서론
无标题
简体中文
英文原文
This chapter is an occasional sermon, in which the prophet sings both of mercy and judgment to those that did not perceive or understand either; he piped unto them, but they danced not, mourned unto them, but they wept not. Here is, I. The consternation that Ahaz was in upon an attempt of the confederate forces of Syria and Israel against Jerusalem, Isa 7:1,2. II. The assurance which God, by the prophet, sent him for his encouragement, that the attempt should be defeated and Jerusalem should be preserved, Isa 7:3-9. III. The confirmation of this by a sign which God gave to Ahaz, when he refused to ask one, referring to Christ, and our redemption by him, Isa 7:10-16. IV. A threatening of the great desolation that God would bring upon Ahaz and his kingdom by the Assyrians, notwithstanding their escape from this present storm, because they went on still in their wickedness, Isa 7:17-25. And this is written both for our comfort and for our admonition.
1-9
The Distress of Ahaz; Comfort Administered to Ahaz (740 BC)
简体中文
亚哈斯的困苦；向亚哈斯所施的安慰（公元前740年）
¹ 乌西雅的孙子约坦的儿子犹大王亚哈斯在位的日子，亚兰王利汛和利玛利的儿子以色列王比加，上来攻打耶路撒冷，却不能胜过它。 ² 有人告诉大卫家说：「亚兰与以法莲已经同盟。」王的心和百姓的心就都跳动，好像林中的树被风吹动一样。 ³ 耶和华对以赛亚说：「你和你的儿子施亚雅述出去，到上池的水沟头，在漂布地的大路上，去迎接亚哈斯； ⁴ 对他说：『你要谨慎安静。不要因亚兰王利汛和利玛利的儿子，这两个冒烟的火把头所发的烈怒，心里胆怯。 ⁵ 因为亚兰、以法莲，并利玛利的儿子，设恶谋害你，说： ⁶ 我们可以上去攻击犹大，扰乱它，攻破它，将其中的王废去，立他比勒的儿子为王。』 ⁷ 主耶和华如此说：这事必不成立，也不得发生。 ⁸ 原来亚兰的首城是大马士革，大马士革的首领是利汛；六十五年之内，以法莲必不再成为一族之民。 ⁹ 以法莲的首城是撒玛利亚，撒玛利亚的首领是利玛利的儿子。你们若是不信，必定不得立稳。』」
先知以赛亚在乌西雅王崩的那年重新得着使命（赛 6:1）。他儿子约坦接续作王，行得正，作王十六年。那整段时间，以赛亚无疑照着所吩咐的尽先知的职分，然而本书中却没有一卷预言是标注约坦在位之年的；但置于篇首的这一卷，却是约坦的儿子亚哈斯在位之日。他所传许多极有用、极宝贵的讲章，并未付梓留录；因为若把一切可记的都写下来，所写的书就是世界也容不下了（约 21:25）。也许在亚哈斯——一个恶王——治下，他不如在约坦时能在朝廷多多讲道，所以那时他就更多写作，作为对他们的见证。请看，
一、亚兰王利汛和以色列王比加这两个邻近的权势，对耶路撒冷所定的极其可畏的计谋；他们近来分别多次侵扰犹大。约坦在位之末，耶和华才开始差遣利汛和比加攻击犹大（王下 15:37）。如今在亚哈斯即位第二、三年，他们因前次的得逞而壮胆，便结盟攻击犹大。亚哈斯虽头顶悬剑，却以拜偶像开始他的王朝，所以神将他交在亚兰王和以色列王手里（代下 28:5），他们在他的国中大行杀戮（赛 7:6,7）。他们因这胜利而得意扬扬，便上来攻打京城耶路撒冷，要围困它，作它的主人；但结果他们不能遂愿。注意，一国之罪招致外邦的入侵，并将最有利的据点和关口拱手让给仇敌；神有时使一个恶国成为鞭笞另一个恶国的工具；但审判通常从神的家起首。
二、亚哈斯和他的朝廷听见这计谋时所陷入的大困苦：有人告诉大卫家，说亚兰和以法莲已经结盟攻击犹大（赛 7:2）。这堕落的王室被称为大卫家，为要叫我们记起神与大卫所立圣约的那一条（诗 89:30-33）：他的子孙若离弃我的律法，我必以杖责罚他们的过犯；但我必不将我的慈爱全然收回——这话在本章中得着了显著的应验。消息传来，亚兰和以色列两军合兵，已经出阵，朝廷、城市和乡间都陷入惊惶；亚哈斯的心因恐惧而跳动，那么他百姓的心也如此就不为怪了，好像林中的树被风吹动一样。他们被吹摇撼动，陷入大乱与混乱，在谋略上摇摆不定，被赶东赶西，不能定于任何坚定的决意。他们向风暴低头，一切都听天由命，断定抵抗是枉然。如今使他们如此惊惶的，乃是他们罪疚之感与信心的软弱。他们已经使神为敌，却不知道如何使他为友，所以他们的恐惧辖制了他们；而那些良心无愧、心志坚定、信靠神的人，则不必惧怕凶讯；地虽改变，他们也不怕；恶人却因叶子被吹动而逃跑（利 26:36）。
三、神给以赛亚的吩咐和指示，叫他去在患难中鼓励亚哈斯；不是为亚哈斯自己的缘故（他只配从神听见令人惊惧的话，使悲愁加添），而是因为他是大卫的子孙、犹大的王。神为着他父的缘故向他施恩——那父不可被忘记；又为着他百姓的缘故——他们不可被丢弃，若亚哈斯得鼓励，他们也就得鼓励。请看，
1. 神指派先知去见亚哈斯，虽然亚哈斯并没有差人去见先知求问，也没有要他求问耶和华（赛 7:3）：你去迎接亚哈斯。 注意，神常被那些不求问他的人寻见，何况那些殷勤寻求他的人呢？他对许多人说安慰的话——他们不但不配得，甚至连寻求也没有寻求。
2. 神吩咐他带着小儿子同去，因为他儿子的名字里带了一篇信息：施亚雅述——「余民要归回」。先知有时借着儿女名字中所蕴含的意义，记录所传的信息（如何 1:4,6,9）；所以以赛亚的儿女被称为作预兆的（赛 8:18）。这儿子如此取名，是为鼓励那些被掳的神百姓，向他们保证他们必归回——至少其中的余民要归回，这已是过于他们所能凭着功劳求的；然而此时神所行的比他所应许的更好——因为他不仅使余民归回，更使亚兰和以色列联军所掳去的全部人数都安然归回（代下 28:15）。
3. 神指示他当在哪里遇见亚哈斯。他不在圣殿、会堂或王宫的礼拜堂里与他相会，而是在上池的水沟头——亚哈斯大概带着许多臣仆在那里，筹划如何布置水利工程，或好为城邑保全水源，或好使仇敌不得其益（赛 22:9-11；代下 32:3,4），或者为尽力加固城防而下达必要指示；也许发现一切都处于不堪防守的状态——水沟年久失修，其他事物也都败落，他的恐惧因此加增，此时比任何时候都更加困惑；所以，你去，在那里迎接他。注意，神有时极其合时地将安慰赐给他百姓——正当他们最害怕之时，就鼓励他们信靠他。
4. 神将话放在他口中，否则先知也不晓得当如何向这样一个恶人——一个理当惧怕的锡安中的罪人——传好信息；但神的意思是要借此扶持忠信的以色列人。
（1）先知必须责备他们的恐惧，劝他们绝不可屈服于恐惧，而当保持镇定，保守自己的心（赛 7:4）：你要谨慎安静。 注意，要得安慰，就需谨慎；要安静，就必须留心防备那些扰乱我们的事。「不要因这种惊惶而惧怕——这种使人力衰、使人受折磨的惧怕；也不要让你的心软弱，以致在内里融化失志；倒要振作精神，心存刚强，奋勇前行；不要让恐惧出卖了理智和信仰为你预备的帮助。」注意，凡盼望神帮助的，必须自助（诗 27:14）。
