它们和它们一切能力的神。万军之主与他们为敌之人的光景，实在可悲，因为有众军与他们为敌，全受造之物都向他们开战。(2.) 祂是上界的创造者和掌管者：那在天上建造楼阁的，就是那些天体——一层叠一层的，如同高大华美宫殿中的层层楼房。它们属乎祂，因为起初祂造了它们，那时祂说：要有穹苍，祂就造出穹苍；祂如今仍在建造它们，不断建造——不是因为它们需要修缮，而是借祂的护理祂一直托住它们；祂的能力就是托住诸天的柱子。那有权指挥这层层楼阁的，实在可畏，因为从那里如同从城堡中，祂能向祂的仇敌射击，或降大冰雹在他们身上，正如对迦南人一样；或使众星在它们的轨道中——就是那些楼阁的陈设——为他们争战，正如与西西拉一样。(3.) 祂也管理、指挥这个我们所居住的下界，这水陆之球——地和海兼有，所以祂的仇敌无论想从哪条路逃遁，祂必迎面拦截，或想从哪方面抵挡，祂必足以匹敌。他们想要陆战吗？祂在地上安定祂的队伍——祂的卫队，听候祂号令，用以保护祂的子民、刑罚祂的仇敌。地上一切的受造之物合成一捆（边注如此读），合成一捆箭，祂随己意从中抽出，射向逼迫者，诗7:13。它们都是一支军，一个身体，彼此紧密相联，又如此和谐一致地行动，以成就造它们的主的目的。他们想要海战吗？在那里祂也要胜过他们，因为祂有海水听祂号令；就是海中的波浪，那最狂涛悖逆的水，也服从祂。祂在寻常护理之中召唤海水，使云气从其中上升，又以阵雨——祂能力的小雨和大雨——倾倒在地面上；这先前已被提作我们当寻求主（摩5:8）、与祂和好的理由，此处又被提为我们当敬畏祂、恐惧以祂为仇敌的理由。
4. 神向以色列民宣告这判决何等公义。祂并非以主权毁灭他们，而是以公义毁灭他们；因为（摩9:8）这是个有罪的国，耶和华的眼目察看它，发现它确实如此；祂看见它罪孽之重大，所以祂必将这国从地上除灭。请注意：当那些在名分和认信上原是圣洁的国度、是祭司的国度——正如以色列那样——变成有罪的国度时，别无他途可期，只有被剪除、被弃绝。愿有罪的国度、有罪的家庭、也有有罪的个人，都看见耶和华的眼目在他们身上，鉴察他们一切的恶行，并把这记录留到算账报应之日。这既是有罪的国，请看神是何等不看重它，摩9:7。
(1.) 看祂如何看轻祂与它所立的关系：以色列人哪，我岂不看你们如古实人么？ 这是何等可悲的改变！以色列的儿女竟变成了古实人的儿女！[1.] 在他们自己眼中如此，这是他们的罪。以色列的儿女常常变成古实人的儿女，这是当大加哀叹的事；敬虔父母的儿女退化变质，与他们的前辈完全相反。那些受过良好教育、在敬畏神的知识中长大、起头很好、前途大有盼望的人，竟抛弃认信，变得与最坏的人一样坏。黄金何其失色！ [2.] 在神的估计中如此，这是他们的刑罚。祂不再看重他们，纵然他们是以色列的儿女，也不比古实人的儿女更被祂看重。我们在诗7篇标题读到有一个人是古实（有人理解为埃塞俄比亚人），却又是便雅悯人。那些按出生和认信是以色列人，若退化变质、成为邪恶可鄙的，在神眼中不过是古实人而已。这是暗示弥赛亚日子不信犹太人之被弃；因为他们不接受基督的道，神的国就从他们夺去，他们被逐出教会、被弃于约外，成了古实人那样，至今仍是。这也适用于那些称为基督徒、却活不出其名分和认信的人——他们留在敬虔的外壳里，却活在掌权的不义之权势下——在神眼中他们如同古实人；祂弃绝他们和他们的敬拜。
(2.) 看祂如何看轻祂所赐给他们的恩惠；他们以为祂不会、也不能弃绝他们、把他们与列国同等看待，因为祂为他们作了祂没有为别国作的事，他们以为这就使祂受他们所缚，永不离开他们。“不，”祂说，“我所赐给你们的恩惠，并不像你们所想的那样独特：我岂不是领以色列人出埃及地么？ 诚然我作了这事；但我也曾领非利士人出迦斐托——就是迦斐托（或译加帕多家），他们本是那里的土著，或被掳到那里，或兼而有之；他们被称为迦斐托国剩下的余民（耶47:4），而非利士人与迦斐托人也并列，创10:14。照样，叙利亚人从前被掳到吉珥之后，也被领出来，王下16:9。请注意：神的以色列若失去他们圣洁的独特性，他们就失去他们特权的独特性；那本为特殊恩典之赐福的，将被放在另一光景下看待，其性质将被改变，而成为寻常护理的举动；认信神的人若使自己与世界同流，神也必使他们与世界同等。我们若不活在神怜悯所加的本分之下，就丧失这些怜悯的尊荣和安慰。
5. 神在报应之日必要将宝贵的与卑贱的分别出来，何等恩慈。恶的以色列人虽必如恶的古实人，他们称为以色列人也无济于事，但敬虔的以色列人却不会像恶人一样；不，审判全地的主必行公义，比将义人与恶人同杀更公义，创18:25。祂的眼目察看这有罪的国，为要找出其中那些持守纯正、逆流而泳、为那地可憎之事叹息哀哭的人，他们必被标记为当保全的，所以毁灭必不是全然的：我却不将雅各家灭绝净尽——不把他们好坏不分、按批发地全然毁灭，我必如公义的审判官那样加以区分。以色列家必如同用筛子筛谷被筛；他们必大受颠簸、大受摇撼、大被抛掷，但仍在神的手中，在祂双手之中，正如筛子在筛者手中，摩9:9：我必在列国中筛以色列家。 无论他们在何处被摇撼、被驱散，神必看顾他们，并要把麦子和糠秕分别出来，这正是祂筛他们的目的。(1.) 他们中间那些如坚实麦子的义人，没有一个会灭亡；他们或在公众的灾祸中被拯救出来，或借着公众的灾祸被拯救过去；最小的一粒也不落在地上，不至于失落被忘——不是最小的一粒（原文如此），因为好麦子比起我们所说的轻麦来，重量如石。请注意：无论世上有什么样的震荡，神已经、也必将有效地安排，使一切真属祂的人不至真正地受苦。(2.) 他们中间那些在罪中刚硬的恶人，必全都灭亡，摩9:10。请看他们的不敬已经到了何等地步：他们说：灾祸必不追上我们，也不能临到我们。 他们自以为无辜、不配受罚，或以为自己与神关系的认信，就使他们免刑、得保安全，或以为自己能在神的审判前站稳脚跟，能飞跑逃避以致审判追不上，或能严加防备以致审判不能突然临到。请注意：指望免罚，乃是心里不悔改者自欺的避难所。但请看这事至终有何结局：一切罪人——如此自欺、如此触犯神的——必死在刀下，就是战争的刀剑，对他们而言就是神报应的刀剑；纵然他们是我民中的罪人，因为他们的认信不能保护他们。请注意：灾祸往往离那些把它推得最远的人最近。
