主啊! 我願你國度早日來臨
O Lord! May Your new Kingdom arrive soon.
新天新地
NEW HEAVENS AND A NEW EARTH
經文: Isaiah 以賽亞書 65:1-25
65章與66章之神諭的用意，是作為對63:7~64:12之禱告的答覆。事實上，65:6「我必不靜默……」明確地回答了64:12「你仍靜默麼」的哀怨問題。
The revelation in chapter 65 and 66 is intended as a response to the prayer in 63:7-64:12. In fact, 65:6 “I will not keep silent…..” clearly answers the grief stricken question “will you keep silent…?” in 64:12.
信徒在世上遭遇苦難, 並非神掩眼不顧。耶和華說: 「我施行報應」(7), 然而現在世代是神作為的過渡階段, 要到將來的日子才彰顯神完滿的安排。這正是現代神學家提出, 末世是已經來到, 但尚未完成 (Already but not yet) 的觀念。以賽亞在這種啟示亮光下, 說出了現在和未來的神國度和作為。
Believers have sufferings in the world, but it is not because God shuts His eyes. The Lord says, “I will repay” (7). However, the current world is a transitional phase of God’s work. His complete and perfect arrangement will be revealed in the future. This is exactly what modern day theologists suggest – the end of the world has arrived, but it has not come to an end yet (the already but not yet concept). In the light of God’s revelation, Isaiah enlightens us on God’s current and future work and Kingdom.
Ⅰ．現今世代: 兩種境況、兩類人(1~14)
The Current World: Two Situations, Two Categories of People (1 - 14)
以賽亞的聽眾雖然都是以色列人, 同一的血統維繫他們的國籍,但是不同的靈命使他們在神的國度裡分為兩類人。1.「你們」: 是「那悖逆的百姓」(2)、「你們這些離棄耶和華」的人(11); 2.「我的選民、我的僕人」(9): 是「尋求我的民」(10)。耶穌講論天國比喻時,同樣將人分成兩類: 麥子和稗子(太13:24~30)、綿羊和山羊(太25:31~46)。
Although Isaiah’s audience are all Israelites in a nation of a common lineage, their spiritual situation separates them into two categories. 1. “You”: “a rebellious people” (2), “you who forsake the Lord” (11); 2. “My chosen, my servants” (9): “my people who have sought me” (10). When Jesus speaks on the Kingdom of Heaven through parables, He also separates people into two categories: Wheats and weeds (Matthew 13:24-30), sheep and goats (Matthew 25:31-46).
就如耶穌所講的比喻, 在現今世代, 選民團體龍蛇混雜, 離棄耶和華的和尋求耶和華的兩類人同時存在, 而際遇表面看來並無兩樣。但是「當審判的時候, 惡人必站立不住。」(詩1: )這兩類人各有不同結果, 特別在13~14節中, 先知將「我的僕人」和「你們(離棄耶和華的」彼此相反的遭遇, 逐一列出比較。善惡各有報, 因為耶和華「必施行報應。」(6)
Like the parables that Jesus tells, in the present age, there are a mix of people in the assembly of God’s chosen. Those who desert the Lord and those who seek the Lord both are present. On the surface, their lives are not any different. Yet “the wicked will not stand in the judgment.” (Psalm 1:5) These two categories of people each have their own destiny. The prophet has the opposite experiences of “my servants” and “you who forsake the Lord” listed one by one, especially in verse 13-14. What goes around comes around, for the Lord “will repay” (6).
Ⅱ．新天新地: 一種境況、一類人(15~25)
New Heavens and A New Earth: One Situation, One Category of People (15-25)
主耶和華「另起別名稱呼他的僕人」(15)說明時移世易, 「從前的患難已經忘記，也從我眼前隱藏了。」(16)帶出另一番景象: 「新天新地；從前的事不再被記念，也不再追想。」(17)
“His servants, He (the Lord God) will call by another name”(15) indicates that it is a different era; “the former troubles are forgotten and are hidden from my eyes” (16) brings out a new scene: “New heavens and a new earth, and the former things shall not be remembered or come into mind.” (17)
「豺狼必與羊羔同食；獅子必吃草與牛一樣；塵土必作蛇的食物。在我聖山的遍處，這一切都不傷人，不害物」(25)就是11:6~9預言的彌賽亞國度。而這段聖經的描述, 與新約啟示錄比照(啟3:12;7:17;21:1~5),毫無疑問以賽亞所見的就是使徒約翰所預言的新天新地: 神的國度在人間。
“The wolf and the lamb shall graze together; the lion shall eat straw like the ox, and dust shall be the serpent's food. They shall not hurt or destroy in all my holy mountain” (25) is the Messiah’s Kingdom prophesied in 11:6-9. Juxtaposing this description and that in the Book of Revelation (Revelation 3:12, 7:17, 21:1-5) leaves no doubt that the New Heavens and New Earth that Isaiah sees is the same that is prophesied by John the Apostle: God’s Kingdom on earth.
在這個新天新地裡, 只有一類人: 「我的選民」(22), 他們「都是蒙耶和華賜福的後裔」(23)。
There is only one category of people in this New Heavens and New Earth, “my chosen”(22), they “shall be the offspring of the blessed of the Lord” (23).
信徒在憧憬新天新地的同時, 可以在現今世代淺嚐將來的滋味:
While longing for the New heavens and New Earth, believers can get a taste of the future in the current world:
1. 人以神為樂、人因人喜樂、神以人歡喜(18~19)。讓我們在教會中多發歡樂聲; 在社會多給予人喜樂。
People rejoice in God and in other people; God is glad in His people (18-19). Let us make a joyful noise in the church and share our joy to others in the community.
2. 在聖山上, 一切都不傷人不害物(25)。願教會生活能彼此造就, 不彼此相咬相吞。
There shall be no hurting or destruction in the holy mountain (25). May there be mutual edification through church life and no biting and devouring of each other.
3. 尚未祈求, 神就應允(24)。這也是主告訴我們, 在我們開口祈求之先, 天父早已知道和供應(太6:8)。
God already answered before we call (24). Our Lord also tells us that He already knows what we need and provides for us before we ask (Matthew 6:8).
4. 選民必不徒然勞碌(23)。「我親愛的弟兄們，你們務要堅固，不可搖動，常常竭力多做主工；因為知道，你們的勞苦在主裡面不是徒然的。」(林前15:58)
God’s people shall not labor in vain (23). “Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:58)
每日讀經 by 洪同勉牧師 Rev. Tommy Hung
(English Translation: Ms. Lori Wong)
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