（2）他必须教导他们藐视仇敌——不是出于骄傲、放肆或大意（没有什么比这样藐视仇敌更危险的），而是出于信心和倚靠神的心。亚哈斯的恐惧称他们是两位有权有谋的君王——他单独对其中任何一位都不是对手，他们若联合，他更不敢正眼相看，更不能与之抗衡。先知却说：「不，他们是两个冒烟的火把头；他们是发怒的、凶猛的、狂暴的，如同火把，如同火球；他们因结盟而使彼此更加厉害，正如聚在一起的柴火烧得更旺。但他们不过是冒烟的火把：有烟之处必有火，但或许并不如所怕的那么多。他们的威吓必化为烟消散。埃及王法老不过是声音（耶 46:17），亚兰王利汛不过是烟；神教会的仇敌也是如此，将残的麻，不久就要熄灭。不但如此，他们不过是冒烟火把的尾巴——几乎已经烧尽了；他们的力量已经耗尽；他们因自己怒火的炎热已经耗尽自己；你可以将脚踏在其上，把它踩灭。」亚兰和以色列两国此时已近气数将尽。注意，我们越以神为吞灭的火，就越没有理由惧怕人——即使人极其凶猛——我们就越能藐视他们如冒烟的火把。
（3）他必须向他们保证：这两位自视甚高的盟友现今对耶路撒冷的计谋，必被挫败，必归于无有（赛 7:5-7）。[1.] 亚哈斯所视为最可畏的，正是他们失败的根据——那就是他们计谋的深远和盼望的高大：「所以他们必被挫败，羞愧而返，因为他们设恶谋害你——这是得罪神的。这些火把在神鼻中是烟（赛 65:5），所以必被熄灭。」第一，他们极其恶意恶毒，因此不能亨通。犹大未曾亏负他们，他们对亚哈斯毫无寻仇的借口；他们却毫无理由地说：我们可以上去攻击犹大，扰乱它。 注意，扰害人的不能盼望亨通，乐意为害的不能盼望顺利。第二，他们极其放肆，自信必胜。他们以为只要上来就能扰乱犹大；然而不止于此：他们毫不怀疑必能在耶路撒冷的城墙开一个足够大的破口，使全军马兵长驱直入；或者他们打算将犹大王国分为两半，一半归以色列王，一半归亚兰王——他们已经商定了一个共同的总督：在国中立一王，就是他比勒的儿子——某个无名之辈，是亚兰人还是以色列人也不得而知。他们对自己得胜如此有把握，以致在得手之前已经瓜分了掳物。注意，最傲慢的通常最少成功，因为神也必嘲笑好嘲笑的人。 [2.] 神亲自以他的话向他们保证这企图必不成就（赛 7:7）：「主耶和华如此说」——万有的主宰，他使列邦的筹算归于无有（诗 33:10）——「这事必不成立，也不得发生；他们的计谋必全被破坏，他们必不能成就他们的事业。」 注意，凡抵挡神的，或想要离了神而立的，都不能立得长久。人谋算，神却安排；若不是主发命或撤销，谁能说而成就呢？（哀 3:37）。参箴 19:21。
（4）他必须向他们展示这些如今使他们大为惊恐的仇敌至终必遭毁灭。[1.] 他们两国都不能扩张版图，也不能再推进征服；亚兰的首城是大马士革，大马士革的首领是利汛——这是他所夸的，他以此为足就够了（赛 7:8）。以法莲的首城长久以来就是撒玛利亚，撒玛利亚的首领如今是比加——利玛利的儿子。这些都必须认识自己的本分，他们的疆界已经划定，不得逾越——不能去占据犹大的城邑，更不能以耶路撒冷为掳物。注意，正如神为人划定居住的疆界（徒 17:26），他也为君王划定了治理的疆界，他们当在其中自守，不可侵犯邻舍的权益。[2.] 以法莲——也许是两者中更恶毒、更咄咄逼人的仇敌——不久必被连根拔起，他们不但不能夺别人的地，连自己的地也守不住。解经家们对如何计算这六十五年之内以法莲不再成为一族之民颇为困惑；因为十支派的被掳在此事之后不过十一年：有人认为这是抄写之误，应读作*「六加五年」*——正好十一年。但这难以接受。另有人认为这是从先知阿摩司初次预言十支派王国灭亡之时算起的六十五年；近代一些解经家则将其指向以撒哈顿对该地最后的彻底荒废，那大约是在此后六十五年；那时以法莲被毁坏到不再成为一族之民的地步。如今，那些自己已被标上灭亡记号、且灭亡在即的人，竟去毁灭邻舍，这是世上最大的愚妄。请看一位先知在此时——当他们正对犹大得意扬扬之时——对他们所说的话（代下 28:10）：如今你们又有意强逼犹大人和耶路撒冷人作你们的奴仆。你们岂不也有得罪耶和华你们神的罪吗？
（5）他必须劝勉他们将信心与所给他们的保证相调和（赛 7:9）：「你们若是不信」所告诉你们的话，「必定不得立稳」——你们那动摇混乱的景况不能立稳，你们那不安未定的心灵也不能；虽然所告诉你们的事极其鼓舞，但你们若不信，又不肯接受神的话，这些事对你们就并无安慰。注意，在这现今世代的诸般翻腾之中，信心的恩典是使心灵安静安定所绝对必需的（代下 20:20）。
英文原文
The Distress of Ahaz; Comfort Administered to Ahaz (740 BC)
¹ And it came to pass in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham, the son of Uzziah, king of Judah, that Rezin the king of Syria, and Pekah the son of Remaliah, king of Israel, went up toward Jerusalem to war against it, but could not prevail against it.
² And it was told the house of David, saying, Syria is confederate with Ephraim. And his heart was moved, and the heart of his people, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind.
³ Then said the LORD unto Isaiah, Go forth now to meet Ahaz, thou, and Shear-jashub thy son, at the end of the conduit of the upper pool in the highway of the fuller's field;
⁴ And say unto him, Take heed, and be quiet; fear not, neither be fainthearted for the two tails of these smoking firebrands, for the fierce anger of Rezin with Syria, and of the son of Remaliah.
⁵ Because Syria, Ephraim, and the son of Remaliah, have taken evil counsel against thee, saying,
⁶ Let us go up against Judah, and vex it, and let us make a breach therein for us, and set a king in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal:
⁷ Thus saith the Lord GOD, It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass.
⁸ For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people.
⁹ And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah's son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established.
