快行的獨峰駝、慣在曠野的野驢？(耶2章)

你怎能說：「我沒有玷污、沒有隨從眾巴力。」你看你谷中的路、就知道你所行的如何．你是快行的獨峰駝、狂奔亂走．你是野驢慣在曠野、慾心發動就吸風．起性的時候、誰能使他轉去呢？凡尋找他的、必不至疲乏．在他的月分、必能尋見。(耶 2：23-24)

這裡在形容猶大國離棄真神，極盡淫亂如同畜生一樣，性慾來時毫無理智，橫衝直撞。「獨峰駝」原文意思是單峰母駱駝，是不受控的牲口，交配期會橫衝直撞，追著雄駱駝跑。「野驢」原文雖為雄性，但這裡也是指雌野驢性慾發動時會追雄驢跑。「凡尋找他的、必不至疲乏．在他的月分、必能尋見」，這裡的「他」指雌野驢，對雄野驢而言，在特定月份要找到雌野驢必不至疲乏，也就是很容易就會找到這些自投羅網的雌野驢。

這裡的獨峰駝、曠野的野驢，都在指當時崇拜偶像的猶大國全國人民。他們追求外邦偶像的精神，就像發情中的雌駱駝、雌野驢一樣，極盡無恥的瘋狂追逐。

本章一開頭，神就以夫妻在形容神人之間的關係，悖道的猶大國就像淫婦一樣，輕易地就與外邦神行淫。耶和華的話臨到我說：「你去向耶路撒冷人的耳中喊叫說、耶和華如此說、你幼年的恩愛、婚姻的愛情、你怎樣在曠野、在未曾耕種之地跟隨我、我都記得。那時以色列歸耶和華為聖、作為土產初熟的果子．凡吞喫他的、必算為有罪．災禍必臨到他們．這是耶和華說的。」（耶　2：1-3)這裡神要耶利米「向耶路撒冷人的耳中喊叫說」，表示要在耳中直接大叫，看看這些又聾又瞎的猶大國人民有沒有聽見。

「偶像」對今日而言不見得都是指看得見的神像，比較可怕的是像其他的名利、地位、慾望，這些看起來不像罪的罪，做了沒有罪惡感的罪，其實在神面前卻是大罪的罪。這些罪若不藉由儆醒的心仔細分辨，光憑感覺根本看不出來。就像獨峰駝、曠野的野驢，他們慾望發動時，根本不知道自己在做甚麼？正像這裡神對猶大國的指責：「你怎能說、我沒有玷污、沒有隨從眾巴力．」可見當時猶大國不知罪、也不認罪。

你還說：「我無辜．耶和華的怒氣、必定向我消了．」看哪、我必審問你、因你自說：「我沒有犯罪。」(耶 2：35)。人若不認為自己所做的是罪，不認為有錯，就會繼續犯罪。而且還會理直氣壯反駁，說自己沒有罪。

耶和華說：「這一切都是我手所造的、所以就都有了．但我所看顧的就是虛心痛悔因我話而戰兢的人。〔虛心原文作貧窮〕」(賽 66：2)。在這裡，神的意思是說：「宇宙萬物都是我所造的，但是你若問我最喜歡哪個作品？我會跟你說：『但我所看顧的就是虛心痛悔因我話而戰兢的人。〔虛心原文作貧窮〕』」，也就是願意認罪的人，願意為主的話時刻戰兢的人，這些人是我所最掛心的。

快行的獨峰駝、慣在曠野的野驢，就是指著不接受真理規範，我行我素追求自我的人，雖看起來似乎有信仰，但是高舉名利、財富、成就、慾望，開口閉口就是世界，已將真神放在一邊。一旦當學業、事業的追求與事奉相衝突時，寧可選擇世界而放棄事奉。看起來也沒有明目張膽地拜觀音、媽祖，但實際上已經與世界的神、大巴比倫行邪淫。

於是有人雖然已來聚會，聚會中可以看著股市分析、投資資訊，甚至可以玩起手遊，看著韓劇。甚至有人可以沉迷網路不來參加宗教教育，或是宗教教育以遲到為家常便飯。這些看起來好像不是死罪，感覺只是信仰有小瑕疵，所以不認為有罪，也永不改變。這些人是獨峰駝、是發情的野驢，完全順著慾望行，心中毫無慚愧想回轉之意。

不像罪的罪，是今天充斥於真教會的病毒，感染人數日漸增多。因為沒有屬靈的抗體，所以任其病情無限發展，終至病入膏肓、無藥可救。難怪這時神要耶利米「在耳中喊叫」，因為靈裡面已經病危。

求主幫助，讓我們願藉著每日讀經，聖靈的充滿，使我們有屬靈的抗體，除掉我們生命中那貪愛世界名利的這種不像罪的罪，願意時時儆醒，為主話而戰兢，願意認罪悔改，日日更新。

我們若在光明中行、如同神在光明中、就彼此相交、他兒子耶穌的血也洗淨我們一切的罪。我們若說自己無罪、便是自欺、真理不在我們心裏了。我們若認自己的罪、神是信實的、是公義的、必要赦免我們的罪、洗淨我們一切的不義。我們若說自己沒有犯過罪、便是以神為說謊的．他的道也不在我們心裏了。(約壹 1：7-10)

