The question we will seek to resolve in this article is how the first mention of the kingdoms of Bible prophecy in Daniel chapter two agrees with the last mention of the kingdoms of Bible prophecy in Revelation seventeen. I intend to raise some questions about what is actually identified in Nebuchadnezzar’s image and the pioneer’s position, that their history represented the point when the rock would strike the feet of the image.
我哋喺呢篇文章裏面所要尋求解決嘅問題，係《但以理書》第二章對聖經預言中諸國度嘅首次提及，點樣同《啟示錄》第十七章對聖經預言中諸國度嘅最後提及彼此一致。我打算就尼布甲尼撒像中實際所指明嘅究竟係乜嘢，以及先驅者所持嘅立場提出一啲問題；按佢哋嘅觀點，佢哋所處嘅歷史正代表住嗰塊石頭擊打像腳嘅時點。
Sister White identifies that we had reached the point where “God’s sacred work is represented by the feet of the image in which the iron was mixed with the miry clay,” which she further describes as the “mingling of churchcraft and statecraft.”
懷愛倫姊妹指出，我哋已經到咗一個地步：「上帝神聖嘅工作，乃係由嗰像嘅腳所表徵，其中鐵與泥土相雜」，而佢進一步將此形容為「教會權術與國家權術嘅混雜」。
“We have come to a time when God’s sacred work is represented by the feet of the image in which the iron was mixed with the miry clay. God has a people, a chosen people, whose discernment must be sanctified, who must not become unholy by laying upon the foundation wood, hay, and stubble. Every soul who is loyal to the commandments of God will see that the distinguishing feature of our faith is the seventh-day Sabbath. If the government would honor the Sabbath as God has commanded, it would stand in the strength of God and in defense of the faith once delivered to the saints. But statesmen will uphold the spurious sabbath, and will mingle their religious faith with the observance of this child of the papacy, placing it above the Sabbath which the Lord has sanctified and blessed, setting it apart for man to keep holy, as a sign between Him and His people to a thousand generations. The mingling of churchcraft and statecraft is represented by the iron and the clay. This union is weakening all the power of the churches. This investing the church with the power of the state will bring evil results. Men have almost passed the point of God’s forbearance. They have invested their strength in politics, and have united with the papacy. But the time will come when God will punish those who have made void His law, and their evil work will recoil upon themselves.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 4, 1168.
「我哋已經到咗一個時候，喺呢個時候，上帝神聖嘅工作，係由嗰像嘅腳所表徵；喺呢雙腳入面，鐵與泥摻雜一齊。上帝有一班子民，係蒙揀選嘅子民；佢哋嘅辨識力必須成聖，唔可以喺根基上堆加木、草、禾稭，以致自己變成唔聖潔。凡忠於上帝誡命嘅人，都必睇見，我哋信仰嘅顯著特徵，就係第七日安息日。若果政府尊崇安息日，如上帝所吩咐嘅一樣，佢就必站立喺上帝嘅能力之中，並維護嗰一次交付聖徒嘅真道。但政界人士卻要擁護嗰虛假嘅安息日，並且將佢哋宗教上嘅信仰同遵守呢個出於教皇制度嘅產物摻雜起來，將佢置於主所分別為聖、所賜福、並分別出來叫人守為聖日、作為祂同祂子民之間直到千代記號嘅安息日之上。教權同政權嘅摻雜，就係由鐵同泥所表徵。呢種聯合正在削弱眾教會一切嘅力量。將國家權力賦予教會，必帶來邪惡嘅結果。人幾乎已經越過咗上帝寬容嘅界線。佢哋將自己嘅力量投放喺政治之中，又同教皇制度聯合。但時候將到，上帝必懲罰嗰啲廢掉祂律法嘅人，而佢哋所行嘅惡，必反過來臨到自己身上。」《基督復臨安息日會聖經註釋》，第4卷，1168。
The time which we have come to when God’s sacred work is mingling churchcraft and statecraft, is a description of a progressive period of time. She says the mingling “is weakening all the power of the churches,” and it “will bring evil results,” and that “the time will come when God will punish those who have made void His law.”
