你的神是垂聽呼求的神，還是變臉的神？（耶16章）

耶和華說：「日子將到、人必不再指着那領以色列人從埃及地上來之永生的耶和華起誓．卻要指着那領以色列人從北方之地．並趕他們到的各國上來之永生的耶和華起誓．並且我要領他們再入我從前賜給他們列祖之地。」（耶 16：14-15）

即使進入真耶穌教會，成為主的門徒的人之後，感受到的真神不都是一樣的。這裡點出兩種給人不同感受的神，而這位神卻是同一個。一位是「領以色列人從埃及地上來之永生的耶和華」，是出於慈悲憐憫，要救祂自己的百姓脫離仇敵埃及人的手的神；另一位是「領以色列人從北方之地．並趕他們到的各國上來之永生的耶和華」，是大發烈怒，使他們從本來之地被擄到北方巴比倫之地的神。

你的神，是慈悲憐憫的神、還是總是對人大發烈怒，降災管教人的神？其實神的本質，是公義又慈愛的，特別是祂的慈愛永遠長存。讓神變臉，是人的不是，不是神的不義。

當然這段經文也是指著末世真教會的預言：

耶和華說：「我要召許多打魚的、把以色列人打上來．然後我要召許多打獵的、從各山上、各岡上、各石穴中、獵取他們。」（耶 16：16）

「打魚的」預言神差派的工人，要將願意悔改的選民再帶回來。這成就在被擄的七十年後，分三批回到耶路撒冷重建聖殿與重修城牆。第二層的預言，就是末世真教會，要往普天下傳福音，叫屬靈的亞伯拉罕子孫回到屬靈的應許之地，也就是真教會。「打獵的」，可能是指末日的審判，這是發生在福音傳遍天下之後的事，所以說「然後」，神要召獵人天涯海角去獵取，也就是無人可以倖免不受末日的審判。

因我的眼目察看他們的一切行為．他們不能在我面前遮掩、他們的罪孽、也不能在我眼前隱藏。我先要加倍報應他們的罪孽、和罪惡、因為他們用可憎之屍、玷污我的地土、又用可厭之物、充滿我的產業。（耶 16：17-18）

這裡也隱喻將來敵基督的要來玷污神的產業，也就是教會會出現異端、罪惡、叛教的事。但是，神都看見，祂必審判！

回到主題經文。想一想：我們的神，是慈愛憐憫的神，還是嚴厲可怕的神？這端在於我們的敬拜之心如何，如果願意時時保持敬畏之心，對神總是心存畏懼，祂就是慈愛的神；若心懷不軌，將教會當成事業、公司，高傲自大要遂行自我的實現，甚至常常犯罪、玷污自己，或是在教會製造混亂與紛爭，這時，神都看見。對於行惡的人，神就是嚴厲而可怕的神。

因為經上說：「人若愛生命、願享美福、須要禁止舌頭不出惡言、嘴唇不說詭詐的話．也要離惡行善．尋求和睦、一心追趕。因為主的眼看顧義人、主的耳聽他們的祈禱．惟有行惡的人、主向他們變臉。」（彼前 3：10-12）

By Isaiah Kao

Is Your God who hears your cries, or He who turns His face against? (Jeremiah 16)

July 13, 2026 

““Therefore behold, days are coming,” declares the Lord, “when it will no longer be said, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel out of the land of Egypt,’ but, ‘As the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of the north and from all the lands where He had banished them.’ For I will restore them to their own land which I gave to their fathers.” （Jeremiah 16:14-15 NASB2020）

Even those who enter the True Jesus Church and become disciples of the Lord do not all experience the same True God. This passage points out two different faces of God, yet the same God. One is "as the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel out of Egypt," a God of mercy and compassion who rescued His people from the hand of His enemy, the Egyptians; the other is "As the Lord lives, who brought up the sons of Israel from the land of the North and from all the lands where He had banished them," a God of fierce anger who led them from their homeland to the northern land of Babylon.

Is your God a merciful and compassionate God, or a God who is always fiercely angry with people, bringing disaster and discipline? In truth, God's essence is both righteous and merciful, especially His love which endures forever. It is people's fault, not God's unrighteousness, that God turns His face against them.

This passage also refers to the prophecy of the True Church in the last days:

““Behold, I am going to send for many fishermen,” declares the Lord, “and they will fish for them; and afterward I will send for many hunters, and they will hunt them from every mountain and every hill and from the clefts of the rocks.” (Jeremiah 16:16 NASB2020)

The "fishermen" prophesy that God will send workers to bring back the chosen people who are willing to repent. This was accomplished seventy years after the exile, when they returned to Jerusalem in three groups to rebuild the temple and repair the city walls. The second meaning of this prophecy is that the True Church in the last days will spread the gospel throughout the world, calling the spiritual descendants of Abraham back to the spiritual promised land, which is the True Church. The "hunters" may refer to the final judgment, which occurs after the gospel has been spread throughout the world. Therefore, it says "and afterward," that God will call hunters to hunt them to the ends of the earth, meaning that no one can escape the final judgment.

“For My eyes are on all their ways; they are not hidden from My face, nor is their wrongdoing concealed from My eyes. I will first repay them double for their wrongdoing and their sin, because they have defiled My land; they have filled My inheritance with the carcasses of their detestable idols and their abominations.” (Jeremiah 16:17-18 NASB2020)

This is speaking to the future arrival of the Antichrist to defile God's inheritance, meaning that heresy, sin, and apostasy will occur in the church. However, God sees all, and He will judge!

Looking back to this chapter. Think about it: Is our God a loving and merciful God, or a strict and terrifying God? This depends on our worship. If we are willing to maintain a heart of fear at all times, and always have reverence in our hearts towards God, He is a loving God; if we harbor evil intentions, treat the church as a business or company, are arrogant and seek to achieve our own self-fulfillment, and even frequently sin and defile ourselves, or create chaos and strife in the church, then God sees all. For those who do evil, God is a stern and terrifying God.

“For, “The one who desires life, to love and see good days, Must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from speaking deceit. “He must turn away from evil and do good; He must seek peace and pursue it. “For the eyes of the Lord are toward the righteous, And His ears attend to their prayer, But the face of the Lord is against evildoers.”” (1 Peter 3:10-12 NASB2020)

By Isaiah Kao