第十四章

6 我又看見另有一位天使飛在空中，有永遠的福音要傳給住在地上的人，就是各國、各族、各方、各民。 7 他大聲說：應當敬畏神，將榮耀歸給他！因他施行審判的時候已經到了。應當敬拜那創造天地海和眾水泉源的。 8 又有第二位天使接著說：叫萬民喝邪淫、大怒之酒的巴比倫大城傾倒了！傾倒了！ 9 又有第三位天使接著他們，大聲說：若有人拜獸和獸像，在額上或在手上受了印記，10 這人也必喝神大怒的酒；此酒斟在神忿怒的杯中純一不雜。他要在聖天使和羔羊面前，在火與硫磺之中受痛苦。 11 他受痛苦的煙往上冒，直到永永遠遠。那些拜獸和獸像，受他名之印記的，晝夜不得安寧。 12 聖徒的忍耐就在此；他們是守神誡命和耶穌真道的。

13 我聽見從天上有聲音說：你要寫下：從今以後，在主裡面而死的人有福了！聖靈說：是的，他們息了自己的勞苦，作工的果效也隨著他們。

 

 默想：

1. 自從成為基督徒以後，有沒有灰心喪志的時刻？或是在忙碌中迷失了自己，甚至有時會自問：「我這樣辛苦，到底是為了甚麼？」
2. 這段經文給了意想不到的應許：「是的，他們息了自己的勞苦，做工的果效也隨著他們。」（13節）信徒如同一般人一樣，也會死去，可是，我們死了，乃是從辛苦的工作中享受休息。而且工作果效會隨著我們，我們為主盡心的工作並非徒然，神會記念；因此死亡再不是咒詛，而是休息（睡了）。
3. 再讀幾遍13節，讓這節的意義沉澱我心。這節經文對我有什麼安慰與鼓勵？這樣的安慰，是否幫助我面對死亡？又如何面對生活？

 

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 14：

⁶ Then I saw another angel flying in midair, and he had the eternal gospel to proclaim to those who live on the earth —to every nation, tribe, language and people. ⁷ He said in a loud voice, “Fear God and give him glory, because the hour of his judgment has come. Worship him who made the heavens, the earth, the sea and the springs of water.” ⁸ A second angel followed and said, “‘Fallen! Fallen is Babylon the Great,’ which made all the nations drink the maddening wine of her adulteries.” ⁹ A third angel followed them and said in a loud voice: “If anyone worships the beast and its image and receives its mark on their forehead or on their hand, ¹⁰ they, too, will drink the wine of God’s fury, which has been poured full strength into the cup of his wrath. They will be tormented with burning sulfur in the presence of the holy angels and of the Lamb. ¹¹ And the smoke of their torment will rise for ever and ever. There will be no rest day or night for those who worship the beast and its image, or for anyone who receives the mark of its name.” ¹² This calls for patient endurance on the part of the people of God who keep his commands and remain faithful to Jesus.

¹³ Then I heard a voice from heaven say, “Write this: Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.”

“Yes,” says the Spirit, “they will rest from their labor, for their deeds will follow them.”

 

Meditation

1. Since becoming a Christian, have I ever felt disappointed and discouraged?  Or have I been so busy that I lost myself even to the point of asking myself: “Why am I doing this?  What’s this for?”
2. This passage gave us an unexpected promise in v 13.  Believers will die just as anyone else.  However, when we die, it’s a blessed rest from our hard, hard work.  And none of what we’ve done is wasted for God will bless us for it all in the end. (ref. the Message Rev 14:13)
3. Read v13 again and allow it to sink in.  Does this bring any comfort and encouragement to me?  How does it help me to face death?  And life?

 

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.