诗歌：大本298首

读经：太二四1~3、32~44，二五1~13

Scripture Reading: Matt. 24:1-3, 32-44; 25:1-13

　　太二四27 闪电怎样从东边发出，直照到西边，人子来临也要这样。

　　　　　30 那时，人子的兆头要显在天上，这地的各族都要哀哭；他们要看见人子，带着能力和大荣耀，驾着天上的云而来。

　　〔马太二十四章二十七节〕的“来临”，原文是“巴路西亚”（parousia），意即“同在”，和腓立比二章十二节的“同在”同字。主再来，就主对信徒而论，就是祂与信徒同在。主这个同在……是从大灾难之前，得胜者被提……的时候，就开始了，直到大灾难末了，主降临向世人显现出来的时候。……在这一段的时间里面，主先后都来将信徒提去与祂同在。就信徒而论，是信徒被提；就主自己而论，是主来与信徒同在（圣经要道卷六，一六四四至一六四五页）。

　　Matt. 24:27 For just as the lightning comes forth from the east and shines to the west, so will the coming of the Son of Man be.

　　30 And at that time the sign of the Son of Man will appear in heaven, and then all the tribes of the land will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory.

　　The Greek word translated “coming” in Matthew 24:27 is parousia, and it literally means “presence.” The same word is translated as “presence” in Philippians 2:12. To His believers the Lord’s return will involve His presence with them. The Lord’s presence will begin before the great tribulation, when the overcoming believers are raptured, ... and last until the end of the great tribulation, when the Lord will descend to reveal Himself to the world…. During this time the Lord will rapture the believers into His presence at different times. With respect to the believers, His coming involves their rapture to His presence; with respect to the Lord, His presence involves His coming to the believers. (CWWL, 1932-1949, vol. 4, “Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, Volume 6,” p. 599)

　　从主在大灾难前，头一次提去得胜信徒的时候起，主的“巴路西亚”就开始了。……从那时起，主的“巴路西亚”，就是主来临的同在，最少再过了三年半，才“显现”出来。这个显现，圣经称作主“巴路西亚（同在）的显现〔epiphaneia，依皮反尼亚〕”〔帖后二8〕。所以主的再来，有一段时间是“巴路西亚”（同在），有一个时候是“依皮反尼亚”（显现）。……所以帖后二章称作“巴路西亚〔来临〕的依皮反尼亚〔显现〕”。

　　我们如果不明白〔巴路西亚〕这个字的意思所指着的来临，乃是一段时间的同在，我们就不能明白，为什么主的再来，那个来的时间是那样长，从大灾难前就开始来，一直来到大灾难末了，最少有三年半之久。同时，我们也就不能明白，为什么圣经有的地方说主再来的光景是在大灾难之前的，有的地方说主再来的光景是在大灾难末了的。

　　圣经给我们看见，主的再来乃是实在的来，乃是祂亲自从天降下，向人显露出来。祂这个来，就祂对信徒而论，乃是一段时间的同在，开始于大灾难之前，完成于大灾难末了。……到大灾难末了，祂这个来临的同在就显现出来，也就是祂来到地上，向人显现出来了。所以祂的来临，在开始的时候是隐藏的、秘密的，在末了的时候就是显明的、公开的。

　　主再来〔其中一面〕的情形，要像夜间的贼一样，……是隐藏的，是秘密的。〔主再来隐密的一面，发生在大灾难开始前，与祂在大灾难末了的显现无关。〕

　　〔虽然〕主再来〔隐密的一面〕是除了那些儆醒等候的人，没有人能看见的。……圣经又说，主再来的情形，要像闪电一样，是……公开的，是人人都能看得见的〔太二四27、30〕。这……乃是说到主再来的两面情形。……一面是隐藏的、秘密的，一面是显明的、公开的。秘密的一面，就是“巴路西亚”；公开的一面，就是“依皮反尼亚”。……隐密的一面，是只有那些爱祂、儆醒等候祂来的得胜信徒，……才能有分的。公开的一面，是所有的人都能看见，所有的信徒都能有分的（圣经要道卷六，一六四五至一六四九页）。

　　参读：圣经要道，第六十题；在神圣三一里并同神圣三一活着，第四章。

　　The Lord’s parousia will start when the Lord raptures the overcomers to heaven to be with Him before the beginning of the great tribulation. Beginning at this time, the Lord’s parousia, that is, His coming, will last for three and a half years until His appearance is manifested. This manifestation..., or appearance, is what the Bible calls the manifestation (epiphaneia) of His coming (parousia) [2 Thes. 2:8]. The Lord’s return involves a period of time, the parousia (coming), and a point in time, the epiphaneia (manifestation)….Therefore, 2 Thessalonians speaks of the epiphaneia of His parousia.

