Books
启示录生命读经 · 第20篇

殉道圣徒的呼喊和神的答应─第五印和第六印

The Cry of the Martyred Saints and God’s Answer to it- Seals Five and Six
1在本篇信息中，我们要来看第五印和第六印。照启示录的记载，头四印是同时发生的，不是连续的。头四印差不多都在同一个时间开始，也要在同一个时间结束，好像四匹马竞赛，起始和终止都差不多在同一个时间。七印可分作两组，前一组包括头四印，后一组包括后三印。头四印不是连续的，后三印却是连续发生的。我们已经看见，头四印揭开了新约时代，就是福音传扬的时代。从基督升天直到祂回来，福音的传扬要一直持续；另外三样主要的事，就是战争、饥荒和死亡，也一同效力，促进福音的传扬。神在这个时代中有一个独一的目的，就是要福音传扬出去，好产生并建造召会，以成全祂永远的计画。我们需要有这样总括的眼光。只是世上的大人物并没有这样的看见，万国的君王和总统也不知道他们在作甚么。但我们知道。世上的治理者所作的一切事，都是为著福音的传扬效力；神在这事上是主宰一切的。
1In this message we shall consider the fifth and sixth seals. According to the record of Revelation, the first four seals are not consecutive. Rather, they are simultaneous. They all began to take place at nearly the same time and they will conclude at the same time. It is very similar to a four-horse race where the horses begin and end at almost the same time. The seven seals may be divided into two groups consisting of the first four seals and the last three seals. While the first four seals are not consecutive, the last three seals are consecutive. As we have seen, the first four seals unveil the new testament age, which is an age of gospel preaching. Between Christ’s ascension and His coming back, the preaching of the gospel will continue. The other main things—war, famine, and death—work together for the advancement of the preaching of the gospel. God has a unique purpose in this age—to have the gospel preached that the church might be produced and built up for the fulfillment of His eternal plan. We need to have this overall view. But the great men on earth do not have this view. Not even the kings and the presidents of the nations know what they are doing. But we know. Everything these rulers do helps the preaching of the gospel. God is sovereign in this matter
2启示录这卷书，开始于众地方召会，有基督在她们中间，结束于新耶路撒冷，有基督为她的中心和普及。在启示录这二端之间，便是召会时代和国度时代。在召会时代，就是新约时代，神在作一件事，就是藉著全备福音的传扬产生众召会。这全备的福音，包括了新约全部二十七卷书。神的目的，不是仅仅要拯救一群可怜的罪人；这种观念太低下，叫许多有思想的人拒绝接受。他们需要看见福音的传扬有更高的目的，且是在最高的水平上，就是要产生众召会，以组成新耶路撒冷。召会时代过后，国度时代要来到。在国度时代，神要将召会时代中未完成的和未完全的，加以成就。国度时代之后，神的定旨便彻底、完全完成了。然后就进入永世，有新天新地，以及所有蒙救赎的圣徒所组成的新耶路撒冷。这是对全宇宙的概览。
2The book of Revelation begins with the local churches with Christ in their midst and it ends with the New Jerusalem with Christ as its centrality and universality. Between these two ends of Revelation, we have the church age and the kingdom age. In the church age, the new testament age, God is doing one thing: He is producing the churches through the preaching of the full gospel. All twenty-seven books of the New Testament are included in the full gospel. God’s purpose is not merely to save a group of pitiful sinners. This concept is too low, and many of the philosophical people refuse to accept it. They need to see that the preaching of the gospel has a much higher purpose and that it is on the highest plane—producing the churches for the composition of the New Jerusalem. After the church age, the kingdom age will come. In the kingdom age God will accomplish what has not been completed and perfected in the church age. After the age of the kingdom, God’s purpose will be thoroughly and absolutely completed. Then there will be eternity with the new heaven, the new earth, and the New Jerusalem composed of all the redeemed saints. This is a general view of the whole universe.
