My Facebook friends often post endearing videos of unlikely animal friendships, such as a recent video I watched of an inseparable pup and pig, another of a deer and cat, and yet another of an orangutan mothering several tiger cubs.

社群网站上的朋友时常上传一些可爱的视频，纪录动物之间不寻常的友谊。最近我看到的视频有相亲相爱的小狗和小猪、小鹿和小猫，还看到猩猩乳养了几只小老虎。

When I view such heartwarmingly unusual friendships, it reminds me of the description of the garden of Eden. In this setting, Adam and Eve lived in harmony with God and each other. And because God gave them plants for food, I imagine even the animals lived peacefully together (Genesis 1:30). But this idyllic scene was disrupted when Adam and Eve sinned (3:21–23). Now in both human relationships and the creation, we see constant struggle and conflict.

当我看到这些温馨、不寻常的友谊时，就联想到伊甸园的情景。当时，亚当与夏娃其乐融融，并与上帝和谐共处。上帝赐给他们蔬果作食物，我想，那时连动物也能和平共处（创世记1章30节） 。但亚当和夏娃犯了罪，破坏了这美好的景象（3章21-23节） 。如今，无论是人与人或人与受造物之间，总是看到不断的冲突和斗争。

Yet the prophet Isaiah reassures us that one day, “The wolf will live with the lamb, the leopard will lie down with the goat, the calf and the lion and the yearling together” (11:6). Many interpret that future day as when Jesus comes again to reign. When He returns, there will be no more divisions and “no more death . . . or pain, for the old order of things has passed away” (Revelation 21:4). On that renewed earth, creation will be restored to its former harmony and people of every tribe, nation, and language will join together to worship God (7:9–10; 22:1–5).

但先知以赛亚让我们确信，有一天，“豺狼必与绵羊羔同居，豹子与山羊羔同卧；少壮狮子与牛犊并肥畜同群”（以赛亚书11章6节）。许多解经家认为，那是耶稣再临的日子。当祂再来时，不再有纷争，“不再有死亡……疼痛，因为以前的事都过去了”（启示录21章4节） 。在新天新地里，一切受造之物将恢复昔日的平静祥和，来自各国、各族、各方的万民将齐来敬拜上帝（7章9-10节，22章1-5节） 。

Until then, God can help us to restore broken relationships and to develop new, unlikely friendships.

到那时，上帝会帮助我们修复破碎的关系，并建立新的、不可能的友谊。

Lord, help us to seek out those who are hurting 

and try to be friends with them. 

Lord, as we do, enable us share the gospel with them 

and give them hope and peace.

Isaiah 11:1-10 New International Version (NIV)

11 A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse;

    from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.
2 The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him—
    the Spirit of wisdom and of understanding,
    the Spirit of counsel and of might,
    the Spirit of the knowledge and fear of the Lord—
3 and he will delight in the fear of the Lord.

He will not judge by what he sees with his eyes,
    or decide by what he hears with his ears;
4 but with righteousness he will judge the needy,
    with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth.
He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth;
    with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked.
5 Righteousness will be his belt
    and faithfulness the sash around his waist.

6 The wolf will live with the lamb,
    the leopard will lie down with the goat,
the calf and the lion and the yearling together;
    and a little child will lead them.
7 The cow will feed with the bear,
    their young will lie down together,
    and the lion will eat straw like the ox.
8 The infant will play near the cobra’s den,
    and the young child will put its hand into the viper’s nest.
9 They will neither harm nor destroy
    on all my holy mountain,
for the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the Lord
    as the waters cover the sea.

10 

In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.

INSIGHT

Do you long for a day when animals will no longer prey on one another and people will not be bullied? In the days of Isaiah, Assyria was the “Goliath” that made Jewish hearts melt in fear. The prophet Isaiah foresaw a future time when the Messiah will rule and man and beast will live in peace (Isaiah 2:1–4; 11:6–9).

灵粮透视

你是否期盼有一天，动物不再相互残杀，人类也不再被欺凌？在以赛亚的时候，亚述国是让犹太人心生惧怕的“歌利亚”。但先知以赛亚预言，将来弥赛亚要掌权作王，那时，人与兽将会和平共处（以赛亚书2章1-4节，11章6-9节）。

整理：于姊妹