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When Facing a Crisis

2023-02-24 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 22:1-25.  Let’s go!
 
Isaiah 22:1-4 (NIV)
1  An oracle concerning the Valley of Vision: What troubles you now, that you have all gone up on the roofs,
2  O town full of commotion, O city of tumult and revelry? Your slain were not killed by the sword, nor did they die in battle.
3  All your leaders have fled together; they have been captured without using the bow. All you who were caught were taken prisoner together, having fled while the enemy was still far away.
4  Therefore I said, “Turn away from me; let me weep bitterly. Do not try to console me over the destruction of my people.”
 
On verses 1-4:  This next oracle is concerning Jerusalem, which is identified by its nickname the City of David and other landmarks in verses 9-10.  Some scholars believe that Isaiah gave this message when Jerusalem was under siege by Assyria in 701 B.C.  
 
Here in verses 1-4 Isaiah laments how the leaders of his people Judah have fled and been taken prisoner (v3), how (as we will see in verses 12-13) the people of Jerusalem responded to the siege with revelry instead of looking to God for help (v2) and how Jerusalem is on the verge of being destroyed (v4). 

What Waiting on the Lord Looks Like

2023-02-23 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 21:1-17.  Let’s go!
 
Isaiah 21:1-10 (NIV)
1  An oracle concerning the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the southland, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.
2  A dire vision has been shown to me: The traitor betrays, the looter takes loot. Elam, attack! Media, lay siege! I will bring to an end all the groaning she caused.
3  At this my body is racked with pain, pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor; I am staggered by what I hear, I am bewildered by what I see.
4  My heart falters, fear makes me tremble; the twilight I longed for has become a horror to me.
5  They set the tables, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink! Get up, you officers, oil the shields!

On verses 1-10:  Scholars are quite certain that this oracle concerns Babylon (v9), which Isaiah calls the “Desert by the Sea” (v1).  However, it is less certain what exact time in history Isaiah is talking about here.  John B. Polhill in the New American Commentary on Isaiah gives a well reasoned argument for why this oracle is probably describing the defeat of Babylon’s King Merodach-baladan at the hands of Assyria in 689 B.C., at a time when the Medes (v2), the Elamites (v2) and even King Hezekiah of Judah (Isaiah 39) were all allied to Babylon.  However, other scholars think this oracle is predicting the final fall of Babylon at the hands of the Persians and Medes in 586 B.C.  Others still think this oracle is talking about Assyria defeating King Marduk-apal-iddina  of Babylon in 702 B.C.   There are even those who think that Isaiah is not referring to any one defeat of Babylon but is “telescoping” and putting together in one all the defeats that Babylon would experience.   Whichever one of Babylon’s defeats Isaiah is talking about, Isaiah is shaken by this vision of Babylon’s fall which he has seen (v4).

明亮之星的隕落

2023-02-23 in , /by

以賽亞書14:12   明亮之星，早晨之子啊，你何竟從天墜落？你這攻敗列國的，何竟被砍倒在地上？

閱讀經文：以賽亞書 14:1-27

1耶和華要憐恤雅各，必再揀選以色列，將他們安置在本地，寄居的必與他們聯合，緊貼雅各家。 2 外邦人必將他們帶回本土，以色列家必在耶和華的地上得外邦人為僕婢，也要擄掠先前擄掠他們的，轄制先前欺壓他們的。

本段中先知論及第一和第二個國家──巴比倫與亞述。先知在本章中預言以色列將歸回本土，並且要轄管先前轄制他們的巴比倫。巴比倫人要服在以色列人的手下為僕婢。

本章是一種哀歌的型式，是嘲諷詩。詩歌共分為五部份：

第一部份為14:3-8，論述到那壓迫者的國將傾倒，因此全地獲得祥和寧靜。先知以松樹和香柏木來比喻列國，它們將因巴比倫的傾倒而脫離被砍伐的命運而快樂。

第二部份為14:9-11，先知以戲劇性的手法表達出巴比倫的高傲和虛空，先知引用陰間的場景，來轉喻巴比倫由盛而敗，並且淪落到與那些被他所征服殺戮的列王一般微弱的光景。先知甚至用蟲和蛆來比喻低微與失敗的巴比倫王。（「首領」，直譯為公羊，乃群雄之首，可能是指亞述王＼「離位」並非指陰間仍有寶座，而是指他們生前的身份使他們得到相對的處境）

論巴比倫的預言(下)

