THE BOOK OF REVELATION 启示录

 THE BOOK OF REVELATION

~ The Revelation of Jesus Christ

Revelation Chapter 1

启示录

~ 耶稣基督的启示

启示录第一章

The Visions of John on the Lord's Day

Verse 1: The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John:

Verse 2: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw.

约翰在主日所见的异象

第1节：耶稣基督的启示，就是神赐给他的，要他将必要快成的事指示他的众仆人；他就差遣使者晓谕他的仆人约翰。

第2节：约翰将神的道和耶稣基督的见证，以及他所看见的一切事都见证出来。

The Book of Revelation begins with a clear declaration — “the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him”. It was the revelation of Jesus Christ and not the revelation of John. It was the revelation which the Almighty God gave to His Son. Why? (Undoubtedly, there is a special relationship between the Almighty God and the Lord Jesus Christ.) The Revelation was given to Jesus Christ to show to His servants concerning things and events which must soon take place — from the time of John. And the year was 96 A.D..

《启示录》开篇便有一句清晰的宣告——“耶稣基督的启示，就是神赐给他的”。这是耶稣基督的启示，而非约翰的启示。这是全能的神赐给祂儿子的启示。为什么呢？（毫无疑问，全能的神与主耶稣基督之间存在着特殊的关系。）启示是赐给耶稣基督的，目的是要祂向祂的仆人显明那些即将发生的事和事件——从约翰时代开始。当时是公元96年。

Our Lord Jesus sent and communicated His Revelation through an angel to John who recorded all that he saw in his visions. John was the beloved of the Lord Jesus Christ (John 13:23; 20:2). He is a type of the Beloved (Bride) of Christ. Whatever things that were shown to John would have to be revealed to His Bride. Because we are living at the final stretch of the closing period of the whole dispensation of the Seven Church Ages, we are privileged to see a clearer picture than those members of the Bride in each of the past six Church Ages could see. Yes, this is the very hour of the Revelation of Jesus Christ to the Bride. This is the hour, not only for the Word but also for “the oil and the wine” — the anointing and the stimulation of revelation — of the Holy Spirit upon the Word. And this is the LIFE that cannot be hurt ( compare Revelation 6:6).

我们的主耶稣差遣一位天使将祂的启示传达给约翰，约翰记录了他在异象中所见的一切。约翰是主耶稣基督所爱的（约翰福音13:23；20:2）。他是基督所爱的新妇的预表。凡是向约翰显现的，也必会启示给祂的新妇。因为我们正生活在七个教会时代末期的最后阶段，我们有幸看到比过去六个教会时代中每一位新妇成员所看到的更清晰的景象。是的，这正是耶稣基督向新妇启示的时刻。这不仅是圣言的时刻，也是“油与酒”的时刻——圣灵膏抹并激发启示的时刻。这便是那永不受损的生命（参见启示录6:6）。

Verse 3: Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.

第3节：凡念这预言的，和那些听见又遵守其中所记载的，都是有福的，因为日期近了。

The unfolding of the Revelation of Jesus Christ is for us to understand and to obey the words of prophecy that we may be a light in this world of spiritual darkness and always be ready and prepared for the return of the Lord. Many Christians are actually spiritually blinded by Satan who has entered the realm of religious Christianity since the 4th Century, and who has actually been worshipped in the organized churches! Satan is the god of this evil age.

耶稣基督启示的展开，是为了让我们明白并遵行预言的话语，使我们成为这属灵黑暗世界中的光，时刻预备好迎接主的再来。许多基督徒实际上已被撒旦蒙蔽了灵性，撒旦自公元4世纪以来就已进入基督教宗教领域，甚至在有组织的教会中被人敬拜！撒旦是这邪恶时代的统治者。

Verse 4: John to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne;

Verse 5: And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,

Verse 6: And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.

第4节：约翰写信给亚细亚的七个教会：愿恩惠、平安从那昔在、今在、以后永在的神，和祂宝座前的七灵，归与你们！

第5节：也从那诚实作见证的、从死里首先复活的、为世上君王元首的耶稣基督归与你们！祂爱我们，用自己的血洗净了我们的罪，

第6节：又使我们成为国度，作祂父神的祭司。愿荣耀、权能归于祂，直到永永远远。阿们！

Notice that there are three greetings from the throne area of Heaven. The first is from “him which is, and which was, and which is to come”. The second is from “the seven Spirits which are before his throne”. The third is from “Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth”.

