QT 15/04/2025 Tue. Isaiah 47. The “Babylons” would be humiliated. 巴比伦人将受到羞辱。
QT 15/04/2025 Tue. Isaiah 47. The “Babylons” would be humiliated.
READ http://www.esvbible.org/isaiah47
Having dealt with the superiority of the LORD over the gods of Babylon, the prophet now deals with Babylon herself. When we think of this ancient city of Babylon, we recall the empire as grand and beautiful in many aspects (her military, architecture, administration), yet she was arrogant and over-confident. These traits of arrogance or over-confidence frequently spilled over to relationships with others, even today.
Isaiah 47:8 Now therefore hear this, you lover of pleasures, who sit securely, who say in your heart,“I am, and there is no one besides me; I shall not sit as a widow or know the loss of children”: (ESV)
There is absolutely no one who can claim “I am” (the everlasting and self-sufficient one from eternity past to eternity future) except God. Whatever our accomplishments, we cannot be totally self-sufficient.
REFLECTION: One of the purpose of Quiet Time is prepare ourselves beforehand mentally and Scripturally, before that situation or context of the passage springs on us in a sudden or unexpected manner. When pretentious praise or accolades are heaped on humans out of nowhere, would we fall into the trap of thinking that we can rise and survive without The LORD?
Isaiah 47:4–6 [4] Our Redeemer—the LORD of hosts is his name—is the Holy One of Israel. [5] Sit in silence, and go into darkness, O daughter of the Chaldeans; for you shall no more be called the mistress of kingdoms. [6] I was angry with my people; I profaned my heritage; I gave them into your hand; you showed them no mercy; on the aged you made your yoke exceedingly heavy. (ESV)
We learn in this chapter both the great powers of The LORD and the punishment of the Chaldeans. His people are reminded that it was the long-lasting grace of God that supported them till today such that they can still move, breathe and work.
REMINDERS: The LORD sits supremely exalted. Whether in these recent tumultuous times or in calmer episodes of history, no nation (however powerful economically or politically) can stand against the LORD. How about ourselves?
QT 15/04/2025 星期二 以赛亚书 47. 巴比伦人将受到羞辱。
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/isa/47
在论述了耶和华优于巴比伦诸神之后，先知现在论述巴比伦本身。当我们想到巴比伦这座古城时，我们会想起这个帝国在许多方面（她的军事、建筑、管理）都是宏伟而美丽的，但她却傲慢而过度自信。这些傲慢或过度自信的特质经常会蔓延到与他人的关系中，即使在今天也是如此。
以赛亚书 47:8 因此，你这淫逸、安居的，现在要听这话。你曾心里说：‘只有我，除我以外再没有别的；我必不会寡居，也不会经历丧子的事。’
除了上帝，绝对没有人可以声称 “只有我”（从过去的永恒到未来的永恒，永恒而自足的人）。无论我们取得什么样的成就，我们都不可能完全自给自足。
反思：灵修的目的之一是在我们突然或意外地遇到这种情况或这段经文的背景之前，事先在思想上和圣经上做好准备。当自命不凡的赞美或荣誉突然堆砌在人类身上时，我们是否会落入陷阱，以为没有耶和华我们也能崛起和生存？
以赛亚书 47:4-6 [4] 我们的救赎主，他的名字是万军之耶和华、以色列的圣者，他说：5 “迦勒底的女子啊！你要静静坐下，进到黑暗中去，因为人不再称你为列国之后了。6 我曾对我的子民发怒，使我的产业被亵渎，我把他们交在你的手里，你却对他们毫无怜悯。你竟把你的轭，重重压在老年人的身上。
在本章中，我们了解到耶和华的大能和迦勒底人的惩罚。 耶和华提醒他的子民，是上帝长久的恩典支撑着他们，直到今天，他们仍然可以行动、呼吸和工作。
提醒：耶和华至高无上。无论是在最近的动荡时期，还是在平静的历史时期，没有任何一个国家（无论经济或政治多么强大）能够对抗耶和华。我们又如何？
