Scripture Reading : Isaiah 8
Theme : King of Assyria as Type of Antichrist
Assyria Invades Damascus and Samaria (1-4). God gives another sign to Judah that reveals God will soon use Assyria to destroy Damascus and Samaria. This sign is Isaiah’s child. This child is not the child of 7:14 since Isaiah’s wife was not a virgin (7:3). This child is a sign for the immediate future.
End Times Assyria Invades Israel (5-10). Ahaz did not listen to the Lord to trust in Him alone, but he did great evil by making an alliance with Assyria and worshipping idols of Assyria (2 Kgs 16:5-15). He even sacrificed his sons to idols (2 Chron. 28:3). Therefore, God will punish Judah in the end times by bringing the end times antichrist from the land of Assyria to attack Judah, the land of Immanuel (7-8). In the end times, Judah will again trust in human alliance for protection, instead of trusting God alone and worshipping Him alone. Judah will trust in the antichrist for protection instead of God alone, as it had trusted in the king of Assyria (Is. 10:20, 28:18, Dan. 9:27). History will repeat itself. But Jesus will deliver the Jews from the end times king of Assyria (Is. 9:4-6; Micah 5:2-6). In the meantime, God will punish Judah by letting Sennacherib, king of Assyria, attack Judah but it will be miraculously delivered (2 Kgs. 19:35). Ironically, the very source of Judah’s idolatry (Assyria) is the very source of their trouble (Assyria). This will also be true in the end times.
Idolatry of Judah (11-22). Even with all the troubles that is a result of their idolatry, Judah will continue to rebel against God. When God punishes them, instead of being humbled, they will curse God, so God will thrust them from darkness into thick darkness. Sadly, the end result will be even worse.
Praying the Scripture
- When we forsake God by trusting in men, we sin against God. The result will be shameful and tragic. Jeremiah 17:5, “Thus says the Lord: Cursed are those who trust in mere mortals and make mere flesh their strength, whose hearts turn away from the Lord.” In this anti-God world, there will be many oppositions against God, we need to ask God to strengthen our trust in Him. Do not seek men’s approval above God’s, even when sinful people ridicule us. God will vindicate. Do not compromise your faith in God as revealed in the Bible. Pray that you will fear God more than men, that leads you to seek His approval more than men, to be more in awe of God than men, and to love God more than men (Deut. 10:12). This is the type of fear that God wants from us. Pray that God will give you this kind of fear, not the kind of fear that drives you away from Him.
- History will repeat itself because human sinful nature does not change. Israel will continue to sin against God until the end times. We see this happening now. The end of all things in this world is near. Christ will return soon. God has miraculously resurrected the nation of Israel after 2,000 years. Israel is now surrounded by hostile nations that occupy the ancient land of Assyria. It will not be long when Jesus raptures the church and nations surrounding Israel will attack Israel. Israel is strong militarily now and relies on their own strength for protection, just as the Jews of Isaiah’s day did. But again, they will soon find out ultimate peace and protection is from the Prince of Peace. Pray that we will love Jews and their neighbours, and also seek to evangelize them because God loves them and seeks to restore the lost. He afflicts them so that He may heal them (Is. 19:22), just as a father spanks his children in order to correct them.
经文：以赛亚书 8
主题：亚述王位敌基督类
亚述侵入大马士革与撒玛利亚（1-4）。神又给犹大一个迹象，启示神不久后就会使用亚述毁灭大马士革和撒玛利亚。这个迹象便是以赛亚的孩子。这孩子并非7:14所言的，因为以赛亚之妻不是童女（7:3）。这孩子预兆的是不久后将发生的事。
末日的亚述将占领以色列（5-10）。亚哈斯不听劝诫，不愿单一信靠神，乃与亚述联盟，拜亚述偶像，从而行大恶（王下16:5-15）。他甚至为偶像牺牲了自己的儿子（代下28:3）。因此，神在末日必要惩罚犹大，从亚述兴起敌基督的攻击以马内利之地（7-8节）。末日时，犹大将再次与人结盟作庇护，而不是像信靠亚述王一样仅仅投奔神的保护（10:20, 28:18；但9:27）。历史必将重演。然而，耶稣会在末日搭救犹太人脱离亚述王之手（9:4-6；弥5:2-6）。与此同时，神会惩罚犹大，让亚述王西拿基立攻击她，但将奇迹般地施行拯救（王下19:35）。讽刺的是，犹大的偶像亚述就是他们祸害的来源。这在末日时也是如此。
犹大的偶像（11-22）。即便面临拜偶像所带来的一切祸害，犹大仍会继续悖逆神。当神惩罚他们时，他们不但不谦卑，反倒咒骂神，所以神会把他们赶入乌黑的黑暗中去。可悲的是，后果会更糟。
用经文祷告
- 当我们相信人离弃神时，我们便得罪了神；后果将是可悲、可耻的。耶利米书17:5说：“耶和华如此说：‘倚靠人血肉的膀臂，心中离弃耶和华的，那人有祸了！’”在这敌神的世界里，许多人会与神对抗，所有我们要求神坚固我们对祂的信心。即便面对罪人的耻笑，我们也万不能看人的赏识过于神的。如圣经启示的一样，我们不能在信心里妥协。祈求神使你对祂的敬畏高过你对人的惧怕，而这能叫你看神的赏识过于人的，叫你更敬畏神，爱神过于人（申10:12）。神要我们怀这种心态。祈求神能赐予你这颗敬畏祂的心，不叫你因惧怕远离祂。
- 历史会重演，因为败坏的人性永不改变。以色列会继续向神犯罪，直到末了；我们至今就能看见。万事的末了已近。基督即将归来。神在多达两千年后已奇迹般地复兴以色列国，而她如今被处在古亚述地之上的敌国包围。再过不久，耶稣就要提起教会，而包围以色列的国家将攻击以色列。以色列如今军事强大，依靠自己的力量展开自卫，就如以赛亚当代的犹太人一样。然后，他们会再次发现最终的平安和保障是由那位和平之君所赐。祈求我们会爱犹太人与他们的邻舍，并试着向他们传福音，因为神也爱他们，想寻回失丧者。神管教以色列，叫祂能医治他们（19:22），犹如父亲鞭打孩子一样，为的是纠正他们。
