失敗五要素 FIVE KEY ELEMENTS OF FAILURE (Isaiah 以賽亞書 9:1-15)

讀經:  以賽亞書  十九1~15

SCRIPTURE READING:  Isaiah 19:1-15

釋義: 埃及在舊約許多時候代表敵對神的勢力, 而以賽亞那時猶大企圖與她結盟來抵抗亞述的侵略。但是耶和華警告猶大人切勿投靠埃及, 因為耶和華要「乘駕快雲」威風凜凜地臨到埃及, 施行審判毀壞(1)。

In the Old Testament, Egypt often represents forces that oppose God; and during the time of Isaiah, Judah attempted to make an alliance with her to resist Assyrian’s invasion.  But the Lord warns Judah against seeking protection from Egypt; because the Lord will ride on a swift cloud, descend to Egypt majestically to execute judgment and destruction (1).

接著講論神攻擊埃及的五個要點:

The prophet then continues to talk about the 5 key points regarding the attack of Egypt by God:

自私無情--  2節五次提到「攻擊」,這固然披露埃及的凶殘行為, 但這些是彼此攻擊, 更先是兄弟相殘, 然後是鄰舍、城市、國家。說明他們廝殺, 不是爭權奪利, 乃嗜殺成性, 不顧親情, 雖是同根生, 仍急相煎。

SELFISH AND RUTHLESS – Verse 2 mentions “(fight) against” 5 times, which certainly reveals Egypt’s brutality; but these are Egyptians against Egyptians, starting with brothers, then neighbors, cities, and kingdoms.  It shows that they slaughter not to gain power or money, but to satisfy their appetite to kill, with no regard for their kinship.  Despite coming from the same root, they are eager to destroy each other.

錯謬信仰--  當耶和華擊打他們時, 「埃及人的心神必在裡面耗盡」, 他們的對策就是: 「求問偶像和念咒的、交鬼的、行巫術的。」(3)

ERRONEOUS FAITH – When the Lord attacks them, “the spirit of the Egyptians within them will be emptied out”, their counter-strategy is to “inquire of the idols and the sorcerers, and the mediums and the necromancers” (3).

強暴政權 --  學者對4節的「殘忍主、強暴王」是誰持不同意見。他可能是亞述王(廿4): 主前670年亞述王以撒哈頓征服過埃及。也有人認為是後來統一國家的森美忒庫法老王(主前663至609年）、以苛刻手段對待百姓。

FIERCE POLITICAL REGIME – Regarding who the “hard master, and a fierce king” is in verse 4, scholars hold different opinions.  Some think he could be the Assyrian king (20:4):  Assyrian king Esarhaddon had conquered Egypt in 670 BC.  Others think he is Pharaoh Psammetichus I (663 – 609 BC) who unified the kingdom and treated his people harshly.

河旱打擊 -- 5-10節預言尼羅河乾涸。埃及赤道的位置, 加上沙漠的地理環境, 尼羅河穩定的水源可以說是他們的命脈。河水減少枯乾 (5-6)的打擊實在致命: 農作物「衰殘、枯乾、歸於無有」;人則「悲傷、衰弱、羞愧、愁煩」。

STRUCK BY DROUGHT – Verse 5 – 10 prophesies the drying up of the Nile.  With Egypt on the equator and her dessert geographical environment, the steady water supply from the Nile is her lifeline.  The blow from a dried and parched river is essentially fatal – Crops “rot away, parched, and be no more’; people “mourn, languish, in despair, and grieve”.