The prophet Isaiah had his commission renewed in the year that king Uzziah died, Isa 6:1. Jotham his son reigned, and reigned well, sixteen years. All that time, no doubt, Isaiah prophesied as he was commanded, and yet we have not in this book any of his prophecies dated in the reign of Jotham; but this, which is put first, was in the days of Ahaz the son of Jotham. Many excellent useful sermons he preached which were not published and left upon record; for, if all that was memorable had been written, the world could not have contained the books, Joh 21:25. Perhaps in the reign of Ahaz, a wicked king, he had not opportunity to preach so much at court as in Jotham's time, and therefore then he wrote the more, for a testimony against them. Here is,
I. A very formidable design laid against Jerusalem by Rezin king of Syria and Pekah king of Israel, two neighbouring potentates, who had of late made descents upon Judah severally. At the end of the reign of Jotham, the Lord began to send against Judah Rezin and Pekah, 2Ki 15:37. But now, in the second or third year of the reign of Ahaz, encouraged by their former successes, they entered into an alliance against Judah. Because Ahaz, though he found the sword over his head, began his reign with idolatry, God delivered him into the hand of the king of Syria and of the king of Israel (2Ch 28:5), and a great slaughter they made in his kingdom, Isa 7:6,7. Flushed with this victory, they went up towards Jerusalem, the royal city, to war against it, to besiege it, and make themselves masters of it; but it proved in the issue that they could not gain their point. Note, The sin of a land brings foreign invasions upon it and betrays the most advantageous posts and passes to the enemy; and God sometimes makes one wicked nation a scourge to another; but judgment, ordinarily, begins at the house of God.
II. The great distress that Ahaz and his court were in when they received advice of this design: It was told the house of David that Syria and Ephraim had signed a league against Judah, Isa 7:2. This degenerate royal family is called the house of David, to put us in mind of that article of God's covenant with David (Ps 89:30-33), If his children forsake my law, I will chasten their transgression with the rod; but my loving-kindness will I not utterly take away, which is remarkably fulfilled in this chapter. News being brought that the two armies of Syria and Israel were joined, and had taken the field, the court, the city, and the country, were thrown into consternation; The heart of Ahaz was moved with fear, and then no wonder that the heart of his people was so, as the trees of the wood are moved with the wind. They were tossed and shaken, and put into a great disorder and confusion, were wavering and uncertain in their counsels, hurried hither and thither, and could not fix in any steady resolution. They yielded to the storm, and gave up all for gone, concluding it in vain to make any resistance. Now that which caused this fright was the sense of guilt and the weakness of their faith. They had made God their enemy, and knew not how to make him their friend, and therefore their fears tyrannised over them; while those whose consciences are kept void of offence, and whose hearts are fixed, trusting in God, need not be afraid of evil tidings; though the earth be removed, yet will not they fear; but the wicked flee at the shaking of a leaf, Le 26:36.
III. The orders and directions given to Isaiah to go and encourage Ahaz in his distress; not for his own sake (he deserved to hear nothing from God but words of terror, which might add affliction to his grief), but because he was a son of David and king of Judah. God had kindness for him for his father's sake, who must not be forgotten, and for his people's sake, who must not be abandoned, but would be encouraged if Ahaz were. Observe,
1. God appointed the prophet to meet Ahaz, though he did not send to the prophet to speak with him, nor desire him to enquire of the Lord for him (Isa 7:3): Go to meet Ahaz. Note, God is often found of those who seek him not, much more will he be found of those who seek him diligently. He speaks comfort to many who not only are not worthy of it, but do not so much as enquire after it.
2. He ordered him to take his little son with him, because he carried a sermon in his name, Shear-jashub—A remnant shall return. The prophets sometimes recorded what they preached in the significant names of their children (as Ho 1:4,6,9); therefore Isaiah's children are said to be for signs, Isa 8:18. This son was so called for the encouragement of those of God's people who were carried captive, assuring them that they should return, at least a remnant of them, which was more than they could pretend to merit; yet at this time God was better than his word; for he took care not only that a remnant should return, but the whole number of those whom the confederate forces of Syria and Israel had taken prisoners, 2Ch 28:15.
3. He directed him where he should find Ahaz. He was to meet with him not in the temple, or the synagogue, or royal chapel, but at the end of the conduit of the upper pool, where he was, probably with many of his servants about him, contriving how to order the water-works, so as to secure them to the city, or deprive the enemy of the benefits of them (Isa 22:9-11, 2Ch 32:3,4), or giving some necessary directions for the fortifying of the city as well as they could; and perhaps finding every thing in a bad posture or defence, the conduit out of repair, as well as other things gone to decay, his fears increased, and he was now in greater perplexity than ever; therefore, Go, meet him there. Note, God sometimes sends comforts to his people very seasonably, and, what time they are most afraid, encourages them to trust in him.
4. He put words in his mouth, else the prophet would not have known how to bring a message of good to such a bad man, a sinner in Zion, that ought to be afraid; but God intended it for the support of faithful Israelites.
(1.) The prophet must rebuke their fears, and advise them by no means to yield to them, but keep their temper, and preserve the possession of their own souls (Isa 7:4): Take heed, and be quiet. Note, In order to comfort there is need of caution; that we may be quiet, it is necessary that we take heed and watch against those things that threaten to disquiet us. "Fear not with this amazement, this fear, that weakens, and has torment; neither let thy heart be tender, so as to melt and fail within thee; but pluck up thy spirits, have a good heart on it, and be courageous; let not fear betray the succours which reason and religion offer for thy support." Note, Those who expect God should help them must help themselves, Ps 27:14.
(2.) He must teach them to despise their enemies, not in pride, or security, or incogitancy (nothing more dangerous than so to despise an enemy), but in faith and dependence upon God. Ahaz's fear called them two powerful politic princes, for either of whom he was an unequal match, but, if united, he durst not look them in the face, nor make head against them. "No," says the prophet, "they are two tails of smoking firebrands; they are angry, they are fierce, they are furious, as firebrands, as fireballs; and they make one another worse by being in a confederacy, as sticks of fire put together burn the more violently. But they are only smoking firebrands: and where there is smoke there is some fire, but it may be not so much as was feared. Their threatenings will vanish into smoke. Pharaoh king of Egypt is but a noise (Jer 46:17), and Rezin king of Syria but a smoke; and such are all the enemies of God's church, smoking flax, that will soon be quenched. Nay, they are but tails of smoking firebrands, in a manner burnt out already; their force is spent; they have consumed themselves with the heat of their own anger; you may put your foot on them, and tread them out." The two kingdoms of Syria and Israel were now near expiring. Note, The more we have an eye to God as a consuming fire the less reason we shall have to fear men, though they are ever so furious, nay, we shall be able to despise them as smoking firebrands.
(3.) He must assure them that the present design of these high allies (so they thought themselves) against Jerusalem should certainly be defeated and come to nothing, Isa 7:5-7. [1.] That very thing which Ahaz thought most formidable is made the ground of their defeat—and that was the depth of their designs and the height of their hopes: "Therefore they shall be baffled and sent back with shame, because they have taken evil counsel against thee, which is an offence to God. These firebrands are a smoke in his nose (Isa 65:5), and therefore must be extinguished." First, They are very spiteful and malicious, and, therefore they shall not prosper. Judah had done them no wrong; they had no pretence to quarrel with Ahaz; but, without any reason, they said, Let us go up against Judah, and vex it. Note, Those that are vexatious cannot expect to be prosperous, those that love to do mischief cannot expect to do well. Secondly, They are very secure, and confident of success. They will vex Judah by going up against it; yet that is not all: they do not doubt but to make a breach in the wall of Jerusalem wide enough for them to march their army in at; or they count upon dissecting or dividing the kingdom into two parts, one for the king of Israel, the other for the king of Syria, who had agreed in one viceroy—a king to be set in the midst of it, even the son of Tabeal, some obscure person, it is uncertain whether a Syrian or an Israelite. So sure were they of gaining their point that they divided the prey before they had caught it. Note, Those that are most scornful are commonly least successful, for surely God scorns the scorners. [2.] God himself gives them his word that the attempt should not take effect (Isa 7:7): "Thus saith the Lord God, the sovereign Lord of all, who brings the counsel of the heathen to naught (Ps 33:10), It shall not stand, neither shall it come to pass; their measures shall all be broken, and they shall not be able to bring to pass their enterprise." Note, Whatever stands against God, or thinks to stand without him, cannot stand long. Man purposes, but God disposes; and who is he that saith and it cometh to pass if the Lord commands it not or countermands it? La 3:37. See Pr 19:21.
