成為一生的尋道者─啟示錄

我們用了一年的時間來研讀啟示錄，還沒讀完前三章，而且是以非常粗淺的方式來談論。還有許多部分我們沒有時間仔細鑽研，但這些時期會以更多的洞見不斷出現在啟示錄的其餘部分。當我們建立好原則與要素，就能夠回去，加添更多細節。

我們有時間來做此類的鑽研嗎？有的，我們有許多時間。只要在前三章立好根基原則，我們現在便能加速。我們也可以花時間將每件事連結於實際面，看看要如何將它們應用在今日將發生的事件中，並看看它們要帶領我們往哪裡走。

當我們研讀聖經預言，我們會留意到聖經的英文翻譯可能不太準確。舉例來說，『世界』（world）這個字的翻譯可能指的不是全地（earth），而是比較多說到時間勝過地方，例如一個世代。有時將世界翻成『順序』更準確，指著地上的特別順序，而不是如翻譯所指的全世界。

然而基本的宗教改革教義不是說聖經是完全與無誤的嗎？沒錯，但是以原文來看。希臘文和希伯來文比英文更詳細且更具表達性。舉例來說，『愛』的希臘文有五個，每一個所表達的都是不同種類的愛。這些錯誤翻譯多半不會影響基本基督徒生活的實際教義，但當你要瞭解聖經預言時，對要深度鑽研的認真尋道者而言就比較具挑戰性。

我們因有聖經電腦軟體而大大蒙福，使我們能瞬間就找到聖經上希伯來原文和希臘原文的意思。我們也有花許多年，通常是數十年的學者與教師深度研讀，將研究內容放在書中，我們只要花數小時就可以讀完。我在每週一話所寫的內容是我花數十年研讀的成果，我試圖以一種方式傳遞，只要一週花幾分鐘就可以讀完。這即是將好酒甕沉底的一部份。

儘管知識快速增長─我們似乎來到古老預言的封印被打開，瞭解被賜下的時刻─我們需要深思與反思神的話，在禱告中將我們的洞見帶到祂面前。沒有任何科技或資源可以取代聖靈。

我們也必須謹記在心，我們所得著的知識再多，我們所知的仍有限，沒有人擁有整幅圖畫，我們必須謙卑到足以向他人學習。我用近半世紀的時間尋求真理，我學到那些擁有我所需要接下來部份的人，往往是我一開始就拒絕的人。他們可能抱持著一些我不同意的事物，甚至有一些詮釋方式不是讓我很舒服。然而，當我保有與他們的關係，我必然在其中找到一些真正的寶藏。

這不表示我可能認同了當初困擾我的事情，但我學習敬重每一個真誠的尋道者，因為神應許我們若尋找，我們便會尋見。然而，這並不代表任何尋見某件事的人在瞭解上就很完全，包括我自己。

在未來幾週，我們將完成七個教會的研讀，繼續朝著啟示錄其餘部分前進─好使我們更加清楚我們現在在哪裡，我們將往哪裡走。儘管啟示錄大部分預言可能已經發生了，但最重要、最有趣的事件將要發生，我們還有許多要做的工來為其預備。

(摘自喬納 word for the week,Week50, 2016)

 
Become a Lifelong Seeker—The Book of Revelation
Week 50, 2016
Rick Joyner

         We have spent a year on this study and are barely through the first three chapters of the Book of Revelation—and we have covered these in a very cursory way. There is much more that we did not have time to delve into, but in the rest of Revelation, these periods are repeated with increasing insight into them. Having established principles and factors, we will be able to go back and fill in many of the details.

         Do we have time to approach it like this? Yes, we have plenty of time. With the foundational principles laid out in the first three chapters, we will be able to go faster now. We can also take time to link everything to the practical, seeing how they apply to the unfolding events of today and where they are leading us.

         When studying biblical prophecy, we become aware of how English translations of the Bible can be inaccurate. For example, words translated “world” may not mean the earth, but rather speak more of a time than a place, such as an age. Sometimes they are more accurately translated as “order” and speak of a specific order on the earth rather than the whole world, as the translation implies.

         But isn’t a basic Reformation doctrine that the Scriptures are perfect and infallible? Yes, but in the original languages. The Greek and Hebrew languages tend to be far more detailed and expressive than English. For example, there are five Greek words for “love,” and each expresses a different kind of love. Most of these mistranslations do not affect the practical doctrine for basic Christian living, but when you get into understanding biblical prophecy, they can be challenging and take a deeper study for the serious seeker.

         We have the great blessing of Bible computer programs that enable us to search out the meaning of the original Greek and Hebrew words in seconds. We also have many scholars and teachers who have spent years, and often decades, doing in-depth studies that they put into books that we can read in hours. Much of what I put into this study is the result of decades of study that I try to convey in a way that can be absorbed in a few minutes a week. This is part of saving the best wine for last.

         Even though knowledge is increasing very fast—and we seem to be in the times when the seals are being broken and understanding is being given to ancient prophecies—there will always be a place for in-depth pondering and reflection on the word and taking our insights to Him in prayer. No amount of technology or resources can ever be a substitute for the Holy Spirit.

         We must also keep in mind that as much knowledge as we gain, we only know in part. No one person has the entire picture. We must remain humble enough to learn from others. On my nearly half century journey in search of this to truth, I have learned that those who often have the next part that I need are those by whom I am repelled by at first. They may hold to some things that I disagree with, or even have methods of interpretation I’m not comfortable with. Yet when I have persevered in these relationships, I have inevitably found some real treasures.

         This does not mean that I may not still disagree with them on what bothered me at first, but I have learned to respect everyone that is a genuine seeker because God has promised that if we seek we will find. However, this does not mean that everyone who has found something is perfect in their understanding, including myself.

         In the next couple of weeks, we will wrap up our study of the Seven Churches and go on to the rest of Revelation—making where we are now, and where we going, more clear. Even though most of what was predicted in the Book of Revelation may have happened, the most important and most exciting of all events is yet to come. There is much work to do to get ready for them.