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至高者將與謙卑人同居住

2023-04-26 in , /by

以賽亞書57:1 義人死亡，無人放在心上；虔誠人被收去，無人思念。這義人被收去，是免了將來的禍患。

閱讀經文：56:9-57:21

56:9 田野的諸獸都來吞吃吧，林中的諸獸也要如此！ 10 他看守的人是瞎眼的，都沒有知識，都是啞巴狗，不能叫喚，但知做夢、躺臥、貪睡。 11 這些狗貪食，不知飽足；這些牧人不能明白，各人偏行己路，各從各方求自己的利益。 12 他們說：「來吧，我去拿酒，我們飽飲濃酒。明日必和今日一樣，就是宴樂無量極大之日。」

在先知論述完對外邦人的接納之後，接著提到耶和華神將對惡人的懲治，就連神的百姓也在被審判之列。神的審判第一部份是針對社會的領袖，指出他們盲目腐化的崇拜（56:9-57:13）。第二部份是對一切犯罪頑梗的百姓，指出他們屬靈的淫亂與虛謊（57:14-21）。在一連串的指責之後，神向他們揭示了不變的恩典與接納，凡向祂心存謙卑的人，祂必安慰醫治（57:15-19）。

在第一部份的論述中，先知指責宗教領袖沒有看到迫在眉睫的警訊，也沒有向群眾發出警告。他們只知貪圖追求個人的利益，躺臥做白日夢。他們不顧明天，也不顧神將臨到的審判（56:12）。他們被形容為「瞎眼的」以及「啞吧狗」，沒有看到正日益逼近的「田野的諸獸」與「林中的諸獸」（兩者均象徵列強）將對猶大進行的侵吞行動。

The New Heavens and The New Earth

2023-04-26 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 65:17-25.  Let’s go!

Isaiah 65:17 (NIV)
17  “Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind.
 
On verse 17:  What does God mean by “the former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind”?  Likely it means that what we know of the earth and the heavens today will one day be gone and instead God will create new heavens and a new earth.  This is consistent with what we read from Jesus in the gospels (see for example Matthew 24) as well as in the book of Revelation (see for example Revelation 8) .

外邦人要入神的聖殿敬拜

2023-04-25 in , /by

以賽亞書56: 7  我必領他們到我的聖山，使他們在禱告我的殿中喜樂。他們的燔祭和平安祭在我壇上必蒙悅納，因我的殿必稱為萬民禱告的殿。

閱讀經文：53:1-13

1耶和華如此說：「你們當守公平，行公義，因我的救恩臨近，我的公義將要顯現。 2 謹守安息日而不干犯，禁止己手而不作惡，如此行、如此持守的人，便為有福！」 3 與耶和華聯合的外邦人不要說：「耶和華必定將我從他民中分別出來。」太監也不要說：「我是枯樹。」 4 因為耶和華如此說：「那些謹守我的安息日，揀選我所喜悅的事，持守我約的太監， 5 我必使他們在我殿中、在我牆內有紀念，有名號，比有兒女的更美。我必賜他們永遠的名，不能剪除。

這是一段安慰外邦人的經文，他們一夕之間從神的仇敵，變為神的選民，並被允許得以進入耶和華的聖殿來事奉祂（56:6-7）。他們要與以色列人歸併為一群（56:8），神使外邦人和猶太人在對祂的敬拜中達到美好的合一，打破了界限，在敬拜中拆毀中間隔斷的牆。先知說，外邦人之所以有如此的新地位，乃是因為他們做到了三件事（56:4）。

第一，他們遵守耶和華的安息日（56:2a,4a,6b）──安息日是神創造的高峰，有它的宇宙性的基礎。創世記2:3記載上帝六日創造之後，就定第七日為安息日，祂並在這日息了一切的工。在被擄時期，安息日成為摩西律法中人類唯一能向真神表示崇敬的規律，為真以色列人的標記。因此當外邦人守安息日的時候，亦即表明他們已經實行了摩西律法，成為神的子民。

He Called You First

2023-04-25 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 65:1-16.  Let’s go!

Isaiah 65:1 (NIV)
1  “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’
 
On verse 1:  The book of Isaiah ends with God speaking the whole way through the last two chapters.  Is Isaiah 65:1-16 (and even Isaiah 65:17 to the end of Isaiah 66) God’s direct answer to the prayer that Isaiah prayed in Isaiah 64?  It’s possible, but it’s not absolutely clear. 
 
One of the big themes of the Bible is that we weren’t looking for God as much as God was looking for us.  We see that in verse 1: “I revealed myself to those who did not ask for me; I was found by those who did not seek me. To a nation that did not call on my name, I said, ‘Here am I, here am I.’”  Desiring that we find Him and know Him, God takes the initiative to reach out to us.  