3我们已经指出，藉著头四印，我们看见从基督升天到祂回来所发生的事情。这期间所发生的四件事，就是福音的传扬、战争、饥荒和死亡。第二、第三和第四匹马，帮助加速福音的传扬。若没有战争，我就不会到美国来。已过我们这些在中国主恢复中的人，没有一个有意思到西方世界来；我们以为等我们将恢复的工作完成到某一个程度之后，也许主会兴起一些别的人或凭藉，或许是传教士，或许是藉著繙译的书籍，把这个恢复带到西方世界。但忽然在一九四九年，中国大陆沦陷了。结果，主的恢复被带到美国来，我被工作打发到台湾时，为著在大陆主恢复的失去，深深受到困扰。我昼夜求问神，『怎么会这样？为甚么叫工作丢失？』至终，掌管一切的主，把祂的恢复带到美国来。这启示了我们，在主的主宰手中，在这个时代中只有一件事，就是全备福音的传扬，以产生众地方召会，好建造神永远的居所─新耶路撒冷。我们有了这总括的认识，才能读到启示录的内涵，充分并正确的领会这卷书。
3As we have already pointed out, through the first four seals, we have a view of what is taking place between Christ’s ascension and His coming back. Four things are transpiring: the preaching of the gospel, war, famine, and death. The second, third, and fourth horses help to speed up the preaching of the gospel. If there had been no war, I would not be in this country. In the past, none of us in the Lord’s recovery in China intended to come to the western world. We thought that perhaps after we had finished a certain amount of recovery work, the Lord would then use some other people or means, perhaps missionaries or the translation of the books, to bring the recovery to the western world. But suddenly, in 1949, mainland China was lost. As a result, the Lord’s recovery was brought to this country. Having been sent to Taiwan by the work, I was deeply troubled by the loss of the Lord’s recovery in mainland China. Day and night, I asked the Lord, “What is this? Why has the work been lost?” Eventually, the sovereign Lord brought His recovery to this country. This reveals that, in the sovereign hand of the Lord, there is only one thing in this age— the preaching of the full gospel to produce the local churches for the building up of God’s eternal dwelling place, the New Jerusalem. When we have this overall view, we can look into the book of Revelation and understand it adequately and properly
壹 殉道圣徒的呼喊─
I. THE CRY OF THE MARTYRED SAINTS
第五印
THE FIFTH SEAL
4七印先分为四和三，再分为六和一。四这数字表征受造之物，如四活物所表征的；六这数字表征创造，因为创造是在六天内完成的；三这数字表征三一神，一这数字表征独一的神。因此，四加三和六加一，都指明七印藉著神的审判，把神的创造连同一切受造之物，都带给神。
4The seven seals are firstly divided into four and three, and secondly into six and one. The number four signifies the creatures, as symbolized by the four living creatures, and the number six signifies creation, since creation was finished in six days. The number three signifies the Triune God, and the number one the unique God. Hence, both four plus three and six plus one indicate that the seven seals, through God’s judgment, bring God’s creation with all the creatures to God
5第五印揭示从第一世纪到将近这世代末了基督徒的殉道。（可能也包括旧约圣徒的殉道─太二三34～36）当福音广传，如第一印所指明的，总有忠信圣徒的殉道。
5The fifth seal discloses the Christian martyrdom from the first century to the time near the end of this age. (It may include the martyrdom of the old testament saints — Matt. 23:34-36.) While the gospel is being preached, as indicated by the first seal, there is always the martyrdom of the faithful saints.
