但以理書8:9-14

8:9 四角之中有一角長出一個小角，向南、向東、向榮美之地，漸漸成為強大。

8:10 牠漸漸強大，高及天象，將些天象和星宿拋落在地，用腳踐踏。

8:11 並且牠自高自大，以為高及天象之君；除掉常獻給君的燔祭，毀壞君的聖所。

8:12 因罪過的緣故，有軍旅和常獻的燔祭交付牠。牠將真理拋在地上，任意而行，無不順利。

8:13 我聽見有一位聖者說話，又有一位聖者問那說話的聖者說：「這除掉常獻的燔祭和施行毀壞的罪過，將聖所與軍旅（或譯：以色列的軍）踐踏的異象，要到幾時才應驗呢？」

8:14 他對我說：「到二千三百日，聖所就必潔淨。」

9 Out of one of them came a little horn, which grew exceedingly great toward the south, toward the east, and toward the glorious land. 10 It grew great, even to the host of heaven. And some of the host and some of the stars it threw down to the ground and trampled on them. 11 It became great, even as great as the Prince of the host. And the regular burnt offering was taken away from him, and the place of his sanctuary was overthrown. 12 And a host will be given over to it together with the regular burnt offering because of transgression, and it will throw truth to the ground, and it will act and prosper. 13 Then I heard a holy one speaking, and another holy one said to the one who spoke, "For how long is the vision concerning the regular burnt offering, the transgression that makes desolate, and the giving over of the sanctuary and host to be trampled underfoot?" 14 And he said to me, "For 2,300 evenings and mornings. Then the sanctuary shall be restored to its rightful state."

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     四角之中有一角長出一個小角，竟然挑戰上帝，破壞聖殿與獻祭制度。對照到歷史應該是西流基王朝的「安提阿哥四世」，生於西元前215年，西元前175-164年做王。他出身微寒，有十四年在羅馬當人質，也不是王位的合法繼承人。

    安提阿哥四世迫害一些宗教信仰，強迫信徒放棄他們的神祇。登基後，改名號為「神的顯現」，自以為是天神宙斯的化身。推行希臘化政策：禁止聖殿的獻祭，禁止猶太人守節期，禁止為小孩行割禮，搶奪聖殿的財物，甚至將宙斯神像立在聖殿中，並在祭壇上灑上豬血，猶太人以這種事情是最奇恥大辱的行為。後來終於造成馬喀比革命。

    歷史上這些大君王因為某些特質，帶來輝煌的成功，但過份的成功讓他們忘記自己的限制，甚至做出挑戰造物者的愚昧行為。這樣的錯誤，就不會發生在我們的身上嗎？我們要引以為鑑，以免得罪上帝。

但以理書8:5-8

8:5 我正思想的時候，見有一隻公山羊從西而來，遍行全地，腳不沾塵。這山羊兩眼當中有一非常的角。

8:6 牠往我所看見、站在河邊有雙角的公綿羊那裡去，大發忿怒，向牠直闖。

8:7 我見公山羊就近公綿羊，向牠發烈怒，牴觸牠，折斷牠的兩角。綿羊在牠面前站立不住；牠將綿羊觸倒在地，用腳踐踏，沒有能救綿羊脫離牠手的。

8:8 這山羊極其自高自大，正強盛的時候，那大角折斷了，又在角根上向天的四方（原文是風）長出四個非常的角來。

5 As I was considering, behold, a male goat came from the west across the face of the whole earth, without touching the ground. And the goat had a conspicuous horn between his eyes. 6 He came to the ram with the two horns, which I had seen standing on the bank of the canal, and he ran at him in his powerful wrath. 7 I saw him come close to the ram, and he was enraged against him and struck the ram and broke his two horns. And the ram had no power to stand before him, but he cast him down to the ground and trampled on him. And there was no one who could rescue the ram from his power. 8 Then the goat became exceedingly great, but when he was strong, the great horn was broken, and instead of it there came up four conspicuous horns toward the four winds of heaven.

