Scripture Reading : Isaiah 13
Theme : End Times Judgment on Babylon
God now directs attention from end times salvation through the Messiah to end times judgment on surrounding nations from chapters 13-23. The day of the Lord in v. 6 always refers to end times judgment in OT prophetic literature (cf. Joel 2:1). In the end times, Babylon will attack Israel but then the Messiah will deliver Israel and judge Babylon. The historical defeat of Babylon by the Medes, aka Persians (v. 17) is a foreshadow of future end times defeat of Babylon. After God judges Babylon (modern day Iraq), it will never be inhabited, no Arab will live there (v. 20).
Praying the Scripture
- How should we react to all the terrorism and the beheading of Christians by ISIS, who occupy the ancient land of Babylon? Are we supposed to call down God’s judgment on them and pronounce imprecatory Psalms on them (Ps. 139:19-22)? Or are we supposed to pray for their salvation like Matt. 5:44? The answer is that we ought to do both. They are not contradictory. The cross is both grace and justice. God is just and justifier of the guilty (Rom. 3:26). We can take action to destroy ISIS for justice and we can pray God will save a ISIS Saul and turn him into a ISIS Paul. May we seek both justice and offer grace at the same time.
经文：以赛亚书13
主题：对巴比伦的末日审判
这里，神将焦点从弥赛亚末日的救恩转移至对以色列邻国的末日审判（13-23章）。第六节所提的“耶和华的日子”在旧约先知书里总是指末日时的审判（参：珥2:1）。到了末日，巴比伦会攻击以色列，但弥赛亚将拯救她，并审判巴比伦。玛代人（17节），即波斯人，过去对巴比伦的胜利就是末日巴比伦必遭击败的预示。神审判巴比伦后（现代伊拉克），此地将变得荒凉，不再有阿拉伯人居住（20节）。
用经文祷告
- 看到处在古代巴比伦之地的伊斯兰国策谋的各种恐怖行动，又对基督徒进行斩首，我们当有何反应？我们是否要求神降下审判，或向他们宣告咒诅诗篇（诗139:19-22）？又或者要求他们得救，如马太福音5:44？答案是两者都要。它们并不矛盾。十字架包含恩典和公义。神是公义的，必要审判罪人（罗3:26）。我们能采取行动消灭伊斯兰国，也可以求神救伊斯兰国，将它转变成另一个保罗。愿我们寻求公义，同时也施与恩典。