英文原文
The Certainty of the Sinner's Doom (784 BC)
¹ I saw the Lord standing upon the altar: and he said, Smite the lintel of the door, that the posts may shake: and cut them in the head, all of them; and I will slay the last of them with the sword: he that fleeth of them shall not flee away, and he that escapeth of them shall not be delivered.
² Though they dig into hell, thence shall mine hand take them; though they climb up to heaven, thence will I bring them down:
³ And though they hide themselves in the top of Carmel, I will search and take them out thence; and though they be hid from my sight in the bottom of the sea, thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them:
⁴ And though they go into captivity before their enemies, thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them: and I will set mine eyes upon them for evil, and not for good.
⁵ And the Lord GOD of hosts is he that toucheth the land, and it shall melt, and all that dwell therein shall mourn: and it shall rise up wholly like a flood; and shall be drowned, as by the flood of Egypt.
⁶ It is he that buildeth his stories in the heaven, and hath founded his troop in the earth; he that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name.
⁷ Are ye not as children of the Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? saith the LORD. Have not I brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt? and the Philistines from Caphtor, and the Syrians from Kir?
⁸ Behold, the eyes of the Lord GOD are upon the sinful kingdom, and I will destroy it from off the face of the earth; saving that I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, saith the LORD.
⁹ For, lo, I will command, and I will sift the house of Israel among all nations, like as corn is sifted in a sieve, yet shall not the least grain fall upon the earth.
¹⁰ All the sinners of my people shall die by the sword, which say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us.
