Day 28 March 28


Day 28 March 28

Passage: Isaiah 49:7-13
The servant was described here as “the one who is despised and rejected by nations”, and surely the painful experience was beyond words. Yet the Lord said there would be a surprise twist, and one day he will no longer be so lowly and despised; Kings will see him and rise in respect. The crucial point is God is faithful, and it is He who will lift up His lowly servant to become a respectable ambassador to the Kings, and be duly received and respected. This is reflected in 49:5, where the vindication came from God, and as such His servant was duly honoured.

“At the time I decide to show my favour, I will respond to you; in the day of deliverance I will help you”, is a response by the Lord to this frustrated servant who saw no achievement in his endeavours. When the Lord said “I will protect you and make you a covenant mediator for people,” He was saying that He would bless the people through His servant. “Plans to rebuild the land and to reassign the desolate property,” would make a lot of sense to the sojourners in Babylon. They were born and raised in Babylon, and were totally unfamiliar with the land where their grandparents came from. But now God was going to reassign land back there to them as property, and it would be the servant who was commissioned to carry out this task.

Well, if there were reassignment of land, of course you have to make your way back! On one hand, there was this announcement to the sojourners in Babylon: You are free to depart from Babylon, so pack up and go back to your ancestors’ land! On the other hand, the good news was also proclaimed to those who were sitting in the dark, imprisoned in sin, it was time to come out, and no longer be fearful of being seen!

The restoration of God would take place, even though the journey with women, elderly and infants back then was not so free and easy like it is today. Certainly the inconveniences will make people think twice about whether or not to make the trip. But God said all the mountains were His, and He would make a way for them, and would provide for them and guide them, so that they would not be thirsty and hungry.

So all the people, and all that is being created by God shall come and witness the Lord’s restoration, and shout for joy! For the Lord consoles His people and shows compassion to the oppressed!

Prayer: Dear God, your vindication is totally amazing! And it is also amazing to see you open a way in the mountains. O sky, shout for joy!

第二十八天 Mar 28

经文:以赛亚书 49:7-13
那被人所藐视、列国所憎恶,是这仆人的切肤之痛,然而耶和华对他说,将有一个意想不到的转机,就是仆人不会永远落魄、卑微、被藐视,终究,君王看到他要站起来迎接他,一切的转变完全是因为耶和华是信实的,祂使到卑微的仆人在列国面前成为尊贵的使者,得到接待与重视。这是耶和华为仆人平反,正如49:5所言:得尊荣。

当耶和华说在我决定施恩的时候,我必回应你;在拯救的日子,我必帮助你NET翻译),这话是对仆人说自己徒劳无功的回应。我必保护你,使你作众民的立约中保。当耶和华指定仆人作众民的立约中保的时候,意味着祂要透过仆人来祝福众民。复兴全地,分派荒凉的地为产业,这话对于寄居在巴比伦的百姓更是莫大的鼓励,他们已经是出生在巴比伦的新一代了,对于祖父母的原居地感到陌生,但是上帝却要把老家的地给他们做产业,而且是委派仆人来做这个分派。
既然要分地,人当然就要回去,一方面是向寄居巴比伦的民众宣告:他们自由了!离开巴比伦,回老家去吧!另一方面是向那些在黑暗里、在罪中的人报好消息,他们可以出来露脸了,不必怕人看见了!
耶和华的复兴将实现,虽然妇孺老少同行会困难重重,各样阻力会让人却步,但是耶和华说众山都是祂的,祂要为他们开路,必要供应引导他们一路所需,使他们不饥不渴。

因着耶和华这一切的作为,来自各国的人,与上帝的被造界都当来见证、都来欢呼吧!因为耶和华是安慰祂百姓、怜悯困苦子民的上帝!49:12-13

祷告:耶和华,祢带来的平反真是奇妙。祢在众山开道路,也是奇妙无比。诸天啊,应当欢呼

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