The books of Daniel and Revelation are the same book, just as assuredly as the Old Testament and the New Testament are the same book. Just before probation closes the Revelation of Jesus Christ is unsealed.
《但以理書》同《啟示錄》乃係同一本書，正如舊約同新約確實乃係同一本書一樣。就在恩典時期結束之前，耶穌基督的啟示便被揭開。
And he saith unto me, Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand. He that is unjust, let him be unjust still: and he which is filthy, let him be filthy still: and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still: and he that is holy, let him be holy still. And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Revelation 22:10–13.
佢又對我話：「不可封住呢書上預言嘅話，因為時候近了。不義嘅，叫佢仍舊不義；污穢嘅，叫佢仍舊污穢；義嘅，叫佢仍舊行義；聖潔嘅，叫佢仍舊聖潔。看哪，我必快來；賞罰在我，要照各人所行嘅報應佢。我係阿拉法，我係俄梅戛；我係首先嘅，我係末後嘅；我係初，我係終。」啟示錄 22:10–13。
The biblical “rule of first mention,” which includes the truth that the end of a thing is illustrated by the beginning of a thing, emphasizes the significance of the first three chapters of the book of Daniel, for they are the first truth mentioned in the book that is the books of Daniel and Revelation. Jesus is Alpha and Omega, so the beginning of the book that is the books of Daniel and Revelation, must represent the truth which is unsealed at the end. At one level then, the truth which is unsealed is the everlasting gospel of the angels of Revelation fourteen.
聖經中「首次提及原則」包括呢一項真理：一件事嘅結局，乃藉住其開端而得以說明；因此，〈但以理書〉頭三章嘅重要性就被凸顯出嚟，因為佢哋係喺由〈但以理書〉同〈啟示錄〉所構成嘅呢卷書中，最先被提及嘅真理。耶穌係阿拉法同俄梅戛，所以，由〈但以理書〉同〈啟示錄〉所構成嘅呢卷書嘅開端，必須代表嗰喺末時被解開封印嘅真理。咁樣，喺其中一個層面上，嗰被解開封印嘅真理，就係〈啟示錄〉第十四章天使所傳永遠的福音。
The Revelation of Jesus Christ that is introduced in the first verse of chapter one of Revelation, is the message that is to be conveyed to the churches when the “time is at hand,” and the time that is “at hand” in chapter one of Revelation, must be the same time that is “at hand,” just before probation closes in chapter twenty-two of Revelation.
《啟示錄》第一章第一節所引介嘅耶穌基督嘅啟示，就係當「時候近了」之時要傳達畀眾教會嘅信息；而《啟示錄》第一章所講「近了」嘅時候，必定就係《啟示錄》第二十二章恩典時期結束之前所講同一個「近了」嘅時候。
The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to show unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John: Who bare record of the word of God, and of the testimony of Jesus Christ, and of all things that he saw. Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand. Revelation 1:1-3.
耶穌基督嘅啟示，就係 神賜畀佢，叫佢將嗰啲必要快快成就嘅事指示佢嘅眾僕人；佢就差遣佢嘅使者，曉諭佢嘅僕人約翰。約翰將 神嘅道，同耶穌基督嘅見證，並自己所看見嘅一切事，都作咗見證。念者同聽見呢預言之話語，又遵守其中所記載嘅，係有福嘅；因為時候近了。啟示錄 1:1-3。
The message that is the final message, which is unsealed just before probation closes, when “the time is at hand,” is the latter rain message of the second angel and Midnight Cry. It is the truth connected with the “hidden history” of the Seven Thunders. It is the revelation of “the eighth being of the seven”, and the golden thread that weaves all these precious revelations together into the beautiful garment of Christ’s righteousness is the “precious” “seven times,” of Leviticus twenty-six. Daniel chapter one, and then again, Daniel chapters one through three, is that message. The “secret” of chapter two, is also that message.
