以賽亞書14:24-32

14:24 萬軍之耶和華起誓說：我怎樣思想，必照樣成就；我怎樣定意，必照樣成立，
14:25 就是在我地上打折亞述人，在我山上將他踐踏。他加的軛必離開以色列人；他加的重擔必離開他們的肩頭。
14:26 這是向全地所定的旨意；這是向萬國所伸出的手。
14:27 萬軍之耶和華既然定意，誰能廢棄呢？他的手已經伸出，誰能轉回呢？
14:28 亞哈斯王崩的那年，就有以下的默示：
14:29 非利士全地啊，不要因擊打你的杖折斷就喜樂。因為從蛇的根必生出毒蛇；牠所生的是火焰的飛龍。
14:30 貧寒人的長子必有所食；窮乏人必安然躺臥。我必以饑荒治死你的根；你所餘剩的人必被殺戮。
14:31 門哪，應當哀號！城啊，應當呼喊！非利士全地啊，你都消化了！因為有煙從北方出來，他行伍中並無亂隊的。
14:32 可怎樣回答外邦（或指非利士）的使者呢？必說：耶和華建立了錫安；他百姓中的困苦人必投奔在其中。

The Lord of hosts has sworn:

As I have designed,

so shall it be;

and as I have planned,

so shall it come to pass:

25

I will break the Assyrian in my land,

and on my mountains trample him under foot;

his yoke shall be removed from them,

and his burden from their shoulders.

26

This is the plan that is planned

concerning the whole earth;

and this is the hand that is stretched out

over all the nations.

27

For the Lord of hosts has planned,

and who will annul it?

His hand is stretched out,

and who will turn it back?

In the year that King Ahaz died this oracle came:

29

Do not rejoice, all you Philistines,

that the rod that struck you is broken,

for from the root of the snake will come forth an adder,

and its fruit will be a flying fiery serpent.

30

The firstborn of the poor will graze,

and the needy lie down in safety;

but I will make your root die of famine,

and your remnant I will kill.

31

Wail, O gate; cry, O city;

melt in fear, O Philistia, all of you!

For smoke comes out of the north,

and there is no straggler in its ranks.

32

What will one answer the messengers of the nation?

“The Lord has founded Zion,

and the needy among his people

will find refuge in her.”

**************

    先知以賽亞預言非利士人的下場，使人看見非利士人必定敗亡。因為，上帝要興起強大的軍事帝國，不管是亞述還是巴比倫，都是有強大的軍事力量，而且是使許多小國家滅亡。而上帝這樣做，要凸顯他特別愛以色列和猶大，讓他們有復興的機會。

    我們既然知道上帝有這樣的特質，我們就要順應上帝的呼召，讓自己常常在上帝的憐憫當中，正如猶大書20-21節所說：「親愛的弟兄啊，你們卻要在至聖的真道上造就自己，在聖靈裡禱告，保守自己常在上帝的愛中，仰望我們主耶穌基督的憐憫，直到永生。」

    因此，我們與上帝的關係是建立在上帝的保守，使自己得恩惠蒙憐恤，不是藉由我們服事努力賺來的，乃是要透過耶穌基督自己本身的拯救！

以賽亞書14章

    以賽亞書14:1-23   ,

    以賽亞書14:24-32  , 以賽亞書14:27  ,

以賽亞書14:1-23

14:1 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。
14:2 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。
14:3 當耶和華使你脫離愁苦、煩惱，並人勉強你做的苦工，得享安息的日子，
14:4 你必題這詩歌論巴比倫王說：欺壓人的何竟息滅？強暴的何竟止息？
14:5 耶和華折斷了惡人的杖，轄制人的圭，
14:6 就是在忿怒中連連攻擊眾民的，在怒氣中轄制列國，行逼迫無人阻止的。
14:7 現在全地得安息，享平靜；人皆發聲歡呼。
14:8 松樹和黎巴嫩的香柏樹都因你歡樂，說：自從你仆倒，再無人上來砍伐我們。
14:9 你下到陰間，陰間就因你震動來迎接你，又因你驚動在世曾為首領的陰魂，並使那曾為列國君王的，都離位站起。
14:10 他們都要發言對你說：你也變為軟弱像我們一樣嗎？你也成了我們的樣子嗎？
14:11 你的威勢和你琴瑟的聲音都下到陰間。你下鋪的是蟲，上蓋的是蛆。
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？
14:13 你心裡曾說：我要升到天上；我要高舉我的寶座在上帝眾星以上；我要坐在聚會的山上，在北方的極處。
14:14 我要升到高雲之上；我要與至上者同等。
14:15 然而，你必墜落陰間，到坑中極深之處。
14:16 凡看見你的都要定睛看你，留意看你，說：使大地戰抖，使列國震動，
14:17 使世界如同荒野，使城邑傾覆，不釋放被擄的人歸家，是這個人嗎？
14:18 列國的君王俱各在自己陰宅的榮耀中安睡。
14:19 惟獨你被拋棄，不得入你的墳墓，好像可憎的枝子，以被殺的人為衣，就是被刀刺透，墜落坑中石頭那裡的；你又像被踐踏的屍首一樣。
14:20 你不得與君王同葬；因為你敗壞你的國，殺戮你的民。惡人後裔的名，必永不提說。
14:21 先人既有罪孽，就要預備殺戮他的子孫，免得他們興起來，得了遍地，在世上修滿城邑。
14:22 萬軍之耶和華說：我必興起攻擊他們，將巴比倫的名號和所餘剩的人，連子帶孫一併剪除。這是耶和華說的。
14:23 我必使巴比倫為箭豬所得，又變為水池；我要用滅亡的掃帚掃淨它。這是萬軍之耶和華說的。

