以賽亞書39:6 日子必到，凡你家裡所有的，並你列祖積蓄到如今的，都要被擄到巴比倫去，不留下一樣。這是耶和華說的。
閱讀經文：以賽亞書 39:1-8
1那時，巴比倫王巴拉但的兒子米羅達巴拉但聽見希西家病而痊癒，就送書信和禮物給他。 2 希西家喜歡見使者，就把自己寶庫的金子、銀子、香料、貴重的膏油和他武庫的一切軍器，並所有的財寶，都給他們看。他家中和全國之內，希西家沒有一樣不給他們看的。
痊癒後的希西家重獲了生機，然而，此時的希西家卻讓我們體驗到，人在患難中可以緊緊抓住神，在平安順利中卻容易遺忘神的心態。這也是以賽亞要將本段歷史記錄在書卷中的目的。
事情是這樣子的，當亞述王西拿基立被他的兩個兒子刺殺之後，以撒哈頓續位，然而新興的巴比倫羽翼漸豐，一直追求擴展外交，想要遂其取代亞述稱霸的野心。因此，巴比倫王便派遣自己的兒子米羅達巴拉旦帶著禮物前來假裝向希西家道賀病得痊癒。表面上是好意，骨子裡卻是想一探猶大國的虛實。
以賽亞書 38:17 看哪，我受大苦本為使我得平安，祢因愛我的靈魂，便救我脫離敗壞的坑，因為祢將我一切的罪扔在祢的背後。
閱讀經文：以賽亞書 38:1-22
1那時，希西家病得要死。亞摩斯的兒子先知以賽亞去見他，對他說：「耶和華如此說：你當留遺命於你的家，因為你必死，不能活了。」 2 希西家就轉臉朝牆，禱告耶和華說： 3 「耶和華啊，求你記念我在你面前怎樣存完全的心，按誠實行事，又做你眼中所看為善的。」希西家就痛哭了。
本段記載希西家王的絕症復得醫治的故事，先知記載本段的意義，乃是為了再次顯示耶和華神的憐憫，並點出希西家王個人的信仰轉變。君王乃是一個國家的象徵，君王的信仰往往是改變一個國家命運的關鍵，因此以賽亞特別寫下這一段故事，也給我們後來的人閱讀時，可以有所勉勵。
故事一開始提到「那時」希西家王染了絕症（希西家二十五歲登基，此事發生在希西家十四年，因此當時的希西家約莫四十歲，算是中年），而先知以賽亞也奉耶和華之命前去向希西家宣告死訊，並要他「留遺命與你的家」（38:1指安排好王位繼承人）。你想神還需要對一個瀕死的人再不厭其煩的派先知去向他宣告死訊嗎？耶和華神如此作，必定有祂的目的。事實上，這乃是神想要主動醫治希西家的一個動作，透過先知的宣告，把希西家生命中敬畏神的一面激發出來（38:2a），並且激勵希西家誠實的面對神（38:2b）。
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Isaiah 45:14-25. Let’s go!
Isaiah 45:14 (NIV)
14 This is what the LORD says: “The products of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and those tall Sabeans– they will come over to you and will be yours; they will trudge behind you, coming over to you in chains. They will bow down before you and plead with you, saying, ‘Surely God is with you, and there is no other; there is no other god.'”
On verse 14: In verses 14-25 we see God speaking reassuring words to the Jewish exiles in Babylon, encouraging them to not give up seeking the LORD and to put their trust in Him regardless of whatever anyone else around them does.
Here in verse 14 in particular we see a picture of other nations recognizing the Lord as the one true God. The image of the Egyptians, Cushites and Sabeans coming over to the Jews in chains may sound like the Jews are going to imprison and enslave these other nations, but I think a better reading of this is that the Egyptians, Cushites and Sabeans will come to the Jews for help with their pre-existing chains. That is because idolatry produces bondage but where the Spirit of the LORD is there is freedom.
