生命之道

Author: 杨 全荣

  • Isaiah 53

    Isaiah 53

    Exaltation of God’s Suffering Servant

    Background

    Isaiah ’53 prophesies Jesus crucifixion. The best way to explain the bible is using the bible itself. In Act 8, A Ethiopian eunuch was reading Isaiah 53. He asked Philips, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?”. Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.

    Division

    v1-4: Life and Ministry of Jesus

    v5-8: Death of Jesus

    v9: Burial of Jesus

    v10-12: Resurrection and Exaltation of Jesus

    Exposition

    • v1: [Who has believed our message]. Many throughput the centuries chose not to believe in in Jesus Christ.
    • v1: The arm of the LORD means the power of God. The gospel is the power of God (Roman 1)
    • v2: This verse talks about the life of Jesus. Tender shoot means even He has great power, He chose not to use His power. It talks about Jesus’s humility.
    • v2: root out of dry ground means Jesus humble life while growing up. Although He was the root of David, but because Israel was under the reign of the Romans, Jesus was only the son of a carpenter.
    • v2: Jesus did not have a physically attractive appearance.
    • v3: Jesus was despised and rejected by the Jews during His earthly ministry, and He was despised by many throughout the 20 centuries.
    • v4: Jesus died on the cross for men, for men’s sins. However many men thought Jesus was punished by God.
    • v5: We have peace and our pains are healed when we believe in what Jesus did on the cross for us. He took the punishment that was meant for us.
    • v6: The reason why Jesus needed to be crucified, is because we have gone astray, we turned to our own way, away from God.
    • v7: It was read by the Ethiopian eunuch and explained by Philip. When Jesus was tortured, He did not open His mouth.
    • v8: [He was cut off from the land of the living]. Our Lord Jesus die on the cross.
    • v9: The burial of Jesus. Jesus was crucified with two other wicked criminals. He was then buried in a rich man tomb, as prophesied here.
    • v10: The Cross is not accidental, it was God’s plan to redeem the fallen world. So it was God who crush Jesus on the cross.
    • v11: After his crucifixion, He saw the light of life, which is the redeemed people, the church.
    • v12: The [Therefore] reminds us of the therefore in Phil 2:9. The Servant was willing to suffer, therefore God was willing to act. What did God give to Christ? I think God gives Christ the victory over satan. God also gives Christ to be the Lord of Lords and King of Kings. And Christ is going to share His victory over satan and His authority as Lord of all created things to His church.Jesus Himself quoted this verse and said it was referring to Him. Luke 22:37 “For I tell you that this which is written must be fulfilled in Me, ‘AND HE WAS NUMBERED WITH TRANSGRESSORS’; for that which refers to Me has its fulfillment.” Mark also quoted this verse in Mark 15:28, which he was depicting the crucification of Christ.

      [Yet He Himself bore the sin of many, And interceded for the transgressors.] This prophesy cannot be any clearer. This suffering Servant of God will bore the sin of many. Look back to history, did or could the country Israel bore the sin of many? Did any one else in the history of man kind who bore the sin of many, except the Lord Jesus Christ? Great teachers throughout the centuries touch great teachings. But that is only one that bore the sin of the world.

      That is not the end of the story. Christ did not only bore the sin of many, He interceded for the transgressors. [But Jesus was saying, “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing.” And they cast lots, dividing up His garments among themselves.] Luke 23:34. Jesus interceded for one romans soldiers who crucified Him. After His resurrection and ascension, He is now seating on the throne interceding for us.

      [who is the one who condemns? Christ Jesus is He who died, yes, rather who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who also intercedes for us] Rom 8:34.

      [Therefore He is able also to save forever those who draw near to God through Him, since He always lives to make intercession for them.] Heb 7:25.

  • Isaiah 52

    Isaiah 52

    Division

    1. V1-6: Awake! Awake! Jerusalem is being called to wake up from sleep.
    2. v7-10: Tell the good tidings
    3. v11-12: Depart from Babylon
    4. v13-15: The starts of the last of the fourth Servant Songs.

