Day 20 March 19



Day 20 March 19

Passage: Isaiah 45: 1-8
God used Cyrus, a Persian King, to fulfill His will in judging Babylon and redeeming the Jews. He used one superpower to eliminate another superpower. In the eyes of human history, that was the result of a fierce fight for regional supremacy. But God revealed to us that He was the one behind Cyrus and He was the one causing all these to happen when twice He said "though you have not acknowledged me” (verses 4-5). Cyrus might be thinking that he was creating his own kingdom, but he was merely an instrument that God used to fulfill His plan. Cyrus’ success and victory were actually God’s doing. God declared: He was the one and only God.

In the eyes of the people at that time, every nation had its own gods. The assumption would be that the exiled Jewish people then belonged to a nation with a god that failed. But God turned that view upside down with His marvelous doing, whether kicking up a storm or calming it. The notion of the one and only God is not about finding out how many gods were there, but recognizing the true God who reigns and is in total control. It was for the Jews to acknowledge that and worship God as the one true God. People of all nations would also recognize the God of the “Great I am” through His salvation and history changing ways.

Of course, recognizing God’s sovereignty may inevitably attribute all things good and bad to Him. "I form the light, and create darkness, I bring prosperity and create disaster; I, the Lord, do all these things." (verse 7) This does not mean God would do evil things but affirms the fact that God is in all things, good or bad. Even bad things such as a disaster can be used according to God's will. The rise and fall of nations cannot escape His mind. So let us be grateful to God Almighty for “You heavens above, rain down righteousness; let the clouds shower it down. Let the earth open wide, let salvation spring up, let righteousness grow with it.” (verse 8)

Prayer: God, help us to realize in all things you are the God Great I Am in history.

第二十天 Mar 19


经文：以赛亚书 45:1-8
神审判巴比伦和救赎犹太人的方式，竟然是让一位波斯君王--古列(Cyrus)，来完成自己的旨意。祂利用一个超级强国来打击、消灭另一个超级强国。从历史的角度来看，这是一场龙争虎斗的结果。但按神的启示，古列背后的神，才是促使这一切事情发生的主角。经文两次提到“你虽不认识我”（4，5节）。古列也许以为是自己开创了霸业。但神却藉着他成全神自己的心意。古列的成功和胜利其实都是神的作为。神就是要表达：祂是唯我独尊的神。

在当时世人的眼中，每个民族有各自的神明。犹太人的神，这个灭国民族的神，是一个失败的神明。但神以其呼风唤雨的作为，彻底颠覆这样的想法。祂显明了操控一切的只有耶和华，而非在诸多神明中你争我夺，借此掌握主权。
独一真神的意义，所表达的是：到底谁在掌权？所以重点不是神明的多寡，而是谁能够说了就成事。犹太人或许从历史的教训中认清这点，把耶和华尊为那独一真神；而且世人也从耶和华救赎的作为，祂改变历史的种种，认清耶和华是一位唯我独尊的神。

当然，承认掌控权在于神，也难免同时把一切好坏也都归咎于神。“我造光，又造暗；我施平安，又降灾祸。成就这一切的是我耶和华。”（7节）但这不是说耶和华也行恶。这里是要肯定一个事实: 这位唯我独尊的神，在一切的事中都仍旧掌权，不论好坏。甚至坏的事如灾祸，都能按神的心意为祂所用。列国的兴衰都逃不过祂的心意。所以我们要为这位唯我独尊的神感恩。祂的心意是“让穹苍降下拯救!让地面吸取而产出救恩，又使公义一同生发。”（NET翻译，8节）

祷告：上帝，愿祢帮助我们看清楚在一切之中唯有祢是历史的主。 

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