愚頑不靈 --  埃及祭司以智慧稱著, 不少法老王出自祭司派系; 這裡提到的智者兼有智慧的傳統和王室的血統。事實上埃及產生了一些當時近東最優秀文學家與政治家，有些甚至影響了以色列的文化(例箴廿二17-廿四22清楚表明借用了埃及的形式) 。但是先知稱呼這些智慧人「極其愚昧」,因為他們不知道神的旨意。(12)

FOOLISH AND STUBBORN – Egyptian priests are famous for their wisdom; many pharaohs came from the line of priests.  The wise men mentioned here possess both the tradition of wisdom and royal blood.  Egypt indeed produced some of the best writers and politicians in the Near East at that time; some even had influence over the Israelite culture (example, Proverbs 22:17 – 24:22 clearly show the adoption of Egyptian style).  Yet the prophet calls these wise men “utterly foolish”; because they do not know God’s will (12).

華倫本尼斯和伯特‧納斯合作撰寫《領導人物》(Leaders)一書時, 訪問了不少最高層領導人物。這些領導人在性格方面和一般人顯著不同。兩位作者說: 「他們不會想到失敗。他們甚至不用這點詞, 必要時就用毛病、差錯、錯誤、困境之類的字眼來代替, 但從不說失敗。」

When Warren Bennis and Burt Nanus co-authored the book “Leaders”, they interviewed many top leaders.  The personalities of these leaders are notably different from those of ordinary people.  The two authors said, ‘They simply don't think about failure, don't even use the word, relying on such synonyms as "mistake", "glitch", "bungle", or countless others, but never “failure”.’

這種說法可能具勵志性, 卻是掩耳盜鈴。基督徒不怕承認失敗, 因為得救的經歷告訴我們, 基督徒是在主裡得勝的失敗者。現在就請你向神承認失敗, 求祂再次腸恩, 使你得勝。

This way of thinking may be inspirational, but it is an ‘ostrich mentality’.  Christians are not afraid to fail because the salvation experience tells us that Christians are people who have overcome their failures through Christ.  Take a moment to confess your failures to God and ask Him to once again shed His grace upon, so that you could be victorious.

每日讀經  by 洪同勉牧師 Rev. Tommy Hung

高大的人、高大的願望 TALL PEOPLE – HIGH HOPES (以賽亞書 Isaiah 18:1-7)

讀經:  賽十八1~7

SCRIPTURE READING:  Isaiah 18:1-7

釋義:  舊約時代的埃及是由南北兩國組成: 北國在地中海南岸, 尼羅 河下游的地方, 稱為埃及, 即今日的埃及; 南國是尼羅河上游。「古實河」包括了流經現今蘇丹與巴卡、奧亙斯、里比謝比利 (Barka, Awash, Redi Shebeli)的藍、白尼羅河, 及流經現今埃塞俄比亞與索馬利亞的其他河流, 聖經稱為埃提阿伯的古實,涵蓋的面積較現今埃賽塞俄比亞為大。本章以古實稱呼埃及國, 因為在以賽亞時代，埃及是受古實人統治，而這點反映在二十章中，那裡埃及與古實是記載於同一句中。

INSIGHT:  Egypt in the Old Testament era was divided into the northern and southern kingdoms:  The northern kingdom was the land along the south coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the lower reaches of the Nile known as Egypt, or the present-day Egypt; the southern kingdom was in the upper reaches of the Nile.  “The rivers of Cush” include the White and Blue Nile that flow through the present-day Sudan, Barka, Awash, and Redi Shebeli, and the other rivers that flow through present-day Ethiopia and Somalia.  Cush, called Ethiopia in the Bible, covered an area larger than today’s Ethiopia.  In this chapter, Egypt is called Cush because in Isaiah’s times, Egypt was ruled by the people of Cush; this is reflected in chapter 20 where Egypt and Cush are recorded in the same sentence.

先知重複稱讚古實人高大(2,7), 毫不誇張。主前五世紀希臘的希羅多德(Herodotus)描寫他們為「人中之最高大俊美者」。 即然如此, 這些偉人怎樣也不能與創造偉人的神相比。第四節是以賽亞書最美麗而有力的神諭之一。最重要的是它指出了人間一切的喧嚷混亂,神都在默然觀看,這是對上帝信心的表現。

The prophet praises the people of Cush repeatedly for being tall (2, 7), with no exaggeration at all.  In the 5th century BC, Herodotus of Greece described them as “the tallest and most handsome among men”. Despite that, these great people cannot compare to God who creates great people.  Verse 4 is one of the most beautiful and powerful oracles in the Book of Isaiah; the most important thing is that it points out that in the midst of all the rowdiness and chaos on earth, God is quietly looking; this mentality is a display of faith in God.