(4.) He must give them a prospect of the destruction of these enemies, at last, that were now such a terror to them. [1.] They should neither of them enlarge their dominions, nor push their conquests any further; The head city of Syria is Damascus, and the head man of Damascus is Rezin; this he glories in, and this let him be content with, Isa 7:8. The head city of Ephraim has long been Samaria, and the head man in Samaria is now Pekah the son of Remaliah. These shall be made to know their own, their bounds are fixed, and they shall not pass them, to make themselves masters of the cities of Judah, much less to make Jerusalem their prey. Note, As God has appointed men the bounds of their habitation (Ac 17:26), so he has appointed princes the bounds of their dominion, within which they ought to confine themselves, and not encroach upon their neighbours' rights. [2.] Ephraim, which perhaps was the more malicious and forward enemy of the two, should shortly be quite rooted out, and should be so far from seizing other people's lands that they should not be able to hold their own. Interpreters are much at a loss how to compute the sixty-five years within which Ephraim shall cease to be a people; for the captivity of the ten tribes was but eleven years after this: and some make it a mistake of the transcriber, and think it should be read within six and five years, just eleven. But it is hard to allow that. Others make it to be sixty-five years from the time that the prophet Amos first foretold the ruin of the kingdom of the ten tribes; and some late interpreters make it to look as far forward as the last desolation of that country by Esarhaddon, which was about sixty-five years after this; then Ephraim was so broken that it was no more a people. Now it was the greatest folly in the world for those to be ruining their neighbours who were themselves marked for ruin, and so near to it. See what a prophet told them at this time, when they were triumphing over Judah, 2Ch 28:10. Are there not with you, even with you, sins against the Lord your God?
(5.) He must urge them to mix faith with those assurances which he had given them (Isa 7:9): "If you will not believe what is said to you, surely you shall not be established; your shaken and disordered state shall not be established, your unquiet unsettled spirit shall not; though the things told you are very encouraging, yet they will not be so to you, unless you believe them, and be willing to take God's word." Note, The grace of faith is absolutely necessary to the quieting and composing of the mind in the midst of all the tosses of this present time, 2Ch 20:20.
10-16
The Promise of Immanuel (740 BC)
简体中文
以马内利的应许（主前740年）
¹⁰ 耶和华又晓谕亚哈斯说：
¹¹ 「你向耶和华你的神求一个兆头；或求显在深处，或求显在高处。」
¹² 亚哈斯说：「我不求；我不试探耶和华。」
¹³ 以赛亚说：「大卫家啊，你们当听！你们使人厌烦岂算小事，还要使我的神厌烦吗？
¹⁴ 因此，主自己要给你们一个兆头：必有童女怀孕生子，给他起名叫以马内利。
¹⁵ 他必吃奶油与蜂蜜，到他晓得弃恶择善的时候。
¹⁶ 因为在这孩子还不晓得弃恶择善之先，你所憎恶的那二王之地，必被弃绝。
在此，
一、神借着先知向亚哈斯发出一个恩惠的提议：要借着亚哈斯自己所挑选的兆头或神迹，来印证上述的预言和他对预言的信心（赛 7:10-11）：「你向耶和华你的神求一个兆头。」请看神圣的信实和诚实。神所告诉我们的，他无不既能又愿加以证明。请看他向世人的奇妙降卑——他如此「乐意将那不可更改的旨意显给应许的继承者看」（来 6:17）。他顾念我们的本体，知道我们活在感官的世界中，易要求感官的凭据；因此他借着圣礼的记号和印记赐给我们。亚哈斯是个恶人，然而神被称为「耶和华你的神」，因为他是亚伯拉罕和大卫的子孙，又是与他们所立之约的子孙。请看神对邪恶忘恩之人何等恩惠；亚哈斯被允许自己挑选兆头，如基甸挑羊毛一样（士 6:37）；他可向空中、地上、水里求兆头，因为神的能力在一切之中都是相同的。
二、亚哈斯粗鲁地拒绝了这恩惠的提议，并且（对任何上位者都不应如此）践踏这善意，藐视它（赛 7:12）：「我不求。」他之所以不肯求兆头，真正的原因是他既倚靠亚述人——他们的军队和他们的神明——来帮助他，便不愿如此领以色列神的情，也不愿使自己欠他的债。他不愿求兆头来坚固他的信心，因为他定意要持守他的不信，要放纵自己的疑惑和不信；然而他却装出敬虔的理由：「我不试探耶和华。」仿佛照神自己所邀请、所指示的去行，就是试探神似的。请注意，对神暗中的厌恶，常常被冠以尊敬神的堂皇外表所掩饰；那些定意不信靠神的人，却装腔作势地说他们不试探神。
三、先知责备他和他朝廷的人，责备他和大卫家——整个王室——因他们藐视预言，也不看重神圣的启示（赛 7:13）：「你们使人厌烦岂算小事，还要使我的神厌烦吗？」你们以你们的欺压和暴政叫人厌烦，使自己对全人类成为重担和可憎；你们还要以你们对神的冒犯使我的神厌烦吗？如那不义的官，「不惧怕神，也不尊重世人」（路 18:2）。「你们用言语使耶和华厌烦」（玛 2:17）。没有什么比不被信靠更令天上的神忧愁了。「你们要使我的神厌烦吗？你们要以为他疲倦了、无力帮助你们，或厌倦了向你们行善吗？其实『少年人也要疲乏困倦』，你们可能已使一切朋友都疲倦了，但『创造地极的主，并不疲乏，也不困倦』」（赛 40:28-31）。或者说：「你们冒犯先知时，以为只是冒犯了与自己一样的人，却不晓得你们也冒犯了神自己——他们是他所差的使者——你们也轻慢了他，他必照此追讨。」先知在此满有喜乐地称神为「我的神」：亚哈斯不肯说「他是我的神」，尽管先知已邀请他如此说（赛 7:11）：「耶和华你的神」；但以赛亚要说：「他是我的。」请注意，无论别人如何，我们都当认耶和华为我们的神，并忠于他。
四、先知奉神的名给他们一个兆头：「你们不肯求兆头，但人的不信不能使神的应许归于无效：主自己要给你们一个兆头」（赛 7:14），一个双重的兆头。
-
一个总括的兆头，表明他对以色列和大卫家的善意。你们可以断定他已为你们存留了怜悯，你们并未被你们的神丢弃，无论你们现今的困境与危险有多大；因为弥赛亚要从你们的国、你们的家而生，只要这福分还在你们中间，你们就不能被毁灭。这福分将要被引进：（1）以荣耀的方式；因为你们曾多次被告知他要生在你们中间，如今我要进一步告诉你们：他要由童女而生，这将显明他被带入世界时所带着的神圣能力与神圣纯洁——他要成为一位非凡的人，因为他不是借着寻常的生育而生——他要成为圣者，不被人性共同的污秽所玷污，因此无可置疑地配得坐他祖大卫的宝座。这事虽要在五百多年后才应验，却是对大卫家（预言正是以这个称呼向他们发出的，赛 7:13）最令人鼓舞的兆头，也是神不会丢弃他们的保证。以法莲确实嫉妒犹大（赛 11:13），要寻求那国的倾覆，却不能得逞；因为圭必不离犹大，直到细罗来到（创 49:10）。神所定为要得着那大救恩的人，可以以此为兆头：他们在路上所遇的任何患难，都不至将他们吞灭。（2）弥赛亚要以荣耀的使命被引进，这使命包含在他荣耀的名里：「他们必称他的名为以马内利——神与我们同在」，神在我们的性情里，神与我们和好，与我们立约。这在他们称他为「耶稣——救主」之时应验了（太 1:21-25）；因为他若不是「以马内利——神与我们同在」，就不能作「耶稣——救主」。这是神对大卫家和犹大支派施恩的进一步兆头；因为那要在他们中间成就这大救恩的，无疑也必为他们成就一切作为这救恩的预表和影像、作为这救恩之前奏的其他救恩。「这是给你们的兆头，不在深处，也不在高处，乃在预言中，在应许中，在与大卫所立的约中——这些你们并不陌生。所应许的后裔必是以马内利，『神与我们同在』；让这话安慰你们（赛 8:10）：神与我们同在；也（赛 7:8）让你们的国就是以马内利之地这话安慰你们。不要让大卫家的心如此动摇（赛 7:2），也不要让犹大惧怕他珥伊勒儿子的被立（赛 7:6），因为没有什么能割断那将要作以马内利之大卫子孙的产业传承。」请注意，在患难之时最坚固的安慰，就是从基督那里借来的——我们与他的关系，我们在他里面的份，以及我们对他的期望和从他而来的期望。关于这孩子，还有进一步的预言（赛 7:15）：他虽不像其他孩子那样出生，而是由童女所生，却要成为一个真实而完全的人，像其他孩子一样被养育长大：「他必吃奶油与蜂蜜」，像别的孩子一样，特别是那「流奶与蜜之地」的孩子。他虽借着圣灵的大能成孕，却因此不以天使的食物为粮，而是照着合宜的，在凡事上「与他的弟兄相同」（来 2:17）。他虽如此以非凡的方式出生，也不立刻成为成年人，而是像其他孩子一样，逐渐经过婴孩、孩童、少年各阶段，达到成年，并在智慧和身量上一齐增长，最终在灵里刚强，达到成熟，得以晓得如何「弃恶择善」。参看路 2:40、52。请注意，孩子年幼时被喂养，是为着他们长大后可以被教导、受教诲；他们的养育是为着他们的教育。
