QT 29/04/2025 Tue. Isaiah 58. Religious activities & divine pleasure. 宗教活动与神的喜悦。
QT 29/04/2025 Tue. Isaiah 58. Religious activities & divine pleasure.
READ http://www.esv.org/isaiah58
The vibes for the audience’s religious activity looked good—“seek me daily” (i.e. seek God daily, 58:2), “delight to know my ways” (58:2), ask God for righteous judgments (58:2), “fasted” (58:3) and “humbled” (58:3).
However, upon closer examination, their religious activities did not make the cut. Why was that so? This was because their religious activities, though many and vibrant, did not make a difference in human relationships.
REFLECTION: Which of the two comes to our minds first when we evaluate “religious activities”? (1) seeking the LORD’s pleasure or (2) seeking worshippers’ pleasure?
The LORD did not consider their worship and religious activities a pleasure to receive because (1) their main motivations were their own pleasure (53:3), (2) they continued to oppress their workers—fellow human beings (53:3), and (3) they quarrelled, fought and plotted wickedness and intrigues in their ways of dealing (53:4).
If worshippers were truly humble, they would receive God’s mercy and extend that mercy outwards—towards others. Eliminating wickedness and unraveling yokes of oppression were to categorise their relationships with fellow human beings (58:6).
The outward manifestation of true religion should impact the hungry, the homeless and those who are even properly clothed (58:7). In summary, the religious activities of fasting (58:1–6) and Sabbath keeping (58:13–14) must have at their CENTRE the true religion of 58:7–12. The prophet is not saying that formalities were to be done away with. True religion properly integrates (a) matters of the heart, (b) the activity itself and (3) their impact on the world beyond the temple or church building which housed these religious activities.
REFLECTION: Would our religious activities allow God’s grace to flow from among ourselves to others around them? Are we in a true relationship with God, and strongly committed to Him? There is no doubt that God would be faithful and fulfill His part. How about ourselves?
In a world that is materialistic and prevalent in self-interest, jostling for power, position and possession might have been unknowingly or cleverly hidden. But The LORD sees through all formalities into the human heart. Yet He still instituted forms and symbols of worship to assist the worshipper. While these mere formalities and activities themselves do not inherently give The LORD pleasure, they can help the worshipper reflect on the condition of their hearts—whether there is real worship, submission, faith and surrender to God.
REFLECTION: Isaiah 58 helps us to avoid the divine wrath and disgust of God, because He, unlike fellow humans, DO really know what’s there in the heart. Any further attempt to mask faked piety before Him would surely invite divine disgust rather than divine pleasure. Don’t you agree?
QT 29/04/2025 星期二. 以赛亚书 58 宗教活动与神的喜悦
阅读 http://m.bbintl.org/bible/ncv/isa/58
听众的宗教活动看起来不错--“天天寻求我”（即每日寻求上帝，58:2）、“乐意明白我的道路”（58:2）、求上帝施行公义的审判（58:2）、“禁食”（58:3）和 “刻苦己身”（58:3）。
然而，仔细一看，他们的宗教活动并没有达到合格的标准。为什么会这样呢？这是因为他们的宗教活动虽然很多，也很活跃，但并没有在人际关系上产生影响。
反思：当我们评价“宗教活动 ”时，我们首先想到的是哪一项？(1）寻求耶和华的喜悦，还是（2）寻求敬拜者的喜悦？
他们的敬拜和宗教活动没讨神的喜悦，因为（1）他们的主要动机是自己的快乐（53:3），（2）他们继续欺压他们的工人 --同胞（53:3），（3）他们争吵、争斗，在他们的交易方式中策划邪恶和阴谋（53:4）。
如果敬拜者真正谦卑，他们就会接受上帝的怜悯，并将这种怜悯延伸到他人身上。消除邪恶和解开压迫的枷锁是他们与他人关系的分类（58：6）。
真正宗教的本质和外在表现应该影响饥饿的人、无家可归的人、甚至衣食无着的人（58：7）。总之，禁食（58:1-6）和守安息日（58:13-14）的宗教活动必须以 58:7-12 中的真正宗教为中心。先知并不是说要摒弃形式的存在。真正的宗教正确地整合了（a）心灵的问题，（b）活动本身，以及（c）它们对圣殿或教会建筑以外的世界的影响。
反思：我们的宗教活动会让上帝的恩典从我们中间流向周围的人吗？我们是否与上帝建立了真正的关系，并坚定地委身于祂？毫无疑问，上帝会忠实地履行祂所承诺的盟约。那么我们自己呢？
在一个物欲横流、利己主义盛行的世界里，争权夺利、争夺地位、争夺财产的底线可能在不知不觉中或被巧妙地隐藏起来。但耶和华却能看穿一切形式，洞察人心。然而，祂仍然设立了敬拜的形式和象征来帮助敬拜者。虽然这些形式和活动本身并不能给耶和华带来喜悦，但它们却能帮助敬拜者反思自己的内心状况--是否对上帝有真正的敬拜、顺服、信心和降服。
反思：以赛亚书第 58 章帮助我们避免神的愤怒和厌恶，因为神与人类不同，祂真正知道人的内心。任何在祂面前伪装虔诚的企图都会招致神的厌恶，而不是神的喜悦。你们同意吗？