2023-02-22 in , /by

以賽亞書13:19  巴比倫素來為列國的榮耀，為迦勒底人所矜誇的華美，必像神所傾覆的所多瑪、蛾摩拉一樣。

閱讀經文：以賽亞書 13:17-22

17 「我必激動瑪代人來攻擊他們，瑪代人不注重銀子，也不喜愛金子。 18 他們必用弓擊碎少年人，不憐憫婦人所生的，眼也不顧惜孩子。 19 巴比倫素來為列國的榮耀，為迦勒底人所矜誇的華美，必像神所傾覆的所多瑪、蛾摩拉一樣。 20 其內必永無人煙，世世代代無人居住。阿拉伯人也不在那裡支搭帳篷，牧羊的人也不使羊群臥在那裡。 21 只有曠野的走獸臥在那裡，咆哮的獸滿了房屋，鴕鳥住在那裡，野山羊在那裡跳舞。 22 豺狼必在她宮中呼號，野狗必在她華美殿內吼叫。巴比倫受罰的時候臨近，她的日子必不長久。」

上一篇論到神興起巴比倫，將亞述帝國傾覆。然而，當神的工具巴比倫在全地盡行毀滅之際，它也要像亞述一樣，因加害神的百姓過重而受罰（參閱10:7）。於是，神另外興起瑪代成為刑罰驕傲之巴比倫的工具（13:17），它要像所多瑪、蛾摩拉一般被毀滅（13:19），甚至不再擁有昔日的風華（13:21-22）。

關於此一傾覆巴比倫之戰役敘述，先知首先以「瑪代人不注重銀子，也不喜愛金子」一語（指巴比倫縱使向瑪代進貢金銀，乃是無法使戰爭停止的），來強調瑪代出兵的決心。先知認為瑪代不會為任何原因撤兵，因此，巴比倫將要面臨的滅國之禍乃是確定的。

Baring All For Him

2023-02-22 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 19:1-20:6.  Let’s go!
 
Isaiah 19:1-17 (NIV)
1  An oracle concerning Egypt: See, the LORD rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt within them.
2  “I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian– brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom.
3  The Egyptians will lose heart, and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists.
4  I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them,” declares the Lord, the LORD Almighty.
5  The waters of the river will dry up, and the riverbed will be parched and dry.

On verses 1-17:  Isaiah’s oracle about Egypt is not only a warning to Egypt; even more it is a warning to Isaiah’s own people of Judah not to rely on an alliance with Egypt as their hope against a larger power like Assyria.  Isaiah speaks of how Egypt will suffer from internal division (v2), fear and hopelessness (v8-10), a lack of wise leadership (v11-13) and confusion (v14).  Isaiah’s oracle is reminiscent of images in the book of Exodus many centuries before (v5-7) when the Nile stank and was no longer the water source that the Egyptians could depend on.  Rather than Judah being impressed by Egypt, Egypt will be afraid of Judah, Isaiah says in verse 17, all because of what God has in store for Egypt.

When God Prunes You?

2023-02-21 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 17:12-18:7.  Let’s go!
 
Isaiah 17:12-14 (NIV)
12  Oh, the raging of many nations– they rage like the raging sea! Oh, the uproar of the peoples– they roar like the roaring of great waters!
13  Although the peoples roar like the roar of surging waters, when he rebukes them they flee far away, driven before the wind like chaff on the hills, like tumbleweed before a gale.
14  In the evening, sudden terror! Before the morning, they are gone! This is the portion of those who loot us, the lot of those who plunder us.
 
On verses 12-14:  Isaiah has just written an oracle against Aram and Israel (v1-11).  He follows up with these verses, the message being that no matter how fierce, how powerful, how loud a nation or a group of nations may seem, there are nothing compared to the LORD.  The one we are to fear is not an alliance of nations or people but the LORD.

論巴比倫的預言(上)

2023-02-21 in , /by

以賽亞書13:9   耶和華的日子臨到，必有殘忍、憤恨、烈怒，使這地荒涼，從其中除滅罪人。

閱讀經文：以賽亞書 13:1-16

1亞摩斯的兒子以賽亞得默示論巴比倫。2 「應當在淨光的山豎立大旗，向群眾揚聲招手，使他們進入貴胄的門！ 3 我吩咐我所挑出來的人，我招呼我的勇士，就是那矜誇高傲之輩，為要成就我怒中所定的。」 4 山間有多人的聲音，好像是大國人民。有許多國的民聚集鬨嚷的聲音，這是萬軍之耶和華點齊軍隊，預備打仗。 5 他們從遠方來，從天邊來，就是耶和華並他惱恨的兵器，要毀滅這全地。

從第十三章開始，先知的信息轉而論到列國，這要到廿三章為止。每一個被述及的國家或民族，都有一個主要的論題，總計被論及的對象包含耶路撒冷共有十個。每一篇信息都強調耶和華神的統治權，並祂支配列國的事實。