We have here the justice of God passing sentence upon a provoking people; and observe,
I. With what solemnity the sentence is passed. The prophet saw in vision the Lord standing upon the altar (Am 9:1), the altar of burnt-offerings; for the Lord has a sacrifice, and multitudes must fall as victims to his justice. He is removed from the mercy-seat between the cherubim, and stands upon the altar, the judgment-seat, on which the fire of God used to fall, to devour the sacrifices. He stands upon the altar, to show that the ground of his controversy with this people was their profanation of his holy things; here he stands to avenge the quarrel of his altar, as also to signify that the sin of the house of Israel, like that of the house of Eli, shall not be purged with sacrifice nor offering forever, 1Sa 3:14. He stands on the altar, to prohibit sacrifice. Now the order given is, Smite the lintel of the door of the temple, the chapiter, smite it with such a blow that the posts may shake, and cut them, wound them in the head, all of them; break down the doors of God's house, or of the courts of his house, in token of this, that he is going out from it, and forsaking it, and then all judgments are breaking in upon it. Or it signifies the destruction of those in the first place that should be as the door-posts to the nation for its defence, so that, they being broken down, it becomes as a city without gates and bars. "Smite the king, who is as the lintel of the door, that the princes, who are as the posts, may shake; cut them in the head, cleave them down, all of them, as wood for the fire; and I will slay the last of them, the posterity of them, them and their families, or the least of them, them and all that are employed under them; or, I will slay them all, them and all that remain of them, till it comes to the last man; the slaughter shall be general." There is no living for those on whom God has said, I will slay them, no standing before his sword.
II. What effectual care is taken that none shall escape the execution of this sentence. This is enlarged upon here, and is intended for warning to all that provoke the Lord to jealousy. Let sinners read it, and tremble; as there is no fighting it out with God, so there is no fleeing from him. His judgments, when they come with commission, as they will overpower the strongest that think to outface them, so they will overtake the swiftest that think to out-run them, Am 9:2. Those of them that flee, and take to their heels, shall soon be out of breath, and shall not flee away out of the reach of danger; for, as sometimes the wicked flee when none pursues, so he cannot flee away when God pursues, though he would fain flee out of his hand. Nay, he that escapes of them, that thinks he has gained his point, shall not be delivered. Evil pursues sinners, and will arrest them. This is here enlarged upon by showing that wherever sinners flee for shelter from God's justice, it will overtake them, and the shelter will prove but a refuge of lies. What David says of the ubiquity of God's presence (Ps 139:7-10) is here said of the extent of God's power and justice. (1.) Hell itself, though it has its name in English from its being hilled, or covered over, or hidden, cannot hide them (Am 9:2): "Though they dig into hell, into the centre of the earth, or the darkest recesses of it, yet thence shall my hand take them, and bring them forth to be made public monuments of divine justice." The grave is a hiding-place to the righteous from the malice of the world (Job 3:17), but it shall be no hiding-place to the righteous from the justice of God; thence God's hands shall take them, when they shall rise in the great day to everlasting shame and contempt. (2.) Heaven, though it has its name from being heaved, or lifted up, shall not put them out of reach of God's judgments; as hell cannot hide them, so heaven will not. Though they climb up to heaven in their conceit, yet thence will I bring them down. Those whom God brings to heaven by his grace shall never be brought down; but those who climb thither themselves, by their own presumption, and confidence in themselves, will be brought down and filled with shame. (3.) The top of Carmel, one of the highest parts of the dust of the world in that country, shall not protect them: "Though they hide themselves there, where they imagine nobody will look for them, I will search, and take them out thence; neither the thickest bushes, nor the darkest caves, in the top of Carmel, will serve to hide them." (4.) The bottom of the sea shall not serve to conceal them; though they think to hide themselves there, even there the judgments of God shall find them out, and lay hold on them: Thence will I command the serpent, and he shall bite them, the crooked serpent, even the dragon that is in the sea, Isa 27:1. They shall find their plague and death where they hope to find shelter and protection; diving will stand them in no more stead than climbing. (5.) Remote countries will not befriend them, nor shall less judgments excuse them from greater (Am 9:4): Thought they go into captivity before their enemies, who carry them to places at a great distance, and mingle them with their own people, among whom they seem to be lost, yet that shall not serve their turn: Thence will I command the sword, and it shall slay them, the sword of the enemy, or one another's sword. When God judges he will overcome. That which binds on all this, makes their escape impossible and their ruin inevitable, is that God will set his eyes upon them for evil, and not for good. His eyes are in every place, are upon all men and upon all the ways of men, upon some for good, to show himself strong on their behalf, but upon others for evil, to take notice of their sins (Job 13:27) and take all opportunities of punishing them for their sins. Their case is truly miserable who have the providence of God: and all the dispensations of it, against them, working for their hurt.
