第16章 致小群
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第16章 致小群
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Chapter 16—To the Little Flock
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亲爱的弟兄们：
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1850年1月26日，主赐给我一个异象，我要叙述那个异象。我看到上帝的子民中有些人是愚笨的，处于睡眠状态的，和半睡半醒的；他们不了解我们现今所生活的时期，而且……一些人有被扫出去的危险。我请求耶稣拯救他们，保留他们更长一点时间，让他们看到他们的处境极其危险，好使他们在可能永远为时晚矣之前可以预备好。天使说：“毁灭正在像强大的旋风一样来到。”我请求那位使者怜悯并拯救那些爱这个世界的人，他们依恋自己的财产，不愿放手将之奉献以便信使们迅速前进，去喂养因缺乏灵粮而正在灭亡的羊。{CET 106.1}[1]
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Dear Brethren,
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The Lord gave me a view, January 26, 1850, which I will relate. I saw that some of the people of God are stupid and dormant, and but half awake; they do not realize the time we are now living in, and that ... some are in danger of being swept away. I begged of Jesus to save them, to spare them a little longer, and let them see their awful danger, that they might get ready before it should be forever too late. The angel said, “Destruction is coming like a mighty whirlwind.” I begged of the angel to pity and to save those who loved this world, who were attached to their possessions, and were not willing to cut loose from them, and sacrifice to speed the messengers on their way to feed the hungry sheep who were perishing for want of spiritual food.?{CET 106.1}[1]
§7
当我看到许多因缺少现代真理而行将死亡的可怜生灵，又看见一些自称相信真理的人正因扣留那为推进上帝圣工所必需的钱财而听凭他们死亡时，这景象真是太伤痛了，我就恳求天使不要让我再看这景象。我看到当上帝的圣工需要他们一部分的财物时，他们却像那来到耶稣面前的青年人一样(太19:16-22)，忧忧愁愁地走了；不久灾祸就会如水涨漫，把他们的财产扫除一空，那时他们再想牺牲地上的财物以便积赞财宝在天上，则为时晚矣。{CET 106.2}[2]
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As I viewed poor souls dying for want of the present truth, and some who professed to believe the truth were letting them die by withholding the necessary means to carry forward the work of God, the sight was too painful, and I begged of the angel to remove it from me. I saw that when the cause of God called for some of their property, like the young man who came to Jesus (Matthew 19:16-22), they went away sorrowful; and that soon the overflowing scourge would pass over and sweep their possessions all away, and then it would be too late to sacrifice earthly goods, and lay up a treasure in heaven.?{CET 106.2}[2]
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后来我又看见荣耀的救赎主，又美好又可爱；祂曾离开荣耀的领域，来到这个黑暗而孤寂的世界，为要舍去祂宝贵的生命，义者为不义者舍命。祂忍受了残酷的愚弄和鞭打，戴了荆棘编成的冠冕，在园中流了大滴的血汗，同时全世界的罪担都压在祂身上。天使问道：“为什么呢？”哦，我看出而且知道这都是为了我们；祂曾为我们的罪忍受了这一切，以便用祂的宝血救赎我们归回上帝！{CET 106.3}[3]
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I then saw the glorious Redeemer, beautiful and lovely; that He left the realms of glory, and came to this dark and lonely world, to give His precious life and die, the just for the unjust. He bore the cruel mocking and scourging, wore the plaited crown of thorns, and sweat great drops of blood in the garden,?while the burden of the sins of the whole world was upon Him. The angel asked, “What for?” Oh, I saw and knew that it was for us; for our sins He suffered all this, that by His precious blood He might redeem us unto God!?{CET 106.3}[3]
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后来天使又向我指出：正当耶稣侍立在天父面前，用祂的宝血，祂所受的苦难，和祂的死为将亡的生灵请愿时；正当上帝的使者在等待着，要将救人的真理传给他们，使他们能领受永生上帝的印记时，有一班人却不肯放弃属世的财物以便将真理传给将亡的生灵，藉以拯救他们。有一些自称相信现代真理的人，若要他们将上帝所交托他们代管的钱财交给上帝的使者，他们竟以为是一件难事。{CET 107.1}[4]
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Then again were held up before me those who were not willing to dispose of this world’s goods to save perishing souls by sending them the truth while Jesus stands before the Father pleading His blood, His sufferings, and His death for them; and while God’s messengers are waiting, ready to carry them the saving truth, that they might be sealed with the seal of the living God. It is hard for some who profess to believe the present truth, to do even so little as to hand the messengers God’s own money that He has lent them to be stewards over.?{CET 107.1}[4]
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受苦的耶稣，和祂那如此深厚的，甚至使祂为人类舍命的大爱又被高举在我面前；那些自命为祂信徒之人的生活也被显示在我面前，他们拥有今生的财物，但却认为帮助救人的事业是不得了的负担。天使说：“这样的人能进天国么？”另一位天使回答说：“不，决不能，决不能，决不能。凡对上帝在地上的圣工漠不关心的人，决不能在天国歌唱救赎之爱的诗歌。”我看出上帝在地上所进行的工作将要本着公义速速地完结，而且福音的使者们必须赶快去寻找四散的羊群。{CET 107.2}[5]
