神的异象
看见祂的荣耀降临
经文
以赛亚书四十八1-11
1雅各家,称为以色列名下,从犹大水源出来的,当听我言!你们指着耶和华的名起誓,提说以色列的神,却不凭诚实,不凭公义。
2他们自称为圣城的人,所倚靠的是名为万军之耶和华以色列的神。
3主说:早先的事,我从古时说明,已经出了我的口,也是我所指示的;我忽然行作,事便成就。
4因为我素来知道你是顽梗的;你的颈项是铁的,你的额是铜的。
5所以,我从古时将这事给你说明,在未成以先指示你,免得你说:这些事是我的偶像所行的,是我雕刻的偶像和我铸造的偶像所命定的。
6你已经听见,现在要看见这一切;你不说明吗?从今以后,我将新事,就是你所不知道的隐密事指示你。
7这事是现今造的,并非从古就有;在今日以先,你也未曾听见,免得你说:这事我早已知道了。
8你未曾听见,未曾知道;你的耳朵从来未曾开通。我原知道你行事极其诡诈,你自从出胎以来,便称为悖逆的。
9我为我的名暂且忍怒,为我的颂赞向你容忍,不将你剪除。
10我熬炼你,却不像熬炼银子;你在苦难的炉中,我拣选你。
11我为自己的缘故必行这事,我焉能使我的名被亵渎?我必不将我的荣耀归给假神。
信息分享
为甚么我们很难以神的公义来画定对祂的「底线」?也许在顺境的时候,我们能够这样做,但一旦灾难来到,我们马上以其他方面来画定这底线──祂的怜悯、祂医治或解救的能力。接着我们不单没有向神要求真正的公义,而是按照我们的条件向神求公义,那就是要得解救、获医治或蒙神的保护。
我不是说神对我们漠不关心,只不过我们永远不能把自己的利益放在神之前。这个世界有远比我们的荣耀更有价值的事情,那就是神的荣耀。正因为这样,我们在以西结书一再读到的意思是「我的荣耀受到威胁」这样的话。
以色列国并不是这样看事情,他们对神抱不同、甚至是反叛的态度。他们说:「不,受到威胁的是我们的荣耀。」我们不是也有类似的行为吗?当我们的困难显得严重、我们的利益受到威胁,而神却说:「我的荣耀受到威胁」的时候,我们会与祂争辩,并反驳说:「不,神啊,不是你的荣耀受到威胁,是我的荣耀受到威胁。」这是多么的狂妄!多么的荒唐!我告诉你,如果要在自己的生命里培养某个程度的属灵成熟,就必需要重视神的荣耀多于自己的利益。否则,我们永远都不会明白约伯说:「虽然他杀我,我仍会因他而有指望」(伯十三15)时所表现出的深刻信靠。
「神的荣耀比我们的利益重要」
进深研究
赛四十二1-9;代上十六28-29 ;诗二十九1
1. 神不给予别人的是甚么?
2. 大卫劝人将甚么归给耶和华?
祈祷
天父,求您帮助我明白,我应把您的荣耀放在我的利益之前,让我知道,我这样做并没有贬低自己,反是培养自己。因为在荣耀您的时候,我也得到荣耀。求您帮助我理解这个道理。奉主耶稣的名求。阿们。
The Vision of God
"See His glory down come"
Bible reading:
Isaiah 48:1-11
1 "Listen to this, you descendants of Jacob, you who are called by the name of Israel and come from the line of Judah, you who take oaths in the name of the Lord and invoke the God of Israel— but not in truth or righteousness—
2 you who call yourselves citizens of the holy city and claim to rely on the God of Israel— the Lord Almighty is his name:
3 I foretold the former things long ago, my mouth announced them and I made them known; then suddenly I acted, and they came to pass.
4 For I knew how stubborn you were; your neck muscles were iron, your forehead was bronze.
5 Therefore I told you these things long ago; before they happened I announced them to you so that you could not say, 'My images brought them about; my wooden image and metal god ordained them.'
6 You have heard these things; look at them all. Will you not admit them? "From now on I will tell you of new things, of hidden things unknown to you.
7 They are created now, and not long ago; you have not heard of them before today. So you cannot say, 'Yes, I knew of them.'
8 You have neither heard nor understood; from of old your ears have not been open. Well do I know how treacherous you are; you were called a rebel from birth.
9 For my own name's sake I delay my wrath; for the sake of my praise I hold it back from you, so as not to destroy you completely.
10 See, I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.
11 For my own sake, for my own sake, I do this. How can I let myself be defamed? I will not yield my glory to another.
Message
Why do we find it difficult to draw the "bottom line" concerning God at the level of His justice? Perhaps we are able to do it when things are going well, but immediately disaster strikes we draw the line at a different level - at the level of His compassion, His ability to heal or His power to deliver. We then tend to demand from God not real justice but justice on our own terms - our terms being deliverance, healing or divine protection.
Now I am not saying that God is disinterested in us, but we must never put our well-being before His. There is a much higher value in this universe than our glory - it is God's glory. This is why we read over and over again in the book of Ezekiel words to the effect that "My glory is at stake."
The nation of Israel didn't see things that way and took a different, even a rebellious attitude toward God, saying "No, it is our glory that is at stake." Don't we do something similar? When our problems loom large, and our welfare is under threat, we tend to argue with God when He says, "My glory is at stake," and retort, "No, Lord, it is not Your glory that is at stake, it is mine." What arrogance! What insanity! I tell you, if we are to develop any degree of spiritual maturity in our lives we have to put a higher value on God's glory than our own well-being. If we don't, then we will never come to know the depth of trust that Job exhibited when he said: "Though he slay me, yet will I hope in him" (Job 13:15).
"God's glory is more important than our well-being"
Prayer
Father, help me understand that in putting Your glory before my well- being I do not demean myself but develop myself. For in glorifying You! too am glorified. Help me grasp this. In Jesus' Name. Amen.
Further study
Isaiah 42:1-9
1 Chronicles 16:28-29
Psalm 29:1
1. What will God not give to another?
2. What did David exhort to be ascribed to the Lord?
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