以賽亞書 37:31 猶大家所逃脫餘剩的，仍要往下扎根，向上結果。
閱讀經文：以賽亞書 37:21-38
21 亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞就打發人去見希西家，說：「耶和華以色列的神如此說：你既然求我攻擊亞述王西拿基立， 22 所以耶和華論他這樣說：『錫安的處女藐視你，嗤笑你，耶路撒冷的女子向你搖頭。 23 你辱罵誰，褻瀆誰？揚起聲來，高舉眼目攻擊誰呢？乃是攻擊以色列的聖者！ 24 你藉你的臣僕辱罵主，說：「我率領許多戰車上山頂，到黎巴嫩極深之處，我要砍伐其中高大的香柏樹和佳美的松樹，我必上極高之處，進入肥田的樹林。 25 我已經挖井喝水，我必用腳掌踏乾埃及的一切河。」』
西拿基立真應了「驕傲在敗壞以先，狂心在跌倒之前」這一句話。他的信當被希西家呈遞在耶華神的面前的時候，促使耶和華神決心立即懲罰這一個傲慢之徒，祂藉著以賽亞傳遞了亞述隊即將被摧毀的預言（37:21-29）。而同時，先知也宣告了耶和華給猶大的證據，以未來連年五穀豐收來證明耶和華必拯救到底（37:30-32）。希西家向猶大發預言說：「以色列人哪！我賜你們一個證據。你們今年要吃自生的，明年也要吃自長的，至於後年，你們要耕種收割栽植葡萄園，吃其中的果子」。
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Isaiah 44:23-45:13. Let’s go!
Isaiah 44:23-27 (NIV)
23 Sing for joy, O heavens, for the LORD has done this; shout aloud, O earth beneath. Burst into song, you mountains, you forests and all your trees, for the LORD has redeemed Jacob, he displays his glory in Israel.
24 “This is what the LORD says– your Redeemer, who formed you in the womb: I am the LORD, who has made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself,
25 who foils the signs of false prophets and makes fools of diviners, who overthrows the learning of the wise and turns it into nonsense,
26 who carries out the words of his servants and fulfills the predictions of his messengers, who says of Jerusalem, ‘It shall be inhabited,’ of the towns of Judah, ‘They shall be built,’ and of their ruins, ‘I will restore them,’
27 who says to the watery deep, ‘Be dry, and I will dry up your streams,’
On verses 23-27: These verses speak of how God will speak into existence the return of the Jewish exiles from Babylon back to Jerusalem and have them rebuild their ruined city. God will do this to the chagrin of false prophets, diviners and so-called experts who claimed this would never happen (v25). As verse 23 suggests, it would be a glorious day when God would redeem His people by allowing the Jewish exiles to be set free. In verse 27, God seems to compare this miracle to His earlier miracles in Exodus when He would allow His people to cross the Red Sea and the Jordan River on dry land.
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Isaiah 44:6-22. Let’s go!
Isaiah 44:6-8 (NIV)
6 “This is what the LORD says– Israel’s King and Redeemer, the LORD Almighty: I am the first and I am the last; apart from me there is no God.
7 Who then is like me? Let him proclaim it. Let him declare and lay out before me what has happened since I established my ancient people, and what is yet to come– yes, let him foretell what will come.
8 Do not tremble, do not be afraid. Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are my witnesses. Is there any God besides me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”
On verses 6-8: One of the biggest themes in Isaiah 40-66 is that the LORD is the one true God. Only God is able to foretell what is to come.
以賽亞書 37:6 以賽亞對他們說：要這樣對你們的主人說：『耶和華如此說：你聽見亞述王的僕人褻瀆我的話，不要懼怕。
閱讀經文：以賽亞書 37:1-20
1希西家王聽見，就撕裂衣服，披上麻布，進了耶和華的殿。 2 使家宰以利亞敬和書記舍伯那並祭司中的長老都披上麻布，去見亞摩斯的兒子先知以賽亞， 3 對他說：「希西家如此說：今日是急難、責罰、凌辱的日子，就如婦人將要生產嬰孩，卻沒有力量生產。 4 或者耶和華你的神聽見拉伯沙基的話，就是他主人亞述王打發他來辱罵永生神的話，耶和華你的神聽見這話就發斥責。故此，求你為餘剩的民揚聲禱告。」
當希西家聽到以利亞敬等三位使者向他所做的報告之後，他就憂憂愁愁的進入聖殿（37:1），因為當時的亞述王西拿基立已然攻下了猶大城邑總計四十六座，這對希西家來說是極大的挫敗。然而，同時希西家也差人去見先知以賽亞（37:2），顯然他的心裡已經意識到唯有他的祖先所事奉的那一位神才可能幫助他，而先前一切投靠埃及的主張乃是不智的。或許先前希西家較傾向靠埃及的看法，沒有決心倚靠耶和華，所以此時雖然進入聖殿，心裡卻不敢面對神禱告。
Hi GAMErs!
