1. 前言:新天國與新教會的信仰
首先, 將本書中所講述的真實的基督徒信仰, 也就是新天國和新教會的信仰, 分別以總體和具體的形式概要地說明。作為接下來全書的引言, 或作為進入聖殿的大門, 又或作為詳細內容的概要。此信仰被稱為新天國和新教會的信仰, 因為天人(angel)組成的天國和世人組成的教會, 如同一個人的靈魂與肉體, 內外一致,行動如一。因此, 若教會之人活在良善與真理之中, 對於思想內在而言, 他就是天國的一名天人。在肉身死後, 他便進入天國, 照著良善與真理在他裡面聯合的狀態在那裡安享極樂。當知道, 在主現在正建立的新天國中, 這樣的信仰是新天國的引言,入門和概要。
1
伯沙撒王在位第三年，有异象现与我─但以理，是在先前所见的异象之後。
2
我见了异象的时候，我以为在以拦省书珊城（或译：宫）中；我见异象又如在乌莱河边。
3
我举目观看，见有双角的公绵羊站在河边，两角都高。这角高过那角，更高的是後长的。
4
我见那公绵羊往西、往北、往南抵触，兽在它面前都站立不住，也没有能救护脱离它手的，但它任意而行，自高自大。
5
我正思想的时候，见有一只公山羊从西而来，遍行全地，脚不沾尘。这山羊两眼当中有一非常的角。
6
他往我所看见、站在河边有双角的公绵羊那里去，大发忿怒，向他直闯。
7
我见公山羊就近公绵羊，向它发烈怒、抵触它，折断它的两角。
8
这山羊极其自高自大，正强盛的时候，那大角折断了，又在角根上向天的四方（原文是风）长出四个非常的角来。
9
四角之中有一角长出一个小角，向南、向东、向荣美之地，渐渐成为强大。
10
他渐渐强大，高及天象，将些天象和星宿抛落在地，用脚践踏。
11
并且他自高自大，以为高及天象之君；除掉常献给君的燔祭，毁坏君的圣所。
12
因罪过的缘故，有军旅和常献的燔祭交付他。他将真理抛在地上，任意而行，无不顺利。
13
我听见有一位圣者说话，又有一位圣者问那说话的圣者说：这除掉常献的燔祭和施行毁坏的罪过，将圣所与军旅（或译：以色列的军）践踏的异象，要到几时才应验呢？
15
我─但以理见了这异象，愿意明白其中的意思。忽有一位形状像人的站在我面前。
16
我又听见乌莱河两岸中有人声呼叫说：加百列啊，要使此人明白这异象。
17
他便来到我所站的地方。他一来，我就惊慌俯伏在地；他对我说：人子啊，你要明白，因为这是关乎末後的异象。
18
他与我说话的时候，我面伏在地沉睡；他就摸我，扶我站起来，
19
说：我要指示你恼怒临完必有的事，因为这是关乎末後的定期。
21
那公山羊就是希利尼王（希利尼：原文是雅完；下同）；两眼当中的大角就是头一王。
22
至於那折断了的角，在其根上又长出四角，这四角就是四国，必从这国里兴起来，只是权势都不及他。
23
这四国末时，犯法的人罪恶满盈，必有一王兴起，面貌凶恶，能用双关的诈语。
24
他的权柄必大，却不是因自己的能力；他必行非常的毁灭，事情顺利，任意而行；又必毁灭有能力的和圣民。
25
他用权术成就手中的诡计，心里自高自大，在人坦然无备的时候，毁灭多人；又要站起来攻击万君之君，至终却非因人手而灭亡。
945. 22:8 Now I, John, saw and heard these things. And when I heard and saw, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel who showed me these things. This means that John supposed that the angel sent to him by the Lord to keep him in a state of the spirit was the God who revealed these things, when in fact that was not the case, as the angel only showed him what the Lord presented.
Clearly John supposed that the angel sent to him was the Lord Himself, for we are told that he fell down to worship before the angel's feet. But that it was not as he supposed is apparent from the next verse, in which the angel tells him that he is his fellow servant: "Worship God." That the angel was sent to John by the Lord is apparent from verse 16, which says, "I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches."
But behind this lies the following secret: The Lord sent the angel to John in order to keep him in a state of the spirit and to show him in that state the visions he saw. For whatever John saw, he saw not with the eyes of his body, but with the eyes of his spirit, as can be seen from the passages in which he says that he was in the spirit and seeing a vision (Revelation 1:10; 9:17; 17:3; 21:10), thus everywhere that he says "he saw." And a person can enter that state and be kept in it only by angels who are closely attached to the person, who induce their own spiritual state on the interiors of his mind. For this raises the person into the light of heaven, and in that light he sees sights in heaven and not in the world.
[2] Ezekiel, Zechariah, Daniel, and other prophets were at times in the same state, but not when they spoke the Word. When they spoke the Word they were not in the spirit, but conscious in the body, and the words they wrote they heard from Jehovah Himself, that is, from the Lord.
These two states experienced by the prophets must be properly distinguished. The prophets themselves also properly distinguished them, for they everywhere say when they wrote the Word from Jehovah that Jehovah spoke with them and to them, and most often, "Thus says Jehovah," or "the word of Jehovah." However, when they were in the other state, they say that they were in the spirit or seeing in a vision, as can be seen from the following: (Ezekiel said,) "The spirit lifted me up and brought me in a vision... of God into Chaldea, to those in captivity. So the vision that I saw went up upon me." (Ezekiel 11:1, 24)
Ezekiel says that the spirit lifted him up and that he heard behind him an earthquake, among other things (Ezekiel 3:12, 14). Also that the spirit lifted him up between earth and heaven, and brought him in visions of God to Jerusalem, where he saw abominations (Ezekiel 8:3ff.). Therefore he was also seeing in a vision of God or in the spirit when he saw four living creatures, which were cherubim (Ezekiel 1 and 10). And when he saw a new temple and a new land, and an angel measuring them (Ezekiel 40; 41; 42; 43; 44; 45; 46; 47; 48). He says that he was then seeing in the visions of God (Ezekiel 40:2), and that the spirit lifted him up (Ezekiel 43:5).
[3] It was the same with Zechariah, who had an angel with him at the time when he saw a man riding among the myrtle trees (Zechariah 1:8ff.). When he saw the four horns, and then the man with a measuring line in his hand (Zechariah 1:18; 2:1ff.). When he saw Joshua, the high priest (Zechariah 3:1ff.). When he saw the lampstand and two olive trees (Zechariah 4:1ff.). When he saw the flying scroll and the ephah (Zechariah 5:1, 6). And when he saw the four chariots and their horses coming from between two mountains (Zechariah 6:1ff.).
Daniel was in the same state when he saw four beasts coming up from the sea (Daniel 7:1ff.), and when he saw the combat of the ram and the male goat (Daniel 8:1ff.). That he saw these sights in visions is said in Daniel 7:1-2, 7, 13; 8:2; 10:1, 7-8. Moreover, that he saw the angel Gabriel and spoke with him in a vision (Daniel 9:21).
It was the same with John when he saw the sights he described, as when he saw the Son of Man in the midst of the seven lampstands; when he saw the tabernacle, 1 the temple, 2 the ark, 3 and the altar 4 in heaven; the dragon and its combat with Michael; 5 the beasts; 6 the woman sitting on the scarlet beast; 7 the new heaven and new earth, and the holy Jerusalem with its wall, gates, and foundations; 8 and more.
These sights were revealed by the Lord, but shown by an angel.
Footnotes:
2. Revelation 11:1-2, 19; 14:15, 17; 15:5-6, 8; 16:1, 17.
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