Day 3 Feb 28



Day 3 Feb 28

Passage: Isaiah 40: 9-11
The materials on Day 1 allowed us to focus our attention on God’s comfort, and reading today’s passage permits us to more clearly see the contents of God’s message of comfort to the people. The good news from God was targeted at the people of Jerusalem. The good news was that God would return to Jerusalem. Jerusalem would be where God would command and exercise judgment.

Jerusalem had been the focal point of the message of the book of Isaiah. Almost the entire book from the beginning to the end narrated the situation in Jerusalem and all it would have to encounter! From the day of its destruction, Jerusalem and God had an inseparable relationship. The acts which God would manifest from hereon, Jerusalem would definitely be a place which could not be ignored. From book of Isaiah, we saw that God spoke to Jerusalem. After all, what did God want to do in Jerusalem? We have to be careful and watchful, and also be mindful as to whether what we understand is accurate, and consistent with the scripture!

The good news which God wanted to proclaim was, God would return to Jerusalem to shepherd His people! Verse 11 utilized the image of a shepherd, in the Old Testament the image of a shepherd signified that God is King, and He leads His people. Here the shepherd is herding flocks of sheep, guiding the ewe. In other words, Israelites would once again benefit from God’s leadership and blessings from Jerusalem. This certainly would include the restoration of the relationship between the people and God, and also be close to God, and to walk with Him in their daily lives! The good news which God gave the people is this vision, an image of a shepherd herding sheep and ewe, this image would become the hope of those facing the destruction of their nation, and this would be how God wanted the people to tide over the difficult situation at hand. Worthy of note, God did not say how He would achieve His objective, God wanted to first convince the people as to why He could realize what had been promised. Rebuilding the faith which the people have in God would be the critical starting point for revival and renewal.

Prayer: Thank you, God, for allowing us to see that you would be coming to Jerusalem, to shepherd Your people. Your acts are what we fundamentally need.



第三天 Feb 28

经文:以赛亚书 40:9-11
第一天的材料,让我们把注意力放在神的安慰上,阅读今天的经文,让我们看到神要安慰百姓所宣告的内容越来越清晰!神的好消息是针对耶路撒冷的子民。好消息的内容是神要再临到耶路撒冷。耶路撒冷是神再次施行统领审判的地方。

耶路撒冷一直是《以赛亚》全书信息的关注点。全书从头到尾几乎都是在叙述耶路撒冷的情形及所要面对的遭遇!从它被毁的那一日开始,耶路撒冷与上帝有不可分割的关联。上帝从今以后所要显明的作为,耶路撒冷肯定是一个不能被忽略的地方。从《以赛亚书》,我们看到上帝对耶路撒冷/锡安说话。到底,耶和华要在耶路撒冷做什么? 我们得小心留意,并且也要留意,我们的理解是否正确,是否符合经文!

神要宣扬的好消息是:神要再临到耶路撒冷以牧养自己的百姓!11节用了牧羊人的形象,在旧约圣经牧羊人的形象表明了耶和华是君王,祂统领祂的百姓。在此是牧羊人聚集羊群,引领母羊的行为。换句话说,以色列人会再从耶路撒冷得到神的统领和眷顾。这当然包括百姓能与神恢复关系并在这里亲近神,在日常生活中与神同行!神给百姓的好消息就是这样的一幅愿景:牧羊人带领着羊羔与母羊的画面,这画面要成为那些面对国破家亡的百姓的希望,神要百姓以此渡过眼前的困境!值得注意的是,神没有说祂会怎样达到目的,神先是进一步要让百姓明白祂为什么能实现所应许的事。建立百姓对神重新信靠,是复兴与更新的必要起点!

祷告:感谢上帝,让我们看到祢要降临耶路撒冷,牧养祢的百姓。祢所做的,都是我们在根本上所需要的。

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Day 32 April 02

Day 22 March 21

Day 23 March 23