| Please turn with me in your Bible to Revelation 12. Let’s read Revelation 12: |
请将圣经翻到启示录12章。让我们读启示录12章： |
| And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron, but her child was caught up to God and to his throne, and the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. |
1 那时，天上出现了一个奇伟的景象：有一个妇人，身披太阳，脚踏月亮，头戴十二颗星的冠冕。 2 她怀了孕，在生产的痛苦中疼痛呼叫。 3 天上又出现了另一个景象。看哪！ 有一条大红龙，有七头十角，七头上戴着七个皇冠。 4 牠的尾巴拖着天上三分之一的星辰，把它们摔在地上。龙站在那快要生产的妇人面前，等她生产了，就要吞吃她的孩子。 5 她生了一个男孩子，就是将来要用铁杖治理列国的。她的孩子被提取到 神和他宝座那里去。 6 妇人就逃到旷野去了，那里有 神为她预备的地方。她在那里得供养一千二百六十天。 |
| Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. And they have conquered him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, for they loved not their lives even unto death. Therefore, rejoice, O heavens and you who dwell in them! But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short!” |
7 天上发生了战争：米迦勒和他的天使与龙作战。龙和牠的天使也起来应战， 8 龙却抵挡不住，天上再也没有牠们的地方了。 9 于是那大龙被摔了下来。牠就是那古蛇，名叫魔鬼，又叫撒但，是迷惑普天下的人的。牠被摔在地上，牠的天使也跟牠一同被摔了下来。 10 我又听见天上有大声音说：“我们 神的救恩、能力、国度 和他所立的基督的权柄， 现在都已经来到了！ 因为那昼夜在我们 神面前 控告我们弟兄的控告者， 已经被摔下来了！ 11 弟兄胜过牠，是因着羊羔的血，也因着自己所见证的道， 他们虽然至死， 也不爱惜自己的性命。 12 所以，众天和住在其中的，你们都欢乐吧！ 可是地和海有祸了！ 因为魔鬼知道自己的时日无多， 就大大发怒下到你们那里去了。” |
| And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. |
13 龙见自己被摔在地上，就迫害那生了男孩子的妇人。 14 于是有大鹰的两个翅膀赐给了那妇人，使她可以飞到旷野，到自己的地方，在那里得供养一年两年半年，离开那蛇的面。 15 蛇在妇人后面，从口中吐出水来，好像江河一样，要把妇人冲去。 16 地却帮助了那妇人，张开口，把从龙口中吐出来的河水吞了。 17 龙就向妇人发怒，去和她其余的子孙作战，就是和那遵守 神命令坚持耶稣见证的人作战。18 那时，龙站在海边的沙上。 |
| That’s not your typical Scripture passage, is it? In today’s sermon I’d like to explain and apply this passage along with Revelation 20 by showing how it culminates a theme that starts at the beginning of the Bible’s storyline. That theme is the Serpent. |
这不像你通常读的典型经文，对吗？ 在今天的讲道中，我想通过展示它和启示录20章是如何使圣经故事情节开头的主题达到高潮来解释和应用这段经文。 那个主题就是蛇。 |
| This topic is on my mind because this past week I finished drafting a book on the Serpent and submitted it to my editors at Crossway. The book’s title is The Serpent and the Serpent Slayer. The book is a biblical theology of snakes and dragons. Seriously. |
这个主题一直在我的脑海里，因为上周我完成了一本关于蛇的书的起草并将它提交给我在Crossway的编辑。 这本书的标题是《蛇与屠蛇者》（The Serpent and the Serpent Slayer）。 这本书是蛇和龙的圣经神学。严肃地讲。 |
| When you think of dragon-slaying stories, you might not think of the Bible. You might think of well-known English literature such as … |
当你想到屠龙的故事时，你可能不会想到圣经。 你可能会想到英国著名的文学作品...... |
| 1. Saint George and the Dragon (the classic dragon-slaying story in English literature) |
1.《圣乔治和龙》（英国文学中经典的屠龙故事） |
| 2. Beowulf (an epic Old English story in which Beowulf slays monsters and a dragon) |
2. 《贝奥武夫》（贝奥武夫杀死怪物和龙的古老英文史诗故事） |
| 3. John Bunyan’s The Pilgrim’s Progress (in which Christian battles Apollyon) |
3.约翰·班扬的《天路历程》（基督徒与阿玻伦的战斗） |
| 4. C. S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia (The White Witch is the main serpent figure, but there are others such as the evil Queen of Underland in The Silver Chair.) |
4. C. S. 刘易斯的《纳尼亚传奇》（白巫女是蛇的形象，但还有其他如银色椅子中的邪恶的地下女王。） |
| 5. J. R. R. Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings (There’s a dragon named Smaug, but Sauron is the primary serpent figure.) |
5. 托尔金的《霍比特人》和《指环王》（有一条名为Smaug的龙，但Sauron主要是蛇的形象。） |
| 6. Or more recently J. K. Rowling’s Harry Potter (Voldemort is the primary serpent figure. He was in the House of Salazar Slytherin, whose mascot is a serpent. He unleashes a Basilisk, a monstrous serpent. He speaks the language of snakes. And Nagini is his loyal and terrifying snake.) |
6.或者最近JK罗琳的《哈利波特》（伏地魔是主要的蛇形人物。他在萨拉查斯莱利亚的学院中，他的吉祥物是一条蛇。他释放出蛇怪，一条凶蛇。他说蛇语。纳吉尼 是他忠诚而可怕的蛇。） |
| Who doesn’t love a good dragon-slaying story? There is a reason that classic and popular literature features such stories—we love them! But why? |
谁不爱一个好的屠龙故事？ 经典文学和流行文学都有这样的故事 - 我们喜欢它们！ 但为什么？ |
| We love good dragon-slaying stories because they echo the greatest story—the grand story of the Bible. The Bible is a dragon-slaying story. |
我们喜欢好的屠龙故事，因为它们回应了最伟大的故事 - 圣经的宏大故事。 圣经是一个屠龙的故事。 |
| Here is a catchy way to summarize the story of the Bible (just six words): Kill the Dragon, get the girl! |
