5. Manna issue 82 - The Seventh Blessing in the End Time 末日的第七個祝福
The ones who may enter through
the gates.
那些可以經由大門進入的人
HH Ko—Heidelberg, Germany
德國海德堡 柯恆雄 傳道
INTRODUCTION 簡介
The Book of Revelation, for all its vivid
chronicling of the apocalyptic drama
of the end times, has much to say
regarding blessings as well. The phrase
“blessed is/are the” occurs seven
times in the book, in much the same
fashion as the Beatitudes of Jesus.
Unlike the Beatitudes, however, these
blessings are scattered throughout the
Book of Revelation and can only be
identified after a thorough reading of
the entire book.
啟示錄，除了有很多末日啟示人的故事，
讓人深感鮮明活潑的時間表之外，
還有很多地方都談到有關祝福的事情。
"某某人是有福的"這個句子，
在啟示錄裡寫了七次，
和耶穌在八福裡面所提到的福氣很相近。
然而，啟示錄卻不像八福所說的一樣，
這些在錄示錄談到福氣的地方，散佈在整卷啟示錄的各章節之中，
只有整卷書好好的讀過之後，才能加以辨別出來。
Of the seven blessings, we shall
study the final one, recorded in
Revelation 22:14–15. This blessing
came during a very pressing time; the
preceding verses help us understand
what a critical moment this was:
在這七福之中，我們應該要好好的研究最後一個福音，
記載在啟示錄22章14-15節。
這個福氣是在一種非常緊迫的時間，才來臨的；
而前面的經節，就幫助我們了解，
這時是一種什麼樣子重要的時刻：
Then he said to me, “These words
are faithful and true.” And the Lord
God of the holy prophets sent His
angel to show His servants the things
which must shortly take place.
(Rev 22:6)
6天使又對我說：這些話是真實可信的。
主就是眾先知被感之靈的神，差遣他的使者，將那必要快成的事指示他僕人。
(啟 22：6)
This verse illuminates the exigency
and gravitas of the situation, as God
affirms the “faithful and true” insights
He has shown John, and hastens
to spread news of the prophecies
which are “shortly” to come to
pass. Additionally, verse 7 contains
Jesus’ terse declaration, “Behold, I
am coming quickly!” This further
punctuates the urgency underlying
the final blessing.
這一節說明了情勢的緊急和嚴重，
因為神肯定了，祂向約翰顯現的啟示，是真實可信的，
並且要快快把這預言的消息傳播出去，
因為這些事情很快在"短時間"內就要發生。
此外，第七節包含耶穌簡明的宣言，
7看哪，我必快來！
(啟 22：7)
這更加強調了，在這最後祝福之下，所帶來的急迫性。
Throughout the Bible, God’s
prophets never fail to remind us that
the end of all things is always on the
horizon; and it is in these perilous,
fleeting times that we must turn
once more to the enduring truths in
the Bible’s last book. God’s words are
faithful and true, and His unfailing
promises in the Book of Revelation
are for us to study and cherish, that
we may stand prepared for His return.
聖經自始至終，神的眾先知都從未放棄提醒我們，
萬事萬物的結局，總是在眼前的；
就是在這樣又危險又短暫的時間裡，
我們要再一次留意這聖經最後一卷裡面，永恆的真理。
神的話語是真實可信的，
他在啟示錄中，不變的應許，
就是為了給我們好好研究清楚，並加以珍惜，
這樣我們可以準備好等他再臨。
SEALING AND UNSEALING 封印及解開封印
God underscores the significance
of Revelation’s message in His
instructions, relayed by His angel, to
Elder John:
在神的指示中，祂強調了啟示錄訊息的重要性，
這些指示是經由天使傳達給約翰長老：
And he said to me, “Do not seal the
words of the prophecy of this book,
for the time is at hand. He who is
unjust, let him be unjust still; he who
is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who
is righteous, let him be righteous
still; he who is holy, let him be holy
still.” (Rev 22:10–11)
10他又對我說：不可封了這書上的預言，因為日期近了。
11不義的，叫他仍舊不義；污穢的，叫他仍舊污穢；
為義的，叫他仍舊為義；聖潔的，叫他仍舊聖潔。
(啟 22：10-11)
God intends for the prophecy to
be a public announcement to all
creation. By instructing the scribe,
Elder John, to leave “the words of the
prophecy of this book” unsealed, God
is also instructing future generations
of Christians to seize upon every word
of these prophecies and study them
diligently while time is still on their
side. This divine command to unveil
the precious truths of Revelation
stands in contrast to the command
given to Daniel, at a time when he
too was a recipient of God’s grand
revelations. Daniel was told,
神想要讓這些預言，成為全世界公開的宣告。
藉由指導文士和約翰長老，
留下了已經解密的"這書上的預言"，
而在時間還能允許之下，
神也指示後代的基督徒，
緊緊抓住預言中所說的每個字，殷勤地好好研究。
這條神聖的命令，揭露了啟示錄寶貴的真理，
正好可以和但以理所接受到的命令相對照，
在那時，但以理也是神偉大啟示的接收者。
但以理使告知，
“But you, Daniel, shut up the words,
and seal the book until the time of
the end; many shall run to and fro,
and knowledge shall increase.”
