QT 23/02/2025 Sun. Isaiah 10. The final tumour—oppression. 最后的肿瘤--压迫.
QT 23/02/2025 Sun. Isaiah 10. The final tumour—oppression.
READ http://www.esvbible.org/isaiah10
Isaiah has been addressing misplaced human trust and pride, and how humans displaced The LORD as the centre of worship. This deadly disease of human pride had been growing and growing. Humans knowingly or unknowingly feed nutrients to this growing cancer.
In the end, the final big tumour that arises from these embedded smaller tumours is oppression. The needy, the poor and the fatherless (10:1–2) suffered from the consequences of oppression, not only during Isaiah's time, but also today in many parts of the world.
Destructive "rivalry" has been masked under the guise of healthy competition in sports and games, when one person tries to outdo the other. "Killing" have been masked under the notion of warfare bravely fought or patriotism exhibited. But there is nothing for the disease of oppression to hide under: when a nation seeks to annihilate another, when a human seeks to smother another fellow, when fellow believers conscientiously and intentionally sought to destroy, shame and undermine, rather than buildup, bestow honour and empower the other.
Modern versions of this include bullying in schools or on social media. No benefits arise except the self-satisfaction of having “destroyed” or cancelled the other merely. Isaiah warned readers of the dire consequences of promoting oppression.
Isaiah 10:20–23 [20] In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no more lean on him who struck them, but will lean on the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth. [21] A remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. [22] For though your people Israel be as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them will return. Destruction is decreed, overflowing with righteousness. [23] For the Lord GOD of hosts will make a full end, as decreed, in the midst of all the earth. (ESV)
How should we excise the ugly tumour of oppression? How to prevent a relapse of this disease once and for all? The first thing is to remind ourselves that equal treatment before the law was based on the very character of God. It was because of the oppression of Pharaoh received by Jacob's descendants that The LORD sought to right the wrong. The book of Exodus narrated how The LORD used the oppressed people (Moses, his mother and sister) to counter oppression successfully (Exod. 23:6–9; Lev. 19:15; Deut. 10:17; 16:19; 24:17).
REFLECTION: For victims of oppression, wait for the LORD to do another rout of the oppressor. For the oppressor, check and abstain from all kinds of oppression, be it within spousal relationships, peers, or among fellow humans. The final tumour of oppression must be suppressed and excised.
QT 23/02/2025 星期日. 以赛亚书 10. 最后的肿瘤--压迫.
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/isa/10
以赛亚一直在讨论人类错误的信任和骄傲，以及人类如何取代耶和华成为敬拜的中心。人类骄傲这种致命的疾病一直在滋生蔓延。人类有意无意地为这种不断生长的癌症提供养分。
最后，从这些嵌入的小肿瘤中产生的最后一个大肿瘤就是压迫。需要帮助的人、穷人和无父无母的人（10:1-2）遭受着压迫的后果，不仅在以赛亚的时代如此，今天在世界许多地方也是如此。
当一个人试图超越另一个人时，破坏性的 “竞争 ”被掩盖在体育和游戏中健康竞争的幌子下。“杀戮”被掩盖在英勇作战或爱国主义的概念之下。但压迫病却无处可藏：当一个国家试图消灭另一个国家时，当一个人试图窒息另一个人时，当同胞们有意识地、蓄意地试图摧毁、羞辱和削弱，而不是建立、赋予荣誉和赋予他人权力时。
这种行为的现代版本包括在学校或社交媒体上的欺凌。除了 “摧毁 ”或取消对方的自我满足感之外，没有任何好处。以赛亚曾警告读者助长压迫的可怕后果。
以赛亚书 10:20-23 [20] 到那日，以色列的余民和雅各家逃脱的人，必不再倚靠那击打他们的，却要诚实地倚靠耶和华以色列的圣者。21 那些余民，就是雅各家的余民，必回转归向大能的 神。22 以色列啊！你的人民虽然像海沙那样多，却只有余剩的人可以归回，因为灭绝的事已经定了，公义必如洪水泛滥。23 主万军之耶和华必在全地之中，作成已定的毁灭之事。
我们应该如何切除压迫的丑陋毒瘤？如何一劳永逸地防止这种疾病复发？首先要提醒自己，法律面前人人平等是基于上帝的品格。正是因为雅各的后裔受到法老的压迫，耶和华才试图纠正错误。《出埃及记》叙述了耶和华如何利用受压迫的人（摩西、他的母亲和妹妹）成功地反击压迫（出埃及记 23：6-9；利未记 19：15；申命记 10：17；16：19；24：17）。
反思：对于压迫的受害者，等待耶和华再次击溃压迫者。对于压迫者来说，无论是在夫妻关系中、同辈中，还是在人与人之间，都要遏制和戒除各种压迫。压迫的最后肿瘤必须被抑制和切除。
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