这是用一个吸引人的方式来总结圣经的故事（只有六个字）：杀死龙，救女孩！ |
| The story has three main characters in it—the Serpent, the girl, and the Serpent Slayer: |
这个故事有三个主角 - 蛇，女孩和屠蛇者： |
| The first main character is the Serpent. The Serpent is Satan, the villain. The bad guys who work for the Serpent are the Serpent’s children. The Serpent and his children act like either snakes or dragons. When a serpent tries to deceive, it’s a snake. When a serpent tries to devour, it’s a dragon. Snakes deceive; dragons devour. Snakes tempt and lie; dragons attack and murder. Snakes are clever tricksters; dragons are raging monsters. (So serpent is the big category, and it has two subcategories: snakes and dragons.) |
第一个主角是蛇。 蛇是撒但，恶魔。 为蛇工作的坏人是蛇的孩子。 蛇和它的孩子就像蛇或龙一样。 当一条蛇试图欺骗时，它就是一条蛇。 当一条蛇试图吞食时，它就是一条龙。 蛇欺骗; 龙吞食。 蛇诱惑和撒谎; 龙攻击和谋杀。 蛇是聪明的骗子; 龙是肆虐怪物。 （所以毒蛇是大类，它有两个子类：蛇和龙。） |
| The second main character is the girl. This young unmarried woman symbolizes all of God’s people, the church. The church is Jesus’s bride. God’s people are like a damsel in distress because the Serpent is trying to trick and attack us. |
第二个主角是女孩。 这位年轻的未婚女子象征着所有属于上帝的子民，即教会。 教会是耶稣的新妇。 上帝的子民就像一个陷入困境的少女，因为毒蛇正试图欺骗我们。 |
| By the way, my colleague Joe Rigney coined the phrase “Kill the Dragon, get the girl!” It’s not a misogynist saying or a cavalier cowboy phrase. It colorfully reflects classical literature and the Bible itself. Jesus decisively defeated the Dragon, and he will conquer the Dragon and save his bride: “Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her” (Eph. 5:25); “Come, I will show you the Bride, the wife of the Lamb” (Rev. 21:9). The bride-metaphor doesn’t communicate every nuance (e.g., it doesn’t capture the truth that God helps his people fight the Serpent), but it communicates a prominent biblical theme in a pithy way. |
顺便说一句，我的同事乔·里格尼（Joe Rigney）总结了“杀死龙，救女孩！”这句话。这不是一个厌恶女人的说法，也不是一个骑士的俚语。 它丰富多彩地反映了古典文学和圣经本身。 耶稣果断地击败了龙，祂将征服龙并拯救祂的新娘：“你们作丈夫的，要爱妻子，就像基督爱教会，为教会舍己”（以弗所书5:25）; “你来，我要把新娘，就是羊羔的妻子，指示你”（启示录21：9）。 新娘 的比喻并没有传达每一个细微差别（例如，它没有捕捉到上帝帮助祂的人民与蛇作战的真理），但它以简洁的方式传达了一个突出的圣经主题。 |
| The third main character is the Serpent Slayer. Jesus is the hero. |
第三个主角是屠蛇者。 英雄就是耶稣。 |
| Here’s how the greatest story unfolds: |
以下是最伟大的故事： |
| The story begins with bliss. The damsel enjoys a beautiful garden in a pristine world. (Adam and Eve enjoy the Garden of Eden.) |
故事始于祝福。 这位少女在原始世界中享有美丽的花园。 （亚当和夏娃喜欢伊甸园。） |
| But the Serpent employs the strategy to deceive. (The Snake deceives Eve.) |
但是蛇用诡计来欺骗。 （蛇骗了夏娃。） |
| As the story develops, the Serpent craftily alternates between deceiving and devouring. (For example, sometimes Satan attempts to deceive God’s people with false teaching. Other times Satan assaults God’s people with violent persecution.) |
随着故事的发展，蛇在欺骗和吞噬之间徘徊。 （例如，有时撒但试图用虚假的教导来欺骗上帝的子民。其他时候，撒但以暴力迫害攻击上帝的子民。） |
| At the climax of the story, the Dragon attempts to devour the hero but fails. (The Dragon murders Jesus but merely bruises his heel while Jesus decisively crushes the Serpent’s head.) |
在故事的高潮，龙试图吞噬英雄，但失败了。 （龙杀了耶稣，但只是挫伤了祂的脚跟，而耶稣果断地击碎了蛇的头部。） |
| For the rest of the story, the Dragon furiously attempts to devour the damsel. (The Dragon attempts to deceive and destroy the church.) |
对于故事的其余部分，龙疯狂地试图吞噬这个少女。 （龙试图欺骗和摧毁教会。） |
| The hero’s mission: Kill the Dragon, get the girl. He will accomplish that mission. (The Lamb will consummate his kingdom for God’s glory by slaying the Dragon and saving his bride.) |
英雄的使命：杀死龙，救女孩。 祂将完成这一使命。 （羔羊将通过杀死龙并拯救祂的新娘来完全祂的国度以使上帝得荣耀。） |
| Now let’s look at how this story ends in Revelation 12 and 20. |
现在让我们在启示录12和20章来看这个故事如何结束。 |
| The Devouring Dragon in Revelation 12 and 20 |
启示录12和20章中吞噬的龙 |
| The Book of Revelation bookends the deceitful Snake in Genesis 3 by referring to Satan in apocalyptic terms as the Dragon. The end of the Bible’s story teaches at least ten notable truths about the Dragon. (I’ll be moving quickly.) |
“启示录”在创世记3章中将欺骗性的蛇称为龙，以天启的语言称为撒但。 圣经故事的结尾教导了至少十个关于龙的明显真理。 （我会快速讲过。） |
| 1. The Dragon Is the Ancient Serpent |
1.龙是古蛇 |
| And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world …. (Rev. 12:9a) |