　　If we do not understand that this word parousia refers to His coming over a period of time, we will not understand why the Lord’s return begins before the great tribulation but does not consummate until the end of the tribulation, a period of three and a half years. We will also be unable to understand why some places in the Bible speak of the Lord coming before the great tribulation, and other places speak of His coming after the great tribulation.

　　The Bible shows that the Lord’s second coming is an actual coming and that the Lord Himself will descend from the heavens to be manifested before men. His coming with respect to His believers involves a long period of time, the time of His presence, which begins before the great tribulation and ends at the end of the great tribulation…. At the end of the great tribulation, the coming of His presence will be manifested when He comes to earth to appear to men. His coming is hidden and secret at the beginning and manifested and open at the end.

　　One aspect of the Lord’s second coming involves a coming that is hidden and secret, like the coming of a thief in the night. The hidden and secret aspect of the Lord’s second coming occurs before the beginning of the great tribulation; it is not related to His manifestation at the end of the great tribulation.

　　Although there is a secret and hidden aspect of the Lord’s coming, which will be seen only by those who are watchful, the Bible also speaks of His coming as lightning across the sky, which will be seen openly by everyone [Matt. 24:27, 30]…. These portions speak of two different aspects of the Lord’s second coming: the hidden, secret aspect and the manifested, open aspect. The hidden aspect is His parousia, and the open aspect is His epiphaneia….Only watchful, overcoming believers who are waiting for Him will participate in the hidden aspect. All the world will see the open aspect, and all believers will participate in it. (CWWL, 1932-1949, vol. 4, “Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, Volume 6,” pp. 599-602)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1932-1949, vol. 4, “Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, Volume 6,” ch. 60; CWWL, 1983, vol. 1, “Living in and with the Divine Trinity,” ch. 4

　　太二四14　这国度的福音要传遍天下，对万民作见证，然后末期才来到。

　　　　32~33 但是你们可以从无花果树学个比方：当树枝发嫩长叶的时候，你们就知道夏天近了；照样，你们几时看见这一切的事，也该知道那夏天近了，正在门口了。

　　国度的福音，包括恩典的福音（徒二十24），不仅把人带进神的救恩，也把人带进诸天的国（启一9）。恩典的福音重在罪的赦免、神的救赎和永远的生命；国度的福音重在神属天的管治和主的权柄。在这世代结束之前，国度的福音要传遍天下，对万民作见证，如启示录六章一至二节第一印之白马所表征的。因此，这传扬乃是这世代终结的兆头（圣经恢复本，太二四14注1）。

　　〔当〕国度的福音传遍全世界……这事成就时，我们就该领悟，末了的三年半即将开始〔太二四14〕。……在这传扬以前，许多其他的事将已发生。但这些事不是这世代终结的兆头，因为提到这些事时，主说末期还没有来到。因此，国度的福音传遍天下，将是这世代终结独一的兆头（马太福音生命读经，七九九页）。

　　Matt. 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

　　32-33 But learn the parable from the fig tree: As soon as its branch has become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that the summer is near. So also you, when you see all these things, know that it is near, at the doors.

　　The gospel of the kingdom, which includes the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24), brings people not only into God’s salvation but also into the kingdom of the heavens (Rev. 1:9). The gospel of grace emphasizes forgiveness of sin, God’s redemption, and eternal life, whereas the gospel of the kingdom emphasizes the heavenly ruling of God and the authority of the Lord. This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole earth for a testimony to all the nations before the end of this age. Hence, that preaching, signified by the white horse of the first seal in Revelation 6:1-2, will be a sign of the consummation of this age. (Matt. 24:14, footnote 1)

　　[When] the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom to the whole world... has been accomplished, we should realize that the last three and a half years are about to begin [Matt. 24:14]…. Prior to this preaching, many other things will have taken place. But these things are not the signs of the end of the age, for in speaking about them the Lord said that the end was not yet. Therefore, the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom to all the inhabited earth will be the unique sign of the end of this age. (Life-study of Matthew, p. 722)

　　无花果树乃是代表以色列国的。……在……马太二十一章十八至二十节，以色列国这棵无花果树，因没能结果子给主用，就遭了主的咒诅而枯干了，就是亡国四散了。但圣经预言说，犹太人还要复国，就是这里所说，无花果树树枝发嫩长叶所象征的。主说，我们看见这事，就该知道祂近了，正在门口了。所以这也是主再来的一种预兆（圣经要道卷六，一六五八页）。

　　无花果树象征以色列国，在马太二十一章十九节被咒诅。这树经过漫长的冬天，从第一世纪直到主后一九四八年，以色列国得着复国，那就是这树的枝子发嫩长叶了。……发嫩表征生命的复苏，长叶表征复兴的时代。冬天表征枯干的时期，灾难的期间（二四7~21）；夏天表征国度复兴的时代（路二一30~31），这时代要开始于主的再来。

