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启示录生命读经 · 第58篇

新天新地

The New Heaven and New Earth
1每当我们读经读到启示录二十一、二十二章的时候，就立刻觉得进入另一个范围，另一个领域，原因是在这两章里，整个宇宙都更新了。不仅在基督里的信徒得更新，连天地也都更新了。在本篇信息中，我们要来看新天新地。（启二一1～8。）
1Whenever we come to Revelation chapters twenty- one and twenty-two in our reading of the Bible, we immediately sense that we are entering another realm, another sphere. The reason for this is that in these chapters the entire universe is renewed. Not only the believers in Christ, but also the heaven and the earth are renewed. In this message we shall consider the new heaven and the new earth (21:1-8
壹 旧天旧地的
I. THE FOUR DISPENSATIONS
四个时代
IN THE OLD HEAVEN AND OLD EARTH
2在二十一章之前，神的诸时代还未完成，所以新天新地没有在那时之前出现。在二十章结束以前，神对付祂受造之物的工作还没有完成。在二十一章一节，新天新地来临了，这指明神的诸时代已经完成了。
2Because God’s dispensations are not completed until chapter twenty-one, the new heaven and the new earth do not appear before that time. Before the end of chapter twenty God’s dealing with His creatures is not completed. The coming of the new heaven and the new earth in 21:1 indicates that God’s dispensations have been completed
3在已过的永远里，神就定意要得著一个团体的彰显，使祂得著完满的彰显和荣耀；（弗三9～，一9～11；）为此祂创造了诸天、地和人类。从创世以来，共分四个时代：法前时代，从亚当到摩西；（罗五14；）律法时代，从摩西到基督；（约一17；）恩典时代，从基督第一次来临到祂第二次来临万物复兴的时候；（徒三20～21；）还有国度时代，从基督第二次来临到千年国的末了。（启十一15，二十4，6。）神用这四个时代成全并完成祂所拣选的人，使他们作祂永远团体的彰显，以成就祂的定旨。这四个时代都属于旧天旧地。国度时代虽然是复兴的时代，却仍在旧天旧地里，因为神在祂所拣选之人身上那成全与完成的工作，要到国度时代末了才能成就。等到神藉著国度时代完成这工作时，旧天旧地就要被火焚烧而过去，更新为新天新地，（彼后三10～13，）新耶路撒冷要降到其中作神永远的彰显。
3In eternity past God purposed to have a corporate expression that He might be fully expressed and glorified (Eph. 3:9-11; 1:9-11). For this, He created the heavens, the earth, and mankind. Since the creation of man, 11 there have been four dispensations: the dispensation of the patriarchs, from Adam to Moses (Rom. 5:14); the dispensation of law, from Moses to Christ (John 1:17); the dispensation of grace, from Christ’s first coming until “the restitution of all things” at Christ’s second coming (Acts 3:20-21); and the dispensation of the kingdom, from Christ’s second coming to the end of the millennium (Rev. 11:15; 20:4, 6). God has used these four dispensations to accomplish His purpose by perfecting and completing His chosen people that they may be His eternal corporate expression. All four dispensations belong to the old heaven and old earth. Although the dispensation of the kingdom will be the dispensation of restoration, it will still transpire in the old heaven and old earth, because God’s perfecting and completing work in His chosen people will not be accomplished until the end of that dispensation. When God finishes this work, by the dispensation of the kingdom, the old heaven and old earth will pass away through fire and be renewed into the new heaven and new earth (2 Pet. 3:10-13), where the New Jerusalem will come for God’s eternal expression.