(Dan 12:4)
4但以理啊，你要隱藏這話，封閉這書，直到末時。
必有多人來往奔跑（或譯：切心研究），知識就必增長。
(但 12：4)
What was revealed to Daniel was
as much a mystery to him as it would
have been to anyone who read them
during his time. Yet when Daniel, in
the throes of his confusion, asked,
但以理被告知的事情，
對他自已和任何在當時的人而言，
都一樣感到非常的奧秘。
然而，當但以理在他本身混亂之中，痛苦掙扎，
求問，
Although I heard, I did not
understand. Then I said, “My lord,
what shall be the end of these things?”
(Dan 12:8),
8我聽見這話，卻不明白，就說：我主啊，這些事的結局是怎樣呢？
(但 12：8)
God replied, definitively:
“Go your way, Daniel, for the words
are closed up and sealed till the time
of the end.”
(Dan 12:9)
9他說：但以理啊，你只管去；因為這話已經隱藏封閉，直到末時。
(但 12：9)
It was not yet time for the truth of
the end times to be revealed. Hence,
Daniel did not get his answer. God’s
advice to “Go your way” can be read
as an invitation for Daniel to retire
from his earthly quest. The “end” to
which God referred is the same end
that Revelation speaks of.
這時還不是末日真理被解密的時間。
因此，但以理沒有得到神的回答。
神給他的勸告，卻是"作自已的事就好"，
可以被解讀為，一種讓他解脫所有在世生涯的邀請。
神所指的"結束"，同樣指的是啟示錄中，所說到的"結束"。
By comparing these two episodes,
when God spoke first to Daniel and
then to Elder John centuries later
about the last days, God’s intricate
plan becomes clear: today, what was
once sealed is sealed no longer. The
profound mysteries that were once
veiled to Daniel have been declared
openly to all who belong to the Lord
today, for He desires to reach out and
save those who would answer the call.
藉由比較這二個時間的紀錄，
神首先向但以理說，後來百年後向長老約翰說到末日，
神複雜而精細的計劃就變的另人清楚了：
今日，曾經被封印的東西，已不再被封印。
曾經對但以理而言，那好像被蒙上面紗的屬於神的高深奧秘，
今日已經被公開地向眾人闡明了，
因為祂希望可以向外接觸，拯救那些會回應呼召的人。
We would be foolish to ignore
the insights for which Daniel had so
ardently and—having fasted three
weeks as he sought his answers—
hungered for, but couldn’t obtain.
我們若忽略了，但以理過去熱心所領悟的東西，
就是很愚蠢了，
他為了尋求答案，禁食禱告三個禮拜 -
很飢渴的想要找到答案，卻是遍尋不著。
UNDERSTANDING 了解
God had warned Daniel of an ominous
future:
神警告但以理，未來很不好：
“Many shall be purified, made
white, and refined, but the wicked
shall do wickedly; and none of the
wicked shall understand, but the
wise shall understand.” (Dan 12:10)
10必有許多人使自己清淨潔白，且被熬煉；
但惡人仍必行惡，一切惡人都不明白，惟獨智慧人能明白。
(但 12：10)
Today, the True Jesus Church
Christian lives in the age about which
Daniel had been solemnly forewarned.
Just as the verse implies, God in His
boundless grace has revealed the
truths recorded in Revelation to man.
What complicates God’s gift of grace
to us is how we, in our capacities as
moral creatures, behave.
今日，真耶穌教會的基督徒，
活在一個但以理事先嚴肅警告過的世界。
就像這個經節所暗示的，
神以他無邊無際的恩典，
揭露記載在啟示錄的真理，賜予人們。
而會讓神給我們的恩典變質的原因，
其實是我們有什麼樣子的行為，
就是我們身為有道德文明的能力。
Blindness to God’s message is not
just the result of our explicit refusal to
accept God. Many remain oblivious to
the mysteries of God simply by living
a life in which God exists only at the
periphery, or is otherwise completely
absent. To not consider God and His
laws in our day-to-day life is to forfeit
any chance of gaining the wisdom
necessary to grasp the meaning of His
mysteries.