一 殉道
A. The Martyrdom
6在福音广传的时代，有许多圣徒，因为神的话和耶稣的见证而殉道。司提反、彼得、以及其他的使徒，差不多都殉道了。使徒约翰被放逐，保罗先被监禁，以后也被处死。多少个世纪以来，福音不论传到那里，那里就有殉道的事。千万个忠心于主见证的人殉道了。可以说，倪弟兄也是殉道了。在已过的二十六年中，那些比我年长的同工们，几乎全都殉道了；他们被囚在监里，直到死去。
6During the age of gospel preaching, many saints have been martyred because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. Stephen, Peter, and nearly all the other apostles were martyred. The apostle John was exiled, and Paul was imprisoned and later sentenced to death. Throughout the centuries, wherever the preaching of the gospel has gone, there has been martyrdom. Thousands of those who have been faithful to the Lord’s testimony have been martyred. In a sense, even Brother Nee was martyred. Nearly all my older co- workers suffered martyrdom during the past twenty- six years by being kept in prison until they died
7圣徒的殉道，不是由于他们抵挡甚么人群的法规，而是因为神的话和耶稣的见证。神的话就是他们向人所传讲的福音、大喜的信息；耶稣的见证就是他们所过的生活。人类社会同著人类文化，完全在撒但邪恶的影响之下，就如约壹五章十九节所说，『整个世界都卧在那恶者里面。』所以不论是传讲神的话，或是活出耶稣的见证，都是反对世界里属撒但的趋势。撒但当然憎恨这事。因此，无论何时何地，只要圣徒传讲神的话，或者活出耶稣的见证，撒但就煽动人起来逼迫他们，甚至杀害他们。这是一种争战，不是人与圣徒之间的争战，乃是撒但与神之间的争战。时候将到，神要为这些圣徒伸冤，对那在撒但邪恶影响下的世界，施行祂公义的审判。
7The martyrdom of the saints is not because of their opposition to any human rules, but because of the word of God and the testimony of Jesus. The word of God is the glad tidings, the gospel, they proclaim to people. The testimony of Jesus is the life they live. Human society with human culture is wholly under the evil influence of Satan, as it says in 1 John 5:19, “the whole world lies in the evil one.” Both the preaching of the word of God and the life of the testimony of Jesus are against the satanic trend in the world. Certainly Satan hates this. Hence, whenever and wherever the saints preach the word of God and live the testimony of Jesus, Satan instigates people to persecute them, even to death. This is a fighting, not between men and the saints, but between Satan and God. The time will come when God will avenge the saints by exercising His righteous judgment over the earth which is under Satan’s evil influence
二 呼喊
B. The Cry
8启示录六章九至十节说，『在祭坛底下，有为神的话，并为所持守的见证被杀之人的魂。他们大声喊著说，圣别真实的主人，你不审判住在地上的人，给我们伸流血的冤，要等到几时？』九节说那些魂是在祭坛底下，这是指著在祭坛上被杀的祭牲。当祭牲在坛上被杀，祭牲的血就流下来，直到坛底下。而活物的生命（魂）是在血中；（利十七11；）所以这些殉道圣徒的魂是在祭坛底下，指明在神眼中，他们都已经献给神如同祭坛上的祭牲，而他们的血，就是他们的生命，就在那里流出来。现在他们的地位是在祭坛底下。就表号说，祭坛是在帐幕和圣殿的外院，外院象征地。因此，在祭坛底下，就是在地底下，殉道圣徒的魂所在之处。这是主耶稣死后所去的乐园，（路二三43，）在地心里，（太十二40，）乃是阴间的一部分，（徒二27，）就是得安慰的部分，亚伯拉罕就在那里。（路十六22～26。）
8Revelation 6:10, speaking of “the souls of those who had been slain because of the word of God and because of the testimony which they held,” says, “And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O sovereign Lord, holy and true, will You not judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” In 6:9 we see that the souls are underneath the altar. This points to the sacrifices killed on the altar. When a sacrifice was killed on the altar, its blood flowed down to and under the bottom of the altar. The soul of the flesh is in the blood (Lev. 17:11). That the soul of the martyred saints are under the altar indicates that, in the eyes of God, they have all been offered to God as sacrifices on the altar and that their blood, their life, was shed there. Now their position is under the altar. In figure, the altar is in the outer court of the tabernacle and the temple, and the outer court signifies the earth. Hence, “underneath the altar” is underneath the earth, where the souls of the martyred saints are. It is the paradise where the Lord Jesus went after His death (Luke 23:43). It is in the heart of the earth (Matt. 12:40), and should be the comfortable section of Hades, where Abraham is (Acts 2:27; Luke 16:22-26).
