Yǐsaìyàshū 41

1 Zhòng hǎidǎo a , dāng zaì wǒ miànqián jìngmò , zhòng mín dāng cóng xīn dé lì , dōu yào jìn qián lái cái kĕyǐ shuōhuà . wǒmen kĕyǐ bǐcǐ biànlùn .

2 Shuí cóng dōngfāng xīngqǐ yī rén , píng gōngyì zhào tā lái dào jiǎo qián ne . Yēhéhuá jiāng liè guó jiāo gĕi tā , shǐ tā guǎnxiá jūnwáng , bǎ tāmen rú huī chén jiāo yǔ tāde dāo , rú fēng chuī de suì jiē jiāo yǔ tāde gōng .

3 Tā zhuīgǎn tāmen , zǒu tā suǒ wèi zǒu de dào , tǎnrán qián xíng .

4 Shuí xíng zuò chéngjiù zhè shì , cóng qǐchū xuān zhào lìdaì ne , jiù shì wǒ Yēhéhuá , wǒ shì shǒuxiān de . yĕ yǔ mòhòu de tóng zaì .

5 Hǎidǎo kànjian jiù dōu haìpà , dìjí yĕ dōu zhàn jīng , jiù jìn qián lái .

6 Tāmen gèrén bāngzhu línshè , gèrén duì dìxiōng shuō , zhuàng dǎn ba .

7 Mùjiang miǎnlì yín jiàng , yòng chuí dá guāng de miǎnlì dá zhēn de , lún hàn gōng shuō , hàn dé hǎo . yòu yòng déng zǐ déng wĕn , miǎndé ǒuxiàng dòng yáo .

8 Wéi nǐ Yǐsèliè wǒde púrén , Yǎgè wǒ suǒ jiǎnxuǎn de , wǒ péng zǐ Yàbólāhǎn de hòuyì ,

9 Nǐ shì wǒ cóng dìjí suǒ lǐng ( yuánwén zuò zhuā ) lái de , cóng dì jiǎo suǒ zhào lái de , qiĕ duì nǐ shuō , nǐ shì wǒde púrén , wǒ jiǎnxuǎn nǐ bìng bù qìjué nǐ .

10 Nǐ búyào haìpà , yīnwei wǒ yǔ nǐ tóng zaì . búyào jīng huáng , yīnwei wǒ shì nǐde shén . wǒ bìjiāngù nǐ , wǒ bì bāngzhu nǐ , wǒ bì yòng wǒ gōngyì de yòushǒu fú chí nǐ .

11 Fán xiàng nǐ fānù de , bì dōu bào kuì méng xiū . yǔ nǐ xiāng zhēng de , bì rú wú yǒu , bìng yào mièwáng .

12 Yǔ nǐ zhēngjing de , nǐ yào zhǎo tāmen yĕ zhǎo bù zhe . yǔ nǐ zhēng zhàn de , bì rú wú yǒu , chéngwéi xū wú .

13 Yīnwei wǒ Yēhéhuá nǐde shén , bì chān fú nǐde yòushǒu , duì nǐ shuō , búyào haìpà , wǒ bì bāngzhu nǐ .

14 Nǐ zhè chóng Yǎgè , hé nǐmen Yǐsèliè rén , búyào haìpà . Yēhéhuá shuō , wǒ bì bāngzhu nǐ . nǐde jiùshú zhǔ , jiù shì Yǐsèliè de shèng zhĕ .

15 Kàn nǎ , wǒ yǐ shǐ nǐ chéngwéi yǒu kuaì chǐ dá liáng de xīn qìjù , nǐ yào bǎ shānlǐng dǎ dé fĕnsuì , shǐ gāng líng rútóng kāng .

16 Nǐ yào bǎ tā bǒ yáng fēng yào chuī qù , xuán fēng yào bǎ tā guā sǎn . nǐ dǎo yào yǐ Yēhéhuá wèi xǐlè , yǐ Yǐsèliè de shèng zhĕ wèi kuā yào .

