In the previous article we identified that the Millerites could not see Rome as more than pagan and papal Rome, though they did address the distinctions between those two powers. For the Millerites the distinctions between pagan and papal Rome did not lead them to recognize that papal Rome was the fifth kingdom that followed the fourth kingdom of pagan Rome. After the disappointment in 1844, Sister White identified the three powers of Revelation twelve and thirteen as the dragon in chapter twelve, then the papacy, as the beast that came from the sea in chapter thirteen that was followed by the United States as the beast that came out of the earth. After the foundation was laid, the Lord opened the light upon the three-fold union of the dragon, the beast and false prophet that in chapter sixteen of Revelation leads the world to Armageddon.
喺上一篇文章入面，我哋指出，米勒派所能看見嘅羅馬，唔能超過異教羅馬同教皇制羅馬，雖然佢哋確曾論及呢兩個權勢之間嘅分別。對米勒派而言，異教羅馬同教皇制羅馬之間嘅分別，並冇引導佢哋認出教皇制羅馬就係跟隨異教羅馬呢第四國之後嘅第五國。喺1844年大失望之後，懷愛倫姊妹指出，啟示錄第十二章同第十三章嘅三個權勢，分別係第十二章入面嘅龍；然後係教皇制，即第十三章中從海上上來嘅獸；其後又有美國，即從地中上來嘅獸。當根基已經立定之後，主就開啟關於龍、獸同假先知三重聯合嘅亮光；呢個三重聯合喺啟示錄第十六章帶領世界走向哈米吉多頓。
“The line of prophecy in which these symbols are found begins with Revelation 12, with the dragon that sought to destroy Christ at His birth. The dragon is said to be Satan (Revelation 12:9); he it was that moved upon Herod to put the Saviour to death. But the chief agent of Satan in making war upon Christ and His people during the first centuries of the Christian Era was the Roman Empire, in which paganism was the prevailing religion. Thus while the dragon, primarily, represents Satan, it is, in a secondary sense, a symbol of pagan Rome.
載有呢啲表號嘅預言脈絡，始於《啟示錄》第12章；其中有那條龍，在基督降生時企圖將祂毀滅。經上指出，那龍就是撒但（啟示錄 12:9）；正是牠煽動希律，要把救主置於死地。然而，在基督教時代最初幾個世紀之中，向基督及祂子民爭戰嘅撒但主要工具，乃係羅馬帝國；當時異教乃其通行宗教。故此，龍首先係代表撒但；但從次一層意義而言，亦係異教羅馬嘅表號。
“In chapter 13 ( verses 1–10) is described another beast, ‘like unto a leopard,’ to which the dragon gave ‘his power, and his seat, and great authority.’ This symbol, as most Protestants have believed, represents the papacy, which succeeded to the power and seat and authority once held by the ancient Roman empire. Of the leopardlike beast it is declared: ‘There was given unto him a mouth speaking great things and blasphemies…. And he opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name, and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven. And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to overcome them: and power was given him over all kindreds, and tongues, and nations.’ This prophecy, which is nearly identical with the description of the little horn of Daniel 7, unquestionably points to the papacy.
喺第13章（1–10節）之中，描述咗另一隻獸，「形狀像豹」；龍將「自己的能力、座位，和大權柄」賜咗畀佢。正如大多數新教徒所相信，呢個表號係代表教皇制；佢承受咗古羅馬帝國昔日所掌握嘅權力、座位同權柄。關於呢隻像豹嘅獸，經上宣告話：「又賜給牠一個口，說誇大褻瀆的話……牠又開口向神說褻瀆的話，褻瀆祂的名，並祂的帳幕，以及那些住在天上的。又任憑牠與聖徒爭戰，並且得勝；也把權柄賜給牠，制服各族、各民、各方、各國。」呢個預言，同但以理書第7章嗰個小角嘅描述幾乎完全相同，毫無疑問係指向教皇制。
“‘Power was given unto him to continue forty and two months.’ And, says the prophet, ‘I saw one of his heads as it were wounded to death.’ And again: ‘He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword.’ The forty and two months are the same as the ‘time and times and the dividing of time,’ three years and a half, or 1260 days, of Daniel 7—the time during which the papal power was to oppress God’s people. This period, as stated in preceding chapters, began with the supremacy of the papacy, A.D. 538, and terminated in 1798. At that time the pope was made captive by the French army, the papal power received its deadly wound, and the prediction was fulfilled, ‘He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity.’
