“站起来吧，用你从幼年劳神施行的符咒，和你许多的邪术，或者可得益处，或者可得强胜。” - 赛47:12
据说今天仍然有巫术流行，不仅在世界的偏远地区，甚至在西方世界的城市，在受过良好教育的人中间，巫术仍然存在，这一现象可能会令人惊讶。有些资料甚至说这些巫术行为实际上有增无减。
在以赛亚时代的古巴比伦充满了巫术。许多人把巴比伦的崛起归功于巫术。但神向以赛亚表明，巴比伦必要灭亡，而且它确实灭亡了——无论怎样的巫术都无法拯救它。
在这段经文中，主透过以赛亚揭露了巫术的荒唐。它没有能力战胜真神。巴比伦的衰落不是因为缺乏巫术或看错了星象。而是因为它对操纵自然和超自然能力的所有追求都源于自私自利，这只会导致毁灭。
现代魔法或巫术也不例外。它忽略了全局。即使它看到了神所拟定的全局，也无力去实现或阻止它实现。
不要被当代巫师的许诺和他们的手段所迷惑。所有真正的、终极的善都掌握在神的手中。
祷告
我主我神，求你用你真正的良善保护和坚固我们。尽管我们周围可能有奇特而强大的力量在运作，但请帮助我们永远信靠你的权能。阿们。
以赛亚书 47:8-15
8“你这专好宴乐，安然居住的，现在当听这话！你心中说：‘唯有我，除我以外再没有别的。我必不致寡居，也不遭丧子之事。’
9哪知，丧子、寡居这两件事在一日转眼之间必临到你，正在你多行邪术、广施符咒的时候，这两件事必全然临到你身上。
10“你素来倚仗自己的恶行，说：‘无人看见我。’你的智慧、聪明使你偏邪，并且你心里说：‘唯有我，除我以外再没有别的。’
11“因此，祸患要临到你身，你不知何时发现；灾害落在你身上，你也不能除掉；所不知道的毁灭，也必忽然临到你身。
12“站起来吧！用你从幼年劳神施行的符咒和你许多的邪术，或者可得益处，或者可得强盛。
13你筹划太多以致疲倦，让那些观天象的、看星宿的、在月朔说预言的都站起来，救你脱离所要临到你的事！
14他们要像碎秸被火焚烧，不能救自己脱离火焰之力，这火并非可烤的炭火，也不是可以坐在其前的火。
15你所劳神的事都要这样与你无益，从幼年与你贸易的也都各奔各乡，无人救你。
Sorcery
"Keep on, then, with your magic spells and with your many sorceries. . . . Perhaps you will succeed, perhaps you will cause terror." - Isaiah 47:12
It may be surprising to hear that sorcery is still practiced today, not just in remote parts of the world but even in towns and cities in the Western world, and among well-educated people. Some sources say it’s actually on the rise.
Ancient Babylon was full of sorcery in Isaiah’s time. And many people credited sorcery for the rise of Babylon. But God showed Isaiah that Babylon would fall, and it did—and no amount of sorcery could save it.
Through Isaiah, the Lord mocks sorcery in this passage. It has no power over the true God. Babylon’s downfall came not from a lack of sorcery or misreading the stars. Babylon fell because all its attention to manipulating natural and supernatural forces came down to selfishness, which leads only to ruin.
Modern sorcery or witchcraft is no different. It misses the big picture. And even if it saw the big picture, it would be powerless to bring it about or stop it.
Don’t fall prey to the promises of today’s sorcerers and their crafts. In the end all true good is in the hands of God.
Prayer
Lord and God, protect and strengthen us with your true goodness. Though strange and powerful forces may be at work around us, help us always to trust in you. Amen.