17 Kùnkǔ qióngfá rén xúnqiú shuǐ què méiyǒu , tāmen yīn kǒu kĕ , shétou gān zào . wǒ Yēhéhuá bì yīngyún tāmen , wǒ Yǐsèliè de shén bì bù lí qì tāmen .

18 Wǒ yào zaì jìng guāng de gāo chù kāi jiāng hé , zaì yù zhōng kāi quányuán , wǒ yào shǐ shā mò biàn wèi shuǐ chí , shǐ gān dì biàn wéi yǒng quán .

19 Wǒ yào zaì kuàngyĕ zhǒng shang xiāng bó shù , zàojiá shù , fān shíliu shù , hé yĕ gǎnlǎn shù . wǒ zaì shā mò yào bǎ sōng shù , shān shù , bìng huáng yángshù , yītóng zāi zhí .

20 Hǎo jiào rén kànjian , zhīdào , sīxiǎng , míngbai , zhè shì Yēhéhuá de shǒu suǒ zuò de , shì Yǐsèliè de shèng zhĕ suǒ zào de .

21 Yēhéhuá duì jiǎ shén shuō , nǐmen yào chéng shang nǐmen de ànjiàn , Yǎgè de jūn shuō , nǐmen yào shēng míng nǐmen quèshí de lǐ yóu .

22 Kĕyǐ shēng míng , zhǐshì wǒmen jiānglái bì yù de shì , shuō míng xiānqián de shì shénme shì , hǎo jiào wǒmen sī suǒ , dé zhī shì de jiéjú , huòzhĕ bǎ jiānglái de shì zhǐshì wǒmen .

23 Yào shuō míng hòulái de shì , hǎo jiào wǒmen zhīdào nǐmen shì shén , nǐmen huò jiàng fú , huò jiàng huò , shǐ wǒmen jīngqí , yītóng guānkàn .

24 Kàn nǎ , nǐmen shǔ hū xū wú , nǐmen de zuòwéi yĕ shǔ hū xū wú . nà xuǎnzé nǐmen de shì kĕ zēngwù de .

25 Wǒ cóng bĕi fāng xīngqǐ yī rén , tā shì qiúgào wǒ míng de , cóng rì chū zhī dì ér lái . tā bì líndào zhǎngquán de , hǎoxiàng líndào huīní , fǎngfú yáo jiàng chuaì ní yíyàng .

26 Shuí cóng qǐchū zhǐ míng zhè shì , shǐ wǒmen zhīdào ne . shuí cóng xiānqián shuō míng , shǐ wǒmen shuō , tā búcuò ne . shuí yĕ méiyǒu zhǐ míng , shuí yĕ méiyǒu shuō míng . shuí yĕ méiyǒu tīngjian nǐmen de huà .

27 Wǒ shǒuxiān duì Xī \'ān shuō , kàn nǎ , wǒ yào jiāng yī wèi bào hǎo xìnxī de cìgĕi Yēlùsǎlĕng .

28 Wǒ kàn de shíhou bìng méiyǒu rén , wǒ wèn de shíhou tāmen zhōngjiān yĕ méiyǒu móu shì , kĕyǐ huídá yī jù .

29 Kàn nǎ , tāmen hé tāmende gōngzuò , dōu shì xū kōng , qiĕ shì xū wú . tāmen suǒ zhù de ǒuxiàng dōu shì fēng , dōu shì xū de .

Yǐsaìyàshū 41 Commentary

Chapter 41

God's care of his people. (1-9) they are encouraged not to fear. (10-20) The vanity and folly of idolatry. (21-29)

Verses 1-9 Can any heathen god raise up one in righteousness, make what use of him he pleases, and make him victorious over the nations? The Lord did so with Abraham, or rather, he would do so with Cyrus. Sinners encourage one another in the ways of sin; shall not the servants of the living God stir up one another in his service? God's people are the seed of Abraham his friend. This is certainly the highest title ever given to a mortal. It means that Abraham, by Divine grace, was made like to God, and that he was admitted to communion with Him. Happy are the servants of the Lord, whom he has called to be his friends, and to walk with him in faith and holy obedience. Let not such as have thus been favoured yield to fear; for the contest may be sharp, but the victory shall be sure.

