以賽亞書41:1-20

41:1 眾海島啊，當在我面前靜默；眾民當重新得力，都要近前來才可以說話，我們可以彼此辯論。
41:2 誰從東方興起一人，憑公義召他來到腳前呢？耶和華將列國交給他，使他管轄君王，把他們如灰塵交與他的刀，如風吹的碎秸交與他的弓。
41:3 他追趕他們，走他所未走的道，坦然前行。
41:4 誰行做成就這事，從起初宣召歷代呢？就是我─耶和華！我是首先的，也與末後的同在。
41:5 海島看見就都害怕；地極也都戰兢，就近前來。
41:6 他們各人幫助鄰舍，各人對弟兄說：壯膽吧！
41:7 木匠勉勵銀匠，用鎚打光的勉勵打砧的，論銲工說，銲得好；又用釘子釘穩，免得偶像動搖。
41:8 惟你以色列─我的僕人，雅各─我所揀選的，我朋友亞伯拉罕的後裔，
41:9 你是我從地極所領（原文是抓）來的，從地角所召來的，且對你說：你是我的僕人；我揀選你，並不棄絕你。
41:10 你不要害怕，因為我與你同在；不要驚惶，因為我是你的上帝。我必堅固你，我必幫助你；我必用我公義的右手扶持你。
41:11 凡向你發怒的必都抱愧蒙羞；與你相爭的必如無有，並要滅亡。
41:12 與你爭競的，你要找他們也找不著；與你爭戰的必如無有，成為虛無。
41:13 因為我耶和華─你的上帝必攙扶你的右手，對你說：不要害怕！我必幫助你。
41:14 你這蟲雅各和你們以色列人，不要害怕！耶和華說：我必幫助你。你的救贖主就是以色列的聖者。
41:15 看哪，我已使你成為有快齒打糧的新器具；你要把山嶺打得粉碎，使岡陵如同糠秕。
41:16 你要把它簸揚，風要吹去；旋風要把它颳散。你倒要以耶和華為喜樂，以以色列的聖者為誇耀。
41:17 困苦窮乏人尋求水卻沒有；他們因口渴，舌頭乾燥。我─耶和華必應允他們；我─以色列的上帝必不離棄他們。
41:18 我要在淨光的高處開江河，在谷中開泉源；我要使沙漠變為水池，使乾地變為湧泉。
41:19 我要在曠野種上香柏樹、皂莢樹、番石榴樹，和野橄欖樹。我在沙漠要把松樹、杉樹，並黃楊樹一同栽植；
41:20 好叫人看見、知道、思想、明白；這是耶和華的手所做的，是以色列的聖者所造的。

Listen to me in silence, O coastlands;

let the peoples renew their strength;

let them approach, then let them speak;

let us together draw near for judgment.

2

Who has roused a victor from the east,

summoned him to his service?

He delivers up nations to him,

and tramples kings under foot;

he makes them like dust with his sword,

like driven stubble with his bow.

3

He pursues them and passes on safely,

scarcely touching the path with his feet.

4

Who has performed and done this,

calling the generations from the beginning?

I, the Lord, am first,

and will be with the last.

5

The coastlands have seen and are afraid,

the ends of the earth tremble;

they have drawn near and come.

6

Each one helps the other,

saying to one another, “Take courage!”

7

The artisan encourages the goldsmith,

and the one who smooths with the hammer encourages the one who strikes the anvil,

saying of the soldering, “It is good”;

and they fasten it with nails so that it cannot be moved.

8

But you, Israel, my servant,

Jacob, whom I have chosen,

the offspring of Abraham, my friend;

9

you whom I took from the ends of the earth,

and called from its farthest corners,

saying to you, “You are my servant,

I have chosen you and not cast you off”;

10

do not fear, for I am with you,

do not be afraid, for I am your God;

I will strengthen you, I will help you,

I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.

11

Yes, all who are incensed against you

shall be ashamed and disgraced;

those who strive against you

shall be as nothing and shall perish.

12

You shall seek those who contend with you,

but you shall not find them;

those who war against you

shall be as nothing at all.

13

For I, the Lord your God,

hold your right hand;

it is I who say to you, “Do not fear,

I will help you.”

14

Do not fear, you worm Jacob,

you insect Israel!

I will help you, says the Lord;

your Redeemer is the Holy One of Israel.

15

Now, I will make of you a threshing sledge,

sharp, new, and having teeth;

you shall thresh the mountains and crush them,

and you shall make the hills like chaff.

16

You shall winnow them and the wind shall carry them away,

and the tempest shall scatter them.

Then you shall rejoice in the Lord;

in the Holy One of Israel you shall glory.

17

When the poor and needy seek water,

and there is none,

and their tongue is parched with thirst,

I the Lord will answer them,

I the God of Israel will not forsake them.

18

I will open rivers on the bare heights,

and fountains in the midst of the valleys;

I will make the wilderness a pool of water,

and the dry land springs of water.

19

I will put in the wilderness the cedar,

the acacia, the myrtle, and the olive;

I will set in the desert the cypress,

the plane and the pine together,

20

so that all may see and know,

all may consider and understand,

that the hand of the Lord has done this,

the Holy One of Israel has created it.

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    上帝與人的關係是：救贖者、幫助者、供應者、支持者、…！

    所以人和上帝是脫離不了關係的！但人卻是悖逆上帝與拒絕上帝，以至於人和上帝的關係斷絕的，也因此人就陷入極其危險的處境，就是沒有救贖者、幫助者、供應者、支持者、…！

    然而人與上帝的關係如何恢復呢？當然是透過耶穌基督，這是上帝在萬世以前預備，今日要成就在我們身上的！讓我們一生叫託給上帝，成為上帝與人和好的使者！