In that day, the Lord will punish with his sword

 Isaiah 26:1-27:1

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah: We have a strong city; God makes salvation its walls and ramparts. Open the gates that the righteous nation may enter, the nation that keeps faith.

Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord, the Lord himself, is the Rock eternal. He humbles those who dwell on high, he lays the lofty city low; he levels it to the ground and casts it down to the dust.

The path of the righteous is level; you, the Upright One, make the way of the righteous smooth. Yes, Lord, walking in the way of your laws, we wait for you; your name and renown are the desire of our hearts.

But when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness; even in a land of uprightness they go on doing evil  and do not regard the majesty of the Lord.

Lord our God, other lords besides you have ruled over us, but your name alone do we honor.

They are now dead, they live no more; their spirits do not rise. You punished them and brought them to ruin; you wiped out all memory of them. You have enlarged the nation, Lord; you have enlarged the nation. You have gained glory for yourself; you have extended all the borders of the land.

In that day, the Lord will punish with his sword—  his fierce, great and powerful sword --- Leviathan the gliding serpent, Leviathan the coiling serpent; he will slay the monster of the sea.

Why?

This world is chaotic and disturbed by wars and evil-doers. The Lord is my salvation. Trust in the Lord forever, for the Lord is the Rock eternal.

In that day this song will be sung in the land of Judah, In that day, the Lord will punish with his sword.

But when grace is shown to the wicked, they do not learn righteousness. God gives grace to everyone in the world, everyone has to take responsibility to face their choice and the consequence in that day.

How?

Be humble before the Lord and trust in the Lord forever!

The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth.

Isaiah 25;1-12

Lord, you are my God; I will exalt you and praise your name, for in perfect faithfulness you have done wonderful things, things planned long ago. You have made the city a heap of rubble, the fortified town a ruin, the foreigners’ stronghold a city no more; it will never be rebuilt.

On this mountain the Lord Almighty will prepare a feast of rich food for all peoples, a banquet of aged wine— the best of meats and the finest of wines. On this mountain he will destroy the shroud that enfolds all peoples, the sheet that covers all nations; he will swallow up death forever. The Sovereign Lord will wipe away the tears from all faces; he will remove his people’s disgrace from all the earth.

In that day they will say, “Surely this is our God; we trusted in him, and he saved us. This is the Lord, we trusted in him; let us rejoice and be glad in his salvation.”

The hand of the Lord will rest on this mountain; but Moab will be trampled in their land as straw is trampled down in the manure. 

God will bring down their pride despite the cleverness of their hands. He will bring down your high fortified walls and lay them low; he will bring them down to the ground, to the very dust.

Why?

Let us rejoice with all who belong to the Lord, for God is perfect faithfulness and God have done a wonderful thing and planned long ago. It is beyond our imagination.

Surely God will bring down their pride despite the cleverness of their hands, and the time is written in God's calendar. What we can do is trust in Him.

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神在末日的作為，保護與伸冤

1-5:神為自己的兒女伸冤： 以賽亞沒有因為神的審判而高興。這裏轉變來讚美神，詩人先知讚美神的原因是我們要思考的。什麼奇妙的景象，帶領我走過什麼?賞賜我們什麼?神的忠信誠實神行過奇妙的事！超越個人的私慾，想法

6-8: 除去他們的羞辱：神使用所有強暴之國都轉回歸向神！肥甘設擺筵席，用陳酒和滿髓的肥甘，並澄清的陳酒，設擺筵席，來接待神的子民。將來在天上，我們還是可以享受這些美食，卻不被轄制，不吃也可以。

遮蓋萬民之物：裹屍布要除去，成為活人。

9-12 :神要審判他們的驕傲：我們素來等候他(兩次)，看到的是神，重要的不是大餐。我們雖然看不到，但是持續在等候。我們今天所盼望的是神，只是人還有選擇有另外一種選擇，即信的人。摩押人在所居之地是指那不信的人。同樣是神的作為，卻有兩種不同的結果。耶和華的手必按在這山上，是指在第六節擺設筵席的山上。

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How?

Praise the Lord and exalt his holy name, there is no one like our God.

Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord, in the islands of the sea

Isaiah 24:1-23

See, the Lord is going to lay waste the earth and devastate it; he will ruin its face and scatter its inhabitants— it will be the same for priest as for people, for the master as for his servant, for the mistress as for her servant, for seller as for buyer, for borrower as for lender, for debtor as for creditor. The earth will be completely laid waste and totally plundered. The Lord has spoken this word.

