於2018-10-04發佈


天堂與受造物─啟示錄  

這週我們繼續來探討天堂,正如我們簡短談到,聖經說天堂是如此大,物質界若與之相比不過是所謂的『影兒』。我們也在聖經上看到,天堂有許多不同種類的受造物,不單只有天使而已。我個人相信天上的物種遠比地上多,在地上我們仍在發現新的物種。簡而言之,天堂是充滿無限魅力與敬畏的地方,反映出神深不可測多樣化且創意化的心意。 

雖然我認為在天上一定不會無聊,天堂最棒的部分無疑就是神在那裡的事實,儘管我們可以永遠對神的受造物讚嘆不已,但造物主絕對比受造物有趣多了,接著在天上還有許多需要認識的聖徒、先知、族長!單是其中幾個人,我想我可以花幾百萬年來認識他們,而且不會無聊。  

聖經清楚表明一件事,我們的永恆生命會比我們所能想像的好得多。我被問到關於天堂最多的問題是,我的寵物是否也會上天堂!我也很愛動物,完全瞭解這類的問題。我不相信任何沒有聖經證實的教義,但我在一次的先知性經歷看見,我們今生所愛的每樣事物都會與我們在天上,特別是我們的寵物。 

神造人其中的一個理由,是要人掌管全地,在其上耕種。因此,祂讓人與動物和家畜有特別的情感連結。即使我們此時並沒有與神與動物和諧相處,但與神和祂受造物之間的和諧將被重建。 

從我在天上的先知性經歷得知,我們的智力在那裡倍增,動物的也是。在天上一些動物的智力幾乎和地上人類的智力程度一樣。我可以確信地說,當我有這些經歷時,我是在『聖靈裡』,卻無法分辨我是否真的在天堂,還是只是在一個先知性經歷,神藉此傳遞一些信息。正如先前所陳述的,只有聖經才能建立教會的教義,正如許多主題的情況一樣,聖經對我們此生目的不需要知道的事物往往含糊不清。儘管聖經上面會有一些提示,卻沒有清楚到十分武斷。為此傳道書三章18-21節常被提到: 

我心裡說,這乃為世人的緣故,是神要試驗他們,使他們覺得自己不過像獸一樣。

因為世人遭遇的,獸也遭遇,所遭遇的都是一樣:這個怎樣死,那個也怎樣死,氣息都是一樣。人不能強於獸,都是虛空。

都歸一處,都是出於塵土,也都歸於塵土。

誰知道人的靈是往上升,獸的魂是下入地呢? 

再一次,連這段經文也很含糊難以武斷言之,但出現在聖經中必有其原因。為何主賜給我這樣的先知性經歷,卻又無法做出確定的教義?我認為祂這樣做有其原因─因為我常問祂諸如此類的事情。 

當我才初信主,就開始經歷一些我沒有祈求的先知性經歷,我開始問主一些問題。我問祂在起初與亞當在伊甸園同行,祂與亞當的關係。既然祂為了那樣的關係而創造了人,代表祂仍渴望如此的關係。我請祂展示當祂與亞當同行時他們所討論的事。 

首先主讓我看見祂喜愛亞當的好奇心,他對每件事都充滿好奇。當亞當為動物命名,不僅是為這些詞彙提供好聽的音節,從動物的名字顯示亞當認識他們。他認識他們是因為他和所有動物相處,神也愛這些動物,還有所有祂的創造。神不只愛世人,祂還如此『深愛世界』,甚至為全世界而死。正如我們在先知性經文所看見的,全世界被救贖,將被重建成當初所造的樂園。

當神說人獨居不好時,人已經有了神還有動物,但神也造人彼此需要,先從配偶開始。我們首要與最重要的需要總是先與神相交,然後再彼此相交,我們也被造與動物有關係,這即是何以有許多人喜愛寵物─他們填滿我們生命中的獨特空缺。

空缺是神在我們生命中所創造的,好被祂為我們預備的美好事物填滿。天堂被設計成一個終極地方,我們可以完全成為我們被造的一切,包括成為最棒的管家並管理所有受造物,而動物是其中的主要部分。我們將成為我們所愛事物的最佳管家,所以喜愛動物與一切受造物是很恰當的。 