于是那大龙被摔了下来，它就是那古蛇，名叫魔鬼，又叫撒但，是迷惑普天下的人的...... （启12：9a） |
| The accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. (Rev. 12:10b) |
因为那昼夜在我们神面前控告我们弟兄的控告者，已经被摔下来了！（启12：10b） |
| Six labels apply to the same evil person: |
六个标签适用于同一个邪恶的人： |
| the Dragon (Gk. ho drakōn) |
龙（希腊文ho drakōn） |
| the ancient Serpent (Gk. ho ophis ho archaios; alludes to Genesis 3) |
古蛇（希腊文ho ophis ho archaios;暗示创世记3章） |
| the devil (Gk. Diabolos—the slanderer) |
魔鬼（希腊文Diabolos-诽谤者） |
| Satan (Gk. ho Satanas—the adversary) |
撒但（希腊文ho Satanas-对手） |
| the deceiver (Gk. ho planōn) |
迷惑者（希腊文ho planōn） |
| the accuser of our brothers (Gk. ho katēgōr tōn adelphōn) |
控告者（希腊文 ho katēgōr tōn adelphōn） |
| 2. The Dragon Is Powerful |
2.龙是强大的 |
| And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. (Rev. 12:3) |
天上又出现了另一个景象。看哪！有一条大红龙，有七头十角，七头上戴着七个皇冠。 （启12：3） |
| The Dragon is great. The ten horns symbolize great power and ruling authority (cf. Dan. 7:7–8, 19–27), and the seven diadems symbolize that his great power extends over the entire earth. The Dragon is “the deceiver of the whole world” (12:9). |
龙是强大的。 十角象征着极大的权力和统治权威（参见但7：7-8,19-27），七个冠冕象征着他的大能贯穿整个大地。 龙是“迷惑全世界的”（12：9）。 |
| 3. The Dragon Plans to Devour the Messiah |
3.龙计划吞噬弥赛亚 |
| And a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet, and on her head a crown of twelve stars. She was pregnant and was crying out in birth pains and the agony of giving birth. And another sign appeared in heaven: behold, a great red dragon, with seven heads and ten horns, and on his heads seven diadems. His tail swept down a third of the stars of heaven and cast them to the earth. And the dragon stood before the woman who was about to give birth, so that when she bore her child he might devour it. She gave birth to a male child, one who is to rule all the nations with a rod of iron …. (Rev. 12:1–4a) |
那时，天上出现了一个奇伟的景象：有一个妇人，身披太阳，脚踏月后，头戴十二颗星的冠冕。她怀了孕，在生产的痛苦中疼痛呼叫。天上又出现了另一个景象。看哪！有一条大红龙，有七头十角，七头上戴着七个皇冠。它的尾巴拖着天上三分之一的星辰，把它们摔在地上。龙站在那快要生产的妇人面前，等她生产了，就要吞吃她的孩子。她生了一个男孩子，就是将来要用铁杖治理列国的。 （启12：1-5a） |
| The male child is Jesus the Messiah, who rules with a rod of iron (Ps. 2:9; Rev. 2:27; 19:15). The Dragon plans to thwart God’s master plan in Genesis 3:15 by devouring the Messiah. In Genesis 3:15, God says to the Snake, |
男孩是耶稣是弥赛亚，祂用铁杖治理列国（诗篇2：9;启示录2:27; 19:15）。 龙计划通过吞噬弥赛亚，挫败创世记3:15中上帝的主权计划。 在创世记3:15，上帝对蛇说， |
| I will put enmity between you and the woman, |
我要使你和女人彼此为仇， |
| and between your offspring and her offspring; |
你的后裔和女人的后裔，也彼此为仇， |
| he shall bruise your head, |
女人的后裔要伤你的头， |
| and you shall bruise his heel. |
你要伤他的脚跟。 |
| While the woman is in labor here in Revelation 12, the Dragon prepares to ravenously eat up the child. The image is revolting—and rightly so because that is how we should feel about the Dragon. |
当这位妇人在启示录12章中生产时，龙正准备吞吃这个孩子。 这个形象令人反感 - 这是正确的，因为这就是我们对龙的感受。 |
| This isn’t the first time the Dragon has done something like this. Remember when the Dragon energized Pharaoh King of Egypt as a murderous dragon to slaughter the Israelites’ baby boys (Exod. 1:16–22)? The Dragon hates babies. Remember when King Herod so desperately wanted to murder the Messiah that he murdered all the boys in Bethlehem who were two years old or under (Matt. 2:16)? Only a monster could do such a thing. And that’s exactly who was behind Herod’s revolting plan—the Dragon. This passage portrays in apocalyptic terms what was happening when Herod tried to murder the Messiah. |
这不是龙第一次做这样的事情。 还记得当龙激动埃及的法老王杀死以色列人的男婴（出埃及记1：16-22）吗？ 龙憎恨婴孩。 还记得当希律王如此迫切想谋杀弥赛亚时，他谋杀了伯利恒所有两岁或两岁以下的男孩（马太福音2:16）吗？ 只有怪物可以做这样的事情。 而这正是希律王反抗计划背后的原因 - 龙。 这段经文以天启文学的语言描绘了当希律王谋杀弥赛亚时所发生的事情。 |
| 4. The Dragon Fails to Devour the Messiah |
4.龙未能吞吃弥赛亚 |
| But her child was caught up to God and to his throne …. (Rev. 12:4b) |
她的孩子被提取到神和他宝座那里去。...... （启12：5b） |
| The Dragon tries to defeat the Messiah by murdering him—unsuccessfully at his birth and then later on the cross. But the Messiah rises from the grave and later ascends to the Father’s right hand. |
