Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Friday, 13th May 2022
Section One V1-13 God made the Land Desolate
There is nothing we can rely on in this world. We are Christians, the ones being called, but we are also easily fall into the world because it ‘s full of desires and willfulness. V1 ‘Behold, the Lord makes the earth empty and makes it waste, distorts its surface and scatters abroad its inhabitants.’ The values of this world have been rooted deeply within us, God loves us and He does not want anything to stop us coming to Him, therefore repeatedly He is calling His people to repent and return. God is telling us the truth about this sinful world, and we must listen to His Word and observe His Works.
V2-3 ‘And it shall be: As with the people, so with the priest; as with the servant, so with his master; as with the maid, so with her mistress; as with the buyer, so with the seller; as with the lender, so with the borrower; as with the creditor, so with the debtor. The land shall be entirely emptied and utterly plundered, for the Lord has spoken this word.’ God can raise up and create this world, in the same way, God can also empty this world. He has this power and authority, but He is still calling us to return from our sinful ways, He does not us to be vanished just like that, and through the environment, He is urging His people to repent, because there is still hope.
V4-6 ‘The earth mourns and fades away, the world languishes and fades away; the haughty people of the earth languish. The earth is also defiled under its inhabitants, because they have transgressed the laws, changed the ordinance, broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore the curse has devoured the earth, and those who dwell in it are desolate. Therefore the inhabitants of the earth are burned, and few men are left.’ God is talking to His beloved people, He is discipling us, urging us and teaching us. He wants us to be alert, because all the wealth and richness of the world will fade away.
V12-13 ‘In the city desolation is left, and the gate is stricken with destruction. When it shall be thus in the midst of the land among the people, it shall be like the shaking of an olive tree, like the gleaning of grapes when the vintage is done.’ In hopelessness, God is giving us a way out, there will be a small number of people, who God will preserve. We must see hope among all the destruction and continue to trust in God.
Section Two V14-16 Praise God in Darkness
V14-15 ‘They shall lift up their voice, they shall sing; for the majesty of the Lord they shall cry aloud from the sea. Therefore glorify the Lord in the dawning light, the name of the Lord God of Israel in the coastlands of the sea.’ Can we praise God in hopelessness, in darkness, and in nothingness? It’s not about closing the doors and singing to God, but to allow people around us to see our attitude in the hardship, to truly believe in God from our heart.
V16 ‘From the ends of the earth we have heard songs: “Glory to the righteous!” But I said, “I am ruined, ruined! Woe to me! The treacherous dealers have dealt treacherously, indeed, the treacherous dealers have dealt very treacherously.”’ Isaiah was talking about himself; he was asking God for forgiveness, and he continued to praise God in his hardship.
Section Three V17-23 God Still Rules and Reigns
V17-18 ‘Fear and the pit and the snare are upon you, O inhabitant of the earth. And it shall be that he who flees from the noise of the fear shall fall into the pit, and he who comes up from the midst of the pit shall be caught in the snare; for the windows from on high are open, and the foundations of the earth are shaken.’ Do not think that God has left us, He still rules and reigns until this day! Do we really trust in Him and witness under the fragrance of Tree of Life, that He is right here with us? He is above all kings and all gods, He is looking down on us and only He has the authority to judge. He will first judge those, who have authority on this earth, because all authorities are from God and He will examine into us and see if we have used our authorities according to His Will.
V23 ‘Then the moon will be disgraced and the sun ashamed; for the Lord of hosts will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem and before His elders, gloriously.’ Do we believe God is our true God? He is the God yesterday, today, and forever? Do we believe our God is above all gods? We must trust in God in hopelessness, to see Him in darkness, and to continue worship and praise Him no matter what!
以赛亚书 24 – 在无可指望中要相信神
2022年5月13日 星期五
潘锡安牧师
从以赛亚书13章开始，神就借着对列国的预言教导他的百姓不要仰望周围的国家或世上任何好处，而是单单倚靠神。然而，人心诡诈，我们很容易陷进世界里，因我们从母腹中就吸收了世界的价值观。神爱我们，不希望世上任何东西让我们跌倒。
一、v.1-13 神使大地变为荒凉
V1 创世纪1:1-2告诉我们起初神创造天地时地原本是如何的。神能创造，他也能毁灭人在其上造出的一切繁荣。神让他的子民去看，“耶和华使地空虚，变为荒凉”。神不仅有怜悯，也有公义，他能兴起，也能荒废。神爱我们，不希望我们因无知而灭亡，他要我们归向他。大地本来是“空虚混沌，渊面黑暗”，我们无法去倚靠；人若没有神的灵在其中，不过是尘土，更加不可倚靠。新西兰被称为人类最后一片净土，但其实这片土地已经千疮百孔，我们不要再倚靠人，而是回转倚靠神。
V2 当时的犹大人相信自己是圣洁的，是君尊的选民，看外邦人是不洁的。我们看到周围未信主的人是否也有这个心态？不要以为有神的爱我们就跟外邦人有什么不同，可以逃脱临到外邦人的灾难。要省察自己，我们跟从神是否只在嘴巴上说说而已，还是真的能谦卑顺服、舍己利他？
V5 这里说的不是外邦人，而是我们这些与神立约、蒙神所爱的、被神带领出黑暗入光明的选民。不要以为自己有永生就可以逃避，我们是否有做忠心又良善的仆人，将福音传出去？
V6 “火”就是地狱的火。在无可指望中，神仍然存留，只是“剩下的人稀少” 。
V7-12 一切宴乐喧闹的声音都会安静下来了。
V13 在无可指望中，仍有剩下的人，我们对神有信心吗？
二、v.14-16 在黑暗中要赞美神
V16 “我”指的是先知以赛亚。我们是否有鉴察自己，看到生命中的问题？我们是否愿意在困难的时候赞美神？不是生气或绝望，而是倚靠神。我们不是要神做什么事，而是在荒凉中去赞美他，并且是要让周遭的人看到神是真实活在我们生命中的。
三、v.17-23 神仍然坐着为王
当我们不信有神的时候，我们就以为自己是被丢弃的。
V21 神是在众神之上的真神，神要在三层天上的“高处”向下面每一层天施行审判。世上没有权柄不出于神，神会审判地上有权柄、做遮盖的人。我们作为权柄、遮盖，是否忠心于自己的位份？
V23 当时的人拜月亮和太阳，但他们所倚靠的都要过去，唯有“万军之耶和华必在锡安山，在耶路撒冷做王，在敬畏他的长老面前必有荣耀”。我们真的知道神是自有永有的真神、活神吗？我们真的相信神是在众神之上吗？在无可指望的黑暗中，我们仍然要敬拜、赞美他！