Yǐsaìyàshū 44

1 Wǒde púrén Yǎgè , wǒ suǒ jiǎnxuǎn de Yǐsèliè a , xiànzaì nǐ dāng tīng .

2 Zào zuò nǐ , yòu cóng nǐ chū tāi zào jiù nǐ , bìng yào bāngzhu nǐde Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , wǒde púrén Yǎgè , wǒ suǒ jiǎnxuǎn de yé shū lún nǎ , búyào haìpà .

3 Yīnwei wǒ yào jiāng shuǐ jiāo guàn kǒu kĕ de rén , jiāng hé jiāo guàn gān hàn zhī dì . wǒ yào jiāng wǒde líng jiāo guàn nǐde hòuyì , jiāng wǒde fú jiāo guàn nǐde zǐsūn .

4 Tāmen yào fāshēng zaì cǎo zhōng , xiàng xī shuǐ páng de liǔ shù .

5 Zhège yào shuō , wǒ shì shǔ Yēhéhuá de . nàge yào yǐ Yǎgè de míng zìchēng . yòu yī ge yào qīn shǒu xiĕ guī Yēhéhuá de ( huò zuò zaì shǒu shang xiĕ guī Yēhéhuá ) bìng zìchēng wèi Yǐsèliè .

6 Yēhéhuá Yǐsèliè de jūn , Yǐsèliè de jiùshú zhǔ wàn jūn zhī Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , wǒ shì shǒuxiān de , wǒ shì mòhòu de , chú wǒ yǐwaì , zaì méiyǒu zhēn shén .

7 Zì cóng wǒ shèlì gǔ shí de mín , shuí néng xiàng wǒ xuāngào , bìngqiĕ zhǐ míng , yòu wèi zìjǐ chénshuō ne . ràng tā jiāng wèi lái de shì , hé bì chéng de shì shuō míng .

8 Nǐmen búyào kǒngjù , yĕ búyào haìpà . wǒ qǐbù shì cóng shànggǔ jiù zhǐshì shuō míng nǐmen ma , bìngqiĕ nǐmen shì wǒde jiànzhèng , chú wǒ yǐwaì , qǐ yǒu zhēn shén ma , chéngrán méiyǒu pánshí , wǒ bù zhīdào yī ge .

9 Zhìzào diāokè ǒuxiàng de , jǐn dōu xū kōng . tāmen suǒ xǐyuè de , dōu wúyì chù . tāmende jiànzhèng , wú suǒ kànjian , wú suǒ zhī xiǎo , tāmen biàn jué xiūkuì .

10 Shuí zhìzào shénxiàng , zhùzào wúyì de ǒuxiàng .

11 Kàn nǎ , tāmende tóngbàn dōu bì xiūkuì , gōng jiàng yĕ bú guo shì rén . rèn tāmen jùhuì , rèn tāmen zhàn lì , dōu bì jùpà , yītóng xiūkuì .

12 Tiĕ jiàng bǎ tiĕ zaì huǒ tàn zhōng shāo rè , yòng chuí dá tiĕ qì , yòng tā yǒulì de bì páng chuí chéng . tā jīè ér wúlì , bù hē shuǐ ér fā juàn .

13 Mùjiang lá xiàn , yòng bǐ huá chū yàngzi . yòng paó zǐ bào chéngxíng zhuàng , yòng yuán chĕ huá le mú yàng , fǎng zhào rén de tǐ taì , zuò chéng rén xíng , hǎo zhù zaì fángwū zhōng .

14 Tā kǎn fá xiāng bó shù , yòu qǔ zuò ( huò zuò qīng tóng ) shù hé xiàngshù , zaì shùlín zhōng xuǎn déng le yī kē . tā zāizhòng sōng shù dé yǔ cháng yǎng ,

15 Zhè shù , rén kĕ yòng yǐ shāo huǒ , tā zìjǐ qǔ xiē kǎohuǒ , yòu shāo zhe kǎo bǐng . érqiĕ zuò shénxiàng guìbaì , zuò diāokè de ǒuxiàng xiàng tā kòu baì .

