禍哉 WOE 《以賽亞書 Isaiah 5:8-24》

讀經 : 《以賽亞書》五章8-24節

SCRIPTURE READING:  Isaiah 5: 8 – 24

釋義:  雖然以賽亞名字意思是耶和華拯救, 但是書中充滿嚴厲的審判信息, 因為神是公義的, 不以有罪的為無罪, 人沒法逃罪, 神慈愛的救恩才顯得必須和貴重。耶和華在葡萄園之歌中說明要斷定是非(3), 而神指望的是公義(7),所以以賽亞指出耶和華必須彰顯在以色列人中找不到的公義。一方面是自顯為義:惟有萬軍之耶和華因公平而崇高; 聖者神因公義顯為聖(16), 另一方面也向發出公義的審判: 禍哉。

INSIGHT:   Although the name Isaiah means ‘YAHWEH is salvation’, the Book of Isaiah is full of harsh messages of judgement.  Because God is just.  He does not leave the guilty unpunished, and men cannot escape sin. That makes God’s merciful salvation necessary and precious. In the Song of the Vineyard, YAHWEH says he will judge (3), and he longs for righteousness (7). Therefore, Isaiah points out that YAHWEH must display the righteousness that cannot be found in the Israelites. First, it is to show his righteousness.  “Only the Lord Almighty is exalted by his justice; and the holy God shows

himself holy by his righteousness.” (6). Second, it is to issue a righteous judgement:  Woe.

本段聖經提到六次禍哉(8,11,18,20,21,22), 分成三段, 每段先提出以色列人招致受禍的罪因, 然後說出針對罪因的禍果:

‘Woe’ is mentioned a total of six times in verses (8, 11, 18, 20, 21, 22) in 3 segments, each pointing out the sins of the Israelites, followed by the calamities as a result:

●自私的罪禍 (8-10) -- 現代中文譯本雖然意譯第八節, 卻清楚說明以色列人自私, 對物質貪得無饜: 你們已經有田地房屋，還貪圖更多的田地房屋。別人連住的地方都沒有，你們竟把這一大片土地獨佔了。  結果神使他們五穀欠失, 徒擁有房產, 卻無法享受生命。所以耶穌說你們要謹慎自守, 免去一切的貪心, 因為人的生命不在乎家道豐富。 (路十二15)

SELFISHNESS (8 – 10) -- TCV (Today’s Chinese Version) Bible verse 8, though a meaning-based translation, clearly illustrates that Israelites were selfish, and had an insatiable desire for material possessions.   At the end, God made them lose their grains. They owned properties, yet they could not enjoy life.  Therefore, Jesus said, “Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man’s life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions.” (Luke 12:15).

●只顧享樂, 不理會神(11-17) -- 先知用不少字句描寫他們飲食享樂, 問題並不在於飲食,因為能夠享受也是神的祝福(傳五18),但是人除了有身體外還有靈魂, 只講求飲食卻不顧念耶和華的作為，也不留心他手所做的(12), 結果飲食的享受不能解決靈魂的饑渴: 主耶和華說日子將到, 我必命饑荒降在地上。人飢餓非因無餅, 乾渴非因無水,乃因不聽耶和華的話。(摩八11)

INDULGENCE IN PLEASURE, IGNORING GOD (11-17) -- The prophet used a lot of words to describe their feast and pleasure. The problem is not with food and drink per se, because the ability to enjoy is God’s blessing (Proverbs 5:18). Other than a body, men also have a soul. Pursuing only food and drink, “but have no regard for the deeds of the Lord, no respect for the work of His hands.” (12), results in pleasure that cannot satisfy the hunger and thirst of the soul. “’The days are coming’ declares the Sovereign Lord, ‘when I will send a famine through the land – not a famine of food or a thirst for water, but a famine of hearing the words of the Lord.’” (Amos 8:11)

●厭棄神, 顛倒是非,接受賄賂(18-24)  --  先知指出以色列人的光境每況愈下, 最先是自私貪心, 隨後因為自私就不尋求神的心意, 結果就淪落到稱惡為善，稱善為惡(20), 顛倒是非, 不可收拾, 耶和華只好四度宣告禍哉(18,20,21,22)。

SPURNING AND DESPISING GOD, CALLING EVIL GOOD AND GOOD EVIL, ACCEPTING BRIBE (18-24) -- The prophet pointed out that the Israelites were getting worse and worse. In the beginning, they were selfish which then led them to not seek God’s will. In the end, they fell to the point of “call evil good and good evil” (20). With the Israelites unable to turn back, God had to declare woes 4 times (18, 20, 21, 22).

反省:  我是否厭棄萬軍之耶和華的訓誨，藐視以色列聖者的言語(24)

MEDITATE:   Am I rejecting the law of the Lord Almighty, spurning the word of the Holy one of Israel (24)?

每日讀經  by 洪同勉牧師 Rev. Tommy Hung