「『有權柄賜給牠，可以任意而行四十二個月。』先知又說：『我看見牠七頭中有一個，似乎受了死傷。』又說：『擄掠人的，必被擄掠；用刀殺人的，必被刀殺。』這四十二個月，與但以理書第7章所說的『一載、二載、半載』，就是三年半，或一千二百六十日，乃是同一時期——即教皇權勢壓迫上帝子民的時候。這一段時期，正如前文所述，始於主後538年教皇制取得至高權柄之時，終於1798年。當時，教皇被法國軍隊擄去，教皇權勢受了致命的創傷，於是這預言便應驗了：『擄掠人的，必被擄掠。』」
“At this point another symbol is introduced. Says the prophet: ‘I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth; and he had two horns like a lamb.’ Verse 11. Both the appearance of this beast and the manner of its rise indicate that the nation which it represents is unlike those presented under the preceding symbols. The great kingdoms that have ruled the world were presented to the prophet Daniel as beasts of prey, rising when ‘the four winds of the heaven strove upon the great sea.’ Daniel 7:2. In Revelation 17 an angel explained that waters represent ‘peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.’ Revelation 17:15. Winds are a symbol of strife. The four winds of heaven striving upon the great sea represent the terrible scenes of conquest and revolution by which kingdoms have attained to power.
「到此又引入另一個表號。先知說：『我又看見另有一個獸從地中上來；牠有兩角如同羊羔。』第11節。這獸的外貌，以及牠興起的方式，都顯示牠所代表的國家，與前面各表號所呈現的截然不同。那統治世界的大帝國，在先知但以理面前乃是以猛獸的形象出現；當時『天的四風陡起，颳在大海之上。』但以理書 7:2。在啟示錄第17章，一位天使解釋說，眾水是指『多民、多人、多國、多方。』啟示錄 17:15。風乃爭戰的象徵。天的四風颳在大海之上，代表那些藉以使列國取得權勢之征服與革命的可怖景象。」
“But the beast with lamblike horns was seen ‘coming up out of the earth.’ Instead of overthrowing other powers to establish itself, the nation thus represented must arise in territory previously unoccupied and grow up gradually and peacefully. It could not, then, arise among the crowded and struggling nationalities of the Old World—that turbulent sea of ‘peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.’ It must be sought in the Western Continent.
「但那有如羊羔兩角的獸，乃被看見『從地中上來』。這樣看來，所象徵的這個國家，並非藉着推翻其他勢力而建立自己，卻必定是在先前無人佔據之地興起，並且漸漸地、和平地發展起來。因此，它不可能興起於舊世界那些人口稠密、彼此爭競的列國之中——就是那翻騰動盪的海，所表徵的『多民、多人、多國、多方』。它必須在西方大陸尋找。」
“What nation of the New World was in 1798 rising into power, giving promise of strength and greatness, and attracting the attention of the world? The application of the symbol admits of no question. One nation, and only one, meets the specifications of this prophecy; it points unmistakably to the United States of America. Again and again the thought, almost the exact words, of the sacred writer has been unconsciously employed by the orator and the historian in describing the rise and growth of this nation. The beast was seen ‘coming up out of the earth;’ and, according to the translators, the word here rendered ‘coming up’ literally signifies ‘to grow or spring up as a plant.’ And, as we have seen, the nation must arise in territory previously unoccupied. A prominent writer, describing the rise of the United States, speaks of ‘the mystery of her coming forth from vacancy,’ and says: ‘Like a silent seed we grew into empire.’—G. A. Townsend, The New World Compared With the Old, page 462. A European journal in 1850 spoke of the United States as a wonderful empire, which was ‘emerging,’ and ‘amid the silence of the earth daily adding to its power and pride.’—The Dublin Nation. Edward Everett, in an oration on the Pilgrim founders of this nation, said: ‘Did they look for a retired spot, inoffensive for its obscurity, and safe in its remoteness, where the little church of Leyden might enjoy the freedom of conscience? Behold the mighty regions over which, in peaceful conquest, … they have borne the banners of the cross!’—Speech delivered at Plymouth, Massachusetts, Dec. 22, 1824, page 11.