16 Tā bǎ yī fèn shāo zaì huǒ zhōng , bǎ yī fèn kǎo ròu chī bǎo . zìjǐ kǎohuǒ shuō , a hǎ , wǒ nuǎnhuo le , wǒ jiàn huǒ le .

17 Tā yòng shèngxia de zuò le yī shén , jiù shì diāokè de ǒuxiàng , tā xiàng zhè ǒuxiàng fǔfú kòu baì , dǎogào tā shuō , qiú nǐ zhĕngjiù wǒ , yīn nǐ shì wǒde shén .

18 Tāmen bù zhīdào , yĕ bù sīxiǎng , yīnwei Yēhéhuá bì zhù tāmende yǎn bùnéng kànjian , sè zhù tāmende xīn bùnéng míngbai .

19 Shuí xīnli yĕ bù xǐngwù , yĕ méiyǒu zhīshi , méiyǒu cōngming , néng shuō , wǒ céng ná yī fēn zaì huǒ zhōng shāo le , zaì tàn shang kǎo guo bǐng , wǒ yĕ kǎo guo ròu chī , zhè shèngxia de , wǒ qǐ yào zuò kĕ zēng de wù ma . wǒ qǐ kĕ xiàng mù dūn zǐ kòu baì ne .

20 Tā yǐ huī wèi shí , xīn zhōng hūn mí , shǐ tā piān xié , tā bùnéng zì jiù , yĕ bùnéng shuō , wǒ yòushǒu zhōng qǐbù shì yǒu xū huǎng ma .

21 Yǎgè Yǐsèliè a , nǐ shì wǒde púrén , yào jìniàn zhèxie shì . Yǐsèliè a , nǐ shì wǒde púrén , wǒ zào jiù nǐ bì bù wàngjì nǐ .

22 Wǒ túmǒ le nǐde guo fàn , xiàng hòu yún xiāo sǎn . wǒ túmǒ le nǐde zuìè , rú bó yún miè mò . nǐ dāng guī xiàng wǒ , yīn wǒ jiùshú le nǐ .

23 Zhū tiān nǎ , yīngdāng gē chàng , yīnwei Yēhéhuá zuò chéng zhè shì . dì de shēn chù a , yīngdāng huānhū , zhòng shān yīngdāng fā shēng gē chàng , shùlín hé qízhōng suǒyǒude shù , dōu dāng rúcǐ , yīnwei Yēhéhuá jiùshú le Yǎgè , bìng yào yīn Yǐsèliè róngyào zìjǐ .

24 Cóng nǐ chū tāi , zào jiù nǐde jiùshú zhǔ Yēhéhuá rúcǐ shuō , wǒ Yēhéhuá shì chuàngzào wànwù de , shì dúzì pū zhāng zhū tiān , pū kāi dàdì de . ( shuí yǔ wǒ tóng zaì ne )

25 Shǐ shuō jiǎ huà de zhào tóu shī xiào , shǐ zhān bo de diān kuáng , shǐ zhìhuì rén tuì hòu , shǐ tāde zhīshi biàn wèi yúzhuō .

26 Shǐ wǒ púrén de huà yǔ lìdéng , wǒ shǐzhĕ de móu suàn chéngjiù . lún dào Yēlùsǎlĕng shuō , bì yǒu rén jūzhù . lún dào Yóudà de chéngyì shuō , bì beì jiànzào . qízhōng de huāng cháng wǒ yĕ bì xīngqǐ .

27 Duì shēn yuān shuō , nǐ gān le ba . wǒ yĕ yào shǐ nǐde jiāng hé gān hé .

28 Lún Gǔliè shuō , tā shì wǒde mùrén , bì chéngjiù wǒ suǒ xǐyuè de , bì xià líng jiànzào Yēlùsǎlĕng , fā líng lì wĕn shèng diàn de gēnjī .

