A Shelter from the Wind and the Storm

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 32:1-20.  Let’s go!

Isaiah 32:1-8 (NIV)
1  See, a king will reign in righteousness and rulers will rule with justice.
2  Each man will be like a shelter from the wind and a refuge from the storm, like streams of water in the desert and the shadow of a great rock in a thirsty land.
3  Then the eyes of those who see will no longer be closed, and the ears of those who hear will listen.
4  The mind of the rash will know and understand, and the stammering tongue will be fluent and clear.
5  No longer will the fool be called noble nor the scoundrel be highly respected.

On verses 1-8:  Isaiah predicts the day when a king will reign in righteousness and his princes will reign with him in justice (v1).  Because of their righteous, just rule, they will provide refuge and refreshing for the people (v2), the simple and stuttering will find understanding and clarity (v3-4), while scoundrels will be found out (v5).  Whereas people suffer under the rule of a fool (v6-7), people will prosper under the rule of this noble king (v8).

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論異象谷

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以賽亞書22:22   我必將大衛家的鑰匙放在他肩頭上，他開無人能關，他關無人能開。

閱讀經文：以賽亞書22:1-25

1論異象谷的默示。有什麼事使你這滿城的人都上房頂呢？ 2 你這滿處呐喊、大有喧嘩的城，歡樂的邑啊，你中間被殺的，並不是被刀殺，也不是因打仗死亡。 3 你所有的官長一同逃跑，都為弓箭手所捆綁；你中間一切被找到的都一同被捆綁，他們本是逃往遠方的。 4 所以我說：「你們轉眼不看我，我要痛哭！不要因我眾民[a]的毀滅就竭力安慰我。」

本段為「論異象谷的默示」，根據22:9-10的經文可知，所謂異象谷乃是指大衛城，也就是耶路撒冷，因耶路撒冷附近有許多山谷，其中有稱為「嘉美的谷」的（22:7指利乏音谷，此處的土地最為肥沃），而這異象的內容乃是發生在這些山谷中。

在本段中先知論到耶路撒冷在大禍臨頭之前，卻仍酖迷於犯罪作樂之中，因此，先知不僅宣佈了耶路撒冷的罪狀，更轉述神將撤換朝中主張與埃及結盟以抵抗巴比倫的那一批政客。因他們以為與埃及結盟，就可以使猶大高枕無憂了，而這觀念（「有甚麼事使你……」）便是先知嘲問百姓在大難來臨驚恐吶喊的原因了。神將興起新人接掌權柄，以取代無能的領袖。

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Our Lion and Our Shield

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 31:1-9.  Let’s go!

Isaiah 31:1-3 (NIV)
1  Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help, who rely on horses, who trust in the multitude of their chariots and in the great strength of their horsemen, but do not look to the Holy One of Israel, or seek help from the LORD.
2  Yet he too is wise and can bring disaster; he does not take back his words. He will rise up against the house of the wicked, against those who help evildoers.
3  But the Egyptians are men and not God; their horses are flesh and not spirit. When the LORD stretches out his hand, he who helps will stumble, he who is helped will fall; both will perish together.

On verses 1-3:  To those who looked to Egypt for help but not to the LORD (v1), Isaiah warns that Egypt is a bunch of mere human being and not God (v3a), whereas the LORD is all powerful.  Isaiah promises that because they did not look to the LORD, both Egypt the helper and Judah the helped will fall together (v3b). 

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Seek the Strength that God Provides

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Hi GAMErs!

There is so much we can learn from today’s passage in Isaiah 30:1-33.  Let’s go!
Remember that Isaiah chapters 28-33 represent a new section in the book of Isaiah.  Scholars believe that this section relates to the time when Judah was considering forming an alliance with Egypt in order to help defend against the threat of Assyria.  The ongoing message from Isaiah is that this alliance will only hurt Judah and that Judah’s only true hope is trusting in the LORD.

Isaiah 30:1-5 (NIV)
1  “Woe to the obstinate children,” declares the LORD, “to those who carry out plans that are not mine, forming an alliance, but not by my Spirit, heaping sin upon sin;
2  who go down to Egypt without consulting me; who look for help to Pharaoh’s protection, to Egypt’s shade for refuge.
3  But Pharaoh’s protection will be to your shame, Egypt’s shade will bring you disgrace.
4  Though they have officials in Zoan and their envoys have arrived in Hanes,
5  everyone will be put to shame because of a people useless to them, who bring neither help nor advantage, but only shame and disgrace.”