　　以色列是给我们的兆头，正如国度福音的传扬是给犹太人的兆头。犹太人看见国度福音的传扬，就该领悟那是要来灾难的兆头。同样的，以色列这无花果树，对我们是关于主来临的兆头。门徒问主关于祂来临的兆头，和这世代终结的兆头。在前一段主说到这世代终结的兆头。这兆头就是国度福音的传扬。现在主说到另一个兆头，祂来临的兆头。这兆头就是无花果树。当树枝发嫩长叶的时候，我们就知道夏天—弥赛亚国完全的复兴—近了。

　　就人口和地理而言，以色列还没有完全复兴。……主是主宰一切的。……以色列国的复兴越来越完全。在千年国时，要达到完全（马太福音生命读经，八一一至八一二页）。

　　参读：马太福音生命读经，第六十三篇。

　　The fig tree represents the nation of Israel. In Matthew 21:18-20 the fig tree, the symbol of the nation of Israel, was cursed by the Lord and withered because it did not produce fruit for Him. The Jews lost their nation and were scattered. According to prophecies in the Bible, however, the Jews will recover their nation. The Lord’s word concerning the fig tree branch becoming tender and putting forth its leaves refers to this matter. When Israel, like the fig tree, becomes tender and puts forth leaves, the Lord said that His coming would be near. The recovery of the nation of Israel is another sign of the Lord’s second coming. (CWWL, 1932-1949, vol. 4, “Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, Volume 6,” pp. 607-608)

　　The fig tree, signifying the nation of Israel, was cursed in Matthew 21:19. It passed through a long winter, from the first century to A.D. 1948, when the nation of Israel was restored. That was its branch becoming tender and putting forth its leaves….To become tender signifies that life has come back, and to put forth leaves signifies outward activity. Winter signifies the time of being dried up, the time of tribulation (24:7-21). Summer signifies the age of the restored kingdom (Luke 21:30-31), which will begin at the Lord’s second coming.

　　Israel is a sign to us, just as the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom is a sign to the Jews. When the Jews see the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom, they should realize that it is a sign of the coming tribulation. Likewise, Israel as a fig tree is a sign to us concerning the Lord’s coming. The disciples had asked the Lord concerning the sign of His coming and the sign of the consummation of the age. In the foregoing section the Lord gives the sign of the consummation of the age. This sign is the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom. Now the Lord gives another sign, the sign of His coming. This sign is the fig tree. When its branches become tender and it puts forth its leaves, we know that summer, the full restoration of the Messianic kingdom, is near.

　　As far as both population and geography are concerned, there has not been a full restoration of Israel….The Lord is sovereign….The restoration of the nation of Israel is becoming more and more full. At the time of the millennium, it will reach its fullness. (Life-study of Matthew, pp. 733-735)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Matthew, msg. 63

　　帖后二3 ……那日子以前，必有背道的事先来，并有那不法的人，就是灭亡之子，显露出来。

　　　　　7　 因为那不法的奥秘已经发动，只等那现在的抑制者被除去。

　　　　　11 所以，神就使错谬运行在他们里面，叫他们信从虚谎。

　　在主再来的那日子以前，必有背道的事，并有那不法的人，就是敌基督，要显露出来〔帖后二3〕。所以，这些事也都是主再来的预兆。今天虽然敌基督还没有显露出来，但那不法的奥秘，已经在地上发动〔2〕，所以地上已经有了一些背道的事。这也是告诉我们，主再来的日子不会太远了（圣经要道卷六，一六五九页）。

　　因为灭亡的人不领受对真理的爱，就是神要赐给他们，使他们得救的（帖后二10），所以神就使那活动有力、迷惑人的错谬，运行在他们里面，叫他们信从虚谎（圣经恢复本，帖后二11注1）。

　　2 Thes. 2:3 …It will not come unless the apostasy comes first and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the son of perdition.

　　7 For it is the mystery of lawlessness that is now operating, but only until the one now restraining goes out of the way.

　　11 And because of this God sends to them an operation of error that they might believe the lie.

　　Before the day of the Lord’s second coming, the apostasy will come, and the man of lawlessness, Antichrist, will be revealed [2 Thes. 2:3]. These things are signs of the Lord’s second coming. Although Antichrist has not yet been revealed, the mystery of lawlessness is already operating on the earth [v. 7], so the earth is filled with apostasy. This tells us that the day of the Lord’s second coming is not far off. (CWWL, 1932-1949, vol. 4, “Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, Volume 6,” p. 608)

　　Because the perishing ones did not receive the love of the truth, which God intended to give them that they might be saved (2 Thes. 2:10), God sends to them an operation of error, an active power of misleading, that they might believe the lie. (2 Thes. 2:11, footnote 1)