神的「居所」, 不論是耶路撒冷的聖殿,或是天上(參六1),都是穩如泰山,無法搖動。「清熱」與「露水的雲霧」是十分突出的形像。前者具有視覺效果,把連微風也不能攪擾的清晰寧靜的酷熱暑天,來比作全能者的穩定,在祂的榮耀中,作為這個迷惘而困擾的世界的光明與平安的來源。第二個形像化的露水,可能是較為觸覺性,正如在酷熱下,經過一天辛勞工作,清涼的晚風使人感到清新與甦醒,同樣地神的智慧,透過祂僕人眾先知的傳講,使有需要者獲得力量與勇氣。

God’s “dwelling”, whether it’s the temple in Jerusalem or in heaven (refer to 6:1), is secure and unshakable.  “Clear heat” and “a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest” are very prominent images.  The former possesses visual effects - a clear and quiet scorching summer day, undisturbed even by light breezes, analogizing the Almighty’s immutability; His glory is a source of light and peace in this confusing and disturbing world.  The second visualization, the dew, is perhaps more tactile; after a day of toiling work in scorching heat, a cool evening breeze refreshes and restores.  Likewise, God’s wisdom, through the preaching of his servants and the prophets, gives strength and courage to those in need.

耶和華的奇妙, 就是祂的偉大不單臨到選民, 也期望甚至受責罰的古實人都能認識和經歷。本章預言用首尾呼應的格式, 表達了神這個心願。開始時差遣快行的使者「要到高大光滑的民那裡去。自從開國以來，那民極其可畏，是分地界踐踏人的；他們的地有江河分開」(2), 目的在最後一節: 期望「他們必將禮物奉給萬軍之耶和華，就是奉到錫安山─耶和華安置他名的地方。」(7)

The Lord’s wonderfulness, or His greatness, is not limited to the chosen people. The hope is that even the punished people of Cush could understand and experience it. This chapter employs the echo technique to express God’s desire.  At the beginning, swift messengers are sent “to a nation tall and smooth, to a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide” (2); the purpose is in the last verse – hoping that  “At that time tribute will be brought to the LORD of hosts from a people tall and smooth, from a people feared near and far, a nation mighty and conquering, whose land the rivers divide, to Mount Zion, the place of the name of the LORD of hosts.” (7)

耶穌吩咐信徒要愛敵人如己。這不是一個口號; 這是神的心願。如果神對敵人古實尚且發出接納他們悔改敬拜的呼求, 我們今天可否向「仇敵」伸出友誼的手, 與他們復和? 打電話給他們? 寫張便條或心意卡表達在主裡的接納?

Jesus commands believers to love our enemies as ourselves. This is not a catchphrase; it is God’s desire.  If God even accepts the cry of repentance and worship from the people of Cush, his enemy, shouldn’t we extend a hand of friendship to our “enemies”, and make amends with them?  Call them?  Write a note or a thinking-of-you card to express our acceptance of them in Christ?

每日讀經  by 洪同勉牧師 Rev. Tommy Hung

三國誌 RECORDS OF THREE KINGDOMS (以賽亞書 Isaiah 17:1-14)

 

讀經:  賽十七1~14

SCRIPTURE READING:  Isaiah 17:1-14

釋義:  本章的標題是論大馬色的默示(1)，內容卻包括以法蓮(3;指以色列國)及雅各(4;指猶大國), 所以本章預言涉及三個接鄰的國家。

INSIGHT:  The title of this chapter is an oracle concerning Damascus (1); yet the contents include Ephraim (3; refers to the kingdom of Israel) and Jacob (4; refers to the kingdom of Judah); so the prophecy of this chapter involves three neighboring nations.