我哋所到嘅呢個時候，正係上帝神聖工作與教會權術同政治權術混雜埋一齊嘅時候；呢句話所描述嘅，乃係一段逐步推進嘅時期。佢話，呢種混雜「正喺削弱眾教會一切嘅力量」，並且「將會帶來邪惡嘅結果」，而且「時候將到，上帝必懲罰嗰啲使祂律法落空嘅人。」
The mingling of church and state that weakens the power of the churches is a description of the church of Pergamos, where the combining of churchcraft and statecraft represented the falling away that precedes the revealing of the man of sin. Pergamos and the emperor that symbolizes the compromise between Christianity and idolatry takes place in the fourth kingdom of Daniel two. That compromise is represented in Daniel two with the use of the word “clay.”
教會與國家嘅混合削弱咗眾教會嘅能力，呢一點正係別迦摩教會嘅寫照；喺嗰度，教權同政權嘅結合，象徵咗嗰種喺罪人之子顯露之前先出現嘅離道反教。別迦摩同埋象徵基督教與偶像崇拜之間妥協嘅皇帝，乃係發生喺但以理書第二章第四國之中。呢種妥協喺但以理書第二章裏面，係藉着「泥」呢個字嚟表徵。
Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Daniel 2:31–34.
王啊，你觀看，見有一個大像。這像甚是光耀，立喺你面前；其形狀極其可畏。這像嘅頭係精金，胸膛同膀臂係銀，肚腹同大腿係銅，腿係鐵，腳有一部分係鐵，一部分係泥。你觀看，直至有一塊非人手鑿出嚟嘅石頭，打中那像嗰雙由鐵同泥所成嘅腳，把它擊碎。Daniel 2:31–34.
As Daniel’s interpretation continues it is no longer “clay” but it became dirty or “miry clay.”
隨着但以理嘅講解繼續，佢已經唔再係「泥」，而係變成咗污穢嘅、即係「稀泥」。
And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. Daniel 2:41.
你既看見腳和腳趾，一部分是窰匠的泥，一部分是鐵，這國必分裂；然而其中仍必有鐵的堅強，因你看見鐵與泥土攙雜。Daniel 2:41.
The pure clay which was the Potter’s clay changes to miry clay. God’s is the divine Potter and his work is never miry.
原本屬於陶匠嘅純淨泥土，變成咗污泥。神乃係神聖嘅陶匠，佢所作嘅工，絕唔會係污泥。
But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Isaiah 64:8.
但如今，耶和華啊，你是我們的父；我們是泥土，你是窯匠；我們眾人都是你手所作的。以賽亞書 64:8。
In the history of pagan Rome, the church of Smyrna was pure clay. In the history of Pergamos, which is the fourth kingdom in Daniel two, the clay changes into miry clay. What is first mentioned in the passage as simply “clay”, and thereafter “potter’s clay”, changes into “miry clay”, as the interpretation continues. Pergamos is where that change was accomplished in order to prepare the way for Thyatira, or papal Rome. The change from “clay” into “miry clay” is the falling away that prepares the way for Thyatira, which Paul identifies as the “falling away first” in Second Thessalonians.
喺異教羅馬嘅歷史之中，士每拿教會乃係純淨嘅泥。喺別迦摩嘅歷史之中，即但以理書第二章所說嘅第四國，呢泥就變成半鐵半泥。經文起初只係簡單提到「泥」，其後稱為「窰匠的泥」，而隨住解釋繼續推進，就變成「半鐵半泥」。別迦摩正係呢種轉變得以完成之處，為要預備推雅推喇，即教皇羅馬，嘅道路。由「泥」變為「半鐵半泥」，就係嗰離道反教嘅事，為推雅推喇預備道路；保羅喺帖撒羅尼迦後書將之稱為「先有離道反教的事」。
The Millerites could see no further than the fourth kingdom of Rome and expected the Second Coming of Christ to be the next prophetic event, for the stone that smites the image’s feet represents the Second Coming. But did Christ set up a kingdom in 1798? He did come into the Most Holy Place on October 22, 1844, to receive a kingdom, but was it set up at that time?