请注意，天上的宝座有三种问候。第一种来自“昔在、今在、以后永在的”。第二种来自“祂宝座前的七灵”。第三种来自“耶稣基督，祂是忠实的见证人，是从死里首先复活的，是地上君王的元首”。

The One “which is, and which was, and which is to come” is the Eternal Invisible Spirit — Elohim, the Almighty One. He does not have, and never had a beginning; He will never have an end. He always is because He always was, and He always will be — the I AM. He is the Creator and the Father of all creations. But “Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth” is Elohim's Only Begotten Son Who is vested with all His authority (Matthew 28:18). The Son of God had a beginning. He was virgin born, nearly 2000 years ago, as a mortal person with a mission to conquer death and hell. Through God's Work of Redemption, Jesus Christ has made it possible for us to be born again sons and daughters of God, and to be a royal race and priests to serve His God and Father, Who is also our God and Father — “I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God” (John 20:17b). The only way we can truly be born again sons and daughters is to repent of our sins, be water baptized in the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, according to the revelation declared by the Apostles in the Early Church, and then we shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Whereas the Blood of Christ takes care of the inherited 'original sin' nature in us, water baptism remits the sins in our lives. We will then walk in the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and go on to perfection in His Word and the Blood of Christ will cleanse us from all our sins (compare 1 John.1:4-10).

那位“昔在、今在、以后永在的”就是永恒不可见的灵——全能的上帝（Elohim）。祂没有，也从未有过开始；祂也永远不会结束。祂永远存在，因为祂过去存在，将来也永远存在——祂就是“我是”。祂是创造者，是万物的父。然而，“耶稣基督，那忠实的见证人，从死里首先复生的，为世上君王的元首”，是上帝的独生子，祂拥有上帝一切的权柄（马太福音28:18）。上帝的儿子有祂的开始。祂在近两千年前由童贞女所生，以凡人的身份来到世上，肩负着战胜死亡和地狱的使命。藉着上帝的救赎之工，耶稣基督使我们得以重生，成为上帝的儿女，成为尊贵的族类和祭司，事奉祂的父神，祂也是我们的父神——“我升上去见我的父，也是你们的父；见我的神，也是你们的神”（约翰福音20:17b）。我们真正重生为上帝儿女的唯一途径，就是悔改我们的罪，奉主耶稣基督的名受洗，使罪得赦免，正如早期教会使徒所启示的，然后我们就能领受圣灵的恩赐。基督的宝血洗净我们与生俱来的“原罪”，而水洗礼则赦免我们生命中的罪。那时，我们将行在耶稣基督福音的光中，在祂的道里追求完全，基督的宝血将洗净我们一切的罪（参见约翰一书1:4-10）。

As the Son of God, Jesus Christ has faithfully declared to us all that he had received from the Father and testified always to the truth concerning Himself before all men and even in the hour of His death. So, as “the faithful witness” He attests that we should and could believe the apocalyptic truth that He was about to reveal to John. Amen. His faithfulness endures to all generations!

作为上帝的儿子，耶稣基督忠实地向我们所有人宣告了他从父那里领受的真理，并在众人面前，甚至在他临终之际，始终为他自己作见证。因此，作为“忠实的见证人”，他见证我们应当也能够相信他即将向约翰启示的末世真理。阿们。他的信实直到万代！

Now, Jesus is the first begotten from the dead, which obviously means there will be others, after Him, who will be begotten from the dead. There will be a people who, upon their translation, will also have the same glorified body that Jesus has. They are the true members of the Bride (Body) of Christ. They are priests and subjects in His Kingdom for they all have direct access to Him. As He overcame and sat down on His Father's throne, so will His saints overcome and sit down with Him in His throne (compare Revelation 3:21). The King and His Bride will then rule the earth for a thousand years after the close of the Great Tribulation. The millennial reign of Christ with His Bride is called the Age of Regeneration (compare Matthew 19:28).

耶稣是死里复活的第一位，这显然意味着在他之后还会有其他从死里复活的人。会有一群人，在被提之后，也将拥有与耶稣一样荣耀的身体。他们是基督新妇（身体）的真正成员。他们是基督国度里的祭司和子民，因为他们都能直接来到基督面前。正如耶稣得胜并坐在父的宝座上一样，他的圣徒也将得胜并与他一同坐在他的宝座上（参启示录3:21）。大灾难结束后，君王和他的新妇将统治全地一千年。基督与他的新妇的千禧年统治被称为重生时代（参马太福音19:28）。

Concerning the Seven Spirits which are before the Throne of God, this is the first time that we read about their presence before the throne of God. However, Prophet Zechariah did make mention of them as the “eyes of the Lord” (Zechariah 4:10 compare 3:9). This is a mystery. It must therefore tell us something. Remember that the Book of Revelation is the last of the 66 books of the Bible and was written around the year 96 A.D.