這三個小國位於兩個古代近東強國之間(地中海南的埃及和米所波大米兩河流域的亞述/巴比倫),經常受到它們的侵犯和欺壓,所以政治游移不定,有時一國靠攏某強國而排擠他邦, 有時卻與另一國組成聯盟以抗衡霸權。以賽亞發表本章預言時,應是主前七三五至七三三年間， 乃亞蘭與以法蓮同盟危機的時期。當時亞蘭(首都大馬色)與以色列結為聯盟反對猶大(參上文七至八章)。一至三節(特別是第三節)對亞蘭和以色列的預言, 在先知宣講後不久應驗:亞蘭果於主前七三三年被亞述王提拉毘列色三世所滅。而在主前七二二年，以色列亡於亞述王撒珥根(王下17:6)手上。

These three small nations were located between two powerful countries in ancient Near East (Egypt, south of the Mediterranean; and Assyria/Babylon, along Mesopotamia within the Tigris-Euphrates river system). They were often invaded and oppressed by them, and therefore in constant political turmoil. At times one nation joined with another to push the other out; other times one allied with another to challenge the hegemony.  Isaiah proclaimed the prophecy, around 735 – 733 BC, in the midst of the crisis of the alliance between Aram and Ephraim.  At that time, Aram (capital Damascus) and Israel formed an alliance to resist Judah (reference previous notes on chapter 7 – 8).  The prophecy regarding Aram and Israel in verse 1 – 3 (especially verse 3) was fulfilled not long after the prophet proclaimed it – Aram was conquered by Assyrian king Tiglath-Pileser III in 733 BC; and in 722 BC, Israel fell to Assyrian king Sargon (2 King 17:6).

第四節開始, 預言對象轉到雅各(猶大)。雖然本章開始時提到大馬色(即亞蘭國)和以法蓮(以色列國)的遭遇, 但本章預言主體(4-14)卻是講論猶大國運。她與亞蘭/以色列聯盟國有類似的情況: 城邑被撇棄 (1-2,9);各自提及「剩下」的人(3,6)和「榮耀」(3,4)。她們被神責罰的原因極清楚:「因你忘記救你的神,不記念你能力的磐石」(10)。

Starting from verse 4, the subject of the prophecy switches to Jacob (Judah). Although the beginning of the chapter mentions the fate of Damascus (Aram) and Ephraim (the kingdom of Israel), the main body of the prophecy (4-14) is about the fate of the kingdom of Judah. Her situation is similar to the Aram/Israel alliance - The cities are deserted (1-2, 9); each of their “remnant” (3,6) and “glory” (3,4) are mentioned.  The reason for them to be punished by God is clear: “For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the Rock of your refuge” (10).

先知突顯猶大與其他國家不同的遭遇: 亞蘭、所有列邦、甚至以色列, 他們的結局是「消滅、不再有、沒有了」(3,14); 但猶大雖然受罰遭擊打至體無完膚, 卻不致滅沒。先知用三個比喻(4-6)來形容這審判：身體日益消瘦的比喻;收穫的比喻;打橄欖樹的比喻。雖然這個審判極其嚴厲，但不會使以法蓮完全滅絕，從「在儘上的枝梢上，只剩兩三個果子」和「在多果樹的旁枝上，只剩四五個果子」這兩句話中，可以看出先知再次提醒神要保留餘民的神學主題。說明「然而你大發憐憫，不全然滅絕他們，也不丟棄他們；因為你是有恩典、有憐憫的神。」(尼九31)

The prophet then points out the difference between the fate of Judah and that of other nations - For Aram, all other nations, even Israel, their ending is described as  “disappear“  and  “no more” (3, 14); yet Judah, though punished severely, will not be destroyed completely. The prophet uses three metaphors (4-6) to describe the judgment:  i) the body slimming down;  ii) harvesting the ears;  iii) beating an olive tree.  Although the judgment is harsh, he will not annihilate Judah.  From these two phrases, “two or three berries in the top of the highest bough, four or five on the branches of a fruit tree”, we can see that the prophet reminds us that God will leave a remnant, making clear that “Nevertheless, in your great mercies you did not make an end of them or forsake them, for you are a gracious and merciful God.” (Nehemiah 9:31)

人為什麼會忘恩負義?