9今天，殉道的圣徒是在祭坛下面，就是地底下的乐园里。说这些圣徒在天上，那是完全错误的。在初版的司可福串珠圣经（ScofieldReferenceBible）中，对路加十六章二十三节有一个注释，指明乐园在基督复活之前原在地底下，但是藉著并随著基督的复活，乐园已经从地底下迁移到三层天上了。然而，在主复活之后五十天，就是五旬节那一天，彼得明明说，『大卫并没有升到诸天之上，』（徒二34，）可见就是到了五旬节那天，大卫仍然不在天上。兰格（G．．Lang），弟兄们中间一位已故的教师，在他所写『初熟的果子与庄稼』（FirstfruitsAndHarvest）一书中说，圣经中并没有一处题到，基督升天之后，乐园从地底下迁到三层天上，反而圣经所说的完全与此相反。他也指出行传二章那处经节，彼得说大卫并不在天上。我题到这事，是要使我们知道，一切殉道的圣徒，仍旧在祭坛底下的乐园里。很多基督徒不知道乐园是在阴间里。在路加二十三章四十三节，主对那得救的强盗所说的话，乃是这点最有力的证明。主说，『我实在告诉你，今日你要同我在乐园里了。』行传二章二十七及三十一节，启示主耶稣死后是到了阴间。马太十二章四十节，指明阴间是在地心里，主耶稣死后就在那里过了三日三夜。在阴间有一个快乐的部分，被比作亚伯拉罕的怀里，就是拉撒路所到之处。（路十六23。）这不是诸天之上的乐园，而是阴间的乐园。有些人引用林后十二章二至四节辩论说，当保罗被提进乐园的时候，他是被提到第三层天上。但是林后十二章二至四节并不证明，乐园是在三层天上，反而证明乐园不在三层天上。三节开头的『并且』一辞，证明保罗在二节所说被提到第三层天上去，与三、四节所说『被提进乐园里』是两回事。这里两次说到『被提，』原文并没有被提到『上面去』的意思。一面，保罗生活在地上，但另一面，他曾被提到诸天之上，也曾被提进乐园里。这样，保罗就得到对全宇宙的一个完满的异象。就著我们人类而言，宇宙有三部分，就是诸天之上，地上和地底下。（参腓二10。）保罗得知地上的事，天上的事，和乐园中的事；他得到了关于宇宙（关系到人这一面）最大的启示。
9Today, the martyred saints are in paradise underneath the altar, that is, underneath the earth. It is altogether erroneous to say that these saints are in heaven. The original Scofield Reference Bible has a note on Luke 16:23 that indicates that paradise was under the earth before Christ’s resurrection, but that by and with Christ’s resurrection it was transferred from under the earth to the third heaven. However, on the day of Pentecost, fifty days after the Lord’s resurrection, Peter said, “David did not ascend into the heavens” (Acts 2:34). Even at the time of the day of Pentecost, David was still not in heaven. In his book, Firstfruits and Harvest, on page 54, G. H. H Lang, a late teacher among the Brethren, says that “the Scripture nowhere declares” that after Christ’s ascension paradise was transferred from under the earth to the third heaven, “but is wholly against it.” He also pointed out the verse in Acts 2 where Peter said that David was not in heaven. I mention this that we might realize that all the martyred saints are still in paradise underneath the altar. Many Christians do not know that paradise is in Hades. The strongest proof that paradise is in Hades is the Lord’sword to the saved thief in Luke 23:43, “Truly I tell you, today you shall be with Me in Paradise.” Acts 2:27 and 31 reveal that after the Lord Jesus died He went to Hades. Matthew 12:40 indicates that Hades is in “the heart of the earth” where the Lord Jesus went for three days and nights after His death. In Hades there is a pleasant section likened to Abraham’s bosom where Lazarus went (Luke 16:23). This is not the paradise in the heavens, but the paradise in Hades. Using 2 Corinthians 12:2-4, some have argued that when Paul was “caught away into paradise” he was “caught away to the third heaven.” But 2 Corinthians 12:2-4 does not prove that paradise is in the third heaven; rather, it proves the opposite. The word and at the beginning of verse 3 proves that Paul’s being “caught away to the third heaven” and his being “caught away into paradise” mentioned in verses 3 and 4 are two different things. The Greek word rendered caught up in verses 2 and 4 (KJV) may be translated caught away. On the one hand, Paul was living on earth, but on the other hand, he was “caught away” to the heavens and into “the paradise.” In this way, Paul received a full vision of the entire universe. As far as mankind is concerned, the universe is of three sections: the heavens, the earth, and under the earth (cf. Phil. 2:10). Paul came to know the things on earth, the things in heaven, and the things in paradise. He had the greatest revelation of the universe as it relates to man.