关于侍立在上帝宝座前的七灵，这是我们第一次读到它们出现在上帝宝座前。然而，先知撒迦利亚曾称它们为“耶和华的眼睛”（撒迦利亚书 4:10，参 3:9）。这是一个奥秘，因此必然蕴含着某种意义。请记住，《启示录》是圣经66卷书中的最后一卷，大约写于公元96年。

God is a Spirit. He is One, not Seven or Three Spirits (Trinity). What then are these Seven Spirits?  They are actually God's attributes which are manifested throughout the periods of the Seven Church Ages and the 70th Week of Daniel's prophecy. These attributes are manifested through Seven Spiritual Angels soon after the Church fell away from her purity in about the year 53 A.D. In the Book of Revelation, we find that these Seven Spirits (ascribed or assigned to Seven Angels) have seven tasks to perform, seven different roles to play, so to speak. In their assignments, they have been identified as: i) SEVEN STARS in the right hand of the HIGH PRIEST and JUDGE Who walks in the midst of the Seven Golden Candlesticks, ii) SEVEN LAMPS BURNING on the CANDLESTICKS, iii) SEVEN SEALS on the backside of the SEALED-BOOK in the right hand of the Almighty, iv) SEVEN HORNS and SEVEN EYES on the LAMB, v) SEVEN THUNDERS with the MIGHTY ANGEL, vi) SEVEN TRUMPETS which will sound after the Rapture of the Bride, and vii) SEVEN VIALS of God's Wrath which will be poured out upon the earth between the closing of the Great Tribulation and the Day of the Lord. And in two of their seven jobs, as the SEVEN STARS and the SEVEN THUNDERS, their (audible) VOICES are heard by the True Worshippers of God.

上帝是灵。祂是独一的，而非七灵或三位一体。那么，这七灵究竟是什么呢？它们实际上是上帝的属性，贯穿于七个教会时代和但以理预言的第七十个七年。大约在公元53年教会背离纯洁之后，这些属性便通过七位属灵天使彰显出来。在《启示录》中，我们发现这七灵（归于或指派给七位天使）有七项任务要完成，或者说，扮演着七个不同的角色。在他们的职责中，他们被认定为：i) 行走在七个金灯台中间的大祭司兼审判官右手中的七颗星；ii) 灯台上燃烧的七盏灯；iii) 全能者右手所持封印书卷背面的七印；iv) 羔羊的七角和七眼；v) 与大能天使一同出现的七雷；vi) 新娘被提后将要吹响的七支号角；以及 vii) 盛满上帝忿怒的七个碗，将在大灾难结束到主的日子之间倾倒在地上。在他们七项职责中的两项——七星和七雷——中，真敬拜上帝的人可以听到他们的声音。

Verse 7: Behold, he cometh with clouds; and every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him: and all kindreds of the earth shall wail because of him. Even so, Amen.

第7节：看哪，他驾云降临；众目都要看见他，连刺他的人也要看见他；地上的万族都要因他哀哭。诚然如此。阿们。

This is not the coming of Christ for His Bride in the Rapture. The Rapture is a secret event to the world. This is the Lord Jesus Christ coming back physically with His saints after they have supped at the Marriage Supper of the Lamb in Heaven (compare Matthew 24:29-30; Revelation 19: 11-21). They will come riding on white horses and the eyes of Israel (who pierced Him) and of all the nations of the earth shall see Him. They shall be in great anguish because He has come to judge the world. This will take place at the close of the Great Tribulation in the Battle of Armageddon. Read Zechariah chapter 14.

这并非基督在被提中迎娶祂的新妇。被提对世人来说是秘密的。这是指主耶稣基督在天上与祂的圣徒们一同赴完羔羊的婚宴后，以肉身降临（参马太福音24:29-30；启示录19:11-21）。祂将骑着白马而来，以色列人（曾刺透祂的人）和地上万国的人都将看见祂。他们将极其痛苦，因为祂要来审判世界。这将在大灾难结束时，在哈米吉多顿之战中发生。请阅读撒迦利亚书14章。

Verse 8: I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty. 

第 8 节：我是阿拉法，我是俄梅戛，我是初，我是终，是昔在、今在、以后永在的全能者。

Do pay close attention to verse 8 that you may understand two terms in the verse which clearly show us the Oneness of the Godhead — all that God is, is in Christ Jesus. It will show you Who God is and Who Jesus is; they are One God. Notice the first statement. “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending” — the Lord is speaking of His being in TIME. Eternity has no time; it has no beginning and no ending. Hence, when Elohim uses this term, He speaks of the REVELATION of Himself in the Person of Jesus Christ (read John 1). The Apostle Paul used a near equivalent statement when he wrote: “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and today, and for ever” (Heb.13:8). The Word of God, Who is God Himself, came forth in the beginning as Alpha to bring forth Creations. This same Word Who is also Omega will bring to an end all things created through His Redemption Work (cf. Jhn.1:1-3; Rev.3:14). Christ Jesus, Who is the Word of God incarnate, is therefore the firstborn of God (Col.1:15). The second statement, “which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty” (or “who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty”) is used emphatically of the Almighty Himself as the only source ('circle') of life. Hence, He is YAHWEH, “THE ETERNAL WITHIN HIMSELF EXISTING ONE”.

