啟示錄19:1-5

19:1 此後，我聽見好像群眾在天上大聲說：哈利路亞（就是要讚美耶和華的意思）！救恩、榮耀、權能都屬乎我們的上帝！

19:2 他的判斷是真實公義的；因他判斷了那用淫行敗壞世界的大淫婦，並且向淫婦討流僕人血的罪，給他們伸冤。

19:3 又說：哈利路亞！燒淫婦的煙往上冒，直到永永遠遠。

19:4 那二十四位長老與四活物就俯伏敬拜坐寶座的上帝，說：阿們！哈利路亞！

19:5 有聲音從寶座出來說：上帝的眾僕人哪，凡敬畏他的，無論大小，都要讚美我們的上帝！

After this I heard what seemed to be the loud voice of a great multitude in heaven, crying out,

"Hallelujah!

 Salvation and glory and power belong to our God,

for his judgments are true and just;

for he has judged the great prostitute

who corrupted the earth with her immorality,

and has avenged on her the blood of his servants."

Once more they cried out,

"Hallelujah!

 The smoke from her goes up forever and ever."

And the twenty- four elders and the four living creatures fell down and worshiped God who was seated on the throne, saying, "Amen. Hallelujah!" And from the throne came a voice saying,

 "Praise our God,

all you his servants,

 you who fear him,

small and great."

*********

    我們敬拜是因我們參與在基督得勝行列，而基督確確實實已經得勝了！祂勝過了罪與死，也是過一切反對上帝的勢力，最終上帝必定得勝，一切蒙恩得救的人，都要一同來讚美上帝！

    其實讚美上帝，是我們蒙上帝恩典之人必定有的反應，上帝的確是勝過一切惡勢力，使我們得著永遠的救贖！

啟示錄18:21-24

18:21 有一位大力的天使舉起一塊石頭，好像大磨石，扔在海裡，說：巴比倫大城也必這樣猛力地被扔下去，決不能再見了。

18:22 彈琴、作樂、吹笛、吹號的聲音，在你中間決不能再聽見；各行手藝人在你中間決不能再遇見；推磨的聲音在你中間決不能再聽見；

18:23 燈光在你中間決不能再照耀；新郎和新婦的聲音，在你中間決不能再聽見。你的客商原來是地上的尊貴人；萬國也被你的邪術迷惑了。

18:24 先知和聖徒，並地上一切被殺之人的血，都在這城裡看見了。

Then a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone and threw it into the sea, saying,

"So will Babylon the great city be thrown down with violence,

and will be found no more;

and the sound of harpists and musicians, of flute players and trumpeters,

will be heard in you no more,

and a craftsman of any craft

will be found in you no more,

and the sound of the mill

will be heard in you no more,

and the light of a lamp

will shine in you no more,

and the voice of bridegroom and bride

will be heard in you no more,

for your merchants were the great ones of the earth,

and all nations were deceived by your sorcery.

And in her was found the blood of prophets and of saints,

and of all who have been slain on earth."

**********

    這裡看見抵擋上帝的力量終必過去！因為上帝是真正的掌權者，一切反對上帝的勢力，終必有過去的一天，最後的勝利必定是屬乎上帝的！

    許多事情，我們有限的人是看不明白，也不知如何是好。但是我們不覺得害怕，因為一切全在上帝的手中。

    就像這迫害聖徒和先知的城，終必滅亡！

啟示錄18:15-20

18:15 販賣這些貨物、藉著她發了財的客商，因怕她的痛苦，就遠遠地站著哭泣悲哀，說：

18:16 哀哉！哀哉！這大城啊，素常穿著細麻、紫色、朱紅色的衣服，又用金子、寶石，和珍珠為妝飾。

18:17 一時之間，這麼大的富厚就歸於無有了。凡船主和坐船往各處去的，並眾水手，連所有靠海為業的，都遠遠地站著，

18:18 看見燒她的煙，就喊著說：「有何城能比這大城呢？」

18:19 他們又把塵土撒在頭上，哭泣悲哀，喊著說：哀哉！哀哉！這大城啊。凡有船在海中的，都因她的珍寶成了富足！她在一時之間就成了荒場！

18:20 天哪，眾聖徒、眾使徒、眾先知啊，你們都要因她歡喜，因為上帝已經在她身上伸了你們的冤。

The merchants of these wares, who gained wealth from her, will stand far off, in fear of her torment, weeping and mourning aloud,

"Alas, alas, for the great city

 that was clothed in fine linen,

in purple and scarlet,

adorned with gold,

with jewels, and with pearls!

