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约珥书生命读经 · 第4篇

约珥书中四种蝗虫控制的豫言

The Controlling Prophecy of the Four Locusts in the Book of Joel
1读经:约珥书1:4;2:28-32;3:9-21。在本篇信息中,我有负担进一步说到约珥书中关于四种蝗虫的豫言。
1Scripture Reading: Joel 1:4; 2:28-32; 3:9-21 In this message I have the burden to give a further word on the prophecy concerning the four kinds of locusts in the book of Joel
但以理书和约珥书的不同
THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DANIEL AND JOEL
2在解释圣经的豫言上,约珥的豫言比但以理的豫言更具控制的因素。对我们而言,要明白并解释圣经的豫言,但以理的豫言是控制的因素,这样说并没有错。然而,但以理书中的控制因素是表面的,而约珥书中的控制因素是隐藏的、奥秘的。为此,我们若要明白约珥书,就必须要有洞察力。
2In the interpretation of the prophecies of the Bible, Joel’s prophecy is more controlling than Daniel’s. It is true to say that Daniel’s prophecy is the controlling factor for us to understand and interpret the prophecies in the Bible. However, the controlling factors in Daniel are on the surface, whereas the factors in Joel are hidden, concealed, in a mysterious way. For this reason, if we would understand the book of Joel, we must have insight
四种蝗虫指
THE FOUR KINDS OF LOCUSTS DENOTING
人类政权的四部分
THE FOUR SECTIONS OF HUMAN GOVERNMENT
3约珥书中第一个因素是四个阶段的蝗虫:剪蝗,象征巴比伦;群蝗,表征玛代波斯;舔蝗,表征希腊;以及毁蝗,表征罗马帝国。(一4。)这四种蝗虫指地上整个人类政权的四部分,由但以理二章的大人像所表征。这四部分的人类政权要总结于敌基督,即罗马帝国的最后一位该撒,之后人类政权就要结束。
3The first factor in Joel is the locusts in four stages: the cutting locust, symbolizing Babylon; the swarming locust, symbolizing Medo-Persia; the licking locust, symbolizing Greece; and the consuming locust, symbolizing the Roman Empire (1:4). These four kinds of locusts denote the four sections of the entire human government on earth signified by the great human image in Daniel 2. After these four sections of human government, which will end with Antichrist, the last Caesar of the Roman Empire, human government will be brought to an end
四种蝗虫
the four kinds of locusts
消毁以色列国
CONSUMING THE NATION OF ISRAEL
4这四种蝗虫与小小的以色列国有关。在某种意义上,神差遣人类政权的这四部分,如同蝗虫,来消毁以色列国。这四种蝗虫,与人类政权的四部分相符,占据人类历史一段漫长的时期,从尼布甲尼撒到敌基督。这段时期至少要持续二十七个世纪之久。在尼布甲尼撒和敌基督之间,有一段很长的时间,犹太人没有国,没有王,没有祭司,没有申言者,也没有圣殿作神命定的中心,使他们能在那里敬拜神。今天犹太人仍受到外邦人类政权这些蝗虫的消毁。
4These four kinds of locusts are related to the small nation of Israel. In a sense, God sent the four sections of the human government as locusts to consume Israel. The four kinds of locusts, corresponding to the four sections of human government, will occupy a long period of time in human history, from the time of Nebuchadnezzar to the time of Antichrist. This period will last for at least twenty-seven centuries. Between the times of Nebuchadnezzar and Antichrist, there will be a long time in which the Jews will have no nation, no kings, no priests, no prophets, and no temple as the God-ordained center where they can worship God. Today the Jews are still being consumed by the locusts of the human, Gentile government.