5 Things To Do When Facing a Difficult Time

2023-04-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 63:15-64:12.  Let’s go!

Isaiah 63:15-19 (NIV)
15  Look down from heaven and see from your lofty throne, holy and glorious. Where are your zeal and your might? Your tenderness and compassion are withheld from us.
16  But you are our Father, though Abraham does not know us or Israel acknowledge us; you, O LORD, are our Father, our Redeemer from of old is your name.
17  Why, O LORD, do you make us wander from your ways and harden our hearts so we do not revere you? Return for the sake of your servants, the tribes that are your inheritance.
18  For a little while your people possessed your holy place, but now our enemies have trampled down your sanctuary.
19  We are yours from of old; but you have not ruled over them, they have not been called by your name.

On 63:15-64:12:  As I noted yesterday, Isaiah 63:7-64:12 can be seen as one unit.  Isaiah is wrestling with a picture that he sees of Jerusalem being in ruins, and yet he began by recalling God’s goodness (Isaiah 63:7-14).  Now in Isaiah 63:15-64:12 Isaiah gets real with God about the tough emotions he is experiencing.  In this way, Isaiah 63:7-64:12 reads like something from the Psalms.  Isaiah starts by recounting how God famously helped and delivered His people in the past (Isaiah 63:7-14), then he speaks of how difficult and desperate His people’s current circumstances are, and then he is going to cry out for God to act (Isaiah 63:15-64:12).

歸回救恩的偉大邀請

2023-04-24 in , /by

以賽亞書55: 6   當趁耶和華可尋找的時候尋找祂，相近的時候求告祂。

閱讀經文：53:1-13

1「你們一切乾渴的，都當就近水來！沒有銀錢的，也可以來！你們都來，買了吃。不用銀錢，不用價值，也來買酒和奶。 2 你們為何花錢買那不足為食物的，用勞碌得來的買那不使人飽足的呢？你們要留意聽我的話，就能吃那美物，得享肥甘，心中喜樂。 3 你們當就近我來，側耳而聽，就必得活。我必與你們立永約，就是應許大衛那可靠的恩典。 4 我已立他做萬民的見證，為萬民的君王和司令。 5 你素不認識的國民，你也必召來，素不認識你的國民，也必向你奔跑，都因耶和華你的神以色列的聖者，因為他已經榮耀你。」

先知在前一章論到神應許耶路撒冷將充滿歸回之民，聖城將在神大能庇護之下永遠獲得平安之預言後，進一步以本章正式向餘民邀請，鼓勵他們不要在古列下詔使他們重獲自由之後，仍留戀富裕的巴比倫追求他們商業上的亨通而不願歸回。當然，先知也考慮到，餘民們或許也會想到歸回耶路撒冷時的長途跋涉，路上也可能遇到危險，因此猶豫不肯回國。

因此，在本章一開始，先知便點出了信息的重點，他告訴百姓，那該注重的不是他們可以能透過商業貿易在巴比倫的獲利，而是他們需要神救恩之水來治他們的心靈乾渴（55:1-2「你們為何花錢買那不足為食物的，用勞碌得來的買那不使人得飽足的呢？」此語乃是象徵神勸勉將歸回的百姓，不要留戀在巴比倫所獲得的產業，因為這一些都不能使百姓獲得心靈的真平安）。

信心之歌

2023-04-23 in , /by

以賽亞書54: 7    我離棄你不過片時，卻要施大恩將你收回。

閱讀經文：54:1-17

1「你這不懷孕不生養的，要歌唱！你這未曾經過產難的，要發聲歌唱，揚聲歡呼！因為沒有丈夫的，比有丈夫的兒女更多。」這是耶和華說的。 2 「要擴張你帳幕之地，張大你居所的幔子，不要限制；要放長你的繩子，堅固你的橛子。 3 因為你要向左向右開展，你的後裔必得多國為業，又使荒涼的城邑有人居住。

本章為詩歌體裁，乃是在受苦的僕人完成其就贖事工之後的歡欣勝利之歌。本章分為兩個部份，第一部份為54:1-10，主要論到拯救與復興。第二部份為54:11-17，內容提到復興的榮耀。它同時也被稱為信心之歌。

先知在第一部份首先提到神的百姓，因著受苦的僕人所成就的事工而蒙祝福。因此先知以「不懷孕、不生養的」要歌唱（在古代的中東地區對不能生育的婦女，認為她是受了咒詛），來比喻荒涼的耶路撒冷將獲得生養眾多的歡樂。因為神的聖城耶路撒冷將有許多的歸回之民如潮水般的湧進來，以致於它必須以「擴張帳幕之地，張大居所的幔子」來容納突然暴增的百姓（54:2）。先知也預示他們，歸回之後的百姓，將要向左右的鄰國擴展，並得他們的地業，使一切荒涼的外邦城市重新有人居住（54:3）。

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.