The earth is defiled by its people; they have disobeyed the laws, violated the statutes and broken the everlasting covenant. Therefore a curse consumes the earth; its people must bear their guilt. Therefore earth’s inhabitants are burned up, and very few are left.

So will it be on the earth and among the nations, as when an olive tree is beaten, or as when gleanings are left after the grape harvest.

Therefore in the east give glory to the Lord; exalt the name of the Lord, the God of Israel, in the islands of the sea. From the ends of the earth we hear singing: “Glory to the Righteous One.”

But I said, “I waste away, I waste away! Woe to me! The treacherous betray!  With treachery the treacherous betray!” Terror and pit and snare await you, people of the earth. Whoever flees at the sound of terror will fall into a pit; whoever climbs out of the pit will be caught in a snare.

In that day the Lord will punish the powers in the heavens above and the kings on the earth below.

The moon will be dismayed, the sun ashamed; for the Lord Almighty will reign on Mount Zion and in Jerusalem, and before its elders—with great glory.

Why?

The punishment from the Lord no only to Judai but also to all the world.

Because of the sins of human beings, they defiled this world, disobey the laws, violated the statutes, and broke the everlasting covenant, therefore curse consumes the earth.

In the east give glory to the Lord, in the islands of the sea, from the ends of the earth we hear singing:"Glory to the righteous One." So the Gospel will transmit back to Jerusalem.

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24-27章稱為以賽亞書的啟示錄

對普世的審判

到那日，那時

1-13 大地荒涼：創世時，地是空虛，現在又使地空虛，回到從前。不管什麼身份，職份都無法逃過神的審判。全地都受審判。神不僅和猶太人立約，神和挪亞立約，人都背了約。人的一切享樂都取之於大地，因為人行為使大地受咒詛，以致大地不再出產。13節在災難中，14節又開始有救恩。

16節在神的審判中，看到罪人被審判，而體會他們的痛苦，神的本性是愛人的，以賽亞體貼神的心，體會受審的可怕，大喊：我消滅了，我有禍了。天上的窗戶都開了，和揶亞的日子一樣，卻是洪水下來，要滅絕一切的人。

月亮要蒙羞，日頭要慚愧： 在耶和華的光中，日、月都變暗淡

以賽亞以審判的角度在看末世。

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How?

Many of us are located in the East, and each Christian has the responsibility to honor of the Holy name of the Lord.

 

A prophecy against Tyre

Isaiah 23:1-18

A prophecy against Tyre: Wail, you ships of Tarshish! For Tyre is destroyed and left without house or harbor. From the land of Cyprus word has come to them.

Who planned this against Tyre, the bestower of crowns, whose merchants are princes, whose traders are renowned in the earth? The Lord Almighty planned it, to bring down her pride in all her splendor and to humble all who are renowned on the earth.

The Lord has stretched out his hand over the sea and made its kingdoms tremble. He has given an order concerning Phoenicia that her fortresses be destroyed. He said, “No more of your reveling, Virgin Daughter Sidon, now crushed! “Up, cross over to Cyprus; even there you will find no rest.”

At that time Tyre will be forgotten for seventy years, the span of a king’s life. But at the end of these seventy years, it will happen to Tyre as in the song of the prostitute:

At the end of seventy years, the Lord will deal with Tyre. She will return to her lucrative prostitution and will ply her trade with all the kingdoms on the face of the earth. Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord; they will not be stored up or hoarded. Her profits will go to those who live before the Lord, for abundant food and fine clothes.

Why?
Egypt lost a trade partner so she felt sorrow.

Tyre was pride in all her splendor so the Lord took over all they had and destroyed their land and port.

Seventy years mean a period, people will forget this nation and they will find no rest. Yet her profit and her earnings will be set apart for the Lord.

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推羅、西頓都是航海貿易的港口，許多國家靠他們做生意而高傲，神懲罰這兩個國家

1-8: 他施在西班牙，哀號，船隻往返他施和推羅之間。

大海說，就是海中的保障說：我沒有劬勞，也沒有生產，沒有養育男子，也沒有撫養童女：船隻、水手、船員就沒有生活的依靠了。埃及也受到影響，農產品沒有地方可以賣。

7-9: 推羅國力擴展到許多地方，推羅在大國的夾縫中生存

10-14:推羅為了賺錢如妓女，什麼都願意做

15-18:神恢復他們的繁榮，神是為了神的選民、祝福神的百姓，所以讓推羅興起。神成為萬神之神也是為了教會。

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How?