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    但以理看到快速的獨角公山羊，擊敗公綿羊，國力壯大，獨角折斷後，有四角長出來接替之。這是指希臘帝國，亞歷山大大帝供奉的神就是以公山羊頭為代表，他也喜歡自稱為「山羊」。西元前323年，亞歷山大遠征印度時，染上嚴重的熱病死亡。西元前301年以後，希臘帝國分成迦散達、利絲馬哥、西流基、多利買四個國家。迦散達管理馬其頓與希臘，利絲馬哥管理小亞細亞與特拉西，西流古管理敘利亞和巴比倫，多利買管轄埃及。

    這也是讓我們感覺：世界的舞台的主角是一在更替，但是上帝的國卻是漸漸在茁壯，然而上帝的國之統治者不是教宗，不是教會的牧師或長老，而是耶穌基督。在世界的國，有一天都會過去。然而上帝的國，卻永遠長存！

但以理書8章

       但以理書8:1-4   , 但以理書8:5-8   ,   但以理書8:9-14  ,  但以理書8:15-19   ,

      但以理書8:20-25  ,     但以理書8:26-27  ,

但以理書8:1-4

8:1 伯沙撒王在位第三年，有異象現與我─但以理，是在先前所見的異象之後。

8:2 我見了異象的時候，我以為在以攔省書珊城（或譯：宮）中；我見異象又如在烏萊河邊。

8:3 我舉目觀看，見有雙角的公綿羊站在河邊，兩角都高。這角高過那角，更高的是後長的。

8:4 我見那公綿羊往西、往北、往南牴觸。獸在牠面前都站立不住，也沒有能救護脫離牠手的；但牠任意而行，自高自大。

1 In the third year of the reign of King Belshazzar a vision appeared to me, Daniel, after that which appeared to me at the first. 2 And I saw in the vision; and when I saw, I was in Susa the citadel, which is in the province of Elam. And I saw in the vision, and I was at the Ulai canal. 3 I raised my eyes and saw, and behold, a ram standing on the bank of the canal. It had two horns, and both horns were high, but one was higher than the other, and the higher one came up last. 4 I saw the ram charging westward and northward and southward. No beast could stand before him, and there was no one who could rescue from his power. He did as he pleased and became great.

********

    但以理看到公綿羊有兩角，後長的角較高。公綿羊攻擊對手無可匹敵，所以公羊就任意而行，自高自大。這也說明到人性中的驕傲，只要覺得自以為有所作為，就開始目中無人。這也是造成人敗亡之重大原因！

    而在這裡藉由綿羊和書珊城，來暗示這是「瑪代波斯」帝國，綿羊是波斯的國徽，波斯的君王會戴著公綿羊徽章的頭盔率領軍隊。雖然他們強大，有一天是會過去的！

    這也提醒我們：若是人靠自己所建立的，在強大都會有過去的一日！因為，人是無法永遠存在的，國度更是如此！

詩篇143篇

   

       詩篇143:1-12   , 

      詩篇 143:8 ,

        詩篇143:10   ,

 

 

詩篇143:10

求你指教我遵行你的旨意，因你是我的上帝。你的靈本為善；求你引我到平坦之地。

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God; may your good Spirit lead me on level ground.

**********

    詩人在此向上帝禱告：求上帝教導可以遵行上帝的旨意。其原意是求上帝教導做上帝喜悅的事。這也就是說，上帝子民的行事原則是要討上帝的喜悅，使上帝的心得滿足。因為我們既然屬乎上帝的子民，自然要討上帝之喜悅。

    然而上帝真的會引導我們行祂所喜悅的事，因為上帝是良善的上帝，祂差遣聖靈保惠師，在我們的心中教導我們、引導我們，將上帝的律法刻在我們的心版上，使我們從內心願意來遵行上帝旨意，行上帝喜悅的事！

    上帝讓我們行祂所喜悅的事，就是要我們進入祂永恆的國度，也就是平坦之地。當然，我們要成為上帝喜悅的人，才能做上帝喜悅的事，這樣的轉變是來自我們的罪得赦免，就需要靠耶穌基督的寶血了！若沒有耶穌基督的代贖，我們不可能與上帝和好，蒙上帝喜悅。

    因此，成為上帝喜悅的人，完全是上帝的恩典，非我們的行為達成。但是，我們是上帝喜悅的人，就要靠聖靈行上帝喜悅的事，如此才是近上帝的國了！