THROUGH THE ROMAN LOCUSTS
藉著罗马的蝗虫,神的救赎及福音的传扬
GOD’S REDEMPTION AND THE PREACHING
得以实现
OF THE GOSPEL BEING CARRIED OUT
5神打发蝗虫的最后阶段是罗马帝国。当罗马帝国在惩治悖逆的以色列时,神安静且奥秘的作了一些事。神使用罗马帝国维持地中海周围地区(当时人类居住中心)的和平秩序。罗马帝国建筑了公路,在海上建立了航道,各民族都说共通的语言-希腊语。就在那个时候,神来成为肉体,在伯利恒小城从童女而生,长于拿撒勒。这位永远之爱的神,在人性里来作人,活在地上三十三年半。然后,祂上了十字架,当作罪犯受罗马的死刑而死。虽然世人不知道,但基督的死却是包罗万有、代替的死。过三天祂复活了。在同一天,就在祂复活的早晨,祂升到父那里,又再降到地上,与祂的门徒相会。四十天后,祂在门徒面前升到诸天之上。再过了十天,在五旬节那日,祂又下来,将自己浇灌在三千个信祂的人身上,使这三千人每一个在生命和性情上都完全和祂一样。那灵这次浇灌的结果,乃是产生一个团体的基督,那就是基督的显现。
5The final stage of God’ss ending of the locusts is the Roman Empire. While the Roman Empire was chastising rebellious Israel, God did something silently and mysteriously. God used the Roman Empire to keep the region around the Mediterranean Sea—the center of human habitation—in a peaceful order. Highways were built, shipping routes were established on the sea, and a common language, Greek, was spoken by all the peoples. It was at that time that God came to be incarnated by being born of a virgin in a small city, Bethlehem, and eventually lived in Nazareth. For thirty-three and a half years the God of everlasting love lived on the earth in His humanity as a man. After this He went to the cross and died the death of a criminal under the Roman form of capital punishment. Although the worldlings did not realize it, Christ died a vicarious, all-inclusive death. After three days He resurrected. On the same day, in the morning of His resurrection, He ascended to the Father and descended again to the earth to meet with His disciples. Forty days later, in the presence of His disciples, He ascended to the heavens. After ten more days, on the day of Pentecost, He came down again by being poured out as the Spirit upon three thousand of His believers, making each of the three thousand the same as He is in life and nature. The issue of that outpouring of the Spirit was a corporate Christ, which is the manifestation of Christ
6从这里我们看见,藉著罗马的蝗虫,神的救赎及福音的传扬得以实现。首先,福音传遍了罗马帝国;然后,藉著罗马帝国主义,福音传到世界的其他部分。罗马人发明帝国主义,所有西方强权都是罗马帝国的一部分。英国击败西班牙而成为世界强权之后,两个多世纪之久,福音藉著罗马的帝国主义传遍了地上每一个角落。
6From this we see that it was through the Roman locusts that both God’s redemption and the preaching of the gospel were carried out. First, the gospel was spread throughout the Roman Empire and then, as a result of Roman imperialism, to other parts of the world. The Romans invented imperialism, and all the Western powers are parts of the Roman Empire. After Britain defeated Spain to become the world power, for more than two centuries the gospel was spread to every corner of the earth through Roman imperialism
今天正在地上
THE THREE THINGS
7进行的三件事
7THAT ARE TAKING PLACE ON EARTH TODAY
8今天,在地上有三件事在进行著:罗马蝗虫的消毁,以色列的受苦,以及基督的显现。我们既不是联于罗马蝗虫的消毁,也不是联于以色列的受苦,乃是联于基督的显现。罗马天主教和公会里很少有基督的显现,基督乃是在祂的恢复中显现。今天我们是在基督显现的这条线上。基督显现的这条线,至终要带我们进入复兴时期基督更完满的显现。基督这更完满的显现要终极完成于新天新地的新耶路撒冷里基督最完满的显现。这是正确的末世论,是最好、最清楚、包含最广的末世论。
8Today three things are taking place on earth: the consuming by the Roman locusts, the suffering of Israel, and the manifestation of Christ. We are joined neither to the consuming of the Roman locusts nor to the suffering of Israel but to the manifestation of Christ. Little of Christ is manifested in the Roman Catholic Church and in the denominations, but Christ is manifested in His recovery. Today we are in the line in which Christ is being manifested. The line of the manifestation of Christ will eventually bring us into the fuller manifestation of Christ in the age of restoration. This fuller manifestation of Christ will consummate in the fullest manifestation of Christ in the New Jerusalem in the new heaven and new earth. This is the proper eschatology. This is the best, the clearest, and the most inclusive eschatology.
