QT 09/05/2025 Fri. Isaiah 66. The heart of the gospel and the end times. 福音的核心与末世。
QT 09/05/2025 Fri. Isaiah 66. The heart of the gospel and the end times.
READ http://www.esv.org/isaiah66
Isaiah 66:1–2 The Humble and Contrite in Spirit
[1] Thus says the LORD: “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool; what is the house that you would build for me, and what is the place of my rest [2] All these things my hand has made, and so all these things came to be, declares the LORD. But this is the one to whom I will look: he who is humble and contrite in spirit and trembles at my word. (ESV)
Isaiah 66 closes the book of Isaiah with a breathtaking picture of God’s greatness—and His grace. The prophet reminded the audience of God's sovereignty—His rule over all creation, including all of humanity. The contrast of words like “throne” versus “footstool” pointed the audience to the fact that no building (or any church building per se) could house Him totally (66:1).
The second major idea is that even though God’s majesty cannot be contained by temples or human-made structures, He somehow chooses to look beyond his own majesty—to journey with the humble and the contrite in spirit and those who tremble at His Word (66:2).
This is the heart of the Gospel: God doesn’t seek out the proud or self-sufficient, like a physician who tend to the sick (not the healthy nor those not in need). God doesn’t delight in empty religious performance (66:3–4).
Instead, He draws near to those who know they need Him—those broken by sin, bowed in repentance, and softened by His Spirit. Isaiah’s message points forward to Jesus, who embodied this humility and offered Himself as the perfect sacrifice—not in a man-made temple, but on a cross.
🐾 For the believer, Isaiah 66 is both a warning and an invitation. It's a warning against hypocrisy and prideful religion (66:3), and an invitation into the kind of worship that pleases God—sincere, humble, and full of reverent awe.
Isaiah closes with a vision of the glorious end times. God promises to gather people from all nations (v. 18–21), foreshadowing the Great Commission and the Church. The Gospel goes out, and God draws the humble to Himself from every tribe and tongue.
💡Reflection Questions:
(1) Do I approach God with humility and reverence? Am I living in humility before God, or just going through the motions?
(2) Do I tremble at God’s Word—trusting it, honoring it, submitting to it? Or do I select only what is convenient but discard the rest?
(3) How can I be part of God’s mission to gather the nations to Himself?
🙏 Prayer: “Lord, You are high and lifted up, yet You dwell with the lowly. Make my heart contrite, my spirit humble, and my ears attentive to Your Word. Let me worship You not just in song or tradition, but in truth and obedience. Use me to reflect Your glory to the nations. In Jesus’ name, Amen.”
QT 09/05/2025 星期五. 以赛亚书 66 福音的核心与末世
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/isa/66
以赛亚书 66:1-2 灵里谦卑的人
[1] 耶和华这样说：“天是我的宝座，地是我的脚凳；你们要在哪里为我建造殿宇呢？怎样的地方才是我安息的所在呢？” 2 耶和华说：“这一切都是我亲手所造的，所以它们就有了。以下这种人是我要垂顾的，就是谦卑、心灵伤痛、因我的话而战兢的人。
以赛亚书第 66 章以一幅令人惊叹的图画结束了以赛亚书，描绘了上帝的伟大和恩典。先知提醒听众上帝的主权—祂对包括全人类在内的所有受造物的统治。“宝座” 和 “脚凳” 等词语的对比向听众指出了这样一个事实：没有任何建筑（或任何教会建筑本身）能完全容纳神（66:1）。
第二个主要观点是，尽管神的威严无法被寺庙或人造建筑所容纳，但祂选择以某种方式放下自己的威严—与谦卑、灵里痛悔的人和因祂的话语而战兢的人同行（66：2）。
这就是福音的核心：上帝不寻找骄傲或自给自足的人，就像医生对有病痛的人的功能一样（不是健康的人需要他，没有需要的人也不需要他）！上帝不喜欢空洞的宗教表演（66:3-4）。
相反，祂靠近那些知道自己需要祂的人--那些因罪而破碎、因悔改而低头、因祂的灵而软化的人。以赛亚的信息指向耶稣，祂体现了这种谦卑，并将自己作为完美的祭品献上--不是在人造的圣殿里，而是在十字架上。
🐾 对于信徒来说，以赛亚书第 66 章既是警告也是邀请。它是对虚伪和骄傲的宗教的警告（66:3），也是对上帝所喜悦的敬拜的邀请--真诚、谦卑、充满敬畏。以赛亚书以对荣耀末世的展望结束。上帝应许从万国招聚子民（第 18-21 节），预示着大使命和教会。福音传出去，上帝从各族各民中吸引谦卑的人归向祂。
💡思考题
(1) 我是否带着谦卑和敬畏接近神？我是谦卑地活在神面前，还是只是走走过场？
(2) 我是否对神的话语战兢--信任它、尊重它、顺服它？还是我只选择了方便的部分，却丢弃了其他的？
(3) 我怎样才能参与神使万民归向祂的使命？
🙏 祷告：“主啊，你高高在上，却与卑微的人同住。求你使我的心悔改，使我的灵谦卑，使我的耳留心听你的话语。让我不只是用歌声或传统敬拜你，而是用真理和顺服敬拜你。用我向万民彰显您的荣耀。奉主耶稣的名，阿门。