米勒派人士所能看見嘅，唔超越羅馬呢第四個國度，並且預期基督第二次降臨會係下一個預言事件，因為擊打像腳嘅石頭，乃係代表第二次降臨。但係，基督喺1798年有冇建立國度呢？佢確實喺1844年10月22日進入至聖所，要領受國度，但嗰個時候國度係咪已經建立起嚟呢？
The answer to the first of those two questions is that Christ did not set up His everlasting kingdom in 1798. The second question whether or not Christ set up His everlasting kingdom on October 22, 1844 is also no.
對於呢兩個問題之中第一個問題，答案係：基督並沒有喺1798年建立祂永遠的國度。至於第二個問題——基督有冇喺1844年10月22日建立祂永遠的國度——答案同樣是否定。
Was there a kingdom set up in the time of pagan Rome? I ask this for the pioneers understood the fourth kingdom to be both pagan and papal Rome which identifies 1798 as the conclusion of the fourth kingdom when Christ would set up an everlasting kingdom. But the book of Revelation identifies four kingdoms that follow pagan Rome.
喺異教羅馬時期，是否已有一個國度被建立起來呢？我提出呢個問題，係因為先驅者明白第四個國度既包括異教羅馬，亦包括教皇羅馬；咁樣就將1798年確定為第四個國度嘅終結，屆時基督要建立一個永遠長存嘅國度。然而，《啟示錄》指出，在異教羅馬之後，仲有四個國度相繼出現。
If the fourth kingdom of iron in Daniel two is simply representing pagan Rome where the compromise of Constantine is represented by the clay being turned into miry clay, did Christ setup a kingdom in that history? The answer is yes. At the cross, which is the history of Pergamos, not Thyatira, Christ established His kingdom of “grace.” There was an everlasting kingdom set up at the cross, and the throne of that kingdom typifies a throne that gets set up during the latter rain. That latter rain throne represents His kingdom of “glory.”
如果但以理書第二章中第四個鐵的國度，只係代表異教羅馬，而君士坦丁嘅妥協則以泥變成稀泥來表徵，咁基督有冇喺嗰段歷史之中建立一個國度呢？答案係有。喺十字架上——嗰段歷史屬於別迦摩時期，而唔係推雅推喇時期——基督建立咗祂「恩典」嘅國度。喺十字架上，有一個永遠嘅國度被建立起來；而嗰個國度嘅寶座，乃係預表一個將會喺晚雨時期被設立嘅寶座。嗰個晚雨嘅寶座，代表祂「榮耀」嘅國度。
“The announcement which had been made by the disciples in the name of the Lord was in every particular correct, and the events to which it pointed were even then taking place. ‘The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand,’ had been their message. At the expiration of ‘the time’—the sixty-nine weeks of Daniel 9, which were to extend to the Messiah, ‘the Anointed One’—Christ had received the anointing of the Spirit after His baptism by John in Jordan. And the ‘kingdom of God’ which they had declared to be at hand was established by the death of Christ. This kingdom was not, as they had been taught to believe, an earthly empire. Nor was it that future, immortal kingdom which shall be set up when ‘the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;’ that everlasting kingdom, in which ‘all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’ Daniel 7:27. As used in the Bible, the expression ‘kingdom of God’ is employed to designate both the kingdom of grace and the kingdom of glory. The kingdom of grace is brought to view by Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews. After pointing to Christ, the compassionate intercessor who is ‘touched with the feeling of our infirmities,’ the apostle says: ‘Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace.’ Hebrews 4:15, 16. The throne of grace represents the kingdom of grace; for the existence of a throne implies the existence of a kingdom. In many of His parables Christ uses the expression ‘the kingdom of heaven’ to designate the work of divine grace upon the hearts of men.
