晨興聖言-經歷、享受並彰顯基督(四)(W48-5)
第四十八週.週五
晨興餧養
啟二二16 『我耶穌差遣我的使者,為眾召會將這些事向你們作見證。我是大衛的根,又是他的後裔,我是明亮的晨星。』
瑪四2 『但向你們敬畏我名的人,必有公義的日頭升起,其翅膀有醫治之能;你們必如圈裏的肥牛犢出來跳躍。』
基督在回來時,對得勝者將是晨星。(啟二二16。)在啟示錄二章二十八節,祂給得勝者應許,說,『我…要把晨星賜給他。』在基督第一次顯現時,看見祂星的,(太二2,9~10,)不是猶太宗教家,乃是星象家。在基督第二次顯現時,祂將是晨星,給那些儆醒等候祂來的得勝者作賞賜;但對所有其餘的人,祂只出現如日頭。(瑪四2。)…晨星出現是隱密的,但日頭出現是公開的。主應許我們若儆醒等候祂來,祂就要向我們顯現為晨星作賞賜。(新約總論第二冊,一四八頁。)
基督是大衛的根,也是大衛的後裔,〔啟二二16,〕與以色列人和國度有關;祂是明亮的晨星,與召會和被提有關。晨星是在黎明前最黑暗的時刻前出現。大災難就是這最黑暗的時候,隨後,國度的白晝就要破曉。在國度裏,基督要像日頭,公開向祂的百姓顯現;但在大災難之前,祂要像晨星,暗中向祂的得勝者顯現。(新約總論第十四冊,三九九頁。)
信息選讀
主耶穌在啟示錄二十二章十二節說,『看哪,我必快來!』也在二十節說,『是的,我必快來!』我們向祂愛的響應該是:『阿們。主耶穌阿,我願你來!』(20,提後四8。)…我們該常常這樣呼求祂來…。我們必須告訴主:『主耶穌,我愛你,我也愛慕你的顯現。因著我愛你,我愛慕你的顯現。』
在使徒們的心中,他們一直堅信,主必快來,他們也過著豫備主再來的生活。這就好比久別的親人即將回來,全家都準備好去迎接。又像待嫁的女子,知道結婚的日子,一心一意等待那天的來到。保羅就有這樣的態度,…我們讀帖撒羅尼迦前書,就可以看得出來。這卷書共有五章,每一章末了都是以主的來臨作結束。這指明保羅是一個愛慕主顯現的人。(提後四8。)我們都該以保羅為榜樣,愛慕主的顯現。
我們既愛慕主的顯現,就該熱切等待祂的來臨。(腓三20,帖前一10。)因此,我們的將來就在祂身上。我們的生活該指明我們在地上沒有別的盼望,我們的盼望乃在於要來的主,祂是我們永遠的定命。保羅在林前七章說,『弟兄們,…時候縮短了。從此以後,那有妻子的,要像沒有妻子;哀哭的,要像不哀哭;喜樂的,要像不喜樂;置買的,要像無所擁有;使用世物的,要像不浪費使用;因這世界的樣子正在逝去。』(29~31。)基督纔是我們真實的盼望。
在等候主的回來時,我們該學習敬畏祂。主在路加十二章說了一個比喻:有一個財主努力積攢錢財,要叫魂享用快樂;神卻對他說,『無知的人哪,今夜必要你的魂。』(20。)我們能有每一個『今天』,實在都是主的恩典。所以,只要還有今天,只要氣息尚存,我們就當愛主,並愛慕祂的顯現,等待主來,(腓三20,)並且常以此事為勉。(新約總論第十四冊,三九九至四○一頁。)
參讀:新約總論,第三十二、四百一十一、四百三十五篇。
WEEK 48 — DAY 5
Morning Nourishment
Rev. 22:16 I Jesus have sent My angel to testify to you these things for the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the bright morning star.
Mal. 4:2 But unto you who fear My name will the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in His wings, and you will go forth and leap about like well-fed calves.
In His coming back Christ will be the morning star to the overcomers (Rev. 22:16). In Revelation 2:28 He gives a promise to the overcomer, saying, “To him I will give the morning star.” At Christ’s first appearing the wise men, not the Jewish religionists, saw His star (Matt. 2:2, 9-10). At His second appearing He will be the morning star as a reward to His overcomers who watch for His coming. To all others He will appear only as the sun (Mal. 4:2)… The appearing of the morning star is secret, but the appearing of the sun is open. The Lord promised that if we are watchful and wait for His coming, He will appear to us as the morning star for a reward.
Christ as the Root and Offspring of David [Rev. 22:16] is related to Israel and the kingdom, whereas His being the bright morning star is related to the church and the rapture. The morning star appears before the darkest hour, prior to dawn. The great tribulation will be this darkest hour, after which the day of the kingdom will dawn. In the kingdom the Lord will appear publicly to His people as the sun, but before the great tribulation He will appear privately to His overcomers as the morning star. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 350-351)
Today’s Reading
In Revelation 22:12 the Lord Jesus said, “Behold, I come quickly.” In verse 20 the Lord also said, “Yes, I come quickly.” Our loving response should be, “Amen. Come, Lord Jesus!” (v. 20; 2 Tim. 4:8)…We should always call for His coming…We must tell the Lord, “Lord Jesus, I love You, and I love Your appearing. Because I love You, I love Your appearing.”
In their hearts the apostles firmly believed that the Lord would come quickly and that they also lived a life in preparation for the Lord’s second coming. This is like the situation in which some long-separated relatives are soon to return. The entire family is prepared to welcome them. It is also like a girl waiting to be married, who knows of the wedding day and who is waiting wholeheartedly for that day to arrive. Paul was one who had such an attitude…We can see this by reading 1 Thessalonians. This book has five chapters, each of which concludes with the Lord’s coming back. This indicates that Paul was one who loved the Lord’s appearing (2 Tim. 4:8). Taking Paul as our pattern, we should love the Lord’s appearing.
Since we love the Lord’s appearing, we should earnestly wait for His coming (Phil. 3:20; 1 Thes. 1:10). Hence, our future is with Him. Our living should indicate that we have no other hope on earth. Our hope is in the coming Lord. He is our eternal destiny. In 1 Corinthians 7 Paul says, “Brothers, the time is shortened. Henceforth both those who have wives should be as though they had none, and those who weep as though they did not weep, and those who rejoice as though they did not rejoice, and those who buy as though they did not possess, and those who use the world as though they did not abuse it; for the fashion of this world is passing away” (vv. 29-31). Christ is our real hope.
While waiting for the Lord’s return, we should learn to fear Him. In Luke 12 the Lord gave a parable concerning a rich man who endeavored to lay up wealth for himself so that his soul might enjoy itself and be merry. But God said to him, “Foolish one, this night they are requiring your soul from you” (v. 20). Every “today” that we have is truly the Lord’s grace. Therefore, as long as we have today, as long as we still have breath, we should love the Lord and His appearing, await the Lord’s coming (Phil. 3:20), and always take His coming as an encouragement. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 4448-4449)
Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msgs. 32, 411, 435
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