以賽亞對各國的宣判長達十一章之後，他的重點就改變了，預言中說到審判之日來臨的時候，全地都在審判的籠罩之下，百姓在恐怖中戰慄驚懼得無以復加，但蒙主救贖的人卻歡然迎接那日的到臨，唱詩讚美上帝的救恩，說：「看哪，這是我們的上帝，我們素來等候祂，祂必拯救我們，這是耶和華，我們素來等候祂，我們必因祂的救恩歡喜快樂」（25：9），當審判席捲全地的時候，以色列卻享有平安與富庶的喜樂！

        在一個雷電交加的夜裡，一個母親輕輕的走上樓到小兒子的房間，她想孩子一定嚇壞了，需要媽媽的安慰吧！不料看見兒子跪在床邊正和上帝說著話呢──不但毫無畏色，而且還十分興奮的樣子，每當閃電照亮天邊的時候，母親就聽到兒子的歡呼，說：「好好看呀！再來一次，主啊，再來一次！」
        在上帝預言「閃電的審判」臨到以色列及鄰近諸國的時候，以賽亞立刻打住讚美上帝翻覆惡人的聲明（「主啊，再來一次！」），以賽亞深知：如果忽略了國家是個人的組合，那麼談論審判全國的罪變得毫無意義了！因為若要有聖潔的國，必須先有聖潔的百姓。
        今天多用一點時間來思想以賽亞書二十六章，以賽亞讚美上帝大能的詩歌提到：「要刑罰地上居民的罪孽」（26：21）；讀這段經文的時候，若你感到心有戚戚焉，大概是上帝要對你說話吧！

        那日
        以賽亞書二十四到二十七章一般稱之為「以賽亞的啟示」，因為這段經文和新約的啟示錄有異曲同工之妙。以賽亞提到預言時都會用到「那日」二字，在以賽亞全書中一共提了二十六次，在今天的經文裡，你可以找到幾個？把它圈出來。（提示：從二十六、二十七章的第一節開始吧！）

你無法擁有聖潔的國家，除非先有聖潔的百姓。

English

        After 11 chapters of pronouncements upon specific nations, Isaiah's focus changes. There is coming a day when the entire earth will reel in judgment, its inhabitants quaking in terror and dismay. But die redeemed of the Lord will welcome that day and sing hymns of praise to the God of their salvation. "Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation" (25:9). While the nations of the world writhe in judgment, Israel enjoys the benefits of peace and prosperity.

        During a violent thunderstorm, a mother tiptoed upstairs to her young son's bedroom, assuming he would need comfort from his fears. She found him kneeling by his bed talking to God—not in fear but in excitement. With each new flash of lightning, the mother heard her son exclaim, "Do it again, God! Do it again!"
        In the midst of God's prophecy of a "thunderstorm of judgment" upon Israel and the surrounding nations, Isaiah pauses to praise God for His promise to overthrow the wicked ("Do it again, God!"). Isaiah knew it was meaningless to speak of judgment for sin on a national scale if you ignore the corollary that nations are made up of individuals, for to have a holy country, you must first have holy citizens.
        Spend a few extra minutes today pondering chapter 26, Isaiah's hymn of praise for God's power "to punish the inhabitants of the earth for their iniquity" (26:21). And if you feel an uncomfortable pinching sensation as you read, maybe God is trying to speak to you!

        There's Coming a Day
        Chapters 24-27 have been called "Isaiah's Apocalypse" because of the similarity of these chapters to the New Testament Book of Revelation. One way Isaiah indicates he is prophesying is by using the phrase "in that day." It occurs 26 times in the book as a whole; how many times can you find it in today's section?

You cannot have a holy country until you first have holy citizens.