Today’s passage is Isaiah 43:8-44:5. Let’s go!
Isaiah 43:8-15 (NIV)
8 Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf.
9 All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble. Which of them foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
10 “You are my witnesses,” declares the LORD, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor will there be one after me.
On verses 8-15: Isaiah asks who predicted the rescuing of the Jewish exiles from Babylon (v8-9). The answer is: no one except the LORD speaking through His servant (v10). In so doing the LORD will show that He is the one true God (v10-12) and that He is sovereign (v13). God confirms that He will bring about the defeat of the Babylonians (v14) and that the real ruler over Israel is not Babylon but the LORD, “Israel’s Creator, your King” (v15).
以賽亞書 36:1 希西家王十四年，亞述王西拿基立上來攻擊猶大的一切堅固城，將城攻取。
閱讀經文：以賽亞書 36:1-22
1希西家王十四年，亞述王西拿基立上來攻擊猶大的一切堅固城，將城攻取。 2 亞述王從拉吉差遣拉伯沙基率領大軍往耶路撒冷，到希西家王那裡去。他就站在上池的水溝旁，在漂布地的大路上。 3 於是希勒家的兒子家宰以利亞敬，並書記舍伯那和亞薩的兒子史官約亞，出來見拉伯沙基。
從第卅六至卅九章是一段歷史的插入記錄，主要記載的是希西家王治國的困境與先知以賽亞對他的影響。這兩章也是第廿九至卅三章先知預言的歷史背景，這兩章提供了廿九至卅三章內容的解釋。
本段的第一部份（卅六章），先知記載亞述王西拿基立在希西家十四年（主前701年）勢如破竹地陸續攻下了猶大的一些「堅固城」（指一切通往埃及與耶路撒冷城市），大軍開拔到耶路撒冷西南方的拉吉（此城為西拿基立北取耶路撒冷，南攻埃及的站略要地）。這時候西拿基立派遣他的主帥拉伯沙基前來心戰喊話。猶大則派遣以利亞敬以及書記舍伯那、史官約亞與之會晤。
以賽亞書 35: 10 並且耶和華救贖的民必歸回，歌唱來到錫安，永樂必歸到他們的頭上。他們必得著歡喜快樂，憂愁嘆息盡都逃避。
閱讀經文：以賽亞書 35:1-10
1曠野和乾旱之地必然歡喜，沙漠也必快樂，又像玫瑰開花。 2 必開花繁盛，樂上加樂，而且歡呼。黎巴嫩的榮耀，並迦密與沙崙的華美，必賜給它。人必看見耶和華的榮耀，我們神的華美。3 你們要使軟弱的手堅壯，無力的膝穩固， 4 對膽怯的人說：「你們要剛強，不要懼怕！看哪，你們的神必來報仇，必來施行極大的報應，祂必來拯救你們。」
第卅四至卅五章是以賽亞書前半部的最後兩章，先知仍以審判與拯救相互對比的手法敘述此部份。第卅四章論到耶和華神對列國的審判（特別舉以東來譬喻列國）；第卅五章則是揭示猶大將臨復興的景象。
先知在本章中將以東的噩運和猶大的歡樂進行對比，以做為整個書卷上半部的結束。史籍記載當波斯戰勝巴比倫之後，古列王便發出一道命令，讓被擄的猶大百姓歸回耶路撒冷（代下36:22-23）。那時歸回的猶太人在列國中為數稀少，而且貧窮。他們對於以西結、哈該、以賽亞和撒迦利亞等先知預言中的復興尚未臨到而感到失望。因此，全知的神便事先感動以賽亞寫下本章的預言，以備日後安慰百姓，並把未來猶大的富庶與興盛的美景給他們看之用。
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