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马太福音生命读经 · 第67篇

国度的豫言（七）

PROPHECY OF THE KINGDOM (7)
1在本篇信息中，我们来到马太二十五章三十一至四十六节，
1In this message we come to 25:31-46, the Lord’sword concerning the judgment of the nations
2主论到审判万民的话。
2
参 、关于万民
III. CONCERNING THE NATIONS
3在国度豫言的前两段，主论到犹太人和召会。在这世代的末了，地上的人要分为三类：犹太人、信徒和外邦人。三十一节开头的『但是』一辞，指明三十一至四十六节所说的是另一段，就是关于外邦人的。在二十四章三十二节，主的豫言从犹太人转到召会时，用『但是』这辞指明这转变。在二十五章三十一节也是这样。
3In the first two sections of the Lord’s prophecy of the kingdom, the Lord covered the Jews and the church. At the end of this age, the people on earth will be in three categories: the Jews, the believers, and the Gentiles. The word “but” at the beginning of verse 31 indicates that what is spoken from verse 31 to verse 46 is another section, the section concerning the Gentiles. When the Lord’s prophecy turned from the Jews to the church in 24:32, the word “but” was used to indicate this change. The same is true in 25:31
4主的豫言若只论到犹太人和召会，就不完全，因为没有题到万民。为了使主的豫言包罗万有，祂必须说到这世代末了时要临到万民的事。许多基督教教师把主在国度豫言中的三段话混淆了，有些人把论到犹太人的经节应用于召会。对犹太人和外邦人说的话，一直被应用在信徒身上。许多人教训说，对万民的审判是主要执行在我们众人身上最终的审判。从前我听到某些基督教教师警告我们不要作山羊。人告诉我们要爱贫穷和受苦的人，这样，主耶稣回来时，我们才能被视为绵羊。否则，祂要把我们当作山羊。感谢主，在祂的豫言里，祂在两个关键处，就是二十四章三十二节和，二十五章三十一节，用了『但是』这小小的辞。这辞指明豫言首先从犹太人转到信徒，然后从信徒转到外邦人。
4If the Lord’s prophecy had covered only the Jews and the church, it would not be complete, for there would be nothing about the nations. In order to make His prophecy all-inclusive, the Lord had to say a word about what would happen to the nations at the close of this age. Many Christian teachers have mixed up the Lord’sword in the three sections of the prophecy of the kingdom, with some applying the verses concerning the Jews to the church. Both the word to the Jews and the word to the Gentiles have been applied to the believers. Many have taught that the judgment of the nations is the final judgment that the Lord will execute upon us all. In the past I heard certain Christian teachers warn us not to be goats. We were told to love the poor and suffering ones so that when the Lord Jesus came back we might be regarded as the sheep. Otherwise, He will consider us the goats. Thank the Lord that in His prophecy He used the little word “but” in two crucial places, in 24:32 and in 25:31. This word indicates that the prophecy turns from the Jews to the believers in the first case and then from the believers to the Gentiles
一 、基督来临，荣登宝座
A. Christ on the Throne of Glory
5三十一节说，『但是，当人子在祂的荣耀里，所有的天使同著祂来的时候，祂要坐在祂荣耀的宝座上。』人子是基督为著祂的国，弥赛亚国，而有的名称。（太十三41。）祂在这几节的审判是为这国作豫备。
5Verse 31 says, “But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He shall sit on His throne of glory.” The Son of Man is the title of Christ for His kingdom, the Messianic kingdom (1 3:4 1). His judgment here in these verses is a preparation for that kingdom.
6祂的荣耀包含祂神性的荣耀、（约十七22，24、）人性的荣耀、（诗四五3、）复活的荣耀、（约七，徒三13～15、）以及升天的荣耀。（来二9。）本节所说的来临，是主来临公开的一面，是二十四章三十节所说主来临的继续。祂所要坐的宝座，是大卫的宝座，（路一32～33，）要设立在耶路撒冷。（太十九28，耶三17。）
6The coming spoken of in this verse is the open aspect of the Lord’s coming. It will be the continuation of His coming mentioned in 2 4:3 0. His glory comprises the glory of 39 His divinity (John 1 7:2 2-2 4), the glory of His humanity (Ps a. 4 5:3), the glory of His resurrection (John 7:39; Acts 3:13-15), and the glory of His ascension (Heb. 2:9). The throne on which He will sit is the throne of David (Luke 1:3 2-3 3), which will be in Jerusalem (Matt. 19:28; Jer. 3:17).