龙试图通过谋杀祂来击败弥赛亚 - 在他出生时失败，然后在十字架上失败。 但弥赛亚从坟墓中升起，后来升到了天父的右手边。 |
| The Serpent defeated Adam under a tree (“the tree of the knowledge of good and evil” [Gen. 2:17]), and the new and greater Adam defeats the Serpent on a tree—a cross for executing criminals. Jesus reigned from the cross. The Dragon failed to devour the Messiah. |
蛇在一棵树下击败了亚当（“善与恶之树”[创2:17]），新亚当在树上击败了蛇 - 一个处决罪犯的十字架。 耶稣在十字架上作王。 龙未能吞噬弥赛亚。 |
| 5. The Dragon and His Angels Get Thrown Down to Earth |
5.龙和他的使者被摔到地上 |
| Now war arose in heaven, Michael and his angels fighting against the dragon. And the dragon and his angels fought back, but he was defeated, and there was no longer any place for them in heaven. And the great dragon was thrown down, that ancient serpent, who is called the devil and Satan, the deceiver of the whole world—he was thrown down to the earth, and his angels were thrown down with him. And I heard a loud voice in heaven, saying, “Now the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God and the authority of his Christ have come, for the accuser of our brothers has been thrown down, who accuses them day and night before our God. (Rev. 12:7–10) |
天上发生了战争：米迦勒和他的天使与龙作战。龙和它的天使也起来应战，龙却抵挡不住，天上再也没有它们的地方了。于是那大龙被摔了下来。它就是那古蛇，名叫魔鬼，又叫撒但，是迷惑普天下的人的。它被摔在地上，它的天使也跟它一同被摔了下来。我又听见天上有大声音说：“我们 神的救恩、能力、国度和他所立的基督的权柄，现在都已经来到了！因为那昼夜在我们 神面前控告我们弟兄的控告者，已经被摔下来了！”（启12：7-10） |
| Satan used to have access to God in the midst of other angels. In the prologue to the book of Job, Satan comes into God’s presence and accuses Job of being a hypocrite—of serving God only because God in turn blesses Job so generously (Job 1–2). |
撒但曾经与其他天使一起在上帝旁边。 在约伯记的序言中，撒但来到上帝的面前并指责约伯是一个伪君子 - 服侍上帝只是因为上帝如此慷慨地祝福约伯（约伯1-2）。 |
| But now Satan can no longer accuse God’s people directly to God like he used to. He no longer has direct access to God because God’s angels threw Satan and his demons down to earth. |
但是现在撒但再也不能像过去那样直接指责上帝的子民。 他不再直接接触上帝，因为上帝的天使将撒但和他的恶魔摔到了地上。 |
| When did Satan get thrown down to earth? I believe this happened when the Son of God became human, lived in a perfectly righteous way, sacrificially died for sinners, and rose again. That triumph decisively defeated Satan (see John 12:31; Col. 2:15). |
撒但什么时候被摔到地上？ 我相信这发生在神的儿子成为人，以完全公义的方式生活，为罪人舍身而死，并再次复活时， 胜利彻底地击败了撒但（见约翰福音12:31;歌罗西书2:15）。 |
| 6. The Dragon Furiously Persecutes God’s People |
6.龙疯狂地迫害上帝的子民 |
| And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. (Rev. 12:6). |
妇人就逃到旷野去了，那里有 神为她预备的地方。她在那里得供养一千二百六十天。（启示录12：6）。 |
| But woe to you, O earth and sea, for the devil has come down to you in great wrath, because he knows that his time is short! |
可是地和海有祸了！因为魔鬼知道自己的时日无多，就大大发怒下到你们那里去了。 |
| And when the dragon saw that he had been thrown down to the earth, he pursued the woman who had given birth to the male child. But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus. And he stood on the sand of the sea. (Rev. 12:12b–17) |
龙见自己被摔在地上，就迫害那生了男孩子的妇人。于是有大鹰的两个翅膀赐给了那妇人，使她可以飞到旷野，到自己的地方，在那里得供养一年两年半年，离开那蛇的面。蛇在妇人后面，从口中吐出水来，好像江河一样，要把妇人冲去。地却帮助了那妇人，张开口，把从龙口中吐出来的河水吞了。龙就向妇人发怒，去和她其余的子孙作战，就是和那遵守 神命令坚持耶稣见证的人作战。（启12：12b-17） |
| Two symbols raise questions here: Who is the woman, and what are the 1,260 days? I don’t have time to argue for my answers, but I’ll share how I interpret these two symbols: |
两个象征引出问题：妇人是谁，1,260天是指什么？ 我没有时间论证我的答案，但我将分享我如何解释这两个象征： |
| 1. The woman symbolizes the people of God. The woman initially may appear to be Mary the mother of Jesus since she gives birth to the Messiah (12:1–5). But as apocalyptic literature sometimes does, the passage later explains whom the woman symbolizes: “Then the dragon became furious with the woman and went off to make war on the rest of her offspring, on those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus” (12:17). The woman does not refer only to Mary but to the people of God, the entire Messianic community, the collective seed of the woman (Gen. 3:15). One metaphor the Bible uses for the Messianic community is mother (e.g., Isa. 54:1; Gal. 4:26). |