10得救的圣徒死了以后，不再带著身体，就成为赤身的。人若没有身体就是赤身，是一种不正常的光景。在这种赤身，不正常的光景下，没有一个人可以在三层天上神的面前。因此，死了的圣徒必须留在一个快乐的地方，直到他们复活的时候。那时，神要给他们穿上复活的身体，他们就成为一个完整的，在正常情形中的人了。有人可能因著腓立比一章二十三节而感到不解，那里保罗希望『离世与基督同在。』保罗似乎说，『我若死了，就要与基督同在了。』与基督同在这件事，是相对的而非绝对的。甚至现在，我们就和基督同在。不论我们在那里，都是与基督同在。不过我们在肉身中，与基督的亲近，当然不如我们死后离开这个世界，进入另一个领域那样亲切。但这不是说，信徒死后是被提到诸天之上。那要到复活被提的日子，才会发生。有人可能用帖前四章来辩论说，已死的圣徒乃是与基督同在天上。他们说，当基督回来的时候，是带著已死的信徒同来，这就证明他们现在必是与祂同在天上。但你仔细读这章圣经，这里乃是说『那在基督里死了的人必先复活，然后我们这些活著还存留的人，必同时与他们一起被提到云里。』（帖前四16～17。）按照帖前四章，已死的圣徒将要复活，和活著的圣徒一同被提到空中与主相会。我们该仔细读圣经，不要依照今天传统和肤浅的教训。我们必须清楚，得救的圣徒，死后不是在诸天之上，乃是在圣经所称为乐园的快乐地方，就是主耶稣死后曾经访问过的地方。
10When the saved saints die, they all become naked, no longer having a body. For a human being not to have a body means that he is naked, not in a normal condition. No one can be in the presence of God in the third heavens in this naked, abnormal condition. Hence, the dead saints must be kept in a pleasant place until the time of their resurrection, when God will clothe them with a resurrected body and they will be a complete person in a normal condition. Some may wonder about Philippians 1:23, where Paul said that he had a desire “to depart and be with Christ.” Paul seemed to be saying, “If I die, I will be with Christ.” To be with Christ is not an absolute matter; it is a relative one. Even now, we are with Christ. Wherever we are, we are with Him. Of course, while we are in this physical body, we are not as close to Christ as we are when we die, pass out of this world, and enter into another realm. But this does not mean when the believers die they are taken to the heavens. That will not occur until the day of resurrection and rapture. Others may use 1 Thessalonians 4 to argue that the dead saints are with Christ in heaven. They say that when Christ comes back, He will bring the dead believers with Him, and that this proves that they must be with Him now in heaven. But read this chapter carefully. It says that “the dead in Christ shall rise first” and that those who “are living, who remain, shall be caught up at the same time together with them in clouds” (1 Thes. 4:16-17). According to 1 Thessalonians 4, the dead saints will be resurrected and, along with the living ones, will be caught up to the air to meet with Christ. We should read the Bible carefully and not follow today’s traditional, superficial teachings. We must be clear that the saved saints are not in the heavens, but in a pleasant place which the Bible calls paradise, the place the Lord Jesus visited after He died
11那些殉道的圣徒们，等候了一段长时间后，在将近这世代的末了，大声呼喊伸冤，催促主向『住在地上的人』施行审判，给他们伸流血的冤。
11After waiting for a long time, near to the end of this age, the martyred saints cry out for revenge, urging the Lord to judge and avenge their blood “on those who dwell on the earth
三 主的称许
C. The Lord’sAp prov al
12十一节说，『于是有白袍赐给他们各人，又有话对他们说，还要安息片时，等著一同作奴仆的，和他们的弟兄，就是那些将要也像他们一样被杀的，满足了数目。』这里的白袍表征他们的殉道蒙神称许。那些将要也像他们一样被杀的，是指大灾难期间殉道的人。（启二十4。）
12Verse 11 says, “And to each of them was given a white robe; and it was said to them that they should rest yet a little while, until the number of their fellow slaves and their brothers who are about to be killed even as they were should be completed also.” The white robe here signifies that their martyrdom has been approved by God. Those “who are about to be killed” refers to those who will be martyred during the great tribulation (20:4
