Wednesday, 6th April 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-5 The Kingdom of God Shall be Lifted Up
The latter days are not just the end of the world’s end, but it’s everyday we are living right now! God already showed us that this is the end times, and we must know how to live in the latter days. V2 ‘Now it shall come to pass in the latter days that the mountain of the Lord’s house shall be established on the top of the mountains and shall be exalted above the hills; and all nations shall flow to it.’ Where is God in our lives? Do we have testimonies we can share to people so they can see the God behind us? Do not listen to the lies of the world, but only focus on the Word of God. God’s Will is for all people to come to the mountain of the Lord’s house.
V3 ‘Many people shall come and say, “Come, and let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the house of the God of Jacob; He will teach us His ways, and we shall walk in His paths.” For out of Zion shall go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.’ The Way of God comes from teaching; in order for us to know where to go, we must receive teaching, to get rid of our old thinking, and to be humble and obedient to listen to the teaching of God.
V4 ‘He shall judge between the nations, and rebuke many people; they shall beat their swords into ploughshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore.’ Christians nowadays are so busy fighting for their own rights, and often fail to see God’s Work at hand. God does not us to fight for ourselves but to hold the ploughshares and diligently work on the land we are given, so we can bear fruits for people to see. If we really follow God and really have experienced His Goodness, then whatever we presented to people will not be just a show we put on, but the reality of our lives.
Section Two V6-9 The Fall of Men
V6 ‘For You have forsaken Your people, the house of Jacob, because they are filled with eastern ways; they are soothsayers like the Philistines, and they are pleased with the children of foreigners.’ The people of the world follow the worldly ways not godly ways. People worship foreigner gods instead of the Lord Jehovah. They fell and they only seek the treasures and wealth of the earth, but these things cannot save them in the eternity.
Section Three V10-22 The Fail of Men
V10-11 ‘Enter into the rock, and hide in the dust, from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty. The lofty looks of man shall be humbled, the haughtiness of men shall be bowed down, and the Lord alone shall be exalted in that day.’ Everything men planned and created will fail one day, no matter how strong we are or how advanced our technologies are, an earthquake, tsunami, or volcanic eruption can destroy everything.
V17-18 ‘The loftiness of man shall be bowed down, and the haughtiness of men shall be brought low; the Lord alone will be exalted in that day, but the idols He shall utterly abolish.’ That day is today! Now is the end times and the latter day! We must not compromise with our status quo, but to know only by holding onto God we can live!
V20-21 ‘In that day a man will cast away his idols of silver and his idols of gold, which they made, each for himself to worship, to the moles and bats, to go into the clefts of the rocks, and into the crags of the rugged rocks, from the terror of the Lord and the glory of His majesty, when He arises to shake the earth mightily.’ Who do we rely on? Does the daily news influence our emotions? Or can we wholeheartedly relying on God, knowing He rules and reigns no matter what?
以赛亚书 2 – 末后的日子
2022年4月6日 星期三
潘锡安牧师
现在已经是末后的日子了,如今的光景究竟如何?今天的经文向我们启示关于末后日子的奥秘。
一、v.1-5 神国高举
V1 “默示”就是从神而来的启示,“犹大和耶路撒冷”指的是我们这些蒙召的人。
V2 “末后的日子”原文是“那些日子”,所以并不是耶稣来的那一天,而是我们现在过的每一天。世界上很多国家的回教徒比例已经超过基督徒,但我们看到的并非是最后的光景,因为神说“耶和华殿的山必坚立超乎诸山,高举过于万岭,万民都要流归这山”。我们所说的“传福音很难”这话从世界来谎言,甚至也不需要绞尽脑汁去强逼他们,因为人在末后要归回耶和华的山。
V3a 说这些话的人是那些本不属于神国度的人。登山是不容易的,然而,那些人不仅要来登耶和华的山,还要朝着耶和华的殿走。我们传福音的时候可能感觉别人会不喜欢听、觉得任务很难,其实这都是撒旦的谎言。别人不感兴趣,因为他们看不到神的山、神的殿。过年的时候,我们都是开开心心带着东西回家看望家人,哪怕负上代价。但我们来晨祷、来教会的心态是什么?是否觉得疲倦,还是在神的殿中点灯,让人看到神的荣光?别人看不见神的山,不愿意来听福音,因为他们看见我们的生命就害怕了。我们跟从神的人要反思,我们所表露出来的生命是怎样的?我们要让人看到,靠着神、靠着在教会的教导,我们从低点中走出来、生命变得不一样。我们不是去跟别人分享知识,而是讲自己的见证,并且不是多年前的同一个见证,是每天都能经历神的见证。我们若不能先神后人再大地,就看不到神迹奇事,只看到自己厉害,致使那些我们去传福音的人也想要变得厉害,就不断扩张自己,于是没有时间来跟随神的教导。
V3b 神的路是从“教训”出来的,“教训”不是自己出来,而是用新的知识来取代我们旧的知识。我们愿意被教训吗,还是在被教训的时候受伤、被冒犯、不想听、不愿改变自己?我们只会质疑为什么教会不按照自己的心意来行,妥协在自己的环境里,不愿意改变,所以看不见神,没有见证可以分享。唯有不妥协现状,倚靠神,愿意被教训、被要求,才能经历神。所有的“训诲”、教训、要求都是从“锡安”出来的。
V4 今日的基督徒忙着靠自己的力量去争取权力、自由,但圣经教导我们要倚靠神。神要我们好好去耕耘我们的一亩良田,使之可以陈明出来给人看。跟从神之后,我们的一亩良田是可以开花结果的吗,还是一塌糊涂、让人害怕?我们跟从神本来就是好的,不需要在人前装。在末后的日子,神的殿在我们里面是否是荣耀的殿?我们说的话是负面还是正面,是喜乐还是忧愁?我们的生命是让人羡慕还是不想接近?我们若没有带着热情,对于教会只有抱怨,只看到自己的损失,却没有看到神如何高举我们,我们所呈现出来的生活就是糜烂、坎坷的。要知道,为我们争战的是耶和华,就算是国破家亡、被掳到敌国,我们都不用害怕,因为耶和华神与我们同在,我们就能反败为胜,正如约伯记中约伯的经历那样。
二、v.6-9 人的堕落
V6 那些跟随“东方的风俗”的人再不倚靠神、再不敬拜神,而是倚靠世界的方式。
V7-9 无论贫穷或富足的人,他们都靠拜偶像来祈求平安。人看到的是地上的财富、荣华富贵,但他们没有看到,在末后的日子,这些东西救不了他们。
三、v.10-22 人的败亡
V10-11 “那日”指的就是末后的那些日子。人“进入岩穴,藏在土中”,以为在山洞里是安全的,可以躲过灾难。然而,世上所有东西最终都会毁灭。人算不如天算,一次地震、火山爆发、海啸就可以让击垮周遭的一切,我们要看到自己的渺小,所以“眼目高傲的必降为卑,性情狂傲的都必屈膝,唯独耶和华被尊崇”。
V17-18 那日就是现在的日子。求神帮助我们不要妥协于现在这个舒适的环境,要更渴慕、倚靠神,求神让不可能成为可能。
V22 我们倚靠的是什么?我们的心情会因房价或银行利息而起伏不定吗? 让我们倚靠万军之耶和华,在末世的时候,耶和华必掌权,骄傲的必屈膝,耶和华要被高举!