Manna issue 83 - Editorial 編輯的話
Spring 春天
The Ministry of the Holy Spirit
Before the Final Harvest
最後收割前，聖靈的事工
by Philip Shee 許腓利執事
Every year in Israel, the heavy winter rains contribute
to the healthy growth of crops. As the land transitions
into spring, the crops depend on the spring, or latter,
rain to ensure they ripen to full maturity and provide a
good harvest. Biblically, the pattern of rainfall in Israel is
closely associated with the people’s faithfulness towards
God, as reflected in the following passage:
每年以色列，冬天的大雨，讓穀物得以健康的成長。
隨著整個大地變換到春天，
穀物需要春雨，或稱晚雨，來確保穀物可以成熟，
可以有美好的收穫。
就聖經裡面的意義來看，
以色列下雨的模式，
是與人們對神有沒有信實的情況，緊緊相關，
可以在下面的經節中看到：
“And it shall be that if you earnestly obey My
commandments which I command you today, to love the
Lord your God and serve Him with all your heart and
with all your soul, then I will give you the rain for your
land in its season, the early rain and the latter rain.…
Take heed to yourselves, lest your heart be deceived, and
you turn aside and serve other gods and worship them,
lest the Lord’s anger be aroused against you, and He shut
up the heavens so that there be no rain.”
(Deut 11:13–17a)
13你們若留意聽從我今日所吩咐的誡命，愛耶和華─你們的神，盡心盡性事奉他，
14他（原文是我）必按時降秋雨春雨在你們的地上，使你們可以收藏五穀、新酒和油，
15也必使你吃得飽足，並使田野為你的牲畜長草。
16你們要謹慎，免得心中受迷惑，就偏離正路，去事奉敬拜別神。
17耶和華的怒氣向你們發作，就使天閉塞不下雨，
(申 11：13-17a)
In the spiritual context, the advent of spring signals the
need for the church to grow into maturity, to be prepared
for the harvest, the second coming of the Lord.
就屬靈的含義來看，
聖靈的降臨，代表了教會有需要長大成熟，
為了神的再臨，作好準備收割。
Be glad then, you children of Zion,
And rejoice in the Lord your God;
For He has given you the former rain faithfully,
And He will cause the rain to come down for you—
The former rain,
And the latter rain in the first month. (Joel 2:23)
23錫安的民哪，你們要快樂，為耶和華─你們的神歡喜；
因他賜給你們合宜的秋雨，為你們降下甘霖，就是秋雨、春雨，和先前一樣。
(珥 2：23)
The Lord fulfilled His promise to pour down His Spirit
upon all flesh on the Day of Pentecost (Joel 2:28; Acts
2:1–4, 16–18), establishing the apostolic church. The
church initially prospered, but started to decline towards
the end of the first century when heresies, pagan practices,
and immorality crept into the church (Acts 2:38–47; Gal
1:6–9; Rev 2–3). Such unfaithfulness eventually resulted
in the Holy Spirit being withheld, just as the latter rain
was withheld by God in response to Israel’s unfaithfulness
(Jer 3:3).
五旬節的時候，神實現了祂的諾言，
降下了聖靈給所有的人，
(珥 2：28；徒 2：1-4，16-18)
建立了使徒時期的教會。
一開始教會很興盛，
但是在第一世紀末的時候，
異端，異教的活動，一些不道德的事情，
偷偷的爬進了當時的教會，
讓教會開始墮落。
(徒 2：38-47；加 1：6-9；啟 2-3)
這種信仰上，不忠於神的情況，
最終導致了聖靈停止降下來，
就像以色列人，因為對神不忠，
而導致了神把晚雨停止不降。
As the seasons of God’s plan for humankind continue
to unfold, springtime marks the milestone before the final
harvest. At this juncture, the Holy Spirit will be poured
down again, like the latter rain which God gives in due
season. This downpour of the Holy Spirit is to restore
the church once again, particularly with the Spirit of
truth guiding the church into all truth (Jn 14:16–17, 26;
16:13). In addition, springtime serves to remind us to rely
on the Holy Spirit in the pursuit of spiritual maturity.
隨著神計劃裡面，各各對人類所設定的季節，
接續揭露出來，
春天代表了，最後收穫的時間點。
就在這個時刻，聖靈會再次降下來，
就好像晚雨，神會在時間到的時候，準時降下來。
聖靈的降臨，就是要從新恢復教會，
特別是因為真理的聖靈，會指引教會進入全備的真理。
(約 14：16-17，26；16：13)
此外，春天的時候，這個時間可以作為我們的提醒，
在追求屬靈的成長，要依靠聖靈。
As we witness history unfolding, it is critical for us
to consider where humankind is in the wider scheme of
God’s plans, and also discern the signs of the times (Mt
16:2–3). As we draw ever closer to the time of harvest,
we need to seriously reflect. Have we, and the church at
large, grown to maturity in Christ? Are we ready for the
harvest?
當我們見証了歷史逐漸開展，
對我們而言很重要的是，
要想想在神廣擴的計劃中，
人類處在什麼樣子的位置上，
也要查覺各各時間點，及其所代表的意思。
(太 16：2-3)
隨著我們越來越接近，收穫的時間點，
我們要很嚴肅的想想。
我們有沒有在基督裡長大成熟呢？
教會普遍而言，有沒有在基督裡長大成熟呢？
我們是不是準備好，可以迎接收穫的時刻呢？
小頁 markvmax@hotmail.com
歡迎主內同靈來信加入翻譯
Manna 嗎哪 56 (1)