於2018-11-11發佈


新天新地─啟示錄  

現在我們來到啟示錄廿一章1-4節: 

我又看見一個新天新地;因為先前的天地已經過去了,海也不再有了。

我又看見聖城新耶路撒冷由神那裡從天而降,預備好了,就如新婦妝飾整齊,等候丈夫。

我聽見有大聲音從寶座出來說:看哪,神的帳幕在人間。祂要與人同住,他們要作祂的子民。神要親自與他們同在,作他們的神。

神要擦去他們一切的眼淚;不再有死亡,也不再有悲哀、哭號、疼痛,因為以前的事都過去了。 

在第一節提到的『新』(new)可以被翻成『新鮮的』(fresh)或是『更新的』(renewed)。同樣,『天』(heaven)這個字可以被翻成『高升』(elevation)或『天空』(sky)。『地』(earth)可以被翻成『地面』(ground)。重點在於這裡並沒有說將會有一個新的星球或天堂,而是會有一個更新的地面和天空,咒詛與污染將從地面和空氣中被除去。 

主曾經在一次先知性經歷中問我是否相信祂必須回來,免得因為我們的武器使得沒有人可以存活在地上。當無所不知的神問我們一個問題,並不是因為祂需要一些資訊,顯然祂在挑戰我的觀點。我回答我相信,祂又問我另一個問題:『你是否認為這可能是因為地球正在被摧毀的方式?』這是我們當時最後的對話。 

幾年過後,主在異夢讓我看見祂對塑料污染的忿怒。神是如此愛『世界』,甚至為我們的救贖與拯救將祂的獨身子賜給我們。世界也將被救贖,也會被拯救。祂愛地球,正如祂在啟示錄十一章18節警告,祂將敗壞那些敗壞世界之人。』在詩篇廿四篇1節和哥林多前書十章26節也告訴我們;『因為地和其中所充滿的都屬乎主。』為此緣故,我們在每一方面都要竭盡所能以最大的呵護與尊敬來善待地球,並傳達主的警告,祂將敗壞那些敗壞地球的人。 

在這週的經文中,我們看見新耶路撒冷如新婦般從天而降,新耶路撒冷就是基督的新婦,神天上的城,將在屬靈上掌管地上,正如地上的耶路撒冷在屬地領域掌管列國。在加拉太書四章26節,此新耶路撒冷又叫做『在上的耶路撒冷』和『我們的母』,她是一切從上頭所生的母。 

主應許亞伯拉罕他的後裔會和天上的星和海邊的沙一樣多,這指著天上與地上的後裔。在祂統管天上耶路撒冷時,天上耶路撒冷將聯合地上耶路撒冷,成為天與地之間的橋樑。我們是在基督裡『新造的人』,這是我們蒙召成為的橋樑─天與地的家鄉。在要來的世代,天與地將連在一起。 

正如我們在這週的經文其他地方讀到,地上將被重建成當初的樂園,正如先知所預言的。所有墮落的結果,甚至所有死亡、痛苦與悲哀都將從地上除去。我們無法領會這將有多美好,但最好的部分莫過於神將住在人間。祂為著祂的愉悅創造了我們,祂將從祂所造的人類與地上得著更多的愉悅。 

因此,讓我們定意成為神建造天與地之間橋樑的一份子,藉著用心靈和誠實來敬拜神,因祂是個靈。讓我們也定意尊榮祂,藉著尊榮祂所給予我們在地上的偉大恩賜。讓我們定意成就祂賜給人的第一個命令─管理園子,如同萬王之王將祂自己的園子託付給我們管理一樣。 

(摘自喬納word for the week, Week 41, 2018)



Renewing the Earth—The Book of Revelation
Week 41, 2018
Rick Joyner

         We now come to Revelation 21:1-4: 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea.

And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband.

And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 

and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away." 

         The word “new” in verse one above could have been translated “fresh,” or even “renewed.” Likewise, the word “heaven” could be translated “elevation” or “sky.” The word “earth” could have been translated “ground.” The point is that this is not saying there will be a new planet or heaven, but that there will be fresh, new ground and sky. The curse and all pollution will be removed from the ground and the air.

         The Lord asked me in a prophetic experience if I believed that He had to return lest no flesh survive because of our weapons. When our all-knowing God asks us a question, it is not because He is seeking information. He was obviously challenging my perspective. I answered “yes” to His question, and He asked me another one: “Did you consider that it might be because of the way the earth is being destroyed?” That was the end of the conversation.

         A couple of years later, I was shown in a dream the anger of The Lord because of the plastic pollution. The Lord so loved “the world” that He sent His Son for our redemption and salvation. The world has also been redeemed, and it will also be saved. He loves this earth, and as He warned in Revelation 11:18, He would “destroy those who destroy the earth." As we are told in Psalm 24:1 and in I Corinthians 10:26, “The earth is The Lord’s, and all that is in it.” For this reason, we should in every way endeavor to treat it with the utmost care and respect, and convey the warning that those who destroy it will be destroyed.

         In this week’s text, we see the New Jerusalem coming down to the earth as the bride. The New Jerusalem is the bride of Christ, the heavenly city of God that will rule over the earth spiritually, just as the physical Jerusalem will rule over the nations from the physical realm. This New Jerusalem is also called “Jerusalem above” and “our mother” in Galatians 4:26. She is the mother of those who are born from above.

         The Lord promised Abraham that his seed would be as the stars of heaven and the sand of the seashore. This speaks of the heavenly and the earthly seed. In His reign the heavenly Jerusalem will be joined to the natural, physical Jerusalem as the bridge between the heavenly realm and the earthly. We are a “new creation” in Christ, and this is the bridge we are called to be a part of—and at home in—in both realms. In the age to come, these two realms will be joined.

         As we see in the rest of this text, the earth will be restored to the paradise it was originally, just as the prophets foretold. All the consequences of the fall, even death and all pain and mourning, will be removed from the earth. We cannot comprehend how wonderful this will be, but the best part of all is that God will dwell on the earth among men. He created us for His pleasure, and He will get great pleasure from mankind and the earth that He created.

         So, let’s determine to be a part of building this bridge between heaven and earth by worshipping our God, who is Spirit, in Spirit and truth. Let’s also resolve to honor Him by honoring the great gift that He gave to us with this earth. Let us resolve to fulfill the first command He gave to man—to tend this garden as it is The King’s own garden that He has entrusted to us.