神和圣经是真实的
GOD AND THE BIBLE BOTH BEING REAL
9神是真实的。如果神不是真实的,就不会有圣经这本书。圣经豫先告诉我们有关世界的历史。圣经是惟一如此准确、包罗万有的豫言到人类历史的书。因此,我们不仅相信我们的神是真实的,也相信圣经是真实的。
9God is real. If God were not real, there could not be such a book as the Bible. The Bible tells us beforehand concerning world history. The Bible is the only book that predicts human history so accurately and all- inclusively. Therefore, we believe not only that our God is real but also that the Bible is real
需要清楚看见三件事
THE NEED FOR A CLEAR VIEW
CONCERNING THREE MATTERS
10我们都需要清楚看见我们所在的时代、我们在那里、以及我们的目标该是甚么。
10We all need to have a clear view of the age in which we are living, of where we are, and of what our goal should be
现今的时代
The Present Age
11我们所在的时代是延续先前的时代,我们的神在其中仍在行动。祂在犹太人中并藉著列国作工,为要实施祂的经纶,建造基督生机的身体。
11We are living in an age, the continuation of the preceding ages, in which our God is still moving. He is working among the Jews and by the nations to perform His economy in the building up of the organism of the Body of Christ
我们在那里
Where We Are
12我们需要看见,今天我们这些在基督里的信徒,是在基督的身体里。我们都是基督身体上的肢体,就是三一神的生机体。作为基督身体上的肢体,我们应当渴慕作得胜者、大能者;(珥三11;)他们要与基督一同回来,在哈米吉顿之战中对付敌基督,并要在千年国里与基督一同作王。
12We need to see that today we, the believers in Christ, are in the Body of Christ. We all are members of the Body of Christ, which is the organism of the Triune God. As members of the Body, we should aspire to be overcomers, the mighty ones (Joel 3:11) who will return with Christ to deal with Antichrist at the battle of Armageddon and who will be His co-kings in the millennium
我们作为基督身体上之肢体的目标
Our Goal as Members of the Body of Christ
13此外,我们应该清楚我们作为基督身体上之肢体的目标。我们的目标乃是在内在一面扩大基督的显现。我们不在乎仅仅外在的扩大;我们不珍赏外面有好的外表,也不要任何的『门面』。相反的,我们渴望见到基督之显现内在的扩大;这扩大是在经过过程之三一神的灵里,并藉著我们的父,就是那永远、全能神圣者的生命而有的。
13Furthermore, we should be clear concerning our goal as members of the Body. Our goal is to enlarge the manifestation of Christ intrinsically. We do not care for a mere outward enlargement. We do not appreciate a good outward appearance, and we do not want any kind of façade. On the contrary, we desire to see the intrinsic enlargement of the manifestation of Christ in the Spirit of the processed Triune God and by the life of our Father, the eternal, almighty divine Being.
走得胜的路
TAKING THE OVERCOMING WAY
14我希望我们不是走一般基督徒的路,而是走得胜的路,作大能者,以与那独一的大能者相配。基督现今坐在诸天之上的宝座上,等候我们受成全、得成熟。至终,时机将成熟,叫祂可以回来对付列国,拯救以色列的余民,并完成神在我们身上的经纶。之后,复兴的时期就被引进。这复兴的时期要终极完成于新耶路撒冷,作神彰显于基督的终极完成。
14I hope that we all will take not the ordinary Christian way but the overcoming way to be the mighty ones who can match the unique mighty One. Christ is now on the throne in the heavens, waiting for us to be perfected and matured. Eventually the time will be ripe for Him to come back to deal with the nations, to save the remnant of Israel, and to complete God’secon o my with us. Then the age of restoration will be ushered in. That age will consummate in the New Jerusalem as the ultimate consummation of God’sex press i on in Christ