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Your Memory Makes a Difference

2023-04-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 63:7-14.  Let’s go!

Isaiah 63:7-8 (NIV)
7  I will tell of the kindnesses of the LORD, the deeds for which he is to be praised, according to all the LORD has done for us– yes, the many good things he has done for the house of Israel, according to his compassion and many kindnesses.
8  He said, “Surely they are my people, sons who will not be false to me”; and so he became their Savior.

On verses 7-8:  Isaiah seems to begin a new unit that starts here at Isaiah 63:7 and ends in Isaiah 64:12.  This whole unit – Isaiah 63:7 to Isaiah 64:12 – is Isaiah trying to grapple with a disconcerting picture he sees of Jerusalem being in ruins.  This sad situation would happen in the relatively near future for Isaiah, compared to chapters 60 to 62 where Isaiah talks about the very distant future – the end of time – when Jerusalem’s situation is exceptionally glorious.  While it is clear that Isaiah is speaking about a future time when Jerusalem will be in ruins, the exact time period Isaiah is referring to is not clear.  (Isaiah might be painting a picture of 586 B.C. when the Babylonians would capture Jerusalem and destroy the temple, but he could also be describing a later period, since Jerusalem and its temple would be destroyed more than once.)

彌賽亞的救贖大功

2023-04-21 in , /by

以賽亞書53: 11  祂必看見自己勞苦的功效，便心滿意足。有許多人因認識我的義僕得稱為義，並且祂要擔當他們的罪孽。

閱讀經文：53:1-12

1我們所傳的有誰信呢？耶和華的膀臂向誰顯露呢？ 2 他在耶和華面前生長如嫩芽，像根出於乾地；他無佳形美容，我們看見他的時候，也無美貌使我們羨慕他。3 他被藐視，被人厭棄，多受痛苦，常經憂患。他被藐視，好像被人掩面不看的一樣，我們也不尊重他。

4 他誠然擔當我們的憂患，背負我們的痛苦，我們卻以為他受責罰，被神擊打苦待了。 5 哪知他為我們的過犯受害，為我們的罪孽壓傷。因他受的刑罰我們得平安，因他受的鞭傷我們得醫治。 6 我們都如羊走迷，各人偏行己路，耶和華使我們眾人的罪孽都歸在他身上。

本章乃是接續52:13-15對彌賽亞受苦僕人的形容，裡面充滿著主耶穌生平事奉與經歷，受苦與得勝的預言。52:13-15其實是53:1-12的摘要。在五十三章中，先知描述了耶和華神對世人的救贖計劃，53:1-9是第一部份，論到受苦的道路，53:10-12則是第二部份，宣示最終的得勝。

在第一部份（53:1-9）中，一開始先知以他和眾先知所傳的救贖主被厭棄的驚問做為開頭。他質問百姓，但並不期待他們回答，只是要表達他的感嘆罷了！任誰也料想不到耶和華神竟然會差遣一位並無佳形美容，也沒有出眾的出生背景的僕人（53:1-2「像根出於乾地」一語乃是象徵彌賽亞出生於窮鄉僻壤，不為世人所看重之地）來施行救贖（這也是繼52:14之後對這一位受苦僕人的敘述：「的面貌比別人憔悴，他的形容比世人枯槁」，象徵受苦的僕人被世人棄絕之後所產生的憂患）。因此他被眾人所厭棄，因為他們從外表上實在看不出他有甚麼特別（53:3）。然而，這一位僕人卻要顯露出神的大能膀臂。

The War After The Wedding

2023-04-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 63:1-6.  Let’s go!

Isaiah 63:1-6 (NIV)
1  Who is this coming from Edom, from Bozrah, with his garments stained crimson? Who is this, robed in splendor, striding forward in the greatness of his strength? “It is I, speaking in righteousness, mighty to save.”
2  Why are your garments red, like those of one treading the winepress?
3  “I have trodden the winepress alone; from the nations no one was with me. I trampled them in my anger and trod them down in my wrath; their blood spattered my garments, and I stained all my clothing.
4  For the day of vengeance was in my heart, and the year of my redemption has come.
5  I looked, but there was no one to help, I was appalled that no one gave support; so my own arm worked salvation for me, and my own wrath sustained me.
6  I trampled the nations in my anger; in my wrath I made them drunk and poured their blood on the ground.”
 
On verses 1-6:  After describing a wedding with God as the groom and His people as His bride (Isaiah 62), we move into a violent scene.  It’s the war after the wedding.  But contrary to the experience of many newlyweds, the war here is not between the bride and the groom. 

