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耶利米书生命读经 · 第37篇

巴比伦－人类政权的开始与结束

Babylon—The Beginning and the Ending of Human Government
1读经：耶利米书五十至五十一章。在本篇信息中，我要进一步简短的说到巴比伦。
1Scripture Reading: Jer. 50—51 In this message I would like to give a brief further word concerning Babylon
耶利米所写开始于埃及并结束于巴比伦的列国
JEREMIAH'S WRITING CONCERNING THE NATIONS BEGINNING WITH EGYPT AND ENDING WITH BABYLON
2耶利米写过神的选民以色列以后，用六章写到与以色列有关的列国。他所写的这些国，开始于埃及，结束于巴比伦。我们看过，埃及豫表谋生与享受的世界。现在我们需要看见，巴比伦不仅是人类政权的结束，也是开始。
2After writing concerning Israel, God's chosen people, Jeremiah wrote six chapters concerning the nations involved with Israel. His writing concerning these nations begins with Egypt and ends with Babylon. As we have seen, Egypt typifies the world of making a living and of enjoyment. Now we need to see that Babylon is not only the end but also the beginning of human government
巴比伦是地上
BABYLON BEING THE ENTIRE
整个人类的政权
HUMAN GOVERNMENT ON EARTH
3但以理二章的大人像，代表地上人类政权的总和，开始于巴别，结束于罗马帝国。那人像的头是巴比伦，脚和脚指头是罗马帝国。但在神眼中，整个像就是巴比伦。
3The great human image in Daniel 2 represents the totality of human government on earth, which began at Babel and ends with the Roman Empire. The head of that human image is Babylon, and the feet and the toes are the Roman Empire. But in God'se yes the entire image is Babylon
4照著历史的领会，大像的四部分代表四个帝国－巴比伦、玛代波斯、马其顿希腊、以及罗马－但在神看来，所有这些帝国都是巴比伦。像的头既是巴比伦，整个像从头到脚指头就都是巴比伦。因此，在神眼中，人类在地上整个的政权都是巴比伦。
4According to the historical understanding, the four parts of the great image represent four empires— Babylon, Medo-Persia, Macedonia-Greece, and Rome—but in the sight of God all these empires are Babylon. Since the head of the image is Babylon, the entire image from the head to the toes must be Babylon. Thus, in the eyes of God, the entire human government of the human race on earth is Babylon
大巴比伦的两面
THE TWO ASPECTS OF BABYLON THE GREAT
5在启示录里，复兴的罗马帝国称为大巴比伦。（十四8，十六19，十七5，十八2。）大巴比伦有两面－政治的一面（十八）和宗教的一面。（十七。）
5In Revelation the restored Roman Empire is called Babylon the Great (Rev. 14:8; 16:19; 17:5; 18:2). Babylon the Great has two aspects—a political aspect (Rev. 18) and a religious aspect (Rev. 17
政治的一面
The Political Aspect
6大巴比伦政治的一面包括许多物质的事，以及地上许多与国际贸易和商业有关的事。（启十八9～19。）这指明共产主义不会持续很久。在末后的时期，世界的政治局势不会是共产主义的，因为国际贸易(不仅是国内商业)会很繁荣。
6The political aspect of Babylon the Great includes many material things and many things related to the international trade and commerce upon the earth (Rev. 18:9-19). This indicates that communism will not be long lasting. At the end time, the political situation of the world will not be communistic, for international trade, not merely national commerce, will be thriving.
宗教的一面
The Religious Aspect
7大巴比伦也有宗教的一面。在教皇制度建立时，宗教的巴比伦－罗马教，就确立了，然后逐渐扩展到政治圈，直到最终罗马教与罗马帝国息息相关，且成为一。因此，在启示录里，罗马帝国被比喻为兽，罗马教被比喻为骑在兽上的女人。（十三1，十七3。）这指明二者－罗马帝国与罗马教－乃是一。
7Babylon the Great also has a religious aspect. The religious Babylon, the Roman church, was established when the papal system was built up, and it gradually spread into political circles, until eventually the Roman church was wrapped up with and became one with the Roman Empire. Thus, in Revelation the Roman Empire is likened to a beast, and the Roman church is likened to a woman riding on a beast (13:1; 17:3). This indicates that the two— the Roman Empire and the Roman church—are one
今天的世界局势
TODAY'S WORLD SITUATION BEING
完全是罗马的
ALTOGETHER ROMAN
8今天的世界局势，无论是在政治或宗教上，都完全是罗马的。这就是说，世界局势是在罗马政治和罗马宗教的影响之下。当前多数的政府，是以罗马法律与罗马行政为基础而成立的。换句话说，现代政府建立在罗马法律和政府的原则上。不仅如此，罗马教在许多国家中居显著地位，教皇具有崇高的政治地位。因此，今天在政治和宗教上，全地都罗马化了。实在说来，全世界都是罗马的。
8Both politically and religiously, today's world situation is altogether Roman. This means that the world situation is under the influence of Roman politics and Roman religion. Most of the present governments were adopted based on Roman law and Roman administration. In other words, modern government is built upon Roman principles of law and government. Furthermore, the Roman church is prominent in many nations, and the pope has a high political standing. Hence, today, both politically and religiously, the entire earth has been Romanized. In a very real sense, the whole world is Roman