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先知論列國

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以賽亞書21:16  主對我這樣說：一年之內，照雇工的年數，基達的一切榮耀必歸於無有。

閱讀經文：以賽亞書20:1-6

1論海旁曠野的默示。有仇敵從曠野，從可怕之地而來，好像南方的旋風猛然掃過。 2 令人悽慘的異象已默示於我：詭詐的行詭詐，毀滅的行毀滅。以攔哪，你要上去！瑪代啊，你要圍困！主說：「我使一切嘆息止住。」 3 所以我滿腰疼痛，痛苦將我抓住，好像產難的婦人一樣。我疼痛甚至不能聽，我驚惶甚至不能看。 4 我心慌張，驚恐威嚇我，我所羨慕的黃昏變為我的戰兢。 5 他們擺設筵席，派人守望，又吃又喝——「首領啊，你們起來，用油抹盾牌！」 6 主對我如此說：「你去設立守望的，使他將所看見的述說。 7 他看見軍隊，就是騎馬的一對一對地來，又看見驢隊、駱駝隊，就要側耳細聽。」

本段分為三部份，各別是對巴比倫、度瑪與亞拉伯的預言，這是先知自十三章起一連串論述列國命運的第八與第九個預言。

第一部份21:1-10是論到巴比倫將被波斯軍隊所攻擊的預言（「海旁曠野」乃是指幼發拉底河所沖積而成的巴比倫肥沃月灣，古時此地即為巴比倫帝國所在）。為何這裡先知要提到巴比倫傾覆的預言呢？因為他要向選民宣告：以前欺壓他們的仇敵埃及與亞述，最後如何在神的手中被傾覆，如今他們所畏懼的巴比倫也不例外。

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以色列人必因所仰望的羞愧

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以賽亞書20:5   以色列人必因所仰望的古實、所誇耀的埃及，驚惶羞愧。

閱讀經文：以賽亞書20:1-6

1亞述王撒珥根打發他珥探到亞實突的那年，他珥探就攻打亞實突，將城攻取。2 那時，耶和華曉諭亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞說：「你去，解掉你腰間的麻布，脫下你腳上的鞋。」以賽亞就這樣做，露身赤腳行走。 3 耶和華說：「我僕人以賽亞怎樣露身赤腳行走三年，作為關乎埃及和古實的預兆奇蹟， 4 照樣，亞述王也必擄去埃及人，掠去古實人，無論老少，都露身赤腳，現出下體，使埃及蒙羞。 5 以色列人必因所仰望的古實、所誇耀的埃及，驚惶羞愧。 6 那時，這沿海一帶的居民必說：『看哪，我們素所仰望的，就是我們為脫離亞述王逃往求救的，不過是如此！我們怎能逃脫呢？』」

本段可以視之為19:1-15預言的應驗，先知在19:1-15中論述到埃及將受到耶和華神的降災，導致以農、漁、製紙、建築、製衣等行業為首的百業為之蕭條，國力頓時衰敗下來。對於這樣的一個國家，猶大怎能想望從它的身上得到甚麼幫助呢？埃及自身已難保，若勉強出兵幫助猶大與亞述抗衡，無異於以卵擊石啊！

本段是論到埃及的第三部份，主旨是埃及的毀滅。這是一篇散文形式的傳記，記載以賽亞如何竭盡所能的勸阻希西家王不要投靠埃及，因為埃及將被傾覆。這樣一個自身難保的國家，又怎能夠前往投靠呢？

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Transformed by God’s Amazing Grace

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 29:15-24.  Let’s go!
 
Remember that Isaiah chapters 28-33 represent a new section in the book of Isaiah.  Scholars believe that this section relates to the time when Judah was considering forming an alliance with Egypt in order to help defend against the threat of Assyria.  The ongoing message from Isaiah is that this alliance will only hurt Judah, not help them, and that Judah’s only true hope is trusting in the LORD.

Isaiah 29:15-16 (NIV)
15  Woe to those who go to great depths to hide their plans from the LORD, who do their work in darkness and think, “Who sees us? Who will know?”
16  You turn things upside down, as if the potter were thought to be like the clay! Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, “He did not make me”? Can the pot say of the potter, “He knows nothing”?

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Mind Blown

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 29:1-14.  Let’s go!
 
