列王纪下 3
1
猶大王約沙法十八年,亞哈的兒子約蘭在撒瑪利亞登基作了以色列王十二年。
2
他行耶和華眼中看為惡的事,但不至像他父母所行的,因為除掉他父所造巴力的柱像。
3
然而,他貼近尼八的兒子耶羅波安使以色列人陷在罪裡的那罪,總不離開。
4
摩押王米沙牧養許多羊,每年將十萬羊羔的毛和十萬公綿羊的毛給以色列王進貢。
7
前行的時候,差人去見猶大王約沙法,說:摩押王背叛我,你肯同我去攻打摩押麼?他說:我肯上去,你我不分彼此,我的民與你的民一樣,我的馬與你的馬一樣。
8
約蘭說:我們從哪條路上去呢?回答說:從以東曠野的路上去。
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於是,以色列王和猶大王,並以東王,都一同去繞行七日的路程;軍隊和所帶的牲畜沒有水喝。
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以色列王說:哀哉!耶和華招聚我們這三王,乃要交在摩押人的手裡。
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約沙法說:這裡不是有耶和華的先知麼?我們可以託他求問耶和華。以色列王的一個臣子回答說:這裡有沙法的兒子以利沙,就是從前服事以利亞的(原文作倒水在以利亞手上的)。
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約沙法說:他必有耶和華的話。於是以色列王和約沙法,並以東王都下去見他。
13
以利沙對以色列王說:我與你何干?去問你父親的先知和你母親的先知罷!以色列王對他說:不要這樣說,耶和華招聚我們這三王,乃要交在摩押人的手裡。
14
以利沙說:我指著所事奉永生的萬軍耶和華起誓,我若不看猶大王約沙法的情面,必不理你,不顧你。
15
現在你們給我找一個彈琴的來。彈琴的時候,耶和華的靈(原文作手)就降在以利沙身上。
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因為耶和華如此說:你們雖不見風,不見雨,這谷必滿了水,使你們和牲畜有水喝。
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在耶和華眼中這還算為小事,他也必將摩押人交在你們手中。
19
你們必攻破一切堅城美邑,砍伐各種佳樹,塞住一切水泉,用石頭糟踏一切美田。
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次日早晨,約在獻祭的時候,有水從以東而來,遍地就滿了水。
21
摩押眾人聽見這三王上來要與他們爭戰,凡能頂盔貫甲的,無論老少,盡都聚集站在邊界上。
22
次日早晨,日光照在水上,摩押人起來,看見對面水紅如血,
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就說:這是血啊!必是三王互相擊殺,俱都滅亡。摩押人哪,我們現在去搶奪財物罷!
24
摩押人到了以色列營,以色列人就起來攻打他們,以致他們在以色列人面前逃跑。以色列人往前追殺摩押人,直殺入摩押的境內,
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拆毀摩押的城邑,各人拋石填滿一切美田,塞住一切水泉,砍伐各種佳樹,只剩下吉珥哈列設的石牆;甩石的兵在四圍攻打那城。
26
摩押王見陣勢甚大,難以對敵,就率領七百拿刀的兵,要衝過陣去到以東王那裡,卻是不能;
27
便將那應當接續他作王的長子,在城上獻為燔祭。以色列人遭遇耶和華的大怒(或作招人痛恨),於是三王離開摩押王,各回本國去了。
Apocalypse Revealed #651
651. And threw it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. This symbolizes an examination of the character of the people's works, revealing that their works were evil.
To throw clusters of grapes into a winepress means, symbolically, to examine people's works, for clusters of grapes symbolize works (see no. 649 above). But because the winepress is called the great winepress of the wrath of God, it symbolizes a finding that their works were evil; for the wrath of God is predicated of evil (no. 635).
A winepress symbolizes examination because in presses the juice is expressed from grapes, and oil from olives, and one perceives the character of the grapes and olives from the juice and oil expressed. Moreover, because the vineyard symbolizes the Christian Church, and its clusters of grapes the people's works, therefore throwing the clusters into a winepress symbolizes an examination among people in the Christian Church. But because they have divorced faith from charity and made faith saving without the works of the law, and because a faith divorced from charity produces only evil works, the winepress is therefore called the great winepress of the wrath of God.
An examination of people's works is symbolized also by a winepress in the following passages:
My beloved had a vineyard on a fruitful hill. He... planted it with a choice vine. He also... hewed out a winepress in it; and he expected it to produce good grapes, but it produced wild grapes. (Isaiah 5:1-2)
Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. ...go down, for the winepress is full, the vats have overflowed; for their wickedness is great. (Joel 3:13)
The threshing floor and the winepress shall not feed them, and the new wine shall deceive them. (Hosea 9:1-2)
The plunderer has fallen on... your grape harvest... I have caused wine to fail from the winepress; no one will tread with joyous shouting. There is no joyous shouting! (Jeremiah 48:32-33)
...a householder... planted a vineyard..., and dug in it a wine-press..., and leased it to farmers... (Matthew 21:33)
But they killed the servants he sent to them, and finally killed his son. 1
A winepress mentioned in Joel refers to goods of charity from which spring truths of faith:
Rejoice, you children of Zion... The threshing floors are full of grain, and the presses overflow with new wine and oil. (Joel 2:23-24)
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