Day 32 April 02
Day 32 April 02
Passage：Isaiah 51:1-8
It is hard to imagine that Jerusalem could be restored after
being destroyed for decades. Isaiah painted a rosy picture of the restoration
which would have been impossible given the situation then. However, God's
people pursued holiness and sought the Lord (verse 1). If they knew what was
right and were aware of God's law (verse 7), nothing would have been
impossible. Isaiah reminded the Israelites that their existence from the line
of Abraham and Sarah was a miracle in itself, given that both Abraham and Sarah
were well beyond the conceiving age. To use Abraham and Sarah to multiply and
create a nation is equivalent to digging people from the quarry and chiseling
them from rock (verse 1). Jerusalem's situation in the time of the book was
equivalent to the childless old woman, seen as hopeless, ashamed and helpless.
Hence, when one thinks of the days where God helped Sarah, he would find hope
in Jerusalem's restoration.
God's people are not just required to look back at history
but also to look forward. Time is in God's control. Their world will eventually
dissipate, wear out and die (verse 6), but the God that they rely on is
eternal. Hence, they can believe confidently in God's visions of creation.
Furthermore, at this time, God has something new in store.
The problems they were facing should be cast aside like worn
out clothes, and they should wait for God’s promised salvation. The new
Jerusalem will last forever and will exceed all current expectations. It is not
just the Israelites who will receive glory, but also the "nations"
and the "coastlands" (verse 5), which implies that this new kingdom
is for all. People who are discouraged should keep this in their sight.
Prayer: Father, your grace permeates
through all generations, your righteousness is eternal.
第三十二天April
02
若要想象耶路撒冷的复兴，毁灭过后荒废了几十年的城市（参51:3），的确是难以想象。先知的言语所描述的复兴的情景又是如此地遥不可及。但是，倘若耶和华的百姓、耶和华的国民，真是“追求神性、寻求耶和华”（51:1）;
倘若他们真是“知道何为正，将律法存在心中的民”（51:7），那就没有不可能。因为先知提醒他们，神在他们祖宗亚伯拉罕和生下他们的撒拉的生命中所行的事，就是从不可能中来创造可能。由于亚伯拉罕和撒拉都是超龄人士，以他们来建立一个大国，就有如从把这群子民从磐石凿出来，从岩穴被挖而出一样（参51:1）。此刻的耶路撒冷也许就象一个古时候没有子嗣的老妇人，被视为绝望、羞愧、无依无靠。但每当回忆起耶和华当年的作为时，就重新燃起耶路撒冷复兴的希望。
不单是回忆过去，耶和华的子民更要放眼未来。因为时空掌握在耶和华的创造能力之中。他们眼中的天地都会老去、朽坏、死亡，而他们所依靠的神却永远长存。所以，他们绝对可以相信从神而来创新的景象。而此刻，耶和华正要作出崭新的事。所以，眼前的困难就应该抛开，有如早已破旧的衣裳，而期待神所应许要赐下的救恩（参51:6）。这新耶路撒冷绝对是超越他们现在的认知，并且化腐朽为永恒。不但是以色列人要因此而得荣耀，甚至是“万国”，甚至是“众海岸”（51:5 NET翻译），也就是说这新的国度将是普世的。凡灰心丧胆的人，都应当以此为异象。
祷告：上主啊，祢的救恩直到万代，祢的公义永存。
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