是要接受管教、還是在安逸中滅亡？（耶48章）

摩押自幼年以來、常享安逸、如酒在渣滓上澄清、沒有從這器皿倒在那器皿裏、也未曾被擄去．因此、他的原味尚存、香氣未變。耶和華說：「日子將到、我必打發倒酒的往他那裏去、將他倒出來．倒空他的器皿、打碎他的罈子。」（耶 48：11-12）

本章提到摩押的審判。摩押為何會遭受神的審判，甚至毀滅？本章可以歸納出三個主因：極其驕傲、瘋狂敬拜偶像，還有最大的主因：對神的百姓以色列國長久以來極度的敵對態度。

主題經文提到摩押像是「酒在渣滓上澄清」。這是什麼意思？原來釀酒的時候，倒來倒去是必須的，為了留下純淨的酒，去除沉在底下的殘渣。澄清，是因為從來都沒遭遇苦難、養尊處優。

「他的原味尚存、香氣未變」，可以看出摩押一路走來，惡劣的本性始終不改、我行我素、自高自大。因為從沒被管教過，就像被寵壞的孩子一樣。

摩押的安逸，是出於神的任憑，因為已被神所棄絕。神所愛的，祂必管教，若沒有被神管教過，就不是神的兒女。

因為主所愛的他必管教、又鞭打凡所收納的兒子。（來 12：6）

有時會有人忍不住抱怨：那個人總是作奸犯科，卻得享富貴，一生沒什麼災痛，家庭看起來也很幸福，真是不公平！詩人亞薩也曾發出這樣的不平：

至於我、我的腳幾乎失閃．我的腳險些滑跌。我見惡人和狂傲人享平安、就心懷不平。他們死的時候、沒有疼痛．他們的力氣、卻也壯實。（詩 73：2-4）

但是等到詩人來到神的面前，跪下、禱告，神使他明白這其中的真意，他就恍然大悟了：

等我進了神的聖所、思想他們的結局。你實在把他們安在滑地、使他們掉在沉淪之中。他們轉眼之間、成了何等的荒涼．他們被驚恐滅盡了。（詩 73：17-19）

原來不是神不懲罰他們，而是他們已被神棄絕。對於準備棄絕的器皿，不需繼續呵護、整理，也不用保持乾淨。就像是這裡的摩押，他們安逸，如同酒罈長久放置沒被翻動過。表面很好看，是澄清的酒，底下全是一堆雜質沈澱，不堪入目！但是時候一到，這看似作惡多端，卻平步青雲的人，將因神的審判臨到而「一擊斃命」，將沒有機會悔改，注定要滅亡。神說：

「日子將到、我必打發倒酒的往他那裏去、將他倒出來．倒空他的器皿、打碎他的罈子。」（耶 48：12）

「倒空」是災難來臨，「打碎」是直接滅亡。會這樣，是因為摩押譏笑苦難中的以色列，惹動神的憤怒：

摩押阿！你不曾嗤笑以色列麼？他豈是在賊中查出來的呢？你每逢提到他便搖頭。（耶 48：27）

摩押人對以色列人態度囂張，輕視神的選民。神忍不住要責備摩押，好像在說：「你們將以色列人當成什麼了？是盜賊嗎？你們對他們頻頻搖頭，你們是在搖什麼意思的？聽清楚！他們是我的兒女，是我親愛的兒女，豈可讓你們如此污蔑？」

今天我們也是神的兒女，神必不容忍任何人、甚至任何基督教派輕視。對於我們身邊，同樣的神的兒女們，神也不容許我們去輕視任何一個人。另外，身邊若有人總是恣意違背神的命令，甚至態度極為囂張，覺得為何不見神出手刑罰？不必為這樣的事忿忿不平，因為人生在世最可怕的事，是被神「任憑」，也就是被神放棄了，因為最後的結局就是直接整罈倒掉，那代表生命的酒罈最後被打碎，沒有永生的盼望。

所以，能在神「天國保證班」中，接受救贖計劃裡的一切課程，那才是幸福的。

除你以外、在天上我有誰呢？除你以外、在地上我也沒有所愛慕的。我的肉體、和我的心腸衰殘．但神是我心裏的力量、又是我的福分、直到永遠。（詩 73：25-26）

By Isaiah Kao

Is It Better to Accept God’s Discipline or Perish in Ease? 

