第十八章
1唉！古實河外翅膀刷刷響聲之地，2差遣使者在水面上，坐蒲草船
過海。先知說：“你們快行的使者，要到高大光滑的民那裡去。
自從開國以來，那民極其可畏，是分地界踐踏人的，他們的地有
江河分開。”3世上一切的居民和地上所住的人哪，山上豎立大旗
的時候，你們要看！吹角的時候，你們要聽！4耶和華對我這樣
說：“我要安靜，在我的居所觀看，如同日光中的清熱，又如露水
的雲霧在收割的熱天。”5收割之先，花開已謝，花也成了將熟的
葡萄；他必用鐮刀削去嫩枝，又砍掉蔓延的枝條，6都要撇給山間
的鷙鳥和地上的野獸。夏天鷙鳥要宿在其上；冬天野獸都臥在其
中。7到那時，這高大光滑的民，就是從開國以來極其可畏、分地
界踐踏人的，他們的地有江河分開。他們必將禮物奉給萬軍之耶和
華，就是奉到錫安山，耶和華安置他名的地方。
默想：
1.主前715年，古實（埃塞俄比亞）的使者欲說服耶路撒冷（猶
大國）與其聯盟來抵抗亞述國。以賽亞極力反對，並向其使者
宣稱，是神在掌管萬物、列國及歷史。神雖然目前按兵不動，
但時間一到，祂就會直接干預，且執行祂的旨意，使得亞述敗
亡，這樣古實就會認識、敬拜真神。
2.很多時候，我們會急於按自己的方法與能力去做事，絲毫不理
會別人的想法或感覺；我們甚至不會考慮神會怎樣看我們所採
取的行動。其實，神看見並且了解我們，祂知道我們所作的是
什麼，但是往往祂保持緘默不動。
3.想一想，為什麼神容許我們去追求我們自己的計劃，而不加阻
撓？祂的緘默不動，對我有什麼意義？
禱告與筆錄：
繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中
的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。
Chapter 18
1 Woe to the land of whirring wings along the rivers of Cush, 2 which
sends envoys by sea in papyrus boats over the water. Go, swift messengers,
to a people tall and smooth-skinned, to a people feared far and wide,
an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided by rivers.
3 All you people of the world, you who live on the earth, when a banner
is raised on the mountains, you will see it, and when a trumpet sounds,
you will hear it.4 This is what the LORD says to me: “I will remain quiet
and will look on from my dwelling place, like shimmering heat in the sunshine,
like a cloud of dew in the heat of harvest.”5 For, before the harvest,
when the blossom is gone and the flower becomes a ripening grape, he
will cut off the shoots with pruning knives, and cut down and take away
the spreading branches. 6 They will all be left to the mountain birds of
prey and to the wild animals; the birds will feed on them all summer, the
wild animals all winter.7 At that time gifts will be brought to the LORD
Almighty from a people tall and smooth-skinned, from a people feared far
and wide, an aggressive nation of strange speech, whose land is divided
by rivers —the gifts will be brought to Mount Zion, the place of the Name
of the LORD Almighty.
Meditation
1.During 715 BC, envoys of Cush (Ethiopia) tried to persuade Jerusalem
to align with them against Assyria. Isaiah fiercely opposed it
and proclaimed to the messengers that God is in control of history.
When time comes, God will intervene directly and cause Assyrian
to crumble so that Cush will know God.
2.Sometimes we are eager to do something on our own, regardless of
what others think or feel. We may not even consider how our actions
would appear to God. God sees and knows us. He is aware of
our actions, but he remains quiet and still. Why do you think God
allows us to pursue our plans?
Prayer & Journaling: Stay with God for a little longer. Continue to converse
with God and listen to what he wants to tell me. Then write down
any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.