要紀念神的作為(賽十七）中英bilingual
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Remember the Deeds of God(Isaiah 17)
May 9, 2026
"The fortified city will disappear from Ephraim, and sovereignty from Damascus and the remnant of Aram; they will be like the glory of the sons of Israel,” declares the Lord of armies. (Isaiah 17:3)"
Damascus was the capital of Aram and here represents the entire nation of Aram. Ephraim was the strongest tribe of the Northern Kingdom of Israel and here represents the entire Northern Kingdom. God’s prophecy, through the declaration of the prophet, is meant to warn everyone. When the time comes, it will surely be fulfilled. Aram was once a powerful and wealthy nation, but in the future, it must face God’s judgment because of its evil deeds—to be discarded, turned into a heap of ruins, and lose its sovereignty. Compared to its former prosperity, such an ending is extremely shameful. However, what should warn us even more is that the fate of God's chosen people is compared to the downfall of Aram. This points out that the judgment God’s people face is no different from that of Aram.
"Will disappear" (or "No longer") emphasizes that these things will pass away and never return. The chosen people wanted to rely on Aram’s help as their fortress. Yet, through this retribution, God points out that the "fortress" the people relied on and the "sovereignty" Aram trusted in were based on the delusion that they could keep what they wanted forever through their own strength. God gives a heavy lesson: if it is not I, the Lord God, all of this will come to nothing. The prophet concludes with "declares the Lord of armies," further proving that this prophecy comes from the only Almighty God who rules over all.
"On that day a person will regard his Maker and his eyes will look to the Holy One of Israel. He will not regard the altars, the work of his hands, nor will he look to that which his fingers have made, whether the Asherim or incense altars. (Isaiah 17:7-8)"
The house of Jacob refers to God’s chosen people, the Israelites. The Lord God had bestowed such glory upon them, yet the people rebelled and lost it. On that day, enemies would oppress them and plunder everything. But God still leaves a "remnant" for Ephraim, mentioning that a very small number of people would survive the enemy's attack. God applies such strict discipline to the chosen people so that those who abandoned Him would turn back—so they would no longer lean toward idols but look instead to their Maker. Looking back, when God’s people entered Canaan, they followed the Lord’s command to destroy the local cities. Now, their own cities are likewise being destroyed. This is because the people were ungrateful and abandoned God, turning instead to false gods made by human hands. These cannot save them from trouble, and they must pay a heavy price for this. We know deep down that all things come from the one true God, so we must rely on Him wholeheartedly and not follow other gods, let alone false ones. "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among mankind by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12)
"For you have forgotten the God of your salvation and have not remembered the rock of your refuge. Therefore you plant delightful plants and set them with exotic slips. (Isaiah 17:10)"
God often manifested His deeds among the Israelites, yet they did not remember them. As time passed, they forgot; as days became smooth, they grew complacent and lost their vigilance. The prophet declares once again that only the Lord our God can save you; this almighty hand comes from the Lord our God. Instead, they chose to draw near to what was pleasing to their own eyes and hearts. What appeared "delightful" was actually separated from God, and all of it will perish in days of sorrow and pain. This reminds us to remember all of God's deeds. We should do what is good and stay far away from what is evil to preserve our lives. Do not rely on your own thoughts; meditate on God’s word and rely on His power, so you will not be enticed by the evil one or attacked by the devil.
"Oh, the uproar of many peoples who roar like the roaring of the seas, and the rumbling of nations who rush on like the rumbling of mighty waters! The nations rumble on like the rumbling of many waters, but He will rebuke them and they will flee far away, and be chased like chaff in the mountains before the wind, or like whirling dust before a gale. At evening time, behold, there is terror! Before morning they are gone. This is the portion of those who plunder us and the lot of those who pillage us. (Isaiah 17:12-14)"
The attack of many nations upon the chosen people was inevitable because God’s justice must punish all evildoers. Though the enemies were strong and fierce, God rebukes them and they flee; God chases them and they scatter. God’s retribution is both fast and severe—terror in the evening, and by morning, nothing is left. God will surely vindicate the righteous. Do not seek revenge for yourself or others; wait for the Lord’s work and look to God’s deeds. This is the promised protection. We should take these examples to heart as a warning. Do not rely on human power, but turn to rely on God’s power to be spared from disaster.
We must remember God’s deeds so that we do not become overconfident. In life, we sometimes meet prosperity and sometimes adversity. We must trust God with all our hearts; this is the mindset the Lord wants us to keep.
"On the day of prosperity be happy, but on the day of adversity consider: God has made the one as well as the other, so that a person will not discover anything that will come after him. (Ecclesiastes 7:14)"
By Sis. Chen Shi-ting
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