一 法前时代
A. The Dispensation of the Patriarchs
4现在我们来看这四个时代的细节。大多数的圣经教师都说，从亚当直到那一千年的末了，有七个时代，我同意这点。然而，这七个时代多少有些出于人的构想；按照圣经，从亚当到千年国的末了，没有七个时代，只有四个时代。第一个时代是从亚当到摩西。（罗五14。）这是圣经标明第一个时代的方法。有些人将第一个时代分为几个不同的时代；无罪时代、良心时代、人治时代和应许时代。但这一切都该当作一个时代的几个部分，而不是四个分开的时代。在每个时代都有一些人被神作得完全。在第一个时代，列祖得了完全。那个宇宙光明的妇人，头戴十二星的冠冕，这些星就是表征列祖。（启十二1。）
4Let us consider these four dispensations in more detail. Most Bible teachers say that from Adam until the end of the thousand years there will be seven dispensations. I agree with this. However, these seven dispensations are somewhat of a man-made design. According to the Bible, there are not seven dispensations from Adam to the end of the millennium; there are four. The first dispensation is from Adam until Moses (Rom. 5:14). This is the biblical way of marking the first dispensation. Some divide the first dispensation into various other dispensations: the dispensation of innocence, the dispensation of conscience, the dispensation of human government, and the dispensation of promise. But all these should be treated as sections of one dispensation, not as four separate dispensations. In each dispensation certain people have been completed by God. In the first dispensation the patriarchs were completed. They are signified by the stars of the crown upon the head of the universal bright woman (12:1).
二 律法时代
B. The Dispensation of Law
5第二个时代，从摩西到基督，是律法时代。『律法是藉著摩西赐的，恩典和实际都是藉著耶稣基督来的。』（约一17。）在律法的时代，神产生旧约的圣徒，并成全他们许多人，如摩西、约书亚、亚伦、撒母耳、大卫和众申言者。启示录十二章里光明妇人的脚所踏的月亮，就是表征这些圣徒。
5The second dispensation, from Moses to Christ, is the dispensation of law. “For the law was given through Moses; grace and reality came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). In the dispensation of law God produced the Old Testament saints and perfected a number of them, such as Moses, Joshua, Aaron, Samuel, David, and the prophets. These saints are signified by the moon under the feet of the bright woman in Revelation 12
三 恩典时代
C. The Dispensation of Grace
6第三个时代，从基督第一次来临到祂第二次来临万物复兴的时候，（徒三～21，）是恩典时代。在这时代，神产生新约的信徒，并成全他们许多人。那妇人身上所披的日头，就是表征他们。所以，在头三个时代，神成全了列祖、一些旧约的圣徒以及一些新约的信徒。
6The third dispensation, from Christ’s first coming until the restoration of all things at Christ’s second coming (Acts 3:20-21), is the dispensation of grace. In this 20 dispensation God produces the New Testament believers and perfects many of them. They are signified by the sun which clothes the woman. Therefore, in the first three dispensations, God perfects the patriarchs, some Old Testament saints, and some New Testament believers.
四国度时代
d the dispensation of the kingdom
7第四个时代是国度时代，就是复兴的时代。这时代要开始于基督第二次来临，一直持续到千年国末了。（启十一15，二十4，6。）在国度时代，神要成全以色列遗民和未成熟的信徒。神是智慧的。在第二个时代，就是律法时代，神成全以色列人的工并未完成，因为他们不给神机会作这事。他们不肯让神成全他们。所以神将成全以色列人的工延后到第四个时代，那时这工要完全成就。在国度时代，神也要成全未成熟的基督徒。在恩典时代，许多基督徒不让神成全他们，所以，主被迫将成全他们的工延后到下个时代。因此，国度时代的一个功用，就是成全以色列人和未成熟的基督徒。按照圣经，这些是旧宇宙中的四个时代。在这些时代之后，成全神子民的工就完全成就了，神就得著一个完美无缺的宇宙妇人，就是新耶路撒冷。看见这些时代是何等的亮光！
7The fourth dispensation is the dispensation of the kingdom, the dispensation of restoration. This dispensation will begin at Christ’s second coming and last until the end of the millennium (11:15; 20:4, 6). During the dispensation of the kingdom, God will perfect the remnant of Israel and the immature believers. God is wise. In the second dispensation, the dispensation of law, He did not complete the perfection of the children of Israel because they did not give Him the opportunity to do this. They refused to allow God to perfect them. Thus, God has postponed the perfecting of the children of Israel until the fourth dispensation, at which time it will be fully accomplished. During the dispensation of the kingdom God will also complete the perfection of the immature Christians. Many Christians will not allow God to perfect them during the dispensation of grace. Therefore, the Lord will be forced to postpone their perfection until the next dispensation. Thus, one function of the dispensation of the kingdom is to complete the perfection of the children of Israel and of the immature Christians. According to the Bible, these are the four dispensations in the old universe. After these dispensations, the perfection of God’sp eople will be wholly accomplished, and God will have a perfect and complete universal woman, the New Jerusalem. How enlightening it is to see these dispensations!