嗰個作為最後信息、喺恩門關閉之前、當「時候近了」之時先被揭開封印嘅信息，就係第二位天使同午夜呼聲嘅後雨信息。呢個就係同七雷「隱藏歷史」有關嘅真理。呢個係「第八位本是那七位中之一」嘅啟示；而將呢一切寶貴啟示編織埋一齊、成為基督公義美麗衣袍嘅金線，就係利未記二十六章嗰「寶貴」嘅「七次」。但以理書第一章，然後再一次，但以理書第一至三章，就係嗰個信息。第二章嘅「奧祕」，亦都係嗰個信息。
Chapter one of Daniel represents the first angel’s message, and just as all the prophetic waymarks of all three angels’ messages are represented in the first angel’s message of chapter fourteen of Revelation; all the prophetic waymarks of all three messages are represented in chapter one, of Daniel. Those elements are the three-step testing process, which in Daniel chapter one, represents a dietary test, that is followed by a visual test, which leads to a litmus test. Chapter one, when considered in relation to chapters two and three, represents the dietary test, and chapter two the visual test, and chapter three the litmus test. The three angels’ messages of Revelation fourteen, and Daniel chapters one through three, provide four witnesses to the three-step testing process.
但以理書第一章代表第一位天使的信息；正如啟示錄第十四章中第一位天使的信息所包含了三位天使信息之一切先知性路標，但以理書第一章亦包含了三個信息之一切先知性路標。這些要素乃是三步驟的試驗過程；在但以理書第一章中，這代表一項飲食的試驗，其後接續一項視覺的試驗，並引向一項試金石的試驗。第一章，若聯同第二章與第三章來看，乃代表飲食的試驗；第二章代表視覺的試驗；第三章則代表試金石的試驗。啟示錄第十四章之三位天使的信息，以及但以理書第一章至第三章，為這三步驟的試驗過程提供了四個見證。
Chapters four and five of Daniel represent a very profound line of prophetic history. The line produced by those two chapters, contains at least six distinct prophetic lines. One of those prophetic lines, begins in the year 723 BC, and continues through to the Sunday law. Another of the six lines represents the history of 1798, through to the Sunday law, and in that line, three lines of prophecy are simultaneously represented; the line of the earth beast (the United States), then the line of the Protestant horn and also the line of the Republican horn. Together they establish a fifth line in the beginning of the prophetic line of the United States. That line marks the unsealing of chapters seven, eight and nine of Daniel in 1798. At the ending of the prophetic line of the United States, a sixth line is produced, which marks the unsealing of chapters ten, eleven and twelve in 1989.
但以理書第四章同第五章，代表住一條極其深奧嘅先知歷史線。由呢兩章所產生嘅呢條線，至少包含六條各自分明嘅先知線。其中一條先知線，始於主前723年，並一直延續到星期日法案。六條線之中嘅另一條，代表由1798年直到星期日法案嘅歷史；而喺呢條線當中，同時呈現咗三條先知線：地獸（美國）嘅線，其後係新教角嘅線，並且亦都係共和黨角嘅線。佢哋合埋一齊，就喺美國先知線嘅起頭建立起第五條線。呢條線標誌住但以理書第七、第八同第九章喺1798年被開啟封印。喺美國先知線嘅末尾，又產生第六條線，標誌住第十、第十一同第十二章喺1989年被開啟封印。
The beginning of the prophetic line of the earth beast, as represented by Daniel chapter four, is marked by the symbol of the “seven times,” and the ending of the prophetic line of the earth beast is also marked by the symbol of the “seven times.” The beginning and ending of the period of history that is represented by the unsealing of chapters seven, eight and nine is also marked by the symbol of the “seven times.” The beginning and ending of the period of history that is represented by the unsealing of Daniel chapters ten, eleven and twelve is also marked by the “seven times.”