-
这里又有一个特别的兆头：那些如今使犹大惊恐的强盛君王必速速被毁灭（赛 7:16）。「在这孩子（应如此读），就是如今我怀中的这孩子」——他指的不是以马内利，而是施亚雅述——他自己的儿子，神曾吩咐他带着这孩子同去作兆头（赛 7:3）——「在这孩子还不晓得弃恶择善之先」（看见他如今身量和早熟程度的人，不难推算那是多久），「在这孩子再过三四岁之前，你所憎恶的那地，就是以色列人和亚兰人联军——你对之如此为敌、如此惧怕的联军——必被他们二王所弃」，就是比加和利汛；他们二人联盟如此紧密，仿佛只是一国的二王。这事完全应验了；因为在此之后两三年之内，何细亚背叛比加，杀了他（王下 15:30），而在那之前，亚述王已攻取了大马士革，杀了利汛（王下 16:9）。不但如此，眼前还有一个立刻发生的事，这孩子名字里所载的预言正指明这事，它是那将来之事的凭据和定金。「施亚雅述」的意思是「余民必归回」，这无疑指着比加和利汛所掳去的那二十万俘虏奇妙的归回；他们被带回来，不是倚靠势力，不是倚靠才能，乃是倚靠万军之耶和华的灵。请读这段记载（代下 28:8-15）。这孩子名字里的预言既然已经如此应验，那关于他更进一步所加的事——亚兰和以色列必失去他们二王——也必照样应验。神所赐的一件怜悯，若激励我们预备等候另一件，就鼓励我们盼望另一件。
英文原文
The Promise of Immanuel (740 BC)
¹⁰ Moreover the LORD spake again unto Ahaz, saying,
¹¹ Ask thee a sign of the LORD thy God; ask it either in the depth, or in the height above.
¹² But Ahaz said, I will not ask, neither will I tempt the LORD.
¹³ And he said, Hear ye now, O house of David; Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will ye weary my God also?
¹⁴ Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
¹⁵ Butter and honey shall he eat, that he may know to refuse the evil, and choose the good.
¹⁶ For before the child shall know to refuse the evil, and choose the good, the land that thou abhorrest shall be forsaken of both her kings.
Here, I. God, by the prophet, makes a gracious offer to Ahaz, to confirm the foregoing predictions, and his faith in them, by such sign or miracle as he should choose (Isa 7:10,11): Ask thee a sign of the Lord thy God; See here the divine faithfulness and veracity. God tells us nothing but what he is able and ready to prove. See his wonderful condescension to the children of men, in that he is so willing to show to the heirs of promise the immutability of his counsel, Heb 6:17. He considers our frame, and that, living in a world of sense, we are apt to require sensible proofs, which therefore he has favoured us with in sacramental signs and seals. Ahaz was a bad man, yet God is called the Lord his God, because he was a child of Abraham and David, and of the covenants made with them. See how gracious God is even to the evil and unthankful; Ahaz is bidden to choose his sign, as Gideon about the fleece (Jdg 6:37); let him ask for a sign in the air, or earth, or water, for God's power is the same in all.
II. Ahaz rudely refuses this gracious offer, and (which is not mannerly towards any superior) kicks at the courtesy, and puts a slight upon it (Isa 7:12): I will not ask. The true reason why he would not ask for a sign was because, having a dependence upon the Assyrians, their forces, and their gods, for help, he would not thus far be beholden to the God of Israel, or lay himself under obligations to him. He would not ask a sign for the confirming of his faith because he resolved to persist in his unbelief, and would indulge his doubts and distrusts; yet he pretends a pious reason: I will not tempt the Lord; as if it would be a tempting of God to do that which God himself invited and directed him to do. Note, A secret disaffection to God is often disguised with the specious colours of respect to him; and those who are resolved that they will not trust God yet pretend that they will not tempt him.
III. The prophet reproves him and his court, him and the house of David, the whole royal family, for their contempt of prophecy, and the little value they had for divine revelation (Isa 7:13) "Is it a small thing for you to weary men by your oppression and tyranny, with which you make yourselves burdensome and odious to all mankind? But will you weary my God also with the affronts you put upon him?" As the unjust judge that neither feared God nor regarded man, Lu 18:2. You have wearied the Lord with your words, Mal 2:17. Nothing is more grievous to the God of heaven than to be distrusted. "Will you weary my God? Will you suppose him to be tired and unable to help you, or to be weary of doing you good? Whereas the youths may faint and be weary, you may have tired all your friends, the Creator of the ends of the earth faints not, neither is weary." Isa 40:28-31. Or this: "In affronting the prophets, you think you put a slight only upon men like yourselves, and consider not that you affront God himself, whose messengers they are, and put a slight upon him, who will resent it accordingly." The prophet here calls God his God with a great deal of pleasure: Ahaz would not say, He is my God, though the prophet had invited him to say so (Isa 7:11): The Lord thy God; but Isaiah will say, "He is mine." Note, Whatever others do, we must avouch the Lord for ours and abide by him.