II. THE PASSING AWAY
贰 旧天旧地的消逝
OF THE OLD HEAVEN AND OLD EARTH
8在这四个时代之后，就是在神子民全然得著完全之后，旧天旧地对神就不再有用了。那时，旧造就要过去了。神要用许多东西成全祂的子民：撒但、敌基督、假申言者、软弱、艰苦和种种别的难处。我们得成全之后，神就不再需要旧造的消极之物，所以祂能说，『撒但，我再也不需要你了，到火湖去罢！疾病、忧伤和眼泪，因为我的子民已经得成全了，我也不需要你们了。我不需要旧的东西。我不需要旧天，也不需要旧地了。一切老旧、消极的东西都是我用来成全我百姓的工具；既然我的子民已经得成全了，这一切东西就可以扔进宇宙的垃圾箱，就是火湖里了。』
8After these four dispensations, that is, after the absolute perfection and completion of God’sp eople, God will have no further use for the old heaven and the old earth. At that time, the old creation will be over. God will use many things to perfect His people: Satan, Antichrist, the false prophet, weakness, hardship, and various other difficulties. After we have been perfected, God will no longer need the negative things of the old creation; therefore, He can say, “Satan, I don’t need you anymore. Go to the lake of fire. Sickness, sorrow, and tears, because My people have been perfected, I don’t need you either. I don’t need anything old. I don’t need the old heaven and I don’t need the old earth. All the old and negative things were instruments used by Me to perfect My people. Now that My people have been perfected, all these things may be put into the universal ‘trash can,’ the lake of fire
9我们盖安那翰会所的时候，用了许多不同的器具，当我要把一些器具丢弃的时候，就有弟兄要我不要丢，因为他们还要用那些器具。我同意保留，但并不很高兴。有一天，建筑物完成了，那些旧的器具都扔进了垃圾箱。同样的，神的子民完全得了成全，旧天旧地对祂也就不再有用了。所以那时，旧天旧地要过去，新天新地要来临。神要对旧造说，『我的子民已经得成全了。因为他们都是成熟的，你就用不著再存留了。』于是旧天旧地就被丢弃了。
9In building our meeting hall in Anaheim we had a use for many different utensils. When I was about to throw some of these utensils away, the brothers asked me not to do it, because they still had a use for them. Unhappily, I agreed to keep them. One day, the building was completed, and all those old utensils were thrown into the trash can. In like manner, when God’sp eople have been thoroughly perfected, He will have no further use for the old heaven and the old earth. Therefore, at that time, the old heaven and old earth will pass away, and the new heaven and new earth will come in. God will say to the old creation, “My people have been perfected. Because they are all matured, you need not remain any longer.” Thus, the old heaven and the old earth will be put away.
一 被焚烧成为新天新地
A. Being Burned to Become the New Heaven and New Earth
10关于抛弃旧天旧地，有一点令我难解。按著希伯来一章十一、十二节所说，诸天和地要像衣服渐渐旧了，主要将天地卷起来，把牠们丢弃了。但彼后三章十至十二节指明，诸天和地要被焚烧；按这些经节，所有的元素都要被焚烧而销化。旧天旧地要被卷起来，还是要被焚烧？也许牠们先被卷起来，然后被焚烧罢！
10There is one aspect of the putting away of the old heaven and the old earth that I find difficult to understand. According to Hebrews 1:11 and 12, the earth and the heavens will “become old as a garment,” and the Lord “shall roll them up” and put them away. But 2 Peter 3:10-13 indicates that the heavens and the earth will be burned. According to these verses, the elements will burn and melt. Will the old heaven and the old earth be rolled up or will they be burned? Perhaps they will be rolled up first and then burned
11我关切的另一个问题是在千年国末了地上的万民。神将地卷起来并且焚烧了，万民要在那里？我无法解答这问题。我和你们一样，智力太有限，无法知道这些问题的解答。有些事情是我们无法理解的。比方说，复活的基督在祂复活的晚上，同祂的门徒显现。（约二十19。）门徒在一间门都关了的屋子里；忽然主耶稣带著摸得著的物质身体显现在屋子里。祂是怎么到那里的?还有，钉痕仍在主的身上。为甚么祂复活的身体依然有钉痕？正如我们无法解释这事，我们也无法解释关于旧天旧地消逝的种种事情。然而，照著圣经，时候将到，旧天旧地要被卷起来，并且被焚烧。旧天旧地确实要被焚烧成为新天新地；因著被焚烧，旧天旧地就得以更新。我们如何得了更新，天地也要照样得更新。我们现今乃是新造。（林后五17。）将来要有新造并不是说，神要再从无有创造出东西来；乃是说，旧造要得更新成为新造。然而，我无法解释神要如何作这事。尽管如此，我们必须相信神的主宰。许多科学家不信神创造了万有。他们说，『神怎么可能只说一句话，就造成了这些东西？』但圣经说，神『称无为有。』（罗四17。）又说，『宇宙是凭神的话结构起来的；这样，所看见的并不是从显然之物而成的。』（来十一3。）神是创造的神。既是创造的神，祂就不需要任何原料，祂能从无有中创造出东西来。同样，神也有办法造出新天新地。最终，不仅我们这些得重生的神的子民要成为新造；整个宇宙都要得更新成为新造。我们已经看见，在神完成了成全祂子民的工之后，这事就要发生。万物都在等候我们得成全。