　　但以理九章二十七节……预言……说，在末了一七之半，就是在召会这个时代末了的七年过了一半的时候，敌基督要〔在圣地〕设立起那可憎的偶像〔太二四15〕。……“圣地”，照帖后二章四节看，必是指圣殿。所以将来敌基督必是把那行毁坏的可憎偶像，设立在圣殿里，叫人敬拜，而那偶像也必是他自己的像（启十三14，十四9、11）。这就叫我们知道，从前在耶路撒冷……的圣殿，将来还要被建造起来，到了末了的三年半要开始的时候，也就是大灾难要起头的时候，敌基督要在其中设立他的像。一有这些事，主再来的日子可真是近了。……我们不要盼望留在地上看见这些事，我们该盼望……在三年半大灾难之前，就被主提去，离地上升，而与主同在了。

　　〔提后三章一至五节〕是末世的写真，……也可说都是主再来的预兆。……在这末世的日子，人除了爱自己，就是最爱钱财。……再就是自夸、狂傲、毁谤神。……今天的人，谁也不肯受约束，都是打起自由的牌子来，卤莽行事，为高傲所蒙蔽。爱宴乐不爱神，更是今天的一种特征。……这些都是主再来的预兆，都该提醒我们，叫我们儆醒预备，等候主来。

　　祂再来的时候，许多信徒的信心都失掉了〔路十八8〕。所以今天信徒这种很少有信心的光景，也是主要再来的一种预兆（圣经要道卷六，一六五九至一六六○、一六五五至一六五七页）。

　　主快再来之前，有一个清楚的预兆，就是在这一段时间里，有许多人要空前地积攒钱财。……从来没有那么多的财富，会像主要再来之时那么多的。……人不仅享受物质的东西，并且放纵情欲的事也特别多。……我在这里说这些话，……乃是要告诉全世界的弟兄姊妹：主的再来近了！我们要趁着钱财还有用，还在自己手上的时候，花费在主身上（倪柝声文集第三辑第十五册，二二五、二二九、二三四页）。

　　参读：神命定之路最新的陈明与基督来临的兆头，第六至七篇。

　　The prophecy spoken of through Daniel indicates that the abomination of desolation will occur in the “middle of the week” (9:27), the last half of the final seven years of the church age. In the middle of this week, Antichrist will set up the abomination of desolation in the holy place [Matt. 24:15]. According to 2 Thessalonians 2:4, holy place refers to the temple of God. Antichrist will set up an abominable idol of desolation, an image of himself (Rev. 13:14; 14:9, 11), in the temple and make people worship it. This shows that the temple in Jerusalem will be restored. When the great tribulation, the last three and a half years, is about to begin, Antichrist will set up his image in the temple. When this happens, the day of the Lord’s second coming will be very close….We should have no desire to be on earth to see the fulfillment of this prophecy; instead, our hope should be focused on being raptured by the Lord from the earth to His presence before the three and a half years of the great tribulation.

　　Second Timothy 3:1-5 describes the condition of human society at the end of this age... [as] a sign of the Lord’s second coming…. In the last days men will love themselves the most, followed closely by money….There also will be boasting, arrogance, reviling, and the blaspheming of God….People today do not want to be restricted; they all do things recklessly and arrogantly under the guise of freedom. It is also a particular characteristic of people today to be lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God….These are all signs of the Lord’s second coming, and they should remind us that we must watch and be prepared for the Lord to come.

　　By the time of His second coming, many of the believers will have little faith [Luke 18:8]. A lack of faith among believers is a sign of the Lord’s second coming. (CWWL, 1932-1949, vol. 4, “Crucial Truths in the Holy Scriptures, Volume 6,” pp. 608-609, 605-607)

　　Before the Lord’s imminent coming, there will be clear signs. During this time, men will accumulate wealth in an unprecedented way….No other age will see as much wealth as the age immediately preceding the Lord’s return. Not only is there a multiplication of material enjoyment, but there is a multiplication of lustful indulgence. I am saying this to let all the brothers and sisters throughout the whole world know that the day of the Lord is approaching! We have to spend whatever we have on the Lord, while the money is still useful. (CWWN, vol. 61, “Matured Leadings in the Lord’s Recovery (1),” pp. 201, 203-204, 208)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1990, vol. 3, “The Up-to-date Presentation of the God-ordained Way and the Signs concerning the Coming of Christ,” chs. 6-7

　　太二四44 所以你们也要预备，因为在你们想不到的时辰，人子就来了。

　　启三10 你既遵守我忍耐的话，我也必保守你免去那将要临到普天下，试炼一切住在地上之人试炼的时候。

　　〔马太二十四章四十至四十一节〕指明当世人沉迷于物质的事物，对要来的审判毫无感觉的时候，有些清明、儆醒的信徒要被取去。对沉迷、麻木的人，这该是基督来临的一个兆头。

　　四十节的两个人必是在基督里的弟兄，四十一节的两个女人也必是在主里的姊妹。这由四十二节所指明；这节告诉我们要儆醒，因为不知道我们的主哪一天要来。“所以你们要儆醒”和“你们的主”，证明四十至四十一节的两个男人和两个女人，都是信徒。主不会吩咐没有得救的人儆醒，祂也不是没有得救之人的主（马太福音生命读经，八一五页）。

　　Matt. 24:44 For this reason you also be ready, because at an hour when you do not expect it, the Son of Man is coming.

