“As Christians Christ Has Commissioned Us to Prepare the Way of His Return 作為基督徒基督已差遣我們預備祂再來的道路“(Isaiah以賽亞書40:3-5)
A voice of one calling: ‘In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain. And the glory of the Lord will be revealed, and all people will see it together. For the mouth of the Lord has spoken.’
有聲音呼喊說:“你們要在曠野清理耶和華的路,在沙漠修直我們神的大道。一切深谷都要填滿,一切山岡都要削平;險峻的要改為平地,崎嶇的要改為平原。耶和華的榮耀必要顯現,所有的人都必一同看見,因為這是耶和華親口說的。”
The Holy Spirit led Zacharias to speak of his new-born son, John the Baptist, and his place in God’s great plan in the second part of Zacharias’ song which is often called ‘the Benedictus.’ Zacharias should know this Isaiah’s prophecy speaking for his son, the LORD’s messenger, who cries out in the wilderness and through his message of repentance prepares the way of Jesus who was the coming Messiah and King. The glory of the LORD is not revealed only to Jerusalem or Judah, but to every prepared heart. The certainty of this word is assured because the mouth of the LORD has spoken.
聖靈引領撒迦利亞在他通常被稱為「迎主頌」之詩歌的第二部分裡,談到他初生的兒子施洗約翰和他在神偉大的計劃中的位置。撒迦利亞理應曉得這以賽亞的預言,為他的兒子(耶和華的信使)說話,他在曠野呼喊,並透過他叫人悔改的信息,預備那來臨的彌賽亞君王的道路。耶和華的榮耀不單只對耶路撒冷或猶大被啟示出來,而且也對每個已預備了的心靈。這話的肯定性得著保証,因為這是耶和華親口說的。
Prayer: Sovereign God, we often fail to appreciate how important Christ’s Great Commission for us to prepare the way of His second coming is just like the preparing work of John the Baptist for His first coming. Any great work of you begins with great preparation. Thank you that John had wonderfully fulfilled this important ministry. May we take courage to follow his feet to fulfil the Great Commission entrusted to us. Amen.
禱告: 至高無上的神啊,我們往往失誤於意識到基督給我們的大使命,去預備祂第二次來臨的道路是何等重要的,就如施洗約翰為祂第一次來臨的預備工作一樣重要。你任何偉大的工作,都以偉大的預備作開始。感謝你約翰已奇妙地成就了這重要的事工,願我們剛強壯膽,跟從他的腳踪,完成託付給我們的大使命。阿們。