門徒奉主嘅名所作嘅宣告，在各方面都完全正確，而佢所指向嘅事件，喺當時甚至已經正在發生。佢哋所傳嘅信息係：「日期滿了， 神的國近了。」及至「那日期」屆滿——即但以理書第9章所說，延伸到彌賽亞，即「受膏者」嘅六十九個七——基督喺約旦河受約翰施洗之後，就領受了聖靈嘅膏立。而佢哋所宣告為近了嘅「神的國」，乃係藉着基督嘅死而建立。呢個國並唔係佢哋一向所受教導而相信嘅地上帝國；亦唔係嗰將來不朽嘅國度，就係到「國度、權柄，和天下諸國的大權，必賜給至高者的聖民」之時，將要被建立起來嘅國；就係嗰永遠嘅國，在其中，「一切掌權的都必事奉他，順從他。」但以理書 7:27。喺聖經之中，「神的國」呢個詞語，係用嚟指恩典之國同榮耀之國兩者。保羅喺〈希伯來書〉中，將恩典之國呈現出來。使徒先指出基督乃係嗰位滿有憐憫嘅中保，並且「體恤我們的軟弱」，然後就話：「所以，我們只管坦然無懼地來到施恩的寶座前，為要得憐恤，蒙恩惠。」希伯來書 4:15, 16。施恩嘅寶座代表恩典之國；因為有寶座，就必然有國度存在。喺佢許多比喻之中，基督都用「天國」呢個詞語，嚟指明神聖恩典喺人心中所作嘅工。
“So the throne of glory represents the kingdom of glory; and this kingdom is referred to in the Saviour’s words: ‘When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations.’ Matthew 25:31, 32. This kingdom is yet future. It is not to be set up until the second advent of Christ.
「因此，榮耀的寶座象徵榮耀的國度；而這國度正如救主所說：『當人子在祂的榮耀裏，同眾聖天使降臨的時候，要坐在祂榮耀的寶座上；萬民都要聚集在祂面前。』馬太福音 25:31, 32。這國度仍屬將來；直到基督第二次降臨之時，才會被建立起來。」
“The kingdom of grace was instituted immediately after the fall of man, when a plan was devised for the redemption of the guilty race. It then existed in the purpose and by the promise of God; and through faith, men could become its subjects. Yet it was not actually established until the death of Christ. Even after entering upon His earthly mission, the Saviour, wearied with the stubbornness and ingratitude of men, might have drawn back from the sacrifice of Calvary. In Gethsemane the cup of woe trembled in His hand. He might even then have wiped the blood-sweat from His brow and have left the guilty race to perish in their iniquity. Had He done this, there could have been no redemption for fallen men. But when the Saviour yielded up His life, and with His expiring breath cried out, ‘It is finished,’ then the fulfillment of the plan of redemption was assured. The promise of salvation made to the sinful pair in Eden was ratified. The kingdom of grace, which had before existed by the promise of God, was then established.” The Great Controversy, 347.
「恩典之國乃係喺人類墮落之後即時設立，當時已經擬定咗一個救贖有罪族類嘅計劃。嗰時，呢個國度已經存在於上帝嘅旨意同應許之中；並且藉着信心，人可以成為其中嘅子民。然而，直到基督受死之時，佢先至真正被建立。甚至喺救主開始佢喺地上嘅使命之後，因人類嘅頑梗同忘恩，佢都可能會由加略山嘅犧牲退縮返去。喺客西馬尼，苦難之杯喺佢手中顫動。即使喺嗰一刻，佢亦可以抹去額上嘅血汗，任由有罪嘅族類喺自己嘅罪孽中滅亡。如果佢真係咁做，墮落嘅人類就不可能得到救贖。然而，當救主捨去自己嘅生命，並喺臨終嘅氣息中呼喊：『成了！』嗰時，救贖計劃嘅成全就得以確定。喺伊甸園向嗰對犯罪男女所作救恩嘅應許，亦因此得着確立。恩典之國——此前一直藉着上帝嘅應許而存在——到嗰時便正式建立。」《善惡之爭》，347頁。
Christ did set up an everlasting kingdom in the prophetic history of pagan Rome, not at the end of papal Rome. He also sets up His kingdom of glory at His Second Coming which includes the history of the latter rain, when the four winds of Islam are released.