这个妇人象征着上帝的子民。 自从她生下弥赛亚（12：1-5）以来，这个妇人最初可能看起来像耶稣的母亲马利亚。 但是，正如天启文学有时所做的那样，这段经文后来解释了这个妇人的象征：“龙就向妇人发怒，去和她其余的子孙作战，就是和那遵守 神命令坚持耶稣见证的人作战。”（12:17）。 妇人不仅仅指马利亚，而是指上帝的子民，整个弥赛亚社会，妇人的集体后代（创3:15）。 圣经用于弥赛亚社区的一个比喻是母亲（例如，以赛亚书54：1;加拉太书4:26）。 |
| 2. 1,260 days symbolize a period of intense suffering for God’s people before God delivers them. The book of Revelation refers to this 3.5-year period in three ways: |
2. 1,260天象征着在上帝拯救他们之前为上帝的子民带来的痛苦时期。 “启示录”以三种方式提到这个为期3年半的时期： |
| forty-two months (in which an ideal month is thirty days) (Rev. 11:2; 13:5) |
四十二个月（理想的月份是三十天）（启11：2; 13：5） |
| 1,260 days (Rev. 11:3; 12:6) |
1,260天（启示录11：3; 12：6） |
| a time (i.e., one year) and times (i.e., two years) and half a time (i.e., half a year) (Rev. 12:14; cf. Dan. 7:25; 12:7) |
时间（即一年）和时间（即两年）和半个时间（即半年）（启示录12:14;参见但7:25; 12：7） |
| A three-and-a-half-year period symbolized a time of intense suffering. That is how long the Maccabean Revolt took before the Jews became an independent nation again in 164 B.C., and the Jews interpreted that time period as fulfilling what Daniel prophesied. The Jews suffered intensely under Antiochus IV Epiphanes, a Seleucid king who blasphemously sacrificed pigs in the Jerusalem temple. |
一段三年半的时期象征着一个充满痛苦的时期。 这就是在公元前164年犹太人再次成为一个独立国家之前，马加比人起义所花费的时间，犹太人将这段时间解释为成就但以理的预言。 犹太人在安提阿古四世伊比凡尼统治之下遭受了极大的苦难，他是一位塞琉古王，他在耶路撒冷圣殿中以猪为祭亵渎信仰。 |
| So here’s what I think the theological takeaway is: Christ has already decisively defeated the Dragon, but he has not yet finally defeated him. That is why theologians describe the kingdom of God right now as already but not yet. Jesus spoke of the kingdom as already here in his person and teaching but not yet fully here because he has not yet fully consummated his rule. That will happen in the future when Jesus returns. |
所以我认为神学的内容是：基督已经决定性地击败了龙，但祂还没有最终击败他。 这就是为什么神学家们现在已经描述了上帝的国度，但现在还没有。 耶稣谈到王国已经在祂的人身上并教导但尚未完全在这里，因为祂还没有完全完成祂的统治。 这将发生在耶稣再来的未来。 |
| So where are we right now? In between Jesus’ first and second comings. Or to use Oscar Cullmann’s analogy from World War II, Christians now live between D-Day (June 6, 1944) and V-E Day (May 8, 1945). [We just celebrated the 75th anniversary of D-Day.] In World War II, on D-Day the Allies decisively defeated their enemy. Victory for the Allies was inevitable. But the war wasn’t over yet. Some of the most gruesome fighting in the war followed D-Day. It was not until V-E Day (Victory in Europe Day) that the war officially ended. D-Day represents when Jesus decisively defeated Satan in his life, cross-work, resurrection, and ascension, and V-E Day represents when Jesus will return to earth to consummate his victory. Right now we are living in that period between D-Day and V-E Day. The war is not yet over. Jesus has already won the victory, but he has not yet consummated it. The kingdom is already but not yet. |
那么我们现在在哪里？ 在耶稣的第一次和第二次来临之间。 或者使用奥斯卡·卡尔曼（Oscar Cullmann）在第二次世界大战中的类比，基督徒现在活在D日（1944年6月6日诺曼底登陆）和V-E日（1945年5月8日二战胜利）之间。 [我们刚刚庆祝了D日的75周年。]在第二次世界大战中，在战争日，盟军决定性地击败了他们的敌人。 盟军的胜利是势不可挡的。 但战争尚未结束。 战争期间一些最令人毛骨悚然的战斗发生在D日之后。 直到V-E日（欧洲胜利日）战争正式结束。 D日表示耶稣以祂的生命，十字架的工作，复活和升天决定性地击败了撒但，而V-E日代表耶稣将再次降临以完成祂的胜利。 现在我们生活在D日和V-E日之间。 战争尚未结束。 耶稣已经赢得了胜利，但祂还没有完成它。 王国已经预备好了但尚未到来。 |
| And like Adolf Hitler after D-Day, the Dragon is raging because he knows he doesn’t have long: “he knows that his time is short!” (Rev. 12:12). He knows that Christ has decisively defeated him, so he is taking out his rage on Christ’s church by attempting to deceive us (with lies and false teaching) and to devour us (with persecution). |
像D-Day之后的阿道夫希特勒一样，龙正在肆虐，因为他知道他日子不多了：“他知道他的时间很短！”（启示录12:12）。 他知道基督决定性地击败了他，所以他试图欺骗我们（用谎言和错误的教导）并吞噬我们（受逼迫），对基督的教会发泄怒气。 |
| The Dragon furiously persecutes God’s people. |
龙疯狂地迫害上帝的子民。 |
| 7. The Dragon Cannot Destroy God’s People |
7.龙不能毁灭上帝的子民 |
| And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she has a place prepared by God, in which she is to be nourished for 1,260 days. (Rev. 12:6). |
妇人就逃到旷野去了，那里有 神为她预备的地方。她在那里得供养一千二百六十天。（启示录12：6）。 |