「新世界中，喺1798年有邊一個國家正崛起掌權，顯出力量同偉大嘅前景，並且吸引全世界嘅注意呢？呢個表號嘅應用係毫無疑問嘅。只有一個國家，而且只此一個，符合呢個預言所列明嘅條件；佢毫無錯認噉指向美利堅合眾國。一次又一次，呢位神聖作者嘅思想，幾乎連佢原來嘅字句，都曾被演說家同歷史學家喺不自覺之間，用嚟描述呢個國家嘅興起同發展。所見嗰獸係『從地中上來』；而按譯者所言，呢度譯作『上來』一詞，按字面意思乃係指『好似植物咁生長或萌發出來』。並且，正如我哋所見，呢個國家必須興起於先前未曾有人佔據之地。一位著名作者喺描述美國嘅興起時，稱之為『佢從空曠之中出現嘅奧祕』，並且話：『我哋好似一粒沉默嘅種子，成長為一個帝國。』——G. A. Townsend, The New World Compared With the Old, page 462。1850年，一份歐洲報章稱美國為一個奇妙嘅帝國，正喺『湧現』，並且『喺大地嘅寂靜之中，日日增添自己嘅權勢同榮耀。』——The Dublin Nation。Edward Everett喺一篇論到呢個國家清教徒創建者嘅演說中講道：『佢哋係咪尋找一處僻靜之地，因其隱晦而不招冒犯，因其偏遠而得安全，好叫萊頓嗰間小小嘅教會可以享有良心自由呢？且看喺和平嘅征服之下，……佢哋已將十字架嘅旌旗帶到何等廣大嘅疆域之上！』——Speech delivered at Plymouth, Massachusetts, Dec. 22, 1824, page 11。」
“‘And he had two horns like a lamb.’ The lamblike horns indicate youth, innocence, and gentleness, fitly representing the character of the United States when presented to the prophet as ‘coming up’ in 1798. Among the Christian exiles who first fled to America and sought an asylum from royal oppression and priestly intolerance were many who determined to establish a government upon the broad foundation of civil and religious liberty. Their views found place in the Declaration of Independence, which sets forth the great truth that ‘all men are created equal’ and endowed with the inalienable right to ‘life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.’ And the Constitution guarantees to the people the right of self-government, providing that representatives elected by the popular vote shall enact and administer the laws. Freedom of religious faith was also granted, every man being permitted to worship God according to the dictates of his conscience. Republicanism and Protestantism became the fundamental principles of the nation. These principles are the secret of its power and prosperity. The oppressed and downtrodden throughout Christendom have turned to this land with interest and hope. Millions have sought its shores, and the United States has risen to a place among the most powerful nations of the earth.
