於2017-03-03發佈


得見祂的真體─啟示錄 

我們繼續進行每週的研讀,這週我們一節一節來看啟示錄四章5-8節:有閃電、聲音、雷轟從寶座中發出』。 

神的寶座是一個活躍的地方!在詩篇九十七篇4節告訴我們:『主的閃電光照世界』。這通常是從神的寶座或權柄發出的象徵性啟示。雷轟是閃電聽得見的反應;同樣地,何時有啟示從神的寶座發出,地上便會有極大的響聲,也會有『聲音』或那些被興起傳達啟示的人。 

下一節經文是又有七盞火燈在寶座前點著;這七燈就是神的七靈。』在聖經中七代表完全的數字,許多人認為這代表神本質的完全啟示。這些是摩西會幕與所羅門聖殿所代表的燈臺,也是主在啟示錄開始所提到的七個教會。每個教會都有關於基督的獨特啟示,約翰寫到基督『在他們中間行走』。 

耶穌基督也是天父的完全代表,到一個地步是我們若看見耶穌,我們便看見父神。因此我們必須將此警告謹記在心:我只怕你們的心或偏於邪,失去那向基督所存純一清潔的心,就像蛇用詭詐誘惑了夏娃一樣』(哥林多後書11:3)。耶穌基督是神完全的啟示。 

下一節我們讀到寶座前好像一個玻璃海,如同水晶。』水晶是最高品質,也是最重的玻璃。這說到在寶座前的淨透度,代表極高的價值。一個人所能擁有最尊榮的殊榮,莫過於有份於在神寶座周圍的事件與對話中。這對所有神的兒女是敞開與可得的,任何人都可以靠耶穌的寶血坦然無懼來到祂的寶座前。然而,由於有如此敞開的管道,所以這是非常有重量的事情,就像水晶一樣。 

接下來我們看到對『四個活物』難以想像的形容: 

寶座中和寶座周圍有四個活物,前後遍體都滿了眼睛。 
第一個活物像獅子,第二個像牛犢,第三個臉面像人,第四個像飛鷹。 
四活物各有六個翅膀,遍體內外都滿了眼睛。他們晝夜不住的說: 
聖哉!聖哉!聖哉!主神是昔在、今在、以後永在的全能者。 

有些英文版本會將四活物翻成『四獸』或『四生物』,但他們比這些更加尊貴。當然,所有的獸與生物都是神的受造物,都很尊貴,但這些活物是生命的更高形式。與神的寶座有緊密關係的活物都是生命的更高形式,甚至比人還高。 

正如詩篇第八篇告訴我們,人受造『比天使微小一點』,天使是以不同層級的權柄與能力而受造。許多人似乎認為所有屬靈的活物都是天使,但在聖經中這些屬靈活物是有區別的,他們不過是眾多屬靈種類的一瞥。 

我有許多被帶到天上領域的經歷,對我而言屬靈種類的多元性似乎比地上還多。這裡提到這些活物是在神的寶座周圍,卻都有著地上生物的相似樣貌─分別像獅子、牛犢、人與飛鷹。我認為當我們在『來生』完全經歷到屬天領域時,我們將會發現所有地上的生物都和天上的很像。要記得,全地不過是屬天領域的『影兒』。 

這四活物也像以西結在第一章和第十章預言中所看見的,其也同等於四福音的基本信息。這些活物也象徵耶穌的本質如同『猶大支派的獅子』(祂犧牲的本質),在以西結書的牛犢(祂謙卑如同『人子』),還有老鷹(祂屬天的本質)。這些在這裡被顯明出來如同祂的寶座的一部份,代表他們是祂在地上行使的權柄根基。 

這些活物不住的說『聖哉、聖哉、聖哉』,這是主何等神聖的有力陳述─祂完全順服,抵擋一切形式的罪─全都是得見祂的真體之基礎。神的聖潔與我們蒙召活出的聖潔,在今日很少被教導,但我們必須看此如同得見祂的真體。這將成為神在地上最後偉大運行的一個重要主題。 

 (摘自喬納 word for the week,Week7, 2017)

 
Seeing Him As He Is—The Book of Revelation
Week 7, 2017
Rick Joyner

         We proceed in our study with a verse by verse look at Revelation 4:5-8: “From the throne proceeded lightnings, thunderings, and voices” (NKJV).