    Exposition

    • v1-2: [Awake! Awake!] This is the third Awake! Awake!. The first one is a call to God (Isiah 51:9), who seems to be asleep to the Jews, the second is a call to the Jerusalem (Isaiah 51:17), who were drunk from the cup of wrath of God. Here, is a call to the Jerusalem again, who is represented as a sleeping woman. This woman was chained on her neck, but now it is time for her to wake up, and get dress in her priestly garment and to sit on a throne.
    • v1: [will not enter you again]. What about the Romans, and the Muslim conquers?
    • v3-5: The Jews were conquered by Egyptians, and Assyrians in the past, and now by Babylonians. These gentiles blasphemed God’s name because they think they and their gods are superior than Yahweh.
    • v5: [And all day long my name is constantly blasphemed.] Paul quoted this verse in Rom 2:24. Paul wrote that because the Jews were hypocrites, the name of God is constantly blasphemed among the gentiles. How true it is for Christians, if we are hypocrites, the name of Jesus will be blasphemed among the unbelievers.
    • v6: But God would redeem the Jews, and they would know God didn’t forsake them.
    • v7: [How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news]. Paul quoted this verse in Rom 10:15. He was referring to the believers who bring the gospel to the gentiles.
    • v8: The job of a watchman is to see far away of what is coming, and tell the truth to the people. The prophets were the watchmen of Israel on OT. On NT, we need watchmen who perform the same function to the church.
    • v9-10: With His holy arm, God has redeemed Jerusalem!
    • v11: Isaiah is calling the Jews to depart from Babylon. They are told not to touch any unclean thing when they leave. They are not to bring any idols back to Jerusalem. Isaiah prophesy the Jews would bring the vessels of the temple back to Jerusalem. The prophecy is fulfilled in Ezra 1:7 [Also King Cyrus brought out the articles of the house of the LORD, which Nebuchadnezzar had carried away from Jerusalem and put in the house of his gods[
    • v11: [touch no unclean thing] Paul quoted this verse in 2 Co 6:17. The context is believers should not yoked together with unbelievers. Because we are in the light, and they are in darkness In Christ we are righteous, but they are wicked.  We are temple of God, and they are temple of idols.
    • v12: Unlike in Exodus, the Jews are told not to leave in haste. No enemy would chase them this time around, and the God of Israel will be their rear guard is the enemy decided to change their mind. In exodus, God did the same thing, He sent an angle to go behind the Israelites together with the pillar of cloud to protect them from the Egyptians. When God commands us to go some place, we do not need to worry about the enemy attacking us from the back, because the Lord will surely protect us from behind.
    • v13: This is the beginning of the forth Servant song. This should in the start of the next chapter. Ch 52:13-53:12 is the fourth Servant Song. It is the center of the chapter 49-57. This is the climax about the prophesies of the Suffering Servant, the Messiah, the Redeemer. All together it has 15 verses, it can be divided into 5 stanza, with 3 verses in each.
    • v13: God’s Suffering Servant, the Lord Jesus Christ will act wisely, He will in total obedience to God the Father. He will be raised and lifted up and highly exalted. The Lord Jesus will resurrect, ascend into heaven, and be seated on the throne next to the Father.
    • v14: This is a image of the Lord Jesus physical appearance after He was tortured by the sinners. He was slapped by an officer before Annas (John 18:22). He was spat, slapped, and beaten on the head with fists before Caiaphas (Matt 26:67; Mark 14:^5; Luke 22:63). He was scourged and beaten before Pilate (John 19:1;Matt 27:26; Mark 15:15). And finally, He was crucified on the cross. The Lord Jesus was disfigure to a point it did not look like a man.
    • v14: What a strong contrast between v13 and v14. When we know about Christ suffering, and His exaltation, we can only be in awe!
    • v15: As a result of His suffering on the cross, His blood will sprinkle many nations. Sprinkle is the word used by Priest when he sprinkle blood, oil and water to leper, to furniture in the tabernacle, to the veil, to sanctify them. (Lev 4:6;8:11;14:7). The Lord Jesus’s death on the cross has enable Him to clean the sins of people from many nations. Human leaders in the highest places will be speechless and in awe before the one despised Servant!
    • V15: [For what they were not told, they will see, and what they have not heard, they will understand.] Paul quoted this in Rom 15:21, the context of the passage is it is Paul’s ambition to preach the gospel where Christ was not know, so that I will not build on someone else foundation.
  • Isaiah 51

    Isaiah 51

    Division

    1. v1-8: God says: Listen, Listen! My salvation will last forever
    2. v9-16: God’s people says: Awake, Awake! O arm of the Lord
    3. v17-23: Isaiah says: Awake, awake! Rise up, O Jerusalem!