對神訊息的無視，不只是我們明確拒絕來接受神的結果。
許多人對神的奧秘仍然活得不知不覺，
就只是過著把神當成是一種附屬品的生活，
或者是另外一種完全沒有神的生活。
若沒有在每日的生活中，思想到神和祂的律法，
就是放棄得到得到必要智慧的任何機會，
讓我們可以明白神奧秘其中的意義。
1 NU-Text reads “who wash their robes.” Also translated
as “who do His commandments.”
1 新譯本的文字是 “who wash their robes. 清洗外袍的人”
也譯成 “who do His commandments. 遵守誡命的人”
AS WHITE AS SNOW 潔白如雪
On to the final blessing: 最後的祝福
“Blessed are those who wash their
robes1 that they may have the right
to the tree of life, and may enter
through the gates into the city.”
(Rev 22:14)
14那些洗淨自己衣服的有福了！可得權柄能到生命樹那裡，也能從門進城。
(啟 22：14)
Heavy with symbolic meaning,
the last blessing in Revelation has
much to teach us. Even the linguistic
construction of the blessing is worthy
of note.
帶著很重要所象徵的意義，
啟示錄最後的祝福是有很多東西可以教導我們。
即使是祝福在語構上的意義，也是很值得留意的。
We turn first to the word “wash.”
The Greek word translated as “wash”
in the verse is rarely used in the Bible.
In fact, it occurs only three times
in the entire Bible, and only once
outside of Revelation. What makes
it unique is the specific function of
the word, which was commonly
applied in reference to the washing
of fishermen’s nets. These fishing nets
were large, heavy pieces of equipment
that required multiple men to clean.
The use of this word in Revelation to
refer to the washing of garments thus
becomes incredibly intriguing. Why
the use of this lexicographical rarity
instead of the more conventional
and suitable word for the washing of
garments?
一開始我們留意"洗淨"這個字。
在本節中，這個希臘文被翻譯成"洗淨"，
在這聖經裡面是很少這麼用的。
事實上，在整個聖經之中，只有三次這麼用，
而在啟示錄之外，只用了一次。
讓這個字變的那麼特殊的是，這個字的特別功用，
通常這個字被用在有關清洗補魚的網子。
這些補魚的網子又大又重，
是需要許多人一起清理的裝備。
而啟示錄使用這個字，來指清洗衣服，
就因此令人難人相信的耐人尋味。
為什麼會選擇使用這個字典裡少用的字，
而不是一般更加常用，且比較適合用來指洗衣的字呢？
A different kind of washing is used
because the blessing is also speaking
of a different kind of garment. Firstly,
in a biblical context, “robes” do not
merely refer to physical outerwear.
It is to be understood, in a spiritual
context, as the garment acquired
during baptism. To borrow from
Apostle Paul, these robes are put on
in the same sense as our “putting
on” of Christ (Rom 13:14) when we
enter into the promise of salvation.
Secondly, the significance of the
special word for “wash” becomes
clear when we understand what these
robes actually signify. Just as great
effort and care were required to wash
the heavy fishing nets, the same is
needed to maintain the purity and
righteousness of our election in the
Lord—a responsibility that demands
hard work and perseverance.
使用不同類型的清洗，
是因為這個祝福也指的是不同類型的衣服而言。
第一，在聖經的內容裡，
"robe衣服"指的不僅是物質上外在的穿著。
在屬靈的含義上，也被認為是，
因著洗禮而得到的新衣。
若從保羅那裡借用說法，
當我們進入了救贖的應許之時，
穿上這些新衣，就像我們穿上基督，是一樣的道理。
(羅 13：14)
第二，這個"清洗"特別字的重要性，
當我們了解這些衣服事實上所指的事物之後，
就會變清楚了。
就如同當我們要清洗這些又重又大的魚網之時，
需要花費許多精力和注意力，
若要維持在主裡，蒙召的純潔和公義，就是同樣需要的 -
是一種需要努力和毅力的責任。
ROBES, TREES AND GATES
衣服，生命樹，大門
Robes 衣服
More can be unearthed while studying
the “robes” of the final blessing.
當我們來研究最後祝福裡面，所指的衣服這個字之時，
就可以在其下找到更多的意思。
And they cried with a loud voice,
saying, “How long, O Lord, holy and
true, until You judge and avenge our
blood on those who dwell on the
earth?” Then a white robe was given
to each of them; and it was said to
them that they should rest a little
while longer, until both the number
of their fellow servants and their
brethren, who would be killed as
they were, was completed.