3. What a great and mighty God he is that passes this sentence upon them, and will take the executing of it into his own hands. Threatenings are more or less formidable according to the power of him that threatens. We laugh at impotent wrath; but the wrath of God is not so; it is omnipotent wrath. Who knows the power of it? What he had before said he would do (Am 8:8) is here repeated, that he would make the land melt and tremble, and all that dwell therein mourn, that the judgment should rise up wholly like a flood, and the country should be drowned, and laid under water, as by the flood of Egypt, Am 9:5. But is he able to make his words good? Yes, certainly he is; he does but touch the land and it melts, touch the mountains and they smoke; he can do it with the greatest ease, for, (1.) He is the Lord God of hosts, who undertakes to do it, the God who has all the power in his hand, and all creatures at his beck and call, who having made them all, and given them their several capacities, makes what use he pleases of them and all their powers. Very miserable is the case of those who have the Lord of hosts against them, for they have hosts against them, the whole creation at war with them. (2.) He is the Creator and governor of the upper world: It is he that builds his stories in the heavens, the celestial orbs, or spheres, one over another, as so many stories in a high and stately palace. They are his, for he built them at first, when he said, Let there be a firmament, and he made the firmament; and he builds them still, is continually building them, not that they need repair, but by his providence he still upholds them; his power is the pillars of heaven, by which it is borne up. Now he that has the command of those stories is certainly to be feared, for thence, as from a castle, he can fire upon his enemies, or cast upon them great hailstones, as on the Canaanites, or make the stars in their courses, the furniture of those stories, to fight against them, as against Sisera. (3.) He has the management and command of this lower world too, in which we dwell, the terraqueous globe, both earth and sea, so that, which way soever his enemies think to make their escape, he will meet them, or to make opposition, he will match them. Do they think to make a land-fight of it? He has founded his troop in the earth, his troop of guards, which he has at command, and makes use of for the protection of his subjects and the punishment of his enemies. All the creatures on earth make one bundle (as the margin reads it), one bundle of arrows, out of which he takes what he pleases to discharge against the persecutors, Ps 7:13. They are all one army, one body, so closely are they connected, and so harmoniously and so much in concert do they act for the accomplishing of their Creator's purposes. Do they think to make a sea-fight of it? He will be too hard for them there, for he has the waters of the sea at command; even its waves, the most tumultuous rebellious waters, do obey him. He calls for the waters of the sea in the course of his common providence, causes vapours to ascend out of it, and pours them out in showers, the small rain and the great rain of his strength, upon the face of the earth; this was mentioned before as a reason why we should seek the Lord (Am 5:8) and make him our friend, as it is here made a reason why we should fear him and dread having him for our enemy.
4. How justly God passes this sentence upon the people of Israel. He does not destroy them by an act of sovereignty, but by an act of righteousness; for (Am 9:8), it is a sinful kingdom, and the eyes of the Lord are upon it, discovering it to be so; he sees the great sinfulness of it, and therefore he will destroy it from off the face of the earth. Note, When those kingdoms that in name and profession were holy kingdoms, and kingdoms of priests, as Israel was, become sinful kingdoms, no other can be expected than that they should be cut off and abandoned. Let sinful kingdoms, and sinful families, and sinful persons too, see the eyes of the Lord upon them, observing all their wickedness, and reserving the notice of it for the day of reckoning and recompence. This being a sinful kingdom, see how light God makes of it, Am 9:7.
(1.) Of the relation wherein he stood to it: Are you not as children of Ethiopians unto me, O children of Israel? A sad change! Children of Israel become as children of the Ethiopians! [1.] They were so in themselves; that was their sin. It is a thing to be greatly lamented that the children of Israel often become as children of the Ethiopians; this children of godly parents degenerate, and become the reverse of those that went before them. Those that were well-educated, and trained up in the knowledge and fear of God, and set out well, and promised fair, throw off their profession and become as bad as the worst. How has the gold become dim! [2.] They were so in God's account, and that was their punishment. He valued them no more, though they were children of Israel, than if they had been children of the Ethiopians. We read of one in the title of Ps 7:1-17 that was Cush (an Ethiopian, as some understand it) and yet a Benjamite. Those that by birth and profession are children of Israel, if they degenerate, and become wicked and vile, are to God no more than children of the Ethiopians. This is an intimation of the rejection of the unbelieving Jews in the days of the Messiah; because they embraced not the doctrine of Christ, the kingdom of God was taken from them, they were unchurched, and cast out of covenant, became as children of the Ethiopians, and are so to this day. And it is true of those that are called Christians, but do not live up to their name and profession, that rest in the form of piety, but live under the power of reigning iniquity, that they are to God as children of the Ethiopians; he rejects them, and their services.
