QT 04/03/2025 Tue. Isaiah 17. The Certainty of God's Victory. 上帝胜利的把握.
QT 04/03/2025 Tue. Isaiah 17. The Certainty of God's Victory.
READ http://www.esvbible.org/isaiah17
After the "shouting match" at Whitehouse last week in front of the full media, the question of who is with who is up in the air again. Will any alliance or partnership last? The politics of Isaiah's day were no different.
Isaiah 17:3–4
[3] The fortress will disappear from Ephraim,
and the kingdom from Damascus;
and the remnant of Syria will be
like the glory of the children of Israel,
declares the LORD of hosts.
[4] And in that day the glory of Jacob will be brought low,
and the fat of his flesh will grow lean. (ESV)
The prophet dealt with the south and south-eastern kingdoms of Philistia and Moab in chapters 15–16. Chapter 17 turned towards Ephraim (Northern Kingdom) and Syria/Damascus. But the Syro-Ephraimite alliance of 735–732 was ultimately destroyed in 732 B.C. by the Assyrians.
REFLECTION: Failure to trust God resulted in the dire consequences of Isaiah 17:7–11. Who do we look to for certainty to survive and thrive?
Isaiah 17:7–8 [7] In that day man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will look on the Holy One of Israel. [8] He will not look to the altars, the work of his hands, and he will not look on what his own fingers have made, either the Asherim or the altars of incense. (ESV)
The passage spoke of Ephraim and Syria, but with the nations of the world in the background. One day, humans will learn again not to trust in what human hands have made. What humans put up for worship takes many and various forms but the main concept remained—human hands made them and then these same humans attempted to place their trust on them.
The roar of the nations and things made by humans might be loud (17:12–13) and threatening, sounding like thunder, roar of the sea and mighty waves. But the prophet assured readers of the certainty of God's victory (17:14).
Isaiah 17:14
[14] At evening time, behold, terror!
Before morning, they are no more!
This is the portion of those who loot us,
and the lot of those who plunder us. (ESV)
REFLECTION: Will we build our life foundations on God, on who He is and be assured of victory and preservation? God is in control of the nations of Isaiah's time and now too—He would protect His people from extinction. Will you treat Him as Master today?
QT 04/03/2025 星期二. 以赛亚书 17. 上帝胜利的把握.
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/isa/17
继上周在白宫当着所有媒体的面 “大喊大叫 ”之后，“谁是谁的盟友 ”这个问题再次悬而未决。任何联盟或伙伴关系都能持久吗？以赛亚时代的政治也是如此。
以赛亚书 17：3-4 以法莲的堡垒必失去，大马士革的国权也必消逝；亚兰的余民必像以色列人的荣耀一般消灭。”这是万军之耶和华说的。4 “到那日，雅各的荣耀必衰落，他肥胖的身体必消瘦。
先知在第 15-16 章中论述了南方和东南方的非利士王国和摩押王国。第 17 章转向以法莲（北方王国）和叙利亚/大马士革。但叙利亚-以法莲联盟最终于公元前735-732年被亚述人摧毁。
反思：不信靠神导致了以赛亚书 17：7-11 中的可怕后果。我们应该向谁寻求生存和发展的保障？
以赛亚书 17:7-8 到那日，人必仰望他们的创造主，他们必亲眼看见以色列的圣者。8 他们必不仰望自己双手所做的祭坛，也不再看着自己指头所做的，无论是亚舍拉，或是香坛。
这段话提到了以法莲和叙利亚，但背景是世界各国。总有一天，人类会再次学会不要相信人类的双手所创造的东西。人类用来敬拜的东西有许多不同的形式，但主要的概念仍然是--人类的双手制造了它们，然后这些人类试图将自己的信任寄托在它们身上。
万国和人类所造之物的咆哮声可能很大（17:12-13），听起来像雷声、海啸和巨浪，具有威胁性。但先知向读者保证，上帝的胜利是确定无疑的（17：14）。
以赛亚书17：14 在晚上有惊恐，未到早晨，他们就没有了，这是那些抢夺我们的人所得的分，是那些掠劫我们的人应得的报应。
反思：我们是否愿意将自己的生命根基建立在神的身上，建立在祂是谁的基础上，并确保获得胜利和保护？神掌控着以赛亚时代的国家，现在也是如此--祂会保护祂的子民免于灭亡。今天，你会把祂当作主宰吗？
