關於真理，我們願意求明白嗎？(耶33章)

你求告我、我就應允你、並將你所不知道、又大又難的事、指示你。(耶 33：3)

前一章神要耶利米買一塊正淪陷在迦勒底人手中的地，這塊地，耶利米應該一生都沒機會看到。但是在本章中，神說要藉由這塊地的買賣，引出七十年後的預言，也就是回歸。但是，若我們查考歷史，可以知道這塊屬物質的以色列地，直到今天都不平安。那麼神所預言的大衛的後裔，亞伯拉罕的子孫，到底是什麼意思？

耶和華如此說：「若是我立白日黑夜的約不能存住、若是我未曾安排天地的定例．我就棄絕雅各的後裔、和我僕人大衛的後裔、不使大衛的後裔治理亞伯拉罕以撒雅各的後裔．因為我必使他們被擄的人歸回、也必憐憫他們。」（耶 33：25-26）

這句話是神定要成就這些事的意思。其中「大衛的後裔」指的是耶穌基督的降生；「亞伯拉罕以撒雅各的後裔」指的是末後的真教會：

你們受洗歸入基督的、都是披戴基督了。並不分猶太人、希利尼人、自主的、為奴的、或男或女．因為你們在基督耶穌、裏都成為一了。你們既屬乎基督、就是亞伯拉罕的後裔、是照着應許承受產業的了。（加 3：27-29）

「受洗歸入基督的」只有真耶穌教會，因為受洗的方法要對，才歸得了基督；「屬乎基督」才能成為應許中的亞伯拉罕後裔，進入神創世以前所早已計畫好的救贖列車之中。受洗方法不對，進不了基督裡，上不了救恩的列車，所以不能得救。

本章，純粹是神與祂所喜愛的人之間的私密對話，因為耶利米是聖潔的神人，也願意專心求明白。正如但以理七十年後得見耶利米寫在書上的預言，因此知道百姓要歸回，他也是專心求明白，直到高齡八九十歲時仍繼續追求。因他的專心求明白，神就告訴他「兩約之間」將會發生的事，與末後的時序，就是但以理書第十一章、與第九章的記載。並在最後十二章提到：

他說：「但以理阿、你只管去、因為這話已經隱藏封閉、直到末時。必有許多人使自己清淨潔白、且被熬煉．但惡人仍必行惡、一切惡人都不明白、惟獨智慧人能明白。」(但 12：9-10)

耶利米，與其他眾先知：如以賽亞、新約時代使徒約翰，都已超越當時的世人，看到預表末世真教會的新耶路撒冷、新天新地，都因為他們「使自己清淨潔白，且被熬煉」是合神心意，也願意追求完全明白神的話語和奧秘。這些預言，雖必須封閉數千年，但「直到末時」，時候到了，也要揭開給末世的我們明白。

對耶利米而言，此時眼前的現實雖是被囚禁在侍衛長的院子，外有預定必然將祖國滅國的巴比倫圍攻，但那願意為了專心求明白、使自己心裡追求聖潔、且被神熬煉，神所愛的耶利米，神已帶著他超越現實，看見神數千年後新天新地的榮美景象。

今天我們也可以跟著眾先知的眼看見未來，特別是今天關於啟示錄七印的奧秘已經展開，藉由屬靈的眼對末世的看見，我們必因明白真理而得安慰，不再因變動的世界恐懼。

只是，我們願意像古聖徒們一樣，潔淨自己、專心求明白真理嗎？

那些洗淨自己衣服的有福了、可得權柄能到生命樹那裏、也能從門進城。（啟 22：14）

by Isaiah Kao

Are We Willing to Seek Understanding of the Truth? (Jeremiah 33)

July 29, 2026 

"Call to Me and I will answer you, and I will tell you great and mighty things, which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3, NASB 2020)

In the previous chapter, God commanded Jeremiah to buy a piece of land that had already fallen into the hands of the Chaldeans. Jeremiah would never have the opportunity to see that land again in his lifetime. Yet in this chapter, God reveals that this purchase pointed to a prophecy concerning the return from exile seventy years later.

However, when we examine history, we know that the physical land of Israel has never truly been at peace, even to this day. So what did God really mean by the descendants of David and the descendants of Abraham?

"This is what the LORD says: 'If My covenant for day and night does not continue, and I have not established the fixed patterns of heaven and earth, then I would reject the descendants of Jacob and David My servant, not taking from his descendants rulers over the descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. But I will restore their fortunes and have mercy on them.'" (Jeremiah 33:25–26, NASB 2020)

These words declare God's firm determination to fulfill His promises.

The "descendant of David" refers to the birth of Jesus Christ.

The "descendants of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob" point to the true church in the last days:

"For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham's descendants, heirs according to promise." (Galatians 3:27–29, NASB 2020)

Those who are "baptized into Christ" are found only in the True Jesus Church, because only baptism performed according to the biblical way brings a person into Christ.

Only those who "belong to Christ" become Abraham's descendants according to God's promise and enter the plan of salvation that God prepared before the creation of the world. If one's baptism is not according to God's teaching, that person does not enter into Christ, cannot board the train of salvation, and therefore cannot be saved.

This chapter is, simply a private conversation between God and the one He loved. Jeremiah was a holy man of God who wholeheartedly sought to understand His will.

The same as Daniel, after reading Jeremiah's prophecy concerning the seventy years of exile, Daniel understood that the time of Israel's restoration was approaching. Even in his eighties or nineties, he continued seeking understanding with all his heart. Because of his earnest pursuit, God revealed to him what would take place during the period between the Old and New Testaments, as well as the order of events in the last days, recorded in Daniel chapters 9 and 11. Finally, chapter 12 says:

"He said, 'Go your way, Daniel, because these words are to be kept secret and sealed up until the end time. Many will be purged, cleansed, and refined, but the wicked will act wickedly; and none of the wicked will understand, but those who have insight will understand.'" (Daniel 12:9–10, NASB 2020)

Jeremiah and the other prophets—including Isaiah and the apostle John in the New Testament, were able to see far beyond the people of their own generation. They saw the New Jerusalem, the new heaven, and the new earth, which foreshadow the true church in the last days. Because they "were purged, cleansed, and refined." They sought holiness and longed to understand God's Word and His mysteries completely.

Although these prophecies were sealed for thousands of years, "until the end time," when God's appointed time arrives, they will be opened so that we who live in the last days may understand them.

At that moment, Jeremiah's earthly circumstances were  imprisoned in the courtyard of the guard while Babylon surrounded Jerusalem and the destruction of his nation was inevitable.Yet because Jeremiah desired to understand God's truth wholeheartedly, pursued holiness in his heart, and willingly accepted God's refining. Jeremiah who is loved by God, and God lifted his eyes above his present reality and allowed him to behold the glorious vision of the new heaven and the new earth thousands of years in the future.

Today, we too can see the future through the eyes of the prophets. Especially now, as the mystery of the seven seals in Revelation has been unveiled, we can look at the last days with spiritual eyes. As we understand the truth, we will be comforted and no longer live in fear because of the uncertainties of this changing world.

The question is: Are we willing, like the saints of old, to cleanse ourselves and earnestly seek to understand the truth?

"Blessed are those who wash their robes, so that they will have the right to the tree of life, and may enter the city by the gates." (Revelation 22:14, NASB 2020)

by Isaiah Kao