(2.) See how light he makes of the favours he had conferred upon them; they thought he would not, he could not, cast them off, and put them upon a level with other nations, because he had done that for them which he had not done for other nations, whereby they thought he was bound to them, so as never to leave them. "No," says he, "The favours shown to you are not so distinguishing as you think they are: Have I not brought up Israel out of the land of Egypt?" It is true I have; but I have also brought the Philistines from Caphtor, or Cappadocia, where they were natives, or captives, or both; they are called the remnant of the country of Caphtor (Jer 47:4), and the Philistim are joined with the Caphtorim, Ge 10:14. In like manner the Syrians were brought up from Kir when they had been carried away thither, 2Ki 16:9. Note, If God's Israel lose the peculiarity of their holiness, they lose the peculiarity of their privileges; and what was designed as a favour of special grace shall be set in another light, shall have its property altered, and shall become an act of common providence; if professors liken themselves to the world, God will level them with the world. And, if we live not up to the obligation of God's mercies, we forfeit the honour and comfort of them.
5. How graciously God will separate between the precious and the vile in the day of retribution. Though the wicked Israelites shall be as the wicked Ethiopians, and their being called Israelites shall stand them in no stead, yet the pious Israelites shall not be as the wicked ones; no, the Judge of all the earth will do right, more right than to slay the righteous with the wicked, Ge 18:25. His eyes are upon the sinful kingdom, to spy out those in it who preserve their integrity and swim against the stream, who sigh and cry for the abominations of their land, and they shall be marked for preservation, so that the destruction shall not be total: I will not utterly destroy the house of Jacob, not ruin them by wholesale and in the gross, good and bad together, but I will distinguish, as becomes a righteous judge. The house of Israel shall be sifted as corn is sifted; they shall be greatly hurried, and shaken, and tossed, but still in the hands of God, in both his hands, as the sieve in the hands of him that sifts (Am 9:9): I will sift the house of Israel among all nations. Wherever they are shaken and scattered, God will have his eye upon them, and will take care to separate between the corn and chaff, which was the thing he designed in sifting them. (1.) The righteous ones among them, that are as the solid wheat, shall none of them perish; they shall be delivered either from or through the common calamities of the kingdom; not the least grain shall fall on the earth, so as to be lost and forgotten—not the least stone (so the word is), for the good corn is weighty as a stone in comparison with that which we call light corn. Note, Whatever shakings there may be in the world, God does and will effectually provide that none who are truly his shall be truly miserable. (2.) The wicked ones among them who are hardened in their sins shall all of them perish, Am 9:10. See what a height of impiety they have come to: They say, The evil shall not overtake nor prevent us. They think they are innocent, and do not deserve punishment, or that the profession they make of relation to God will be their exemption and security from punishment, or that they shall be able to make their part good against the judgments of God, that