         The throne of God is an active place! In Psalm 97:4, we are told that the Lord’s lightning lights up the world. This is usually symbolic of revelation that goes forth from the throne of God, or by His authority. Thunder is the audible response to lightning. Likewise, whenever there is a revelation given from the throne of God, there will be a great sound upon the earth. There will also be “voices,” or those raised up to carry the revelation.

         Next are the “seven lamps of fire [that] were burning before the throne that are the seven Spirits of God” (verse 5b NKJV). Seven is the number for completion in Scripture, and many consider this to be the complete revelation of the nature of God. These are what the lampstand in the Tabernacle of Moses and Temple of Solomon represented, as well as the seven churches addressed by the Lord at the beginning of Revelation. Each church had a unique revelation of Christ, who John wrote is revealed “in their midst.”

         Christ Jesus is also the exact representation of God the Father to the degree that if we see Jesus, we have seen the Father. We must therefore keep this warning in mind: “But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ” (II Corinthians 11:3). Christ Jesus is the full revelation of God.

         Next we read, “Before the throne there was a sea of glass, like crystal” (NKJV). Crystal is the highest quality glass and the weightiest. This speaks of transparency before the throne, and that which is of high value. To be included in the events and conversations around the throne of God is the most honored privilege one could have. This is open and available to all of God’s children. Anyone can come boldly before His throne by the blood of Jesus. However, because there is such open access, it is a very weighty matter, just like crystal.

        Next we have an incredible description of the “four living beings:

         And in the midst of the throne, and around the throne, were four living beings full of eyes in front and in back.

         The first living being was like a lion, the second living being like a calf, the third living being had a face like a man, and the fourth living being was like a flying eagle.

         The four living beings, each having six wings, were full of eyes around and within. And they do not rest day or night, saying:

           “Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, Who was and is and is to come!” (NKJV)

         Some translated the word for these beings as “beasts” or “creatures,” but they are of more dignity than that. Of course, all beasts and creatures are to be honored as creations of God, but there are higher forms of life. These that are so intimately associated with the throne of God are higher forms of life, even higher than man.

         As Psalm 8 tells us, man was made “lower than the angels.” Angels were created with different levels of authority and power. Many seem to assume that all spiritual beings are angels, but there is a diversity of spiritual beings in Scripture. These seem to be just a glimpse of the multitude of spiritual species.

         I have had many experiences where I was caught up into the heavenly realm. It seemed to me that the diversity of spiritual species is even more diverse than those on earth. These spoken of here are an intimate part of the throne of God, yet all have resemblances to earthly species—the lion, the calf, the man, and the eagle. I think when we fully experience the spiritual realm in our “next” life we will find that all earthly species resemble heavenly ones. Remember, the whole physical universe is but “a shadow” of the heavenly one.

         These four beings are like the ones Ezekiel saw in chapters 1 and 10 of his prophecy. These four also parallel the basic messages of the four Gospels. One of these emphasizes Jesus’ nature as “the Lion of the tribe of Judah” (His sacrificial nature), the calf or ox in Ezekiel (His humanity as the “Son of man”), and the eagle (His spiritual nature). That these are all revealed here as part of His throne indicates that these are foundational to the authority He will exercise upon the earth.

         That these beings are continually crying “Holy, holy, holy” is a powerful statement of how the Lord’s sanctification—His devotion to total obedience and the rejection of sin in any form—are basic to seeing Him as He is. The holiness of God, and the holiness we are called to, is rarely taught in these times, but we must see this to see Him as He is. This it will be a major subject of the last great move of God on the earth.