11Another question I have concerns the nations on earth at the end of the millennium. When God rolls up the earth and burns it, where will the nations be? I cannot answer this question. My mentality, like yours, is too limited to know the answers to such questions. There are certain things we simply cannot figure out. Take, for example, the appearing of the resurrected Christ to His disciples on the evening of His resurrection (John 20:19). The disciples were in a room, and all the doors were shut. Suddenly, the Lord Jesus appeared in the room with a touchable, physical body. How did He get there? Furthermore, the prints of the nails were still in the Lord’s body. Why did His resurrection body still have in it the marks of the nails? Just as we cannot explain this, neither can we explain the various matters related to the passing away of the old heaven and the old earth. Nevertheless, according to the Bible, the time is coming when the old heaven and the old earth will be rolled up and burned. The old heaven and the old earth actually will be burned to become the new heaven and the new earth. By being burned, the old heaven and old earth will be renewed. Just as we have been renewed, so will the heaven and the earth be renewed. We are the new creation (2 Cor. 5:17). The fact that there will be a new creation does not mean that God will again create something out of nothing. Rather, it means that the old creation will be renewed to become the new creation. However, I cannot explain how God will do this. Nevertheless, we must believe in God’s sovereignty. Many scientists do not believe that God created everything. They say, “How could God just speak a word and cause something to come into being?” But the Bible says that God “calls the things not being as being” (Rom. 4:17) and that “the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not come into being from things which appear” (Heb. 11:3). God is the creating God. As the creating God, He does not need any material; He can create something out of nothing. Likewise, God has a way to make the new heaven and the new earth. Eventually, not only will we, the people of God who have been born again, be the new creation; the entire universe will be renewed and become the new creation. As we have seen, this will take place after God has completed the perfection of His people. Everything is waiting for us to be perfected.
12很少基督徒注意在生命里得成全的事。但在神的光照下，我们已经看见，若非我们在生命里得成全，神就无法成就祂永远的定旨。今天你若不让祂成全你，祂会忍耐，等到下个时代，就是国度时代，完成祂在你身上的工作。不要以为你死了，一切问题就自动解决了；若是你死的时候有问题，你复活的时候也有同样的问题。你也许会很惊奇，并且说，『问题阿，我原以为死了就逃开了你，现今在我复活以后，我必须再面对你。』这是正确的。我们都必须完成我们的功课，否则就不能毕业。然而，许多基督徒仍误以为，死会把他们从问题中解救出来。但事实是你一旦死了，就失去机会在这个时代得成全，你必须在要来的时代得成全。我们都必须向主祷告说，『主，我要在死前得成全，不要让我未得成全就死了。我若未得成全就死了，我就确信我必须到下个时代才得成全。主，留我在地上，赐我所需要的怜悯和恩典，使我给你完全的自由，今天就让你作一切必须的事以成全我。』我们必须迫切的要在死前得成全，今天就给主充分的自由来成全我们。这是极其重要的事。按照全本圣经清楚的异象，我们不仅需要救赎、赦罪和重生，我们也急切需要得成全。我们需要被带到成熟。我们若是在这个时代不得成全并成熟，在下个时代就要受对付，使我们成熟，这迟延的成全并不很愉快。我们都需要将自己放在主的手中，使我们今天就得成全。当你发觉自己在种种环境中的时候，不要责怪任何人事物，反而该说，『主阿，为著这环境我感谢你，这是你成全我的工具和方法。主阿，感谢你给了我最好的妻子和儿女，他们在帮助我成熟。主阿，我也感谢你，在召会生活中每天都有这许多乖僻、奇特和难办的弟兄姊妹围绕我。主阿，我知道你的目的。这一切的环境以及所有的弟兄姊妹都在帮助我得成全。主阿，我何等感谢你！』