二 、聚集万民，施以审判
B. Judgment on All the Nations
万民都聚集在基督荣耀的宝座前
1. All the Nations Being Gathered 1. before Christ’s Throne of Glory
7三十二节说，『万民都要聚集在祂面前。』基督回到地上，在哈米吉顿毁灭那些跟随敌基督的外邦人（启十六14，16，十九11～15，～21）之后，在地上所余留的-外邦人，就是这里的『万民。』他们都要聚集在基督荣耀的宝座前受审判，这是千年国之前，基督对活人的审判，（徒十42，提后四1，）不同于千年国之后，基督在白色大宝座前对死人的审判。（启二十11～15。）对活人的审判，是基督在空中审判台前审判信徒（太二五19～30）之后，来到地上施行的。
7Verse 32 says, “And all the nations shall be gathered before Him.” All the nations are all the Gentiles who will be left at Christ’s coming back to the earth after He destroys at Armageddon those Gentiles who follow 19 Antichrist (Rev. 1 6:1 4, 1 6; 1 9:1 1-1 5, 1 9 21). They will all be gathered and judged at Christ’s throne of glory. This will be Christ’s judgment on the living before the millennium (Acts 10:42; 2 Tim. 4:1), differing from His judgment on the dead at the great white throne after the millennium (Rev. 20:11-15). This judgment on the living will occur after His judgment on believers a tHis judgment seat in the air (Matt. 25:19-30).
8三十二节说万民，就是外邦人，要聚集在祂面前。然而，主说到十个童女时，并没有说她们要聚集。祂乃是说她们来了。我们已经指出，来了是指被提。主题到领银子的奴仆，也说他们来了。但万民不是来了；他们乃是聚集。马太十三章的第七个比喻等于绵羊和山羊的比喻，在这比喻中水族也从海中聚拢。万民都要聚集到基督荣耀的宝座前，在那里受审判。
8Verse 32 says that the nations, the Gentiles, will be gathered before Him. When the Lord spoke of the ten virgins, however, He did not say that they would be gathered. Rather, He said that they came. As we have pointed out, coming denotes rapture. In speaking about the slaves who received the talents, the Lord also said that they came. But the nations will not come; they will be gathered. In a parable equivalent to the parable of the sheep and the goats, the seventh parable in Matthew 13, the fish are also gathered out of the sea. All the nations will be gathered to Christ’s throne of glory to be judged there
9基督把他们分开，好像牧人把绵羊
92. Christ’s Separating Them as a Shepherd 2.
从山羊分开一样
Separates the Sheep from the Goats
10三十二、三十三节说，『祂要把他们彼此分开，好像牧人把绵羊从山羊分开一样；绵羊安置在祂右边，山羊在左边。』这指明主不仅是信徒的牧人，（约十11，来十三，）和犹太人的牧人，(诗八十1，耶三一10，）也是所有外邦人的牧人。（诗一○○1～3。）绵羊要聚集在祂右边，就是尊荣的地方。（王上二19，诗四五9。）
10Verses 32 and 33 say, “He shall separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats; and He shall set the sheep on His right hand and the goats on the left.” This indicates that the Lord is the Shepherd not only of the believers (John 1 0:1 1; Heb. 1 3:2 0) and 20 the Jews (Ps a. 8 0:1; Jer. 3 1:1 0), but also of all the Gentiles (Ps a. 1 0 0:1-3). The sheep will be gathered to His right hand, the place of honor (1 Kings 2:19; Psa. 45:9).
