於2018-09-05發佈


復活的層級─啟示錄 

這週我們來看啟示錄20章5-6節: 

這是頭一次的復活。(其餘的死人還沒有復活,直等那一千年完了。)

在頭一次復活有分的有福了,聖潔了!第二次的死在他們身上沒有權柄。他們必作神和基督的祭司,並要與基督一同作王一千年。

在這裡我們看見有兩次復活,上週提到的是『頭一次的復活』,這裡再次說在頭一次復活的人,第二次的死在他們身上沒有權柄,他們是神的祭司,與基督一同作王一千年。這才是他們永生的剛開始,所以在這裡指出我們有兩次復活與兩次死亡。      

希伯來書提到這些人是『更美的復活』之一份子,其他經文也有相關證實,清楚指出復活是有層級的分別。我們究竟符合哪種復活,聖經間接提到會在第一次復活的人是得勝者和殉道者,或是為著神的目的活出十架生命與犧牲的人。這似乎意味著那些相信基督為他們的罪贖罪,卻仍為自己活,而沒有為主活的人,將不會在第一次復活,而是第二次復活。

我們應當謹記在心,當某件事在聖經中含糊不清時,那是主刻意安排的,若試圖弄得更明確清楚,反而掉入危險的假設。許多異端都是人試圖將神只啟示一部份的事物帶出邏輯性的結論。若某件事要成為教會的教義,在聖經中必須清楚明瞭,否則只能當成意見而非教義,正如使徒保羅在他寫的書信中有特別指明哪些是出於他的看法。因此,以下是我的意見,來自我研讀其他人對此的看法,我覺得很合理,卻還沒有到成為教會教義的地步。

我還要補充一點,許多老師將一些經文廣泛應用,然後普遍化,例如天上的復活或屬靈的復活適用在每個人身上,而『更美的復活』只適用在得勝的人。似乎那些相信耶穌為他們的罪贖罪而得永生的人,將在地上復活,像人一樣。學者推測這些人是千禧年間在地上的大部分人口。

一些教師認為那些在地上復活的人,正是那些『愚拙的童女』,他們雖然在等候新郎,卻沒有祂所要的熱誠與智慧。他們得著永生,卻還不到得勝的等級,其他人則介於受邀參加羔羊婚筵與進入新婦行列之間。我們也留意到在啟示錄七章站在寶座前的『許多人』,以及啟示錄三章21節那些得勝的將與主同坐在寶座上之間的不同。 

所有這些在聖經上的區別清楚表明,復活是有層級的,有的復活高於其他的復活。我們只能推測這些,但事實上對於此生更多獻上與事奉的人,聖經清楚提到會有更大的獎賞。這些獎賞無疑就是成為神君尊家族的一份子,與耶穌同受產業,並成為神國度的子民。

就算成為神國度最低層級的子民,都好過我們今生所能擁有的最棒生活,但更高層級則遠超過我們所能領會。即便如此,追求『更美的復活』遠比任何我們今生所能追求的事物來得重要。這顯然是使徒保羅在腓立比書三章所提到的,他說連他都不認為自己已經得著。顯然他所講的並不是救恩,那是在他相信救贖的那刻就已經得著了。他接著說他忘記從前所誇口的,只為得『神在基督耶穌裡的崇高呼召』。

那些得著『神在基督裡的崇高呼召』,顯然在千禧年仍會與基督一同掌管地上,卻有分於祂神聖的本質。在那之後發生的事,我們只能推測,但我們知道它將是最美妙的事。被重建的地球將好得無比,復活的人將沒有罪與疾病也是何等美好。我們也知道神自己將會與人同住在地上。

聖經說到了一個時候,全地,似乎是整個物質宇宙將被捲起,好像書卷。從科學我們得知,到一個時候甚至最大的星星都將失去光彩,物質宇宙將變黑。因為一切相信耶穌救贖的都將得著永生,似乎未來到了一定時候,這些人都將擁有屬靈的身體。

下週,我會分享一些我個人在屬天或屬靈領域的先知性經歷,這些經歷曾幫助我瞭解一些區別,然後我們將看到啟示錄最令人興奮的結論。

(摘自喬納word for the week, Week 32, 2018)

 
Levels of Resurrection—The Book of Revelation
Week 32, 2018
Rick Joyner

         This week we come to Revelation 20:5-6:   

         The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection.

       Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

         Here we see that there are two resurrections. The one addressed in last week’s text was the “first resurrection,” which is again mentioned here as those over whom the second death has no power and who are priests of God that reign with Christ through the millennium. This is just the beginning of their eternal life. So we have two resurrections and two deaths addressed here.

         Hebrews mentions those who are a part of the “better resurrection.” This is corroborated in other Scriptures as well, making it clear that there are levels of resurrection. What qualifies us for one or the other is alluded to as those who will be a part of the first resurrection are overcomers and martyrs, or those who lived the life of the cross and sacrifice for the purposes of God. This seems to infer that those who believed in Christ for the atonement of their sins but went on living for themselves more than for Him will not be a part of the first resurrection, but rather the second.

         We should always keep in mind that when something is ambiguous in Scripture, that is what the Lord intended. To try to make it more specific and clear than it is would be a dangerous assumption. Many heresies are the result of men trying to carry to logical conclusions that which God has only revealed in part. For something to be a doctrine of the church it must be clear in Scripture, and anything else we must put under the category of an opinion, as the Apostle Paul did in some of the things that he wrote. So the following is my opinion, derived from my studies of what others have written on this, which I felt was reasonable but not enough to give it the high position of a doctrine of the church.

         I would also add here that there are generalizations made by many teachers that take some Scriptures and try to apply them too broadly. That there is a heavenly resurrection to the “divine nature” has often been applied to everyone, when it is the “better resurrection” that is only attained by the overcomers. It seems that the rest who attained eternal life by their faith in the atoning sacrifice of Jesus for their sins will be resurrected on the earth as men. Scholars have assumed that these are the ones who make up much of the population of the earth during the millennium.

         Some teachers attribute those resurrected on the earth as men as being the “foolish virgins” who were waiting on the Bridegroom, but without the zeal and wisdom He deserves. They attain eternal life, but not on the plane with the overcomers. Others have made the distinction between those who are invited to the wedding feast and those who have attained to being part of the bride. We have also noted that there is the “great company” that stands before the throne in Revelation 7, and the overcomers in Revelation 3:21 that sit with the Lord on His throne.

         All of these distinctions in Scripture make it clear that there are levels of resurrection that are higher than others. We may only speculate about what they are, but the fact that there are greater rewards for greater devotion and service in this life is clear in Scripture. The rewards that are clear are to be a part of the royal family of God as joint heirs with Jesus, to those who will be His subjects in the kingdom.

         To be the lowest subject in the kingdom in the age to come will be better than the best life we could have in this age, but the higher levels are beyond what we can even comprehend. Even so, the pursuit of the “better resurrection” is far more important than anything we could attain with our pursuits in this life. This was obviously what the Apostle Paul meant in Philippians 3 when he wrote that he did not think that he had yet attained. He was obviously not talking about salvation as he attained eternal life the moment he believed in the atonement. He went on to say that he was forgetting what he might have boasted in before to seek the “high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

         Those who attain to the “high calling of God in Christ” will obviously still reign with Christ over the earth during the millennium, but as those sharing His divine nature. What comes after that we can only speculate about, but we know it will be wonderful for all. The restored earth will be wonderful, and to be resurrected as men without sin and disease will be wonderful as well. We also know that God Himself will dwell on the earth among men.

         Then we are told of a time when the earth, seemingly the whole physical universe, is rolled up like a scroll. We know from science that there will be a time when even the biggest stars will have consumed all of their fuel, and the physical universe will go dark. Because all who trust in the atonement of Jesus have eternal life, it seems there will be a time far in the future when all are given spiritual bodies.

         Next week, I will share some personal prophetic experiences in the heavenly or spiritual realm that helped me to understand some of these distinctions. We will then move on to the exciting conclusion of the Book of Revelation.