我們今天來到以賽亞書第六章這段偉大經文的結束，一起看看最後這句話：「我就說：『主啊，這到幾時為止呢？』……『直到城邑荒涼，無人居住，房屋空閒無人，地土極其荒涼。並且耶和華將人遷到遠方，在這境內撇下的地土很多。境內剩下的人若還有十分之一，也必被吞滅；像栗樹、橡樹雖被砍伐，樹墩子卻仍存留，這聖潔的種類在國中也是如此』」（賽六11-13）。

以賽亞明顯要看到以色列變成荒地。他前面有漫長和艱難的工作要做。他要向基本上不想聽他說話的人說預言。不過，我們在這一章最後一句話看到一絲盼望。當代聖經（The Living Bible）表達得最有力：「不過，十分一──餘民──會存活；雖然以色列被一再入侵和破壞，但它會好像一棵被砍下的樹，樹墩子會存留，再次生長。」

百姓甚麼時候會聆聽？只有在他們走投無路，除了轉向神外再沒有別的出路時。當國土被入侵的軍隊破壞，百姓被擄，這情況便會出現。餘民是指那些在被擄後留在故土，或者那些從巴比倫回來重建耶路撒冷的人。

啊，為甚麼我們不聽從神？我們會好像以色列那樣，追求自己的路，只有在走投無路時才回到神身邊嗎？神今天是否在向你講述這事？如果是的話，好好想一想祂在告訴你甚麼，並趁還有時間趕緊順服神的美意。

As we draw to the close of the great passage in Isaiah 6 we examine the final words: "Then I said, 'For how long, O Lord?'... 'Until the cities lie ruined and without inhabitant, until the houses are left deserted and field ruined and ravaged, until the Lord has sent everyone far away and the land is utterly forsaken. And though a tenth remains in the land, it will again be laid waste. But as the terebinth and oak leave stumps when they are cut down, so the holy seed will be the stump in the land' " (Isa. 6:11-13).

Clearly Isaiah is going to witness Israel becoming like a wasteland. He has a long hard job ahead of him, prophesying to a people who, in the main, just do not want to hear. There is one ray of hope which we see in the last phrase of the chapter. The Living Bible puts it most effectively: "Yet a tenth - a remnant - will survive; and though Israel is invaded again and again and destroyed, yet Israel will be like a tree cut down, whose stump still lives to grow again."

When would the people listen? Only after they had come to the end and had nowhere to turn but to God. This would happen when the land was destroyed by invading armies and the people taken into captivity. The remnant referred to are those who either remained in the land after the captivity, or those who returned from Babylon to rebuild Jerusalem.

Oh, why don't we listen to God? Will we, like Israel, pursue our own paths and come back to Him only when we have nowhere left to turn? Is God speaking to you about this today? If so, consider what He may be telling you and obey Him while there is time.