啟示錄13:1-10

13:1 我又看見一個獸從海中上來，有十角七頭，在十角上戴著十個冠冕，七頭上有褻瀆的名號。

13:2 我所看見的獸，形狀像豹，腳像熊的腳，口像獅子的口。那龍將自己的能力、座位，和大權柄都給了牠。

13:3 我看見獸的七頭中，有一個似乎受了死傷，那死傷卻醫好了。全地的人都希奇跟從那獸，

13:4 又拜那龍─因為牠將自己的權柄給了獸，也拜獸，說：「誰能比這獸，誰能與牠交戰呢？」

13:5 又賜給牠說誇大褻瀆話的口，又有權柄賜給牠，可以任意而行四十二個月。

13:6 獸就開口向上帝說褻瀆的話，褻瀆上帝的名並他的帳幕，以及那些住在天上的。

13:7 又任憑牠與聖徒爭戰，並且得勝；也把權柄賜給牠，制伏各族、各民、各方、各國。

13:8 凡住在地上、名字從創世以來沒有記在被殺之羔羊生命冊上的人，都要拜牠。

13:9 凡有耳的，就應當聽！

13:10 擄掠人的，必被擄掠；用刀殺人的，必被刀殺。聖徒的忍耐和信心就是在此。

And I saw a beast rising out of the sea, with ten horns and seven heads, with ten diadems on its horns and blasphemous names on its heads. And the beast that I saw was like a leopard; its feet were like a bear's, and its mouth was like a lion's mouth. And to it the dragon gave his power and his throne and great authority. One of its heads seemed to have a mortal wound, but its mortal wound was healed, and the whole earth marveled as they followed the beast. And they worshiped the dragon, for he had given his authority to the beast, and they worshiped the beast, saying, "Who is like the beast, and who can fight against it?"

And the beast was given a mouth uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty- two months. It opened its mouth to utter blasphemies against God, blaspheming his name and his dwelling, that is, those who dwell in heaven. Also it was allowed to make war on the saints and to conquer them. And authority was given it over every tribe and people and language and nation, and all who dwell on earth will worship it, everyone whose name has not been written before the foundation of the world in the book of life of the Lamb who was slain. If anyone has an ear, let him hear:

If anyone is to be taken captive,

to captivity he goes;

 if anyone is to be slain with the sword,

with the sword must he be slain.

 Here is a call for the endurance and faith of the saints.

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    當我們看見這樣的情景時，我們就不會害怕末世有許多反對上帝的事情，也不會隨從世俗的風氣來行。因為這一切都是上帝允許發生，好使屬基督和不屬基督的人可以分別出來。

    就像經文所說：「賜給牠說誇大褻瀆話的口，又有權柄賜給牠，可以任意而行四十二個月。獸就開口向上帝說褻瀆的話，褻瀆上帝的名並他的帳幕，以及那些住在天上的。又任憑牠與聖徒爭戰，並且得勝；也把權柄賜給牠，制伏各族、各民、各方、各國。凡住在地上、名字從創世以來沒有記在被殺之羔羊生命冊上的人，都要拜牠。」

    所以，這個邪惡的勢力正在這世界上，牠們甚至壓制教會，使教會能力無法彰顯，更嚴重的是將教會奪去，使教會成為他們的禁臠，讓教會屈服在惡者之下。但是不要害怕，上帝仍然保守祂的餘種，在教會仍然有一股改革的力量，就如馬丁路德、加爾文、…等等，今天也同樣有許多回到聖經的基督徒，來更新教會中許多不合乎聖經的傳統，這些都是與那「獸」爭戰的勇士，你願意加入嗎？聖靈必帶領，並且永遠支持「基督為王」！