啟示錄13:11-18

13:11 我又看見另有一個獸從地中上來，有兩角如同羊羔，說話好像龍。

13:12 牠在頭一個獸面前，施行頭一個獸所有的權柄，並且叫地和住在地上的人拜那死傷醫好的頭一個獸。

13:13 又行大奇事，甚至在人面前，叫火從天降在地上。

13:14 牠因賜給牠權柄在獸面前能行奇事，就迷惑住在地上的人，說：「要給那受刀傷還活著的獸作個像。」

13:15 又有權柄賜給牠，叫獸像有生氣，並且能說話，又叫所有不拜獸像的人都被殺害。

13:16 牠又叫眾人，無論大小、貧富、自主的、為奴的，都在右手上或是在額上受一個印記。

13:17 除了那受印記、有了獸名或有獸名數目的，都不得做買賣。

13:18 在這裡有智慧：凡有聰明的，可以算計獸的數目；因為這是人的數目，它的數目是六百六十六。

Then I saw another beast rising out of the earth. It had two horns like a lamb and it spoke like a dragon. It exercises all the authority of the first beast in its presence, and makes the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose mortal wound was healed. It performs great signs, even making fire come down from heaven to earth in front of people, and by the signs that it is allowed to work in the presence of the beast it deceives those who dwell on earth, telling them to make an image for the beast that was wounded by the sword and yet lived. And it was allowed to give breath to the image of the beast, so that the image of the beast might even speak and might cause those who would not worship the image of the beast to be slain. Also it causes all, both small and great, both rich and poor, both free and slave, to be marked on the right hand or the forehead, so that no one can buy or sell unless he has the mark, that is, the name of the beast or the number of its name. This calls for wisdom:let the one who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man, and his number is 666.

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    這裡說到一個數字「666」，讓許多人著迷去研究，但是今天我們部討論這數字，我們是要看見那抵擋上帝的勢力似乎越來越多，也越來越大！也就讓我們想到主耶穌說的話：「那時，人要把你們陷在患難裡，也要殺害你們；你們又要為我的名被萬民恨惡。那時，必有許多人跌倒，也要彼此陷害，彼此恨惡；且有好些假先知起來，迷惑多人。只因不法的事增多，許多人的愛心才漸漸冷淡了。惟有忍耐到底的，必然得救。這天國的福音要傳遍天下，對萬民作見證，然後末期才來到。」（馬太福音24:9-14）

    說到這裡，提醒我們屬基督的人要不怕死，因為我們將會面臨到為信仰犧牲性命的事情，不管是過去、現在及將來，基督徒都要面對殉道的事！這不是恐嚇的話，就是今天有許多基督徒為信仰生命處於危險狀態！

    所以，我們不要害怕得「癌症」的事，因為我們可能要面對的是更危險的死法，但是不要忘記基督已經勝過死亡，死亡之後有復活！基督永遠為王！

啟示錄13章

         啟示錄13:1-10    ,   啟示錄13:8  , 啟示錄13:8  ,

         啟示錄13:11-18 ,

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」！

啟示錄12:13-18

12:13 龍見自己被摔在地上，就逼迫那生男孩子的婦人。

12:14 於是有大鷹的兩個翅膀賜給婦人，叫她能飛到曠野，到自己的地方，躲避那蛇；她在那裡被養活一載二載半載。

12:15 蛇就在婦人身後，從口中吐出水來，像河一樣，要將婦人沖去。

12:16 地卻幫助婦人，開口吞了從龍口吐出來的水（原文是河）。

12:17 龍向婦人發怒，去與她其餘的兒女爭戰，這兒女就是那守上帝誡命、為耶穌作見證的。

12:18 那時龍就站在海邊的沙上。

And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea.

*******

    這段經文告我們屬上帝的兒女不要忘記：我們在地上的生活，是要與魔鬼爭戰的！

    是的！基督徒在是的生活是充滿爭戰，我們要與一切反對上帝真道的勢力爭戰到底。我們若覺得自己太閒空，好像沒有什麼問題的時候，更是要小心！因為我們是不是被世界同化了？以至於我們沒有感受到反對上帝的勢力！

    這不是我們患了被害妄想症，而是真正要警醒魔鬼一直在做工，一直要把我們搶回牠的陣營，要不是基督的保守，我們早就被抓走了！我們不要忘記我們是要天天與惡者爭戰，甚至要與自己的肉體和邪情私慾爭戰！

啟示錄12:7-12

12:7 在天上就有了爭戰。米迦勒同他的使者與龍爭戰，龍也同牠的使者去爭戰，

12:8 並沒有得勝，天上再沒有牠們的地方。

12:9 大龍就是那古蛇，名叫魔鬼，又叫撒但，是迷惑普天下的。牠被摔在地上，牠的使者也一同被摔下去。

12:10 我聽見在天上有大聲音說：「我上帝的救恩、能力、國度，並他基督的權柄，現在都來到了！因為那在我們上帝面前晝夜控告我們弟兄的，已經被摔下去了。

12:11 弟兄勝過牠，是因羔羊的血和自己所見證的道。他們雖至於死，也不愛惜性命。

12:12 所以，諸天和住在其中的，你們都快樂吧！只是地與海有禍了！因為魔鬼知道自己的時候不多，就氣忿忿地下到你們那裡去了。」

Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world— he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, "Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!"

*************

    我們在這裡看見罪惡的魔鬼是無法勝過上帝和基督的能力，所以我們要越發靠主站立得穩！最後和永遠的勝利是屬乎基督的，魔鬼之罪惡的勢力，只是一時的，並且會被上帝所消滅的！

    這也告訴我們，魔鬼勢力再大也贏不過上帝，也是在上帝的管轄之下！也因此，我們要感謝上帝，透過耶穌基督來施行救恩，使我們從屬魔鬼、抵擋上帝的陣營中拯救出來，使我們成為屬上帝，得勝的陣營中！

    而我們之所以能得勝，是因為「羔羊的血和自己所見證的道」，也因此我們要在聖禮中與聖道中，靠上帝的恩來成為上帝家中的得勝軍，不是我們的行為和努力，是上帝在基督裡完全的作為！