IV. The prophet, in God's name, gives them a sign: "You will not ask a sign, but the unbelief of man shall not make the promise of God of no effect: The Lord himself shall give you a sign (Isa 7:14), a double sign."
1. "A sign in general of his good-will to Israel and to the house of David. You may conclude it that he has mercy in store for you, and that you are not forsaken of your God, how great soever your present distress and danger are; for of your nation, of your family, the Messiah is to be born, and you cannot be destroyed while that blessing is in you, which shall be introduced," (1.) "In a glorious manner; for, whereas you have been often told that he should be born among you, I am now further to tell you that he shall be born of a virgin, which will signify both the divine power and the divine purity with which he shall be brought into the world,—that he shall be a extraordinary person, for he shall not be born by ordinary generation,—and that he shall be a holy thing, not stained with the common pollutions of the human nature, therefore incontestably fit to have the throne of his father David given him." Now this, though it was to be accomplished above 500 years after, was a most encouraging sign to the house of David (and to them, under that title, this prophecy is directed, Isa 7:13) and an assurance that God would not cast them off. Ephraim did indeed envy Judah (Isa 11:13) and sought the ruin of that kingdom, but could not prevail; for the sceptre should never depart from Judah till the coming of Shiloh, Ge 49:10. Those whom God designs for the great salvation may take that for a sign to them that they shall not be swallowed up by any trouble they meet with in the way. (2.) The Messiah shall be introduced on a glorious errand, wrapped up in his glorious name: They shall call his name Immanuel—God with us, God in our nature, God at peace with us, in covenant with us. This was fulfilled in their calling him Jesus—a Saviour (Mt 1:21-25), for, if he had not been Immanuel—God with us, he could not have been Jesus—a Saviour. Now this was a further sign of God's favour to the house of David and the tribe of Judah; for he that intended to work this great salvation among them no doubt would work out for them all those other salvations which were to be the types and figures of this, and as it were preludes to this. "Here is a sign for you, not in the depth nor in the height, but in the prophecy, in the promise, in the covenant made with David, which you are no strangers to. The promised seed shall be Immanuel, God with us; let that word comfort you (Isa 8:10), that God is with us, and (Isa 7:8) that your land is Immanuel's land. Let not the heart of the house of David be moved thus (Isa 7:2), nor let Judah fear the setting up of the son of Tabeal (Isa 7:6), for nothing can cut off the entail on the Son of David that shall be Immanuel." Note, The strongest consolations, in time of trouble, are those which are borrowed from Christ, our relation to him, our interest in him, and our expectations of him and from him. Of this child it is further foretold (Isa 7:15) that though he shall not be born like other children, but of a virgin, yet he shall be really and truly man, and shall be nursed and brought up like other children: Butter and honey shall he eat, as other children do, particularly the children of that land which flowed with milk and honey. Though he be conceived by the power of the Holy Ghost, yet he shall not therefore be fed with angels' food, but, as it becomes him, shall be in all things made like unto his brethren, Heb 2:17. Nor shall he, though born thus by extraordinary generation, be a man immediately, but, as other children, shall advance gradually through the several states of infancy, childhood, and youth, to that of manhood, and growing in wisdom and stature, shall at length wax strong in spirit, and come to maturity, so as to know how to refuse the evil and choose the good. See Lu 2:40,52. Note, Children are fed when they are little that they may be taught and instructed when they have grown up; they have their maintenance in order to their education.
2. Here is another sign in particular of the speedy destruction of these potent princes that were now a terror to Judah, Isa 7:16. "Before this child (so it should be read), this child which I have now in my arms" (he means not Immanuel, but Shear-jashub his own son, whom he was ordered to take with him for a sign, Isa 7:3), "before this child shall know how to refuse the evil and choose the good" (and those who saw what his present stature and forwardness were would easily conjecture how long that would be), "before this child be three or four years older, the land that thou abhorrest, these confederate forces of Israelites and Syrians, which thou hast such an enmity to and standest in such dread of, shall be forsaken of both their kings, both Pekah and Rezin," who were in so close an alliance that they seemed as if they were the kings of but one kingdom. This was fully accomplished; for within two or three years after this, Hoshea conspired against Pekah, and slew him (2Ki 15:30), and, before that, the king of Assyria took Damascus, and slew Rezin, 2Ki 16:9. Nay, there was a present event, which happened immediately, and when this child carried the prediction of in his name, which was a pledge and earnest of this future event. Shear-jashub signifies The remnant shall return, which doubtless points at the wonderful return of those 200,000 captives whom Pekah and Rezin had carried away, who were brought back, not by might or power, but by the Spirit of the Lord of hosts. Read the story, 2Ch 28:8-15. The prophetical naming of this child having thus had its accomplishment, no doubt this, which was further added concerning him, should have its accomplishment likewise, that Syria and Israel should be deprived of both their kings. One mercy from God encourages us to hope for another, if it engages us to prepare for another.