Being humble and wise is fear of the Lord and obeying God's commands is the way of blessing.

Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for

 Isaiah 22:1-25

A prophecy against the Valley of Vision: What troubles you now, that you have all gone up on the roofs, you town so full of commotion, you city of tumult and revelry? Your slain were not killed by the sword, nor did they die in battle. All your leaders have fled together;  they have been captured without using the bow.  All you who were caught were taken prisoner together, having fled while the enemy was still far away. Therefore I said, “Turn away from me; let me weep bitterly. Do not try to console me over the destruction of my people.” The Lord, the Lord Almighty, has a day of tumult and trampling and terror in the Valley of Vision, a day of battering down walls and of crying out to the mountains.

You saw that the walls of the City of David were broken through in many places; you stored up water in the Lower Pool. You counted the buildings in Jerusalem and tore down houses to strengthen the wall. You built a reservoir between the two walls for the water of the Old Pool, but you did not look to the One who made it, or have regard for the One who planned it long ago.

But see, there is joy and revelry, slaughtering of cattle and killing of sheep, eating of meat and drinking of wine! “Let us eat and drink,” you say, “for tomorrow we die!”

The Lord Almighty has revealed this in my hearing: “Till your dying day this sin will not be atoned for,” says the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

Go, say to this steward, to Shebna the palace administrator: What are you doing here and who gave you permission to cut out a grave for yourself here, hewing your grave on the height and chiseling your resting place in the rock?

I will depose you from your office, and you will be ousted from your position.

In that day I will summon my servant, Eliakim son of Hilkiah. I will clothe him with your robe and fasten your sash around him and hand your authority over to him. He will be a father to those who live in Jerusalem and to the people of Judah.

 “In that day,” declares the Lord Almighty, “the peg driven into the firm place will give way; it will be sheared off and will fall, and the load hanging on it will be cut down.” The Lord has spoken.

Why?

The people in Jerusalem build the wall and prepare weapons, but all of these were useless. They rely on themselves. They prepared food, and water but the Lord said you did not look to the One who made it. So they will fall. Till your dying day, this sin will not be atoned for.

Shebna the palace administrator will lose his position, but another one Eliakim son of Hilkiah was chosen by the Lord, will have authority in Jesusalem.

God's love will return to his people, even in so worse situation. For God's love endure forever same as God's righteousness.

How?

Bare in mind rely on the Lord and humble me, Only the Lord is my stronghold.

Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!

Isaiah 21:1-17

A dire vision has been shown to me: The traitor betrays, the looter takes loot. Elam, attack! Media, lay siege!  I will bring to an end all the groaning she caused.

.At this my body is racked with pain, pangs seize me, like those of a woman in labor; I am staggered by what I hear, I am bewildered by what I see.

“Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; every night I stay at my post. Look, here comes a man in a chariot with a team of horses. And he gives back the answer: ‘Babylon has fallen, has fallen! All the images of its gods lie shattered on the ground!’”  My people who are crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the Lord Almighty, from the God of Israel.

A prophecy against Dumah Someone calls to me from Seir, “Watchman, what is left of the night? Watchman, what is left of the night?” The watchman replies, “Morning is coming, but also the night. If you would ask, then ask; and come back yet again.”

My people who are crushed on the threshing floor, I tell you what I have heard from the Lord Almighty, from the God of Israel.

This is what the Lord says to me: “Within one year, as a servant bound by contract would count it, all the splendor of Kedar will come to an end. The survivors of the archers, the warriors of Kedar, will be few.” The Lord, the God of Israel, has spoken.

Why?

A prophecy of Babylon, Edom and Arabia, all of the nations will fall.

Face to the hands of the Lord no one can escape. no country can keep strong.

Babylon a symbol of idols, has fallen all the images of its gods led shattered on the ground. God's hands' strength out no one can stand up.

My people who are crushed on the threshing floor, all of the useless will be discarded like crushed on the threshing floor. Only the fruit, and shell of grain will be discarded.