基督的確係喺異教羅馬嘅預言歷史之中設立咗一個永遠嘅國，並唔係喺教皇羅馬嘅末後先至設立。祂亦都喺祂第二次降臨之時建立祂榮耀嘅國；呢件事包含後雨時期嘅歷史，亦即伊斯蘭教嘅四風被釋放之時。
“The latter rain is coming on those that are pure—all then will receive it as formerly.
「秋雨正臨到那些純潔的人身上——到那時，眾人都必像從前一樣領受它。」
“When the four angels let go, Christ will set up His kingdom. None receive the latter rain but those who are doing all they can. Christ would help us. All could be overcomers by the grace of God, through the blood of Jesus. All heaven is interested in the work. Angels are interested.” Spalding and Magan, 3.
「當四位天使放手嘅時候，基督就要建立祂嘅國度。除咗嗰啲竭盡所能去行嘅人之外，冇人能領受晚雨。基督必幫助我哋。藉着上帝嘅恩典，並靠住耶穌嘅寶血，人人都可以成為得勝者。全天庭都關心呢項工作。天使亦都關心。」Spalding and Magan, 3.
When the four winds are released, Christ sets up His kingdom. Both the latter rain and the releasing of the four winds represent progressive events, and neither represent a point in time. The four winds represent Islam.
當四風被釋放之時，基督便建立祂的國度。無論係後雨，抑或四風的釋放，兩者都代表循序漸進的事件，並非代表某一個時間點。四風代表伊斯蘭教。
“Angels are holding the four winds, represented as an angry horse seeking to break loose and rush over the face of the whole earth, bearing destruction and death in its path.
「天使正係執住四方嘅風；呢啲風被描繪成一匹憤怒嘅馬，想要掙脫羈絆，衝過全地嘅地面，所到之處帶來毀滅同死亡。
“Shall we sleep on the very verge of the eternal world? Shall we be dull and cold and dead? Oh, that we might have in our churches the Spirit and breath of God breathed into His people, that they might stand upon their feet and live. We need to see that the way is narrow, and the gate strait. But as we pass through the strait gate, its wideness is without limit.” Manuscript Releases, volume 20, 217.
「我哋豈可喺永恆世界嘅邊緣沉睡嗎？我哋豈可遲鈍、冷淡、如同死咗一樣嗎？噢，願我哋嘅教會之中有上帝嘅靈同氣息吹入祂嘅子民裡面，叫佢哋可以站立起來而活。我哋需要看見，道路是窄的，門是小的。但當我哋通過這窄門之時，佢嘅寬廣卻是沒有限量的。」《Manuscript Releases》，第20卷，217。
The angels are holding the angry horse of Islam that is seeking to break loose bearing death and destruction in its path, in the time period when the Spirit of God is breathed upon God’s people. They then stand upon their feet and live. Prior to the Spirit being breathed upon them, God’s people are dead, for the breath of the Spirit causes them to stand up and live. When Sister White says we have now come to a time when the feet of the image that is mixed with iron and miry clay represents the combination of church and state, the outpouring of the latter rain was still in the future.
天使正攔住伊斯蘭呢匹憤怒嘅馬，佢正企圖掙脫而出，沿途帶來死亡同毀滅；呢事發生喺上帝嘅靈吹喺上帝子民身上嘅時期。於是，佢哋就站起來而且活過來。喺靈吹喺佢哋身上之前，上帝嘅子民係死嘅，因為靈嘅氣息使佢哋站起來並且活過來。當懷愛倫姊妹話，我哋而今已經來到一個時期，像嘅腳——由鐵同泥土混雜而成——乃係代表政教聯合嘅時候，晚雨嘅傾降仍然尚在將來。
“The latter rain is to fall upon the people of God. A mighty angel is to come down from heaven, and the whole earth is to be lighted with his glory.” Review and Herald, April 21, 1891.
