Scripture Reading : Isaiah 64
Theme : Eagerly Praying
Eager Prayer (1-6).
As Isaiah looks up to heaven to pray to God, he implores God to look down on His people on earth and give mercy. He is eager for God to come down right now and judge unrighteousness. Jesus has the same eagerness, but trusts God for the timing (Luke 12:49). No matter how long God delays in coming, those who wait for Him and joyfully works righteousness (v.4) will not be disappointed. God will vindicate them in the Messianic Kingdom.
Sin Delays (7-12).
God wishes to restore the nation, but the nation does not seek after Him. In the Mosaic Covenant, God stipulates that He will give them death if they cast away His Lordship (Deut. 28:15-68). The whole nation rebels against God so that God does not hear their prayers to forgive them. Their righteousness is but a filthy rag. Isaiah sees the destruction of Israel in the future and prophecies about it. This prophecy of general destruction of Israel has been fulfilled twice in history, one being the Babylonian Captivity and the second being the destruction of the temple in 70 A.D. It will again be fulfilled in the end times. Isaiah asks God whether He will keep silent forever? The answer is of course not. He will act in the end times as He has promised repeatedly. He will graciously give spiritual life to the whole nation in the end times (Eze. 37:1-14).
Praying the Scripture
- God requires us not just to do righteous deeds but also do it joyfully. He does this because He wishes us to worship Him in both spirit (from the heart) and truth (John 4:24). He wants us to worship Him with a genuine heart that leads to righteous deeds (cf. 1 Tim. 1:5). Pray that when you do righteous deeds, you do it joyfully. If you do not do it joyfully, examine yourself why and prayerfully seek to change your evil heart. Often times, we do not serve joyfully because we are selfish, lazy, prideful, lustful or self-centered. We have not acknowledged the glorious character of God and seek to imitate Him. Our sense of greatness is still ungodly. That is why we don’t rejoice in such greatness. Pray that you will see righteous deeds as glorious and do it with joy.
- Prayer is effective and it does affect God’s actions. He even answered the prayer of Ahab, an unbelieving and evil king, because he humbled himself (1 King 21:29). If he hears the prayers of an unbeliever who humbled himself, how much more will He listen to the prayers of His children when they humble themselves and pray righteously (James 5:16; Luke 11:5-13)? God is a gracious God whose inclination is to give mercy. Do not be dejected, but come to God confidently and humbly through Jesus (Heb. 4:16). Never appeal to God based on your own righteousness, which is a filthy rag, always appeal to God based on His grace (Luke 17:10).
经文：以赛亚书64
主题：急切地祷告
急切祷告（1-6）。
当以赛亚仰望着天向神祷告时，他恳求神眷顾祂地上的子民，怜悯他们。以赛亚渴望神立刻下来审判世界的不义。耶稣同有这急切的心，但相信神所安排的时间（路12:49）。无论神延迟多久才来，凡等候祂并喜悦行义的（4节）必不会失望。神将在弥赛亚国度里为他们申冤。
罪的耽搁（7-12）。
神想要复兴以色列，但以色列并不寻求神。在摩西之约里，神明确指出以色列若离开神，不认祂做主，他们必死（申28:15-68）。因此，当全国悖逆神的时候，神不听他们求饶的祷告。他们的义都像污秽的衣服。以赛亚看到以色列未来的灭绝，所以口出预言。这个关乎以色列灭绝的总预言已经在历史中二度应验了，即被巴比伦掳去时及公元后70年圣殿毁灭时。这预言要在末日再度应验。以赛亚问神祂是否将永远保持静默？答案当然不是。祂在末日时必采取行动，正如祂一再应许的。末日时，祂将施恩，让以色列的灵命全然复兴（结37:1-14）。
用经文祷告
- 神不但要我们行义，还要我们乐于行义。神这么要求是因为祂希望我们能用心灵（从心里）和诚实（约4:24）敬拜祂。祂要我们以真诚的心敬拜祂，而这颗心会使我们生发义行（参提前1:5）。祷告当你行义时，你是喜乐地去行。你若没有喜悦，就要省察自己为什么如此，并藉着祷告求神更新你邪恶的心。很多时候，我们不以喜乐的心侍奉是因为我们是自私、懒惰、心存欲望或只顾自己的。我们不承认神荣耀的品格，也不想效法神。我们对何为大的定义还是不敬虔的；这就是我们为什么无法因神的伟大喜悦。祷告你能视义行为荣耀的，并以喜乐的心去行。
- 祷告是有效的，而它的确会影响神的行为。祂甚至应允了邪恶与不信神的亚哈之祷告，因为他谦卑自己（王上21:29）。神已垂听了一个自卑的非信徒，更何况是垂听祂虚心并按公义祷告的孩子（雅5:16，路11:5-13）！神是恩慈的神，喜悦施与怜悯。不要沮丧，乃要藉着基督坦然无惧并谦卑地来到神面前（来4:16）。千万不要凭自己的义祈求祷告神，因为那都是污秽的衣服；总要凭着神的恩典向神祷告（路17:10）。
