以賽亞書1:21-31

1:21 可歎，忠信的城變為妓女！從前充滿了公平，公義居在其中，現今卻有兇手居住。
1:22 你的銀子變為渣滓；你的酒用水攙對。
1:23 你的官長居心悖逆，與盜賊作伴，各都喜愛賄賂，追求贓私。他們不為孤兒伸冤；寡婦的案件也不得呈到他們面前。
1:24 因此，主─萬軍之耶和華、以色列的大能者說：哎！我要向我的對頭雪恨，向我的敵人報仇。
1:25 我必反手加在你身上，煉盡你的渣滓，除淨你的雜質。
1:26 我也必復還你的審判官，像起初一樣，復還你的謀士，像起先一般。然後，你必稱為公義之城，忠信之邑。
1:27 錫安必因公平得蒙救贖；其中歸正的人必因公義得蒙救贖。
1:28 但悖逆的和犯罪的必一同敗亡；離棄耶和華的必致消滅。
1:29 那等人必因你們所喜愛的橡樹抱愧；你們必因所選擇的園子蒙羞。
1:30 因為，你們必如葉子枯乾的橡樹，好像無水澆灌的園子。
1:31 有權勢的必如麻瓤；他的工作好像火星，都要一同焚毀，無人撲滅。

21

How the faithful city

has become a whore!

She that was full of justice,

righteousness lodged in her—

but now murderers!

22

Your silver has become dross,

your wine is mixed with water.

23

Your princes are rebels

and companions of thieves.

Everyone loves a bribe

and runs after gifts.

They do not defend the orphan,

and the widow’s cause does not come before them.

24

Therefore says the Sovereign, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel:

Ah, I will pour out my wrath on my enemies,

and avenge myself on my foes!

25

I will turn my hand against you;

I will smelt away your dross as with lye

and remove all your alloy.

26

And I will restore your judges as at the first,

and your counselors as at the beginning.

Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness,

the faithful city.

27

Zion shall be redeemed by justice,

and those in her who repent, by righteousness.

28

But rebels and sinners shall be destroyed together,

and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.

29

For you shall be ashamed of the oaks

in which you delighted;

and you shall blush for the gardens

that you have chosen.

30

For you shall be like an oak

whose leaf withers,

and like a garden without water.

31

The strong shall become like tinder,

and their work like a spark;

they and their work shall burn together,

with no one to quench them.

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

    上帝的拯救是讓公義重新回到祂的百姓中間，而這樣的作為是來自於人的生命被上帝改變。然而上帝拯救人的方法，是透過耶穌基督的代贖，以及聖靈將這樣的救恩應用到人的身上來。

    也因此我們得救一開始雖然是被稱為義，還沒有達到完全的地步。但是，上帝的恩典讓我們在基督裡，受到聖靈的陶造，就越來越達到完美的境地，越來越有基督的榮美。當然，我們在世上的日子並不會達到完美的境地，只有在上帝的國完全實現時，我們才可以像基督醫樣完全。

    說到這裡，我們知道，生命的更新是要靠上帝的恩典，不是人的努力；一切都是上帝的保守，不是人的持守，因為救恩是從上帝來的，是上帝主動的作為，人是被動的接受與順服。

以賽亞書1:18-20

1:18 耶和華說：你們來，我們彼此辯論。你們的罪雖像硃紅，必變成雪白；雖紅如丹顏，必白如羊毛。

1:19 你們若甘心聽從，必吃地上的美物，

1:20 若不聽從，反倒悖逆，必被刀劍吞滅。這是耶和華親口說的。

18

“Come now, let us settle the matter,”

    says the Lord.

“Though your sins are like scarlet,

    they shall be as white as snow;

though they are red as crimson,

    they shall be like wool.

19

If you are willing and obedient,

    you will eat the good things of the land;

20

but if you resist and rebel,

    you will be devoured by the sword.”

For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.

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

    上帝在此宣告的話，在以賽亞的時代可能很難明白，但是在今日我們領受了主的恩典，就明白這段話的意義。因為我們原本是罪惡深重的，但是透過耶穌基督我們的眾罪都潔淨了！

    耶穌基督已在十字架上承擔了我們的罪債，祂的寶血更是有捷徑我們天良的功能，使我們因著這寶血的遮蓋，就被上帝算為義了，這就是「稱義」的意義。我們雖然尚未完全成義，但是我們已經站在義的地位了。

    也因為如此，我們要常常在主的面前謙卑認罪，求主寶血洗淨，也在這樣一次一次的認罪之中，感受到上帝的恩典與慈愛，讓我們信靠的心，也就越來越堅定了！

以賽亞書1:11-17

1:11 耶和華說：你們所獻的許多祭物與我何益呢？公綿羊的燔祭和肥畜的脂油，我已經夠了；公牛的血，羊羔的血，公山羊的血，我都不喜悅。
1:12 你們來朝見我，誰向你們討這些，使你們踐踏我的院宇呢？
1:13 你們不要再獻虛浮的供物。香品是我所憎惡的；月朔和安息日，並宣召的大會，也是我所憎惡的；作罪孽，又守嚴肅會，我也不能容忍。
1:14 你們的月朔和節期，我心裡恨惡，我都以為麻煩；我擔當，便不耐煩。
1:15 你們舉手禱告，我必遮眼不看；就是你們多多地祈禱，我也不聽。你們的手都滿了殺人的血。
1:16 你們要洗濯、自潔，從我眼前除掉你們的惡行，要止住作惡，
1:17 學習行善，尋求公平，解救受欺壓的；給孤兒伸冤，為寡婦辨屈。

What to me is the multitude of your sacrifices?

says the Lord;

I have had enough of burnt offerings of rams

and the fat of fed beasts;

I do not delight in the blood of bulls,

or of lambs, or of goats.