「『並且牠有兩角如同羊羔。』呢對似羊羔嘅角表明幼嫩、純真同溫和，恰當噉代表咗美國嘅品格；當先知見到佢喺1798年『上來』嘅時候，正係如此。在最初逃往美洲、為要躲避王權壓迫同祭司階層不容異己而尋求庇護嘅基督徒流亡者之中，有許多人立志要建立一個政府，建基於公民自由同宗教自由呢廣闊嘅根基之上。佢哋嘅見解載於《獨立宣言》之中；該宣言闡明咗呢一項偉大真理：『人人生而平等』，並被賦予不可剝奪嘅權利，即『生命、自由，及追求幸福』。而《憲法》則保障人民享有自治之權，規定由民眾投票選出嘅代表制定並執行法律。宗教信仰自由亦獲賦予，人人都得以按照自己良心嘅指引敬拜上帝。共和政體同新教成為呢個國家嘅基本原則。呢啲原則就係佢權力同繁榮嘅奧祕。整個基督教世界之中受壓迫、受踐踏嘅人，都懷着關注同盼望轉向呢片土地。千百萬人尋到佢嘅海岸，而美國亦已興起，躋身於地上最強大國家之列。」
“But the beast with lamblike horns ‘spake as a dragon. And he exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him, and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed; … saying to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast, which had the wound by a sword, and did live.’ Revelation 13:11–14.” The Great Controversy, 438–441.
「但那有羊羔兩角的獸『說話好像龍一樣；牠在頭一個獸面前，施行頭一個獸所有的權柄，並且叫地和住在地上的人敬拜那受死傷醫好的頭一個獸；……又對住在地上的人說，要給那受刀傷還活着的獸作個像。』啟示錄 13:11–14。」《善惡之爭》，438–441。
The passage identifies that chapters twelve and thirteen are identifying the dragon, the beast and the false prophet, the three powers in Revelation sixteen that lead the world to Armageddon. Those three powers each have their own special chapters that covers the identical prophetic history. The last six verses of Daniel eleven begin with the words, “And at the time of the end,” which was 1798. Then the six verses identify the final movements of the papacy until in verse one of Daniel twelve Michael stands up and human probation closes and ushers in the seven last plagues. In verse forty-four of chapter eleven the message of the hour that enrages the papacy and initiates the blood bath that takes place just before probation closes is represented as “tidings out of the east and out of the north.”
呢段經文指出，第十二章同第十三章所辨識嘅，乃係龍、獸同假先知，即係《啟示錄》第十六章中引領世界走向哈米吉多頓嘅三股勢力。呢三股勢力各自都有其專屬嘅篇章，涵蓋同一段完全相同嘅預言歷史。《但以理書》第十一章最後六節以「到了末時」起首，所指嘅就係1798年。其後，呢六節經文辨明教皇權最後嘅行動，直到《但以理書》第十二章第一節，米迦勒站起來，人類恩典時期結束，並引進最後七災。喺第十一章第四十四節，嗰使教皇權震怒、並引發喺恩典時期結束之前所發生之血腥屠殺嘅當時信息，被表述為「從東方和北方來的消息」。
The message east and north represents the final warning message, for it is proclaimed just before Michael stands up. It is the third angel’s message that is proclaimed during the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Daniel represented the message as two-fold. The message of the “north” that enrages the papacy is the message identifying the “king of the north” as the papal power, and the message of the “east” is the message of the children of the east, which is Islam. Of course, it has other important meanings as well, but east is a symbol of Islam and the antichrist is the counterfeit of the true King of the North. The message of the third angel that warns against receiving the mark of the king of the north (the mark of the beast) also warns that Islam will strike at the point that the cup of iniquity is full for the United States, and the United States fills its cup of iniquity at the Sunday law.
來自東方與北方的信息，乃是最後警告的信息，因為這信息乃是在米迦勒起立之前不久被宣告的。這就是在聖靈澆灌期間所宣告之第三位天使的信息。但以理將這信息表述為雙重的。那使教皇制度震怒的「北方」信息，乃是指出「北方王」就是教皇權勢的信息；而「東方」的信息，則是關乎東方之民的信息，亦即伊斯蘭。當然，這也有其他重要的含義；然而，東方乃是伊斯蘭的象徵，而敵基督乃是真正北方王的偽冒者。第三位天使的信息警告人不可接受北方王的印記（獸的印記），同時也警告說，當美國的罪孽之杯滿盈之時，伊斯蘭便會施行擊打；而美國乃是在星期日法案之時使其罪孽之杯滿盈。
Revelation thirteen beginning with verse eleven and then onward identifies the very same prophetic history, and it also begins at the time of the end in 1798.