17-25
Judgments Announced (740 BC)
简体中文
论所宣告的审判（主前740年）
¹⁷ 耶和华必使亚述王临到你和你的百姓并你父家；自从以法莲离开犹大以来，未曾有过这样的日子。 ¹⁸ 到那日，耶和华必向埃及江河尽头的苍蝇发嘶声，又向亚述地的蜜蜂发嘶声。 ¹⁹ 它们都必飞来，落在荒凉的谷内、磐石的穴里、一切荆棘丛中和一切的草场上。 ²⁰ 那时主必借大河那边的、借亚述王，就是那剃头刀，剃去头发和脚上的毛，并要剃净胡须。 ²¹ 到那日，一个人必养活一只母牛犊、两只绵羊； ²² 因出的奶多，他就得吃奶油；在境内所剩的人，都必吃奶油与蜂蜜。 ²³ 从前凡种一千棵葡萄树、价值一千银子的地方，到那日，必长出荆棘和蒺藜。 ²⁴ 人上那里去，必带弓箭，因为遍地都是荆棘和蒺藜。 ²⁵ 凡用锄头刨挖的山地，你因怕荆棘和蒺藜，不敢上那里去；那里成了放牛之处，被羊群践踏。
向亚哈斯所发的应许既作为大卫家的枝子而赐下，紧接着便是针对他的可怕警戒，因他是那家的败落之枝；因为神虽为大卫的缘故，并因与他所立的约，不至全然收回他的慈爱，然而他的罪孽必「受责于杖」，他的罪过必受鞭打。愿那些不肯以信心与神的应许调和的人，指望听见他警戒的警报。
一、所警告的审判极大（赛7:17）。极大，因它是普遍的：这审判必临到君王本身（虽他位高，却不在审判之外），并临到百姓——全国的全体——又临到王室，临到「你父家」一切的人；这审判必延及后代，与王室血统一同延续。极大，因它是前所未有的——「未曾有过这样的日子」：自十支派叛离、以法莲离开犹大以来，未曾有过如此幽暗、如此阴沉、如此凄惨的日子——那对大卫家而言诚然已是悲惨之时。当留意，人在罪中越久，所当预期的刑罚便越重。是主自己要将这些日子临到他们，因为我们的世代在他手中，他所降的审判谁能抵挡、谁能逃脱？
二、被用作这审判器皿的仇敌是亚述王。亚哈斯原对那位君主寄予厚望，指望他帮助自己对抗以色列与叙利亚的联军，又因他倚仗自己与亚述王的交情，便对神借先知鼓励他的话不甚在意；他卑鄙地应许作亚述王的仆人，只要他肯差救兵来；他又以金银为礼送给他，为此他榨干了教会与国家的库藏（王下16:7-8）。如今神警告说：他既以亚述王代替神作为倚靠，那亚述王反要成为责打他的鞭。这很快便应验了；因为当亚述王「来到他那里，却没有帮助他，反倒欺凌他」（代下28:20）——那芦苇不但在他手下折断，更刺入他的手；此后亚述诸王长久成为犹大的刺，给他们带来许多麻烦。当留意，我们以之为盼望的受造之物，通常反倒成了我们的祸患。不久之后，亚述王便征服了十支派，掳走他们，使他们的国土荒凉，完全应验了这里的预言；这话也许正指那事，作为赛7:8 的解释——那里预言以法莲必被粉碎，不再成为一民；我们也不难设想先知在赛7:17 转向以色列王，宣告神因他侵犯犹大而降的审判。但解经家普遍认为这话是指亚哈斯及其国度。如今当留意，1. 召集入侵者前来（赛7:18）：「耶和华必向苍蝇和蜜蜂发嘶声。」见赛5:26。那些看似如苍蝇或蜜蜂一般微不足道、又如它们一样容易捏死的仇敌，当神愿意时，却能如狮子、少壮狮子一样有效地成就他的工。虽然它们彼此远隔，如埃及的河流与亚述之地相距之远，当神命令它们报到时，却必准时会合参与这事；因为当神有工作要做，他绝不缺器皿可用。2. 它们占据那地（赛7:19）。那地似乎毫无抵抗之力。它们毫不费力便强行进入，「都必飞来，落在荒凉的谷内」——居民因初次警报便已弃地而逃，将那地作为轻易的猎物留给入侵者。它们必如苍蝇蜂群一般飞来落在低处，又借藏身磐石穴中（如蜂常行）使自己坚不可摧，又借公开出现在一切荆棘丛中、一切草场上显出可畏；那地必如此普遍地被它们布满。这些蜂必在荆棘丛中结聚栖息，安然无扰。3. 大行荒凉，全国人口被洗劫一空（赛7:20）：「主必剃去头发、胡须并脚上的毛」；他必一概扫除，如长大麻风得洁净之日「剃去全身的毛」（利14:8-9）。这是用雇来的剃头刀作的——或是神所雇（仿佛他没有自己的；但凡他所雇、所用以成就任何服事之工的，他必偿付其值。见结29:18-19），或是亚哈斯为求助所雇。神必使他所雇入伍服役的，成为他毁灭的器皿。当留意，许多人正是被他们所倚靠的那血肉之臂所责打——他们倚靠它过于倚靠主的臂，又在其上花费极大——其实借信心与祷告，他们本可在神那里得着廉价轻易的解救。4. 这普遍人口灭绝的后果。（1）牛群羊群必尽被毁灭，以致那原拥有大量牛羊的人必被仇敌剥夺得一干二净，好不容易才为自己救出一只母牛犊、两只绵羊——一份寒酸的家当（赛7:21），然而他还要因有任何剩下的而自庆。（2）所剩少数牲畜既在如此广阔的地面上吃草，「出的奶必多」，且奶质极佳，足以产出许多奶油（赛7:22）。人也必如此稀少，以致一只母牛与两只绵羊的奶便足以供给一家——这家人从前蓄养许多仆人，耗费甚大，如今却已式微。（3）牲畜的繁殖也必断绝；以致那些素常吃肉（犹太人通常如此行）的人，不得不局限于奶油与蜂蜜，因为再无肉可吃；那地也必人口如此稀少，以致为所剩少数人却必有充足的奶油与蜂蜜。（4）素来租价优厚的肥田，必尽被荆棘蒺藜所覆盖（赛7:23）；素来栽着一千棵葡萄树、佃户年缴一千舍客勒或银子作租价的地方，如今除了荆棘蒺藜一无所出，地主佃户皆无利可图，全地被入侵之军荒废。当留意，神能转眼使肥地变为荒凉；我们若不向他结葡萄，反结野葡萄，他公义地将葡萄树变为荆棘（赛5:4）。（5）农具要变为兵器（赛7:24）。全地既成了荆棘蒺藜，人素常带镰刀、修枝钩来收取果实的地方，如今他们必带弓箭前来——或在丛林中猎兽，或自卫抵御潜伏在灌木中伺机行劫的盗贼，或杀灭隐藏其中的毒蛇与猛兽。这标志着那美地面貌的悲惨改变。然而罪在一民中能作什么改变，岂有一种是它不能作的吗？（6）连荆棘蒺藜原为有用、在篱笆中为保护围起来的田地而效力的，也必被拔出，使一切成为无主的公用。荆棘蒺藜在不该有的地方繁多，却在当有的地方全无（赛7:25）。「用锄头刨挖的山地」——为特别用途而耕作的、素常借荆棘蒺藜之惧以禁绝牲畜进入的山地——如今必敞开，「篱笆被拆毁，任林中野猪来糟蹋」（诗80:12-13）。它必任由牛群与较小的牲畜在其中奔跑践踏。请看罪与咒诅的后果：除借人不断的照料与劳苦勉强维持某种秩序外，它已使地成了荆棘与蒺藜的丛林。也请看将心系于地业之人是何等愚妄——无论那些地业多么肥沃、多么宜人；只要稍被忽略不加耕作，或被挥霍粗心的继承人或佃户滥用，或因地遭战祸而荒凉，它们不久便要成为可怕的荒漠。天堂乃是免于此种变迁的乐园。
英文原文
Judgments Announced (740 BC)
¹⁷ The LORD shall bring upon thee, and upon thy people, and upon thy father's house, days that have not come, from the day that Ephraim departed from Judah; even the king of Assyria.
¹⁸ And it shall come to pass in that day, that the LORD shall hiss for the fly that is in the uttermost part of the rivers of Egypt, and for the bee that is in the land of Assyria.
¹⁹ And they shall come, and shall rest all of them in the desolate valleys, and in the holes of the rocks, and upon all thorns, and upon all bushes.
²⁰ In the same day shall the Lord shave with a razor that is hired, namely, by them beyond the river, by the king of Assyria, the head, and the hair of the feet: and it shall also consume the beard.
²¹ And it shall come to pass in that day, that a man shall nourish a young cow, and two sheep;
²² And it shall come to pass, for the abundance of milk that they shall give he shall eat butter: for butter and honey shall every one eat that is left in the land.
²³ And it shall come to pass in that day, that every place shall be, where there were a thousand vines at a thousand silverlings, it shall even be for briers and thorns.
²⁴ With arrows and with bows shall men come thither; because all the land shall become briers and thorns.
²⁵ And on all hills that shall be digged with the mattock, there shall not come thither the fear of briers and thorns: but it shall be for the sending forth of oxen, and for the treading of lesser cattle.
After the comfortable promises made to Ahaz as a branch of the house of David, here follow terrible threatenings against him, as a degenerate branch of that house; for though the loving-kindness of God shall not be utterly taken away, for the sake of David and the covenant made with him, yet his iniquity shall be chastened with the rod, and his sin with stripes. Let those that will not mix faith with the promises of God expect to hear the alarms of his threatenings.