(Jeremiah 48)

August 14, 2026 

“Moab has been at ease from his youth, and he has also been undisturbed on his dregs. He has not been emptied from vessel to vessel, nor has he gone into exile. Therefore his taste has remained in him, and his aroma has not changed. Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will send pourers to him, and they will pour him out. They will empty his vessels and smash his jars.” (Jeremiah 48:11–12)

This chapter speaks of the judgment upon Moab. Why did Moab suffer God’s judgment, even to the point of destruction? From this chapter, we can summarize three major reasons: extreme pride, madly worship idols, and, most importantly, a longstanding and deep hostility toward God’s people, Israel.

The key verse describes Moab as being like “wine undisturbed on its dregs.” What does this mean? In the process of making wine, it is necessary to pour the wine from one vessel to another again and again, so that the pure wine can be preserved while the dregs at the bottom is removed. Moab, however, had been left undisturbed because it had never experienced hardship and had always lived in comfort and luxury.

“His taste has remained in him, and his aroma has not changed.” This shows that throughout Moab’s history, its corrupt nature remained unchanged. It did whatever it pleased and became increasingly proud and self-exalting. Because it had never experienced discipline, it was like a spoiled child.

Moab’s ease was the result of God’s allowing it to continue in its own way, because it had already been rejected by God. Those whom God loves, He disciplines. If a person has never experienced God’s discipline, that person is not truly His child.

“For those whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He scourges every son whom He receives.” (Hebrews 12:6)

Sometimes people cannot help but complain: “That person is always doing evil, yet he enjoys wealth and prosperity. He has hardly experienced any suffering throughout his life, and his family even seems so happy. How is that fair?” The psalmist Asaph once expressed the same sense of injustice:

“But as for me, my feet came close to stumbling; my steps had almost slipped. For I was envious of the arrogant as I saw the prosperity of the wicked. For there are no pains in their death, and their body is fat.” (Psalm 73:2–4)

But when the psalmist came into the presence of God, knelt down and prayed, God enabled him to understand the truth behind it all. Then he suddenly realized:

“Until I came into the sanctuary of God; then I perceived their end. Surely You set them in slippery places; You cast them down to destruction. How they are destroyed in a moment! They are utterly swept away by sudden terrors!” (Psalm 73:17–19)

It turns out that it was not that God would never punish them; rather, they had already been rejected by God. An object that is destined to be discarded no longer needs to be carefully maintained, cleaned, or protected.This was the situation of Moab. They lived in ease, like wine that had remained undisturbed in a vessel for a long time. On the surface, it looked beautiful and clear, but underneath was a thick layer of dregs —impurities that had settled at the bottom and were anything but pleasing to behold.But when the appointed time came, those who seemed to prosper despite doing evil would suddenly face God’s judgment. They would be "one blow to death", with no opportunity left to repent, and their end would be destruction. God said:

“Therefore, behold, the days are coming,” declares the LORD, “when I will send pourers to him, and they will pour him out. They will empty his vessels and smash his jars.” (Jeremiah 48:12)

“Emptying” represents the coming of calamity, while “smashing” represents complete destruction. Why would this happen? Because Moab had mocked Israel in her suffering and thereby provoked God’s anger:

“Moab, have you not been an object of derision to Israel? Or have you been caught among thieves? For whenever you speak of him you shake your head.” (Jeremiah 48:27)

The Moabites treated the Israelites arrogantly and despised God’s chosen people. God could no longer tolerate such an attitude toward Moab. It is as though God were saying:

“What do you think the Israelites are? Are they thieves? Why do you keep shaking your heads whenever you mention them? Listen carefully! They are My children, My beloved children. How dare you slander and despise them like this?”

Today, we are also God’s children. God will not tolerate anyone,even other Christian denominations, despising His children. Likewise, among the children of God around us, He does not permit us to look down on or despise even one person.

Furthermore, if someone around us continually and deliberately disobeys God’s commands, even doing so with an extremely arrogant attitude, we may wonder, “Why doesn’t God intervene and punish this person?” We do not need to become angry over such matters. For the most frightening thing that can happen to a person in this life is to be “let it go” by God—that is, to be abandoned by Him.

The final outcome is that the entire vessel is poured out. The jar containing the wine of life is eventually smashed, leaving no hope of eternal life.

Therefore, it is a blessing in God’s “Heavenly Kingdom Guarantee Class,” where we are willing to accept every lesson in His plan of salvation and that is happiness. 

“Whom have I in heaven but You? And besides You, I desire nothing on earth. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever.” (Psalm 73:25–26)

By Isaiah Kao