    Exposition

    • v1: God blessed Abraham, and Abraham started with himself and ended with many descendants.
    • v2: Similarly, God will bless Zion, the ruins city of Jerusalem will be turned to garden.
    • v4-6: Jesus would be the light to the nations, He would bring justice to the nations.
    • v6: Heavens and earth will fade away, His words endure forever.
    • v9: The arm of God is a frequent phase in Isaiah. It means the power of God. The arm of God seems to be motionless, but not lifeless. The arm of God was resting, not dead. The Jews felt the arm of God was asleep, so they cry out “Awake, awake!”.
    • v12-16: God began to speak here. God comforted the Jews that God is the Creator of heavens and earth (v13, 16). They need not to fear men, who are nothing but grass (v12). God says “You are my people” God takes responsibility to protect His people.
    • v17: In v9, it was God’s people crying out to God “Awake, Awake!”.  Interestingly, now it is Isaiah who called on God’s people “Awake, Awake!” Judah was portrayed as a woman who have drunk from the cup of wrath from the hand of God. (v20).
  • Isaiah 50

    Isaiah 50

    Division

    1. v1-3: Separation but not divorce
    2. v4-9: 3rd Servant Song
    3. v10-11: Trust and Obey the Servant of the Yehweh

    Exposition

    • v1: [I gave faithless Israel her certificate of divorce and sent her away because of all her adulteries. Yet I saw that her unfaithful sister Judah had no fear; she also went out and committed adultery.] (Jer 3:8). Jeremiah 3:8 tells us that God has divorce the non-dividic northern kingdom because of your adulterous act, but God didn’t divorce the southern kingdom, because of God’s covenant with David. There is why in v1 says [Where is your mother’s certificate of divorce?]. Your mother is referring to the southern kingdom. God didn’t divorce them, however because of their transgression, they are separated from God, temporary.
    • v2: [dry up the sea] God dried up the Red Sea (Ex 14:21). [turn rivers into a desert] God opened the river of Jordan by turning it into dry land. (Josh 4:23). [their fish rot for lack of water] God killed the fish in Egypt by turning water into blood (Ex 7:18-21).
    • v2: God called the Jews to return from Babylon to Judah, however no one answer. So God reminded them how God redeemed the Jews out of Egypt.
    • v4-9: This is the 3rd Servant song. The Suffering Servant of Yahweh is speaking as first person. v4-5 talks about Christ obedience to Yahweh.
    • v6: Referring to the suffering of Jesus on the way to calvary but Jesus didn’t run away, or use His power to prevent these suffering.
    • v7-9: No matter how much He was mistreated, mocked, and repudiated, Jesus trust the Father will rescue Him, by raising Him on the 3d day!
    • v10: This verse transition back to Isaiah. He is calling people to trust and obey the Suffering Servant of Yahweh.
    • v11: But those who chose to trust himself instead of trusting Jesus will lie down in torment, they will spend eternity in separation from God, in eternal fire.
  • Isaiah 49

    Isaiah 49

    Background

    This is the first chapter of the 2nd part of Isaiah 40-66. The focus of this part is about the suffering Servant of God who will redeem the nations. 49:1-13 is the 2nd of 4 Servant Songs (42:1-9;50:4-11;52:13-53:12).

    Division

    1. v1-13 The Servant Song by the suffering Servant
    2. v14-26 God will save Israel at end times