| But the woman was given the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness, to the place where she is to be nourished for a time, and times, and half a time. The serpent poured water like a river out of his mouth after the woman, to sweep her away with a flood. But the earth came to the help of the woman, and the earth opened its mouth and swallowed the river that the dragon had poured from his mouth. (Rev. 12:14–16) |
于是有大鹰的两个翅膀赐给了那妇人，使她可以飞到旷野，到自己的地方，在那里得供养一年两年半年，离开那蛇的面。蛇在妇人后面，从口中吐出水来，好像江河一样，要把妇人冲去。地却帮助了那妇人，张开口，把从龙口中吐出来的河水吞了。（启12：14-16） |
| The wilderness symbolizes a place where God tests, protects, and miraculously nourishes his people. The wilderness alludes to the forty challenging years Israel spent in the desert after God delivered them from slavery to Egypt. (It is no accident that the devil tempted Jesus in the wilderness after Jesus fasted forty days and nights [Matt. 4:1–2].) When Israel was in the wilderness before they entered the Promised Land, God miraculously provided for them—manna, quail, water, sandals that did not wear out. God simultaneously tested and nourished his people (cf. Deut. 8:2–5). |
旷野象征着上帝的试炼，保护和神迹般地供养祂的子民的地方。 在上帝将他们从埃及为奴之地之解救后，以色列人在旷野中度过了四十年，充满挑战。 （在耶稣禁食四十昼夜之后，恶魔在旷野试探耶稣并不是偶然的[马太福音4：1-2]。）当以色列人在进入应许之地之前在旷野时，上帝奇迹般地为他们提供了 - 吗哪，鹌鹑，水，穿不破的鞋。 上帝同时试炼和供养祂的子民（参见申命记8：2-5）。 |
| The wilderness that the woman flees to in Revelation 12 is “a place prepared by God” (12:6), a place where “she is to be nourished” (12:6, 14). It is place where God simultaneously tests and nourishes his people. God miraculously protects his people from the Dragon’s fury. The Dragon cannot destroy God’s people. That encourages God’s people to persevere when the Dragon tempts and persecutes us. |
女人在启示录12章中逃到的旷野是“上帝所预备的地方”（12：6），一个“她要被养育”的地方（12：6,14）。 这是上帝同时试炼和供养祂的子民的地方。 上帝奇迹般地保护祂的子民免受龙的愤怒。 龙无法摧毁上帝的子民。 当龙引诱和迫害我们时，这会鼓励上帝的子民坚持下去。 |
| What about “the two wings of the great eagle” (12:14)? After God delivered Israel from slavery in Egypt, he told them, “You yourselves have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to myself” (Exod. 19:4). And when God promised to deliver Israel from exile in Babylon (the second exodus), he told them, “they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles” (Isa. 40:31a). And here once again God gives his people “the two wings of the great eagle so that she might fly from the serpent into the wilderness” (Rev. 12:14). The God-given eagles’ wings symbolize that God protects and delivers his people. |
那么“大鹰的两个翅膀”（12:14）是指什么呢？ 在上帝将以色列人从埃及的奴役中拯救出来之后，他告诉他们：“我向埃及人所行的，你们都看见了；也看见了我怎样像鹰一样把你们背在翅膀上，带领你们到我这里来。”（出埃及记19：4）。 当上帝应许拯救以色列人流亡巴比伦（第二次出埃及）时，他告诉他们，“但那些仰望耶和华的人，必重新得力；他们必像鹰一样展翅上腾”（以赛亚书40：31a）。 在这里，上帝再次赐给他的百姓“大鹰的两个翅膀，使她可以飞到旷野，逃离蛇面”（启示录12:14）。 上帝给予的鹰的翅膀象征着上帝保护和拯救祂的子民。 |
| 8. The Dragon Is Bound for a Thousand Years |
8.龙已经有一千年了 |
| Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding in his hand the key to the bottomless pit and a great chain. And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. |
我又看见一位天使从天上降下来，手里拿着无底坑的钥匙和一条大锁链。他捉住了那龙，那古蛇，就是魔鬼，撒但，把它捆绑了一千年。天使把它拋在无底坑里，关起来，封上印，使它不能再迷惑列国，等到那一千年完了。以后，必须暂时释放它。 |
| Then I saw thrones, and seated on them were those to whom the authority to judge was committed. Also I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for the testimony of Jesus and for the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or its image and had not received its mark on their foreheads or their hands. They came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were ended. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who shares in the first resurrection! Over such the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ, and they will reign with him for a thousand years. (Rev. 20:1–6) |
我又看见一些宝座，有人坐在上面，他们得了审判的权柄。我也看见那些因为替耶稣作见证，并且因为 神的道而被斩首的人的灵魂。他们没有拜过兽或兽像，也没有在额上或手上受过兽的记号。他们都复活了，与基督一同作王一千年。其余的死人还没有复活，等到那一千年完了。这是头一次的复活。在头一次复活有分的人是有福的、圣洁的，第二次的死没有能力辖制他们。他们还要作 神和基督的祭司，与他一同作王一千年。（启20：1-6） |
