讀經 : 《以賽亞書》十章5-19節
SCRIPTURE READING: Isaiah
10:5-19
釋義: 先知在上文強調耶和華的怒氣還未轉消；他的手仍伸不縮,
上段解釋神發怒的原因, 本段講論神怎樣發怒, 就是使用政治作工具:
INSIGHT: The prophet emphasized previously that the
Lord’s anger is not turned away, his hand is still upraised. The previous passage explains the reason for
God’s anger; here it talks about how God angers– uses politics as instruments:
亞述是我怒氣的棍,手中拿我惱恨的杖。我要打發他攻擊褻瀆的國民,吩咐他攻擊我所惱怒的百姓(5-6),而按著的一句搶財為擄物，奪貨為掠物呂振中直譯原文為來擄掠擄掠物，來掠劫掠劫物,
如果音譯, 就是利沙拉路‧沙拉勒‧來罷斯‧罷斯,玩弄以賽亞兒子的名字瑪黑珥沙拉勒哈施罷斯(八3),他預表擄掠速臨、搶奪快到, 而本章說明亞述就是神要使用施行擄掠搶奪的工具。
“Woe to the Assyrian, the rod of my anger, in
whose hand is the club of my wrath! I send him against a godless nation, I
dispatch him against a people who anger me (5-6). Lu Zhen Zhong translated the original of the
verse as follows – “to seize loot and snatch plunder” – it’s a transliteration
of the name of Isaiah’s son Maher-Shalal-Hash-Baz (8:3). He prophesies that
looting and plunder will come soon. This chapter states that Assyria is the
instrument that God will be using to execute looting and plunder.
以賽亞在本段說出先知的歷史觀──歷史按著神的旨意進行。世界政局並非只是列國追求各自的經濟和政治目的而型成的, 神在歷史之上, 卻又在歷史中工作, 並且透過歷史行事, 所以9-10節所講的事情在主前740-721年間應驗。神擁有最高主權, 掌管世界和個人事務, 但是人並非傀儡, 可以選擇怎樣回應神的指引。亞述作為神的棍和杖是件好事,
受咒詛(12,16-19)是因為不滿足執行任務, 企圖取代神的主權, 可以擅作主張, 滿足私慾(7)。
Isaiah shared his historical view in this passage
– history happens according to God’s will. The political situation of the world
is not formed simply by nations each pursuing their own financial and political
purposes. God is above history, yet working in and through history as well.
Therefore, the events in verse 9-10 were fulfilled in 740 – 721 BC. God is
sovereign; he is in charge of global and personal businesses. But men are not puppets;
we can choose how to respond to God’s guidance. Assyria as God’s rod and club
is a good thing, but she is cursed (12, 16-19) because she is not satisfied
just carrying out assignments; she tries to take over God’s sovereignty so that
she can make her own decisions, satisfying her desires (7).
從本段論亞述的受罰, 可見驕傲自大是信仰的一個嚴重威脅。上段指出以色列人因心高氣傲惹神發怒,
亞述才有機會被神重用作為工具, 諸事順利。可惜亞述因成功沖昏心竅,
又步以色列人後麈, 結果亞述王自大的心和他高傲眼目的榮耀使到他們遭受神後來興起的另一工具──巴比倫所毀滅。然而後來的巴比倫大君王尼布甲尼撒又是重蹈覆轍,
像亞述王那樣口出狂言(13), 竊取神應得的榮耀而受罰( 但四章)。由此看來, 驕傲可以說是屬靈長進的致命傷。
Assyria’s punishment spoken of in this passage
allows us to see that pride and arrogance is a serious threat to faith. The previous
passage points out that the Israelites angered God because of their arrogance
which gives Assyria the opportunity to be used by God and be given prosperity
and success. Unfortunately, Assyria gets carried away by her success and she
follows in the footsteps of the Israelites. As a result of the king of Assyria’s
willful pride in his heart and the haughty look in his eyes, Assyria will be destroyed
by another instrument that God raised up subsequently – Babylon. Yet the powerful
king of Babylon Nebuchadnezzar will repeat the same offense - pouring out arrogant
words like the king of Assyria (13), and will be punished for stealing the
honor that belongs to God (Daniel 4). Evidently, arrogance is a fatal weakness
to spiritual growth.
謹記: 驕傲在敗壞以先；狂心在跌倒之前。(箴十八10)
REMEMBER: “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty
spirit before a fall.” (Proverbs 16:18)
每日讀經 by 洪同勉牧師 Rev. Tommy Hung
No comments:
Post a Comment