11绵羊承受那创世以来
113. The Sheep Inheriting the Kingdom Prepared 3.
为他们所豫备的国
for Them from the Foundation of the World
12三十四节说，『于是王要对那在祂右边的说，你们这蒙我父赐福的，来承受那创世以来为你们所豫备的国。』在基督荣耀宝座前的审判之后，『绵羊』要迁到千年国里，在基督和得胜信徒的君尊治理之下，（启二26～27，十二5，二十4～6，）并在得救犹太人的祭司职任之下（亚八20～23）作百姓。这样，他们就要『承受那（要来的）国。』千年国有三部分：地上的部分，是神创造的福所临到之地，如创世记一章二十八至三十节所说的；迦南地上以色列国的部分，从尼罗河至幼发拉底河，得救的犹太人要在那里治理全地；（赛六十10～12，亚十四16～18；）属天、属灵的部分，（林前十五50～52，）得胜的圣徒要在其中享受国度的赏赐。（太五20，七21。）『绵羊』所要承受的国，乃是第一部分。在千年国第一部分里的福，就是神创造的福，是从创世以来为『绵羊』豫备的：第三部分里的福，就是属天、属灵之国的福，是在创世以前（弗一3～4）为信徒豫备的。
12Verse 34 says, “Then the King shall say to those on His right hand. Come, you who are blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world.” After the judgment at Christ’s throne of glory, the sheep will be transferred into the millennium to be the people under the kingly ruling of Christ and the overcoming believers (Rev. 2:26-27; 12:5; 20:4-6) and under the priestly ministry of the saved Jews (Zech. 8:20-23). In this way, they will “inherit the [coming] kingdom.” In the millennium there will be three realms: the realm of the earth, where the blessing of God’s creation, as mentioned in Genesis 1:28-30, will take place; the realm of the nation of Israel in Canaan, from the Nile to the Euphrates, in which the saved Jews will rule over the whole earth (Isa. 60:10-12; Zech. 14:16-18); and the heavenly and spiritual realm (1 Cor. 15:50- 52), where the overcoming believers will enjoy the kingdom reward (5:20; 7:21). The kingdom which the sheep will enter will be the first realm. The blessing of the first realm in the millennium, the blessing of God’s creation, was prepared for the sheep from the foundation of the world, whereas the blessing in the third realm, the blessing of the heavenly and spiritual kingdom, was ordained for the believers before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:3-4
13全地都在神的行政之下，为著完成祂的经纶。神的经纶是要恢复地，并在地上完全建立祂的国。神对地的兴趣大于诸天。照著圣经，神的心意是要离开诸天。祂渴望从诸天降下，并在地上建立祂的国。
13The whole earth is under God’sad ministration, which is for the carrying out of His economy. God’secon o my is to recover the earth and to establish His kingdom in a full way on the earth. God is more interested in the earth than in the heavens. According to the Bible, God’sin tent i on is to leave the heavens. He desires to come down from the heavens and set up His kingdom on the earth
14在作为神行政范围的神国里，需要三种人：祭司、君王、百姓或国民。主在橄榄山上所说关于国度的豫言，论到神带进祂国的经纶。这末了的话告诉我们，神在地上行动的结果乃是建立祂的国。结果神要得著三班人：祭司、君王和国民，藉他们祂要得著完整的国。撒迦利亚八章启示，犹太人要在将来的国里作祭司。他们要教导万民事奉神，那时就不再有拜偶像的事。在这豫言的第二段所论到的信徒都要作王，而国民乃要从万民中分别出来。主何等有智慧，只用两章长的豫言就包括了神一切的经纶！
14In the kingdom of God as the sphere of God’s ad ministration, there is the need for three kinds of people: the priests, the kings, and the people or the citizens. The prophecy concerning the kingdom given by the Lord on the Mount of Olives concerns God’secon o my to bring in His kingdom. This final word tells us the result of God’s activity on earth to establish His kingdom. The result is that God will obtain three peoples, the priests, the kings, and the citizens, with whom He will have a complete kingdom. The nation of Israel is like a woman in travail to deliver the remnant of Jews who will be the priests during the millennium. Zechariah 8 reveals that the Jews will be the priests during the coming kingdom. They will teach all the nations to serve God. There will no longer be any idolatrous worship. The believers, covered in the second section of this prophecy, will be the kings, and the citizens will be taken from among the nations. How wise the Lord is, including all of God’secon o my in a prediction just two chapters long!