By Isaiah Kao

A swift young camel, a wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness? (Jeremiah 2)

June 29, 2026

““How can you say, ‘I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals’? Look at your way in the valley! Know what you have done! You are a swift young camel running about senselessly on her ways, A wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness, That sniffs the wind in her passion. Who can turn her away in her mating season? None who seek her will grow weary; In her month they will find her.” (Jeremiah 2:23-24 NASB2020)

This describes the kingdom of Judah abandoning the True God, indulging in extreme sexual immorality like animals, acting without senses when lust arises, charging recklessly. "Young camel" in the original text refers to a female camel with a single hump, an uncontrollable animal that charges recklessly during mating season, chasing after the male camel. While "wild donkey" in the original text refers to a male donkey, but here it also refers to a female wild donkey that chases after a male when lust arises. "None who seek her will grow weary; in her month they will find her." Here, “her” refers to the female wild donkey. For the male wild donkey, finding a female wild donkey in a specific month is effortless; he will not grow weary trying to find these female wild donkey who willingly walk into his trap.

The young camel and the wild donkey here represent the people of Judah, who worshipped idols at that time. Their pursuit of foreign idols was like that of a young female camel or wild female donkey in mating season—chasing after idols shamelessly and chaotically.

At the start of this chapter, God uses the analogy of husband and wife to describe the relationship between God and man. The perverse nation of Judah, like an adulteress, easily committed adultery with a foreign god. “Now the word of the Lord came to me, saying, “Go and proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem, saying, ‘This is what the Lord says: “I remember regarding you the devotion of your youth, Your love when you were a bride, Your following after Me in the wilderness, Through a land not sown. “Israel was holy to the Lord, The first of His harvest. All who ate of it became guilty; Evil came upon them,” declares the Lord.’ ”” (Jeremiah 2:1-3 NASB2020)

Here, God instructs Jeremiah to “proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem,” indicating a direct shout into their ears to see if the deaf and blind people of Judah could hear him.

“Idols” today don’t necessarily refer to visible images of gods. More terrifying are other sins like fame, status, and desires—sins that do not seem like sins, sins committed without guilt, but are actually serious sins before God. These sins cannot be discerned by feeling alone without a watchful mind. Like a young camel or a wild donkey in the wilderness, when their desires are aroused, they have no idea what they are doing. Just as God rebuked Judah here: "How can you say, 'I am not defiled, I have not gone after the Baals'?" It is clear that Judah at that time was unaware of and did not confess his sin.

“You said, ‘I am innocent; Surely His anger is turned away from me.’ Behold, I will enter into judgment with you Because you say, ‘I have not sinned.’” (Jeremiah 2:35 NASB2020) If a person does not consider their actions to be sinful, does not believe they have done wrong, they will continue to sin. 

Moreover, they will confidently refute this, saying they have no sin.

The Lord says, ““For My hand made all these things, So all these things came into being,” declares the Lord. “But I will look to this one, At one who is humble and contrite in spirit, and who trembles at My word.” (Isaiah 66:2 NASB2020)

Here, God means: "I created the universe, but if you ask me which work I like best, I will tell you: 'But I will look to this one, at one who is humble and and contrite in spirit, and show trembles at My word.'" This refers to those who are willing to confess their sins, those who are willing to tremble at the word of the Lord—these are the people I care about most.

The young camel and the wild donkey accustomed to the wilderness represent those who do not accept the common faith, who act willfully and pursue their own desires. Although they may appear to have faith, they exalt fame, wealth, achievement, and desire, constantly talking about the world, having already set aside the True God. When their studies or career pursuits conflict with service, they would rather choose the world than servitude. They may not openly worship Guanyin or Mazu, but in reality, they have already committed adultery with the god of the world, the great Babylon.

Thus, some people may attend services, but during these services, they may be looking at stock market analysis, investment information, or even playing mobile games and watching Korean dramas. Some even become addicted to the internet and skip religious education, or are habitually late for religious education. These may not seem like sin leading to death, but rather minor flaws in their faith, so they don't consider them sinful and will never change. These people are like young camels, like wild donkeys in mating season, completely following their desires, without any shame or desire to repent.

This sin that doesn’t seem like sin is the virus that permeates the True Jesus Church today, infecting more and more people daily. Because they lack spiritual antibodies, they allow the disease to progress indefinitely, until it becomes incurable. No wonder God asked Jeremiah to "proclaim in the ears of Jerusalem," for his spirit was already critically ill.

Lord, help us, through daily Bible reading and the filling of the Holy Spirit, to develop spiritual antibodies to remove this sin that doesn’t seem like sin, remove this love of worldly fame and gain, from our lives. May we be constantly vigilant, tremble at the word of the Lord, and be willing to confess our sins, repent, and renew ourselves daily.

“but if we walk in the Light as He Himself is in the Light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin. If we say that we have no sin, we are deceiving ourselves and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous, so that He will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar and His word is not in us.” (1 John 1:7-10 NASB2020)

By Isaiah Kao