Why are people ungrateful?

只消對什麼事物失去了興趣, 就會把它忘記。  歌德,《格言和感想集》

“When you lose interest in anything, you also lose the memory for it.”  -- Goethe, Maxims and Reflections

如果一個人深入思考所讀課文的內容, 那麼雖然他並沒有努力去記住材料, 而材料卻能很容易地印入並牢固地保持在記憶裡。  贊科夫,《和教師的談話》

“If a person thinks through the content of the text he read, although he has not tried

hard to memorize the material, yet the material can easily be imprinted and stored in

the memory.” -- Zankov, Conversations with Teachers

請你立願:「我永不忘記你的訓詞，因你用這訓詞將我救活了。」(詩一一九93)

Please pledge, “I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have given me

life.”  -- (Psalm 119:93)

每日讀經  by 洪同勉牧師 Rev. Tommy Hung

你、我、他 YOU, I, HIM (以賽亞書 Isaiah 16:1-14)

讀經:  賽十六1~14

SCRIPTURE READING:  Isaiah 16:1-14

釋義:  本章繼續講論摩押, 仍然提到許多地名, 但是風格明顯不同。  上章先知是宣講耶和華啟示的旁觀者, 用第三身稱呼摩押; 這裡先知 卻與多人討論。先知以「我」自稱, 而講話對象分別有「你們、我們 、他(們)、你、他」等。

INSIGHT:  This chapter continues to speak on Moab, still mentioning a lot of names of places, but of clearly different style. In the previous chapter, the prophet spoke of the Lord’s revelation as a bystander, referring to Moab in the third person. Here the prophet discusses with multiple parties, calling himself ‘I’, and the others ‘you’ (plural), ‘we’, ‘they’, ‘you’ (singular), ‘he’, and etc.

這些不同的代名詞多數是指摩押「你們」(1)根據7節的界定,應 該是摩押。「他」(6; 而4,12近代中文譯本都按照原文是「他們」) 也是摩押。但「你」卻指不同人物 : 9節的「你」仍然是摩押; 3 節的 「你」是摩押人將來仰望哀求的對象; 一位誠誠實實坐在寶座上， 在大衛帳幕中施行審判，尋求公平，速行公義(5)的救主。

Most of these pronouns refer to Moab. The ‘you’ in verse 1 ought to be Moab according to the specification in verse 7.  ‘He’ (6; ‘them’ in 4, 12 of recent Chinese versions based on the original) refers to Moab. But ‘you’ refers to a different party; the ‘you’ in verse 9 still refers to Moab, whereas in verse 3, it is the subject that the Moabites are going to look to and plead with, the savior who “sits in faithfulness in the tent of David, one who judges and seeks justice, one is swift to do righteousness.” (5)

神是公義和忌邪的審判者, 對驕傲、狂妄、忿怒的摩押毫不手軟。 本章以以賽亞書常用的葡萄園和葡萄樹來比喻摩押。正如神對變壞了 的葡萄園以色列不留情地拆毀(五章), 同樣會蹂躪這個葡萄園摩押(7-8), 以致先知伴陪摩押人同聲哀號(7,9,11節共七次類同的動詞), 甚至「要以眼淚澆灌你…心腹為摩押哀鳴如琴」(9,11)。

God is a righteous and jealous judge; he is unrelenting in dealing with the proud, arrogant, and angry Moab. This chapter uses vineyard and vine that are utilized often in the Book of Isaiah as a metaphor for Moabites.  Just as God will mercilessly break down the vineyard that has gone bad, Israel; he will also ravage this vineyard, Moab (7-8),  such that the prophet will wail with the Moabites (7 times of similar verbs in verse 7, 9, 11), and will even “drench you with my tears… my inner parts mourn like a lyre” (9, 11).