(Rev 6:10–11)
10大聲喊著說：聖潔真實的主阿，你不審判住在地上的人，給我們伸流血的冤，要等到幾時呢？
11於是有白衣賜給他們各人；又有話對他們說，還要安息片時，
等著一同作僕人的和他們的弟兄也像他們被殺，滿足了數目。
(啟 6：10-11)
The robes mentioned in this moving
passage give us a clue as to what the
robes mentioned in the final blessing
may also represent. The robes spoken
of here are hard-earned symbols of
honor, won and worn by persecuted
Christians who had remained faithful
till the very end.
在這另人感動的經節裡，所提到的衣服，
就如在最後祝福之中，所指到的衣服，
讓我們也同樣得到一些線索。
這些所指的衣服，指的是辛苦努力所得到的榮耀象徵，
這些是受到逼迫的基督徒，努力贏得，並且穿在身上的衣服，
因為他們直到最後都很忠心。
Exiled in Patmos for his beliefs,
the author of Revelation knew very
well how much this meant. Back in
Rome, his fellow Christian brethren
were also languishing under imperial
persecution. Suffering was not far
from the faithful followers of Christ.
因著自已的信仰，而被放逐到拔摩海島，
啟示錄的作者很清楚的知道，這意味著什麼，
回頭來看羅馬地區的情況，
他的基督徒同胞弟兄，也因著羅馬帝國的逼迫，
而漸漸變的很軟弱。
對於基督忠心的信徒而言，一直都在受苦著。
Moreover, the white robes were
donned by the “great multitude” as
they stood before the throne and the
Lamb (Rev 7:9). This special crowd, as
explained in verses 13–14 of the same
chapter, were those who had emerged
from great tribulation victorious in
Christ, and who had “washed their
robes and made them white in the
blood of the Lamb.” One must come
out of great tribulation in order to
receive these white robes, and have
the blood of the Lamb to wash their
robes until they become white. One
has to wash his own robes. While
the robe is a gift, a grace, it is not
something one receives without
effort. When we put on Christ at
baptism, the garment we receive is
given freely to us without any effort
or merit on our part—not because we
are lovable or worthy. But the white
robe in Revelation requires that we
come out of the great tribulation to
obtain it.
此外，有"許多人"穿著潔白的衣服，
他們站在寶座和羔羊面前。
(啟 7：9)
在同一章的13-14節有解釋，
這一群特別的人，是從大患難中出來，在基督裡得勝，
"曾用羔羊的血把衣裳洗白淨了。"
(啟 7：14)
必要從大患難中出來，才能得到潔白的衣裳，
讓羔羊的寶血洗淨衣服，直到衣服變得潔白。
每個人都要洗淨自已的衣服
雖然得到衣服是一種恩賜，是一種恩典，
但卻不是一種任何人，可以沒有努力就得到的東西。
當我們受洗穿戴了基督，
白白領受了衣服，在我們身上，
完全沒有任何自已的努力和功勞 -
並不是因為我們很可愛，很有價值。
而是啟示錄裡的白袍，需要從大患難中出來，才能得到。
What about us? Can we see ourselves
within the “great multitude”? It is
useful for Christians to take a step
back every now and again to take
stock of our lives of faith. In all our
years in Christ’s fold, we are sure to
have met with affliction. Yet we often
fail to appreciate the significance of
our simple victories: after all this time,
we still attend services, sing hymns,
pray, and do our bit in church work.
These are accomplishments, marking
our steadfast refusal to bow to the
troubles the world throws at us.
那我們呢？
我們有看到自已在"大患難之中"嗎？
對基督徒而言，時刻退一步好好衡量自已信仰生活的情況，
是不是有用呢？
在基督羊圈裡，全部這幾年之中，
我們很確定會部到患難。
但是我們時常不能好好領會自已單純勝力的重要性：
經過了漫長的等待，我們仍會參加聚會，
唱讚美詩，禱告，在聖工上盡自已的本份。
這些成就，讓我們可以堅決來拒絕，
不向世界給我們的困難屈服。
Trees 生命樹
Returning to Revelation 22:14, we
turn to the last portion of the blessing:
“…that they may have the right to
the tree of life.”