(摘自喬納word for the week, Week 36, 2018)

 

Heaven and the Creation—The Book of Revelation
Week 36, 2018
Rick Joyner 

This week we continue our discussion of heaven. As we have briefly covered, Scripture reveals that heaven is so big that the physical realm is called “a shadow” compared to it. We also see in Scripture that it is diverse with many kinds of beings, not just angels. I personally believe that there are far more species in heaven than there are on the earth, and we are still discovering new ones on the earth. In short, heaven is a place of perpetual fascination and awe that reflects the unfathomable diverse and creative heart of God. 

Although I think we can be sure that no one will ever be bored in heaven, the best part of heaven is without question the fact that God is there. Though we could be amazed by creation forever, the Creator is immeasurably more interesting than the creation. Then we have all of the saints, prophets, and patriarchs to get to know! There are several of them that I think I could spend a few million years with and not be bored. 

One thing the Scriptures are clear about is that our eternal life is going to be far better than we can even conceive. The number one question I get asked about heaven is if our pets will be there with us! I’m an animal lover and fully understand this. I do not believe in making anything a doctrine unless it can be verified in Scripture, but I was shown in a prophetic experience that everything we have loved in this life will be there with us, especially our pets.  

One of the reasons that He made man was to have dominion over the earth and cultivate it; therefore, He made mankind to have a special bond with the animals and creatures. Even though we are out of harmony with God and them at this time, harmony with Him and His creation will be restored. 

From my prophetic experiences in the heavenly realm, our intellectual capacity is multiplied there, and so is it with the animals. The intelligence of some animals in heaven seemed to be almost on the level of humans in this life. I can confidently say that I was “in the Spirit” when I had these experiences, but could not tell if I was really in heaven or just having a prophetic experience intended to convey a message. As stated, the Scriptures alone are required to establish a doctrine of the church, and as is the case with many subjects, the Scriptures tend to be ambiguous about what we do not really need to know for our purpose in this life. They do give us hints, but they are not clear enough to be dogmatic about them. Ecclesiastes 3:18-21 is often noted in regard to this: 

       I said to myself concerning the sons of men, "God has surely tested them in order for them to see that they are but beasts."

       For the fate of the sons of men and the fate of beasts is the same. As one dies so dies the other; indeed, they all have the same breath (also translated “spirit”) and there is no advantage for man over beast, for all is vanity.

       All go to the same place. All came from the dust and all return to the dust.

       Who knows that the breath of man ascends upward and the breath of the beast descends downward to the earth? 

Again, this is too ambiguous to be dogmatic about, but it is in the Scriptures for a reason. Why would The Lord give me experiences and show me things like this when we cannot make a definitive doctrine out of them? I think He does it for one reason—because I ask Him about things like this. 

When I was a young Christian and began to have prophetic experiences that I did not ask for, I started asking for those I did want. I asked Him about His relationship with Adam in the beginning when they walked and talked in the Garden. Since He created men for that relationship and must still desire it, I asked for it. I asked Him to show me the things that He and Adam discussed when they walked together. 

First I was shown The Lord’s delight in Adam’s curiosity, and he was curious about everything. When Adam named the animals, it was far more than coming up with good sounding syllables for the words—their names described them as Adam knew them. He knew them because he related to all of the animals. God loves the animals too, as well as all of His creation. The Lord “so loved the world,” not just people, so He came and died for the whole world. As we see in prophetic Scriptures, the whole world was redeemed and will be restored to the paradise it was created to be. 

When God said that it was not good for man to be alone, man had God and the animals. Yet God also created man to need other people, beginning with a mate. Our first and most important need will always be our fellowship with God and then with one another, and we were also created to have a relationship to animals. This is why many are so drawn to pets—it fills a unique void in our lives. 

Voids in our life were created by God to be filled with the good things He provided for us. Heaven is designed to be the ultimate place where we can fully become all that we were created to be, including being good stewards and having dominion over of the creation, of which animals are a major part. We will be the best stewards over the things that we love, so loving animals and all of creation is appropriate.