感謝神, 祂不永遠懷怒。責罰之餘仍賜盼望: 神不趕盡殺絕, 為 受罰的留下「餘剩的人」。這是以賽亞書的一個主題。耶和華責罰選 民時, 存留餘民(一9十一11,16), 即使數目稀少;祂對外邦也一視同人。 神預言亞述「他林中剩下的樹必稀少，就是孩子也能寫其數」(10:19); 同樣在摩押的默示中，「餘剩的人，甚少無幾。」(14)這裡指出一件 事實:就是在神的管理之下，即使祂施行審判時，方式上也會有所 差異, 但祂要保留足夠的人組成一個核心，他們將來必得到最後的復興。

Thanks to God, for he does not keep his anger forever.  He punishes yet still gives hope:  God does not annihilate; he would leave “those who remain” for the punished. This is the one theme of the Book of Isaiah. When the Lord punishes his people, he would leave a remnant (1:9, 11:11, 16), even though very few; and he treats the gentiles equally. God prophesizes regarding Assyria, “The remnant of the trees of his forest will be so few that a child can write them down.” (10:19) In the same way, the oracle

concerning Moab says, “those who remain will be very few and feeble.” (14) One thing is clear here: Under God’s rule, regardless of the form of judgment, he is to keep enough people to form a core, and they will get the final revival.

神會存留餘剩的人是信徒在苦難、責罰中的希望。

God saving those who remain is the hope for believers in the midst of tribulation and punishment.

人們在世上所幹的一切事情都依賴於希望。如果一個農民對穀物生長、 結實不抱希望, 他就不會種下一粒種籽; 如果一個單身漢沒有希望婚 後能得到孩子, 他也不會娶妻結婚; 如果商人不希望獲利, 他們也不 去工作了。       馬丁路德,《桌邊談話》

“Everything that is done in the world is done by hope. No husbandman would sow one grain of corn, if he hoped not it would grow up and become seed; no bachelor would marry a wife, if he hoped not to have children; no merchant or tradesman would set himself to work, if he did not hope to reap benefit thereby.” – Martin Luther, Table Talk

若不是萬軍之耶和華給我們稍留餘種，我們早已像所多瑪、蛾摩拉的

樣子了。(一9) 所以讓我們懷著希望面對挑戰!

“If the LORD of hosts had not left us a few survivors, we should have been like Sodom,

and become like Gomorrah.” (Isaiah 1:9).  Therefore, let us face challenges with hope!

每日讀經  by 洪同勉牧師 Rev. Tommy Hung

耶和華與哀哭的人同哭 THE LORD WEEPS WITH THOSE WHO WEEP (以賽亞書 Isaiah 15:1-9)

讀經:  以賽亞書 十五1-9

SCRIPTURE READING:  Isaiah 15:1-9

釋義:  雖然摩押人也是外邦人, 但是本章預言與上章論巴比倫和非利士截然不同: 本段豫言的作者表現了對摩押人厄運的極大同情。  這裡沒有一種幸災樂禍的態度，本章是篇真正的哀歌，不像十四章那般嘲弄巴比倫；而且帶著「我心為摩悲哀」的痛苦呼喊（5)，使這篇「論摩押的默示」與別不同。

INSIGHT:  Although the Moabites are gentiles too, the prophecy in this chapter is strikingly different from previous chapters regarding Babylon and Philistia: The author of this prophecy expresses his deep sympathy for the adversity of the Moabites. There isn’t any attitude of gloating. This chapter is a genuine lamentation, unlike the taunting of Babylon in chapter 14.  It also carries the painful scream of “My heart cries out for Moab” (5), making this “An Oracle Concerning Moab” stand out.