　　Rev. 3:10 Because you have kept the word of My endurance, I also will keep you out of the hour of trial, which is about to come on the whole inhabited earth, to try them who dwell on the earth.

　　[Matthew 24:40 and 41] indicate that while the worldly people are befuddled by the material things, with no sense of the coming judgment, some of the sober and watchful believers will be taken away. To the befuddled people, this should be a sign of Christ’s coming.

　　The two men in verse 40 must be brothers in Christ, and the two women in verse 41 must be sisters in the Lord. This is indicated by verse 42, which tells us to watch because we do not know on what day our Lord comes. Both “watch therefore” and “your Lord” prove that the two men and the two women in verses 40 and 41 are believers. The Lord would not charge unsaved people to watch, nor is He the Lord of the unsaved. (Life-study of Matthew, pp. 737-738)

　　取去的意思是在大灾难之前被提〔太二四40~41〕，这是主来临的兆头，也是给犹太人的兆头。看见两个人在田里工作，以及两个女人在磨坊推磨，是十分有意思的。在田里工作和推磨，都是为着吃。我们的吃和世人的吃有区别。世人读书、工作，我们也读书、工作。然而，世人已被麻醉了。……我们不过是尽我们的本分以谋生。……我们维持我们的生存，为要走十字架的道路，成就神的定旨。

　　当我们等候祂来，并期望被提时，我们必须在每天的职责上非常忠信。……那要被提的，乃是在田里工作的弟兄，以及在磨坊推磨的姊妹。……我们有堕落之人的性情，很容易为自己找借口说，不要花这么多时间在田里或在磨坊。你若这么作，就不会被提。

　　两个男人在田里，取去一个，撇下一个；两个女人在磨坊推磨，取去一个，撇下一个。原因是他们在生命的事上有区别。我信取去的是成熟的，撇下的是不成熟的。生命造成这区别。得胜者，在生命上成熟之人的被提，将是给撇下之人的兆头。

　　在马太二十四章四十二节，主告诉我们要儆醒，因为我们不知道主哪一天要来。……〔在四十三节〕家主，指信徒；房屋，指信徒在他基督徒的生活里，所建立的行为和工作。贼是在人不晓得的时候，来偷取贵重的物品。主要像贼一样，隐密地临到那些爱祂的人，把他们当作宝贝取走。因此，我们应当儆醒。……〔四十四节〕指主隐密地临到儆醒的得胜者（马太福音生命读经，八一五至八一九页）。

　　我们需要留意申言者的话，如同留意照在暗处的灯，直等到天发亮，晨星在我们心里出现（彼后一19，启二二16，二28）。在主公开来临之先，主要在黑夜最深时，像晨星一样向那些儆醒渴望祂显现的人显现（提后四8）。他们因着申言者之话的照耀蒙了光照，这话能把他们引到那要发亮的天，并使晨星得以在他们心中出现（圣经中四个“七”的预言，一七页）。

　　参读：圣经中四个“七”的预言，第一、五至六篇；倪柝声文集第一辑第十五册，第二十四至二十五章；歌中的歌，一三七至一四一页。

　　To be taken means to be raptured before the great tribulation [Matt. 24:40-41]. This rapture is a sign of the Lord’s coming and a sign to the Jews. It is very interesting to see that the two men are working in the field and that the two women are grinding at the mill. Both working in the field and grinding are for eating. There is a difference between our eating and the eating of the worldly people. The worldly people study and work, and we also study and work. The worldly people, however, have been drugged. But we... rather... are simply fulfilling our duty to make a living….We maintain our existence in order to take the way of the cross to fulfill God’s purpose.

　　As we wait for His coming and expect to be raptured, we must be very faithful in our daily duties…. It is the brothers working in the field and the sisters grinding in the mill who will be raptured. As those with a fallen human nature, it is easy for us to excuse ourselves for not spending so much time in the field or at the grinding. If you do this, you will not be raptured.

　　Of the two men in the field, one is taken and the other is left; and of the two women grinding at the mill, one is taken and the other left. The reason for this is that there is a difference between them in the matter of life. I believe that the one taken is mature and that the one left is immature. The life makes the difference. The rapture of the overcomers, those who are mature in life, will be a sign to those who are left.