15少有基督徒看见神照著三件事审判人。甚至基要派的基督徒也相信神只照著律法和福音这两件事审判人。照著律法，每个亚当的后裔都被定罪要灭亡。但照著福音，每个在基督里的信徒都得救了。因此，灭亡是照著律法，得救是照著福音。然而，神还要照著第三件事审判人，这就是永远的福音。
15Very few Christians have seen that God judges people according to three things. Even the fundamental Christians believe that God judges people only according to two things—the law and the gospel. According to the law, every descendant of Adam is condemned to perish. But according to the gospel, every believer in Christ is saved. Thus, perdition is according to the law, and salvation is according to the gospel. However, there is yet a third thing according to which God will judge people. This is the eternal gospel
16在敌基督的迫害期间，为著顾念留在地上的信徒，将有永远的福音传给万民，（启十四6～7，）正如马太十三章四十七至五十节撒网的比喻所说明的。然后，主要来审判万民，不是照著摩西的律法或基督的福音，乃是照著这永远的福音。这是神经纶的事。那些听从这福音，且善待受苦信徒的，就要蒙福，并被算为义的，（太二五46，）以承受那国：太二五34；)但那些不听从的，就要受咒诅，（太二五41，）并永远灭亡。恩典的福音（徒二十24）是将永远的生命带到信徒里面，(约三15～16，）使他们能凭神的生命而活；永远的福音是将『绵羊』带进永远的生命里，（太二五46，）使他们能活在神生命的范围里。
16During the persecution under Antichrist, for the care of the believers who will be left on earth, an eternal gospel will be preached to the nations (Rev. 14:6-7), as illustrated by the parable of the net in Matthew 13:47-50. The Lord will then judge the nations, not according to the law of Moses nor according to the gospel of Christ, but according to the eternal gospel. This is a matter of God’s dispensation. Those who listen to that gospel and treat the suffering believers well will be blessed and reckoned as righteous (v. 46) to inherit the kingdom (v. 34), but those who do not will be cursed (v. 41) and perish for eternity. The gospel of grace (Acts 20:24) brings eternal life into the believers (John 3:15-16) that they may live by God’s life, whereas the eternal gospel brings the sheep into eternal life (v. 46) that they may live in the sphere of God’s life
17永远的福音将告诉人要敬畏神，并敬拜祂，没有说到悔改或相信。我们所听见的福音与永远的福音迥然不同，因为人告诉我们要向神悔改，并相信主耶稣。恩典的福音没有说到敬畏或敬拜，乃是看重悔改和相信。此外，恩典福音的中心乃是基督。
17The eternal gospel will tell people to fear God and to worship Him. It will say nothing about repentance or believing. The gospel we have heard is absolutely different from the eternal gospel, for we were told to repent to God and to believe in the Lord Jesus. The gospel of grace says nothing about fear or worship; rather, it emphasizes repentance and believing. Furthermore, the center of the gospel of grace is Christ.
