Tuesday, 31st May 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-6 We Must Wait
V1 ‘Woe to you who plunder, though you have not been plundered; and you who deal treacherously, though they have not dealt treacherously with you! When you cease plundering, you will be plundered; when you make an end of dealing treacherously, they will deal treacherously with you.’ Judah was facing the attack of Assyria, who came out of nowhere. A lot of times, we also don’t know why difficulties and challenges come to us, but how do we respond? Do we try to get help from people, or do we really trust in God?
V2 ‘O Lord, be gracious to us; we have waited for You. Be their arm every morning, our salvation also in the time of trouble.’ Prophet Isaiah prayed for the nation and wait upon God. He knew God could help him and he really trusted in God. it’s easy for us to proclaim God’s Name but often it’s not easy for us to really believe in it in our hearts.
V5 ‘The Lord is exalted, for He dwells on high; He has filled Zion with justice and righteousness.’ No matter how strong our enemies are, they will all fade away. Why don’t we believe that God will intervene? Because we do not have a close relationship with God. V6 ‘Wisdom and knowledge will be the stability of your times, and the strength of salvation; the fear of the Lord is His treasure.’ What are God’s promises for us? To be our salvation, to bring us peace, and to give us wisdom and knowledge. When we wait, we must wait with faith, not complaining but proclaiming and believing in it. Stop the words of discouragement and disappointments. When we think positively, we will act with faith, on the other hand, if we continue to worry and fear, then we will never have the strength to follow God.
Section Two V7-16 God Will Rise
V7 ‘Surely their valiant ones shall cry outside, the ambassadors of peace shall weep bitterly.’ God will definitely rise, we can no longer rely on the valiant ones and the ambassadors, those who seem strong and capable. V8 ‘The highways lie waste, the traveling man ceases. He has broken the covenant, He has despised the cities, He regards no man.’ If we continue to follow the ways of the world, everything we work hard for will lie waste and people will not want to follow us. We must change our ways, wait upon God, pray to Him every morning to be our help, and to humble ourselves.
V10 ‘Now I will rise, says the Lord; now I will be exalted, now I will lift Myself up.’ God will rise up now for His people, He will save, and He will deliver. V14 ‘The sinners in Zion are afraid; fearfulness has seized the hypocrites: Who among us shall dwell with the devouring fire? Who among us shall dwell with everlasting burnings?’ He is the righteous God, and our hearts must be upright to walk with God and to be under His protection.
V15-16 ‘He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, he who despises the gain of oppressions, who gestures with his hands, refusing bribes, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shuts his eyes from seeing evil: he will dwell on high; his place of defence will be the fortress of rocks; bread will be given him, his water will be sure.’ As Christians, we must set ourselves apart for God. If our wealth is not gained honestly, then we must despise it and stay away from it. God has already given us the wisdom and resources to walk in the righteous path, be the salt and light of the world. But this is the path of faith, we must be willing to follow God wholeheartedly.
As the children of light, we must stop our ears from hearing of bloodshed, and shut our eyes from seeing evil. There are so many temptations in our lives every day, and the world wants us to be indulged in its lustful desires. But when we make the decision to stop seeing and hearing all this, then God will reveal His goodness to us.
Section Three V17-24 We Will See
V17 ‘Your eyes will see the King in His beauty; they will see the land that is very far off.’ God’s timing is the best timing; when God doesn’t move then we won’t move. When we wait upon God with faith and patience, then we will see when God arises. V18-19 ‘Your heart will meditate on terror: Where is the scribe? Where is he who weighs? Where is he who counts the towers? You will not see a fierce people, a people of obscure speech, beyond perception, of a stammering tongue that you cannot understand.’ Our hearts should be at peace, instead of being fearful and worried. The enemies will say and do many things to make us afraid, but God will destroy them, God will protect us and let us see His salvation upon us.
V20 ‘Look upon Zion, the city of our appointed feasts; your eyes will see Jerusalem, a quiet home, a tabernacle that will not be taken down; not one of its stakes will ever be removed, nor will any of its cords be broken.’ In difficulties, God’s tabernacle is among us, He will deliver us, and He will protect us; do we believe that God is with us? V24 ‘And the inhabitant will not say, “I am sick”; the people who dwell in it will be forgiven their iniquity.’ God will heal us and forgive our inequities, no one can accuse us anymore.
In the same way, we can no longer accuse others and judge others. We are in the city of Zion, in God’s fortress and in God’s presence. God will heal, God will save, God will forgive, and God will protect. Stop holding onto the world, stop relying on ourselves, stop being fearful, and stop worrying. God’s tabernacle is with us now.