12Few Christians pay attention to the matter of perfection in life. But, under God’s enlightenment, we have seen that unless we are perfected in life, God does not have a way to accomplish His eternal purpose. If you do not allow Him to perfect you today, He will be patient and wait until the next age, the dispensation of the kingdom, to complete His work in you. Do not think that when you die all your problems will automatically be solved. If you have problems when you die, you will also have these same problems when you are resurrected. You may be surprised and say, “Dear problems, I thought that by dying I had escaped from you. Now, after I have been resurrected, I must face you again.” This is correct. We all must finish our lessons; otherwise, we cannot graduate. Nevertheless, many Christians still mistakenly think that by dying they will be rescued from their problems. But the truth is, once you die, you lose the opportunity to be perfected in this dispensation, and you will have to be perfected in the coming dispensation. We all must pray to the Lord, “Lord, I want to be perfected before I die. Don’t let me die without this. If I die without being perfected, I am certain that I will be perfected in the next dispensation. Lord, keep me on earth and grant me the mercy and grace I need to give You the complete liberty to do everything necessary to perfect me today.” We must be desperate to be perfected before we die and to give the Lord the full liberty to perfect us today. This is a matter of great significance. According to the clear vision in the whole Bible, we not only need redemption, forgiveness, and regeneration; we also urgently need perfection. We need to be brought on to maturity. If we are not completed, perfected, and matured in this dispensation, we shall be dealt with in the next dispensation so that we might mature. This postponed perfection will not be very pleasant. We all need to place ourselves in the Lord’s hand that we may be perfected today. As you find yourself in various circumstances, do not blame anyone or anything. Rather, you should say, “Lord, thank You for this situation. It is Your instrument and Your way to perfect me. Lord, thank You for the excellent wife and children You have given me. They are helping me to mature. Lord, I also thank You for the many peculiar, strange, and difficult brothers and sisters that surround me daily in the church life. O Lord, I know Your purpose. All these situations and all these brothers and sisters are helping me to be perfected. Lord, how I thank You
13今天只有一个地方能使我们得成全，那就是召会生活。在别的基督徒团体里，你若不满意周围的人，可以很容易的离开他们到别处去；然而你一旦真正进入了召会生活，就没有出口和太平门了。没有路可出去，我们必须留在这里，被焚烧、受对付以得著成全。赞美主，我们在今世就可以得成全。每一个离婚都是逃避婚姻生活的限制。属世的人不满意他们的婚姻，就想要离婚，逃离他们的难处，他们这样作，就逃避了对付、焚烧与成全。但我们神的儿女绝不该与召会生活『离婚。』我们既与召会生活结了婚，就必须留在烤箱里，直到我们完全被烘制好了。日子将到，我们不再需要烤箱，因为我们要得成全，一切都要成为新的；那时，第一个天和第一个地的老旧东西都必了结。今天我们有很多烤箱－我们的丈夫或妻子、儿女、召会中的弟兄姊妹。在召会生活里我们彼此烧烤，直到我们得成全的时候，才会从这烤箱中得释放。我们何等感谢主，祂用召会生活在生命里成全我们！
13There is only one place where we can be perfected today, and that place is the church life. In other Christian groups, if you are not happy with those around you, you can easily leave them and go elsewhere. However, once we have truly come into the church life, there is no exit, no fire escape. There is no way to get out. Instead, we must stay here and be burned and dealt with for our perfection. Praise the Lord, we can be perfected in this age! Every divorce is an escape from the limitations of married life. When the worldly people are unhappy with their marriage, they simply seek a divorce and run away from their problems. By doing this, they escape the dealing, the burning, and the perfecting. But we, the children of God, should never divorce ourselves from the church life. After we have entered into the marriage of the church life, we must stay in the oven until we have been completely baked. The day is coming when we shall no longer need the oven, for we shall be perfected, and everything will be new. At that time, all the old things of the first heaven and the first earth will be terminated. Today we have many ovens—our husband or wife, our children, and the brothers and sisters in the church. In the church life we are burning and baking one another. We shall not be released from this oven until we have been perfected. How we thank the Lord that He is using the church life to perfect us in life
