Day 8 March 05


Day 8 March 05

Passage: Isaiah 41:8-20
Subsequently, God spoke to the people of Israel directly: “But you, Israel, my servant, Jacob, whom I have chosen, you descendants of Abraham my friend” (verse 8). Here, God clearly indicated who he was speaking to, through whom he wanted to accomplish his works, and what he wanted to achieve.
God indicated explicitly: the Israelites were the chosen people through whom God’s power and glory would be demonstrated! The people of Israel were once disciplined and punished by God. They were also chosen by God, as servants and the descendants of God’s friend. They were the people God would be with, the ones whom God wanted to help and strengthen.

“So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand ”(verse 10). God wanted to change the situation for the people of Israel, to save them from contempt and oppression. God would bless those in hardship and poverty, God would help them and be with them.
“All who rage against you will surely be ashamed and disgraced” (verse 11). “But you will rejoice in the Lord and glory in the Holy One of Israel”, “The poor and needy … But I the Lord will answer them; I, the God of Israel, will not forsake them” (verses 16-17). The people of Israel were previously forsaken and punished by God, but they once again became people who were shown grace by God. They would rejoice in the Lord and glory in the Lord. Herein the Lord declared to his people that He would achieve this by His own hands. The Lord would make it happen through His power as the Creator. The people described in these verses were very different from those in the previous section. Here, when God acted, the Israelites were not frightened or confused, nor did they depend on idols that could not even save themselves. Instead, the Lord was determined to accomplish things for the Israelites so that they might see, know, contemplate and understand this was created by the Lord, the Holy One of Israel.

Prayer: Thanks be to God, for not abandoning Your people. You want them to see, to know, to contemplate and to understand your works! 
第八天 Mar 05

经文：以赛亚书 41:8-20
耶和华神接着直接向以色列民百姓说话!“你，以色列我的仆人，我所拣选的雅各，我朋友亚伯拉罕的后裔”（8节）这里神清楚地说明谁是神说话的对象？神要在谁身上施展作为？神要成就的事是什么？   

神很清楚地指出：以色列民是神能力及荣耀彰显之处!以色列民虽是曾经受神管教及惩治的百姓，他们也是被神拣选的，是神的仆人，是神的朋友之后裔，是神要与之同在的、是神要帮助及坚固的对象。

“你不要害怕，因为我与你同在!不要惊惶，因为我是你的 神!我必坚固你──我必帮助你──我必用我拯救的右手扶持你!”（10节）神要改变以色列民的处境，不再受轻视、被欺压。神必眷顾困苦贫乏向神祈求的百姓，神必帮助他们、也不离开他们。

“看!凡向你发怒的必都抱愧蒙羞”（11节）“你必以耶和华为喜乐，必以以色列的全能君为夸耀。困苦穷乏人。。。我耶和华必回应他们的祷告；我以色列的 神必不离弃他们。“（16，17节）以色列民从被神离弃、惩罚，到重新成为神要再施恩的对象。以色列民要再以神为乐，以神为荣耀。神在这里向百姓宣告说：神要亲自做成这样的事!神将会以祂作为创造主那样的权能使事情发生。与上一段经文里的人不同，神彰显作为时，以色列民不会只是处在害怕和不知何故的景况中，以色列民也不会只有无力自保的偶像可依靠。相反的，神决意在以色列民身上成事以便让他们看见、知道、思想，明白这是耶和华以色列的圣者所造的!

祷告：感谢上帝，祢不离弃祢的百姓。祢要祢的百姓看见、知道、思想，明白祢的作为!

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