18除了律法和恩典的福音，永远的福音是神据以审判人的第三件事。凡要灭亡的人都是照著律法受审判，得救的人是照著恩典的福音受审判，聚集在基督荣耀宝座前的万民乃是照著永远的福音受审判。马太二十五章三十一至四十六节不是论到律法，也不是论到恩典的福音。基督不会照著十诫，或照著他们的悔改和相信来分开万民。祂乃要照著永远的福音，照著他们怎样对待祂最小的弟兄来分开万民。（太二五40。）那些善待祂最小弟兄的将是『绵羊，』（太二五34～40，）但那些不善待他们的将是『山羊。』（太二五41～46。）
18In addition to the law and the gospel of grace, the eternal gospel is the third thing according to which God will judge people. All those who are perishing are judged according to the law, the saved ones are judged according to the gospel of grace, and the nations gathered before Christ’s throne of glory are judged according to the eternal gospel. Matthew 25:31-46 is concerned neither with the law nor with the gospel of grace. Christ will not separate the nations according to the ten commandments or according to their repentance and belief in Him. Rather, He will separate them according to the way they have treated the least of His brothers according to the eternal gospel (v. 40). Those who treat the least of His brothers in a good way will be “sheep” (vv. 34-40), but those who do not treat them well will be “goats” (vv. 41-46
19在大灾难期间，信徒遭受敌基督的逼迫时，（启十三6～7，二十4，）基督的弟兄将受到不同的对待，这是在祂荣耀宝座前审判的主题。三十五至三十九节中的一切苦难，要在大灾难期间，（太二四21，）临到余留下来受试炼的信徒。（启三10。）照著启示录十四章，在大灾难期间，敌基督要强迫神的子民敬拜他。那时有一个天使要传永远的福音，警告人要敬畏神，不要恶待祂的子民。被敌基督恶待的基督徒，要被主看为祂的小弟兄。大弟兄已经被提了，小弟兄要留下来经过灾难。敌基督要恶待他们、逼迫他们、并监禁他们。因此，他们会缺乏食物和衣服，许多人会生病。但从天上会有声音这样说，『要敬畏神，并敬拜祂，不要作甚么伤害神的子民。那些畏惧敌基督而不敬畏神的，必要灭亡。』
19The treatment of Christ’s brothers that will be the subject of the judgment before the throne of His glory will take place during the great tribulation when the believers will suffer the persecution of Antichrist (Rev. 13:6-7; 20:4). All the sufferings in verses 35 through 39 will betide the believers who are left for the trial (Rev. 3:10) during the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21). According to Revelation 14, during the great tribulation Antichrist will force God’sp eople to worship him. At that time an angel will preach the eternal gospel warning the people to fear God and not to mistreat His people. The Christians that will be mistreated by Antichrist will be considered by the Lord His little brothers. The bigger brothers will have been raptured, and the little ones will be left to pass through the tribulation. Antichrist will mistreat them, persecute them, and imprison them. Thus, they will be short of food and clothing, and many will be ill. But a voice from heaven will say something like this: “Fear God and worship Him, and don’t do anything to harm God’sp eople. Those who fear Antichrist instead of God will perish
20在恩典的时代，神照著律法对付不信的人，照著基督的福音对付信徒。但在这世代的末了，大灾难的三年半，神要差遣天使传特别的福音，永远的福音。这是经纶安排的事。然后，基督在空中的审判台前审判了信徒之后，祂要同得胜者来毁灭敌基督的军队，拯救犹太遗民，并在耶路撒冷设立祂荣耀的宝座。然后，所有活著的外邦人要被聚集在祂面前受审判。藉著空中的审判台，祂要清理信徒中间的光景。藉著降临到橄榄山，祂要清理犹太人中间的光景。最后，在祂荣耀的宝座前，祂要清理万民中间的光景。祂审判他们不是照著律法或恩典的福音，乃是照著永远的福音，照著他们在大灾难期间如何对待他的小弟兄。行传十章四十二节和提后四章一节都说，基督要作审判活人死人的。在千年国之后，基督要在白色大宝座前审判死人。但在千年国之前，祂要在祂荣耀的宝座前审判活人。照著律法使人永远灭亡的审判，决定于人如何对待神；照著福音使人永远得救的审判，决定于信徒如何对待基督；照著永远的福音让『绵羊』承受千年国，决定于他们如何对待主的小弟兄。
20God deals with the unbelievers according to the law and with the believers according to the gospel of Christ during the age of grace. But at the end of this age, the three and a half years of the great tribulation, God will send an angel to preach a specific gospel, the eternal gospel. This is a dispensational matter. Then, after Christ has judged the believers at the judgment seat in the air, He will come with the overcomers to destroy the armies of Antichrist, save the remnant of the Jews, and set up His throne of glory in Jerusalem. Then all the living Gentiles will be gathered before Him to be judged. By the judgment seat in the air, He will clear up the situation among the believers. By descending to the Mount of Olives He will clear up the situation among the Jews. Finally, a tHis throne of glory He will clear up the situation among the nations. He will judge them not according to the law or according to the gospel of grace, but according to the eternal gospel, according to how they have treated His little brothers during the great tribulation. Acts 10:42 and 2 Timothy 4:1 both say that Christ will be the Judge of the living and the dead. Christ will judge the dead at the white throne after the millennium. But He will judge the living at the throne of His glory before the millennium. The judgment according to the law for eternal perdition depends upon how one deals with God, the judgment according to the gospel for eternal salvation depends upon how the believer deals with Christ, and the judgment according to the eternal gospel for the “sheep” to inherit the millennial kingdom depends upon how they deal with the Lord’s little brothers.