二 海也不再有了
B. No More Sea
14一节又说，『海也不再有了。』海是神用审判之水，审判亚当以前时代的世界所造成的结果。（参创世记生命读经第二篇。）神复造的工作乃是限制作这审判之结果的水，使陆得恢复。（创一9～10，耶五。）亚当以前之世界的活类受水审判以后，就成了海里的居住者，就是鬼。在牠们受了基督和祂信徒的对付，（太八29～32，路十17，徒十六16～18，十九12，）以及海将牠们交出，受白色大宝座前的审判（启二十13）之后，海就不需要有了。从神复造的工作以来，神就定意要对付撒但和鬼，好把海废除。所以说，海也不再有了，指明撒但及其邪恶的跟从者都已经被处置，不会显在新天新地里。
14Verse 1 also says, “And the sea is no more.” The sea is the result of the waters of judgment, the waters which God used to judge the pre-Adamic world. (See Life- study of Genesis, Message Two.) The work of God’s re - creation was to recover the land by restricting the waters which were the result of this judgment (Gen. 1:9-10; Jer. 5:22). The living creatures of the 22 pre-Adamic world, after being judged by the waters, became the inhabitants of the sea. After they are dealt with by Christ and His believers (Matt. 8:29-32; Luke 10:17; Acts 16:16-18; 19:12) and the sea has given them up to the judgment of the great white throne (20:13), there will be no more need of the sea. From the time of God’s work of re-creation, God has intended to abolish the sea by dealing with Satan and his demons. Hence, to say “the sea is no more” indicates that Satan and his evil followers have all been dealt with and will not be found in the new heaven and new earth.
参 从前的事不再被记念
III. FORMER THINGS BEING NOT REMEMBERED
15以赛亚六十五草十七节说，『看哪，我造新天新地，从前的事不再被记念，也不再追想。』这里我们看见，从前的事不再被记念。神有个大本事，就是忘记。
15Isaiah 65:17 says, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.” Here we see that the former things will not be remembered. God has a great ability to forget
肆 长存
IV. REMAINING FOREVER
16新天新地要在永远的神面前存留，也就是永远长存。（赛六六22。）长存的意思就是存到永远。
16The new heaven and the new earth will remain before the eternal God, that is, remain forever (Isa. 66:22). To remain forever means to remain for eternity
伍 有义居住在新天新地中
V. RIGHTEOUSNESS DWELLING in the new heaven and new earth
17彼后三章十三节说，『但我们照祂的应许，期待新天新地，有义居住在其中。』这里我们看见，有义要居住在新天新地中。这就是说，一切将是正确、正当、适合的，再也没有冲突了。
17Second Peter 3:13 says, “But according to His promise we are expecting new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.” Here we see that righteousness will dwell in the new heaven and new earth. This means that everything will be right, proper, and fitting and that there will be no more friction
VI. THE NEW JERUSALEM
陆 新耶路撒冷降到新地上
COMING DOWN TO THE NEW EARTH
18二节说，『我又看见圣城新耶路撒冷由神那里从天而降，豫备好了，就如新妇妆饰整齐，等候丈夫。』新耶路撒冷要降到新地上。所有蒙神救赎的圣徒被提到诸天之上以后，他们就成了新耶路撒冷，由神那里从天而降。这指明我们永远的居所不在天上，乃在新地上的新耶路撒冷。
18Verse 2 says, “And I saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” The New Jerusalem will come down to the new earth. After all God’s redeemed saints have been raptured to the heavens, they will be in the New Jerusalem, which will come down out of heaven from God. This indicates that our dwelling place for eternity will not be heaven, but will be the New Jerusalem on the new earth
19新耶路撒冷要降下，作基督的新妇。这指明新耶路撒冷不是一座物质的城，乃是一个团体的人位，就是新妇。这城也是神的帐幕，使神与人同住。（启二一3。）对基督，她是新妇，为叫祂得满足；对神，她是一个帐幕，为著神有可安居之所，并藉以彰显祂自己。
19The New Jerusalem will come down as the Bride for Christ. This indicates that the New Jerusalem is not a material city; she is a corporate person, the Bride. This city will also be the tabernacle of God for His dwelling with man (v. 3). To Christ, this new city will be the Bride for His satisfaction; to God, it will be the tabernacle in which He will dwell and through which He will express Himself.
