Day 27 March 27


Day 27 March 27

Passage：Isaiah 49:1-6
God spoke to Israelites while they were sojourners in Babylon, and this “servant” appeared on the stage of history.

We found this person speaking on coastlands and to people who live far away (they could be Gentiles, or Jews in diaspora), and we would soon find out more about his identity.

He claimed that the Lord summoned him from birth, and commissioned him. In the past, the Lord spoke and His words brought forth heavens and earth, but over here, the Lord was going to use this servant’s mouth, words and voice to speak for Him. The servant said his mouth was like a “sharp sword”, “sharpened arrow”, in the hands of the Lord. In other words, God’s word was now delivered by this chosen person. We are reminded of the times when he was hidden by God in the hollow of His hand, or in His quiver (cf 49:2).

We may expect this “sharp sword” or “sharpened arrow” to be an effective tool of the Lord at all times. However his experience made him conclude that his effort was in vain (cf 49:4), “I have expended my energy for absolutely nothing”. Yet he said the Lord who called him would “vindicate” him and “reward” him.

Verse 5 spelt out that the commission of this servant was to restore Jacob to the Lord, and he regarded his task as honourable, and trusted that the Lord was his source of strength. God had planned to bring restoration to the tribes of Jacob, and to bring those remnants back to their homeland. God had even said, “Is it too insignificant a task for you?” In fact God had in mind for this servant to become a light to the nations, and to bring deliverance to the remote regions of the earth! And the readers by now shall discover that, God’s salvation is not just to re-establish the tribes of Jacob, but also to include nations and different ethnic groups of people into his big plan of restoration.

Prayer: Dear Lord, please help your servant. Whether to be used by you, or to be hidden by you, I am ready for your good use, and to submit to you.

第二十七天 Mar 27

经文：以赛亚书 49:1-6
以色列人在历史上寄居在巴比伦的时候上帝曾对他们说话；并且一个叫“仆人”的走上了舞台。

这一段说话的人，对众海岛、远方的民众说话（这些人可能是外邦人，也可能指散居各处的犹太人），他是谁？我们接下来就会了解他的身份。

他自称从出母胎就被神所拣选，被神所委任（参49:1，NET翻译）。过去神以自己的话来创造了天地，但在这里，上帝所要使用的是这位仆人的口、言语、声音，来代替上帝发言。仆人说他的口要如“利剑”、“磨快的箭”，被上帝所使用。换句话说，上帝的话如今透过这被拣选的人来传达。但有时他又被上帝藏起来，好像藏在手心，又好像被藏在箭袋里（参49:2）。

如果这个仆人被称做是“利剑”、“磨快的箭”，那么他应当是大有作为的，会“锋利无比”、会“百发百中” !但从他实际的经验来看，他所经历的是徒劳无功（参49:4），甚至他要向上帝说“我劳碌是徒然的”，然而他话锋一转，说那呼召他的上帝必“为他申冤”，必“赏赐他”。

第5节 对这位仆人的任命就是使雅各归向耶和华，他把对自己的这个委任看得极其尊贵，也相信耶和华上帝必然给他力量去完成任务。上帝的心意是要透过这位仆人让雅各众支派复兴，让没有死在战争或异邦的幸存者得到保全回归。上帝还进一步说：“这样的任务，岂是小事”  ？  实际上上帝还有更大的心愿，祂要这位仆人在万国中成为光，并且成为带来救恩的那一位!来到《以赛亚书》这一处，上帝的救恩不只是要复兴以色列/雅各家，祂还要把列国万民都包含在复兴的内容中。

祷告： 主啊，帮助我!无论是被祢使用，或者被祢藏起来，我都愿意让祢使用，顺服祢。 

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