我們已經看過神向殘暴的迦勒底人所宣告的五個禍患，而我們所得到的結論是甚麼呢？回顧我們在這話題開始時曾說過的話──無論事情看似多麼黑暗和艱難，神都在掌管。迦勒底人會興起，並獲准執行大暴行，但神會利用這些暴行來管教猶大。迦勒底人不知道神的旨意，他們計劃攻擊、劫掠城市，和軍隊列陣等行為，都只是為了滿足他們自己權力的慾望，但是神會利用他們的計劃來實行祂自己的目的。當一切都完結的時候，他們就必須面對神對他們不人道的行為所施行的審判。

我們這些神的子民，最重要的是學會成為所謂有「遠見」的人。有「遠見」是甚麼意思？它的意思簡單來說，就是從神的角度看事物。如果你對周圍發生的事情，以短淺的目光來注視，你只會得出自己的結論；但是你若看事情看得長遠一點、廣闊一點，就會得出神的結論。

神在歷史上，正是以祂的遠見，把一切悄悄地帶到預定的結局。我的基督徒朋友們，不要成為駝鳥──因為害怕面對明天而將頭埋在沙裡。將來發生的事情，沒有一件是神不能控制的。要抓緊神思想的廣闊，和祂那實現長遠目標的榮耀，並領悟今天經文所說的重點──凡攻擊您的武器必不得勝。

「神將一切帶到預定的結局」

進深研究
西一13-22；約一1-3；林前八6

1. 我們應該將注意力集中在哪裡？
2. 歌羅西書第一章向我們顯明甚麼？

祈禱
神啊，求您幫助我對生命有遠見。讓我的靈深深領悟，您是從開始便知道事情的終結，沒有邪惡的東西可以成功的對抗我。感謝您，阿們。

From Confusion to Confidence

Day 107

"The long view"

"... no weapon forged against you will prevail ..." (v.17)

Bible reading:
Isaiah 54:4-17

4 "Do not be afraid; you will not be put to shame. Do not fear disgrace; you will not be humiliated. You will forget the shame of your youth

5 For your Maker is your husband— the Lord Almighty is his name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer;

6 The Lord will call you back as if you were a wife deserted and distressed in spirit—a wife who married young, only to be rejected," says your God.

7 "For a brief moment I abandoned you, but with deep compassion I will bring you back.

8 In a surge of anger I hid my face from you for a moment, but with everlasting kindness I will have compassion on you," says the Lord your Redeemer.

9 "To me this is like the days of Noah, when I swore that the waters of Noah would never again cover the earth. So now I have sworn not to be angry with you, never to rebuke you again.

10 Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken nor my covenant of peace be removed," says the Lord, who has compassion on you.

11 "Afflicted city, lashed by storms and not comforted, I will rebuild you with stones of turquoise,[a] your foundations with lapis lazuli.

12 I will make your battlements of rubies, your gates of sparkling jewels, and all your walls of precious stones.

13 All your children will be taught by the Lord, and great will be their peace.

14 In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed;

15 If anyone does attack you, it will not be my doing; whoever attacks you will surrender to you.

16 "See, it is I who created the blacksmith who fans the coals into flame and forges a weapon fit for its work. And it is I who have created the destroyer to wreak havoc;

17 no weapon forged against you will prevail, and you will refute every tongue that accuses you. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and this is their vindication from me," declares the Lord.

Message

Having now considered the five woes which God pronounced on the cruel Chaldeans, what is our conclusion? We come back to what we said at the beginning of this: section - no matter how dark and difficult things may appear, God is always in control. The Chaldeans would rise and be permitted to commit great atrocities, but God would use those atrocities to discipline Judah. The Chaldeans had no direct knowledge of God's will. They would plan their attacks, ravage the cities, marshall their armies simply to satisfy their own lust for power, but God would use their purposes to carry out His When, however, it was all over, they would have to face the judgment of God for their inhuman practices.

It is of the utmost importance that we, the people of God, learn how to become people of what has been described as "the long view". What does it mean to have "the long view"? It means, quite simply, to see things from God's perspective. If you take the short view of what is happening around you, then you come to your own conclusions. If you take the long view, then you come to God's conclusions.

God takes the long view of history and is quietly bringing all things to a predetermined end. My Christian friend, don't be a human ostrich - burying your head in the sand because you are afraid to face tomorrow. Nothing can happen in the future that God cannot control. Catch the sweep of His mind and the glory of His long-range purposes, and realise, as our text for today says, that no weapon forged against you can prevail.

"God is bringing all things to a predetermined end"

Prayer
O God, help me to look at life with "the long view". Drive deep into my spirit the thought that because You know the end from the beginning. nothing that is evil can work successfully against me. I am so thankful. Amen.

Further study
Colossians 1:13-22
John 1:1-3
1 Corinthians 8:6

1. Where should we focus our gaze?
2. What does Colossians I reveal to us?

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