我們，而不是他們─啟示錄 

當我們繼續來研讀推雅推喇的先知性教會（538-1798 AD），認識耶洗別是瞭解此時教會發生什麼事的關鍵。教會中有許多關於『耶洗別的靈』之教導，此名詞來自聖經人物，她是亞哈王的妻子。亞哈王是以色列歷史中的一個壞王，似乎耶洗別影響許多他的邪惡道路。

耶洗別是以色列眾王中最凸顯的妻子，她以操控性格的勢力，對以色列國展現出顯著的影響與能力。擁有強烈性格本身並沒有錯，但耶洗別使用她的影響力引發不道德的情慾、偶像崇拜，並且逼迫那些敬拜主的人。

許多基督徒領袖相信耶洗別的靈是想要毀滅美國的主要靈界勢力，實際上也試圖毀滅所有西方文明。當我們看見我們國家道德和屬靈根基的瓦解，便很難多做辯解。似乎是隨著耶洗別在聖經時期的模式而行，不管在推雅推喇的先知性教會或今日的教會，我們皆可看見耶洗別的靈滲入的根源。

在我們更深入探討在中古世紀所發生的事之前，我們需要考慮到用最極端的元素來判決一團體或組織，所帶來的蒙蔽。甚至是在教會最腐敗的時期，仍有餘民對主持守忠心，就像亞哈王和耶洗別在以色列掌權期間。一些最偉大的先知與最明亮之光，也在教會最黑暗的時期被興起。

『大罪人』在主的殿中，或在教會中的啟示，是關於人的罪的啟示，或沒有神的恩典，我們所有人本相的啟示。在聖經裡，我們常看到先知被興起，為著以色列的罪來面質惡人向神悔改。成為人民的先知之根基在於成為他們的代禱者，要這麼做，你必須與他們認同。

我從未屬於任何教派，但我學會愛他們。我曾經每天研讀在中古世紀教會奉基督之名所做的邪惡之事，我開始厭惡天主教會所做之事。主花了許多年才改變我的心，使我能夠開始尊敬，然後愛天主教。天主教除了在中古世紀所做的邪惡，也做了許多好事，包括成為攔阻伊斯蘭征服歐洲的主要力量。

現在我有許多敬虔的天主教朋友，有時我真嫉妒他們與主的親密關係。目前大約有一億多重生得救、被聖靈充滿的羅馬天主教徒，多半因為教宗若望保祿二世的卓越領導。我的重點是，即使我不是羅馬天主教會成員，我與他們認同，他們所做的一些邪惡如同『我們』做的，而不是『他們』。這是我們可以為他們（我們）代求並學習功課的唯一方式，深知若沒有神的恩典，我們也會做同樣的事。藉由他人的錯誤來教導我們，亦是祂恩典的一部份。倘若我們不傲慢也不被蒙蔽，認為自己和他們不同，我們也會從中受益。倘若不是神的恩典，我們只會像他們一樣。

大部分從宗教改革而出來的教派被稱為『新教』，因為他們是在和羅馬天主教會的抗議中誕生。大部分譴責天主教會的新教教會，從他們而出來的運動最終都做了相同的事。在我對天主教會感到憤怒的年間，我個人也在我所屬的教會做了一些破壞與分裂的事。當我看見我若活在天主教會的時代，我極有可能做同樣的事，這幫助我為我破壞性的道路悔改。

凡是以為自己絕不會做這些事的，往往是最可能做的人。這即是何以聖經勸誡我們：『自己以為站得穩的，須要謹慎，免得跌倒』（參考哥林多前書10:12）。正當我們自以為站得穩之際，就是我們一定會跌倒之時。

我懇求你看這些奉基督之名所做可怕之事，是『我們』而不是『他們』做的。乞求恩典看見並悔改在我們自己裡面此邪惡的根源。『大罪人』或『人的罪』必須在主的殿中彰顯，以致於它可以在我們每個人裡面彰顯─我們的身體就是主的殿。當我們持續此研讀時，會越來越意識到這一點。