The Wedding We’ve All Been Waiting For

2023-04-20 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 62.  Let’s go!
 
Isaiah 62:1-12 (NIV)
1  For Zion’s sake I will not keep silent, for Jerusalem’s sake I will not remain quiet, till her righteousness shines out like the dawn, her salvation like a blazing torch.
2  The nations will see your righteousness, and all kings your glory; you will be called by a new name that the mouth of the LORD will bestow.
3  You will be a crown of splendor in the LORD’s hand, a royal diadem in the hand of your God.
4  No longer will they call you Deserted, or name your land Desolate. But you will be called Hephzibah, and your land Beulah; for the LORD will take delight in you, and your land will be married.

On verses 1-12:  Here in Isaiah 62 Isaiah writes about how glorious God will make Jerusalem one day.   Instead of Jerusalem being deserted or desolate anymore, God will give her a new name (v2).  She will be called “Hephzibah” which means “my delight is in her” and “Beulah” which means “married” (v4).  Other names Jerusalem will be given are “the Holy People, the Redeemed of the LORD…Sought After, the City No Longer Deserted” (v12).

苦杯飲盡後的拯救

2023-04-20 in , /by

以賽亞書52: 13   我的僕人行事必有智慧，必被高舉上升，且成為至高。

閱讀經文：51:17-52:15

51:17 耶路撒冷啊，興起，興起！站起來！你從耶和華手中喝了他憤怒之杯，喝了那使人東倒西歪的爵，以至喝盡。 18 她所生育的諸子中沒有一個引導她的，她所養大的諸子中沒有一個攙扶她的。 19 荒涼、毀滅、饑荒、刀兵，這幾樣臨到你，誰為你舉哀？我如何能安慰你呢？ 20 你的眾子發昏，在各市口上躺臥，好像黃羊在網羅之中，都滿了耶和華的憤怒，你神的斥責。

在51:17第二個「興起！興起！」為開頭語的呼籲中，先知論到耶路撒冷將飲盡神公義「忿怒的杯」，那會讓耶路撒冷「東倒西歪」（指陷入混亂）。這杯代表的是戰禍，並因而導致的一連串效應──荒涼、毀滅、饑荒（51:19）。先知以「黃羊入網羅」象徵耶路撒冷的困境（黃羊屬鹿類，產於巴勒斯坦與阿拉伯曠野，常在沙漠中疾奔，因而難於補獲）。但因為51:9先知已經宣告耶和華的膀臂已為耶路撒冷而興起了，因此，本句乃是回應51:9的呼籲，宣告耶路撒冷已經在耶和華神的膀臂拯救下，已「喝盡了這杯」（表示已受完了神的管教），以後再也不再喝這困苦的杯了（51:21-22）。反倒是那苦待耶路撒冷的巴比倫，將要接續著喝這苦杯（51:23）。

Jesus Did It All

2023-04-19 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 61.  Let’s go!
 
Isaiah 61:1-4 (NIV)
1  The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners,
2  to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn,
3  and provide for those who grieve in Zion– to bestow on them a crown of beauty instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, and a garment of praise instead of a spirit of despair. They will be called oaks of righteousness, a planting of the LORD for the display of his splendor.
4  They will rebuild the ancient ruins and restore the places long devastated; they will renew the ruined cities that have been devastated for generations.
 
On verses 1-4:  Who is speaking in Isaiah 61:1?  It’s the Servant, the one whom God will send to deliver His people from their captivity to sin. 
 
According to Luke 4, one day Jesus went to the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth.  He was asked to read Scripture and was given the scroll of Isaiah. 

對忠信者的安慰與鼓勵

2023-04-19 in , /by

以賽亞書51:15   我是耶和華你的神，攪動大海，使海中的波浪砰訇，萬軍之耶和華是我的名。

閱讀經文：51:1-16

1「你們這追求公義、尋求耶和華的，當聽我言！你們要追想被鑿而出的磐石，被挖而出的巖穴。 2 要追想你們的祖宗亞伯拉罕和生養你們的撒拉，因為亞伯拉罕獨自一人的時候，我選召他，賜福於他，使他人數增多。」

3 耶和華已經安慰錫安和錫安一切的荒場，使曠野像伊甸，使沙漠像耶和華的園囿，在其中必有歡喜、快樂、感謝和歌唱的聲音。

在接著50:10-11對忠信者與對不敬虔者的信息之後，先知就從本段起，分別論到耶和華神對兩者的結局。首先是51:1-16先知論到耶和華神將給忠信者的結局是安慰與歡欣（51:3）。耶和華神對這些「追求公義，尋求耶和華」的忠信者，要他們從幾個角度來貼近祂將要賜下的安慰。

