Thursday, 21st April 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-5 God will Prepare
Can we really see God in our lives? Do praying and reading the Bible become just a religious habit for us? Every time when we open the Bible, what is our attitude towards the Word of God? The Book of Isaiah is teaching us what is happening in the latter days, how we can change our ways of living and be prepared for this end time? God can turn this world over, He has already spoke through prophet Isaiah 2700 years ago, that He is willing to overturn the world for those He loves.
V1-2 ‘There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord.’ God prepares for His beloved long before we realise it. He prepared king David before he was even born! And He has given prophecy about Jesus 700 years before Jesus’ time! The stem of Jesse will grow roots, branch out and bear fruits. We must not be just a plant, but a strong stem, which can bear fruits, influence those around us, and bring changes to the world.
Jesus cursed the fig tree, not only because it didn’t bear fruits, but also because the fig tree leaves were what Adam and Eve used to cover their body. We should not be covering the shame and mistakes of people, but to help them to come closer to God. V3-4 ‘His delight is in the fear of the Lord, and He shall not judge by the sight of His eyes, nor decide by the hearing of His ears; but with righteousness He shall judge the poor, and decide with equity for the meek of the earth; He shall strike the earth with the rod of His mouth, and with the breath of His lips He shall slay the wicked.’ The prophecy of Isaiah was not only about Jesus Himself, but it was also talking about us, those who follow Jesus Christ. Because Jesus has already given us the authority of the Heaven and Earth, we have the Spirit of God to guide us and lead us.
V5 ‘Righteousness shall be the belt of His loins, and faithfulness the belt of His waist.’ God’s wisdom and knowledge is within us, the Spirit of the fear of the Lord is already upon us, do we have the true joy to contain it? We are just like an athlete in the Olympics, if we cannot believe in our ability to win the game, then we will never have the faith and determination to continue training. On the other hand, if we truly believe that God has already given us everything we need, then we can stay faithful and continue to walk on this path for Him no matter what.
Furthermore, when we believe that God has prepared for us, can we train our flesh and make it obedient to the Lord? Do not be compromised by the weakness of our flesh, do not be satisfied with the status quo, but take the rod from Jesus and strike the world! Why do we feel powerless in our ministries and pastor caring? Because we allow our flesh desires to take over and we do not think everything is possible through God. Do we really believe in all the promises given in the Bible?
Section Two V6-9 The Change After Knowing God
V6-7 ‘The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, the leopard shall lie down with the young goat, the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. The cow and the bear shall graze; their young ones shall lie down together; and the lion shall eat straw like the ox.’ This is not what is happening in the wilderness. We don’t see wild animals interacting freely with humans like how God first created them in the Garden of Eden.
V8-9 ‘The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole, and the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s den. They shall not hurt nor destroy in all My holy mountain, for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.’ God wants us to restore like children, to see the unlimited possibilities of His creations. In the latter days, the people of God will hold the authority of God and change the world. Do we believe in it?
Section Three V10-16 The Revelation of the Kingdom of God
We are not just sitting there and waiting for the end days, staying in our comfort zone, and waiting for the second coming of Jesus. Instead, we can take up the power and authority of God, start making changes in our surrounding, fighting back the evil schemes of Satan. We are the fighters of the Kingdom of God, we can make a change, we can make a difference, and we can reveal the Kingdom of God on the Earth we live in right now!