Verses 10-20 God speaks with tenderness; Fear thou not, for I am with thee: not only within call, but present with thee. Art thou weak? I will strengthen thee. Art thou in want of friends? I will help thee in the time of need. Art thou ready to fall? I will uphold thee with that right hand which is full of righteousness, dealing forth rewards and punishments. There are those that strive with God's people, that seek their ruin. Let not God's people render evil for evil, but wait God's time. It is the worm Jacob; so little, so weak, so despised and trampled on by every body. God's people are as worms, in humble thoughts of themselves, and in their enemies' haughty thoughts of them; worms, but not vipers, not of the serpent's seed. Every part of God's word is calculated to humble man's pride, and to make him appear little in his own eyes. The Lord will help them, for he is their Redeemer. The Lord will make Jacob to become a threshing instrument. God will make him fit for use, new, and having sharp spikes. This has fulfilment in the triumphs of the gospel of Christ, and of all faithful followers of Christ, over the power of darkness. God has provided comforts to supply all their wants, and to answer all their prayers. Our way to heaven lies through the wilderness of this world. The soul of man is in want, and seeks for satisfaction; but becomes weary of seeking that in the world, which is not to be had in it. Yet they shall have a constant supply, where one would least expect it. I will open rivers of grace, rivers of living water, which Christ spake of the Spirit, ( john 7:38 john 7:39 ) . When God sets up his church in the Gentile wilderness, there shall be a great change, as if thorns and briers were turned into cedars, and fir-trees, and myrtles. These blessings are kept for the poor in spirit, who long for Divine enlightening, pardon, and holiness. And God will render their barren souls fruitful in the grace of his Spirit, that all who behold may consider it.

Verses 21-29 There needs no more to show the folly of sin, than to bring to notice the reasons given in defence of it. There is nothing in idols worthy of regard. They are less than nothing, and worse than nothing. Let the advocates of other doctrines than that of salvation through Christ, bring their arguments. Can they tell of a cure for human depravity? Jehovah has power which cannot be withstood; this he will make appear. But the certain knowledge of the future must be only with Jehovah, who fulfils his own plans. All prophecies, except those of the Bible, have been uncertain. In the work of redemption the Lord showed himself much more than in the release of the Jews from Babylon. The good tidings the Lord will send in the gospel, is a mystery hid from ages and generations. A Deliverer is raised up for us, of nobler name and greater power than the deliverer of the captive Jews. May we be numbered among his obedient servants and faithful friends.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 41

This chapter contains a summons to the enemies of Christ to come and try the cause between God and them before him; words of comfort to true believers, promising them help, protection, and provision; full conviction of idolaters, and their practices; and is closed with a promise of some great person, and what he will do unto them, and for the people of God. The summons is in Isa 41:1, expressed according to the forms used in courts of judicature. The issue of the controversy is put upon this foot, the raising up a certain person from the east, who it was that did it, which appearing to be the work of the Lord, proves the point contended about, Isa 41:2-4, the obstinate persistence of idolaters in their idolatry, notwithstanding this is observed, Isa 41:5-7, the people of God, under the names of Jacob and Israel, the objects of God's choice and affection, Isa 41:8,9 are encouraged against the fear of men, with promises of help and strength from the Lord, Isa 41:10,13,14 of confusion to their enemies, and victory over them, Isa 41:11,12,15,16, and of spiritual provisions, and great prosperity in their wilderness state, in which they should manifestly see the hand of the Lord, Isa 41:17-20 when the idolatrous nations are challenged to produce their strong reasons for their idolatry, and are put upon proving that their idols can foretell things to come, or do good or evil to men, or own they are nothing but an abomination, Isa 41:21-24,26 and then one is spoken of that should come as a mighty warrior, and tread down the Pagan princes, and a set of Gospel ministers should be sent, bringing good tidings to Zion, to the silencing of idolaters, and the cessation of idolatrous worship, Isa 41:25,27,28.