惟願公平如大水滾滾、使公義如江河滔滔(摩5章)

惟願公平如大水滾滾、使公義如江河滔滔。 (摩 5：24)

這裡的「公平」原文有「審判」的意思；「公義」有「真理」的意思。「大水滾滾」有「不停滾動」的意思，也就是指審判的事宜永不停息，使奸惡的人不能心存僥倖；「江河滔滔」有「長年持續、永存不息」的意思，也就是關於真理，是永遠暢行，沒有阻礙的，且是大家所一致認同與切實遵行的。

這節經文，是真神在強調祂所最在意的，就是「公平」與「公義」。「惟願」有「衷心的唯一期盼」之意。也就是藉由神時時的審判，讓惡人無所遁形，使公平成為日常；並藉由真理的伸張，使人因遵守命令得神喜悅，蒙神賜福，有真正的平安。

等到聖靈從上澆灌我們、曠野就變為肥田、肥田看如樹林。那時、公平要居在曠野、公義要居在肥田。公義的果效、必是平安．公義的效驗、必是平穩、直到永遠。(賽 32：15-17)

阿摩司書這段經文，令人聯想到以賽亞書的這段經文。「公義的果效、必是平安．公義的效驗、必是平穩、直到永遠。」因此人要求得平安、生命得到平穩，就要願意居住在公義之中，也就是生活在真理裡面，凡事完全遵照真理而行。這時，即使公平的神，時時審判我如大水滾滾，也不會害怕，因為可以坦然面對主。

審判如何像大水滾滾？每天依靠聖靈讀聖經，思想神的話，用聖經的鏡子照出自己的問題，也就是自我審判。

就像有些單位的考核，分為「自評」與「他評」兩部分。「自評」就是自我評量，不是憑空想像的自我檢討，而是靠著一張「自評表」，逐條逐一檢視，看看得到幾分？「自評」就是每日讀經；「他評」就是神的審判。我們若願意這樣身體力行，就會如以賽亞書這節經文所記，「等到聖靈從上澆灌我們、曠野就變為肥田、肥田看如樹林。」人需要聖靈的澆灌，藉由聖靈的幫助，天天讀神的話，這時，即使是「曠野」般的空虛心靈，也將因神的恩典如雨水的澆灌，也如江河滔滔地滋潤，然後「曠野就變為肥田，肥田看如樹林」。

就像但以理的名字一樣，「但以理」就是「耶和華是我的審判者」的意思。對但以理而言，神，天天都要審判我「但以理」，當我一天三次跪下禱告時，就是都在接受神的審判。因此我，能不小心謹慎自己的行事為人嗎？也正因此的謹慎，神與但以理，總是形影不離，且主恩永偕。

他說：「但以理阿、你只管去、因為這話已經隱藏封閉、直到末時。........你且去等候結局，因為你必安歇。到了末期，你必起來，享受你的福分。」(但 12：9、13)

By Isaiah Kao

But Let Jusdtice Roll Down Like Waters and Righteousness Like an Ever-Flowing Stream (Amos 5)

November 13, 2026

“But let justice roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.” (Amos 5:24, NASB 2020)

The original word translated as “justice” here carries the meaning of "judgment", while “righteousness” carries the meaning of "truth".The phrase “roll down like waters” conveys the idea of continuous movement, meaning that the work of judgment must never cease, so that evildoers cannot live to take their chances.The phrase “like an ever-flowing stream” conveys the idea of something that "continues throughout the years and never comes to an end". In other words, truth should flow freely forever, without obstruction, and should be universally acknowledged and faithfully practiced.

In this verse, the true God emphasizes what matters most to Him: “justice” and “righteousness.” The expression “But let” conveys His "heartfelt and sole desire".Through God's continual judgment, evil people are exposed and have nowhere to hide, so that justice becomes part of everyday life. Through the upholding of truth, people please God by keeping His commandments, receive His blessings, and enjoy true peace.

“Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high,

And the wilderness becomes a fertile field, And the fertile field is considered as a forest.Then justice will dwell in the wilderness,

And righteousness will remain in the fertile field.And the work of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.” (Isaiah 32:15–17, NASB 2020)

This passage in Amos reminds us of these verses in Isaiah: “And the work of righteousness will be peace, And the service of righteousness, quietness and confidence forever.” Therefore, if we desire peace and stability in our lives, we must be willing to dwell in righteousness, that is, to live according to the truth and follow it completely in everything we do. Then, even when God, who is just, continually examines and judges us like rolling waters, we will not be afraid, because we can stand before the Lord.

How can judgment roll down like waters? We can depend on the Holy Spirit every day to read the Bible and meditate on God's Word. We use the mirror of the Bible to examine ourselves and reveal our own problems, this is  self-judgment mean.

This is similar to the evaluation systems used by some organizations, which consist of two parts: "self-assessment" and "external assessment". Self-assessment is not simply reflecting on ourselves based on our own imagination. Rather, we use "a self-assessment" form to examine ourselves point by point and item by item, and see how many points we receive?

"Self-assessment" is like our daily Bible reading, while "external assessment" is God's judgment. If we are willing to put this into practice, we will experience what Isaiah describes in this verse: “Until the Spirit is poured out upon us from on high, And the wilderness becomes a fertile field, And the fertile field is considered as a forest.” We need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can read God's Word every day. Even a heart as empty and barren as "a wilderness" can be transformed through God's grace. As His grace pours down like rain and nourishes us like a  ever-flowing river, “the wilderness becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field is considered as a forest.” We need the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. With the help of the Holy Spirit, we can read God's Word every day. Even a heart as empty and barren as a wilderness can be transformed through God's grace. As His grace pours down like rain and nourishes us like a  ever-flowing river, “the wilderness becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field is considered as a forest.”

This reminds us of the meaning of Daniel's name, which means “God is my Judge.” For Daniel, God was the One who examined and judged "Daniel" every day. Whenever he knelt down to pray three times a day, he was placing himself before God's judgment. How, then, could he not be careful and cautious in his conduct? It was precisely because of this constant vigilance that Daniel always remained close to God, and the Lord's grace was continually with him.

“He said, ‘Go your way, Daniel, for these words are concealed and sealed up until the end time. … But as for you, go your way to the end; then you will enter into rest and rise again for your allotted portion at the end of the age.’” (Daniel 12:9, 13, NASB 2020)

By Isaiah Kao