《啟示錄》第十三章由第十一節起及其後所記述的，乃是同一段預言歷史；而且它也是由末時，即1798年開始。
“What nation of the New World was in 1798 rising into power, giving promise of strength and greatness, and attracting the attention of the world? The application of the symbol admits of no question. One nation, and only one, meets the specifications of this prophecy; it points unmistakably to the United States of America.” The Great Controversy, 440.
「喺新世界之中，邊一個國家喺1798年正崛起得勢，顯出力量同偉大嘅前景，並且吸引住全世界嘅注意呢？呢個象徵嘅應用係毫無疑問嘅。只有一個國家，而且僅此一個，符合呢個預言所提出嘅條件；佢所毫無疑義指向嘅，就係美利堅合眾國。」《善惡之爭》，440頁。
The same prophetic history is covered in Revelation thirteen verses eleven through eighteen as is covered in Daniel eleven verse forty through forty-five. As with the verses in Daniel the story of the role of the United States ends with the close of probation as the United States forces the world to accept the mark of the beast. Then as in Daniel eleven the message of the hour is presented in chapter fourteen. It is the identical structure in both passages, with the exception that Daniel’s verses are describing the papal activities and Revelation thirteen is identifying the role of the United States. With those two lines we find that chapter seventeen of Revelation covers the same history, but emphasizes the role of the dragon, represented as ten kings, who are the United Nations. The three chapters considered line upon line identify the role of the dragon, the beast and false prophet which in chapter sixteen lead the world to Armageddon, so it is of significance that John informs us that when chapter seventeen begins it is one of the angels that had poured out the seven last plagues that comes to tell John of the judgment of the whore of Rome.
《啟示錄》第十三章十一至十八節所涵蓋嘅，正係《但以理書》第十一章四十至四十五節所涵蓋嘅同一段先知歷史。正如《但以理書》嗰幾節經文一樣，美國所扮演角色嘅故事，係以恩門關閉而告終；因為美國強迫世界接受獸嘅印記。其後，正如《但以理書》第十一章一樣，當時嘅信息喺第十四章中被傳講出嚟。兩段經文嘅結構係完全相同，只有一個分別：但以理書嗰幾節經文所描述嘅係教皇權嘅活動，而《啟示錄》第十三章所指明嘅，則係美國所扮演嘅角色。沿住呢兩條線索，我哋就會發現，《啟示錄》第十七章涵蓋嘅亦係同一段歷史，不過佢所強調嘅係龍所扮演嘅角色；龍被表述為十王，而呢十王就係聯合國。所考察嘅呢三章，按住逐句對照嘅原則，指明咗龍、獸同假先知所扮演嘅角色；而喺第十六章，佢哋引領世界走向哈米吉多頓。所以，約翰叫我哋知道，當第十七章開始嘅時候，嚟到向約翰講述羅馬淫婦所要受嘅審判嘅，乃是那七位傾下七災之中嘅一位天使；呢一點就顯得格外重要。
And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters: With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication. Revelation 17:1, 2.
拎住七個碗嘅七位天使之中，有一位前來同我說：「你到這裏來，我要將嗰坐在眾水之上之大淫婦所要受嘅審判指示你看。地上嘅君王與她行淫，住在地上嘅人也喝醉了她淫亂之酒。」啟示錄 17:1, 2
With the Millerites it was about pagan Rome and papal Rome, but at the end it is about the three-fold union. As with her identification of those three powers in chapters twelve and thirteen, she clearly identifies the woman of chapter seventeen as the papacy.