第一個角度是「追想」──神要他們追想以色列民族乃是神親手雕鑿出來的，神是他們的磐石，也是他們躲避仇敵的巖穴（51:1）。他們要有信心與他們信心的祖先亞伯拉罕與撒拉相稱（51:1-2）。因為當亞伯拉罕「獨自一人」的時候，神便選召了他，賜福與他，使他人數增多。神使人看為不可能的事，全部都按祂的旨意成就，。因此以色列百姓對上帝應當要有信心。

僕人蒙召的心志

2023-04-18 in , /by

以賽亞書50: 9a  主耶和華要幫助我，誰能定我有罪呢？

閱讀經文：以賽亞書 50:4-11

4 「主耶和華賜我受教者的舌頭，使我知道怎樣用言語扶助疲乏的人。主每早晨提醒，提醒我的耳朵，使我能聽，像受教者一樣。 5 主耶和華開通我的耳朵，我並沒有違背，也沒有退後。 6 人打我的背，我任他打；人拔我腮頰的鬍鬚，我由他拔；人辱我吐我，我並不掩面。

本段接著論到神所揀選的僕人，對耶和華所賦予他之使命的回應，其中50:4-9被稱為「僕人之歌」，這是以賽亞書裡的第二首「僕人之歌」。

首先，僕人敘述自己領受了耶和華所賜「受教者的舌頭」（50:4），叫他知道怎樣用言語扶助疲乏的人。這表示他將受到神的教導，成為人類的老師，用話語去幫助有罪擔的人。這正應驗了主耶穌就職的宣告「主的靈在我身上，因為祂用膏膏我，叫我傳福音給貧窮的人。差遣我報告……神悅納人的禧年」（路4:18-19）。在耶穌的傳道工作中，祂是一面領受，一面教導的。

The Greatest City

2023-04-18 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 60.  Let’s go!
 
Isaiah 60:1-22 (NIV)
1  “Arise, shine, for your light has come, and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
2  See, darkness covers the earth and thick darkness is over the peoples, but the LORD rises upon you and his glory appears over you.
3  Nations will come to your light, and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

On verses 1-22:  Who is God talking about in Isaiah 60?  He’s talking about the city of Jerusalem.  He is saying that, in a world full of darkness (v2), one day the city of Jerusalem will forever shine the brightest light and be the pride and joy of the nations (v1-4, 15).  There the people of God will reunite and unspeakable joy will fill the city (v5a).  The riches of the world will flow into Jerusalem (v5b-11).  The best trees will adorn the temple (v13). Jerusalem’s enemies will bow before her (v12, 14).  In addition to having much material wealth and the favour of the nations, peace and righteousness will reign in her (v17). 

神焉能忘記祂的百姓呢

2023-04-17 in , /by

以賽亞書49:16  看哪，我將你銘刻在我掌上，你的牆垣常在我眼前。

閱讀經文：以賽亞書 49:14-50:3

49- 14 「錫安說：『耶和華離棄了我，主忘記了我。』 15 婦人焉能忘記她吃奶的嬰孩，不憐恤她所生的兒子？即或有忘記的，我卻不忘記你。 16 看哪，我將你銘刻在我掌上，你的牆垣常在我眼前。 17 你的兒女必急速歸回，毀壞你的、使你荒廢的，必都離你出去。 18 你舉目向四方觀看，他們都聚集來到你這裡。」耶和華說：「我指著我的永生起誓：你必要以他們為裝飾佩戴，以他們為華帶束腰，像新婦一樣。

本段敘論和平君王工作，其中最先成就的，是對被擄之民的救贖。因此，先知一開始便把被擄之民的抱怨表露出來──「錫安說，耶和華離棄了我，主忘記我了」（49:14自四十八章之後，先知均以錫安稱呼神的新選民）。耶和華如何回答他們的抱怨呢？祂以情感的語調訴說，祂對選民的愛是不會遺忘的，正如一個滿有母愛的婦人，怎會遺忘她嗷嗷待哺的「嬰孩」呢？（先知以「嬰孩」一詞來象徵神與選民之間那種生命關係）祂向選民顯示，祂對他們的愛，永遠「銘刻在掌上」，祂焉會忘記那被當年巴比倫仇敵所摧毀的城牆呢？