 (摘自喬納 word for the week,Week35, 2016) 

 
Us, Not Them—The Book of Revelation
Week 35, 2016
Rick Joyner

     As we continue our study of the prophetic church at Thyatira (538-1798 AD), understanding Jezebel is a key to understanding what happened to the church in this time. There has been much teaching in the church about the “spirit of Jezebel,” which is derived from the biblical character who was King Ahab’s wife. Ahab was one of the wickedest kings in Israel’s history. It seems that Jezebel influenced many of his evil ways.

     Jezebel was the most prominent wife of any king of Israel. She exerted significant influence and power over the nation by the force of her manipulative personality. Having a strong personality is not wrong in itself, but Jezebel used her influence to promote sexual immorality, the worship of false gods, and persecution of those who worshipped the Lord.

     Many Christian leaders believe the spirit of Jezebel is the primary principality or power seeking to destroy the United States and virtually all Western civilization. This would be hard to argue against as we see what has unraveled the moral and spiritual foundations of our countries. It seems to follow the pattern of the biblical times of Jezebel. We can see the roots of this spirit infiltrating the church during the time of the prophetic church of Thyatira, as well as in the church today.

     Before going deeper into what happened in the Middle Ages, we need to consider the deception of judging a whole group or organization by its most extreme elements. Even during times of the church’s worse corruption, a remnant always remained faithful to the Lord, just like during Ahab and Jezebel’s reign over Israel. Some of the greatest prophets and brightest lights were also raised up during the church’s darkest times.

     The revelation of the “man of sin” in the temple of the Lord—or the church—is a revelation of the sin of man, or what we all are without the grace of God. In Scripture, we often see that even the prophets raised up to confront evil repented to God for the sins of Israel as if they too had committed them. The foundation of being a prophet to people is built on being an intercessor for the people. To do this, you must identify with them.

     I have never been part of any denomination, but I have learned to love them all. There was a time when I daily studied the evils done in the name of Christ by the church in the Middle Ages. I began to hate the Roman Catholic Church by which these acts were committed. It took years for the Lord to change my heart so that I could start to respect, and then love, Roman Catholics. Along with the evil done by this church in the Middle Ages, there was also a lot of good—including being the primary force to turn back Islam’s conquest of Europe.

     I now have many devout Roman Catholic friends who sometimes make me jealous of their close relationship with the Lord. There are now also about 100 million born again, Spirit filled Roman Catholics, mostly because of the extraordinary leadership of Pope John Paul II. My point is that even though I am not a member of the Roman Catholic Church, I identify with them and the evil done by some of them as “us” not “them.” This is the only way we can intercede for them (us) and learn the lessons, knowing we would have done the same things without the grace of God. It is part of His grace to teach us through the mistakes of others. This will benefit us if we accept it without the arrogance and delusion that we are not like them. We would be just like them if it were not for God’s grace.

     Most denominations born out of the Protestant Reformation are called “Protestant” because they were born in protest of the Roman Catholic Church. Most of the Protestant churches that condemned the Catholic Church ended up doing the same things to subsequent movements born out of Protestantism. In the years that I was so incensed by the Roman Catholic Church, I personally did some destructive and divisive things in the congregations I was in. When I saw that I would have almost certainly done the same things as the Catholics did had I lived in that time, it helped me to repent of my destructive ways.

     Those who presume that they would never have done these things are the ones most likely to do them. This is why we’re given the exhortation to “Take heed when you think you stand lest you fall” (see I Corinthians 10:12). It is when we think we can’t fall that we are certain to.

     I plead with you to look at the terrible things done in the name of Christ as having been done by “us” not “them.” Beg for the grace to see and repent of the roots of this evil in ourselves. The “man of sin” or “sin of man” had to be revealed in the temple of the Lord so that it could be revealed in each of us, the temples. This will make increasing sense as we continue this study.