Yǐsaìyàshū 44 Commentary

Chapter 44

Here are promises of the influences of the Holy Spirit. (1-8) An exposure of the folly of idolatry. (9-20) Also the deliverance of God's people. (21-28)

Verses 1-8 Israel is here called Jeshurun, which means "the upright one." Such only are Israelites indeed, in whom is no guile. Those that serve God he will own. He will help them over difficulties, and in their services. Water is the emblem of the Holy Spirit; as water refreshes, cleanses, and makes the earth fruitful, so do his influences the soul. This gift of the Holy Ghost is the great blessing, the plentiful pouring out of which God kept for the latter days. Where God gives his Spirit, he will give all other blessings. Hereby shall be a great increase of the church; thus it shall be spread to distant places. Was there any other Rock, or Protector, that could defend them? None besides could foretell these things to come, of which God by his prophets gave notice. All was set in order in the Divine predictions, as well as in the Divine purposes. Could any other have done so? Who can compare with Israel's Redeemer and King?

Verses 9-20 Image-making is described, to expose the folly of idolaters. Though a man had used part of a log for fuel, he fell down before an image made of the remainder, praying it to deliver him. Man greatly dishonours God, when he represents him after the image of man. Satan blinds the eyes of unbelievers, causing absurd reasonings in matters of religion. Whether men seek happiness in worldly things, or run into unbelief, superstition, or any false system, they feed on ashes. A heart deceived by pride, love of sin, and departure from God, turns men aside from his holy truth and worship. While the affections are depraved, a man holds fast the lie as his best treasure. Are our hearts set upon the wealth of the world and its pleasures? They will certainly prove a lie. If we trust to outward professions and doings, as if those would save us, we deceive ourselves. Self-suspicion is the first step towards self-deliverance. He that would deliver his soul, must question his conscience, Is there not a lie in my right hand?

Verses 21-28 Return unto me. It is the great concern of those who have backslidden from God, like the Jews of old, to hasten their return to him. The work of redemption wrought for us by Christ, encourages to hope for all blessings from him. Our transgressions and our sins are as a thick cloud between heaven and earth: sins separate between us and God; they threaten a storm of wrath. When God pardons sin, he blots out, he dispels this cloud, this thick cloud, so that the way to heaven is open again. The cloud is scattered by the Sun of righteousness; it is quite gone. The comforts that flow into the soul when sin is pardoned, are like clear shining after clouds and rain. Let not Israel be discouraged; nothing is too hard for God: having made all, he can make what use he pleases of any. Those that learn to know Christ, see all knowledge to be foolishness, in comparison with the knowledge of him. And his enemies will find their counsels turned into foolishness, and themselves taken in their craftiness. The exact fulfilling the prophecies of Scripture confirms the truth of the whole, and proves its Divine origin. The particular favours God designed for his people in captivity, were foretold here, long before they went into captivity. Very great difficulties would be in the way of their deliverance; but it is promised that by Divine power they should all be removed. God knew who should be the Deliverer of his people; and let his church know it, that when they heard such a name talked of, they might know their redemption drew nigh. It is the greatest honour of the greatest men, to be employed as instruments of the Divine favour to his people. In things wherein men serve themselves, and look no further, God makes them do all his pleasure. And a nobler Shepherd than Cyrus does his Father's will, till his work is fully completed.

Chapter Summary

INTRODUCTION TO ISAIAH 44

In this chapter the Lord comforts his people with the promise of the effusion of his Spirit, and the blessings of his grace upon them; the consequence of which would be fruitfulness in them, and the conversion of others, who should profess themselves the Lord's people, Isa 44:1-5, he proves his deity in opposition to all false gods from his eternity, omniscience, and foretelling future events, Isa 44:6-8, exposes the stupidity of idol makers and the worshippers of them, Isa 44:9-20, makes gracious promises of the remembrance of his people, the remission of their sins, and their redemption by Christ, Isa 44:21-23, of which redemption from Babylon was a type; and of that assurance is given, from the Lord's creating all things by his power; from his frustrating and infatuating diviners and wise men; from his fulfilling his predictions delivered by his prophets; and from his mentioning by name the instrument of their redemption, Cyrus, Isa 44:24-28, which makes way for a particular prophecy concerning him in the next chapter.