But the Lord will have compassion on Jacob and will again choose Israel, and will set them in their own land; and aliens will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob. ²And the nations will take them and bring them to their place, and the house of Israel will possess the nations as male and female slaves in the Lord’s land; they will take captive those who were their captors, and rule over those who oppressed them.

³ When the Lord has given you rest from your pain and turmoil and the hard service with which you were made to serve, ⁴you will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon:

How the oppressor has ceased!

How his insolence has ceased!

5

The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,

the scepter of rulers,

6

that struck down the peoples in wrath

with unceasing blows,

that ruled the nations in anger

with unrelenting persecution.

7

The whole earth is at rest and quiet;

they break forth into singing.

8

The cypresses exult over you,

the cedars of Lebanon, saying,

“Since you were laid low,

no one comes to cut us down.”

9

Sheol beneath is stirred up

to meet you when you come;

it rouses the shades to greet you,

all who were leaders of the earth;

it raises from their thrones

all who were kings of the nations.

10

All of them will speak

and say to you:

“You too have become as weak as we!

You have become like us!”

11

Your pomp is brought down to Sheol,

and the sound of your harps;

maggots are the bed beneath you,

and worms are your covering.

12

How you are fallen from heaven,

O Day Star, son of Dawn!

How you are cut down to the ground,

you who laid the nations low!

13

You said in your heart,

“I will ascend to heaven;

I will raise my throne

above the stars of God;

I will sit on the mount of assembly

on the heights of Zaphon;

14

I will ascend to the tops of the clouds,

I will make myself like the Most High.”

15

But you are brought down to Sheol,

to the depths of the Pit.

16

Those who see you will stare at you,

and ponder over you:

“Is this the man who made the earth tremble,

who shook kingdoms,

17

who made the world like a desert

and overthrew its cities,

who would not let his prisoners go home?”

18

All the kings of the nations lie in glory,

each in his own tomb;

19

but you are cast out, away from your grave,

like loathsome carrion,

clothed with the dead, those pierced by the sword,

who go down to the stones of the Pit,

like a corpse trampled underfoot.

20

You will not be joined with them in burial,

because you have destroyed your land,

you have killed your people.

May the descendants of evildoers

nevermore be named!

21

Prepare slaughter for his sons

because of the guilt of their father.

Let them never rise to possess the earth

or cover the face of the world with cities.

²² I will rise up against them, says the Lord of hosts, and will cut off from Babylon name and remnant, offspring and posterity, says the Lord. ²³And I will make it a possession of the hedgehog, and pools of water, and I will sweep it with the broom of destruction, says the Lord of hosts.

**************

    先知以賽亞不僅對亞述的敗亡下預言，也對巴比倫的敗亡下預言。而這些預言的目的是要以色列人和猶大人，對將來的復興存著盼望，使他們感受到上帝的慈愛永不改變，雖然眼前敵人非常強大，看不到任何希望。

    在我們的人生中，常常被眼前的事物遮蔽，以致於讓我們沒有看見上帝豐盛的預備，和祂將來要賜給我們的各樣福分，使得我們失去了向前行的力量，整個人灰心喪志，不知如何是好！

