启二8　 你要写信给在士每拿的召会的使者，说，那首先的、末后的、死过又活的，这样说。

　　　二二13 我是阿拉法，我是俄梅嘎；我是首先的，我是末后的；我是初，我是终。

　　主耶稣不仅是首先的，也是初；不仅是末后的，也是终。首先的，指明没有人在基督以先；末后的，指明没有人在祂之后。初，指明祂是万有的起源；终，指明祂是万有的终结。因此，这里不仅指明，没有人在主耶稣之先，也没有人在主耶稣之后；更指明没有祂，就没有起源，也没有终结。这向我们保证，主是刚强的，能应许、鼓励、加强我们。祂必成就祂在启示录所说的一切话（新约总论第十四册，三九六页）。

　　Rev. 2:8 And to the messenger of the church in Smyrna write: These things says the First and the Last, who became dead and lived again.

　　22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last, the Beginning and the End.

　　The Lord Jesus is not only the First but also the Beginning; He is not only the Last but also the End. The First indicates that none is before Christ, and the Last that none is after Him; whereas the Beginning indicates that He is the origination of all things, and the End that He is the consummation of all things. Hence, the indication here is not only that there is nothing before or after the Lord Jesus but also that there is no origination or consummation without Him. This assures us that the Lord is strong to promise, encourage, and strengthen us. He will accomplish whatever He has spoken in Revelation. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, p. 4445)

　　主告诉在士每拿受苦的召会，祂是那首先的、末后的。这指明祂所经过的苦难无论多大，那些苦难都不能终结或破坏祂。……召会遭受苦难时，需要认识基督是那首先的、末后的，是永远存在、永不改变的一位。无论逼迫的环境如何，祂仍是一样。……凡事都在祂管治的界限之内。

　　主告诉在士每拿的召会，祂是那首先的、末后的，指明召会该是得胜的，不被任何苦难所击败（新约总论第二册，四八页）。

　　基督不仅是第一个，也是创始者；祂不仅是末一个，还是成终者。换句话说，在宇宙中，从始至终都是基督。……主耶

　　稣不仅是首先的，也是初，是创始；祂不仅是末后的，也是终，是完成，没有留下什么给别人去作。祂占有整个宇宙；在时间上，在空间上，在每一件事上，祂都是一切。

　　基督不仅是首先的和末后的，也是初和终；这向我们保证，祂开始了召会生活以后，就必要完成。祂永不会叫祂的工作半途而废。所有在地方召会里的都必须相信，主耶稣是初又是终，祂必完成祂在恢复里所开始的工。

　　因着主是我们的一切，又因着祂是这样刚强，我们就不该推诿说，我们软弱，我们的环境太艰难。我们的环境越艰难，主对我们就越丰富；我们的情况越多试炼，主对我们就越刚强。我们必须运用我们的信心，相信这包罗万有的一位，祂是阿拉法，是俄梅嘎，是首先的，是末后的，是初，是终。在祂毫无问题。因此，我们需要浸没在祂里面，相信祂，并且安息于祂（新约总论第十四册，三九六至三九七页）。

　　起初定规的是神，末了成功的也是神。感谢神，祂是阿拉法，所有的起头都是祂。……一切都是神起头的〔创一1〕。同时，祂又是俄梅嘎。人可能失败，但祂是俄梅嘎。人可以说这个说那个，但最末后一句话还是神说的，因为祂是俄梅嘎。……祂要成功祂的计划，祂要达到祂的目的，祂要成功祂所起头的。我们承认，撒但的工作实在是打岔了神的工作，但是，我们更承认，神不只是起初定规的阿拉法，神并且是最后成功的俄梅嘎。神一点不放松。不管召会在经历上的情形是怎样，……召会……要穿上荣耀，……献给祂的儿子（倪柝声文集第二辑第十四册，一三九至一四○页）。

　　参读：新约总论，第二十四、四百三十四篇。

　　The Lord told the suffering church in Smyrna that He is the First and the Last. This indicates that no matter how great were the sufferings through which He passed, those sufferings could not terminate or damage Him… In suffering, the church needs to know that Christ is the First and the Last, the ever-existing, unchanging One. Whatever the environment may be, He remains the same…All things are within the limit of His control.

　　When the Lord told the church in Smyrna that He was the First and the Last, He was indicating that the church should be victorious, not defeated by any kind of suffering.

　　Christ is not only the First but also the Originator; He is not only the Last but also the Finisher. In other words, in this universe from beginning to end, all is Christ…The Lord Jesus is not only the First but also the Beginning, the origination; He is not only the Last but also the End, the completion, leaving nothing to anyone. He occupies the entire universe. In time, in space, and in everything He is everything.

　　The fact that Christ is not only the First and the Last but also the Beginning and the End assures us that, having started the church life, He will surely accomplish it. He will never leave His work unfinished. All those in the local churches must believe that the Lord Jesus is the Beginning and the End. He will accomplish what He has begun in His recovery.

　　Because the Lord is everything to us and because He is so strong, we should not excuse ourselves by saying that we are weak and that our environment is too difficult. The more difficult our environment, the richer the Lord will be to us. The more trying our circumstances, the stronger the Lord will be to us. We must exercise our faith in this all-inclusive One, the One who is the Alpha, the Omega, the First, the Last, the Beginning, and the End. With Him, there are no problems. Thus, we need to be immersed into Him, believe in Him, and rest in Him. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 263-264, 4445-4446)

　　God made the original design, and God also will bring it to its final completion. How we thank God that He is the Alpha, the initiator of all things… All things had their beginning in God [Gen. 1:1]. At the same time, He is also the Omega. Man can and will fail, but God is the Omega. Man may say this and man may say that, but God has the last word. He is the Omega. He will bring His plan to fulfillment, He will reach His goal, and He will accomplish what He has begun. We acknowledge that Satan’s work has indeed interrupted the work of God, but we further acknowledge that God is not only the Alpha who purposed in the beginning but also the Omega who will finally succeed. God never gives up, and He will never let any of His purpose remain unfulfilled. Regardless of the church’s condition in her present experience, she will have no spot, wrinkle, or any such thing in God’s goal. Furthermore, she will be clothed with glory and presented to His Son. (CWWN, vol. 34, “The Glorious Church,” pp. 119-120)

　　Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msgs. 24, 434