13照著『还要安息片时，等…满足了数目』这话，殉道圣徒的呼喊，该是发生在将近这世代的末了。我们现今仍在头四印里，第五印尚未来到；然而，我相信我们已经接近第五印的时期了。
13According to the word, “yet a little while until the number...should be completed,” this cry of the martyred saints should transpire near the end of this age. We are still in the first four seals. The fifth seal has not yet come. However, I believe that we are close to the time of the fifth seal
贰 神的答应─第六印
II. GOD’S ANSWER—THE SIXTH SEAL
一 超自然灾难的开始
A. The Beginning of Supernatural Calamities
14第六印（启六12～17）乃是要来超自然灾难的开始，是神对第五印中殉道圣徒呼求的答应。第六印揭开后，主来震动地以及天上的天象。地大震动，日头变黑像粗糙的黑毛布，月亮变红像血，天上的星辰坠落于地，如同无花果树被大风摇动，落下末熟的果子一样。天就挪移，好像书卷被卷起来，一切山岭海岛都被挪移离开本位。（启六12～14。）这次大震动是对地上居民的警告，警告他们要悔改转向神。神好像对他们说，『你们这些地上的居民只关心自己，不留意我。现在是我震动地来警告你们的时候。』有些人曾经亵慢的称他们自己为神，主会震动天地，题醒他们惟独祂才是神。这次震动将是何等可怕！地球、太阳、月亮以及众星，都受到波及。
14The sixth seal (6:12-17), which marks the beginning of supernatural calamities, is God’s answer to the cry of the martyred saints in the fifth seal. After the opening of the sixth seal, the Lord comes in to shake the earth and the hosts of the heavens. The earth will quake greatly, the sun will become black as sackcloth made of hair, the moon will become as blood, the stars of heaven will fall to the earth as a fig tree casting its unripe figs when shaken by a great wind, the heaven will recoil as a scroll being rolled up, and every mountain and island will move out of its place (6:12-14). This great shaking will be a warning to the dwellers on the earth. It will warn them to repent and return to God. God may seem to be saying to them, “You earth dwellers are only for yourselves. You don’t care for Me. Now is My time to shake the earth as a warning to you.” While some people have blasphemously said that they are God, the Lord will shake the earth and the heaven as a reminder to them that He is God. What a terrible shaking this will be! The earth, the sun, the moon, and the stars will all be affected
二 地上居民的反应
B. The Reaction of the Earth’s Dwellers
15在十五至十七节，我们看见地上居民的反应。他们藏身在洞穴和山岭的岩石中，求山岭和岩石把他们藏起来，以躲避神的面和羔羊的忿怒。十五节启示他们良心的感觉，因为他们害怕神审判的来临，以为神和羔羊忿怒的大日到了。其实第六印还不是神审判来临的宣布，不过是给地上居民的警告。世上的君王以及一切伟大、富有、显贵的人，都要因这次地震而惊恐，以为神和羔羊忿怒的日子到了。实际上那日子还末临到，不过是叫他们豫尝一点味道，警告他们悔改。神好像警告说，『转向我罢，不要说你是神。你们只不过是我所创造，居住在地上可怜的人。我创造了日、月、星辰，好叫你们生存。但你们竟将我丢在背后，甚至反对我，亵渎我。现在是你们受警告，好叫你们悔改的时候。』
15In verses 15 through 17 we see the reaction of the earth’s dwellers. They will hide themselves in the caves and in the rocks of the mountains and they will beg the mountains and rocks to hide them from the face of God and from the wrath of the Lamb. Verse 15 reveals the feeling of their conscience, for they fear the coming of the judgment of God, considering that the great day of the wrath of God and of the Lamb has come. However, the sixth seal is not the proclamation of God concerning the coming of His judgment. Rather, it is a warning to the dwellers of the earth. The kings and all the great, rich, and noble men of the earth will be shocked by this earthquake and will think that the day of the wrath of God and of the Lamb has come. Actually, this will not yet be that day, it will be just a foretaste and a warning to them to repent. In this warning God seems to be saying, “Return to Me. Do not say that you are God. You are the poor dwellers on the earth created by Me. I created the sun, the moon, and the stars for your living. But you forget Me and oppose and blaspheme Me. Now is the time for you to be warned in order that you might repent.”