柒 新地上的百姓
VII. THE PEOPLES ON THE NEW EARTH
20三节说，『看哪，神的帐幕与人同在，祂要与人同住，他们要作祂的百姓，神要亲自与他们同在。』这节的『百姓，』就是二十四节的『列国。』那时必有好几班人，每一团体的人都是新地上的一国。这些围绕新耶路撒冷的列国会得复兴，但他们不会得重生。那时，他们背叛的天性将完全清除了。他们是得复兴并洁净的列国，要住在新耶路撒冷之外，享受新天新地里一般的祝福。
20Verse 3 says, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He shall tabernacle with them, and they shall be His peoples, and God Himself shall be with them.” The “peoples” in this verse will be “the nations” in verse 24. There will be several peoples, and each corporate people will be a nation on the new earth. These nations which will surround the New Jerusalem will be restored, but they will not be regenerated. At that time, their rebellious nature will have been purged away. As the restored and purged nations, they will live outside the New Jerusalem and they will enjoy the common blessings in the new heaven and the new earth
21四节题起这些一般的祝福；『神要从他们眼中擦去一切的眼泪，不再有死亡，也不再有悲哀、哭号、疼痛，因为先前的事都过去了。』在新天新地里不再有眼泪、死亡、悲哀、哭号、疼痛。在新天新地里要有完全的满足和安息，不再有让人流泪的事。死亡既要完全被生命吞灭，（林前十五，）且被扔在火湖里，（启二十14，）在新天新地里就不再有死亡。死亡要被扔进『垃圾箱，』就是火湖里，死亡的元素－悲哀、哭号、疼痛－也要被废除。
21These common blessings are mentioned in verse 4: “And He shall wipe away every tear from their eyes; and death shall be no more; nor sorrow, nor crying, nor pain—they shall be no more; for the former things have passed away.” In the new heaven and new earth there will be no tears, no death, no sorrow, no crying, and no pain. In the new heaven and new earth there will be full satisfaction and rest; there will be no more cause for tears. Since death will be wholly swallowed up by life (1 Cor. 15:54) and cast into the lake of fire 54 (20:14), in the new heaven and new earth there will be no more death. Death will be thrown into the “trash can,” the lake of fire, and the elements of death — sorrow, crying, and pain—will be abolished.
捌 神在新耶路撒冷里的众子
VIII. THE SONS OF GOD IN THE NEW JERUSALEM
22五至七节说到神在永远里的众子。七节说，『得胜的，必承受这些为业，我要作他的神，他要作我的儿子。』这里的得胜，与二、三章用了七次的得胜意义不同。这里的得胜指因信得胜，与约壹五章四至五节者同。二、三章里的得胜，使得胜的信徒彀资格有分于千年国的享受，作神时代行政里特别的赏赐；这里的得胜，使所有的信徒彀资格有分于新耶路撒冷，连同其中一切的享受，作神永远救恩共同的分。
22Verses 5 through 7 speak of the sons of God in eternity. Verse 7 says, “He who overcomes shall inherit these things, and I will be God to him, and he shall be a son to Me.” The meaning of overcome here differs from its meaning in chapters two and three, where it is used seven times. Here it means to overcome by believing, as in 1 John 5:4 and 5. The overcoming in chapters two and three qualifies the overcoming believers for participation in the enjoyment of the millennial kingdom as a particular reward in God’s dispensational administration, whereas the overcoming here qualifies all believers for participation in the New Jerusalem with all its enjoyment as a common portion of God’s eternal salvation.
