Wednesday, 8th June 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-3 Hold Onto God Tightly
God has already revealed to us life and death, blessings and curses, because He loves us, and He wants us to choose the godly way. When we face difficulties, we must hold onto God.
V1 ‘In those days Hezekiah was sick and near death. And Isaiah the prophet, the son of Amoz, went to him and said to him, thus says the Lord: ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’ Hezekiah was very sick; he was in pain and nearly died. Even the prophet of God told him that he would die. But he didn’t give up, he didn’t go around seeking doctors and he didn’t question God. Instead, he focused on praying to God.
V2-3 ‘Then Hezekiah turned his face toward the wall, and prayed to the Lord, and said, “Remember now, O Lord, I pray, how I have walked before You in truth and with a loyal heart and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly.’ The Bible clearly written what happened when Hezekiah was sick. Even in his sick bed he held onto God. He didn’t ask God to take away his sickness but ask God to remember. We understand the Bible but are we willing to follow God’s Will? Hezekiah didn’t ask God for anything but to remember what he had done
Section Two V4-8 God Will Remember
V5-6 ‘Go and tell Hezekiah, ‘Thus says the Lord, the God of David your father: I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; surely I will add to your days fifteen years. I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria, and I will defend this city.’ God is faithful He will respond to us. He sees and hears everything, do not think God doesn’t care about it us.
God responded to Hezekiah and gave him 15 more years to live, because he wanted to give the people of Judah an opportunity. In II Kings 21:1 says, ‘Manasseh was twelve years old when he became king, and he reigned fifty-five years in Jerusalem. His mother’s name was Hephzibah.’ God allowed Hezekiah to have a son and preserved the bloodline of David.
Section Three V9-22 Humble And Give Thanks
Hezekiah knew the principles of God, he not only gave thanks, but he also humbled himself. He knew that being able to serve God is a blessing and he gave thanks even before he was completely healed.
V14 ‘Like a crane or a swallow, so I chattered; I mourned like a dove; my eyes fail from looking upward. O Lord, I am oppressed; undertake for me!’ Hezekiah knew that every difficulty he was facing, and every hardship he was experienced went through God. He trusted in God completely.
V16 ‘O Lord, by these things men live; and in all these things is the life of my spirit; so You will restore me and make me live.’ We are able to live is by God’s grace, Hezekiah recognised this and he accepted everything that came to him. He did not complain to God but admitted his sins. He knew God’s Will for him was full of peace and goodness.
以赛亚书 38 – 遇困难 要交托 神回应 要感恩
2022年6月8日 星期三
潘锡安牧师
人如何回应神，就决定的自己是走在蒙福还是灭亡的道路。神在圣经里已经陈明生死祸福的法则，他愿意我们走在祝福的道路，因为他对我们所怀的意念是赐平安的意念。我们每天经历什么神都知道，他也知道我们的心思意念，他不断帮助我们能趋吉避凶。当我们遇到困难的时候，要交托给神，当神回应我们之后，就要感恩，这说起来很简单，但当事情真的发生时，却不容易行出来。希西家王的经历发生在几千年前，神借着那个时候的事情帮助我们走过现在所面对大环境的挑战和个人的不可能。
一、v.1-3 紧紧地抓住神
V1 “那时”指的是犹大还被亚述大军包围、兵临城下的时候，希西家王竟然“病得要死”。他长了毒疮（V21），痛不欲生，在国家生死存亡的关键，他什么都做不了。谁知先知以赛亚还奉耶和华的名来宣布希西家王死期将至，吩咐他立遗嘱。希西家王此刻是否心灰意冷呢？
V2 希西家没有放弃，也没有去找神医等人帮助，而是“转脸朝墙”，不希望被人影响，只想专心祷告神。面对双重打击、生不如死，希西家紧紧抓住神。希西家在祷告里没有要神医治或拿走痛苦和死亡，只求神纪念自己。希西家王生长在一个拜偶像的环境下，然而他不受环境影响，从小明白圣经，知道什么是对的事。这也是为什么我们要从小教导儿女行在主的道上，使他们到老都不偏离。我们以神的话语教导儿女，让他们不会像我们一样软弱。希西家选择光明的道路跟从神，所以在双重打击之下还有勇气去求神记念他所做的。当我们遇到困难的时候，也可以如此向神祷告。这是何等有信心的祷告，希西家没有求神为他做什么事，只求神记念他，因为他相信神是报应的神 – “报应”就是神对我们的言行所做的回应。若我们相信神是报应的神，就不会放纵情欲，而是保守我们的心思意念。
二、v.4-8 神必记念
V4-5 希西家王祷告时面对着墙，别人是看不到的，但神都知道。我们所留的眼泪、所受的委屈，神都看见、听见，所以我们不用为自己伸冤。神回应了希西家王在以赛亚书37章15-17节的祷告：“耶和华啊，求你侧耳而听！耶和华啊，求你睁眼而看！”希西家王相信神是能听能看的神，神就按着他这样的认识来回应他。我们对神的认识是什么呢？神应许要给希西家王“加增……十五年的寿数”- 这是一个特别年数，是神精准计算好的。神是守约施慈爱的神，他为了自己和大卫王的缘故保护了希西家所在的城（以赛亚书37章35节），又让希西家能有后裔（列王纪下21:1记载希西家的儿子玛拿西登基时“十二岁”，说明玛拿西是在希西家被延长的十五年寿命中生出来的小孩）。神记念自己与大卫里的约，让大卫的家族、血脉可以长存。
V6-8 神做事是很谨慎的，这个时间退后的兆头并非随意定下。以赛亚书37章36节记载“耶和华的使者出去，在亚述营中杀了十八万五千人。清早有人起来，一看，都是死尸了”- 这件事是晚上发生的，那是一段很短的时间，所以神让“亚哈斯的日晷向前进的日影往后退十度”，使时间延长，使得敌军的十八万五千人得以被毁灭。
三、v.9-22 谦卑感恩
我们感恩的时候是否有谦卑的态度？我们有从神而来的一个岗位的时候，是否看到这是一个恩典，是否做感恩奉献？希西家起死回生，因为他懂得神的法则。希西家作诗感恩的时候，病还没有完全好，而是听到先知的话之后就凭信心回应，这是完全的谦卑。
V12 这里的比喻也是箴言12:6-7和诗篇90:9-10所讲的，我们的生命很脆弱短暂，都在神的手里。
V14 “保”指的是“中保”，说明希西家相信前面不管遇到任何压力，神都会在中间，一切攻击都会先经过神，让希西家不害怕。
V17 希西家没有埋怨神，而是承认自己落到这样的光景是因为自己的罪。他知道耶和华所怀的意念是赐平安的意念。
V20 希西家说要一生一世向神唱诗歌。我们的诗歌是什么呢？我们在遭遇患难、在心里有很多小剧场的时候，是否还能赞美神？
V21 在希西家谦卑感恩之后，神才出手，这是神的法则。
V22 希西家相信他生毒疮是因为自己的罪，所以问他是否还能上耶和华的殿。他谦卑感恩，得到神的顾念和医治。