they shall flee so swiftly from them that they shall not overtake them, or guard so carefully against them that they shall not prevent or surprise them. Note, Hope of impunity is the deceitful refuge of the impenitent. But see what it will come to at last: All the sinners that thus flatter themselves, and affront God, shall die by the sword, the sword of war, which to them shall be the sword of divine vengeance; yea, though they be the sinners of my people, for their profession shall not be their protection. Note, Evil is often nearest those that put it at the greatest distance from them.
11-15
Promises of Mercy (784 BC)
怜悯的应许（主前784年）\n\n> ¹¹ 到那日，我必建立大卫倒塌的帐幕，堵住其中的破口；把那破坏的建立起来，重新修造，像古时一样。\n> ¹² 使以色列人得以东所余剩的和所有称为我名下的国。此乃行这事的耶和华说的。\n> ¹³ 耶和华说：日子将到，耕种的必接续收割的，踹葡萄的必接续撒种的；大山要滴下甜酒，小山都必融化。\n> ¹⁴ 我必使我民以色列被掳的归回，他们必重修荒废的城邑居住，栽种葡萄园，喝其中所出的酒；修造果园，吃其中的果子。\n> ¹⁵ 我要将他们栽于本地，他们不再从我所赐给他们的地上拔出来。这是耶和华你的神说的。\n\n众先知皆为那一位作见证；这位先知在结尾处也为此作见证，论到 那日——那些将要来到的日子——在其中神必借设立弥赛亚的国度，为他的教会行大事；正因犹太人弃绝了这位，所以他们的被弃早在摩9:1-10中已预言。这里的应许据说正应验于基督教会的设立（徒15:15-17）。所应许的是——\n\nI. 在弥赛亚里，大卫的国必将复原（摩9:11）；此处称之为 大卫的帐幕——即他的家和家族；这家族虽一度伟大稳固，但与天国相比，仍如帐幕一般卑微可移。争战的教会在现今的状态中——如牧人帐中为饲养，如兵士帐中为争战——正是 大卫的帐幕。 神的帐幕被称为大卫的帐幕，因为大卫曾切慕并拣选 永远住在神的帐幕中（诗61:4）。如今，1. 这些帐幕曾经倾覆衰残——王室曾如此贫困，其权势被削减，其尊荣受玷污，被践踏于尘土之中；因那家系中许多人败坏，又在被掳之中丧失了帝王的尊严。其中曾造成严重的破口，至终归于废墟。犹太人的教会也是如此；在其末期，其荣耀离去；它如同一个倒塌毁坏的帐幕，无论在纯洁上或在兴旺上都是如此。2. 借着耶稣基督，这些帐幕被举起重建。在他里面，神与大卫所立的约得了成就；那家的荣耀——非但被玷污，更是沉沦——重新复兴；其 破口 被 堵住，其 废墟被建立，像古时一样；不但如此，基督家族的属灵荣耀远超过大卫家族在其全盛之时的属世荣耀。在他里面，神与以色列所立的约也得了成就；在福音教会中，神的帐幕重新在人间设立，并从犹太国度的废墟中升起。这话在耶路撒冷第一次会议中被引用，作为论到外邦人蒙召、神从他们中间 选取百姓归于自己名下 的预言。当知，只要世界还存在，神在其中必有自己的教会；倘若在一处、在一民之中教会倾倒了，它必在别处被举起。\n\nII. 那国度必将扩展，其疆界必将因许多国家的归附而延伸甚远（摩9:12），使大卫的家得以 得以东所余剩的和所有称为我名下的国——意即基督必得着他们为他的 产业，甚至 地极 也为他的 产业（诗2:8）。那些从前为外人、为仇敌的人，将成为大卫之子孙甘心忠心的臣民，并被 加给教会——其中 称为我名下的人，正如主所说——意即他们属乎恩典的拣选，并被定意得永生（徒13:48）；因为外邦人如同犹太人一样——拣选的人得着了，其余的就成了顽梗不化的（罗11:7）。基督死，为要将神四散的儿女都聚集归一——此处正是那 称为他名下的人。这应许是给一切 远方的人，甚至给他们中间 主我们神所召来 的 多人（徒2:39）。雅各将此解释为一项应许：其余的人可以寻求主，就是凡称为我名下的外邦人。 但这应许可以信靠吗？是的，说这话的主，就是行这事的主——他能行，也已定意要行，他恩典的大能为此而效力；在他，说与行并非如我们一样分为二事。\n\nIII. 在弥赛亚的国中必有大丰盛——乡村所出产的一切美物都必丰足（摩9:13）：耕种的必接续收割的——意即年年都有丰厚的收割，谷物如此之多，需要整个夏天来收聚，直到秋天又开始耕地之时；照样，摘葡萄也必持续到播种之时；葡萄如此丰盛，以致连 大山 都向摘葡萄者的器皿中 滴下新酒；那素来干枯荒凉的小山也必得滋润，并因土壤的 肥润 而融化。可与珥2:24、3:18相比较。这话必然当理解为属灵祝福在属天之事上的丰盛——一切真诚归于基督和他教会的人都必得着、也必得着这些祝福；他们必因神家中的美物，因他圣灵的诸般恩惠与安慰，大得满足；他们必得着粮——生命之粮——以 坚固他们的心，并得着神圣安慰之酒以 使他们欢乐——真是 肉、真是 饮——就是人的灵魂从神之道和神之灵所领受的一切益处。这些祝福曾长久局限于犹太教会的葡萄园之内；神圣的启示及其伴随的大能，只见于那圈子之内；但在福音之时，外邦世界的大山小山，必将因基督的福音之传讲、认信并在其大能中的领受，而得着这些特权之富。当许多人归信基督，列国一时而生，当福音的传道者 常在各处因 讲道的成功 而夸胜 之时，便是 耕种的接续了收割的；当外邦教会 在一切口才和知识上都富足，并得着各样的 属灵恩赐 之时（林前1:5），便是 大山滴下甜酒 了。\n\nIV. 弥赛亚的国必大有人民；乡村既得充实，城邑也必如此；必有享用这些食物的口（摩9:14）。那些被掳的人必从被掳之地带回；他们的仇敌不能在被掳之地拘留他们，他们自己也不愿在那里定居，而是余民必归回，并 重修荒废的城邑居住——他们必照着福音的特许状（基督的城邑据此设立）自行组成基督教会，并在其中设立纯正的教义、敬拜和纪律；他们必享受其中的益处与安慰；他们必 栽种葡萄园，修造果园。大山小山虽滴下酒，福音教会的特权虽为大家共有，他们仍必为自己圈出地来——不是为垄断这些特权、排斥别人，而是为在与别人的相交中据为己有、加以善用；他们必 喝自己葡萄园和果园所出的酒，吃其中的果子；因为那些在宗教上勤劳的人——正如人必须为葡萄园和果园劳苦一样——必得其中的乐趣与利益。此处所应许的 神使以色列民被掳归回，或可指礼仪律的废去——那律法长久以来对神的以色列人如 奴役的轭；并指他们被纳入基督所赐使教会得自由的自由之中（加5:1）。\n\nV. 弥赛亚的国必在世上扎根如此之深，永不再被拔除（摩9:15）：我要将他们栽于本地。 神属灵的以色列必借神自己的右手栽于所派定给他们的地上，他们必不再从其中被拔出——如旧的犹太教会曾被拔出一般。神必保守他们不致因全然的背道而自取灭亡，也必保守他们不致因仇敌的恶毒而被逐出；教会或会被败坏，却不致完全离弃神；或会受逼迫，却不致被神完全丢弃；因此阴间的门户，无论以其诱惑或以其威吓，都不能胜过她。有两件事保证了教会的恒久：1. 神对她的赐予：这是我所赐给他们的地；神必坚立并维持他自己的赐予。他所赐给他百姓的那分，乃是那不能夺去的好分；他必不撤回他的赐予，凡地上和阴间的权势也都不能使之失效。2. 她在他里面的份：他是 耶和华你的神——他既说了，必成就这话——以色列啊，这是你的！ 他必 作你的王，直到万代。 因他活着，教会也必活着。\n
英文原文
Promises of Mercy (784 BC)
¹¹ In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old:
¹² That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.