對於米勒派而言，所關乎的是異教羅馬同教皇羅馬；但到咗末後，所關乎嘅乃係三重聯合。正如佢喺第十二章同第十三章辨明嗰三種權勢一樣，佢亦清楚指出，第十七章嘅婦人就係教皇制度。
“The woman [Babylon] of Revelation 17 is described as ‘arrayed in purple and scarlet color, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness:…and upon her forehead was a name written, ‘Mystery, Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots.’ Says the prophet: ‘I saw the woman drunk with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus.’ Babylon is further declared to be ‘that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.’ Revelation 17:4–6, 18. The power that for so many centuries maintained despotic sway over the monarchs of Christendom is Rome.” The Great Controversy, 382.
《啟示錄》第十七章所描寫嘅「女人〔巴比倫〕」，係「穿着紫色和朱紅色嘅衣服，用金子、寶石、珍珠為妝飾，手裏攞住金杯，杯中盛滿咗可憎之物同佢淫亂嘅污穢……佢額上寫着名號：『奧祕哉！大巴比倫，作妓女同地上一切可憎之物之母。』」先知又話：「我又看見嗰女人喝醉咗聖徒嘅血同為耶穌作見證之人嘅血。」此外，巴比倫又被宣告為「那大城，管轄地上眾王的。」啟示錄 17:4–6, 18。嗰個喺咁多個世紀以來，一直對基督教世界嘅君王維持專制統治嘅權勢，就係羅馬。」《善惡之爭》，382頁。
So, when does the prophetic history represented in chapter seventeen begin?
咁，喺第十七章所代表嘅預言歷史，究竟喺幾時開始呢？
So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication: And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. And I saw the woman drunken with the blood of the saints, and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus: and when I saw her, I wondered with great admiration. Revelation 17:3–6.
於是他在靈裏帶我到曠野去；我就看見一個女人騎在一隻朱紅色的獸上；那獸遍體有褻瀆的名號，有七頭十角。那女人穿着紫色和朱紅色的衣服，又用金子、寶石、珍珠為妝飾，手裏拿着一個金杯，杯中盛滿了可憎之物和她淫亂的污穢。她額上寫着名號：奧祕，大巴比倫，地上眾淫婦和一切可憎之物的母。我又看見那女人喝醉了聖徒的血和耶穌見證人的血；我看見她，就大大希奇。啟示錄 17:3–6。
In order for John to see the woman he is prophetically carried into the wilderness which John himself has already identified with two witnesses as the twelve hundred and sixty years of papal rule in chapter twelve.
為咗使約翰得見嗰個婦人，佢喺預言中被帶到曠野裏；而約翰自己早已喺第十二章，藉住兩個見證人，將呢曠野指明為教皇統治嗰一千二百六十年。
And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days. . . . And to the woman were given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness, into her place, where she is nourished for a time, and times, and half a time, from the face of the serpent. Revelation 12:6, 14.
那婦人就逃到曠野，在那裏有神給她預備的地方，使人可以在那裏供養她一千二百六十天。……於是有大鷹的兩個翅膀賜給那婦人，叫她能飛到曠野，到自己的地方；她在那裏被養活一載、二載、半載，遠離那蛇的面。啟示錄 12:6, 14.
John was prophetically transported into the wilderness time period, but verse three and onward specifies exactly where in the twelve hundred and sixty years John was taken to, for the woman had already become drunk with the blood of persecution, and she was already the “mother of harlots.” John was taken to the end of the wilderness period for the woman had already drunk of the blood of persecution and the Protestant churches were already returning to her fold and becoming her daughters, for she was identified in that period of time as the “mother of harlots.” She already had daughters. John’s testimony in chapter seventeen begins in 1798 as did the same prophetic history which represented the beast in Daniel eleven and the false prophet in Revelation thirteen.
