Scripture Reading : Isaiah 41
Theme : God is Greater than Our Fears
Comfort through Pagan Ruler (1-7)
God will comfort Israel by promising to use Cyrus to restore Israel. The one from the east is Cyrus the Persian king who is mentioned in 44:28. This prophecy was written one century before Cyrus was born. He will be a comfort to Israel by conquering Babylon and then let Jews return to Israel. This prophecy was fulfilled 70 years after the exile when Ezra and company returned to Jerusalem.
Comfort through Election (8-29).
God will also comfort Israel by restoring Israel in the end times. God assures the nation and faithful individuals that God has chosen them and will fulfill His promise to bless the world through Israel. The Israel of end times will be restored like a wilderness turned into a fertile land. When Jews see the prophesied Babylonian exile and the return of the Jews under Cyrus, they will be comforted by God’s sovereignty. If His promise of punishment is true, then His promise of future restoration will also be true. Comfort can only be found in the true, living God, not in dead idols who cannot predict the future.
Praying the Scripture
- What sets the Bible apart from other religious books is its ability to predict the future. This is the true mark of a divine book. Anyone can write a book and claim to be God’s word but only the Bible can demonstrate its divine origin through fulfilled prophecies. God also prophesied after the dead of Jesus, Israel will not have any temple sacrifices until the end times (Hosea 3:4) and this is exactly what is happening in Israel. Let us find comfort in God’s unwavering faithfulness to fulfill His promises. He promises to be with Israel forever and He also has promised to be with Christians forever (Matt. 28:20). Let us find comfort in God in our trials. Let us go to Him and be reminded that He says to us, “Comfort, Comfort my people.” Let these words console your soul. There can be many reasons for us to fear, but there is one big reason why we don’t need—God is with us.
- The doctrine of election in OT and NT (Ephesians 1) is meant to comfort believers in time of trials and persecutions. It is not meant to be a license to sin freely. It is meant to assure us of God’s love in our struggle to battle sin, which sometimes can seem so overwhelming. It is not meant to be a free pass so that we can commit whatever sin we want, while proclaiming “once saved, always saved.” Pray that you don’t abuse this doctrine and use it wrongly. Pray that this doctrine will give your soul rest in time of trouble or struggle against sin.
经文：以赛亚书41
主题：神大过我们的惧怕
藉着外邦君王的安慰（1-7）。
神安慰以色列，应许要用塞勒斯使她复兴。从东方兴起的那人是波斯王塞勒斯；44:28也提及他。这个预言是在塞勒斯诞生前的一个世纪写的。他将征服巴比伦，然后让犹太人回到以色列，从而作他们的安慰。这个预言在犹太人流放后70年应验了，即以斯拉与同伴归回耶路撒冷时。
藉着拣选的安慰（8-29）。
神也会藉着末日对以色列的复兴安慰她。神保证以色列与忠心的人他们是神所拣选的，所以神必履行承诺，藉着以色列祝福全地。末日时的以色列将得复兴，如旷野变丰盛之地。当犹太人亲眼见到预言的应验，即以色列被巴比伦流放与犹太人在塞勒斯的统治回归以色列，他们将因神的主权得安慰。倘若神施行惩罚的应许是真的，祂所应许的末日复兴也必是真的。安慰只能在永活真神里找到，不在无法预言未来的虚假偶像寻见。
用经文祷告
- 圣经与其他宗教书籍有别的是：它能预测未来。这是神圣书籍的真实标志。任何人都能编写一本书并宣称那是神的话，但唯有圣经能借着所应验的预言证明祂的属神根源。神也预言耶稣死后，以色列将不再有圣殿祭祀，直到末日时（何3:4）；这正是我们如今在以色列所看到的。让我们在神坚定的信实中得安慰，因为祂必履行自己的承诺。神也应许要永远与以色列同在，也应许永远与基督徒同在（太28:20）。让我们遇试炼时在神里面寻得安慰。让我们来到神面前，提醒自己祂曾向我们说：“安慰，安慰我的百姓。”让这些话安慰你的灵。能使我们惧怕的原因很多，但我们有一个无需惧怕的重大原因：神与我们同在。
- 新（弗1）旧约对拣选的教义是要在信徒遭试炼与逼迫时安慰他们的。这不是信徒随意犯罪的借口。教义的本意是要在我们与罪争战时向我们确保神的爱，因为试炼有时让人感到难以负荷。它不是让我们自由犯罪的通行证，同时宣扬“一旦得救，永远得救”。祷告你不会滥用这个教义，或错误使用这个教义。祷告这个教义能在你与罪争战或遇困扰时，心灵得享安息。
