781. 第9节 这就是启示录所描述的“新天新地”, 以及由此降临的“新耶路撒冷”的含义。

在启示录中, 我们读到:

我看见一个新天新地, 因为先前的天地都过去了。 我约翰又看见圣城, 新耶路撒冷, 由神那里从天而降, 预备好了, 就如新妇妆饰整齐, 等候丈夫。 (启示录21:1-2)

象这样的事在以赛亚书中也有记载:

看哪, 我造新天新地; 你们当因我所造的永远欢喜快乐! 因我造耶路撒冷为人所喜, 造其中的居民为人所乐。 (以赛亚65:17-18)

我在本章前面已说明, 如今主正在建造一个新天堂, 由那些在世时承认, 或离世后能承认主就是天地之神的基督徒组成, 如祂在马太福音 (马太福音28:18) 中所说的那样。

A "house" is essentially a container -- for a person, a family, several families or even a large group with shared interests (think of the term "houses of worship.") In the Bible, a "house" is also a container, but for spiritual things rather than natural things. In various uses a "house" can represent part of the mind, the whole mind, a whole person or even a church. The other nuance to the word "house" is that it is generally used in regards to our affections and desires rather than our thoughts and principles. This makes sense; we tend to engage our thoughts and rationality when we are out in the world doing our work, but when we are inside our houses we are driven most by love for our families and the desire to be good to those we love. So "house" tends to represent the things we want and care about -- which are ultimately the things that define us.