请仔细阅读第8节，以便理解其中两个术语，它们清楚地表明了三位一体的神性——神的一切所是，都在基督耶稣里。这将向你揭示神是谁，耶稣是谁；他们是同一位神。请注意第一句话：“我是阿拉法，我是俄梅戛；我是初，我是终。”——主在这里谈论祂在时间中的存在。永恒没有时间；它没有开始，也没有结束。因此，当神使用这个词时，祂指的是祂在耶稣基督的位格中启示自己（请参阅约翰福音1章）。使徒保罗也使用了几乎相同的表述，他写道：“耶稣基督昨日、今日、一直到永远，是一样的”（希伯来书13:8）。神的道，也就是神自己，在起初作为阿拉法而出现，创造了万物。这位同时也是欧米伽的道，将藉着祂的救赎之工终结万物（参约翰福音1:1-3；启示录3:14）。基督耶稣，道成肉身的神，因此是神的长子（歌罗西书1:15）。第二句“昔在、今在、以后永在的全能者”（或“昔在、今在、以后永在的全能者”）强调全能者本身是生命的唯一源泉（“循环”）。因此，祂是耶和华，“自有永有者”。

Remember Jesus Christ had a beginning. He was born of a virgin, raised as a child and grew up as a man (cf. Luk.2:40,52). But God is Spirit and will always be Spirit. He is invisible (1 Tim.1:17; 6:16). The only way we can see God is to see His works (cf. Jhn.6: 28-29; 10:25,36-38; 14:10-13). At the appointed time, Jesus was empowered by the Word of God. This happened at His water baptism in Jordan River. The Spirit of God came down from Heaven to dwell in Him. This was the incarnation of God — God 'en morphe' in flesh; God clothed in flesh. But the Almighty God was still Spirit, and though Jesus Christ was still a man, He was a God-Man. The body of Jesus is not God; it is only God's abode, His temple. It was the Son of God, Jesus Christ, Who died at Calvary and not God Himself for God, being a Spirit, cannot die. After His death and resurrection, Jesus ascended into Heaven. On His ascension He said, “All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth” (Matt.28:18b). Prior to His ascension, Jesus did not have “all power” for He said that He could not do anything until His Father showed Him what to do (compare John 5:19). It is not difficult to see how the Eternal Invisible Spirit (One Spirit) has revealed Himself in the Man called Jesus Christ — “God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself” (2 Corithians 5:19a). Therefore, this fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah 9:6 : “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace”. “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory” (1 Timothy 3:16). Hence, when Jesus said, “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty”, He was declaring the Divinity in Himself. Though He was the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Colossian 2:9) God was still the Eternal Invisible Holy Spirit above, about and around Him for God is Omnipotent, Omniscient and Omnipresent.

记住，耶稣基督是有开始的。祂由童贞女所生，从孩童时期长大成人（参路加福音2:40,52）。但神是灵，祂永远是灵。祂是不可见的（提前1:17；6:16）。我们认识神的唯一途径是看祂的作为（参约翰福音6:28-29；10:25,36-38；14:10-13）。在所定的时间，耶稣藉着神的话语得着能力。这发生在祂在约旦河受洗的时候。神的灵从天降临，住在祂里面。这就是神的道成肉身——神“以肉身显现”；神披戴了肉身。但全能的神仍然是灵，虽然耶稣基督仍然是人，但祂是神人。耶稣的身体不是神；它只是神的居所，祂的圣殿。在髑髅地死去的是神的儿子耶稣基督，而不是神自己，因为神是灵，祂不会死。耶稣死而复活后升天。升天时，祂说：“天上地下所有的权柄都赐给我了”（太28:18b）。在升天之前，耶稣并没有“所有的权柄”，因为祂说过，在父指示祂之前，祂什么也不能做（参约5:19）。不难看出，那永恒不可见的灵（一位灵）是如何在耶稣基督这个人身上启示祂自己的——“神在基督里，叫世人与自己和好”（林后5:19a）。因此，这应验了以赛亚书9章6节的预言：“因有一婴孩为我们而生，有一子赐给我们，政权必担在他的肩头上。他名称为奇妙策士、全能的神、永在的父、和平的君。”“敬虔的奥秘是伟大的，这毋庸置疑：就是神在肉身显现，被圣灵称义，被天使看见，被传于外邦，被世人信服，被接升到荣耀里。”（提摩太前书3章16节）因此，当耶稣说：“我是阿拉法，我是俄梅戛；我是昔在、今在、以后永在的全能者。”祂是在宣告祂自身的神性。虽然祂是神性的完全体现（歌罗西书 2:9），但神仍然是永恒的、不可见的圣灵，在祂之上、祂周围，因为神是全能的、全知的、无所不在的。