山羊进入那为魔鬼和他的使者所豫备的永火里去
4. The Goats Going into the Eternal Fire 4. Prepared for the Devil and His Angels
21四十一节说，『然后祂又要对那左边的说，你们这被咒诅的，离开我，进入那为魔鬼和他的使者所豫备的永火里去。』这火是火湖的火。（启二十14～15。）『山羊』要在敌基督和假申言者（启十九20）之后，魔鬼和复活的罪人（启二十10，15）之前，被扔在火湖里灭亡。这是启示录十四章十节的部分应验。火湖不是为人，乃是为魔鬼和他的使者豫备的。然而，若有人跟从魔鬼反对主，他就要和魔鬼以及堕落的天使，同受火湖的苦。
21Verse 41 says, “Then He shall say also to those on the left, Go from Me, you who are cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the Devil and his angels.” This fire is the fire in the lake of fire (Rev. 20:14-15). The “goats” will perish in the lake of fire after Antichrist and the false prophet (Rev. 19:20) and before the Devil and the resurrected sinners (Rev. 20:10, 15). This is part of the fulfillment of Revelation 14:10. The lake of fire was prepared for the Devil and his angels, not for man. However, if any man follows the Devil to oppose the Lord, he will share the lake of fire with the Devil and the fallen angels
22绵羊要得创世以来所豫备的国。但在国度时期作王的基督徒，要承受创世以前所豫定的。绵羊的分仅仅是享受神创世以来所创造的。在千年国里将有属天部分和属地部分。属天部分将是国度的实现，父的国。犹太人将在属地部分的中心作祭司，围绕犹太人的将是绵羊，得救的万民作百姓。我们得胜的信徒，要有分于基督属灵的享受，及一切属天的福。我们的享受将是属天、属灵、神圣的。但『绵羊，』复兴之万民的享受，将不是属天或属灵的，乃是神创造地时所给人的福，就是因著亚当堕落所失去的福。我很喜乐，我们在上好的一类，就是君王的一类。犹太人将在属地部分，但我们将在属天部分。我们的分将是运用权柄管理万民。我真感谢主，使我们对千年国有这样清楚的看见！
22The sheep will receive the kingdom prepared from the foundation of the world. But the Christians who will be kings during the millennium will receive what was predestinated from before the foundation of the world. The portion of the sheep will be simply to enjoy what God has created from the foundation of the world. In the millennial kingdom there will be a heavenly part and an earthly part. The heavenly part will be the manifestation of the kingdom, the kingdom of the Father. The Jews will be in the center of the earthly part as the priests, and around the Jews there will be the sheep, the saved nations, as the people. We, the overcoming believers, will share in the spiritual enjoyment of Christ and in all the heavenly blessings. Our enjoyment will be heavenly, spiritual, and divine. But the enjoyment of the “sheep,” the restored nations, will not be heavenly or spiritual. Rather, it will be the blessing God gave men when He created the earth, the blessing lost by Adam’s fall. I am glad that we are in the best category, the category of the kings. The Jews will be in the earthly part, but we shall be in the heavenly part. Our portion will be to exercise authority over the nations. How I thank the Lord for giving us this clear view of the millennium!
23在国度的豫言中，论到犹太人的一段和外邦人的一段，都与生命无关，但论到信徒，召会的一段，却与生命有密切的关系。我们已经指出，我们需要忠信、儆醒、豫备，并且需要智慧、精明。这些都指明我们必须满有生命。生命与我们同在。阿利路亚，我们是生命的人！
23In the prophecy of the kingdom neither the section concerning the Jews nor the section concerning the Gentiles is related to life. But the section concerning the believers, the church, is very much concerned with life. As we have pointed out, we need to be faithful, watchful, and ready, and we need to be wise and prudent. All these are indications that we must be full of life. Life is with us. Hallelujah, we are the life people