2017年11月6日 星期一

以賽亞書40:3-5



40:3 有人聲喊著說:在曠野預備耶和華的路(或譯:在曠野,有人聲喊著說:當預備耶和華的路),在沙漠地修平我們上帝的道。
40:4
一切山窪都要填滿,大小山岡都要削平;高高低低的要改為平坦,崎崎嶇嶇的必成為平原。
40:5
耶和華的榮耀必然顯現;凡有血氣的必一同看見;因為這是耶和華親口說的。

3
A voice cries out:
“In the wilderness prepare the way of the Lord,
make straight in the desert a highway for our God.
4
Every valley shall be lifted up,
and every mountain and hill be made low;
the uneven ground shall become level,
and the rough places a plain.
5
Then the glory of the Lord shall be revealed,
and all people shall see it together,
for the mouth of the Lord has spoken.”

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

    上帝的使者是要榮耀上帝,所以謙卑地在曠野中發聲,讓人歸回上帝面前,也就是召人悔改,使人離開罪惡歸向上帝。也因此,上帝的使者不可以搶奪上帝的榮耀,不可以成為人歸向上帝的阻礙。

    也因為這樣,所以要將一切高舉人的作為除去,正如先知所說的,『大小山岡都要削平』。不僅如此,一切貶抑人和看輕人的事也要掃除,使人可以彰顯上帝的榮耀,正如先知所說的,『一切山窪都要填滿』。

    所以,上帝的使者是高高低低的要改為平坦,崎崎嶇嶇的必成為平原。到那時候,耶和華的榮耀必然顯現;凡有血氣的必一同看見;因為這是耶和華親口說的。

    上帝的國必定實現,上帝的榮耀必定張顯出來,我們要在那時一同享受基督的榮光和國度,並將榮耀歸給上帝!

以賽亞書40:1-2



40:1 你們的上帝說:你們要安慰,安慰我的百姓。
40:2
要對耶路撒冷說安慰的話,又向她宣告說,她爭戰的日子已滿了;她的罪孽赦免了;她為自己的一切罪,從耶和華手中加倍受罰。

Comfort, O comfort my people,
says your God.
2
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
and cry to her
that she has served her term,
that her penalty is paid,
that she has received from the Lord’s hand
double for all her sins.

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

    上帝心疼耶路撒冷現在受亞述的欺壓,將來又要受到巴比倫的蹂躪,所以要先知向耶路撒冷說安慰的話!我們感受到上帝對祂子民的愛,再次顯現出祂是守約施慈愛的上帝!

    我們感受到上帝雖然恨惡罪惡,但是祂更是心疼祂所愛的子民陷入罪中無法拒絕。所以,發出安慰之聲!然而上帝不僅發出安慰之聲,祂更是有救贖的計畫,也就是透過耶穌基督,使我們屬祂的人,最終蒙祂的救贖,完全脫離罪惡之綑綁,得完全自由!

    求主保守我們,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。

2017年11月5日 星期日

以賽亞書39章

       以賽亞書39:1-8   ,

以賽亞書39:1-8



39:1 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。
39:2
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。
39:3
於是先知以賽亞來見希西家王,問他說:「這些人說甚麼?他們從哪裡來見你?」希西家說:「他們從遠方的巴比倫來見我。」
39:4
以賽亞說:「他們在你家裡看見了甚麼?」希西家說:「凡我家中所有的,他們都看見了;我財寶中沒有一樣不給他們看的。」
39:5
以賽亞對希西家說:「你要聽萬軍之耶和華的話:
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。
39:7
並且從你本身所生的眾子,其中必有被擄去、在巴比倫王宮裡當太監的。」
39:8
希西家對以賽亞說:「你所說耶和華的話甚好,因為在我的年日中必有太平和穩固的景況。」

At that time King Merodach-baladan son of Baladan of Babylon sent envoys with letters and a present to Hezekiah, for he heard that he had been sick and had recovered. 2Hezekiah welcomed them; he showed them his treasure house, the silver, the gold, the spices, the precious oil, his whole armory, all that was found in his storehouses. There was nothing in his house or in all his realm that Hezekiah did not show them. 3Then the prophet Isaiah came to King Hezekiah and said to him, “What did these men say? From where did they come to you?” Hezekiah answered, “They have come to me from a far country, from Babylon.” 4He said, “What have they seen in your house?” Hezekiah answered, “They have seen all that is in my house; there is nothing in my storehouses that I did not show them.”
5 Then Isaiah said to Hezekiah, “Hear the word of the Lord of hosts: 6Days are coming when all that is in your house, and that which your ancestors have stored up until this day, shall be carried to Babylon; nothing shall be left, says the Lord. 7Some of your own sons who are born to you shall be taken away; they shall be eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon.” 8Then Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “The word of the Lord that you have spoken is good.” For he thought, “There will be peace and security in my days.”

