Day 29 March 30

Day 29 March 30

Passage：Isaiah 49:14-23

The text begins with a monologue of the city Zion (verse 14); the rest of the section comprises the LORD’s response to the people.

There are several biblical passages in the Old Testament where God spoke to the people as a mother. Verse 15 portrays a moving picture concerning the tender mercies of the Covenantal God. A mother can never forget the child whom she had nursed. From the time of their birth, babies will need to feed on their mother’s milk. During the stage of breast-feeding, an intimate bond will naturally develop between the mother and the infant.

Could a mother ever become heartless, even to abandon and forget a child whom she has been nursing? The LORD employed the imagery of an affectionate mother towards her nursing child to illustrate the tender aspect of His covenantal-love towards His people Israel.

Even if there are exceptions, where a mother, for some reason, forgets her child, the LORD solemnly declared that He will never ever forget His own. Such is the depth of His love towards Israel.

“Behold, I have engraved you on the palms of my hands; your walls are ever before me.” Perhaps the LORD had engraved an image of the city’s ruined wall on His palm. Whenever he looks at His palm, the LORD remembers the people. In this manner, He can never forget Jerusalem.

“The eyes of the LORD are on the righteous and His ears are attentive to their cry.” “The LORD is near to those with broken hearts; He saves those whose spirit is crushed.” (Psalm 34:15, 18)

Verses 28-23 describe the day when the exiles return to their homeland. The city shall overflow with joy, and its people be adorned as a bride in her fullest radiance. Life shall replace death; jubilation, in place of mourning, and those desolated towns will become vibrant again.

Verse 23 says, “Kings will be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers” Those words astonished the Israelites because the neighboring kingdoms had been creating nothing but troubles for them. They were the fiends who had invaded their homeland. However, due to God’s sovereign intervention, those kingdoms shall undertake the task of bringing up the children of Israel. Only the LORD is capable of declaring such wonders and making them happen eventually.

Prayer: O, LORD God, what you do in human history is clothed with wonders. You cause those who are filled with despair to lift up their heads with hope once again.

第二十九天 Mar 30

经文：以赛亚书 49:14-23

这一篇的开始像是锡安自言自语，但后来的部分都是耶和华的回复。在旧约中有几处的经文，上帝自喻为母亲，这里便显示了上帝慈爱的一面，十分的动人（参49:15）。一个母亲是不会停止想念她的孩子的。因为从生理上，婴孩是要吮吸母亲的奶，吮吸的行为使得母亲与孩子之间建立了很深的连接。一个母亲怎能把一个还在吃奶的孩子抛在脑后，忘记他，不爱护他，怜恤他呢 ？  耶和华用母亲的这种深深的怜爱孩子，绝不会忘记仍在哺乳中的孩子来形容祂自己对以色列民的怜爱至深。就算有例外的母亲，因着某些原因，或许把孩子给忘记了，但耶和华许诺说，祂也不会忘记，以此来表达对以色列永不忘记的深爱。

“看啊，我将你铭刻在我掌上；你的墙垣在我眼前。”或许耶和华雕刻了一张荒凉的墙垣图在祂的手掌上，每一次的看着手掌都是一个提醒。耶和华无法把耶路撒冷忘记。耶和华的眼目看顾义人；祂的耳朵听他们的呼求。耶和华靠近伤心的人，从苦难中将他们拯救出来，耶和华听他们的祷告。（参诗篇34：5-18；65；2）18-23节展现出一个子民归回，充满欢欣喜悦的城市。城里的人们就像是新妇的服饰，将以生命代替死亡，以喜乐代替哀哭，以生机勃勃代替凄凉。

23节说列王和王后必做他们的养父和乳母。这样的话必然使以色列人惊讶，因为列国经常是给他们制造麻烦的敌人，甚至是占领他们土地的敌人，但因为上帝主权的缘故，竟然要让列国来带大以色列的后裔。这样的事，只有耶和华能说，也唯有耶和华能做到。

祷告：主耶和华啊，祢在历史中行事奇妙，叫绝望的因祢的话而抬起头来。