    Exposition

    • v1: [Before I was born the LORD called me]. Someone is speaking, and He is not Jehovah God. It was Jesus Christ speaking through Isaiah. The audiences are the nations. The Messiah will be born. It is a prophesy of Jesus would be born by a woman.
    • v2: [He made my mouth like a sharpened sword]. Jesus is the Word of God. He is shaper than any double-edged sword, it peneratrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart.] (Hew 12:12) . [and out of His mouth came a sharp double-edged sword.] (Rev 1:16).
    • v2: [in the shadow of His hand He hid me; He made me into a polished arrow and concealed Me in His quiver.] Jesus Christ was the mystery of God throughput the history, [But when the time had fully come, God sent His Son, born of a woman, born under law, to redeem those under law, that we might receive the full rights of sons.](Gal 4:4)
    • v3: [You are My Servant, Israel, in whom I will display My Splendor. ] Israel was originally not a country, it was the name of a man, Jacob. God changed Jacob’s name to Israel, and Israel slowly became the name of the nation formed by the descendants of Jacob. God chose the nation of Israel to be His witness to the idol worshipers of the nations. Israel was given the responsibility to live a priestly nation, separated from the rest of the world. However Israel failed God. But God’s eternal purpose will never fail. God sent Jesus Christ to be His apostle and His witness to the nations. What Israel the country failed to do, Jesus Christ accomplished. Jesus Christ is the second Israel. Just like Jesus Christ is the Last Adam, the Second Man (1 Cor 15:45-47).
    • v4: :It is hard to interpret this verse. This is my take: I have labored to no purpose was not referring to work of the Lord in the cross. It was referring to the miracles Jesus did. Even Jesus did a lot of miracle, the Jews didn’t seem to believe in Him. But the next hope give us a light, Jesus will eventually received His crown from God after resurrection.
    • v6: [I will also make You a Light for the gentiles]. What is clear verse on the will of God to offer redemption to not just the Jews but to the nations through Jesus Christ.
    • v7: [Kings will see You and rise up, prices will see and bow down,]. Many have chosen to despised Jesus Christ, but on Jesus Christ second coming, all Kings and princes will bow down to Him.
    • v8: [The day of salvation]: Jesus’s crucifixion. Jesus Christ is our covenant. His blood was used to establish the new covenant with His believers.
    • v8: [In the time of my favor I heard you and in the day of salvation I helped you]. Paul quoted this verse in 2 Co 6:1. The context is as people redeemed by Christ, we should not receive God’s grace in vain. Now is the time of God’s favor, now is the day of salvation.
    • v9: It is on the cross that Jesus Christ released the captives in the darkness.
    • v12: [Sinim]. It means Chinese. One day the Jews from north (Russia), West (USA?) and east (China) will return back to Israel.
    • v14: It is not hard to imagine that the Jews that were exiled into Babylon would say these words.
    • v15: God is usually know as God the father. However here God used a mother to illustrate His love to His people.
    • v22: The Jews will be helped by the gentile to return back to Israel. Partially fulfilled when the Jews return from Babylon between 516-450 BC, and in 1948 AD, and finally fully fulfilled on the 2nd advent of the Lord Jesus Christ.
  • Isaiah 48

    Isaiah 48

    God the Redeemer promised to Redeem Judah from Babylon

    Background

    God rebuked Judah for not being in truth and righteousness and stubborn. He called them rebel from birth. For His own glory, God would foretell the future to Judah. Even Judah was stubborn towards God, God would still redeem them from Babylon, just like He redeemed them from Egypt, so God Judah would know God is faithful to His promises to Abraham and David, and so that the nations would know God of Israel is the one and only true God. This chapter is the end of the 1st section of Isaiah 40-66. It ends with a prophesy of the Messiah, the chosen one of God will bring destruction to Babylon (Rev 18).

    Division

    • v1-6: God rebuked the stubborn Judah
    • v7-12: God foretell for His glory
    • v13-16: Cyrus would conquered Babylon
    • v17-22: God promised to redeem Judah from Babylon

    Exposition

    • v7: [you have not heard of them before today]. From this point on, God is going to prophesy things He had not revealed before, which are end time prophesies.
    • v12: [I am He; I am the first and I am the last]. When Jesus said in John 8:58 [Before Abraham, I am], and when in Revelation 2:17, Jesus is identifying Himself as God.
    • v14-15: God chosen ally is Cyrus. But Cyrus is just a shadow for the Lord Jesus Christ. Cyrus would conquer the Babylonians, and Jesus would conquer the Babylonians, who is a symbol of the world. The last Babylon will be destroyed before the Millennium Kingdom as foretell in Rev 18.
    • v16: The Lord Jesus Christ is speaking here: [the Sovereign Lord has sent me with His Spirit]. The trinity God is mentioned here.
    • v18: Compare with v2, where Judah was not in righteousness. If they pay attention to God’s commands, their righteousness would be like waves of the sea!
    • v22: [There is no peace for the wicked.] This verse signals the end of the 1st portion of Isaiah 40-66. The wicked is referring to Babylonians. Why were they wicked? Because they didn’t treat God’s people with mercy.
  • Isaiah 47