地獸之預言線的起頭，正如但以理書第四章所表徵者，乃以「七期」之象徵為記號；而地獸之預言線的終結，亦同樣以「七期」之象徵為記號。由第七、第八及第九章之開啟所表徵的那段歷史時期，其起頭與終結，也同樣以「七期」之象徵為記號。由但以理書第十、第十一及第十二章之開啟所表徵的那段歷史時期，其起頭與終結，也同樣以「七期」為記號。
The ending of the period of history that began when Daniel chapters seven, eight and nine were unsealed at “the time of the end” in 1798, was 1863. The beginning of the period of history that began when Daniel chapters ten, eleven and twelve was unsealed at “the time of the end” was 1989. From 1863, to 1989 equates to one hundred and twenty-six years. One hundred and twenty-six years is a tenth, or a tithe, of twelve hundred and sixty years. The number one hundred and twenty-six is therefore a symbol of the twelve hundred and sixty years, that represent the “wilderness,” which in turn is a symbol of the twenty-five hundred and twenty years of the “seven times.”
喺1798年「末時」，但以理書第七、八、九章被揭開之時所開始嘅歷史時期，其終結係1863年。喺「末時」，但以理書第十、十一、十二章被揭開之時所開始嘅歷史時期，其起始係1989年。由1863年至1989年，等於一百二十六年。一百二十六年係一千二百六十年嘅十分之一，即十分之一奉獻。因此，一百二十六呢個數字，乃係一千二百六十年嘅象徵；而一千二百六十年乃代表「曠野」，而「曠野」反過來又係「七次」二千五百二十年嘅象徵。
This reality identifies that in the history of the earth beast, in the movement of the first angel at the beginning, and then at the movement of the third angel at the ending, are both marked at their beginnings and endings with the “seven times.” And the period of time between those two movements which binds them together is also represented by the “seven times.”
呢一個事實表明：喺地獸嘅歷史之中，無論係起初第一位天使嘅運動，抑或末後第三位天使嘅運動，兩者喺其開始同結束之時，都同樣以「七次」為記號；而將呢兩個運動聯繫起來、束結為一嘅其中嗰段時期，亦都係由「七次」所表徵。
Without applying the biblical methodology of “line upon line,” this type of revelation is impossible to see and understand, for without that methodology the sealed book, could be given to one who was educated in the art of theology, and then he could be asked for an explanation of what the book that was sealed meant. His pride of opinion would lead him to point out that the sealed book cannot be understood, for it was sealed. You could then take that sealed book and give it to one of the flock that is controlled and neutered by that enlightened one, and the flock that has become comfortable dining on the theologian’s dishes of fables, would decline from making an application of the sealed book, for they know full well that only those that are members of the theological Sanhedrin have been appointed to decide what truth is.
若不運用聖經所啟示「一行接一行」的方法，這一類啟示便不可能被看見、被明白；因為若沒有這種方法，那封住了的書卷可以交給一個受過神學技藝訓練的人，然後人們可以請他解釋那被封住之書卷的意思。他那種意見上的驕傲，會使他指出：那被封住的書卷是不能明白的，因為它原是封住了的。然後，你又可以把那封住了的書卷交給那群受這位「開明者」所控制並被閹割了的羊群中的一個；而這群已經安於享用神學家所烹製之寓言菜餚的羊群，也會拒絕將那封住了的書卷加以應用，因為他們十分清楚，惟有那些屬於神學公會的成員，才被委任去裁定何為真理。
“‘Stay yourselves, and wonder, cry ye out, and cry; they are drunken but not with wine; they stagger; but not with strong drink. For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes; the prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered. And the vision of all is become unto you as the words of a book that is sealed, which men delivered to one that is learned saying, read this, I pray thee; and he saith, I am not learned.’