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

    在這裡看見先知的敏感度遇君王得遲鈍,因為先知把將來的事對王說,希西家對以賽亞說:「你所說耶和華的話甚好,因為在我的年日中必有太平和穩固的景況。」

    從這樣的對話中,也讓我們當牧者的人,有很好的提醒,因為我們在教會中,也有先知的角色,是教會的守望者,要比教會的長執更早察覺教會和大環境的變遷,趕快防範未然,不要使教會受害。

    當然,這些事情要靠上帝的靈來傳遞,使長執也有同樣的感受,使她們能配合牧者來行,保守上帝家中的群羊,不虧負主的託付!

以賽亞書38:9-22



38:9 猶大王希西家患病已經痊癒,就作詩說:
38:10
我說:正在我中年(或譯:晌午)之日必進入陰間的門;我餘剩的年歲不得享受。
38:11
我說:我必不得見耶和華,就是在活人之地不見耶和華;我與世上的居民不再見面。
38:12
我的住處被遷去離開我,好像牧人的帳棚一樣;我將性命捲起,像織布的捲布一樣。耶和華必將我從機頭剪斷,從早到晚,他要使我完結。
38:13
我使自己安靜直到天亮;他像獅子折斷我一切的骨頭,從早到晚,他要使我完結。
38:14
我像燕子呢喃,像白鶴鳴叫,又像鴿子哀鳴;我因仰觀,眼睛困倦。耶和華啊,我受欺壓,求你為我作保。
38:15
我可說甚麼呢?他應許我的,也給我成就了。我因心裡的苦楚,在一生的年日必悄悄而行。
38:16
主啊,人得存活乃在乎此。我靈存活也全在此。所以求你使我痊癒,仍然存活。
38:17
看哪,我受大苦,本為使我得平安;你因愛我的靈魂(或譯:生命)便救我脫離敗壞的坑,因為你將我一切的罪扔在你的背後。
38:18
原來,陰間不能稱謝你,死亡不能頌揚你;下坑的人不能盼望你的誠實。
38:19
只有活人,活人必稱謝你,像我今日稱謝你一樣。為父的,必使兒女知道你的誠實。
38:20
耶和華肯救我,所以,我們要一生一世在耶和華殿中用絲弦的樂器唱我的詩歌。
38:21
以賽亞說:「當取一塊無花果餅來,貼在瘡上,王必痊癒。」
38:22
希西家問說:「我能上耶和華的殿,有甚麼兆頭呢?」

9 A writing of King Hezekiah of Judah, after he had been sick and had recovered from his sickness:
10
I said: In the noontide of my days
I must depart;
I am consigned to the gates of Sheol
for the rest of my years.
11
I said, I shall not see the Lord
in the land of the living;
I shall look upon mortals no more
among the inhabitants of the world.
12
My dwelling is plucked up and removed from me
like a shepherd’s tent;
like a weaver I have rolled up my life;
he cuts me off from the loom;
from day to night you bring me to an end;
13
I cry for help until morning;
like a lion he breaks all my bones;
from day to night you bring me to an end.
 
14
Like a swallow or a crane I clamor,
I moan like a dove.
My eyes are weary with looking upward.
O Lord, I am oppressed; be my security!
15
But what can I say? For he has spoken to me,
and he himself has done it.
All my sleep has fled
because of the bitterness of my soul.

16
O Lord, by these things people live,
and in all these is the life of my spirit.
Oh, restore me to health and make me live!
17
Surely it was for my welfare
that I had great bitterness;
but you have held back my life
from the pit of destruction,
for you have cast all my sins
behind your back.
18
For Sheol cannot thank you,
death cannot praise you;
those who go down to the Pit cannot hope
for your faithfulness.
19
The living, the living, they thank you,
as I do this day;
fathers make known to children
your faithfulness.

20
The Lord will save me,
and we will sing to stringed instruments
all the days of our lives,
at the house of the Lord.

21 Now Isaiah had said, “Let them take a lump of figs, and apply it to the boil, so that he may recover.” 22Hezekiah also had said, “What is the sign that I shall go up to the house of the Lord?”

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

    猶大王希西家有遺傳到他的祖先大衛的特質,敬畏上帝又會做詩歌。患病已經痊癒就作詩,來讚美上帝並紀念上帝的拯救。

    從他的詩句當中,我們體會到他的病可能是十分嚴重,導致他本來已經失去活命的盼望,不再相信上帝會醫治他的病。然而上帝竟然醫治了,這是讓他有復活的感受,於是讚美上帝!

    其實,成為基督徒,我們也會經歷到這樣的復活經驗,正如有句名言所說:「山窮水盡疑無路,柳暗花明又一村!」

    是的,上帝會為我們開前面的道路,只要我們仰望祂,正如箴言所說:「你要專心仰賴耶和華,不可倚靠自己的聰明,在你一切所行的事上都要認定他,他必指引你的路。(3:5-6)

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