Satan’s Fall and Our Rescue

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 14:1-27.  Let’s go!

Isaiah 14:1-11 (NIV)
1  The LORD will have compassion on Jacob; once again he will choose Israel and will settle them in their own land. Aliens will join them and unite with the house of Jacob.
2  Nations will take them and bring them to their own place. And the house of Israel will possess the nations as menservants and maidservants in the LORD’s land. They will make captives of their captors and rule over their oppressors.
3  On the day the LORD gives you relief from suffering and turmoil and cruel bondage,
4  you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: How the oppressor has come to an end! How his fury has ended!

On verses 1-11:  I know these verses are technically part of Isaiah’s oracle against Babylon that started in the previous chapter.  But when I read these verses from Isaiah 14, I can’t help but think about how well these verses describe what God did for us through Jesus Christ: how God, through Jesus Christ, set us free from the burden of the “king of Babylon”, from Satan the king of false religion who once held us captive (v4).  In fact, the entire Isaiah 14 seems to speak in much bigger, more cosmic, more spiritual terms than just talking about the fall of one ancient kingdom.

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斧锯和棍

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以赛亚书10:15    斧岂可向用斧砍木的自夸呢？锯岂可向用锯的自大呢？好比棍抡起那举棍的，好比杖举起那非木的人。

阅读经文：以赛亚书 10:1-34

1 祸哉，那些设立不义之律例的和记录奸诈之判语的， 2 为要屈枉穷乏人，夺去我民中困苦人的理，以寡妇当做掳物，以孤儿当做掠物。 3 到降罚的日子，有灾祸从远方临到，那时你们怎样行呢？你们向谁逃奔求救呢？你们的荣耀[a]存留何处呢？ 4 他们只得屈身在被掳的人以下，仆倒在被杀的人以下。虽然如此，耶和华的怒气还未转消，他的手仍伸不缩。

中国传统帝制的官箴，概以宋太宗的〈诫石铭〉为典范，其上写着：“尔俸尔禄，民膏民脂，下民易虐，上天难欺” 来警戒官员，可惜用了那么多年，看来成效并不显著，贪官污吏彼彼皆是。在〈以赛亚书〉第十章的第一段，神对那些设立律例和记录判语的人做出了如下的定罪：一,他们屈枉穷乏人；二, 夺去困苦人的理。他们以寡妇当做掳物，以孤儿当做掠物，也就是欺负弱势者。因此，有一天，神要让他们变成弱势者，成为被掳之人，仆倒被杀。

人所设的律例和神所定的律例相比较，我们就知道神和人之不同。神的律例不管经过几千年，仍然立定天下，到处都可以应用；但是人订的律例不同，因为都是因应时势潮流而定，因此经常要改。何况拥有统治权的人自己并没有公义和公平，订起律例也都有私心，因此对一些人有利，对一些人不利。

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错误的引导者

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以赛亚书9:16   因为引导这百姓的使他们走错了路，被引导的都必败亡。

阅读经文：以赛亚书 9:8-21

8主使一言入于雅各家，落于以色列家，9这众百姓，就是以法莲和撒马利亚的居民，都要知道。他们凭骄傲自大的心说：10「砖墙塌了，我们却要凿石头建筑；桑树砍了，我们却要换香柏树。」11因此，耶和华要高举利汛的敌人来攻击以色列，并要激动以色列的仇敌，12东有亚兰人，西有非利士人，他们张口要吞吃以色列。虽然如此，耶和华的怒气还未转消，他的手仍伸不缩。

台湾有一些新闻，讲到一些不良的补习班老师趁著补习时诱奸女学生。这样的新闻让人叹息不已，因为老师的职责原是要带领学生走正途，不料这些衣冠禽兽却以他们的情欲污染了学生的一辈子。也让更多家长警惕，若是不加倍留意孩子的动向，很可能赔了夫人又折兵，交钱去补习，却赔上女儿的一生。在这段经文里，神讲到以色列家的灭亡，正是因为引导百姓的使他们走错了路，以致于被引导的都必败亡。这是神最深沉的伤痛。群羊的灭亡不是因牠们的无知，而是牧羊人的错误。

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Bye Bye Babylon

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 13:1-22.  Let’s go!