約翰在預言中被帶到曠野時期之內；但由第三節起，經文清楚指明，在那一千二百六十年之中，約翰究竟被帶到哪一個時段；因為那婦人已經因逼迫所流之血而喝醉了，並且她已經是「淫婦之母」。約翰被帶到曠野時期的末了，因為那婦人已經喝了逼迫之血，而新教各教會也已經回歸到她的懷抱，成為她的女兒；因為在那一段時期之中，她被指明為「淫婦之母」。她已經有了女兒。約翰在第十七章中的見證，是由1798年開始的；正如那同一段預言歷史也始於1798年，這段歷史在但以理書第十一章中表徵那獸，在啟示錄第十三章中表徵假先知。
Just as with the other two lines, when chapter seventeen concludes, chapter eighteen then identifies the message of the hour. Three prophetic lines, one for each of the three-fold union. They are all illustrated upon the same historical structure beginning in 1798 and continuing until the close of probation, and all three emphasize the final warning message.
正如其餘兩條線一樣，第十七章結束之後，第十八章隨即指出那時辰的信息。三條先知性的線，每一條都對應於三重聯合之一。它們全都建立在同一歷史架構之上，由1798年開始，一直延續直到恩典時期的結束，而三者都強調最後的警告信息。
Habakkuk’s Tables addresses the subject of Revelation seventeen in much greater detail, so I will now jump to the riddle that is represented in the chapter that sets forth eight kingdoms of Bible prophecy.
〈哈巴谷的牌版〉對《啟示錄》第十七章所論及嘅主題有更詳盡嘅闡述，所以我而家會直接轉到嗰個謎語；呢個謎語係藉住嗰一章所提出嘅聖經預言中八個國度而表達出嚟。
And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth. And there are seven kings: five are fallen, and one is, and the other is not yet come; and when he cometh, he must continue a short space. And the beast that was, and is not, even he is the eighth, and is of the seven, and goeth into perdition. Revelation 17:9–11.
喺呢度就係有智慧嘅心思。嗰七個頭就係七座山，女人坐喺其上。又有七個王：五個已經傾倒咗，一個現今存在，另一個仲未嚟到；及至佢嚟到嘅時候，必須暫時存留。嗰隻先前有、如今冇咗嘅獸，佢自己就係第八個，亦都係出於嗰七個，並且要進入沉淪。啟示錄 17:9–11。
Daniel told Nebuchadnezzar, “Thou art this head of gold.”
但以理對尼布甲尼撒說：「你就係呢個金頭。」
And wheresoever the children of men dwell, the beasts of the field and the fowls of the heaven hath he given into thine hand, and hath made thee ruler over them all. Thou art this head of gold. Daniel 2:38.
凡世人所居住之處，田野的走獸、天空的飛鳥，祂都交在你手中，使你統管這一切。你就是這金頭。〈但以理書〉2:38。
Daniel also told Nebuchadnezzar, “Thou, O king, art a king of kings.”
但以理亦對尼布甲尼撒說：「王啊，你乃諸王之王。」
Thou, O king, art a king of kings: for the God of heaven hath given thee a kingdom, power, and strength, and glory. Daniel 2:37.
王啊，你乃王中之王；因為天上的上帝已將國度、權柄、能力、榮耀賜給你。Daniel 2:37.
Nebuchadnezzar was the “head” and he was a king, and he was a king of kings for he represented the first of the kingdoms represented in the image. Nebuchadnezzar was the king represented by gold, and other kingdoms and kings would be represented by the other metals in the image, but Nebuchadnezzar was first and therefore the king of the kings. Another level which we will not address right now is that the kingdom of Babylon represents the kingdom that seeks to counterfeit Christ, who is the true King of kings.
尼布甲尼撒乃是那「頭」，而且他是一位王；他又是萬王之王，因為他所代表的，乃是那像所象徵諸國之中首先的一個國度。尼布甲尼撒乃是那由金所代表的王，而其餘的國度與君王，則由那像中其餘的金屬所代表；然而，尼布甲尼撒為首，因此乃是諸王之王。另有一個層面，我們現今暫不論及，就是巴比倫國所代表的，乃是那企圖仿冒基督之國度；惟有基督才是真正的萬王之王。
In the beginning of Isaiah’s testimony of the twenty-five hundred and twenty year prophecies (Leviticus twenty-six’s seven times) Isaiah identifies kings as heads.