三 这种灾难的意义
C. The Significance of This Calamity
16这种灾难的意义，乃是要警告地上的居民。这还不是主真正的忿怒。这是神对第五印中殉道圣徒呼喊的答应，显示神不久要来为他们伸冤，并且表白祂自己。神就要来为祂亲爱的圣徒所流的血伸冤。
16The significance of this calamity is that it is a warning to the earth’s dwellers. It is not yet the actual wrath of the Lord. It is God’s answer to the cry of the martyred saints in the fifth seal and it reveals that God is soon to come into avenge them and to vindicate Himself. God is coming to avenge the blood of His dear saints
参 是主的日子
III. THE WARNING BEING
之前的警告
BEFORE THE DAY OF THE LORD
17第六印，是大灾难的起头，也是主的日子之前的警告。照约珥二章三十至三十一节看，第六印与头五号（启八6～九11）的时间相差不多。约珥二章三十至三十一节先有第一号、第二号的血，第一号、第二号、第三号的火，（启八7～10，）和第五号的烟，（启九1～3，）然后有第六印的日头和月亮。启示录九章四节和七章三节比较，指明第五号与第六印非常接近。地与天势的震动和改变的灾害要有两次。第一次要发生在大灾难的起头。（珥二30～31。）第二次要发生在大灾难之后。（珥三～16，太二四29～30，路二一25～26。）第六印所包括的，乃是第一次的灾害，不只可看为警告，也是要来之大灾难的起头。接著第六印，在第七印揭开的时候先有头四号，（启八1～2，6～13，）然后大灾难最严重的灾祸要在末三号中执行出来。（启九1～21，十一14～19。）
17The sixth seal, being an introduction to the great tribulation, is a warning before the day of the Lord. According to Joel 2:30-31, there will not be much difference in time between the sixth seal and the first five trumpets (8:6-11). Joel 2:30-31 firstly has the blood of the first and second trumpets, the fire of the first, second, and third trumpets (8:7-10), and the smoke of the fifth trumpet (9:1-3), and then the sun and the moon of the sixth seal. Chapter 9:4 compared with 7:3 indicates that the fifth trumpet is very close to the sixth seal. There will be two calamities in the shakings and changes of the earth and of the hosts in heaven. The first will occur before the day of the Lord, before the great tribulation (Joel 3:11-16; 2:30-31; Luke 21:11). And the second will occur after the day of the Lord, after 11 the great tribulation (Matt. 24:29-30; Luke 21:25-26). What is covered in the sixth seal is the first calamity. It may be considered not only as a warning but also as an introduction to the coming great tribulation. Following the sixth seal, at the opening of the seventh seal, are the first four trumpets as indicators that the great tribulation is coming (8:1-2, 6-13). Then the great tribulation will be carried out in the last three trumpets (9:1-21; 11:14-19).