　　In Matthew 24:42 the Lord tells us to watch, for we do not know on what day the Lord will come….[In verse 43] the householder refers to the believer, and the house, to the believer’s conduct and work which he has built up in his Christian life. A thief comes to steal precious things at an unknown time. The Lord will come secretly as a thief to those who love Him and will take them away as His treasures. Hence, we should watch…. [Verse 44] refers to the Lord’s secret coming to the watchful overcomers. (Life-study of Matthew, pp. 738-741)

　　We need to give heed to the prophetic word as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in our hearts (2 Pet. 1:19; Rev. 22:16; 2:28). Preceding the Lord’s open coming, the Lord will appear as the morning star in the darkest hour of the night to those who are watchful and looking for His appearing (2 Tim. 4:8). They have been enlightened by the shining of the prophetic word, which is able to lead them to the dawning day and to the rising of the morning star in their hearts. (CWWL, 1990, vol. 3, “The Prophecy of the Four ‘Sevens’ in the Bible,” pp. 14-15)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1990, vol. 3, “The Prophecy of the Four ‘Sevens’ in the Bible,” chs. 1, 5-6; CWWN, vol. 15, chs. 24-25; CWWN, vol. 23, “The Song of Songs,” pp. 117-119

　　太二五1 那时，诸天的国好比十个童女，拿着她们的灯，出去迎接新郎。

　　　　　4 但精明的拿着她们的灯，又在器皿里带着油。

　　启十九7 我们要喜乐欢腾，将荣耀归与祂；因为羔羊婚娶的时候到了，新妇也自己预备好了。

　　马太二十五章一至十三节说出，在主回来前已经死了的大体信徒将如何。十〔个童女〕代表历世历代以来的大体信徒，他们都打盹睡着了（5）。“打盹”表征患病（徒九37，林前十一30）；“睡着”表征死了（帖前四13~16，约十一11~13）。当主迟延还未回来时，大体的信徒先是患病，然后死了。……油象征神的灵（赛六一1，来一9）。灯象征信徒的灵（箴二十27），里面装着神的灵作油（罗八16）。……在灯里，就是在我们重生的灵〔箴二十27〕里有油，就是圣灵。人是为着神造的器皿（罗九21、23~24），人的个格是在他的魂里。因此，这里的器皿象征信徒的魂（李文集一九八五年第五册，六一二页）。

　　Matt. 25:1 lAt that time the kingdom of the heavens will be ikened to ten virgins, who took their lamps and went forth to meet the bridegroom.

　　4 But the prudent took oil in their vessels with their lamps.

　　Rev. 19:7 Let us rejoice and exult, and let us give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come, and His wife has made herself ready.

　　Matthew 25:1-13 addresses what will happen to the majority of the believers who will have died before the Lord’s coming. Ten represents the majority of the believers through all the generations who became drowsy and slept (v. 5). Became drowsy signifies becoming sick (Acts 9:37; 1 Cor. 11:30), and slept signifies having died (1 Thes. 4:13-16; John 11:11-13). While the Lord delays His coming back, the majority of the believers first become sick and then die. Oil signifies the Spirit of God (Isa. 61:1; Heb. 1:9). Lamps signifies the spirit of the believers (Prov. 20:27), which contains the Spirit of God as the oil (Rom. 8:16)….Within the lamp, our regenerated spirit [cf. Prov. 20:27], is the oil, the Holy Spirit. Man is a vessel made for God (Rom. 9:21, 23-24), and man’s personality is in his soul. Hence, vessels here signifies the soul of the believers. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 5, “The Way to Practice the Lord’s Present Move,” pp. 500-501)

　　马太二十五章一至十三节的比喻，关系到我们至少一千年的结局。……我们在今世若没有付代价买额外的油，在来世就要付极大、极高昂的代价。

　　童女象征信徒生命的一面（林后十一2）。我们都是贞洁的童女，在黑暗的世代为主作见证，并从世界走出去迎接主。

　　没有人知道〔主〕什么日子、什么时辰回来。……你若没有在生命上儆醒，你就要受到一些时代性的惩罚。……我们见祂时将如何？我们必须预备好。我们是童女，正出去迎接那向着我们而来、最令人喜悦的一位新郎。在马太福音这卷严肃的书里，祂不让我们知道祂何时来（二四44，二五13）。祂不让我们知道，意思是我们必须儆醒，随时都在操练。

　　我们都带着灯〔箴二十27〕作发光的见证，正从世界走出去迎接我们的新郎。……这灯应当发光照耀，所以这灯需要油。在预表上，油表征神的灵（赛六一1，来一9），我们需要那灵作焚烧的油。我们正出去迎接祂，作发光的见证，所以我们需要焚烧的油，焚烧的灵。同着灯，还有器皿。愚拙的童女有油在她们的灯里，就是在她们的灵里；但她们的器皿里，就是她们的魂里，没有额外的油。我们应当在出去迎接祂并为祂作见证的光景里。为这目的，我们需要更多的油，更多的那灵，所以我们必须买油。这额外的油绝不会像礼物一样送给你，你绝不能平白地得到这分油。你需要买油。……在你的所是里积蓄储存额外的圣灵，不是隔夜即成的工作。……使你全人有正确的构成，并不是一天或甚至一年的事，乃是一生之久、每日的事。

