以西結書 11:17『主耶和華如此說:我必從萬民中召集你們,從分散的列邦中聚集你們,又將以色列地賜給你們。』 18 他們到了那裏,必從其中除掉一切可憎之物、可厭的事。19 我要使他們有合一的心,也要將新靈放在你們裏面,又從他們的肉體中除掉石心,賜給他們肉心, 20 使他們順從我的律例,謹守遵行我的典章。他們要作我的子民,我要作他們的 神。

Ezekiel 11:17 Therefore say, ‘Thus says the Lord God: I will gather you from the peoples and assemble you out of the countries where you have been scattered, and I will give you the land of Israel.’ 18 And when they come there, they will remove from it all its detestable things and all its abominations. 19 And I will give them one heart, and a new spirit I will put within them. I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh, 20 that they may walk in my statutes and keep my rules and obey them. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God. 

上帝對以色列人說:“因為你們不遵行我的律例,也不順從我的典章,卻隨從你們四圍列國的規條。” (11:12)結果,以色列人被擄流亡。然而上帝並沒有忘記他們。上帝通過以西結說話時說,有一天,祂會召集祂的子民,把他們帶回到以色列地(11:17)。但是他們返回後不能像以前那樣做同樣可憎的事情。為了做出這種改變,上帝會對他們進行“換心手術”:我要“從他們的肉體中除掉石心,賜給他們肉心。” 這新的心將有新的靈,並且”有合一的心“。他們將能夠與上帝同行並遵守上帝的律法。當我們等待生活回到“正常”狀態時,上帝要對我們進行心臟移植手術,以便我們可以與祂建立新的關係, “他們要作我的子民,我要作他們的 神。” (11:20)我們將與上帝同行,遵守上帝的誡命。讓我們不要用舊的石心回到從前的“正常”,而是要換新的肉心邁向未來!

God said to the Israelites, “You have not walked in my statutes, nor obeyed my rules, but have acted according to the rules of the nations that are around you.” (11:12) As a result, the Israelites went into exile. Yet God did not forget them; speaking through Ezekiel, God said that one day He would gather His people and bring them back to the land of Israel (11:17). But they would not return the same as they had been, doing the same detestable things. To make this change, God would perform “heart transplant surgery” on them: “I will remove the heart of stone from their flesh and give them a heart of flesh.” This new heart would encompass a new spirit and there would be unity among His people. They would be enabled to walk with God and to keep God’s laws. As we wait for our lives to return to “normal”, God wants to perform heart transplant surgery on us so that we can have a new relationship with him. “They shall be my people, and I will be their God.” (11:20) We will walk with God and keep His commandments. Let us not return to “normal” with an old heart of stone but rather move forward with a new heart of flesh!

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