第十三章

11 我又看見另有一個獸從地中上來，有兩角如同羊羔，說話好像龍。12 牠在頭一個獸面前，施行頭一個獸所有的權柄，並且叫地和住在地上的人拜那死傷醫好的頭一個獸。13 又行大奇事，甚至在人面前，叫火從天降在地上。14 牠因賜給牠權柄在獸面前能行奇事，就迷惑住在地上的人，說：「要給那受刀傷還活著的獸作個像。」15 又有權柄賜給牠，叫獸像有生氣，並且能說話，又叫所有不拜獸像的人都被殺害。16 牠又叫眾人，無論大小、貧富、自主的、為奴的，都在右手上或是在額上受一個印記。17 除了那受印記、有了獸名或有獸名數目的，都不得做買賣。

 

默想：

1. 魔鬼設計要在地上施展強大的軍力，並要欺詐威迫我們不許敬拜真神，卻要崇拜假神。另一方面，撒但亦會企圖蒙騙我們，假扮成世界的救主，自稱可以賜我們健康、財富、快樂和不朽生命。我是否看得出現今社會中撒但的作為？
2. 要脫離撒但欺騙的網羅，就要將我的信心專注在基督和祂的話語上。
3. 我是否預備好，來面對政治壓迫、或是經濟誘惑？我是否每天刻意有屬靈的操練：讀經（260）、禱告（五個簡短的禱告）等，來增強自己的屬靈生命力、洞察力、抵抗力？

 

禱告與筆錄：

繼續安靜在神面前，與神對話，並聆聽祂對我說的話。將心中的思想（心得），或是與神的禱告，記錄在「靈程筆記簿」上面。

 

Chapter 13

¹¹Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. ¹²He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. ¹³And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. ¹⁴Because of the signs he was given power to do on behalf of the first beast, he deceived the inhabitants of the earth. He ordered them to set up an image in honor of the beast who was wounded by the sword and yet lived. ¹⁵He was given power to give breath to the image of the first beast, so that it could speak and cause all who refused to worship the image to be killed. ¹⁶He also forced everyone, small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on his right hand or on his forehead, ¹⁷so that no one could buy or sell unless he had the mark, which is the name of the beast or the number of his name.

 

Meditation

1. In the Devil’s design, Satan will deploy his troops.  The land beast will dupe us and coerce us into idolatry.  On the other hand, Satan tries to deceive us by disguising itself as the world’s saviour, claiming to deliver health, wealth, happiness and immortality.  Do I see Satan’s activities in our society today?
2. The way to be out of Satan’s trap of deception is to fix my confidence in Christ and His written Word.
3. How prepared am I in facing the political persecution, or the economic temptation?  How am I engaged in the daily deliberate practices of Bible reading (260) and prayer (5 simple prayers) as they are part of the effort toward spiritual maturity, sensitivity and defences?

 

Prayer & Journaling:

Stay with God for a little longer.  Continue to converse with God and listen to what he wants to tell me.  Then write down any thought and/or prayer in the 2012 “Spiritual Journal” book.