　　儆醒的意思不是仅仅为祂的再来儆醒。儆醒乃是每天借着买油来预备你自己。……我们属灵的变化乃是天天并一生之久的。每天都应该有一点油的累积和储存，加到我们的所是里面。我们每天并没有够多合式的操练自己，使我们甚至每分钟都在买油（李文集一九八五年第五册，六四五至六四九页）。

　　参读：实行主当前行动之路，第七、九章；初信造就，第九篇。

　　Matthew 25:1-13 concerns our destiny for at least one thousand years…. If we do not pay the price required to buy the extra portion of oil in this age, the price we will have to pay in the next age will be great, high, and costly.

　　Virgins signify believers in the aspect of life (2 Cor. 11:2). We are chaste virgins bearing the Lord’s testimony in the dark age and going out of the world to meet the Lord.

　　None of us knows the day or hour of His coming…. If you are not watchful in life, you will receive some dispensational punishment….What shall we do to meet Him? We must be prepared. We are virgins going out to meet the One who is coming to us as the most pleasant person, as a Bridegroom. In this solemn book of Matthew He would not let us know when He would come (24:44; 25:13). His not letting us know means that we have to be watchful and always keep ourselves exercised.

　　We all are going out of the world to meet our Bridegroom, bearing a lamp [Prov. 20:27] as a shining testimony….This lamp should be bright and shining, so it needs oil. Oil in typology signifies the Spirit of God (Isa. 61:1; Heb. 1:9), and we need the Spirit as the burning oil. We are going out to meet Him, bearing a shining testimony, so we need the burning oil, the burning Spirit. With the lamp there is a vessel. The foolish ones have oil in their lamps, their spirits, but they do not have the extra portion of oil in their vessels, their souls. We should be in a situation of going out to meet Him and bearing His testimony. For this purpose we need more oil, more Spirit, so we have to buy the oil. This extra portion of oil could never be given to you as a gift. You could never get it freely. You need to buy the oil. To accumulate a deposit of the extra portion of the Holy Spirit in your being is not an overnight job….To pick up things that become a constitution of your proper being is not a matter of one day or even one year. It is a matter of daily business for a lifetime.

　　To be watchful does not mean only to watch for His coming. To be watchful is to prepare yourself every day by buying the oil….Our spiritual transformation is a daily and lifelong matter. Every day there should be some accumulation, some deposit of oil added to our being. We have not been that much in the proper exercise every day to exercise ourselves even every minute to buy the oil. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 5, “The Way to Practice the Lord’s Present Move,” pp. 525-528)

　　Further Reading: CWWL, 1985, vol. 5, “The Way to Practice the Lord’s Present Move,” chs. 7, 9; CWWN, vol. 48, “Messages for Building Up New Believers (1),” ch. 9

　　太二五8 愚拙的对精明的说，请分点油给我们，因为我们的灯要灭了。

　　　　　10 ……她们去买的时候，新郎到了；那预备好的，同他进去赴婚筵，门就关了。

　　“买”〔太二五10〕指明需要付代价。圣灵的充满是要出代价的，就如撇下世界、对付己、爱主胜过一切、因基督将万事看为损失等等。我们今天若不出这代价，到复活之后还是要出。不付代价的人，就没有额外的圣灵。

　　那预备好的，必定是应邀赴羔羊婚筵的人（启十九9）。我们应当预备好（太二四44），让器皿里一直有油，让神的灵一直充满我们全人。为着主的来临（巴路西亚），我们应当天天儆醒并预备。

　　同祂进去〔二五10〕，是指在主的来临（巴路西亚）降到空中时，复活的信徒被主提到空中（帖前四17）。马太二十五章十节的婚筵是羔羊的婚筵（启十九9）；这婚筵要在主来临（巴路西亚）的路上，摆设在空中（帖前四17）。这要在国度实现之前，赐给预备好的信徒，就是那些生前已被圣灵充满，装备好的信徒，作为赏赐，使他们享受主，也使主享受他们。

　　那预备好的，同新郎进去赴婚筵之后，门就关了。这不是救恩的门，乃是进入主婚筵之享受的门（马太福音生命读经，八三一至八三二页）。

　　Matt. 25:8 And the foolish said to the prudent, Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.

　　10 ...As they were going away to buy, the bridegroom came; and those who were ready went in with him to the wedding feast. And the door was shut.

　　To buy indicates the need of paying a price. The fullness of the Holy Spirit is obtained at a cost, such as giving up the world, dealing with the self, loving the Lord above all, and counting all things loss for Christ. If we do not pay this price today, we must pay it after resurrection. Those who do not pay the price do not have the extra portion of the Holy Spirit.