「晚雨將要降臨在上帝的子民身上。一位大能的天使要從天而降，全地都要因他的榮耀得着光照。」《Review and Herald》，1891年4月21日。
There are two voices in Revelation eighteen.
《啟示錄》第十八章裏面有兩把聲音。
“When Jesus began His public ministry, He cleansed the Temple from its sacrilegious profanation. Among the last acts of His ministry was the second cleansing of the Temple. So in the last work for the warning of the world, two distinct calls are made to the churches.” Selected Messages, book 2, 118.
「當耶穌開始祂公開嘅傳道工作時，祂潔淨咗聖殿，除去其中褻瀆神聖嘅污穢。在祂職事最後所作嘅行動之中，第二次潔淨聖殿乃係其中之一。照樣，在向世界發出警告嘅最後工作中，也有兩次明確嘅呼召臨到各教會。」《信息選粹》卷二，118頁。
The first voice is a wake-up call for God’s people, the second voice is the wake-up call for God’s other children that are still in Babylon.
第一個聲音係畀神子民嘅警號，第二個聲音係畀神其餘仍然喺巴比倫中之兒女嘅警號。
“There is a world lying in wickedness, in deception, and delusion, in the very shadow of death,—asleep, asleep. Who are feeling travail of soul to awaken them? What voice can reach them? My mind is carried to the future when the signal will be given, ‘Behold the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him.’ But some will have delayed to obtain the oil for replenishing their lamps, and too late they will find that character, which is represented by the oil, is not transferable.” Bible Echo, May 4, 1896.
「有一個世界正臥在邪惡、詭詐與迷惑之中，處於死蔭之下——沉睡，沉睡。現今有誰正在心靈中感受陣痛，要去喚醒他們呢？有甚麼聲音能夠達到他們呢？我的心思被帶到將來，那時號令要發出：『看哪，新郎來了；你們出來迎接他。』然而，有些人一直遲延，未曾取得用以補充自己燈盞的油；到那時，便會發覺得太遲了——那由油所表徵的品格，是不能轉讓的。」《Bible Echo》，1896年5月4日。
In the passage two questions were asked. Who are feeling travail of soul to awaken them? What voice can reach them?
喺呢段經文裏面，提出咗兩個問題：邊啲人正感受到心靈嘅劬勞，以致被喚醒呢？有乜嘢聲音能夠達到佢哋呢？
The “voice” that awakens the world is the second voice of Revelation eighteen that calls God’s other flock out of Babylon. Both God’s people and the world need to be awakened by the Midnight Cry, which is simply another symbol of the latter rain.
喚醒世界嘅「聲音」，就係《啟示錄》第十八章所講嘅第二個聲音；呢個聲音呼召上帝其餘嘅羊群從巴比倫中出嚟。上帝嘅子民同埋世界都需要藉着半夜嘅呼聲被喚醒，而呢個呼聲只不過係晚雨嘅另一個象徵。
Were the Millerites correct in identifying that in the days of the fourth kingdom Christ would set up an everlasting kingdom? Yes.
米勒派認定：基督要喺第四個國度嘅日子設立一個永遠長存嘅國，呢一點係咪正確？係。
He established His kingdom of “grace” at the cross, which was during the history of the fourth kingdom of Bible prophecy. That kingdom being pagan Rome. In Daniel two, is the falling away that precedes the church of Thyatira represented? Yes, for the clay which represents God’s people changed from clay unto miry clay. So where is Thyatira in the image? Or is it even in the image? It is represented in the image, and Nebuchadnezzar sheds light on that fact when he reaches the height of his proud arrogance in chapter four of Daniel.