「你們要停住而驚奇；要呼喊，又要哀號；他們醉了，卻不是因酒；他們東倒西歪，卻不是因濃酒。因為耶和華將沉睡的靈澆灌在你們身上，又閉了你們的眼；先知和你們的首領，並先見，他都遮蔽了。這一切的默示，在你們看來都如封住了的書卷上的話；人把這書卷交給識字的人，說：『請你讀吧。』他卻說：『我不能，因為這書卷是封住了的。』」
“‘Wherefore the Lord saith, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouths, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts afar from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men; therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work, and a wonder for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, Who seeth us, and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potters clay; for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not, or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it, He had no understanding?’
「所以主如此說：『因為這百姓用口親近我，用嘴唇尊敬我，心卻遠離我；他們對我的敬畏，不過是領受人的吩咐而來的教訓。故此，看哪，我必再行奇妙的事，在這百姓中施行奇妙又奇妙的作為；他們智慧人的智慧必然消滅，聰明人的聰明必然隱藏。那些深謀遠慮、要向耶和華隱藏自己計謀的人有禍了！他們在黑暗中行事，說：誰看見我們呢？誰知道我們呢？你們把事顛倒了，豈可看窯匠如泥麼？被造之物豈可論造它的說：他沒有造我呢？受塑之物豈可論塑造它的說：他沒有聰明呢？』」
“Every word of this will be fulfilled. There are those who do not humble their hearts before God, and who will not walk uprightly. They hide their true purposes, and keep in fellowship with the fallen angel, who loveth and maketh a lie. The enemy puts spirit upon the men whom he can use to deceive those who are partially in the dark. Some are becoming imbued with the darkness that prevails, and are setting the truth aside for error. The day pointed out by prophecy is come. Jesus Christ is not understood. Jesus Christ is to them a fable. At this stage of the earth’s history, many act like drunken men. ‘Stay yourselves, and wonder; cry ye out, and cry; they are drunken, but not with wine; they stagger, but not with strong drink. For the Lord hath poured out upon you the spirit of deep sleep, and hath closed your eyes. The prophets and your rulers, the seers hath he covered.’ A spiritual drunkenness is upon many who suppose they are the people who shall be exalted. Their religious faith is just as is represented in this Scripture. Under its influence, they cannot walk straight. They make crooked paths in their course of action. One and then another, they reel to and fro. They are looked upon by the Lord with great pity. The way of truth they have not known. They are scientific schemers, and those who could and should have helped, because of a clear spiritual eyesight, are themselves deceived, and are sustaining an evil work.
「呢一切話都必應驗。有啲人唔肯喺上帝面前自卑其心，也唔肯行正直嘅路；佢哋隱藏自己真正嘅意圖，並與嗰愛說謊、造假嘅墮落天使保持交通。仇敵將靈加喺佢所能利用嘅人身上，藉此迷惑嗰啲仍有部分處於黑暗之中嘅人。有些人正漸漸沾染現今所瀰漫嘅黑暗，並且撇棄真理而轉向錯謬。預言所指明嘅日子已經來到。耶穌基督未被人明白；對佢哋嚟講，耶穌基督只不過係一個寓言。喺地上歷史呢一階段，好多人行事就像醉酒嘅人一樣。『你們要停住且驚奇；你們要呼喊且哀號；他們醉了，卻非因酒；他們東倒西歪，卻非因濃酒。因為耶和華將沉睡嘅靈澆灌喺你們身上，並且閉上你們的眼；先知和你們的官長、先見，他都蒙蔽了。』有一種屬靈嘅醉態臨到許多自以為係將要被高舉之民嘅人。佢哋嘅宗教信仰，正如呢段經文所描繪嘅一樣。喺呢種影響之下，佢哋唔能夠行正直嘅路；佢哋喺自己行事嘅路程上製造彎曲嘅小徑。一個又一個，東搖西擺。主以極大憐憫看待佢哋。真理之道，佢哋未曾認識。佢哋係善於籌算嘅人；而嗰啲本來能夠、亦應當因着清明嘅屬靈眼光而施予幫助嘅人，自己反倒受了迷惑，並且正在扶持一項邪惡嘅工作。」
“The developments of these last days will soon become decided. When these spiritualistic deceptions are revealed to be what they really are,—the secret workings of evil spirits,—those who have acted a part in them will become as men who have lost their minds.
