Friday, 6th May 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Sectio One V1 Whatever will Come must Come
V1 ‘In the year that Tartan came to Ashdod, when Sargon the king of Assyria sent him, and he fought against Ashdod and took it.’ Chapters 19 and 20 of the Book of Isaiah are connected together. From these chapters, we see the destruction of Egypt and Ethiopia. Ashdad was a strong city of the Philistines, and the Israelites were afraid of the Philistines. Therefore they turned to Egypt and Ethiopia, which were great nations and the Israelites tried to rely on them instead of relying on God. They did not think Jehovah Shalome could give them true peace.
Section Two V2-4 God Knows Everything
V2 ‘At the same time the Lord spoke by Isaiah the son of Amoz, saying, “Go, and remove the sackcloth from your body, and take your sandals off your feet.” And he did so, walking naked and barefoot.’ Do we really rely on God? Do we really believe that God knows everything and sees all our problems in life? The name Amoz means strength, and through Prophet Isaiah, the son of Amoz, God was telling the Israelites that they could never rely on their own strength because all strength in this world will fade away.
V3-4 ‘Then the Lord said, just as My servant Isaiah has walked naked and barefoot three years for a sign and a wonder against Egypt and Ethiopia, so shall the king of Assyria lead away the Egyptians as prisoners and the Ethiopians as captives, young and old, naked and barefoot, with their buttocks uncovered, to the shame of Egypt.’ Isaiah was living under the fragrance of the Tree of Life, he was humble and obedient, and had a heart for the children of God, he was willing to fully obey God’s guidance and instructions, to show the Israelites what would happen to them before it happened.
Section Three V5-6 There is Nothing to Rely on in this World
V5 ‘Then they shall be afraid and ashamed of Ethiopia their expectation and Egypt their glory.’ The strength and wealth of this world will fade away. Stop focusing on the problems in front of us, but see the eternal treasures in Heaven.
V6 ‘And the inhabitant of this territory will say in that day, surely such is our expectation, wherever we flee for help to be delivered from the king of Assyria; and how shall we escape?’ We try to hide our problems and we live day by day, thinking the end of the world will not yet come. But can we see true peace in eternity? Do not think that we have hidden well because God sees everything, He knows everything, and He still rules and reigns!
以赛亚书 20 – 世上没有可倚靠的
2022年5月6日 星期五
潘锡安牧师
以赛亚书第19和20章是连在一起的，可以看见整个埃及和古实的灭亡。神用环境帮助我们，用他的资源来帮助他的产业、他的百姓回归到他的心意里。以色列人没有单单去依靠神，也不相信神是耶和华沙龙，反而尝试找其它事情来求平安。他们身为神的产业 – 没有珍惜神的儿女这个身份。神借着所发生的事情，让以色列人知道，真正的平安唯有从神而来。
一、v.1 要来的一定会来
埃及是强而有力的世界，古实是强壮的人，犹大人期望倚靠这两个国家，就不会像北国以色列一样被亚述打败。亚实突是非利士很重要的城市，也很靠近犹大。此时的犹大人一定很惶恐不安，看到亚述在边境虎视眈眈，已经把北国以色列和邻国非利士攻取了，接下来会怎样呢？以色列国被攻陷后的十年间，犹大人虽然很恐惧，但他们没有倚靠神。
二、v.2-4 神全然都知道
我们是否真的倚靠神呢？其实神什么都知道，他看到我们生命中一切的问题。就在亚述王攻打亚实突的时候，神就对“亚摩斯的儿子以赛亚”说话。“亚摩斯”意思是强壮，神借着一个强壮人的后裔去显明给他的产业看到人所倚靠的“强壮”最终会成为他们的羞愧。以赛亚“解掉…腰间的麻布”，露出自己的臀部，并且三年时间没有穿鞋，在寒冷的以色列，这是很难熬的。然而以赛亚没有质疑神为什么让他这样做。他本是听从神的先知，不需要遭受这些苦，但他为了神所爱的产业，愿意“露身赤脚行走”三年，承受羞愧。神是在亚述王攻击非利士的同时对以色列说话，期盼以色列人能够回转。以赛亚活在生命树的气息下，愿意谦卑顺服神的带领，预示给以色列百姓即将发生的事，但百姓们却不相信神给他们平安。
三、v.5-6 再没有可倚靠的
人已经看见古实、埃及是不能帮助他们的。他们原本若要得到古实和埃及的帮助，就需要年年向他们进贡。我们时常想在这个世界苟安，就没有在永恒中找平安，活在自我欺骗中。我们虽然知道世界会毁灭，但还存侥幸心理，觉得不会发生在我们的年代，所以没有倚靠神。以赛亚知道他的平安单单出乎神，虽然经历三年的羞愧、痛苦，但这三年在神的国是短暂的。我们是否愿意如此谦卑摆上？