QT 20/02/2025 Thu. Isaiah 9. Salvation for Israel and the nations prophesied. 预言以色列和列国的救赎.
QT 20/02/2025 Thu. Isaiah 9. Salvation for Israel and the nations prophesied.
READ http://www.esvbible.org/isaiah9
Isaiah 9:1 But there will be no gloom for her who was in anguish. In the former time he brought into contempt the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the latter time he has made glorious the way of the sea, the land beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the nations. (ESV)
We saw in the previous chapter the consequence of their rebellion—distress, darkness, gloom of anguish and thick darkness (8:22), But this gloom is NOT the end of the history of God's people. Rather, through this gloom, God can demonstrate to those who live in the land His goodness once again. The land of Zebulun and Naphtali, along with all land bestowed upon Israel, were not merely for their sake, their sole enjoyment or as badges to announce God's favour on them.
REFLECTION: It is not a surprise that God can bless His people with many things, including possessions of various kinds. But the surprise is that God's people receive these possessions with an attitude of entitlement and a selfish attitude of sole consumption only. Don't you agree?
Isaiah 9:2–3
[2] The people who walked in darkness
have seen a great light;
those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness,
on them has light shone.
[3] You have multiplied the nation;
you have increased its joy;
they rejoice before you
as with joy at the harvest,
as they are glad when they divide the spoil. (ESV)
We see that during the time of Isaiah and even today too, the human effort to bring about a brighter tomorrow frequently failed. There is no spell sufficient to force God to rain down blessings of every kind that we seek. If there was to be a brighter tomorrow filled with light, joy and harvest, this could only have come about by God' grace. This He would do by sending someone, not something.
While Isaiah 8 spoke of the child of Isaiah's that would be a sign of God's intervention against the threat of the two-nation alliance, Isaiah 9:6–7 pointed to another child that surpassed that of Isaiah's in all areas.
Isaiah 9:6–7
[6] For to us a child is born,
to us a son is given;
and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
[7] Of the increase of his government and of peace
there will be no end,
on the throne of David and over his kingdom,
to establish it and to uphold it
with justice and with righteousness
from this time forth and forevermore.
The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. (ESV)
The LORD was indeed zealous to make sure that this came to pass—and He did in the person and ministry of Jesus Christ. Jesus' credentials and power would enable Him to execute the required justice and righteous deeds and judgments that would be in line with the character of God. The consequence of rejecting this person who would sit on the throne of David is serious (9:13–21). All of Israel during Isaiah's time had rebelled against God (8:14). Whoever that is left after the LORD's punishment would now contribute to God's plans to redeem and restore the nations.
REFLECTION: Would you be willing to commit to participate in this plan of being a light to the nations? Would you all be a modern "Galilee of the nations" where all can come to know and find the nourishment and peace, just as the physical Sea of Galilee had provided for the lands of Naphtali and Zebulun west of the Sea of Galilee?
QT 20/02/2025 星期四. 以赛亚书 9. 预言以色列和列国的救赎
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/isa/9
以赛亚书 9:1 但那受过困苦的，必不再见幽暗。以前 神使西布伦和拿弗他利地被轻视，日后却要使它们在沿海之路、约旦河外和外族人的加利利，得着荣耀。（本节在《马索拉抄本》为8:23）
我们在上一章中看到了他们悖逆的后果--压力、黑暗、痛苦的阴郁和浓重的黑暗（8:22），但这种阴郁并不是上帝子民历史的终结。相反，通过这种阴郁，上帝可以再次向生活在这块土地上的人们展示祂的良善。西布伦和拿弗他利的土地，以及所有赐给以色列人的土地，并不仅仅是为了他们的缘故，也不仅仅是为了让他们独享，或作为徽章来宣告神对他们的恩惠。
反思：神能赐福给祂的子民许多东西，包括各种财产，这并不奇怪。但令人吃惊的是，上帝的子民在接受这些财产时，却抱着一种理所当然的态度，一种只顾自己消费的自私态度。你同意这一点吗？
以赛亚书 9:2-3 行在黑暗中的人民，看见了大光；住在死荫之地的人，有光照耀他们。（本节在《马索拉抄本》为9:1） 3 你使这国之民增多，又加添他们的欢乐；他们在你面前欢乐，好像收割时的欢乐一样；又像人在均分战利品时的快乐一般。
我们看到，在以赛亚的时代，甚至在今天，人类为创造美好明天所做的努力经常失败。没有任何咒语足以迫使上帝降下我们所寻求的各种祝福。如果要有一个充满光明、喜乐和丰收的美好明天，这只能靠上帝的恩典。祂会通过派人而不是派物来实现这一点。
《以赛亚书》第 8 章提到以赛亚的孩子将成为上帝干预两国联盟威胁的标志，然而《以赛亚书》第 9 章第 6-7 节指出了另一个婴儿，他在各方面都超越了以赛亚的孩子。
以赛亚书 9:6–7 因为有一个婴孩为我们而生，有一个儿子赐给我们；政权必担在他的肩头上；他的名必称为“奇妙的策士、全能的 神、永恒的父、和平的君”。7 他的政权与平安必无穷无尽地增加，他在大卫的宝座上治理他的国，以公平和公义使国坚立稳固，从现在直到永远。万军之耶和华的热心必成全这事。
耶和华确实热衷于确保这一点的实现--祂以耶稣基督降生和事工实现了这一点。耶稣的资格和能力将使他能够执行所需的公义和正义的行为和审判，这将符合上帝的品格。拒绝这位坐在大卫宝座上的人的后果是严重的（9：13-21）。在以赛亚的时代，所有的以色列人都悖逆了神（8：14）。在耶和华的惩罚之后，无论剩下的是谁，现在都将为上帝救赎和恢复万国的计划做出贡献。
反思：你是否愿意承诺参与这一计划，成为万国的光？你们是否愿意成为现代的 “万国的加利利”，让所有人都能认识并找到滋养与平安，就如现实中的加利利海为加利利海以西的拿弗他利和西布伦两块土所提供的富饶资源那样？