「呢末後日子所發展出嚟嘅事，很快就會變得明朗而確定。當呢啲通靈主義嘅迷惑顯露出佢哋真正嘅本相——即邪靈暗中嘅作為——嗰啲曾經參與其中嘅人，就會變成好似失去理智嘅人一樣。」
“‘Wherefore the Lord saith, Forasmuch as this people draw near me with their mouth, and with their lips do honor me, but have removed their hearts far from me, and their fear toward me is taught by the precept of men therefore, behold I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall be hid. Woe unto them that seek deep to hide their counsel from the Lord, and their works are in the dark, and they say, who seeth us, and who knoweth us? Surely your turning of things upside down shall be esteemed as the potter’s clay; for shall the work say of him that made it, He made me not? or shall the thing framed say of him that framed it. He had no understanding?’
「所以主如此說：『因這百姓用口親近我，用嘴唇尊敬我，心卻遠離我；他們對我的敬畏，不過是領受人的吩咐。故此，看哪，我必在這百姓中行奇妙的事，就是奇妙又可畏的事；他們智慧人的智慧必然滅沒，聰明人的聰明必被隱藏。那些深藏計謀、要向耶和華隱蔽的人有禍了！他們在暗中行事，說：誰看見我們呢？誰知道我們呢？你們把事顛倒，豈可看作窰匠的泥麼？被造之物豈可論造它的說：他沒有造我？受造之物豈可論塑造它的說：他沒有聰明呢？』」
“It is presented to me that in our experience we have been and are meeting this very condition of things. Men who have had great light and wonderful privileges have taken the word of leaders who think themselves wise, who have been greatly favored and blessed by the Lord, but who have taken themselves out of the hands of God and placed themselves in the ranks of the enemy. The world is to be flooded with specious fallacies. One human mind, accepting these fallacies, will work upon other human minds, who have been turning the precious evidence of God’s truth into a lie. These men will be deceived by fallen angels, when they should have stood as faithful guardians, watching for souls, as they that must give an account. They have laid down the weapons of their warfare, and have given heed to seducing spirits. They make of no effect the counsel of God and set aside his warnings and reproofs, and are positively on Satan’s side, giving heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils.
「我蒙指示見到，在我哋嘅經歷當中，我哋一直都曾經並且而家正面對住呢一種情況。曾經領受大光同奇妙特權嘅人，竟接受咗嗰啲自以為有智慧之領袖嘅說話；呢啲領袖曾大大蒙主恩待同賜福，然而卻將自己從上帝手中抽離，置身於仇敵嘅行列之中。世界將要被似是而非嘅謬論所淹沒。一個接受咗呢啲謬論嘅人心，便會影響其他人心；而呢啲人一直將上帝真理寶貴嘅憑據變為謊言。呢啲人將會被墮落嘅天使迷惑；其實佢哋本應站立得住，作忠心嘅守望者，看守眾人靈魂，好像那些將來必須交帳嘅人一樣。佢哋已經放下咗爭戰嘅兵器，反而聽從引誘人嘅邪靈。佢哋使上帝嘅勸告失去效力，擱置祂嘅警告同責備，並且明明站喺撒但一邊，聽從引誘人嘅邪靈同鬼魔嘅道理。」
“Spiritual drunkenness is now upon men who ought not to be staggering as men under the influence of strong drink. Crimes and irregularities, fraud, deceit, and unfair dealing fill the world, in accordance with the teaching of the leader who rebelled in the heavenly courts.
