啟示錄14:6-13

14:6 我又看見另有一位天使飛在空中，有永遠的福音要傳給住在地上的人，就是各國、各族、各方、各民。

14:7 他大聲說：「應當敬畏上帝，將榮耀歸給他！因他施行審判的時候已經到了。應當敬拜那創造天地海和眾水泉源的。」

14:8 又有第二位天使接著說：「叫萬民喝邪淫、大怒之酒的巴比倫大城傾倒了！傾倒了！」

14:9 又有第三位天使接著他們，大聲說：「若有人拜獸和獸像，在額上或在手上受了印記，

14:10 這人也必喝上帝大怒的酒；此酒斟在上帝忿怒的杯中純一不雜。他要在聖天使和羔羊面前，在火與硫磺之中受痛苦。

14:11 他受痛苦的煙往上冒，直到永永遠遠。那些拜獸和獸像，受牠名之印記的，晝夜不得安寧。」

14:12 聖徒的忍耐就在此；他們是守上帝誡命和耶穌真道的。

14:13 我聽見從天上有聲音說：「你要寫下：從今以後，在主裡面而死的人有福了！」聖靈說：「是的，他們息了自己的勞苦，做工的果效也隨著他們。」

Then I saw another angel flying directly overhead, with an eternal gospel to proclaim to those who dwell on earth, to every nation and tribe and language and people. And he said with a loud voice, "Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come, and worship him who made heaven and earth, the sea and the springs of water."

Another angel, a second, followed, saying, "Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great, she who made all nations drink the wine of the passion of her sexual immorality."

And another angel, a third, followed them, saying with a loud voice, "If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives a mark on his forehead or on his hand, he also will drink the wine of God's wrath, poured full strength into the cup of his anger, and he will be tormented with fire and sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever, and they have no rest, day or night, these worshipers of the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name."

Here is a call for the endurance of the saints, those who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.

And I heard a voice from heaven saying, "Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on." "Blessed indeed," says the Spirit, "that they may rest from their labors, for their deeds follow them!"

**********

    三個天使宣告的信息對屬基督的人是安慰，對不屬基督的人是災難！可見被基督買贖的人是多麼有福啊！

    當然被基督買贖的人要面對許多的爭戰，要被人藐視和厭棄，但是最後基督得勝了！他們的堅忍是有意義的，因為最後會得著上帝所應許的，雖然生命可能會喪失，財產可能被人搶奪，但這一切沒有關係，基督最後全勝利！

    在這裡更看見上帝要我們永遠記得的事：「從今以後，在主裡面而死的人有福了！他們息了自己的勞苦，做工的果效也隨著他們」。屬基督的人一生為基督做的，上帝都記得喔！

啟示錄14章

    啟示錄14:1-5  ,  啟示錄14:6-13  ,  啟示錄14:14-20   ,

啟示錄14:1-5

14:1 我又觀看，見羔羊站在錫安山，同他又有十四萬四千人，都有他的名和他父的名寫在額上。

14:2 我聽見從天上有聲音，像眾水的聲音和大雷的聲音，並且我所聽見的好像彈琴的所彈的琴聲。

14:3 他們在寶座前，並在四活物和眾長老前唱歌，彷彿是新歌；除了從地上買來的那十四萬四千人以外，沒有人能學這歌。

14:4 這些人未曾沾染婦女，他們原是童身。羔羊無論往哪裡去，他們都跟隨他。他們是從人間買來的，作初熟的果子歸與上帝和羔羊。

14:5 在他們口中察不出謊言來；他們是沒有瑕疵的。

Then I looked, and behold, on Mount Zion stood the Lamb, and with him 144,000 who had his name and his Father's name written on their foreheads. And I heard a voice from heaven like the roar of many waters and like the sound of loud thunder. The voice I heard was like the sound of harpists playing on their harps, and they were singing a new song before the throne and before the four living creatures and before the elders. No one could learn that song except the 144,000 who had been redeemed from the earth. It is these who have not defiled themselves with women, for they are virgins. It is these who follow the Lamb wherever he goes. These have been redeemed from mankind as firstfruits for God and the Lamb, and in their mouth no lie was found, for they are blameless.

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

    十四萬四千人讓人想到數字上與12有關係，但是同樣部討論數字，正點是這一群人是上帝的揀選，正如經文說：「他們在寶座前，並在四活物和眾長老前唱歌，彷彿是新歌；除了從地上買來的那十四萬四千人以外，沒有人能學這歌。這些人未曾沾染婦女，他們原是童身。羔羊無論往哪裡去，他們都跟隨他。他們是從人間買來的，作初熟的果子歸與上帝和羔羊。在他們口中察不出謊言來；他們是沒有瑕疵的。」

    這當中最重要的一句話是：「他們是從人間買來的，作初熟的果子歸與上帝和羔羊。在他們口中察不出謊言來；他們是沒有瑕疵的。」

    可見上帝的救贖是有功效、有能力的，這不是人的作為，這是上帝的作為，是上帝親自透過耶穌督來救贖的一群人，是上帝花上極大的代價——獨生愛子耶穌督！

    這群人不是自己努力成為上帝的子民，是上帝親自作為買淑一群人成為上帝的子民！所以這一群人是多麼有福啊！這一群人就是上帝透過耶穌基督拯救，任耶穌基督為主的一群人！所以他們會唱特別的新歌讚美主！

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.

**********

    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.

********

    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」！