12

When you come to appear before me,

who asked this from your hand?

Trample my courts no more;

13

bringing offerings is futile;

incense is an abomination to me.

New moon and sabbath and calling of convocation—

I cannot endure solemn assemblies with iniquity.

14

Your new moons and your appointed festivals

my soul hates;

they have become a burden to me,

I am weary of bearing them.

15

When you stretch out your hands,

I will hide my eyes from you;

even though you make many prayers,

I will not listen;

your hands are full of blood.

16

Wash yourselves; make yourselves clean;

remove the evil of your doings

from before my eyes;

cease to do evil,

17

learn to do good;

seek justice,

rescue the oppressed,

defend the orphan,

plead for the widow.

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

    對上帝的敬虔不是在宗教儀式，而是在日常的行為和行事為人，正如先知在這裡所說的：「你們要洗濯、自潔，從我眼前除掉你們的惡行，要止住作惡，學習行善，尋求公平，解救受欺壓的；給孤兒伸冤，為寡婦辨屈。」

    也因此先知在這裡指示給猶大百姓，對上帝的敬虔是要遵行上帝的命令，離棄罪惡歸向上帝，學習行善，尋求公平，解救受欺壓的；給孤兒伸冤，為寡婦辨屈。可見當時的猶太社會沉浸在虛假的敬拜，卻不行上帝在石界上的要求。

    今天教會要復興，不是在於敬拜是如何，而是在於基督徒的心是否願意歸向上帝，離棄罪惡來行公義，遵守上帝的命令呢！就向以色列人出埃及，上帝給她們的記號，就是遵守上帝所頒布的律法！

以賽亞書1:2-10

1:2 天哪，要聽！地啊，側耳而聽！因為耶和華說：我養育兒女，將他們養大，他們竟悖逆我。
1:3 牛認識主人，驢認識主人的槽，以色列卻不認識；我的民卻不留意。
1:4 嗐！犯罪的國民，擔著罪孽的百姓；行惡的種類，敗壞的兒女！他們離棄耶和華，藐視以色列的聖者，與他生疏，往後退步。
1:5 你們為甚麼屢次悖逆，還要受責打嗎？你們已經滿頭疼痛，全心發昏。
1:6 從腳掌到頭頂，沒有一處完全的，盡是傷口、青腫，與新打的傷痕，都沒有收口，沒有纏裹，也沒有用膏滋潤。
1:7 你們的地土已經荒涼；你們的城邑被火焚毀。你們的田地在你們眼前為外邦人所侵吞，既被外邦人傾覆就成為荒涼。
1:8 僅存錫安城（原文是女子），好像葡萄園的草棚，瓜田的茅屋，被圍困的城邑。
1:9 若不是萬軍之耶和華給我們稍留餘種，我們早已像所多瑪、蛾摩拉的樣子了。
1:10 你們這所多瑪的官長啊，要聽耶和華的話！你們這蛾摩拉的百姓啊，要側耳聽我們上帝的訓誨！

Hear, O heavens, and listen, O earth;

for the Lord has spoken:

I reared children and brought them up,

but they have rebelled against me.

The ox knows its owner,

and the donkey its master’s crib;

but Israel does not know,

my people do not understand.

Ah, sinful nation,

people laden with iniquity,

offspring who do evil,

children who deal corruptly,

who have forsaken the Lord,

who have despised the Holy One of Israel,

who are utterly estranged!

 Why do you seek further beatings?

Why do you continue to rebel?

The whole head is sick,

and the whole heart faint.

From the sole of the foot even to the head,

there is no soundness in it,

but bruises and sores

and bleeding wounds;

they have not been drained, or bound up,

or softened with oil.

 Your country lies desolate,

your cities are burned with fire;

in your very presence

aliens devour your land;

it is desolate, as overthrown by foreigners.

And daughter Zion is left

like a booth in a vineyard,

like a shelter in a cucumber field,

like a besieged city.

If the Lord of hosts

had not left us a few survivors,

we would have been like Sodom,

and become like Gomorrah.

 Hear the word of the Lord,

you rulers of Sodom!

Listen to the teaching of our God,

you people of Gomorrah!

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

    以賽亞先知在此說猶大人的悖逆，雖然他們是上帝的選民，仍然是悖逆者，是上帝所憎惡的，就像所多瑪和蛾摩拉的人民是會遭上帝毀滅的民！但是，上帝不忍心將他們毀滅，還是為他們留下餘種，使上帝的選民不致斷絕。當然，上帝是期盼餘種悔改。

    同樣基督徒也是上帝在這世界的餘種，以至於使得人不致被滅絕。因為上帝造人的目的，是要人來彰顯祂的榮耀！所以，上帝必定保守祂所愛的人，透過這些人完成祂的使命。

    而上帝揀選餘種是透過耶穌基督，若不是耶穌基督，我們就像所多瑪、蛾摩拉的人民一般會滅亡！是耶穌基使我們不致滅亡，反得永生！