「屬靈嘅醉態而家臨到嗰啲本來唔應該好似受烈酒影響而步履蹣跚嘅人身上。罪行同各樣不法之事、欺詐、詭詐，同埋不公正嘅行徑充滿世界，正如嗰位曾喺天庭中背叛嘅首領所教導嘅一樣。」
“History is to be repeated. I could specify what will be in the near future, but the time is not yet. The forms of the dead will appear, through the cunning device of Satan, and many will link up with the one who loveth and maketh a lie. I warn our people that right among us some will turn away from the faith, and give heed to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils, and by them the truth will be evil spoken of.” Battle Creek Letters, 123–125.
「歷史將要重演。我本可以具體指出在不久的將來會有甚麼事發生，但時候還未到。死人的形體將會出現，藉着撒但詭詐的伎倆，許多人將會與那喜愛並捏造謊言者聯合。我警告我們的子民，就在我們中間，將有一些人離棄真道，聽從那引誘人的邪靈和鬼魔的道理，真理也必因他們被毀謗。」Battle Creek Letters, 123–125.
Daniel chapter one, representing the message of the first angel of Revelation fourteen, aligns with the beginning history of the earth beast. Daniel chapters one, two and three representing the messages of all three angels in Revelation fourteen, aligns with the ending of the United States. Nebuchadnezzar represents the history of the first angel, and the first chapter of Daniel. Belshazzar represents the history of the third angel, and the first three chapters of Daniel.
《但以理書》第一章，代表《啟示錄》第十四章第一位天使的信息，與地獸起始的歷史相對應。《但以理書》第一、二、三章，代表《啟示錄》第十四章三位天使全部的信息，與美國的終局相對應。尼布甲尼撒代表第一位天使的歷史，以及《但以理書》第一章。伯沙撒代表第三位天使的歷史，以及《但以理書》首三章。
“To the last ruler of Babylon, as in type to its first, had come the sentence of the divine Watcher: ‘O king, . . . to thee it is spoken; The kingdom is departed from thee.’ Daniel 4:31.” Prophets and Kings, 533.
「巴比倫最後一位統治者，正如在預表上臨到其第一位統治者一樣，也有神聖守望者所宣告的判語臨到他：『王啊，……有話對你說：你的國位離開了你。』但以理書 4:31。」《先知與君王》，533頁。
We will continue our study of Nebuchadnezzar and Belshazzar in the next article.
我哋將會喺下一篇文章繼續研讀尼布甲尼撒同伯沙撒。
“Belshazzar, awed by this representation of God’s power, showing that they had a witness, though they knew it not, had had great opportunities of knowing the works of the living God, and His power, and of doing His will. He had been privileged with much light. His grandfather, Nebuchadnezzar, had been warned of his danger in forgetting God and glorifying himself. Belshazzar had a knowledge of his banishment from the society of men, and his association with the beasts of the field; and these facts, which ought to have been a lesson to him, he disregarded, as if they had never occurred; and he went on repeating the sins of his grandfather. He dared to commit the crimes which brought God’s judgments upon Nebuchadnezzar. He was condemned, not alone that he himself was doing wickedly, but that he had not availed himself of opportunities and capabilities, if cultivated, of being right.” Testimonies to Ministers, 436.
「伯沙撒因着呢個彰顯上帝權能嘅表徵而心生敬畏；呢表徵顯明，雖然佢哋並不知道，卻實在有一位見證者在場。佢曾有極大嘅機會去認識永生上帝嘅作為同埋祂嘅權能，並且去遵行祂嘅旨意。佢曾蒙賜予極多亮光。佢嘅祖父尼布甲尼撒，曾因忘記上帝、自我高舉，而被警告其所處嘅危險。伯沙撒知道佢被逐離人群、與田野走獸為伍；而呢啲本應成為佢教訓嘅事實，佢卻置之不理，好像從未發生過一樣；佢繼續重蹈佢祖父嘅罪。佢竟敢犯下嗰啲招致上帝審判臨到尼布甲尼撒身上嘅罪行。佢被定罪，不單因為佢自己行惡，更因為佢沒有善用嗰啲本可以使佢成為正直之人、若加以培養便可發揮功用嘅機會同才幹。」《傳道良言證言》，436。