以赛亚书 11 – 末日大翻转
2022年4月21日 星期四
潘锡安牧师
当我们身处末世，仍能来到神的殿点灯，这是神给我们的恩典。我们感恩神的爱和怜悯。当我们看事情只看自己的时候，我们就很难在生命中看见神，于是读经祷告似乎就变成例行公事。我们是否能在每一次打开圣经或祷告的时候都能一心一意俯伏在这位万军之耶和华面前？我们的生命是否愿意被神的话语改变，还是将自己看守治理的权柄拱手相让？今天的经文让我们看到在末日的时期，事情是有大翻转的，以赛亚书让我们看到盼望。
一、v.1-5 神的预备
V1 这里所讲的“耶西的本”对当时的人来讲很陌生。神所预备的不是临到最后一刻才开始,，他在大卫王之前就预备了。神不仅预备了大卫王，他一早就为我们这个末世预备，在主前700年先知以赛亚就跟我们说耶稣基督的事。大卫的父亲耶西是从亚伯拉罕出来的，“从他根生的枝子必结果实”，不仅是长出好看的叶子而已。耶稣从两千年前一人的生命直到如今，影响了世界各地所有人的生命。我们的生命是结出树叶，还是结出果子、结出另外一个生命？如果我们的枝叶只能像无花果树的叶子那样去遮盖人犯罪的羞愧，无法结出果实，我们就会受到咒诅。我们不要只去得人的称赞，要能够生命影响生命。
V2 当神的灵在他的身上，他就有“有智慧和聪明的灵，谋略和能力的灵，知识和敬畏耶和华的灵”。
V3-4 不要只看到这里讲的是主耶稣。耶稣在升天前提醒门徒，他会应许赐下圣灵。在耶稣身上的灵也会在我们每一个受洗加入耶稣基督的人身上。当“有智慧和聪明的灵，谋略和能力的灵，知识和敬畏耶和华的灵”的时候，我们就能“以敬畏耶和华为乐”。这喜乐的心是从里面发出的，不是看我们自己有没有。每一个参加奥运会的运动员都要经过地狱般的训练，因为他们的教练相信他们是有能力的，能够站在颁奖台上得荣耀，所以他们能够在辛苦的训练中有喜乐。我们是否能在被训练时有盼望和喜乐？我们口中没有“杖”，而是负面的毒气，只会抱怨自己不行，还以为这是在说真话。真正的“真心话”不是从我们的情欲出来的，而是从我们的心我们的灵出来。我们释放的常常是从情欲出来的话。我们能否让口中宣告出来的话教导我们的内心？我们里面的灵是兴旺的，所以不要让体贴肉体的话来影响自己的灵，而要克制己身、叫身服我。当耶稣身上有神的灵，他就不怕临到他的“苦杯”。我们是否将神所给我们的这个礼物盖起来？我们口中的“杖”本该击打世界，所以不要用来击打自己，要用口中的话造就自己生命。现代心理学让我们体贴人肉体、情感的需要，但我们不要让自己的情感扩张，不要纵容我们的情欲。若我们只看到“我就是这样，没有办法改变”，我们的服事就没有果效。我们要成为在灵里刚强壮胆的人，能够常常喜乐，因为耶和华的灵在我们身上。“恶人”是不信主的人，但我们传福音没有力量，是因为我们体贴肉体，软弱无力。进入天国的不是我们的肉体，而是我们的灵。我们是否能让神的灵时刻彰显在我们身上？让我们“嘴里的气”充满力量，能够改变人心。
V5 神为我们束腰，让我们不羞愧，不需要无花果树的叶子来遮羞。让我们相信神的“信实”，相信神给我们的是“智慧和聪明的灵，谋略和能力的灵，知识和敬畏耶和华的灵”，是能“以敬畏耶和华为乐”的。“安息”不是睡觉，而是分别为圣。一周六天我们辛勤做工，第七天我们就完全放下对自己的倚靠，将我们完全交给神，不是工作，而是经历他的能力和同在。神给我们的预备是充足的，让我们在末日能有大翻转，不是嘴巴上说的，而是真实的圣灵在我们每一个跟从耶稣基督的人身上。
二、v.6-9 认识神的改变
V6-8 这里所呈现的不是我们现在所能看见的景象。在末日大翻转的时候，那些凶猛的野兽就与驯良的牲口和平相处，还要听小孩子的话。那时，世界再不会伤害我们。神所拣选的是单纯、“无知”-就是 对这个世界的教导无知的人。
V9 神在伊甸园的创造再一次呈现在末日的时候，你相信吗？
三、v.10-16 神国的彰显
V10-11 圣经清楚告诉我们，耶稣在哪里升天，就在那里回来。外邦人不再成为我们的敌人，神的国必彰显。在末日，神的子民是充满能力、且从万国万邦归回的。末日的时候并不黑暗，我们并不是在这里等死、等耶稣。
V12-16 在末日，神的能力会彰显，列国列邦会听我们的，如今的我们是否已经被自己的情绪打败？如果我们的身体、家庭、职场会阻止我们跟从神，撒旦就会不断在这些领域打败我们。让我们不再活在情欲中，而是经历大翻转，得人如得鱼，成为神国的勇士。