从迷惘到信靠
在亮光中颤抖！
经文
以赛亚书二十一1-10
1论海旁旷野的默示：有仇敌从旷野，从可怕之地而来，好像南方的旋风，猛然扫过。
2令人凄惨的异象已默示于我。诡诈的行诡诈，毁灭的行毁灭。以拦哪，你要上去！玛代啊，你要围困！主说：我使一切叹息止住。
3所以，我满腰疼痛；痛苦将我抓住，好像产难的妇人一样。我疼痛甚至不能听；我惊惶甚至不能看。
4我心慌张，惊恐威吓我。我所羡慕的黄昏，变为我的战兢。
5他们摆设筵席，派人守望，又吃又喝。首领啊，你们起来，用油抹盾牌。
6主对我如此说：你去设立守望的，使他将所看见的述说。
7他看见军队，就是骑马的一对一对地来，又看见驴队，骆驼队，就要侧耳细听。
8他像狮子吼叫，说：主啊，我白日常站在望楼上，整夜立在我守望所。
9看哪，有一队军兵骑着马，一对一对地来。他就说：巴比伦倾倒了！倾倒了！他一切雕刻的神像都打碎于地。
10我被打的禾稼，我场上的谷啊，我从万军之耶和华以色列的神那里所听见的，都告诉你们了。
信息分享
我们今天要讨论「有时祷告蒙应允会带来痛苦」的这个主题。不单哈巴谷明白这一点，以赛亚对此也有认识。
以赛亚就他当时的政治情况要求光照──对希伯来先知来说，这既是宗教事件，又是政治事件。他求神给他领悟力和理解力，让他可以看到和明白对别人隐藏的事情。他祈求神的光照，让他的目光能够穿过未来而向百姓说出先知的话。神应允把亮光赐予他！他的祷告得到了回应！黑暗变成逐渐明亮的曙光。他是看见了，但是他所看到的东西却令他的灵魂充满恐惧，所以当他意识到这种情况时，他宁愿自己不曾预知未来。亮光在他周围闪烁，但是那启示所带来的痛苦令他几乎希望能回到无知的黑暗去。
他看见了甚么呢？他看见他所爱的人民遭强劲的敌人击打；他又看见他们的家园和城市被最无情的敌人粉碎。神真的应允了他的祷告，给了他所祈求的领悟力，但他却因为看到的凶兆而难过，他要远离眼见的情景，他的身体因为可怕的未来而颤抖。请听《当代圣经》（Living Bible）怎样演绎今天的经文：「我的思想摇晃；我的心奔驰；我被可怕的恐惧抓着。晚上的一切安息──曾经是那么令人欢欣──现在都消失了；我清醒地躺着，在颤抖。」有时，留在不知情的黑暗里面可能比在亮光中颤抖会更好。
「当他知道时，几乎希望自己不曾知道」
进深研究
但十1-21；哀三22-23；启一17
1. 但以理和约翰怎样回应神的异象？
2. 神的怜悯怎样表达出来？
祈祷
天父，求您帮助我更靠近您的道路和您的旨意。求您教导我懂得分辨渴想和强求；「渴想要知道」可能让我感到困惑，但是「强求要知道」却会令我颤抖。阿们。
From Confusion to Confidence
Trembling in the light!
Bible reading:
Isaiah 21:1-10
1 A prophecy against the Desert by the Sea: Like whirlwinds sweeping through the southland, an invader comes from the desert, from a land of terror.
2 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.
3 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.
4 My heart falters, fear makes me tremble; the twilight I longed for has become a horror to me.
5 They set the tables, they spread the rugs, they eat, they drink! Get up, you officers, oil the shields!
6 This is what the Lord says to me:
"Go, post a lookout and have him report what he sees.
7 When he sees chariots with teams of horses, riders on donkeys or riders on camels, let him be alert, fully alert."
8 And the lookout[a] shouted, "Day after day, my lord, I stand on the watchtower; every night I stay at my post.
9 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!'"
10 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.
Message
We continue discussing the subject of the pain that some- times results from answered prayer. Not only Habakkuk, but also Isaiah knew something of this.
Isaiah asked for light on the political situation of his day - a religious matter to a Hebrew prophet as well as a political one. He asked God to give him insight and understanding that he might see and comprehend what was hidden from others. He prayed for a divine illumination whereby his gaze might pierce the future so that he might speak forth a prophetic word to his people. And God gave him light! His prayer was answered! The darkness turned to a growing twilight. He saw - but what he saw filled his soul with terror. When he knew, he almost wished he did not know. The light glimmered all around him, but the pain of its revelation made him wish that he was back in the darkness of ignorance once again.
What did he see? He saw the people he loved broken by the might of the enemy. He saw their homes and cities shattered by the most ruthless of foes. God had truly answered his prayer and given him the insight he desired, but he turned from it sick with foreboding and with his body quivering in fearful anticipation. Listen to how the Living Bible paraphrases our text for today: "My mind reels, my heart races; I am gripped by awful fear. All rest at night - so pleasant once - is gone, I lie awake trembling." Perhaps, at times, it is better to remain in the darkness of ignorance than to tremble in the light of illumination.
"When he knew, he almost wished he did not know"
Prayer
O Father, help me to be in closer touch with Your ways and Your purposes. Teach me the difference between desiring and demanding - a desire to know may leave me wondering, but a demand to know may leave me trembling. Amen.
Further study
Daniel 10:1-21
Lamentations 3:22-23
Revelation 1:17
1. How did Daniel and John respond to the vision of God?
2. How is God's mercy expressed?
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背景音乐版权属 赞美之泉音乐事工 所有，承蒙允准使用。