For in a single hour all this wealth has been laid waste."

And all shipmasters and seafaring men, sailors and all whose trade is on the sea, stood far off and cried out as they saw the smoke of her burning,

 "What city was like the great city?"

And they threw dust on their heads as they wept and mourned, crying out,

"Alas, alas, for the great city

 where all who had ships at sea

grew rich by her wealth!

For in a single hour she has been laid waste.

Rejoice over her, O heaven,

and you saints and apostles and prophets,

for God has given judgment for you against her!"

**********

    我們在此看見上帝行事時，是非常有魄力的！讓看見的人說：「一時之間，這麼大的富厚就歸於無有了。」「哀哉！哀哉！這大城啊。凡有船在海中的，都因她的珍寶成了富足！她在一時之間就成了荒場！」

    許多時候，我們都看表面的狀況，沒有看見隱藏未顯現的事，尤其是上帝做事，是人看不見的，而且使忽然間發生，讓人措手不及！但是對屬主的人而言不是如此。因為，我們相信上帝的應許，是憑著信心，不是憑著眼見。尤其是上帝的審判，好像渺茫未明，其實無時無刻在進行之中！

    讓我們憑著信，不憑著眼見，確信上帝的作為，祂說得必定成全！我們憑著信心來堅忍等候。祂的時間一到，馬上發生！

啟示錄18:11-14

18:11 地上的客商也都為她哭泣悲哀，因為沒有人再買他們的貨物了；

18:12 這貨物就是金、銀、寶石、珍珠、細麻布、紫色料、綢子、朱紅色料、各樣香木、各樣象牙的器皿、各樣極寶貴的木頭，和銅、鐵、漢白玉的器皿，

18:13 並肉桂、荳蔻、香料、香膏、乳香、酒、油、細麵、麥子、牛、羊、車、馬，和奴僕、人口。

18:14 巴比倫哪，你所貪愛的果子離開了你；你一切的珍饈美味和華美的物件也從你中間毀滅，決不能再見了。

And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn for her, since no one buys their cargo anymore, cargo of gold, silver, jewels, pearls, fine linen, purple cloth, silk, scarlet cloth, all kinds of scented wood, all kinds of articles of ivory, all kinds of articles of costly wood, bronze, iron and marble, cinnamon, spice, incense, myrrh, frankincense, wine, oil, fine flour, wheat, cattle and sheep, horses and chariots, and slaves, that is, human souls.

"The fruit for which your soul longed

has gone from you,

and all your delicacies and your splendors

are lost to you,

never to be found again!"

***********

    商業鼎盛常常是造成道德敗壞的原因，因為恣意的消費與生產，造成許多的浪費，也造成人驕傲的心，甚至使人覺得金錢是萬能的，以至於不再敬畏上帝了，只有拜金主義！

    然而人常常在拜金之時，賠上自己的生命！多還要多，好還要好，永遠沒有滿足的時候。這也是為甚麼說到貪財，是拜偶像，是萬惡之源！因為許多人為了錢財，甚麼是都做得出來，甚至將自己賣了都可！

    這些將來都要面臨上帝的審判，豈可不注意！尤其是基督徒，絕對不可讓錢財，取代上帝！

啟示錄18:9-10

18:9 地上的君王，素來與她行淫、一同奢華的，看見燒她的煙，就必為她哭泣哀號。

18:10 因怕她的痛苦，就遠遠地站著說：哀哉！哀哉！巴比倫大城，堅固的城啊，一時之間你的刑罰就來到了。

And the kings of the earth, who committed sexual immorality and lived in luxury with her, will weep and wail over her when they see the smoke of her burning. They will stand far off, in fear of her torment, and say,

"Alas! Alas! You great city,

you mighty city, Babylon!

For in a single hour your judgment has come."

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

    在這看見世人的心：有福一起享，有難自己當！

    因為罪性使人成為自私的人，使人沒有憐憫的心腸，凡事只為自己想，不會替別人著想。有人以為這是很正常的情形，但是這卻是造成人與人之間紛爭與疏離之重要原因，甚至關係破裂。這更是世界充滿兇殺、戰爭之重要原因。

    然而上帝造人時是要人彼此相愛，有和睦的關係。所以需要透過上帝的救贖完成時，人才有真正的和平。而先前人彼此造成的傷害，只有透過耶穌基督在十字架上的死，才能讓彼此之間的冤仇真正平息。因為加害者必須還給受害者的代價，也是受害者必須願意原諒加害者的原因。耶穌基督的十字架是完成公義要求，所必要之因素。