I. The judgment threatened is very great, Isa 7:17. It is very great, for it is general; it shall be brought upon the prince himself (high as he is, he shall not be out of the reach of it), and upon the people, the whole body of the nation, and upon the royal family, upon all thy father's house; it shall be a judgment entailed on posterity, and shall go along with the royal blood. It is very great, for it shall be unprecedented—days that have not come; so dark, so gloomy, so melancholy, as never were the like since the revolt of the ten tribes, when Ephraim departed from Judah, which was indeed a sad time to the house of David. Note, The longer men continue in sin the sorer punishments they have reason to expect. It is the Lord that will bring these days upon them, for our times are in his hand, and who can resist or escape the judgments he brings?
II. The enemy that should be employed as the instrument of this judgment is the king of Assyria. Ahaz reposed great confidence in that prince for help against the confederate powers of Israel and Syria, and minded the less what God said to him by his prophet for his encouragement because he built much upon his interest in the king of Assyria, and had meanly promised to be his servant if he would send him some succours; he had also, made him a present of gold and silver, for which he drained the treasures both of church and state, 2Ki 16:7,8. Now God threatens that that king of Assyria whom he made his stay instead of God should become a scourge to him. He was so speedily; for, when he came to him, he distressed him, but strengthened him not (2Ch 28:20), the reed not only broke under him, but ran into his hand, and pierced it, and thenceforward the kings of Assyria were, for a long time, grieving thorns to Judah, and gave them a great deal of trouble. Note, The creature that we make our hope commonly proves our hurt. The king of Assyria, not long after this, made himself master of the ten tribes, carried them captive, and laid their country waste, so as fully to answer the prediction here; and perhaps it may refer to that, as an explication of Isa 7:8, where it is foretold that Ephraim shall be broken, that it shall not be a people; and it is easy to suppose that the prophet (at Isa 7:17) turns his speech to the king of Israel, denouncing God's judgments against him for invading Judah. But the expositors universally understand it of Ahaz and his kingdom. Now observe, 1. Summons given to the invaders (Isa 7:18): The Lord shall whistle for the fly and the bee. See Isa 5:26. Enemies that seem as contemptible as a fly or a bee, and are as easily crushed, shall yet, when God pleases, do his work as effectually as lions and young lions. Though they are as far distant from one another as the rivers of Egypt and the land of Assyria, yet they shall punctually meet to join in this work when God commands their attendance; for, when God has work to do, he will not be at a loss for instruments to do it with. 2. Possession taken by them, Isa 7:19. It should seem as if the country were in no condition to make resistance. They find no difficulties in forcing their way, but come and rest all of them in the desolate valleys, which the inhabitants had deserted upon the first alarm, and left them a cheap and easy prey to the invaders. They shall come and rest in the low grounds like swarms of flies and bees, and shall render themselves impregnable by taking shelter in the holes of the rocks, as bees often do, and showing themselves formidable by appearing openly upon all thorns and all bushes; so generally shall the land be overspread with them. These bees shall knit upon the thorns and bushes, and there rest undisturbed. 3. Great desolations made, and the country generally depopulated (Isa 7:20): The Lord shall shave the hair of the head, and beard, and feet; he shall sweep all away, as the leper, when he was cleansed, shaved off all his hair, Le 14:8,9. This is done with a razor which is hired, either which God has hired (as if he had none of his own; but what he hires, and whom he employs in any service for him, he will pay for. See Eze 29:18,19), or which Ahaz has hired for his assistance. God will make that to be an instrument of his destruction which he hired into his service. Note, Many are beaten with that arm of flesh which they trusted to rather than to the arm of the Lord, and which they were at a great expense upon, when by faith and prayer they might have found cheap and easy succour in God. 4. The consequences of this general depopulation. (1.) The flocks of cattle shall be all destroyed, so that a man who had herds and flocks in abundance shall be stripped of them all by the enemy, and shall with much ado save for his own use a young cow and two sheep—a poor stock (Isa 7:21), yet he shall think himself happy in having any left. (2.) The few cattle that are left shall have such a large compass of ground to feed in that they shall give abundance of milk, and very good milk, such as shall produce butter enough, Isa 7:22. There shall also be such want of men that the milk of one cow and two sheep shall serve a whole family, which used to keep abundance of servants and consume a great deal, but is now reduced. (3.) The breed of cattle shall be destroyed; so that those who used to eat flesh (as the Jews commonly did) shall be necessitated to confine themselves to butter and honey, for there shall be no flesh for them; and the country shall be so depopulated that there shall be butter and honey enough for the few that are left in it. (4.) Good land, that used to be let well, shall be all overrun with briers and thorns (Isa 7:23); where there used to be a thousand vines planted, for which the tenants used to pay a thousand shekels, or pieces of silver, yearly rent, there shall be nothing now but briers and thorns, no profit either for landlord or tenant, all being laid waste by the army of the invaders. Note, God can soon turn a fruitful land into barrenness; and it is just with him to turn vines into briers if we, instead of bringing forth grapes to him, bring forth wild grapes, Isa 5:4. (5.) The implements of husbandry shall be turned into instruments of war, Isa 7:24. The whole land having become briers and thorns, the grounds that men used to come to with sickles and pruning-hooks to gather in the fruits they shall now come to with arrows and bows, to hunt for wild beasts in the thickets, or to defend themselves from the robbers that lurk in the bushes, seeking for prey, or to kill the serpents and venomous beasts that are hid there. This denotes a very sad change of the face of that pleasant land. But what melancholy change is there which sin will not make with a people? (6.) Where briers and thorns were wont to be of use and to do good service, even in the hedges, for the defence of the enclosed grounds, they shall be plucked up, and all laid in common. There shall be briers and thorns in abundance where they should not be, but none where they should be, Isa 7:25. The hills that shall be digged with the mattock, for special use, from which the cattle used to be kept off with the fear of briers and thorns, shall now be thrown open, the hedges broken down for the boar out of the wood to waste it, Ps 80:12,13. It shall be left at large for oxen to run in and less cattle. See the effect of sin and the curse; it has made the earth a forest of thorns and thistles, except as it is forced into some order by the constant care and labour of man. And see what folly it is to set our hearts upon possessions of lands, be they every so fruitful, ever so pleasant; if they lie ever so little neglected and uncultivated, or if they be abused by a wasteful careless heir or tenant, or the country be laid waste by war, they will soon become frightful deserts. Heaven is a paradise not subject to such changes.
本章是一篇因时制宜的讲章，在其中先知向那些既不能察觉也不能明白的人，既唱怜悯也唱审判；他向他们吹笛，他们却不跳舞；他向他们举哀，他们却不啼哭。此处含有： I. 亚哈斯因叙利亚与以色列联军进犯耶路撒冷而陷入的惊惶，赛7:1,2。 II. 神借先知赐给他的鼓励之确据——这企图必被挫败，耶路撒冷必得保全，赛7:3-9。 III. 借着神在亚哈斯拒绝求一个兆头时所赐给他的兆头对此事的印证——这兆头指向基督，并指向我们借祂所得的救赎，赛7:10-16。 IV. 一项警告：尽管他们逃脱了眼下的这场风暴，神仍将借亚述人之手，因亚哈斯与其王国仍行在其恶行之中，使他们遭受巨大的荒凉，赛7:17-25。 这些话既为我们的安慰，也为我们的警戒而写。