Isaiah 13 marks the beginning of a new section in Isaiah which is sometimes called the “book of burdens”.  That is because from Isaiah 13 to 23, Isaiah delivers 10 messages to specific nations and Isaiah calls each of these messages in Hebrew a “massa”, or in English a “burden” (sometimes also translated an “oracle”).  When you read Isaiah 13-23 the tone and content are certainly heavy since much of Isaiah 13-23 is talking about judgment against various nations.  Still there are some important lessons we can learn as we go through this section of Isaiah.

Isaiah 13:1-9 (NIV)
1  An oracle concerning Babylon that Isaiah son of Amoz saw:
2  Raise a banner on a bare hilltop, shout to them; beckon to them to enter the gates of the nobles.
3  I have commanded my holy ones; I have summoned my warriors to carry out my wrath– those who rejoice in my triumph.
4  Listen, a noise on the mountains, like that of a great multitude! Listen, an uproar among the kingdoms, like nations massing together! The LORD Almighty is mustering an army for war.

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Jesus Is Your Salvation, Strength and Song

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 12:1-6.

Isaiah 12:1-6 (NIV)
1  In that day you will say: “I will praise you, O LORD. Although you were angry with me, your anger has turned away and you have comforted me.
2  Surely God is my salvation; I will trust and not be afraid. The LORD, the LORD, is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.”
3  With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
4  In that day you will say: “Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known among the nations what he has done, and proclaim that his name is exalted.
5  Sing to the LORD, for he has done glorious things; let this be known to all the world.
6  Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of Zion, for great is the Holy One of Israel among you.”

On verses 1-6:  Here is Isaiah painting a beautiful picture of what will happen in the end. “In that day” (v1, 4) when the Messiah comes to reign, it will be a time when the people of God sing of how good God is, how God’s anger turned away and God’s comfort came (v1), how their fears were overcome by trusting in God (v2), and how God became their salvation, strength and song (v2-3).  Instead of complaining or taking for granted God’s goodness, God’s people will give thanks to God and want to make Him known everywhere (v4-5), especially through shouts and joyful singing (v6).

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因有一婴孩为我们而生

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以赛亚书9:6  因有一婴孩为我们而生，有一子赐给我们，政权必担在祂的肩头上。祂名称为奇妙、策士、全能的神、永在的父、和平的君。

阅读经文：以赛亚书 9:6-7

6 因有一婴孩为我们而生，有一子赐给我们，政权必担在祂的肩头上。祂名称为奇妙策士、全能的神、永在的父、和平的君。 7 祂的政权与平安必加增无穷，祂必在大卫的宝座上治理祂的国，以公平、公义使国坚定稳固，从今直到永远。万军之耶和华的热心必成就这事。

在〈诗篇〉八章2节，诗人说：“祢因敌人的缘故，从婴孩和吃奶的口中建立了能力，使仇敌和报仇的闭口无言”。神真是非常幽默。以色列人期待弥赛亚救世主从天来临，拯救他们脱离敌人的摩掌。祂赐给他们的，却不是像基甸那样的勇士，也不是像耶弗他那样充满智慧的领导者，祂赐给以色列人和全世界一个婴孩。

在世人眼中，婴孩没有自主的能力，要完全倚靠人的帮助和供应，但是这个奇妙的婴孩，却有特别的能力，使仇敌和报仇的闭口无言。这使我们想起，主耶稣当年面对那些向祂挑衅的宗教界人士时，祂只说一句话，就让他们惭愧地离开；每一次面对邪灵，祂只说一句话，就让牠们抱头鼠窜，逃得无影无踪。这个婴孩的口中充满了能力。这个婴孩就是弥赛亚耶稣。

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耶稣一来

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以赛亚书9:2  在黑暗中行走的百姓看见了大光，住在死荫之地的人有光照耀他们。

阅读经文：以赛亚书 9:1-5

1但那受过痛苦的，必不再见幽暗。从前神使西布伦地和拿弗他利地被藐视，末后却使这沿海的路，约旦河外，外邦人的加利利地，得着荣耀。 2 在黑暗中行走的百姓看见了大光，住在死荫之地的人有光照耀他们。 3 你使这国民繁多，加增他们的喜乐。他们在你面前欢喜，好像收割的欢喜，像人分掳物那样的快乐。 4 因为他们所负的重轭和肩头上的杖，并欺压他们人的棍，你都已经折断，好像在米甸的日子一样。 5 战士在乱杀之间所穿戴的盔甲，并那滚在血中的衣服，都必作为可烧的，当做火柴。

