於2017-06-26發佈


穿戴神的恩典─啟示錄  

先前我們談到在啟示錄中的『獸』是一個經濟系統,決定誰可以『買賣或交易』,但不僅於此。獸也是崇拜人的象徵,那即是何以牠的印記是666,在聖經數字學中,6是人的數字,因為人是第六天被造而來。因此,這是一個崇拜人的經濟系統,將人視為神,能解決我們所有的問題,能挑選勝利者與失敗者並且分配資源。

在聖經中有兩個世界政府,一個是將要來到的神的國,另一個是在末了統治人的終極邪惡系統。若有可能,此『獸』想要掌管全地,攔阻神想要與地和好之目的。這是基督徒抵擋全球化的主要原因,全球化視基督徒為最大威脅。在這世代末了決定我們將拜誰的關鍵問題,就是我們視誰為我們的來源─神還是人。

這不過是關於將要揭開之事的粗淺觀點,但啟示錄其他地方會從不同角度來提到此,給予我們更廣泛的瞭解。成為神的僕人是瞭解此的關鍵,甚至瞭解整卷啟示錄的關鍵。

我們在彼得前書五章5-7節讀到:因為神阻擋驕傲的人,賜恩給謙卑的人。所以,你們要自卑,服在神大能的手下,到了時候祂必叫你們升高。你們要將一切的憂慮卸給神,因為祂顧念你們。 』

我們靠神的恩典來度過每一天,當我們生命有越來越多的威脅,我們會更多倚靠祂的恩典。我們知道祂賜恩給謙卑的人,所以我們應當在祂面前尋前謙卑自己。上面經文告訴我們一個謙卑自己的重要方式─就是將我們的憂慮卸給祂,因為我們知道祂顧念我們。這如何能成為謙卑自己的一種方式呢?憂慮是驕傲的終極形式;基本上就是認為這問題對神來說太大,我們必須自己來處理。

有一件我們可以來做最重要之事,就是決定將我們所憂慮的每件事,天天交給主,定意信靠祂而不去擔憂。因為在要來的時候,這必須成為我們身份結構的核心─藉由信靠主所呈現出來的信心。定意從這一週起,並在未來的每一週,你會在此信靠中成長,視憂慮為最大的敵人,一定要從你生命中完全除去。
    
(摘自喬納 word for the week,Week22, 2017) 

 

Draw on His Grace—The Book of Revelation
Week 22, 2017
Rick Joyner

         We touched on how the “beast” in Revelation is an economic system that determines who can “buy, sell, or trade,” but it is more than that. The beast is also the personification of the worship of man. That is why his mark is 666. In biblical numerology, six is the number of man because man was born on the sixth day. Therefore, this system is an economy that worships man, esteeming man as the god of man, able to solve all of our own problems, and able to pick the winners and losers and distribute the resources.

         There are two world governments in Scripture. One is the coming kingdom of God, and the other is the ultimate evil system to rule over mankind at the end of the age. This “beast” seeks to dominate the earth and if it were possible, thwart God’s purpose to reconcile the earth to Himself. This is the primary reason why Christians tend to resist globalization, and globalization tends to see Christians as its greatest threat. A key question determining who we worship at the end of this age is who we consider to be our source—God or man.

         This is a superficial, broad stroked view of what is unfolding, but the rest of the Book of Revelation addresses this from different perspectives, giving us an increasingly comprehensive understanding of it. Being His bondservant is a key to understanding this, and even the rest of the Revelation.

         In I Peter 5:5-7 we read, “GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.”

         We live each day by God’s grace, and as the threats to our life increase, we will become increasingly dependent on His grace. Knowing that He gives His grace to the humble, we should seek to humble ourselves before Him. In the text above, we are told an important way to humble ourselves—by casting our anxiety upon Him because we know He cares for us. How is this a way to humble ourselves? Anxiety is an ultimate form of pride. It basically thinks an issue is too big for God and that we must handle it ourselves.

         One of the most important things we can do is to determine everything we are worried about, give it to Him daily, and resolve that we will trust Him by not worrying. For the times to come, this must be a core of the fabric of who we are—those who demonstrate faith by trusting the Lord. Resolve that this week, and every week, you will grow in this trust and count anxiety as a desperate enemy that must be completely removed from your life.