23这节的『儿子，』指住在新耶路撒冷里的信徒。在新耶路撒冷里神的众子乃是新耶路撒冷的构成成分。他们是蒙了重生的信徒，有神的生命和性情；新耶路撒冷就是由这些从神而生的圣徒构成的。我们会看见，新耶路撒冷是神所有重生儿女的组成。神每一重生的儿女都是这个活组成的一部分。因为神的众子是新耶路撒冷的构成成分，所以他们也要住在新耶路撒冷。神的众子要有分于新耶路撒冷所有的享受，特别是享受生命水。（启二一6。）许多基督徒把列国的享受和圣徒的享受混在一起；列国要享受一般的祝福，圣徒却有特殊的享受，主要的是要享受生命水的生命供应；（启二二1；）不仅如此，我们在新耶路撒冷里，还要在神面前事奉我们的神和羔羊，直到永远。（启二二3～4。）这是神所救赎的人在永远里的一种福分。同时，我们还要作王，直到永永远远。（启二二5。）我们不仅作王一干年，且要作王直到永远。所有的圣徒都要成熟、得成全、并且有资格享受永远的新耶路撒冷。
23The “son” in this verse is the believer who will dwell in the New Jerusalem. The sons of God in the New Jerusalem are the constituents of the New Jerusalem. They are the regenerated believers who have the divine life and the divine nature. The New Jerusalem is constituted with all these saints who have been born of God. As we shall see, the New Jerusalem is a composition of all the reborn children of God. Every reborn child of God is a part of this living composition. Because the sons of God are the constituents of the New Jerusalem, they will also dwell in the New Jerusalem. The sons of God will participate in all the enjoyment of the New Jerusalem, especially the enjoyment of the water of life (v. 6). Many Christians have confused the enjoyment of the nations with the enjoyment of the saints. The nations will enjoy the common blessing, but the saints will have a particular enjoyment. Mainly, we shall enjoy the life supply of the water of life (22:1). Furthermore, we in the New Jerusalem shall serve our God and the Lamb in His presence for eternity (22:3-4). This is one of the blessings of God’s redeemed in eternity. At the same time, we shall reign forever and ever (22:5). We shall be kings not only for the thousand years; we shall be kings for eternity. All the saints will be matured, perfected, and qualified to enjoy the eternal New Jerusalem.
24启示录二十二章三节说，『在城里有神和羔羊的宝座；祂的奴仆都要事奉祂。』请注意这节的代名词不是复数，乃是单数。这节说，『祂的奴仆都要事奉祂。』并不是说，『祂们的奴仆都要事奉祂们。』这说到神和羔羊的单数代名词，证明神和羔羊乃是一。我们不能把他们当作两位。
24Revelation 22:3 says, “And the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it, and His slaves shall serve Him.” Notice that the pronouns in this verse are singular, not plural. This verse says, “His slaves shall serve Him”; it does not say, “Their slaves shall serve Them.” The singular pronoun, which refers to both God and the Lamb, proves that God and the Lamb are one. We should not consider Them as two
玖 灭亡于火湖的人
IX. THE PERISHED IN THE LAKE OF FIRE
25启示录二十一章八节说，『惟有胆怯的、不信的、可憎的、杀人的、淫乱的、行邪术的、拜偶像的、和一切虚谎的，他们的分就在烧著硫矿的火湖里；这是第二次的死。』在旧天旧地有水聚成的海，以容纳神审判的结果；在新天新地要有火湖顶替海。一切消极、污秽之物经神审判之后，都要在这火湖里，受第二次的死，在火与硫磺之中受焚烧的痛苦，直到永远。（启十四10～11。）按照二十二章十五节，火湖是在新耶路撒冷城外，就如那象征火湖的火坑，（太五22，）就是污秽之物所在的陀斐持，（耶十九11～，）是在旧耶路撒冷城外一样。（王下二三10，赛三十33。）火湖比水聚成的海更受限制。
25Revelation 21:8 says, “But the fearful and unbelieving and abominable and murderers and fornicators and sorcerers and idolaters and all the false, their part shall be in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” In the old heaven and old earth there was the sea of water to contain the result of God’s judgment, whereas in the new heaven and new earth there will be the lake of fire to replace it. All negative and filthy things, after being judged by God, will be in the lake of fire for eternity. According to 22:15, the lake of fire will be outside the New Jerusalem, just as Tophet, where the filthy things were (Jer. 19:11-13), was outside the old Jerusalem (2 Kings 23:10; Isa. 30:33). The lake of fire is much more restricted than the sea of water. To suffer the second 13 death, the lake of fire, is to be burned with fire and brimstone for eternity (14:10-11).