喺以賽亞關於二千五百二十年預言（利未記二十六章嘅「七倍」）之見證嘅起頭，以賽亞指出君王乃為頭。
For the head of Syria is Damascus, and the head of Damascus is Rezin; and within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people. And the head of Ephraim is Samaria, and the head of Samaria is Remaliah’s son. If ye will not believe, surely ye shall not be established. Isaiah 7:7, 8.
因為亞蘭的首乃大馬士革，大馬士革的首乃利汛；六十五年之內，以法蓮必然破壞，不再成為一民。以法蓮的首乃撒瑪利亞，撒瑪利亞的首乃利瑪利的兒子。你們若不信，必不得立穩。以賽亞書 7:7, 8。
Isaiah is just setting forth the starting point for the two twenty-five hundred and twenty year time periods against the northern kingdom of Samaria and the southern kingdom of Judah and as he does so he includes two witnesses that the capitol city of a nation is its head, and that the king is the head of the capitol city. A “head” is a king and a kingdom. In the Revelation the same line of prophecy is taken up as in Daniel.
以賽亞只係陳明針對北國撒馬利亞同南國猶大嘅兩段二千五百二十年時期嘅起點；而喺佢咁樣行嘅時候，佢同時引入兩個見證：一個國家嘅首都城係佢嘅頭，而君王乃係首都城嘅頭。「頭」就係一位王同一個國度。喺《啟示錄》入面，同《但以理書》一樣，承接咗同一條預言線。
Therefore, when John is taken to 1798 and presented with the riddle that identifies that there are seven “heads,” he is identifying that there are seven kingdoms. He is then told that five of the heads or kingdoms have fallen. In 1798 the fifth kingdom of Bible prophecy had just fallen as it received a deadly wound that would eventually be healed.
所以，當約翰被帶到 1798 年，並被呈現那個指出有七個「頭」之謎語時，他所辨認的，乃是有七個國度。然後他被告知，那些頭或國度之中，已有五個傾倒了。到 1798 年，聖經預言中的第五個國度剛剛傾倒，因它受了致命傷，而這傷最終必得醫治。
John who is standing in the history of the time of the end in 1798, is also told that one of the heads “is.” The sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy began in 1798, so when John was prophetically conveyed to 1798, the kingdom that then was, is the United States, and he was further informed that the seventh kingdom was still future to 1798, for it had not yet come. The seventh kingdom that was still future to 1798, is the United Nations who are represented by ten kings, and are the subject of Revelation seventeen. But there is also an eighth, who is of the seven. Rome always comes up eighth and is of the seven.
約翰被安置喺末時之1798年嘅歷史當中時，亦被告知其中一個頭「還在」。聖經預言中第六個國度始於1798年，所以當約翰喺預言上被帶到1798年時，當時存在嘅國度就係美國；而佢亦進一步被告知，第七個國度對1798年而言仍屬將來，因為它尚未來到。對1798年而言仍屬將來嘅第七個國度，就係由十王所代表、並且係《啟示錄》第十七章主題嘅聯合國。但此外仲有第八位，乃是出於那七位。羅馬總是以第八位出現，並且是屬於那七位。
There is much to say about the contents of chapter seventeen, but we are simply identifying the eight kingdoms of Bible prophecy represented in chapter seventeen in order to see how the Millerite understanding of four kingdoms squares up with the eight kingdoms of Revelation seventeen.
關於第十七章嘅內容，有好多可以講述；然而，我哋而家只係要辨識第十七章所代表之聖經預言中的八個國度，好叫我哋得以看見，米勒派對四個國度嘅理解，點樣同《啟示錄》第十七章嘅八個國度彼此相符。
We will address this in the next article.
我哋將會喺下一篇文章中處理呢一點。