以赛亚书 33 – 如何在患难中经历神
2022年5月31日 星期二
潘锡安牧师
神所运行的法则已经清楚记录在圣经中。过去这个5月对我们来说是患难的一个月，发生很多我们所不期待的事情。然而，在患难中，神是我们随时的帮助，他是我们的力量，他必不撇下我们，在患难中，我们要等候神。当我们谦卑，才更容易看见神的同在、经历神，不然我们只会靠自己或环境去拼搏。在患难中，我们要警醒归向神，当我们愿意谦卑悔改、回转时，就会看见神的慈爱。
一、v.1-6 我们要等候
V1 这里的“祸哉”不是对我们说的，而是对亚述说的。他们无缘无故攻打犹大国，所以神对他们说，“你行完了诡诈，人必以诡诈待你”。当我们看见不如意的事发生时，神已经出手了，只是我们看不见神。当亚述攻打犹大时，犹大百姓就开始害怕，于是想要依靠人来拯救。我们遇到问题时也会这样，很想马上找人帮我们解决，因为我们小信，没有看到神是我们的大牧者。我们把自己的信仰当作挂在嘴边的口头禅，然而当事情发生了，我们还是按照旧有的方式去行。
V2 面对仇敌的攻击，以赛亚不是去寻找人的帮助，而是谦卑寻求神。他呼求神，为自己的国家祷告。“等候”表明自己不动，专心等神。 晨祷对我们的意义是什么？是被要求，还是例行公事？原来神每早晨“做我们的膀臂”，就是我们的帮助。我们需要做的事，需要去抵挡的，神都帮我们做了。
V3-4 我们的等候不是嘴巴上讲的，要有信心去等候。虽然亚述国强大可怕，但神说，这些都会过去。
V5-6 神是公平公义的，但我们为什么觉得神不会出手帮助我们呢？因为我们与神的关系脆弱。神的公平公义充满锡安 – “锡安”代表神的百姓，我们若愿意寻求他，他就愿意拯救我们。当我们让出位置给神“充满锡安”的时候，我们就“一生一世必得安稳，有丰盛的救恩并智慧和知识”。我们是否“以敬畏耶和华为至宝”？当我们看神为最重要的，我们就一生不动摇。所以，我们要有信心的等候，在等候神的过程当中做好自己该做的预备，观看神的作为。在我们觉得没有把握的时候，更要向神祷告，不要说负面的话，相信神必会施恩给我们。
二、v.7-16 耶和华要起来
V7 不要以为那些英雄豪杰可以帮我们打仗，其实他们“在外头哀号”。我们跟从神，不能倚靠自己。“使臣”被派到别的国家求支援，可是别人不愿帮助，致使他们“痛痛哭泣”。
V8-9 没有人想要跟从他们了。
V10 “现在”指的是当我们不去倚靠别人、愿意等候寻求神的时候，耶和华神在“现在”就“要起来”。
V12-13 我们所害怕的敌人都会被除灭，人会看见神出手。神起来，不是看见我们如何跌倒，而是看见他的大能，只要我们愿意谦卑寻求他。
V14 我们是否有倚靠神？当我们骄傲，口中有神心中无神，就不能与公义的神同在。
V15 我们是否“行事公义”，是否不说歪曲的话？我们的祖宗存留给我们的钱是否是“欺压的财利”？我们不要靠祖辈留给我们不干净的黑钱，反要厌恶它们。神会给我们智慧和知识，让我们可以自力更生，不去靠那些不干净的钱过活，而是成为世界的光和盐。“摆手不受贿赂”是不容易的，但我们要相信神是公义的。在别人不知道的时候，我们以为可以偷偷去看“邪恶事”，但我们要选择“闭眼不看”，在神的公义中存活。
V16 当我们不倚靠世界、不放纵情欲而活的时候，神必供应我们，”他的粮必不缺乏，他的水必不断绝”。
三、v.17-24 我们必能看见
V17 我们是否会等到神起来？是否能看见神？当时的犹大人人自危，但神对他们说“你的眼必见王的荣美，必见辽阔之地”。
V18 我们的心若一直“思想那惊吓的事”，就陷入担心害怕。然而，这些让你害怕的仇敌，神都会灭绝他们。
V20 处在患难中的时候，你是否相信神必出手？神必起来，让你的问题不再成为问题。神的帐幕在人间，在患难的的时候，神在锡安- 就是在我们中间。
V24 面对病毒，我们不必害怕，因为神是医治我们的。是谁在控诉我们呢？我们不要再指责彼此，因为在锡安城里，就是神同在的地方，我们的“罪孽都赦免了”。神赦免我们的罪，你愿意赦免别人吗？
在患难中，在神与我们同在的城里，神要赦免，保护我们，我们愿意谦卑寻求神吗？