Remember that Isaiah chapters 28-33 represent a new section in the book of Isaiah.  Scholars believe that this section relates to the time when Judah was considering forming an alliance with Egypt in order to help defend against the threat of Assyria.  The ongoing message from Isaiah is that this alliance will only hurt Judah, not help them, and that Judah’s only true hope is trusting in the LORD.

Isaiah 29:1-8 (NIV)
1  Woe to you, Ariel, Ariel, the city where David settled! Add year to year and let your cycle of festivals go on.
2  Yet I will besiege Ariel; she will mourn and lament, she will be to me like an altar hearth.
3  I will encamp against you all around; I will encircle you with towers and set up my siege works against you.

On verses 1-8:  Have you ever gone from not understanding a passage in the Bible to loving it?  That’s what happened to me when it comes to Isaiah 29:1-14.
My first question when reading this passage was: who is “Ariel”?  Ariel is another name for Jerusalem, “the city where David settled” (v1).

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論三國使地上的人得福

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以賽亞書19:24  當那日，以色列必與埃及、亞述三國一律，使地上的人得福。

閱讀經文：以賽亞書19:16-25

16 到那日，埃及人必像婦人一樣，他們必因萬軍之耶和華在埃及以上所掄的手戰兢懼怕。 17 猶大地必使埃及驚恐，向誰提起猶大地，誰就懼怕。這是因萬軍之耶和華向埃及所定的旨意。18 當那日，埃及地必有五城的人說迦南的方言，又指著萬軍之耶和華起誓，有一城必稱為滅亡城。

19 當那日，在埃及地中必有為耶和華築的一座壇，在埃及的邊界上必有為耶和華立的一根柱。 20 這都要在埃及地為萬軍之耶和華做記號和證據。埃及人因為受人的欺壓哀求耶和華，他就差遣一位救主，做護衛者，拯救他們。 21 耶和華必被埃及人所認識，在那日，埃及人必認識耶和華，也要獻祭物和供物敬拜他，並向耶和華許願還願。 22 耶和華必擊打埃及，又擊打又醫治，埃及人就歸向耶和華。他必應允他們的禱告，醫治他們。

本段先知繼續論到埃及的希望。先知以特殊的分段（五個「當那日」）來作為論述的開頭。本段被置於對埃及的兩個咒詛中間（19:1-15與20:1-6），在文學上相當奇特。

第一個「到那日」（19:16-17）──先知提到埃及的驚恐，只因他們聽到了猶大的名號，因為這城有耶和華神為他們爭戰。

第二個「當那日」（19:18）──因著耶和華神向埃及降災，使得埃及對猶大起了懼帕的心。事實上，並不是埃及人懼怕猶大，而是懼怕猶太人所信的耶和華神。為此，先知指出將有五個埃及的城市歸降於猶大，這五個城的百姓並且學習用希伯來人的方言敬拜耶和華神。屆時他們並將指著耶和華起誓，定然棄絕對太陽神的崇拜，轉而敬拜耶和華神（「滅亡城」，又譯為「有太陽神廟在其中被拆毀的那城」，太陽神為埃及人所敬拜的偶像）。

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A Tale of Two Wreaths

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Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 28:1-29.  Let’s go!
 
Isaiah chapters 28-33 represent a new section in the book of Isaiah.  Scholars believe that this section relates to the time when Judah was considering forming an alliance with Egypt in order to help defend against the threat of Assyria.  The ongoing message from Isaiah is that this alliance will only hurt Judah, not help them, and that Judah’s only true hope is trusting in the LORD.

Isaiah 28:1-8 (NIV)
1  Woe to that wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, to the fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley– to that city, the pride of those laid low by wine!
2  See, the Lord has one who is powerful and strong. Like a hailstorm and a destructive wind, like a driving rain and a flooding downpour, he will throw it forcefully to the ground.
3  That wreath, the pride of Ephraim’s drunkards, will be trampled underfoot.
4  That fading flower, his glorious beauty, set on the head of a fertile valley, will be like a fig ripe before harvest– as soon as someone sees it and takes it in his hand, he swallows it.

On verses 1-8:  In the first 6 verses Isaiah paints the picture of two wreaths.  The first wreath is the political leaders of Israel, who like a “fading flower” (v1, 4), will be plucked and trampled on (v3).  Their “glorious beauty” (v1, 4) will be taken away.  The second wreath is the LORD Himself (v5).  He is described as “a glorious crown” and “a spirit of justice” for the willing leader, “a source of strength” to Israel’s soldiers (v5-6).

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