Scripture Reading : Isaiah 51
Theme : Comfort for the Righteous
This chapter continues the emphasis of comfort in chapters 40-66. The righteous are those who trust in the lordship of Yahweh and live according to His words. The righteous are not perfect people who do not need His grace. The righteous are sinful people who rely on His salvation and seek to be under His lordship. God comforts the righteous even in the midst of trouble by reminding them of God’s past faithfulness and power to fulfill His seemingly impossible promises. In the past, He made Abraham and Sarah, two elderly people, into a great nation; therefore, God is able to turn the barren land of Israel into a garden of Eden in the future. The fear of man is a major obstacle in trusting God’s promises. This is why God repeatedly warns the righteous not to fear the criticism of man, who are mere mortals, but to fear God who made the universe. Those who have a higher regard for God’s approval than man will enjoy everlasting joy in His eternal kingdom when God delivers Israel from their spiritual stupor and their enemies’ destruction. This kingdom begins with the one thousand year of Jesus’ rule on earth and then comes the new heaven and new earth (Rev. 20-21).
Praying the Scripture
The Bible perceptively understands fear can also reveal what one loves, just as psychologists often ask their clients about their fears in order to understand what they treasure. To fear man’s criticism instead of obeying God also means to love man’s approval more than God. The Bible constantly warns about this spiritual danger (Matt. 6:16-18). It is one of the major causes that leads to rebelling against God and compromising our faith with non-believers. Pray to God and search your heart to see what you fear, for it shows what you love? If you fear anything more than God, then it may mean you love that thing more than God. Ask God for strengthen to repent and to change your heart.
经文：以赛亚书51
主题：予义人的安慰
这章经文继续强调第40-66章中的安慰。“追求公义”的指的是凡认耶和华为主并遵行祂话语的人。正直人绝非无需主施恩的完美人；他们乃是倚靠神拯救并寻求依偎在祂主权下的罪人。即便在患难中，神仍安慰着这些正直人；神提醒他们自己过去的信实，以及履行祂看似不可能之应许的大能。过去，祂叫年长的亚伯拉罕和撒拉成为大国，所以祂在未来必能使以色列的荒场成伊甸的园囿。惧怕人是信靠神应许的一大阻碍。这就是神为何一再告诫正直人不要怕人的辱骂，因为他们只不过是凡人；他们当敬畏神，因为祂是造宇宙万物的。视神赞许多过人的必在神永恒的国度里得享永久喜乐，也就是神使以色列脱离属灵醉态及仇敌毁灭的时候。这国度是由耶稣统治全地一千年开始的，然后将有新天新地（启20-21）。
用经文祷告
圣经透视人心，明白畏惧显明人之所爱，犹如心理学家经常问客户他们害怕什么，以便明白他们爱惜什么。怕人辱骂而不遵从神亦是爱人之赞许过于神的。圣经持续告诫我们这是灵性险境（太6:16-18）。这可是使人悖逆神，并使信徒与非信徒妥协信心的一大原因。祷告神鉴察你，知道你心里害怕什么，因为这能显明你心之所爱。你若有什么是超乎畏惧神的，这或许表示你爱那事物过于爱神。求神坚固你，叫你悔改，并更新你心意。
