QT 26/03/2025 Wed. Isaiah 33. Careful: the endings are vastly different. 小心：结局大相径庭。

QT 26/03/2025 Wed. Isaiah 33. Careful: the endings are vastly different.
READ http://www.esvbible.org/isaiah33

We have been dealing with Isaiah 28–33 which contrasts the difference in results of (1) trusting human resources and (2) trusting in God. Indeed, trusting human resources leads to a spiraling downwards into more injustice, blindness, corruption, and destruction. But trust in God spirals up to more of justice, clarity, integrity, and life, for both practitioners and those around him or her.

We give thanks to God because the evil doers, the destroyers would be neutralised:-

Isaiah 33:1 Ah, you destroyer, who yourself have not been destroyed, you traitor, whom none has betrayed! When you have ceased to destroy, you will be destroyed; and when you have finished betraying, they will betray you. (ESV)

APPLICATION: We wait patiently for God to act and in the process pray and hope in Him—Isaiah 33:2 "O LORD, be gracious to us; we wait for you. Be our arm every morning, our salvation in the time of trouble". (ESV)

The LORD would always be exalted and humans, though "heroes", would not be totally reliable (Isaiah 33:5–12). What should God-believing people do in the meanwhile?

Isaiah 33:15–16 He who walks righteously and speaks uprightly, who despises the gain of oppression, who shakes his hands, lest they hold a bribe, who stops his ears from hearing of bloodshed and shuts his eyes from looking on evil,
[16] he will dwell on the heights; his place of defense will be the fortresses of rocks; his bread will be given him; his water will be sure. (ESV)

Graphically, the prophets exhorted readers to shake their hands so that any attempted bribes would not adhere. The bribe distorts reality–be it ignoring the maintenance standards of equipment, or the veracity of financial accounts, or the merits of any candidate suitable for church or market ministry.

The prophet encouraged readers then and now to compare the differences in the two endings and make a wise decision today, so as to attain the more valuable destination that the LORD had in store for the faithful, the place of God's dwelling forever.

Isaiah 33:20–22 [20] Behold Zion, the city of our appointed feasts! Your eyes will see Jerusalem, an untroubled habitation, an immovable tent, whose stakes will never be plucked up, nor will any of its cords be broken. [21] But there the LORD in majesty will be for us a place of broad rivers and streams, where no galley with oars can go, nor majestic ship can pass. [22] For the LORD is our judge; the LORD is our lawgiver; the LORD is our king; he will save us. (ESV)

QT 26/03/2025 星期三 以赛亚书 33. 小心：结局大相径庭。
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/isa/33

我们在思想以赛亚书第 28-33 章，该章对比了（1）相信人力资源和（2）相信上帝的不同结果。事实上，相信人力资源会导致螺旋式下降，陷入更多的不公、盲目、腐败和毁灭。而对上帝的信任则会螺旋式上升，为实践者及其周围的人带来更多的公正、清晰、正直和生命。

我们感谢上帝，因为作恶者和破坏者将被消灭：-

以赛亚书 33:1 你这毁灭人，自己却不被毁灭的；你这行事诡诈，别人倒不以诡诈待你的，有祸了！你刚停止毁灭人的时候，自己就要被毁灭；你刚停止行诡诈的时候，别人就必以诡诈待你。

应用：我们耐心等待神的行动，并在这一过程中向祂祷告和盼望--《以赛亚书》33：2 "耶和华啊！求你施恩给我们；我们等候你。每天早晨，愿你作我们的膀臂，在遭难的时候，作我们的拯救。"

耶和华永远被高举，人类虽然是 “勇士”，但并不完全可靠（以赛亚书 33：5-12）。与此同时，信神的人应该做些什么呢？

以赛亚书 33：15-16  那行事公义，说话正直，拒绝不义的财利，摇手不受贿赂，塞耳不听血腥的事，闭眼不看邪恶的事的，16 这样的人必居住在高处，他的保障必在坚固的磐石上，他的粮食必有供应，他的水源永不断绝。

先知们绘声绘色地劝诫读者们用力地摇动自己的手甩掉任何可能握住的东西，以免任何贿赂企图得逞。贿赂扭曲了现实--无论是无视设备的维护标准，还是无视财务账目的真实性，抑或是无视任何适合教会或市场事工的候选人的优点。

先知鼓励当时和现在的读者比较这两种结局的不同，并在今天做出明智的决定，以便到达耶和华为忠心者预备的更有价值的目的地，即上帝永远居住的地方。

以赛亚书 33:20-22 [20] 看哪，锡安，我们所定节期的城！你们的眼目必看见耶路撒冷，那安稳的居所，不动的帐棚，其桩永不拔起，其绳永不折断。[21] 但在那里，耶和华的威严要为我们成为江河溪流的地方，舟楫不能到那里去，大船也不能从那里通过。 [22] 因为耶和华是我们的审判者，耶和华是我们的律法制定者，耶和华是我们的王，他必拯救我们。(ESV）