在錫安有火有爐的神(賽31章)

他的磐石、必因驚嚇挪去、他的首領、必因大旗驚惶．這是那有火在錫安、有爐在耶路撒冷的耶和華說的。(賽 31：9)

信主久了，常常會有靈性麻痺的現象，忘記我們有神。

今年(2026.5.13-16)前往頭份教會協助事工，會後有兩位慕道者留下來接受陪談。其中一位女士就說：「我是浸信會的信徒，搬來頭份地區，想找教會聚會。每天早上運動走過這裡，看到招牌『真耶穌教會』，覺得很刺眼。『難道我的是假的？只有你們是真的？』我心中很不服氣。天天經過，天天看，很不服。有一天晚上禱告，我跟神求說我真的好久沒聚會了，求祢帶我到真的有祢的教會。我有找到我家附近的召會。但是他們聚會都不講道，就只是有人說話後就『阿們！阿們！』的，常常被嚇到，也很不舒服。上週星期三晚上不自覺走進這裡，想說聽聽看，人家說自己『真』，搞不好有甚麼特別的地方。結果傳道一上台，都引用聖經，講的東西我都能接受，比我以前走過的教會都好太多了。我以為只有他這樣，今天聽到你講的，每一句話都進入我的心，我感動到很想哭。」

這幾天的講道，她們真的天天報到，她們說這裡的真理才是真的。

當選民遇到強敵壓迫時，想到的不是依靠神，竟是遙遠的埃及，惹動神的憤怒。神感動先知以賽亞說：

「禍哉、那些下埃及求幫助的、是因仗賴馬匹、倚靠甚多的車輛、並倚靠強壯的馬兵、卻不仰望以色列的聖者、也不求問耶和華。其實耶和華有智慧．他必降災禍、並不反悔自己的話、卻要興起攻擊那作惡之家、又攻擊那作孽幫助人的。埃及人不過是人、並不是　神．他們的馬不過是血肉、並不是靈．耶和華一伸手、那幫助人的必絆跌、那受幫助的也必跌倒、都一同滅亡。」(賽 31：1-3)

這是在指責選民不知道自己是「選民」，是被神所保護的。神有智慧、神有能力，而且是專愛你的神，當我們遇到逆境時，怎麼會忘記自己「神同在」的權益呢？於是神說：「以色列人哪、你們深深的悖逆耶和華、現今要歸向他。到那日各人必將他金偶像、銀偶像、就是親手所造陷自己在罪中的、都拋棄了。亞述人必倒在刀下、並非人的刀．有刀要將他吞滅、並非人的刀．他必逃避這刀．他的少年人、必成為服苦的。他的磐石、必因驚嚇挪去、他的首領、必因大旗驚惶．」這是那有火在錫安、有爐在耶路撒冷的耶和華說的。(賽 31：6-9)

神自稱為在錫安、耶路撒冷城，有爐、有火，也就是要那些忘記神的選民想一想：哪裡會有敬拜耶和華真神燒著香的金香爐？不是只有這裡有嗎？你們不就是在這金香爐上向耶和華真神燒香嗎？怎麼會忘記自己拜的是誰呢？

神這樣說，也是在提醒我們：要知道這裡有神，若一時軟弱，也要看一看教會中、個人身上「神同在的證據」，對當時而言就是有火、有爐，對今日而言就是神在我們身上的見證，以及真教會中獨有的真理，與聖靈。

信到迷糊了嗎？聽膩了真教會的全備真理嗎？想一想自己身上耶和華真神的火、與爐，也想一想真教會中的真理、與聖靈。

雀鳥怎樣搧翅覆雛、萬軍之耶和華也要照樣保護耶路撒冷、他必保護拯救、要越門保守。(賽 31：5)

By Isaiah Kao

The God Who Has a Fire and a Furnace in Zion (Isaiah 31)

May 23, 2026

“His rock will pass away because of panic,

And his princes will be terrified at the standard,”

Declares the LORD, whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 31:9, NASB2020)

After believing in God for a long time, people can gradually become spiritually numb and forget that we have God.

This year (2026.5.13–16), I went to assist ministry work at the Toufen church. After the service, two truth seekers stayed behind for companion talk. One lady said:

“I am a Baptist believer. After moving to the Toufen area, I wanted to find a church to attend. Every morning while exercising, I passed by here and saw the sign ‘True Jesus Church.’ It felt very offensive to me. I thought, ‘Is mine fake? Are you the only true one?’ I was very unconvinced inside.Every day I passed by, and every day I felt upset. One night during prayer, I asked God, ‘I really have not attended service for a long time. Please lead me to a church that truly has You.’

I found a Local Church near my home. But during their gatherings there was no preaching. Someone would just speak, and then everyone responded, ‘Amen! Amen!’ I was often startled and felt uncomfortable.

Last Wednesday evening, I unconsciously walked in here. I thought, since they call themselves ‘true,’ maybe there is something special here. As a result, once the preacher went up to the pulpit, everything he said was based on the Bible. I could accept everything he spoke. It was far better than any church I had visited before.

I thought only he was like that, but today when I heard your sermon, every sentence entered my heart. I was so moved that I wanted to cry.”

During those few days of sermons, they attended every day. They said the truth here is the real truth.

When the chosen people were oppressed by strong enemies, instead of relying on God, they thought about distant Egypt, provoking God’s anger. So God moved the prophet Isaiah to say:

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help

And rely on horses,

And trust in chariots because they are many

And in horsemen because they are very strong,

But they do not look to the Holy One of Israel, nor seek the LORD!

Yet He also is wise and will bring disaster

And does not retract His words,

But will arise against the house of evildoers

And against the help of the workers of injustice.

Now the Egyptians are mere men and not God,

And their horses are flesh and not spirit;

So the LORD will stretch out His hand,

And he who helps will stumble

And he who is helped will fall,

And all of them will come to an end together.” (Isaiah 31:1–3, NASB2020)

This rebuked the chosen people because they did not realize that they were “chosen people,” protected by God. God has wisdom, God has power, and He is the God who especially loves you. When we encounter adversity, how can we forget the privilege of “God with us”?

Therefore God said:

“Return to Him from whom you have deeply defected, sons of Israel.

For in that day every person will reject his silver idols and his gold idols, which your hands have made for you as a sin.

And the Assyrian will fall by a sword not of man,

And a sword not of man will devour him.

So he will not escape the sword,

And his young men will become forced laborers.

His rock will pass away because of panic,

And his princes will be terrified at the standard,”

Declares the LORD, whose fire is in Zion and whose furnace is in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 31:6–9, NASB2020)

God described Himself as the One who has a fire and a furnace in Zion and Jerusalem. He wanted those chosen people who had forgotten God to think carefully: Where was the golden altar of incense that burned incense in worship to Jehovah God? Was it not only here? Were you not the very people offering incense to Jehovah God upon this golden altar? How then could you forget whom you worship?

By saying this, God also reminds us to know that God is here. Even if we become weak for a moment, we should look again at the evidence of “God with us” in the church and in our personal lives. At that time, the evidence was the fire and the furnace. Today, it is the testimonies of God’s presence in our lives, as well as the truth and the Holy Spirit uniquely found in the true church.

Have you become spiritually confused in your faith? Have you grown tired of hearing the complete truth in the True Jesus Church? Then think again about the fire and the furnace of Jehovah God in your life, and also think again about the truth and the Holy Spirit in the true church.

“Like flying birds so the LORD of armies will protect Jerusalem.

He will protect and save it;

He will pass over and rescue it.” (Isaiah 31:5, NASB2020)

By Isaiah Kao