| Revelation 20:2–7 refers to a “thousand years” six times. Theologians call that period the millennium. Christians disagree on the nature of the millennium. (I won’t engage that debate here.) What’s far more important is to agree on this: Jesus is coming back to slay the Dragon and save his bride! Whatever it means that an angel binds the Dragon for a thousand years, we can agree that at minimum it entails that God is more powerful than the Dragon. The Dragon cannot bind God, but God can send one of his angels to bind Satan. |
启示录20：2-7提到六次“一千年”。 神学家们称那个时期是千禧年。 基督徒对千禧年的性质持不同意见。 （我不会在这里进行辩论。）更重要的是同意这一点：耶稣回来杀死龙并拯救祂的新娘！ 不管一个天使将龙捆绑了一千年意味着什么，至少我们可以同意，上帝比龙要强大得多。 龙不能约束上帝，但上帝可以派祂的一个天使来约束撒但。 |
| 9. The Dragon Attempts to Deceive the Nations |
9.龙试图迷惑列国 |
| And he seized the dragon, that ancient serpent, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years, and threw him into the pit, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he might not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were ended. After that he must be released for a little while. … |
他捉住了那龙，那古蛇，就是魔鬼，撒但，把它捆绑了一千年。天使把它拋在无底坑里，关起来，封上印，使它不能再迷惑列国，等到那一千年完了。以后，必须暂时释放它。... |
| And when the thousand years are ended, Satan will be released from his prison and will come out to deceive the nations that are at the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them for battle; their number is like the sand of the sea. And they marched up over the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, but fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Rev. 20:2–3, 7–10) |
那一千年完了，撒但就要从监牢里被释放出来。他要出来迷惑地上四方的列国，就是高革和玛高革，使他们聚集争战。他们的人数好像海边的沙那么多。他们上来遍满了全地，围住了圣徒的营和那蒙爱的城，就有火从天上降下来，毁灭了他们。那迷惑他们的魔鬼，被拋在硫磺的火湖里，就是兽和假先知所在的地方。他们必昼夜受痛苦，直到永永远远。（启示录20：2-3,7-10） |
| The Dragon is “the deceiver of the whole world” (12:9). He attempts to deceive the nations to destroy God’s people (20:3, 7, 10). |
龙是“迷惑全世界的”（12：9）。 他试图迷惑国家来摧毁上帝的子民（20：3,7,10）。 |
| 10. The Dragon Is Tormented Forever in the Lake of Fire and Sulfur |
10.龙在火与硫磺湖中受永刑 |
| But fire came down from heaven and consumed them, and the devil who had deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and sulfur where the beast and the false prophet were, and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever. (Rev. 20:9b–10) |
就有火从天上降下来，毁灭了他们。那迷惑他们的魔鬼，被拋在硫磺的火湖里，就是兽和假先知所在的地方。他们必昼夜受痛苦，直到永永远远。 （启20：9b-10） |
| Never again will the Dragon, that ancient Serpent, accuse or deceive or persecute God’s people. God will sovereignly and perfectly enforce justice—justice for which we now yearn and for which we will eternally praise God. |
龙，这只古蛇，不会再控告或迷惑或迫害上帝的子民。 上帝将全然地和完美地执行正义 - 我们现在渴望的正义，我们将永远赞美上帝。 |
| Conclusion: How Should We Live in Light of the Story of the Serpent and the Serpent Slayer? |
结论：我们应该如何看待蛇和屠蛇者的故事？ |
| So how should a Christian live in light of that thrilling “Kill the dragon, get the girl” storyline? I’ll suggest three ways. (And again, I’ll move quickly.) |
那么一个基督徒如何应对那种惊心动魄的“杀死龙，救女孩”的故事情节呢？ 我会建议三种方式。 （再次，我会快速讲过。） |
| 1. Beware the Serpent as the Deceiving Snake and Devouring Dragon |
1.警惕蛇作为迷惑的蛇和吞吃的龙 |
| Be sober-minded; be watchful. Your adversary the devil prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. (1 Pet. 5:8) |
你们要谨守、警醒。你们的仇敌魔鬼，好像吼叫的狮子走来走去，寻找可以吞吃的人； （彼前5：8） |
| Satan is not your friend. He does not have your best interest in mind. Satan is hunting you. You are Satan’s prey. He sneaks around to find people like you to devour. |
撒但不是你的朋友。 他不会求你的好处。 撒但在诱捕你。 你是撒但的猎物。 他偷偷游走，为的是找到像你这样的人吞食。 |
| So beware! Be on guard. Expect him to attack and to keep attacking. Don’t let your guard down. And don’t flirt with the Serpent by entertaining his ear-tickling lies. |
所以要小心！ 警惕。 预备着他进攻并不断的进攻他。 不要放松警惕。 并且不要轻信他的诱饵谎言与蛇调情。 |
| For example, the deceiving Snake might tempt you to indulge in pornography. When the Serpent tempts you, he doesn’t say something like this: |
例如，迷惑的蛇可能会诱使你沉迷于色情内容。 当蛇诱惑你时，他不会说出这样的话： |
| I’ve run a cost-benefit analysis for you regarding whether you should indulge in pornography. feel some immediate pleasure, a little buzz. But the cost is at least sevenfold: (1) It may send you to hell. (2) It does not glorify God with your body. (3) It is a poisonous, fleeting pleasure. (4) It foolishly wastes your life. (5) It betrays your family. (6) It ruins your mind and conscience. (7) It participates in sex slavery. What do you think is the wiser choice? |