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預言：巴比倫、以東、

1-10: 巴比倫滅亡，國土到阿拉伯海邊，所以如此描述。仇敵是指瑪代，南風乾燥且熱，表達瑪代如可怕的南方旋風

以欄代表波斯，以蘭結合波斯攻擊巴比倫。

以賽亞看到巴比倫的情形而難過，痛苦將我抓住，好像產難的婦人一樣。羨慕的黃昏：黃昏是阿拉伯最涼爽時間卻無法平靜。

擺設筵席，派人守望，又吃又喝：指伯沙撒王吃喝玩樂，且拿聖殿的器皿來吃喝

以賽亞是各國的守望者角色，我們從講台，從神的角度，向人發出先知的聲音。我們今天也是在屬靈高處的守望者，看見將來的結局如何?向世人指出一條路。

我被打的禾稼，我場上的穀啊： 指的是猶大國

可能已經知道卻一直在問，早晨將到，黑夜也來，好像早晨天亮快到了，隨即夜晚到來，不用再問了。回頭再來：悔改以後再來問。神也愛外邦人，也告訴他們的路

基達是阿拉伯人的總稱

How?

Be aware of the word of the Lord, and fear the Lord forever.

See what has happened to those we relied on, How then can we escape?

 Isaiah 19;23 -21:6

In the year that the supreme commander, sent by Sargon king of Assyria, came to Ashdod and attacked and captured it— at that time the Lord spoke through Isaiah son of Amoz. He said to him, “Take off the sackcloth from your body and the sandals from your feet.” And he did so, going around stripped and barefoot.

Then the Lord said, “Just as my servant Isaiah has gone stripped and barefoot for three years, as a sign and portent against Egypt and Cush, so the king of Assyria will lead away stripped and barefoot the Egyptian captives and Cushite exiles, young and old, with buttocks bared—to Egypt’s shame. Those who trusted in Cush and boasted in Egypt will be dismayed and put to shame. In that day the people who live on this coast will say, ‘See what has happened to those we relied on, those we fled to for help and deliverance from the king of Assyria! How then can we escape?’”

Why?

Cush and Egypt are human beings, it is impossible could be relied on them.

Only the Lord Almighty could be our fortress and savior.

How?

Be rejoice for we belong to the Lord and Jesus is my savior. Trust in the Lord!

When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them.

Isaiah 19:1-22

A prophecy against Egypt:

“I will stir up Egyptian against Egyptian— brother will fight against brother, neighbor against neighbor, city against city, kingdom against kingdom. The Egyptians will lose heart,  and I will bring their plans to nothing; they will consult the idols and the spirits of the dead, the mediums and the spiritists. I will hand the Egyptians over to the power of a cruel master, and a fierce king will rule over them,” declares the Lord, the Lord Almighty.

The waters of the river will dry up, and the riverbed will be parched and dry. The canals will stink; the streams of Egypt will dwindle and dry up.

The Lord has poured into them a spirit of dizziness; they make Egypt stagger in all that she does, as a drunkard staggers around in his vomit. There is nothing Egypt can do— head or tail, palm branch or reed.

In that day five cities in Egypt will speak the language of Canaan and swear allegiance to the Lord Almighty. One of them will be called the City of the Sun (Destruction).

In that day there will be an altar to the Lord in the heart of Egypt, and a monument to the Lord at its border. It will be a sign and witness to the Lord Almighty in the land of Egypt. When they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, he will send them a savior and defender, and he will rescue them. So the Lord will make himself known to the Egyptians, and in that day they will acknowledge the Lord. They will worship with sacrifices and grain offerings; they will make vows to the Lord and keep them. The Lord will strike Egypt with a plague; he will strike them and heal them. They will turn to the Lord, and he will respond to their pleas and heal them.

Why?

It is possible the Egyptians will worship the Lord one day. Nothing is impossible to our Lord! All is in the hands of the Lord. 

One day when they cry out to the Lord because of their oppressors, so the Lord will strike Egypt with a plague; he will strike them and heal them, and they will turn to the Lord.

How?

Jesus is the Lord he will deliver Egypt from plague and heal them, this Egypt is this world.

I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place

Isaiah 18:1-7

Woe to the land of whirring wings along the rivers of Cush, which sends envoys by sea in papyrus boats over the water. Go, swift messengers, to a people tall and smooth-skinned, to a people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers.

All you people of the world, you who live on the earth, when a banner is raised on the mountains, you will see it, and when a trumpet sounds, you will hear it.

This is what the Lord says to me: “I will remain quiet and will look on from my dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine, like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”

At that time gifts will be brought to the Lord Almighty from a people tall and smooth-skinned, from a people feared far and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers— the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name of the Lord Almighty.

Why?

When seeing a banner is raised and hear a trumpet sounds, which means Assyria conquered Cush. 

Cush heard Assyria was close to them, they sent a messenger to Judah and asked to make a union to defeat Assyria. But the Lord said to them don't rely on any others, only the Lord is their stronghold.