摩押位於死海東部，居民是羅得的後裔(參創19:36-38)，與以色列人有點親屬關係。巴比倫和非利士, 則從始至終都是仇敵。  相比起來, 摩押就不是那麼「外邦」了。也許這是本章較富同情心的原因。

本章的語言與形像異常生動有力，「哭泣、哀號、悲哀、眼淚汪汪」等字眼的累積達十一次，突出了摩押人哭喪哀慟的深切。  「哀號」是含意特別豐富的字，共出現了四次(十五2,3,8)。  其他哀傷的表現包括剃淨鬍鬚與穿戴麻衣等(2-3)。  哀傷的情景到處可見 -- 「在街市上…在屋頂上和寬闊處…達到雅雜」。  而「青草枯乾，嫩草滅沒，青綠之物，一無所有」(6)當然不是指字面的意思，而是進一步表明摩押被徹底打敗的定局。

The language and images of this chapter are unusually powerful and animated.  Wording such as ‘cry’, ‘weep’, ‘wail’, and ‘melt in tears’ tallies to 11 times, underlining the deep sorrow of the Moabites. ‘Wail’ is an especially meaningful word, appearing a total of 4 times (15:2, 3, 8). Other acts of mourning include shaving and wearing sackcloth (2-3).  Mourning can be seen everywhere – “In the streets… on the housetops and in the squares… as far as Jahaz”.  “The grass is withered, the vegetation fails, the greenery is no more” (6) surely is not meant to be taken literally but to further affirm Moab’s inevitable total defeat.

有人認為「我心為摩押悲哀」(5)表達先知悲天憫人的心腸, 但是9節: 「我還要加增底們的災難」說明本章的「我」不是傳講信息的以賽亞先知, 而是啟示信息的耶和華。  神既公義又慈悲;  祂是執行審判的法官, 同時也是療傷的醫生。神「不願有一人沉淪, 乃願人人都悔改。」(彼後三9), 所以「主雖使人憂愁，還要照他諸般的慈愛發憐憫；因他並不甘心使人受苦，使人憂愁。」(哀三 32-33)

Some think that “My heart cries out for Moab” (5) shows the prophet’s sympathetic nature, but verse 9 says “I will bring upon Dibon even more”, indicating the ‘My’ in this chapter is not referring to the prophet Isaiah who relays the message but the Lord who reveals the message.  God is just, yet merciful; he is the judge who dispenses judgement, and at the same time, a doctor who heals.  God “not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance” (2 Peter 3:9), therefore “though he causes grief, he will have compassion according to the abundance of his steadfast love; for he does not afflict from his heart or grieve the children of men.” (Lamentations 3:32-33)

憐憫屬於悲哀一類, 與對某些人的愛或善意糾纏在一起, 這些人, 我們認為受到了他們本不應受到的某種苦難的折磨。  笛卡兒, 《靈魂的情感》

Compassion is a pain at an impression of destructive or painful evil as befalling one who doesn’t deserve it, and which one might expect oneself or someone close to oneself to suffer, when it seems nearby. - Aristotle

耶和華有憐憫，有恩典，不輕易發怒，且有豐盛的慈愛。  他不長久責 備，也不永遠懷怒。  他沒有按我們的罪過待我們，也沒有照我們的罪孽報應我們。  (詩一○三8-10)

“The LORD is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. He will not always chide, nor will he keep his anger forever. He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities.” (Psalm 103:8-10)

既然如此, 就讓我們因罪悲哀的心轉向耶和華, 仰望祂的憐憫: 祂「必再憐憫我們、將我們的罪孽踏在腳下、又將我們的一切罪投於深海。」(彌七19)

Therefore, let our heart that is saddened by sin turn to the Lord, look to God for his mercy:   “He will again have compassion on us; he will tread our iniquities underfoot.  He will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.” (Micah 7:19)

每日讀經  by 洪同勉牧師 Rev. Tommy Hung