¹³ Behold, the days come, saith the LORD, that the plowman shall overtake the reaper, and the treader of grapes him that soweth seed; and the mountains shall drop sweet wine, and all the hills shall melt.
¹⁴ And I will bring again the captivity of my people of Israel, and they shall build the waste cities, and inhabit them; and they shall plant vineyards, and drink the wine thereof; they shall also make gardens, and eat the fruit of them.
¹⁵ And I will plant them upon their land, and they shall no more be pulled up out of their land which I have given them, saith the LORD thy God.
To him to whom all the prophets bear witness this prophet, here in the close, bears his testimony, and speaks of that day, those days that shall come, in which God will do great things for his church, by the setting up of the kingdom of the Messiah, for the rejecting of which the rejection of the Jews was foretold in the Am 9:1-10. The promise here is said to agree to the planting of the Christian church, and in that to be fulfilled, Ac 15:15-17. It is promised,
I. That in the Messiah the kingdom of David shall be restored (Am 9:11); the tabernacle of David it is called, that is, his house and family, which, though great and fixed, yet, in comparison with the kingdom of heaven, was mean and movable as a tabernacle. The church militant, in its present state, dwelling as in shepherds' tents to feed, as in soldiers' tents to fight, is the tabernacle of David. God's tabernacle is called the tabernacle of David because David desired and chose to dwell in God's tabernacle for ever, Ps 61:4. Now, 1. These tabernacles had fallen and gone to decay, the royal family was so impoverished, its power abridged, its honour stained, and laid in the dust; for many of that race degenerated, and in the captivity it lost the imperial dignity. Sore breaches were made upon it, and at length it was laid in ruins. So it was with the church of the Jews; in the latter days of it its glory departed; it was like a tabernacle broken down and brought to ruin, in respect both of purity and of prosperity. 2. By Jesus Christ these tabernacles were raised and rebuilt. In him God's covenant with David had its accomplishment; and the glory of that house, which was not only sullied, but quite sunk, revived again; the breaches of it were closed and its ruins raised up, as in the days of old; nay, the spiritual glory of the family of Christ far exceeded the temporal glory of the family of David when it was at its height. In him also God's covenant with Israel had its accomplishment, and in the gospel-church the tabernacle of God was set up among men again, and raised up out of the ruins of the Jewish state. This is quoted in the first council at Jerusalem as referring to the calling in of the Gentiles and God's taking out of them a people for his name. Note, While the world stands God will have a church in it, and, if it be fallen down in one place and among one people, it shall be raised up elsewhere.
II. That that kingdom shall be enlarged, and the territories of it shall extend far, by the accession of many countries to it (Am 9:12), that the house of David may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, that is, that Christ may have them given him for his inheritance, even the uttermost parts of the earth for his possession, Ps 2:8. Those that had been strangers and enemies shall become willing faithful subjects to the Son of David, shall be added to the church, or those of them that are called by my name, saith the Lord, that is, that belong to the election of grace and are ordained to eternal life (Ac 13:48), for it is true of the Gentiles as well as of the Jews that the election hath obtained and the rest were blinded, Ro 11:7. Christ died to gather together in one the children of God that were scattered abroad, here said to be those that were called by his name. The promise is to all that are afar off, even as many of them as the Lord our God shall call, Ac 2:39. St. James expounds this as a promise that the residue of men should seek after the Lord, even all the Gentiles upon whom my name is called. But may the promise be depended upon? Yes, the Lord says this, who does this, who can do it, who has determined to do it, the power of whose grace is engaged for the doing of it, and with whom saying and doing are not two things, as they are with us.
