Day 25 March 25


Day 25 March 25

Passage: Isaiah 48:1-11
This entire passage is a speech from the Lord, addressing the family of Jacob, Israel, and the descendants of Judah.

From the perspective of God, they were the people of God, who took oaths in the name of the Lord, but did not act in the honest and just manner of the Lord (cf 48:1). In other words they did not live in the way of the Lord. Though they proclaimed themselves as residents of the Holy city, and so-called trusted in the Lord, but their practices were contrary. The irony was that the Lord knew how stubborn they were, their neck muscles were like iron, and their foreheads were like bronze. Such descriptions reflected their rebellious nature, even when the Lord said He announced it to them beforehand.
Common sense would lead one to avoid such stubborn people, yet the Lord predicted their stubbornness and went ahead with His plan to elect them as His Holy people. Despite their rebellion and deceitful behaviour, He stuck to them, for the Lord is Holy, He is different from other idols. Though they broke His heart, He wanted to refine them (cf 48:10). For the sake of His name He would not give up, nor allow His name to be defiled, for He is the Lord who would only tell the truth (cf 48:6).

In chapter 1 God called the heavens and earth to be His witness. He lamented that even an ox recognised its owner, a donkey recognised where its owner put its food, but Israel doesn’t recognise Him (cf 1:2-3). For the sake of His reputation, God chose to hold back His anger. He has chosen Israel, and shall continue with His work for the sake of His name, and surely He will not share His glory with anyone else!

Looking back at the time of exodus, God had proclaimed that he would gain glory through the stubborn King of Egypt and his army, so that the Egyptians will know that He is the Lord. And this time the Lord would gain glory through the Babylonians and Chaldeans. He would certainly not share His glory with anyone else. God proclaimed that He is the Lord, and entirely different from the idols!

Prayer: Dear God, there is none like you, who would hold back your anger and work out your plan in your people.

第二十五天 Mar 25

经文：以赛亚书 48:1-11
这经文完全是耶和华说的话，雅各家、以色列家、犹大后裔都应当聆听!
从上帝的角度看，他们身为耶和华的子民，虽指着耶和华名字起誓， 却没有按着耶和华所宣称的诚实、真理、公义行事（参48：1），换句话说他们没有按着耶和华的心意行事。他们虽自称为圣城的人，依靠耶和华上帝，但在实际的生活中所做的却与之相违背。而极为讽刺的是耶和华素来知道他们极为顽梗——颈项是铁的，额是铜的—这种表述表明以色列的悖逆，耶和华却从古时就知道，事先就说明了。

以常人的想法，早知是如此顽梗，就不要选这样的人，但耶和华上帝却是明知如此， 还拣选以色列为圣民，他们悖逆与诡诈，他还是没有弃他们而去，因为耶和华与其他被崇拜的偶像有别，纵使祂心痛无比，祂愿意磨练他们（参48:10）。祂为了自己的名号决不放弃，更不愿祂的名号被亵渎，因为祂是耶和华，而且祂说的是真话!（参6节） 从1章神呼唤天和地来做证人，耶和华感叹牛都认得主人，驴认得主人的槽，祂的子民却不认识祂（参1:2-3）；但耶和华会暂且忍下怒火，是为了祂名号的缘故，祂拣选以色列，会为自己的名号继续做祂所要成就的事，祂的荣耀必定不会归给假神!

回想当年出埃及时，耶和华曾说：祂要在顽梗的法老和埃及军队中得荣耀，使埃及人知道祂是耶和华，这次耶和华将从巴比伦、迦勒底人中得荣耀，祂不愿祂的荣耀归给假神!耶和华再次宣告：祂是耶和华，是与假神不一样!

祷告：耶和华祢竟然为祢的名号而忍下怒火，继续要完成在祢百姓身上的工作，没有别的神像祢那样! 

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