第一個被述及的國家是巴比倫，因為先知要為10:5-19所記亞述的被審判作交代，指出巴比倫乃是神興起審判亞述的工具。

在論到巴比倫的預言中又分為兩部份，第一部份記在13:2-22，第二部份則是14:4b-23，兩部份均為詩歌體裁。

今天的信息是第一部份，預言巴比倫將在神的欽命下興起，但之後它必受到新霸主瑪代軍隊的傾覆。先知一開始論到巴比倫被神揀選的經過，他們是神眼中的「貴冑」（先知藉由預言神對亞述出兵，來暗示祂揀選巴比倫，使它得以擠身霸主之位）、「勇士」（先知註解此勇士乃是矜誇高傲之輩），他們被呼喚召聚做為耶和華神的軍隊。

救恩的泉源

2023-02-20 in , /by

以賽亞書12:16   所以你們必從救恩的泉源歡然取水。

閱讀經文：以賽亞書 12:1-16

1到那日，你必說：「耶和華啊，我要稱謝祢！因為祢雖然向我發怒，祢的怒氣卻已轉消，祢又安慰了我。 2 看哪！神是我的拯救，我要倚靠祂，並不懼怕。因為主耶和華是我的力量，是我的詩歌，祂也成了我的拯救。」 3 所以你們必從救恩的泉源歡然取水。 4 在那日，你們要說：「當稱謝耶和華，求告祂的名，將祂所行的傳揚在萬民中，提說祂的名已被尊崇。 5 你們要向耶和華唱歌，因祂所行的甚是美好。但願這事普傳天下！ 6 錫安的居民哪，當揚聲歡呼，因為在你們中間的以色列聖者乃為至大。」

“到那日”，那日有很多方面的意思。那日可以說是主再來的日子；那日，可以說是最後的審判大日；那日，也可以是以色列十二支派回歸，讚美感謝神的日子。在那日尚未臨到時，先知已被神感動，開始稱謝神。所以稱謝是一種靈裡的看見之反應；稱謝，不是因為現在所面臨的一切，而是進入了神的計劃，神的藍圖裡，因而與神一起為將來要完成的事而歡呼而讚美，而稱謝。

Are You a Crisis-Driven Believer?

2023-02-20 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Isaiah 17:1-11.  Let’s go!
 
Isaiah 17:1-11 (NIV)
1  An oracle concerning Damascus: “See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins.
2  The cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks, which will lie down, with no one to make them afraid.
3  The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and royal power from Damascus; the remnant of Aram will be like the glory of the Israelites,” declares the LORD Almighty.
4  “In that day the glory of Jacob will fade; the fat of his body will waste away.

On verses 1-11:  Isaiah’s next oracle is for the nation of Aram (represented by its capital city Damascus).  But as we can see starting from verse 3, really this is a message not only for Aram but also for Israel (aka “Ephraim” (v3), “Jacob” (v4)).  That is because Aram and Israel were working together as an alliance against Assyria and were putting pressure on Judah to join their alliance.  Isaiah’s message is that the glory and power of Israel and Aram will be taken away (v3-4), just like when grain is harvested (v5).  Playing still with the image of a harvest, Isaiah says that all the hard work that Aram and Israel put into planning their strategy and defense will come to nothing, just like a farmer who works so hard to plant and grow crops but is not able to harvest them (v9-11).  That is because Israel and Aram had forgotten about God and stopped trusting in Him (v9).

剩餘的歸回

2023-02-19 in , /by

以賽亞書11:16   為主餘剩的百姓，就是從亞述剩下回來的，必有一條大道，如當日以色列從埃及地上來一樣。

閱讀經文：以賽亞書 11:11-16

11 當那日，主必二次伸手救回自己百姓中所餘剩的，就是在亞述、埃及、巴忒羅、古實、以攔、示拿、哈馬並眾海島所剩下的。 12 他必向列國豎立大旗，招回以色列被趕散的人，又從地的四方聚集分散的猶大人。 13 以法蓮的嫉妒就必消散，擾害猶大的必被剪除；以法蓮必不嫉妒猶大，猶大也不擾害以法蓮。 14 他們要向西飛，撲在非利士人的肩頭上，一同擄掠東方人，伸手按住以東和摩押，亞捫人也必順服他們。 15 耶和華必使埃及海汊枯乾，掄手用暴熱的風使大河分為七條，令人過去不致濕腳。 16 為主餘剩的百姓，就是從亞述剩下回來的，必有一條大道，如當日以色列從埃及地上來一樣。

一、前言－－－以色列將由各地歸回

今天所讀的這段經文特別告訴我們，以色列就像主耶穌所說，它像無花果樹，並要發嫩長葉；所以在1948年他們終於復國了，而且也回到他們的家鄉；這個無花果樹一面指著以色列國，同時也指著以色列地；那塊地乃是　神所賜給他們的迦南美地；因著這個緣故，一面來講是政治的歸回，二是實質的回到家鄉。所以從1948年以後，果然就像聖經所預言的，他們陸陸續續的回到迦南地。