    Isaiah 47

    The Fall of Babylon

    • This chapter is pretty straight forward. It prophesied the fall of Babylon.
    • The falled of Babylon did not happen slowly, it happend on just one night, recorded by Daniel in Dan 5:30-31. Darius the Mede may be another name for Cyrus the King , or a co-regent or captain of the army of Cyrus.
    • v6: God gave the Jews into the hands of Babylonians, however the Babylonians did not show mercy to the Jews, so God is punishing Babylonians by raising the Persian kingdom.
    • v8: Babylon is portrayed as the queen of the kingdoms (v5, v7), she thought her power would continue forever (v7). This queen became a widow who lost all her children (v9) when Persians conquered them.
    • Babylonians are idol worshippers, they worshipped Bel and Nebo (v46:1). They also believed in sorceries, magic spells (v12), and stargazing (v13). Today we still have people who believe in Horoscopes. As Christians, we should not believers in Horoscopes, we should not look to the stars to predict future. Instead we look to the Creator of these stars and marvel at His creation! We should definitely stay away from Sorceries and witchcraft. I would not even want to watch and read Harry Porter. Do not let our children read and watch Harry Porter, because sorcerers are portrayed as good and heros in these books and movies.
    • As we read the fall of Babylon in OT, we should always think about the fall of Babylon in OT, prophesied in Revelation Ch. 18. John must know the OT very well, and he allured to Isaiah 47 when he wrote Rev 18. Rev 18:7 says [I sit as queen; I am not a widow, and I will never mourn]. Babylon is a symbol of the worldly kingdoms that capture the heart of Christians. These worldly kingdoms will be destroyed forever before the Millennium Kingdom.
  • Isaiah 46

    Isaiah 46

    Babylon gods cannot safe themselves

    • v1: Bel means master. It is Babylian’s sun god. It is also mentioned in Jeremiah 50:2, 51:44. Nebo is Assyrian and Babylonian’s god of wisdom and writing. He is the son of Bel.
    • v2: These gods could not even safe themselves. Them would be exiled into captivity.
    • v4: [Even to your old age and gray hairs I am He, I am He who will sustain you..]. A great verse to comfort older believers. God assures His people that He will carry them from the womb to the tomb.
    • v10: God is not only the Creator of the universe, He is in control of this universe, the history and future are all in the hands of God. God eternal purpose will be fulfilled!
    • v11: A man from east is referring to Cyrus.
  • Isaiah 45

    Isaiah 45

    The anointed King of Cyrus

    Division

    1. v1-7: God anointed Cyrus to conquer Babylon and other nations so that Cyrus could give a decree to the Jews to return to Jerusalem.
    2. v8-21: God is the Creator.
    3. v22-25: The righteous God

    Exposition

    v1: Cyrus was mentioned by name, the second time. He was again mentioned in verse 13. Approximately 150 years later Cyrus really came into power and conquered Babylon as prophesy by Isaiah.

    v2: Probably referring to the gates in the city of Babylon where Cyrus entered with relatively ease.

    v3: Josephus indicated that Daniel influenced Cyrus with the prophecy of Isaiah, so Cyrus did know that the God of Israel was with him.

    v7: God could use light or darkness, prosperity or disaster to accomplish His purposes.

    v23: [Before me ever knee will bow; by me ever tongue will swear]. Paul quoted this in Rom 14:11, and again used it to reference to Jesus in Phi 2:10-11. In Rom, Paul quoted this to point out the believers should not be judging each other, because each one of us will be accountable individually before God. In the letter to Philippians, Paul used this verse to proclaim at the end time every one will acknowledge Jesus as Lord.

     

  • Isaiah 44

    Isaiah 44

    There is only one true God

    • v1: Started by calling God’s servant, Israel to listen to what God has to say.
    • v2: “Jeshurun” is an honored name for Israel whose root meaning is “right” or “straight”.
    • v3: God will restore Jerusalem by turning the ruined city back to life (v26), so that Israel can be the witness for God
    • v6: God is the King and the redeemer. God redeemed Israel is mentioned again in v22, v23, v24.
    • v7: God challenged idol worshippers to ask their idols to foretell the future
    • v8: Israel is God’s witness to all the idols worshippers that there is only one true God, the God of Jacob (v6).
    • v21: Ending the chapter just like how it was started, by calling God’s servant, Israel to remember what God has had. 
    • v21: “I have made you”. God made men in His own image so that man can worship God, however men ended up making idols in their own image from death materials like wood and stone for worship.
    • v28: Isaiah first mentioned of Cyrus by name. God would raise up Cyrus, the King of Persian, to release the Jews to return form Babylon back to Jerusalem to rebuild the city and the temple so that they can be the witness for God.