西布伦是雅各的第十个儿子，利亚所生的第六个儿子，名字的意思是”同住”，也是以色列十二支派中的西布伦支派的祖先。雅各临终前给他的祝福是：“西布伦必住在海边，必成为停船的海口；他的境界必延到西顿”（创49:13）。摩西论西布伦说，西布伦哪，你出外可以欢喜（申33:18）。

拿弗他利是雅各的第六个儿子，是拉结的使女辟拉所生，拉结为其取名拿弗他利，就是“相争”的意思。雅各临终前对他的祝福是：“拿弗他利是被释放的母鹿，他出嘉美的言语”（创49:21）。意译为：“拿弗他利是多产的母鹿，生出可爱的小鹿。”雅各祝福拿弗他利出产丰富，如多产的母鹿生下美好的小鹿。摩西对拿弗他利支派的祝福：“拿弗他利啊，你足沾恩惠，满得耶和华的福，可以得西方和南方为业”（申33:18）。

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The Branch Called Messiah

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 11:1-16.  This passage teaches us about who this promised Messiah is, what this Messiah will do and the impact this Messiah will have.

Isaiah 11:1 (NIV)
1  A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.

On verse 1:  For some reason Isaiah has a thing with trees.  In Isaiah 10, Isaiah likens the Assyrians to a forest of tall cedar trees in Lebanon that will be cut down, never to rise again (10:33-34).  In Isaiah 6 Isaiah likens Judah to a bunch of terebinth and oak trees that have been cut down to their stump (6:13), but will rise again.

Now we come to chapter 11 verse 1 where Isaiah says that “[a] shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit”.  Who is Jesse?  Jesse was the father of King David, who lived centuries before Isaiah’s time.  So Isaiah is implying that just when Jesse and King David’s “family tree” seemed to be almost cut down like a stump, a leader will rise up.  This leader, who is called the “shoot” and the “Branch”, is God’s promised Messiah.

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The Ax Holder Is More Important Than The Ax

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 10:5-34.

Isaiah 10:5-19 (NIV)
5  “Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger, in whose hand is the club of my wrath!
6  I send him against a godless nation, I dispatch him against a people who anger me, to seize loot and snatch plunder, and to trample them down like mud in the streets.
7  But this is not what he intends, this is not what he has in mind; his purpose is to destroy, to put an end to many nations.
8  ‘Are not my commanders all kings?’ he says.

On verses 5-19:  God was using Assyria as an instrument to carry out God’s wrath against nations like Judah and Israel.  However, Assyria was oblivious to this fact and pridefully assumed that all of its power and dominance was the result of Assyria’s own power, prowess and ability.  For example, in this passage:
–        the King of Assyria boasts that his commanders are kings (v8) and that the cities of Judah and Israel are destroyed just like other cities that the Assyrians defeated (v9-11).
–        the King of Assyria boasts that by his own strength and wisdom he conquered other nations (v13-14)

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当以训诲和法度为标准

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以赛亚书8:20   人当以训诲和法度为标准。他们所说的若不与此相符，必不得见晨光。

阅读经文：以赛亚书 8:11-22

16你要卷起律法书，在我门徒中间封住训诲。17我要等候那掩面不顾雅各家的耶和华，我也要仰望他。18看哪，我与耶和华所给我的儿女，就是从住在锡安山万军之耶和华来的，在以色列中作为预兆和奇蹟。

从第11节起，以赛亚以第一人称讲述自己的小故事︰「耶和华以大能的手，指教我不可行这百姓所行的道，对我这样说」(8:11)。以赛亚面对众人的压力，也有摇摆不定的时候，但神用大能的手托住他，神的灵在他身上，使他感受到神的力量。「这百姓说同谋背叛，你们不要说同谋背叛。他们所怕的，你们不要怕，也不要畏惧。但要尊万军之耶和华为圣，以他为你们所当怕的，所当畏惧的。」(8:12-13) 「你们」显示出以赛亚并非独自一人，他有妻儿家室，也有门徒。无论在任何光景中，我们都要惟独敬畏那能杀身体又杀灵魂的神。

「他必作为圣所，却向以色列两家作绊脚的石头，跌人的磐石；向耶路撒冷的居民作为圈套和网罗。」(8:14) 北国以色列和南国犹大在最关键的问题上没有倚靠神，一定会跌倒。「你要卷起律法书，在我门徒中间封住训诲。」(8:16) 「训诲」指第一至七章神对以色列的训诲，神让以赛亚写下来，然后封存，在历史上成为见证，证实神话语会真实应验。

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