再次的揀選（賽十四）中英bilingual

耶和華要憐恤雅各，必再揀選以色列，將他們安置在本地。寄居的必與他們聯合，緊貼雅各家。(賽 14：1) 

本章的開頭接續了以賽亞書十三章對巴比倫王國的預言，描述在王國傾覆之後，以色列和巴比倫各自的遭遇。那時百姓悖逆，隨從外邦惡俗，去拜偶像、行耶和華眼中看為惡的事，神就藉著外邦人的手管教祂的選民；因著種種的困苦，百姓在患難中想起神，向神呼求，就再蒙拯救，得以脫離挾制他們的手。以色列再次蒙揀選，並非因為他們行善，而是在於他們呼求和悔改，憐憫人的神再給祂所親愛的民一次機會。 

耶和華折斷了惡人的杖，轄制人的圭，就是在忿怒中連連攻擊眾民的，在怒氣中轄制列國，行逼迫無人阻止的。(賽 14：5-6) 

本章可以看見兩個對比，一是外邦人的結局，他們先前加在選民身上的轄制與欺壓，都將報應回自己身上，並要反過來成為以色列人的僕婢。巴比倫王在世上擁有極大的權勢、廣大的領土與榮華，但這些下到陰間後都將歸於無有，攻敗列國的被砍倒在地、墜落陰間，如被踐踏的屍首、不能安葬，國度傾覆、後裔也盡被滅除。神施行公義，刑罰那逼迫百姓的惡人。 

就是在我地上打折亞述人，在我山上將他踐踏。他加的軛必離開以色列人；他加的重擔必離開他們的肩頭。(賽 14 ：25) 

另一對比就是神的選民，神要再次揀選他們，並使他們脫離愁苦，得享主裡的安息，在神保守之下安然躺臥。曾經在聚會中聽過一段分享，提到苦難有三種類型:「因罪受苦」、「為義受迫」和「屬靈操練」；選民是屬於第一種，因他們不專一事主，所以神伸手管教，為要使他們回轉歸神，藉由這樣的患難，使百姓重新看見神，並回歸純正的信仰。因為主所愛的，他必管教，又鞭打凡所收納的兒子。(來 12：6)神藉著苦難使我們校正回歸，修直前面的道路，因主將我們收納，就負責到底。 

本章中，儘管百姓曾悖逆、不聽從神，但在患難困苦的日子，神仍舊看重他們，施慈手拯救願意回轉、呼求神的人，就像浪子比喻裡的父親一樣，神就站在原地，等候那離開的小兒子回頭，當傷痕累累的心再次回到神面前，神用一個大大的擁抱、一場筵席，為這迷失又尋回的羊開心快樂，在早已預定的計畫中，苦難過去、救恩再臨，惡人被滅盡，選民蒙憐恤。患難中，主給我們留了一條道路，使困苦回轉之人，有一個歸處，再次回到神的懷抱之中。 

可怎樣回答外邦（或指非利士）的使者呢？必說：耶和華建立了錫安；他百姓中的困苦人必投奔在其中。(賽 14：32) 

BY 張心瑜

真耶穌教會石牌教會、天母教會線上講道

石牌教會https://www.youtube.com/@TJChurchShipai

天母教會https://www.youtube.com/c/TJC_Tianmu/featured

Again Chooses(Isaiah 14)

May 6, 202

“When the Lord has compassion on Jacob and again chooses Israel, and settles them on their own land, then strangers will join them and attach themselves to the house of Jacob.” (Isaiah 14:1 NASB2020) 

The opening of this chapter continues the prophecy in Isaiah 13 concerning the kingdom of Babylon, describing the respective encounters of Israel and Babylon after the fall of that kingdom. At that time, the people had rebelled, followed the evil customs of the nations, worshiped idols, and did what was evil in the sight of the Lord. Therefore, God used foreign nations to discipline His chosen people. Yet through all kinds of suffering, the people remembered God in their distress and cried out to Him, and once again they received deliverance and were freed from the hand of those who oppressed them. Israel was chosen again not because of their goodness, but because of their cry and repentance. The God of mercy gave His beloved people another opportunity.

“The Lord has broken the staff of the wicked,The scepter of rulers.Which used to strike the peoples in fury with unceasing strokes, Which subdued the nations in anger with unrestrained persecution.” (Isaiah 14:5–6 NASB2020) 

This chapter presents two contrasts. The first is the end of the Gentile nations: the oppression and cruelty they once imposed on God’s people would return upon themselves, and they would in turn to become servants to Israel. The king of Babylon once possessed immense authority, vast territory, and worldly splendor, yet all of these would come to nothing when he fell into Sheol. He who struck down the nations would himself be cut down to the ground and cast into the pit, like a trampled corpse, denied burial. His kingdom would collapse, and his descendants would be cut off. God executes justice and brings judgment upon the wicked who persecute His people.

“to break Assyria in My land, and I will trample him on My mountains.  Then his yoke will be removed from them, and his burden removed from their shoulders.” (Isaiah 14:25 NASB2020) 

The second contrast is God’s chosen people. God would choose them again, deliver them from sorrow, and grant them rest in the Lord, so that under His protection they might lie down in safety. I once heard a message in church service mentioning three kinds of suffering : "suffering because of sin", "persecution for righteousness sake", and "spiritual discipline.” God’s chosen people belonged to the first kind . Because they were not wholehearted in serving the Lord, God stretched out His hand to discipline them so that they might turn back to Him. Through such affliction, the people were brought to see God again and to return to pure faith. “For whom the Lord loves He disciplines, and He punishes every son whom He accepts.” (Hebrews 12:6 NASB2020) Through suffering, God corrects our course and makes straight the path before us. Since the Lord has received us as His own, He will also take full responsibility for us to the end. 

In this chapter, although the people had once rebelled and refused to listen to God, He still regarded them with care in the days of distress and hardship. He stretched out His merciful hand to save those who were willing to turn back and call upon Him. He is like the father in the parable of the prodigal son, standing where He has always been, waiting for the son who left home to return. When the wounded heart comes back to God once more, He welcomes it with a great embrace and a feast, rejoicing over the sheep that was lost and is found again. In His plan, long prepared beforehand, suffering passes, salvation returns, the wicked are destroyed, and the chosen receive compassion. In suffering, the Lord leaves a road open for us, so that those who turn back from affliction may have a place to return and once again come into the embrace of God.

“What answer will one give the messengers of the nation? That the Lord has founded Zion, and the afflicted of His people will take refuge in it.” (Isaiah 14:32 NASB2020) 

By Hsin-Yu Chang