回到啟示錄22章14節，
我們回頭看看祝福的最後一部份：
"14可得權柄能到生命樹那裡"。
A literal translation of the Greek
would give us “authority over the
tree of life.” God’s elect, the “great
multitude,” possesses the power to
obtain the tree of life and its fruit. To
understand what the tree of life is,
we can consult Proverbs. The tree of
life is wisdom (Prov 3:13–18), and,
according to Proverbs 11:30,
希臘文的翻譯，是
"權柄掌控生命樹"，
掌控了得到生命樹及其果子的權力。
若要了解什麼是生命樹，
我們可以參加箴言。
生命樹就是智慧，
(箴 3：13-18)
還有根據箴言11章30節。
The fruit of the righteous
is a tree of life,
And he who wins souls is wise.
30義人所結的果子就是生命樹；有智慧的，必能得人。
(箴 11：30)
Wisdom is the immeasurable prize,
worthy of all our troubles. After our
baptism of fire—the variety of trials
set in our way—we don our white
robes and are bestowed with the gift
of gifts: true wisdom. At the close of
our long and troubled lives, this is our
victory—the tree of life within, and
eternal life.
智慧是一種無法衡量的獎賞，
就算遇到一切的困難，都是值得的。
經過我們火之洗禮之後，
我們一路走來，就會遇到各式各樣的試煉 0
我們得穿白袍，並且被賞賜所有禮物之中，
最好的禮物：真正的智慧。
在我們漫長又困難的生活終結之時，
這就是我們的勝利 -
因為有生命樹和永遠的生命在其中。
Gates 大門
The final blessing ends with the elect’s
admission into the city. All that stands
between us and the treasures of
heaven, and what we need to pass
through, is a gate. There is no other
way into the eternal holy city—no
shortcuts, no secret entries. After we
go through the gate, we will see a
beautiful scene. In Revelation 21:10,
the angel showed John the city, and
the things within the city. This is the
city that we can enter, through the
city gate.
最後的祝福，是以選民被認可進入聖城而作終結。
存在我們與天國財寶之間，
我們需要去加以通過的，就是一座門。
並沒有其他的方法可以進入永遠的聖城 -
沒有捷徑，沒有秘密通道。
只有在我們通過大門之後，
我們才會看見美景。
啟祂錄21章10節，
天使顯給約翰看到的城池，並城中的事物。
我就是我們要進入的城市，要從城門走進去。
The final blessing in Revelation is
followed by a bleak picture. In the
end time, if we are not able to obtain
the seventh blessing, it means that
we have fallen short, and everything
we have worked for in our lives will
be lost. We cannot enter the city, and
are left behind with the “dogs [i.e.,
heretics] and sorcerers and sexually
immoral and murderers and idolaters,
and whoever loves and practices a
lie” (Rev 22:15).
啟示錄中最後的祝福，接著就是一幅荒涼的景象。
在未後的日子，若我們不能得到這第七個祝福，
就代表了我們有所短缺，
我們在自已生命中，所努力得到的一切都將失去。
我們不能進入聖城，並且放拋棄留了下來，
15城外有那些犬類(異端)、行邪術的、淫亂的、
殺人的、拜偶像的，並一切喜好說謊言、編造虛謊的。
(啟 22：15)
This contrast highlights the ultimate
importance of the final blessing. It is
more than a bonus or a reward: it is
a necessity. Only when we grasp this
blessing and obtain it are we privy to
the boundless treasures of salvation
reserved for God’s children.
這個對比，強調了最後的祝福，其最終極的重要性。
比獎金和獎納更多寶貴：這是一定要得到的。
只有當我們抓到這個福氣，得到了它，
我們才和這無窮無盡的財寶有份。
而這是為了神的子女能得到救贖所保留下來的。
CONCLUSION 結論
The Book of Revelation captures in
vivid detail the universal experience
of human suffering. That is man’s
inescapable condition. Yet it also tells
us of ultimate deliverance—the prize
for the faithful Christian. Until this
time comes, we must continue to
grow in our faith, endure trials and
tribulations, and steadfastly serve. As
long as we do our part, the seventh
blessing of Revelation will be given to
us. At the end, we will enter through
the city gate into the New Jerusalem,
our promised land, as part of the
“great multitude,” wearing white
robes.
啟祂錄鮮明的抓住了其中生動的細節，
描述了人類受苦的普遍性經驗。
這是身為人無法逃脫的景況。
然而，它也告訴了我們，有一個最終的拯救 -
為了那些忠心的基督徒所保留的獎賞。
直到這個時間來到之前，
我們一定在自已的信仰上有所成長，
好好忍耐接受試煉和苦難，堅持下去服事神。
只要我們盡了自已的全力，
啟示錄中第七個祝福，就必會賜給我們。
到最後，我們會經過城門，進入新耶路撒冷，
我們的應許之地，
成為"群眾"的一份子，穿著白衣。
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
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