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The suffering Jesus, His love so deep as to lead Him to give His life for man, was again held up before me; also the lives of those who professed to be His followers, who had this world’s goods, but considered it so great a thing to help the cause of salvation. The angel said, “Can such enter heaven?” Another angel answered: “No, never, never, never. Those who are not interested in the cause of God on earth, can never sing the song of redeeming love above.” I saw that the quick work that God was doing on the earth would soon be cut short in righteousness, and that the messengers must speed swiftly on their way to search out the scattered flock.?{CET 107.2}[5]
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强大的震动已经开始了，而且必要继续震动；以致凡不愿奋勇坚持真理并为上帝和祂的圣工牺牲的人，都要被震出去。天使说：“你以为有什么人要被强迫牺牲么？不，不。这必须是出于自愿的奉献。人若要买这块地，就必须付上一切所有的。”我呼求上帝顾惜祂的百姓，因为其中有昏迷的，有垂死的。于是我看出全能者的审判在迅速来到，我就央求天使用他的言语向众人讲话。他说：“凡不受圣经简明真理感动的人，也不会因西奈山的一切雷霆和闪电受感动，天使所传来的信息也不足以唤醒他们。”{CET 107.3}[6]
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The mighty shaking has commenced and will go on, and all will be shaken out who are not willing to take a bold and unyielding stand for the truth, and to sacrifice for God and His cause. The angel said: “Think ye that any will be compelled to sacrifice? No, no. It must be a freewill offering. It will take all to buy?the field.” I cried to God to spare His people, some of whom were fainting and dying. Then I saw that the judgments of the Almighty were speedily coming, and I begged of the angel to speak in his language to the people. Said he, “All the thunders and lightnings of Mount Sinai would not move those who will not be moved by the plain truths of the word of God, neither would an angel’s message awake them.”?{CET 107.3}[6]
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后来我又见到耶稣的荣美可爱。祂的衣袍比最洁白的白色更白。真没有什么言语足以形容祂的荣耀和崇高的优美可爱。一切遵守上帝诫命的人，都要从门进入圣城，有权吃生命树的果子，并永远侍立在可爱的耶稣面前，祂的圣颜焕发的荣耀比正午的太阳更为光明。{CET 108.1}[7]
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I then beheld the beauty and loveliness of Jesus. His robe was whiter than the whitest white. No language can describe His glory and exalted loveliness. All, all who keep the commandments of God, will enter in through the gates into the city, and have right to the tree of life, and ever be in the presence of the lovely Jesus, whose countenance shines brighter than the sun at noonday.?{CET 108.1}[7]
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天使向我指出亚当和夏娃在伊甸园。他们吃了禁果就被赶出乐园，后来上帝便在生命树的周围安置那发火焰的剑，免得他们吃生命树上的果子而变成永远不死的罪人。生命树乃是使人永存不朽的。我听见一位天使发问说：“亚当家的哪一个人曾越过那发火焰的剑去吃过生命树的果子呢？”我听见另一位天使回答说：“亚当的家中没有一个人越过那发火焰的剑去吃那树的果子；因此现今没有一个永远不死的罪人。犯罪的生灵必遭受永久的死亡，就是一直持续到永远的死亡，再没有复活的希望；于是上帝的忿怒才得平息。CET 108.2}[8]
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I was pointed to Adam and Eve in Eden. They partook of the forbidden tree, and were driven from the garden, and then the flaming sword was placed around the tree of life, lest they should partake of its fruit and be immortal sinners. The tree of life was to perpetuate immortality. I heard an angel ask, “Who of the family of Adam have passed the flaming sword, and have partaken of the tree of life?” I heard another angel answer: “Not one of Adam’s family have passed that flaming sword and partaken of that tree; therefore there is not an immortal sinner. The soul that sinneth, it shall die an everlasting death, a death that will last forever, from which there will be no hope of a resurrection; and then the wrath of God will be appeased.?{CET 108.2}[8]
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“众圣徒将在圣城里安息，并要作王作祭司一千年；然后耶稣要同众圣徒降临在橄榄山上，这山就要崩裂，成为一片辽阔的平原，给上帝的乐园预备地方。地球其余的地方必不得洁净，直到那一千年完了，那时死了的恶人要复活，聚集起来围绕圣城。恶人的脚永远不致玷污被更新的地球。必有火从天上的上帝那里降下来焚毁他们，根本枝条一无存留。撒但就是根本，他的儿女就是枝条，那焚尽恶人的火焰必要洁净全地。”{CET 108.3}[9]
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“The saints will rest in the holy city, and reign as kings and priests one thousand years; then Jesus will descend with the saints upon the Mount of Olives, and the mount will part asunder, and become a mighty?plain for the Paradise of God to rest upon. The rest of the earth will not be cleansed until the end of the one thousand years, when the wicked dead are raised, and gather up around the city. The feet of the wicked will never desecrate the earth made new. Fire will come down from God out of heaven and devour them, burn them up root and branch. Satan is the root, and his children are the branches. The same fire that will devour the wicked, will purify the earth.”{CET 108.3}[9]