Everything may change, but our God won't change like the sunshine and cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.

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古實即衣索匹亞，當時已經統治埃及。古實想要結盟猶大來對抗亞述，好像現在各國想要聯合抵抗其他國家。

高大光滑的民是伸出去延長出去的含義，表示歷史悠久。分地界踐踏人的，權力大，地界多大由他們決定。

以賽亞告訴猶大、全世界神所說的話：日光中的清熱： 熱氣，收割的季節就有雲霧。目前時候未到，時候到了自然有這些天候出現。我們安靜，不代表我們沒有行動，新沒有行動，但是神都在觀看、都在神的掌握中。

時候到了，連古實山亞述國力強大的國家也要去朝見耶和華。新約記載腓利向太監埃提阿伯傳講耶穌是否就是以賽亞書所說的，把基督帶到他們國家。歐洲統治非洲，只有衣索匹亞和賴比瑞亞沒有被殖民統治，因為他們信靠耶和華。

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How?

Fear the Lord for the Lord has love and righteousness, even under God's judgment there is love within it.

In that day people will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel

Isaiah 17:1-14

A prophecy against Damascus: See, Damascus will no longer be a city but will become a heap of ruins. The cities of Aroer will be deserted and left to flocks, which will lie down, with no one to make them afraid. The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and royal power from Damascus; the remnant of Aram will be like the glory of the Israelites,” declares the Lord Almighty.

In that day the glory of Jacob will fade; the fat of his body will waste away.

In that day people will look to their Maker and turn their eyes to the Holy One of Israel. They will not look to the altars, the work of their hands, and they will have no regard for the Asherah poles and the incense altars their fingers have made.

You have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress.

In that day their strong cities, which they left because of the Israelites, will be like places abandoned to thickets and undergrowth. And all will be desolation.

In the evening, sudden terror! Before the morning, they are gone! This is the portion of those who loot us, the lot of those who plunder us. 

Why?

Their destination of Aram will be ruined. They combined Israel to arrack Judah.

That day has been determined by the Lord. Our God is the master of time.

The desolation of Aram because of their pride. They have forgotten God your Savior; you have not remembered the Rock, your fortress.

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亞蘭是今天的敘利亞

1-4 亞羅珥的城邑完全沒落，以法蓮沒有保障，北國也跟著失落。

4-6 北國會被消滅，剩下的人如遺落的穗子

In that day到那日是審判的日子

7-8 顯出神的愛，神的公義中有神的愛。當那日：是以色列人歸回或是末日的歸回。看重祭壇 木偶是日像，為的是有好的收成，所以以前他們看重的自己的收入，現在看重的是神自己。以前依靠的是人的方法。這是靈性的復興

9-11 保護人的堅固城被人撇棄，人的保障是神。在那日： 同時仰望主又失去堅固城，如果還抓住堅固城，人不會來依靠神，真正的磐石保障是依靠神

12-14 列國的行徑，看來似乎很強大，被神斥責逃之妖妖，危險來時，自顧不暇，怎麼可能來保護。只有耶和華真正可靠。

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How?

Remember that the Lord is my fortress, my savior, and my rock. Don't rely on others including myself.

When Moab appears at her high place, she only wears herself out

Isaiah 16:1-14 

Let the Moabite fugitives stay with you; be their shelter from the destroyer.” The oppressor will come to an end, and destruction will cease; the aggressor will vanish from the land. In love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it—  one from the house of David— one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness.

We have heard of Moab’s pride— how great is her arrogance!— of her conceit, her pride and her insolence; but her boasts are empty. Therefore the Moabites wail, they wail together for Moab. Lament and grieve for the raisin cakes of Kir Hareseth.

When Moab appears at her high place, she only wears herself out; when she goes to her shrine to pray, it is to no avail.

This is the word the Lord has already spoken concerning Moab. But now the Lord says: “Within three years, as a servant bound by contract would count them, Moab’s splendor and all her many people will be despised, and her survivors will be very few and feeble.”

Why?

Because Moanite had pride heart and great is her arrogance. They went there to a high place or her shrine to pray, but it was to no avail.

In God's love a throne will be established; in faithfulness a man will sit on it -- one from the house of David one who in judging seeks justice and speeds the cause of righteousness. It means Jesus Christ will come for love and faithfulness.

How?

Be humble and fear before the Lord. Arrogant will fail and boasts are empty. May the Holy Spirit leads my way.