　　Those who are ready must be those who are invited to the marriage dinner of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9). We should be ready (Matt. 24:44) by always having oil in our vessel, always being filled with the Spirit of God in our whole being. To watch and be ready should be our daily exercise for the Lord’s parousia.

　　To go in with Him refers to the rapture of the resurrected believers to the air (1 Thes. 4:17) during the Lord’s parousia. The wedding feast in Matthew 25:10 is the marriage dinner of the Lamb (Rev. 19:9), which will be held in the air (1 Thes. 4:17) during the Lord’s coming, His parousia. It will occur before the manifestation of the kingdom as a reward of mutual enjoyment with the Lord to the believers who are ready, who have been equipped with the fullness of the Holy Spirit before they die.

　　After those who are ready go in with the Bridegroom to the marriage feast, the door is shut. This is not the door of salvation, but the door to enter into the enjoyment of the Lord’s marriage feast. (Life-study of Matthew, p. 753)

　　我们要够资格被提进入新郎的婚筵，就要经过一段漫长的过程，累积属灵的油。从你成为基督徒的时候起，你就该天天买油，好将油积存在你的器皿里。

　　基督徒的生活不是在于……规条，……乃是一件关于我们买油的事。……接受圣灵进到我们的灵（灯）里是白白的，然而得着那灵浸透我们的魂却不是白白的。你……必须出代价对付你的魂。

　　每天早晨我们一起床就需要祷告：“主，我不愿在不儆醒之下作任何事，不愿作任何事而不是在买油。我愿随时在任何事上买油。否则，就是浪费我的时间。”这该是我们的祷告，我们该有这样祷告的态度，……花费我〔们〕所有的时间在灵里。

　　我们有圣灵在我们重生的灵里；但问题是，我们是否有额外的圣灵在我们魂里，浸透我们的所是。问题不是童女的灯。甚至五个愚拙童女的灯也是燃烧的。她们的灯“要灭了”（太二五8），这事实证明愚拙童女的灯是点着的，里面有油，却没有充足的供应。她们器皿里没有额外的油。

　　马太二十五章八节〔指明〕……复活之后，愚拙的信徒发现自己缺少神的灵，需要充满神的灵。……他们的器皿，他们的魂，他们里面没有额外的灵。〔愚拙的童女〕求精明的童女帮助，分点油给她们。“精明的回答说，恐怕不够我们和你们用的，不如你们到卖油的那里，为自己买吧。”（9）我们不该忘记这对话是在所有信徒复活之后发生的。……〔许多信徒〕在一生中一直都缺少那灵，但他们沉迷且麻木了。他们复活时，要发现这个短缺，但那时已经太迟了。他们必须去为自己买油（李文集一九八五年第五册，六四九至六五一、六一二至六一四页）。

　　参读：马太福音生命读经，第六十四篇。

　　For us to be qualified to be raptured to enter into the Bridegroom’s wedding feast requires our passing through a long period of accumulating the spiritual oil. From the time you become a Christian, you should buy the oil to be deposited in your vessel every day.

　　The Christian life is not a matter of legalities... [but of] our buying of the oil….To receive the Holy Spirit into our spirit, our lamp, is free. But to have the Spirit saturating our soul is not free….You must pay the price in dealing with your soul.

　　We need to pray from the time that we wake up every morning, “Lord, I do not like to do anything that is not under my being watchful, that is not under my buying of the oil. I like to buy the oil at any time and in any instance. Otherwise, that will be a waste of my time.” This should be our prayer and even our prayerful attitude, ... [to] spend all [our] time to be in the spirit.

　　We have the Holy Spirit in our regenerated spirit, but there is a question as to whether or not we have an extra portion of the Holy Spirit in our soul, saturating our being. The problem was not with the lamps of the virgins. Even the lamps of the five foolish virgins were burning. The fact that their lamps were “going out” (Matt. 25:8) proves that their lamps were lighted, having oil in them, but not having an adequate supply. They did not have the extra portion of the oil in their vessels.

　　Matthew 25:8 [indicates that]... after resurrection the foolish believers discovered that they were short of the Spirit of God and needed the fullness of the Spirit of God….They [did] not have an extra portion of the Spirit in their vessel, in their soul, their being. Then the foolish ones begged the prudent ones to help by giving them some oil. “But the prudent answered, saying, Perhaps there will not be enough for us and for you; go rather to those who sell, and buy for yourselves” (v. 9). We should not forget that this conversation takes place after all the believers have been resurrected…. [Many believers] were short of the Spirit all the time during their life, but they were befuddled and stupefied. When they are resurrected, they will discover their shortage, but then it will be too late. They have to go and buy for themselves. (CWWL, 1985, vol. 5, “The Way to Practice the Lord’s Present Move,” pp. 528-529, 501-502)

　　Further Reading: Life-study of Matthew, msg. 64