第二十一章
1論海旁曠野的默示：有仇敵從曠野，從可怕之地而來，好像南方
的旋風，猛然掃過。2令人悽慘的異象已默示於我。詭詐的行詭
詐，毀滅的行毀滅。以攔哪，你要上去！瑪代啊，你要圍困！主
說：“我使一切歎息止住。”3所以我滿腰疼痛，痛苦將我抓住，
好像產難的婦人一樣。我疼痛甚至不能聽，我驚惶甚至不能看。
4我心慌張，驚恐威嚇我。我所羨慕的黃昏變為我的戰兢。
5他們擺設筵席，派人守望，又吃又喝。首領啊！你們起來，用油
抹盾牌。6主對我如此說：“你去設立守望的，使他將所看見的述
說。7他看見軍隊，就是騎馬的一對一對地來，又看見驢隊、駱駝
隊，就要側耳細聽。”8他像獅子吼叫說：“主啊，我白日常站在
望樓上，整夜立在我守望所。9看哪，有一隊軍兵騎著馬一對一對
地來。他就說：‘巴比倫傾倒了，傾倒了！他一切雕刻的神像都打
碎於地。’”10我被打的禾稼，我場上的穀啊，我從萬軍之耶和華
以色列的神那裡所聽見的，都告訴你們了。
默想：
1.這段是預言巴比倫將會被毀。先知以賽亞在異象中看見巴比倫
傾覆的慘況，而心存戰兢痛苦；當巴比倫正在安逸無慮之時，
突然被敵人剿滅。以賽亞乃悲痛地呼喚著：“我被打的禾稼，
我場上的穀啊”，指的是已經備受欺壓的猶大人，仍然想方設
法，幻想透過與巴比倫結盟來擺脫亞述，其實巴比倫根本自身
難保。
2.你生命中的“巴比倫”——就是你用來確保自己的未來安全順
利的安排，是什麼？若是你知道：無論你的打算、安排有多麼
周詳，這些都是暫時的保障，並且將來都要摧毀，你會有什麼
感想？你怎樣來填滿惟有神能滿足的不安全感？
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 21
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 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.
Meditation
1.This is a message of the destruction of Babylon. Prophet Isaiah
saw the devastation of Babylon in a vision and was gripped with
grief and pang. Meanwhile, the Babylonians wined and dined, the
destruction came upon them unexpectedly. “My people who are
crushed on the threshing floor”, this was referred to the Judeans
who though having been under oppression from many fronts, still
tried to plot schemes in allying with Babylon against Assyrians. In
fact, Babylon was doomed as well.
2.What is your “Babylon” – the arrangement to shelter you from the
uncertainties of life? If you know that all you planning, and arrangements
are temporal security that will be swept away, how do
you feel? What can you do to fill the insecurity that only God can
fulfill?
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.