    也因為如此，我們不可以不提醒自己：上帝的慈愛永遠長存，祂飽受我們到底，祂為我們預備了永生之福呢！不要害怕眼前，要相信永遠的勝利，是屬於上帝和祂的子民！

以賽亞書13:6-22

13:6 你們要哀號，因為耶和華的日子臨近了！這日來到，好像毀滅從全能者來到。
13:7 所以，人手都必軟弱；人心都必消化。
13:8 他們必驚惶悲痛；愁苦必將他們抓住。他們疼痛，好像產難的婦人一樣，彼此驚奇相看，臉如火焰。
13:9 耶和華的日子臨到，必有殘忍、忿恨、烈怒，使這地荒涼，從其中除滅罪人。
13:10 天上的眾星群宿都不發光；日頭一出就變黑暗；月亮也不放光。
13:11 我必因邪惡刑罰世界，因罪孽刑罰惡人，使驕傲人的狂妄止息，制伏強暴人的狂傲。
13:12 我必使人比精金還少，使人比俄斐純金更少。
13:13 我─萬軍之耶和華在忿恨中發烈怒的日子，必使天震動，使地搖撼，離其本位。
13:14 人必像被追趕的鹿，像無人收聚的羊，各歸回本族，各逃到本土。
13:15 凡被仇敵追上的必被刺死；凡被捉住的必被刀殺。
13:16 他們的嬰孩必在他們眼前摔碎；他們的房屋必被搶奪；他們的妻子必被玷污。
13:17 我必激動米底亞人來攻擊他們。米底亞人不注重銀子，也不喜愛金子。
13:18 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。
13:19 巴比倫素來為列國的榮耀，為迦勒底人所矜誇的華美，必像上帝所傾覆的所多瑪、蛾摩拉一樣。
13:20 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棚；牧羊的人也不使羊群臥在那裡。
13:21 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。
13:22 豺狼必在它宮中呼號；野狗必在它華美殿內吼叫。巴比倫受罰的時候臨近；它的日子必不長久。

Wail, for the day of the Lord is near;

it will come like destruction from the Almighty!

7

Therefore all hands will be feeble,

and every human heart will melt,

8

and they will be dismayed.

Pangs and agony will seize them;

they will be in anguish like a woman in labor.

They will look aghast at one another;

their faces will be aflame.

9

See, the day of the Lord comes,

cruel, with wrath and fierce anger,

to make the earth a desolation,

and to destroy its sinners from it.

10

For the stars of the heavens and their constellations

will not give their light;

the sun will be dark at its rising,

and the moon will not shed its light.

11

I will punish the world for its evil,

and the wicked for their iniquity;

I will put an end to the pride of the arrogant,

and lay low the insolence of tyrants.

12

I will make mortals more rare than fine gold,

and humans than the gold of Ophir.

13

Therefore I will make the heavens tremble,

and the earth will be shaken out of its place,

at the wrath of the Lord of hosts

in the day of his fierce anger.

14

Like a hunted gazelle,

or like sheep with no one to gather them,

all will turn to their own people,

and all will flee to their own lands.

15

Whoever is found will be thrust through,

and whoever is caught will fall by the sword.

16

Their infants will be dashed to pieces

before their eyes;

their houses will be plundered,

and their wives ravished.

17

See, I am stirring up the Medes against them,

who have no regard for silver

and do not delight in gold.

18

Their bows will slaughter the young men;

they will have no mercy on the fruit of the womb;

their eyes will not pity children.

19

And Babylon, the glory of kingdoms,

the splendor and pride of the Chaldeans,

will be like Sodom and Gomorrah

when God overthrew them.

20

It will never be inhabited

or lived in for all generations;

Arabs will not pitch their tents there,

shepherds will not make their flocks lie down there.

21

But wild animals will lie down there,

and its houses will be full of howling creatures;

there ostriches will live,

and there goat-demons will dance.

22

Hyenas will cry in its towers,

and jackals in the pleasant palaces;

its time is close at hand,

and its days will not be prolonged.

**********

    巴比倫興起之後，也會走向敗亡之路。這是一切國家的走向，就連中國也是經過好幾個朝代，其實也是興起與敗亡。國家和政權的替換，讓我們看見人所建立的國度都是短暫的，唯有上帝是永恆的！

    從歷史的演替，讓我們再一次體認到，人是敵不過上帝的，人只能依附或倚靠上帝，將短暫有限的生命交託在上帝的手中，讓上帝的救贖臨到，才有辦法化短暫為永恆，使生命不再受時間和空間的限制，並且享受耶穌基督所賜得永生之福。

    我們相信，上帝在耶穌基督裡的應許都是會成就的，也因為這樣，我們今天被上帝揀選並安置在基督裡，就要存著感謝的心來在基督裡尊上帝為大，要不是上帝預備救恩，我們就無法得拯救，我們豈能說是這個救恩是上帝和我合作完成的呢！反到要將榮耀歸給上帝說：唯獨上帝的恩典，我們才可以得救！

以賽亞書13章

     以賽亞書13:1-5  ,  以賽亞書13:6-22  ,