我已就你是否应该沉迷于色情内容进行成本效益分析。 好处是你可能会感到一些直接的快感，一点点嗡嗡声。 但成本至少是七倍：（1）它可能会把你送到地狱。 （2）它不会用你的身体荣耀上帝。 （3）这是一种有毒，短暂的快感。 （4）愚蠢地浪费你的生命。 （5）它背叛了你的家人。 （6）它破坏了你的思想和良心。 （7）被性奴役。 您认为更明智的选择是什么？ |
| Satan never tempts people that way. He tempts with lies. He tempts you to think that you would be happier without God, without submitting to God as your gracious master. |
撒但从不以那种方式诱惑人。 他用谎言诱惑。 他诱惑你认为如果没有上帝，你会更快乐，而不是以上帝为你的恩主。 |
| Remember Tolkien’s advice in The Hobbit: “It does not do to leave a live dragon out of your calculations, if you live near him.” |
还记得托尔金在“霍比特人”中的建议：“如果你住在活龙附近，那就不可能让他离开你的计算。” |
| 2. Fight the Serpent as the Deceiving Snake and Devouring Dragon |
2.与蛇作战：迷惑的蛇和吞吃的龙 |
| Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. (James 4:7b) |
抵挡魔鬼，魔鬼就逃避你们。 （雅各书4：7b） |
| Don’t simply be defensive. Go on the offensive. Fight. Counterattack. |
不要只是防守。 持续进攻。 斗争。反击。 |
| We don’t fight the Serpent with the same sort of weapons that militaries use to fight battles. We fight the Serpent with spiritual weapons such as the ones in Ephesians 6:10–18. |
我们不会用与军队对抗战斗的同类武器来对抗蛇。 我们用诸如以弗所书6：10-18中的属灵武器来对抗蛇。 |
| You won’t fight against the Serpent the right way unless you feel about him the right way. How do you feel about Voldemort when you read Harry Potter? How do you feel about Sauron when you read The Lord of the Rings? How do you feel about the White Witch when you read The Lion, the Witch, and the Wardrobe? How do you feel about Apollyon when you read The Pilgrim’s Progress? That’s similar to how you should feel about the Serpent in real life. You should feel disgust at his poison, outrage at his injustice, and a deep longing for justice to prevail. |
除非你以正确的方式感受他，否则你不会以正确的方式对抗蛇。 当你读《哈利波特》时，你对伏地魔有什么看法？ 当你读《指环王》时，你对索伦的感受如何？ 当你读到《狮子，女巫和魔衣橱》时，你对白女巫的看法如何？ 当您阅读《天路历程》时，您对亚玻伦的感受如何？ 这与你在现实生活中对蛇的感觉类似。 你应该对他的毒药感到厌恶，对他的不公正感到愤怒，并且渴望正义得胜。 |
| 3. Enjoy Good Serpent-Slaying Stories as Echoes of the Greatest Story |
3.好的屠蛇故事是在回应最伟大的故事 |
| Good books and films that portray epic stories typically echo the greatest story. Sometimes the antagonist is an actual serpent, but usually the villain is a metaphorical serpent that a hero defeats. Learn to enjoy such stories as echoes of the greatest story. |
描绘史诗故事的好书和电影通常与最伟大的故事相呼应。 有时敌人是一条真正的蛇，但通常恶棍是一个被英雄打败的隐喻蛇。 学会享受这些故事，作为对最伟大故事的回音。 |
| Good stories don’t flirt with evil and confuse you about whether good is bad or whether bad is good. For example, a book or movie that makes your emotions root for a person to commit adultery is sinful. Good stories should make you love what God loves and hate what God hates. The greatest stories do that best. |
好故事不会与邪恶调情，也不会迷惑你让你把好的当坏的或把坏的当好的。 例如，一部让你的情绪陷入奸淫的书或电影是有罪的。 好故事应该让你爱上帝所爱，恨上帝所恨恶的。 最伟大的故事这方面做得最好。 |
| * * * * * * * |
* * * * * * * |
| Let’s conclude with the Lord’s prayer from Matthew 6, but I’ll render the final phrase not “deliver us from evil” but another way to translate it—“deliver us from the evil one.” Let’s pray: |
让我们从马太福音6章的主祷文中得出结论，但我会说最后一句话并非“救我们脱离罪恶”，而是另一种翻译它的方式 - “救我们脱离恶者。”让我们祈祷： |
| Our Father in heaven, |
我们在天上的父， |
| hallowed be your name. |
愿人都尊你的名为圣。 |
| Your kingdom come, |
你的国降临， |
| your will be done, |
你的旨意行在地上， |
| on earth as it is in heaven. |
如同行在天上。 |
| Give us this day our daily bread, |
我们日用的饮食今日赐给我们， |
| and forgive us our debts, |
免我们的债， |
| as we also have forgiven our debtors. |
如同我们免了人的债。 |
| And lead us not into temptation, |
不叫我们遇见试探， |
| but deliver us from the evil one [ESV note]. (Matt. 6:9b–13) |
使我们摆脱那恶者[ESV注释]。 （马太福音6：9b-13） |
| Amen. |
阿门。 |
| Receive the benediction: |
请接受我的祝祷： |
| May our Father in heaven deliver you from the evil one—from the Dragon, the ancient Serpent, the devil, Satan (the adversary), the deceiver, the accuser of our brothers. |
愿我们在天上的父拯救你们脱离恶者 - 来自龙，古蛇，魔鬼，撒但（对手），迷惑者，我们兄弟的控告者。 |
| Now go forth believing that he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. |
现在离座时请相信在你里面的那位比在世上的更伟大。 |
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