撒但用宁录在巴别
SATAN INITIATING THE ROMAN GOVERNMENT
引进罗马政权
WITH NIMROD AT BABEL
9撒但不仅在两千年前引进罗马政权，他也用宁录在巴别引进罗马政权。（创十8～10。）在巴别，撒但使人类背叛神，拜偶像，高举人自己。（十一1～9。）在那里人建造一座高塔，就是纪念碑，宣扬自己的名。
9Satan initiated the Roman government not only two thousand years ago but also with Nimrod at Babel (Gen. 10:8-10). At Babel, Satan caused the human race to rebel against God, to worship idols, and to exalt man's self (Gen. 11:1-9). There man built a high tower, a monument, to make a name for himself
罗马帝国毁灭，以及一切罗马的事物
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE ROMAN EMPIRE AND THE REMOVAL OF ALL ROMAN THINGS
从地上消除
FROM THE EARTH
10既然全世界都成了罗马的，在罗马政府和罗马宗教的影响之下，神似乎被打败了。然而，启示录给我们看见，我们的神实在没有被打败。在今世末了，罗马帝国要得复兴并被加强，产生最后一位该撒，就是2敌基督这不法的人，（启十七9～11，帖后二3～4，8，）他将会非常有能力。他就是那位在大灾难起头，要毁灭罗马教的。关于这点，启示录十七章十六节说，『你所看见的那十角与兽，必恨这妓女，使她荒凉赤身，又要吃她的肉，用火将她烧尽。』十角与兽必恨那妓女，使她荒凉赤身，意思是敌基督与复兴之罗马帝国的十王，要逼迫罗马教。他们要使罗马教『荒凉赤身』，意思是要毁灭她，夺她的财富，将她暴露无遗；他们要『吃她的肉』，意思是要杀她的肢体；他们要『用火将她烧尽』，意思是要彻底除灭她。
10Since the whole world has become Roman, under the influence of Roman government and Roman religion, it may seem that God has been defeated. However, the book of Revelation shows us that our God surely has not been defeated. At the end of this age, the Roman Empire will be restored and strengthened to produce its last Caesar, Antichrist, the man of lawlessness (Rev. 17:9-11; Thes. 2:3-4, 8), who will be very powerful. It is he who will destroy the Roman church at the beginning of the great tribulation. Concerning this, Revelation 17:16 says, " The ten horns which you saw and the beast, these will hate the harlot and will make her desolate and naked and will eat her flesh and burn her utterly with fire." That the ten horns and the beast will hate the harlot and make her desolate means that Antichrist and the ten kings of the restored Roman Empire will persecute the Roman church. They will make the Roman church " desolate and naked, " meaning that they will destroy her, rob her of her riches, and expose her; they will "eat her flesh," meaning that they will kill her members; and they will "burn her utterly with fire," meaning that they will annihilate her altogether.
11然后，在灾难的末了，基督要从诸天降临，带著得胜者作祂的军队，直接与敌基督争战，且击败他，将他活活的扔在火湖里。（启十九。）那将是人最后一次与神争战，这争战开始于巴别，一直增加且加强，直到哈米吉顿大战。随著基督击败敌基督，整个罗马帝国要被毁灭，一切罗马的事物也要从地上消除、清理。不再有罗马教或罗马帝国；也就是说，不再有巴比伦。然后在地上显著的将不是巴比伦，乃是新耶路撒冷。
11Then, at the end of the tribulation, Christ will come down from the heavens, with the overcomers as His army, to fight against Antichrist directly and defeat him and cast him alive into the lake of fire (Rev. 19). That will be the last fighting of man against God, a fighting that began at Babel and that will increase and intensify until the war at Armageddon. With Christ's defeat of Antichrist, the entire Roman Empire will be destroyed and all the Roman things will be removed, cleared away, from the earth. There will be no more Roman church or Roman Empire; that is, there will be no more Babylon. Then what will be prominent on earth will not be Babylon but the New Jerusalem
圣经里两座显著的城－
THE TWO PROMINENT CITIES IN THE BIBLE
巴比伦与耶路撒冷
BABYLON AND JERUSALEM
12圣经里有两座显著的城－巴比伦与耶路撒冷。我们在耶利米书和启示录里看见这两座城。在旧约，耶利米书里，巴比伦来毁灭耶路撒冷，使她成为废墟，荒场。在圣经末了，启示录里，有大巴比伦与新耶路撒冷。至终，大巴比伦要被毁灭，从地上被消除，并被扔在火湖里；新耶路撒冷要被带进来，在新天新地里成为神永远之国显著的中心。
12In the Bible there are two prominent cities—Babylon and Jerusalem. We see these two cities in Jeremiah and in Revelation. In the Old Testament, in Jeremiah, Babylon came to destroy Jerusalem and to make her a ruin, a desolation. At the end of the Bible, in Revelation, there are Babylon the Great and the New Jerusalem. Eventually, Babylon the Great will be destroyed, removed from the earth, and cast into the lake of fire, and the New Jerusalem will be brought in to be the prominent center of God's eternal kingdom in the new heaven and new earth