III. That in the kingdom of the Messiah there shall be great plenty, an abundance of all good things that the country produces (Am 9:13): The ploughman shall overtake the reaper, that is, there shall be such a plentiful harvest every year, and so much corn to be gathered in, that it shall last all summer, even till autumn, when it is time to begin to plough again; and in like manner the vintage shall continue till seed-time, and there shall be such abundance of grapes that even the mountains shall drop new wine into the vessels of the grape-gatherers, and the hills that were dry and barren shall be moistened and shall melt with the fatness or mellowness (as we call it) of the soil. Compare this with Joe 2:24,3:18. This must certainly be understood of the abundance of spiritual blessings in heavenly things, which all those are, and shall be, blessed with, who are in sincerity added to Christ and his church; they shall be abundantly replenished with the goodness of God's house, with the graces and comforts of his Spirit; they shall have bread, the bread of life, to strengthen their hearts, and the wine of divine consolations to make them glad-meat indeed and drink indeed—all the benefit that comes to the souls of men from the word and Spirit of God. These had been long confined to the vineyard of the Jewish church; divine revelation, and the power that attended it, were to be found only within that enclosure; but in gospel-times the mountains and hills of the Gentile world shall be enriched with these privileges by the gospel of Christ preached, and professed, and received in the power of it. When great multitudes were converted to the faith of Christ, and nations were born at once, when the preachers of the gospel were always caused to triumph in the success of their preaching, then the ploughman overtook the reaper; and when, the Gentile churches were enriched in all utterance, and in all knowledge, and all manner of spiritual gifts (1Co 1:5), then the mountains dropped sweet wine.
IV. That the kingdom of the Messiah shall be well peopled; as the country shall be replenished, so shall the cities be; there shall be mouths for this meat, Am 9:14. Those that were carried captives shall be brought back out of their captivity; their enemies shall not be able to detain them in the land of their captivity, nor shall they themselves incline to settle in it, but the remnant shall return, and shall build the waste cities and inhabit them, shall form themselves into Christian churches and set up pure doctrine, worship, and discipline among them, according to the gospel charter, by which Christ's cities are incorporated; and they shall enjoy the benefit and comfort thereof; they shall plant vineyards, and make gardens. Though the mountains and hills drop wine, and the privileges of the gospel-church are laid in common, yet they shall enclose for themselves, not to monopolize these privileges, to the exclusion of others, but to appropriate and improve these privileges, in communion with others, and they shall drink the wine, and eat the fruit, of their own vineyards and gardens; for those that take pains in religion, as men must do about their vineyards and gardens, shall have both the pleasure and profit of it. The bringing again of the captivity of God's Israel, which is here promised, may refer to the cancelling of the ceremonial law, which had been long to God's Israel as a yoke of bondage, and the investing of them in the liberty wherewith Christ came to make his church free, Ga 5:1.
V. That the kingdom of the Messiah shall take such deep rooting in the world as never to be rooted out of it (Am 9:15): I will plant them upon their land. God's spiritual Israel shall be planted by the right hand of God himself upon the land assigned them, and they shall no more be pulled up out of it, as the old Jewish church was. God will preserve them from throwing themselves out of it by a total apostasy, and will preserve them from being thrown out of it by malice of their enemies; the church may be corrupted, but shall not quite forsake God, may be persecuted, but shall not quite be forsaken of God, so that the gates of hell, neither with their temptations nor with their terrors, shall prevail against it. Two things secure the perpetuity of the church:—1. God's grants to it: It is the land which I have given them; and God will confirm and maintain his own grants. The part he has given to his people is that good part which shall never be taken from them; he will not revoke his grant, and all the powers of earth and hell shall not invalidate it. 2. Its interest in him: He is the Lord thy God, who has said it, and will make it good, thine, O Israel! who shall reign for ever as thine unto all generations. And because he lives the church shall live also.
在本章中，我们看到：I. 所宣告的审判，罪人断不能逃脱（摩9:1-4），全能的权能必施行（摩9:5-6），以色列民既为犯罪的百姓便理当受罚（摩9:7-8）；然而这并非他们国家彻底的灭亡（摩9:8），因为必有余民中的义人得以逃脱，摩9:9。但恶人必致灭亡，摩9:10。II. 所应许的怜悯，这怜悯将在末后的日子赐下（摩9:11-15），正如这应许被应用于弥赛亚的日子所示，徒15:16。全书在先前种种责备与警告之后，便以这些安慰的应许作为结语。