七月二十日[mp3_embed playlst=”/downloading/audio/evening/07/0720.mp3″]
经文: 现今你为何在埃及路上，要喝西曷的水呢？（耶利米书二：18）
耶和华藉着各样的神迹、怜悯和解救，证明祂自己是配受以色列人信靠的。然而，他们遗弃这位又真又活的上帝，前去跟随一些假神。为了他们的不忠，主不断谴责他们。本节经文是上帝向他们说理的一个例子。上帝说：“你们为何在埃及路上，要喝泥浆河中的水呢？”这节经文也可以翻译为：“为何你们徘徊远离，撇弃在黎巴嫩属于你们自己的清淡溪水？为何你们毫无缘由地煽动灾祸，不满足于美好与健康的，反倒随从邪恶的和欺骗人的事？”这是对基督徒的警告！真信徒啊，你已藉上帝的恩典被召了，也在耶稣的宝血中洗净了，你已经尝过比这属世享乐所能给你的泥水更美好的饮料了。你已经与基督相交，享受过亲眼见到耶稣，将头靠在祂胸前的喜乐了。此后世界的美歌、荣誉和快乐还能满足你吗？你已吃过天使的粮食，现在你能靠豆荚维生吗？拉塞福曾经说过：“我已尝过基督自己的吗哪，世人所享受的黑面包对我已全然无味。”你也应该有相同的感受。倘若你仍在寻找埃及的河水，赶紧回头去找活泉！西曷的水对埃及人可能是甘甜的，但是却只能给你苦涩，与你有何益处？
Evening, July 20
Scripture: “And now what hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of Sihor?”(Jeremiah 2:18)
By sundry miracles, by divers mercies, by strange deliverances Jehovah had proved himself to be worthy of Israel’s trust. Yet they broke down the hedges with which God had enclosed them as a sacred garden; they forsook their own true and living God, and followed after false gods. Constantly did the Lord reprove them for this infatuation, and our text contains one instance of God’s expostulating with them, “What hast thou to do in the way of Egypt, to drink the waters of the muddy river?”－for so it may be translated. “Why dost thou wander afar and leave thine own cool stream from Lebanon? Why dost thou forsake Jerusalem to turn aside to Noph and to Tahapanes? Why art thou so strangely set on mischief, that thou canst not be content with the good and healthful, but wouldst follow after that which is evil and deceitful?” Is there not here a word of expostulation and warning to the Christian? O true believer, called by grace and washed in the precious blood of Jesus, thou hast tasted of better drink than the muddy river of this world’s pleasure can give thee; thou hast had fellowship with Christ; thou hast obtained the joy of seeing Jesus, and leaning thine head upon his bosom. Do the trifles, the songs, the honours, the merriment of this earth content thee after that? Hast thou eaten the bread of angels, and canst thou live on husks? Good Rutherford once said, “I have tasted of Christ’s own manna, and it hath put my mouth out of taste for the brown bread of this world’s joys.” Methinks it should be so with thee. If thou art wandering after the waters of Egypt, O return quickly to the one living fountain: the waters of Sihor may be sweet to the Egyptians, but they will prove only bitterness to thee. What hast thou to do with them? Jesus asks thee this question this evening－what wilt thou answer him?