祂喺十字架上建立咗祂「恩典」嘅國；嗰時正值聖經預言中第四個國度嘅歷史時期。嗰個國度就係異教羅馬。喺《但以理書》第二章，推雅推喇教會之前嘅背道有冇被表明出嚟？有，因為嗰象徵上帝子民嘅泥，已由泥變成稀泥。所以，推雅推喇喺嗰像嘅邊度？抑或佢根本喺唔喺嗰像之中？佢喺嗰像中係有被表明出嚟嘅，而當尼布甲尼撒喺《但以理書》第四章達到佢驕傲狂妄嘅頂點時，佢就將光照喺呢個事實之上。
The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? Daniel 4:30.
王說：「這大巴比倫不是我憑我權能的大力，為王宮所建造、為要顯我威嚴的榮耀嗎？」但以理書 4:30
Just prior to Nebuchadnezzar’s judgment of twenty-five hundred and twenty days of living like a beast of the field, he exhibited his pride by asking the question of whether or not he built the kingdom that is Babylon the great? The whore of Revelation seventeen has written on her forehead, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” The Roman church, as Sister White calls her is Babylon the Great. The head of gold in the image represents literal Babylon and it also represents spiritual Babylon, the fifth kingdom of Bible prophecy that has the singular characteristic as being the power who received a deadly wound. In Isaiah twenty-three the papal power represented as Tyre, would be forgotten for seventy years as the days of one king. Literal Babylon represented by Nebuchadnezzar also received a deadly wound that was healed when Nebuchadnezzar was banished from his kingdom for twenty-five hundred and twenty days. Literal Babylon the great typified spiritual Babylon the great and both had their kingdoms temporarily removed, and thereafter restored. The whore of Revelation seventeen did not have a silver cup in her hand, nor a brass or iron cup, she had a golden cup.
就在尼布甲尼撒受審判、像田野的獸一樣生活二千五百二十日之前不久，他曾藉着提出這個問題顯露出他的驕傲：這大巴比倫的國，不是我所建造的嗎？啟示錄第十七章中的淫婦，在她額上寫着：「奧祕哉！大巴比倫，作世上的淫婦和一切可憎之物的母。」正如懷師妹所稱她的，羅馬教會就是大巴比倫。像中的金頭代表字面上的巴比倫，同時也代表屬靈的巴比倫，就是聖經預言中的第五個國；它有一個獨特的特徵，就是那曾受致命傷的權勢。在以賽亞書第二十三章中，那以推羅為表號的教皇權勢，必被忘記七十年，如同一王的年日。由尼布甲尼撒所代表之字面上的巴比倫，也曾受了一個其後得醫治的致命傷；那是在尼布甲尼撒被逐離其國、歷時二千五百二十日之時。字面上的大巴比倫乃是屬靈之大巴比倫的預表；二者的國度都曾暫時被奪去，之後又得恢復。啟示錄第十七章中的淫婦手中拿着的，不是銀杯，也不是銅杯或鐵杯，乃是金杯。
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. Revelation 17:4.
那女人穿着紫色和朱紅色的衣服，又用金子、寶石和珍珠為妝飾；手拿金杯，杯中盛滿了可憎之物，就是她淫亂的污穢。啟示錄 17:4
Gold represented literal Babylon and it also represents spiritual Babylon, the fifth kingdom of Bible prophecy that received a deadly wound in 1798, when the sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy took the throne. Literal Babylon in the image was followed by a silver kingdom that consisted of two powers, the Medes and the Persians, and the Persian horn in Daniel eight came up last and higher. Darius the Mede was the first horn and his general, Cyrus was a Persian that would ultimately come into power after the Median king Darius.
金象徵實際嘅巴比倫，亦都象徵屬靈嘅巴比倫；佢就係聖經預言中嘅第五個國度，於1798年受咗致命傷，當時聖經預言中嘅第六個國度登上王位。異象中實際嘅巴比倫之後，跟住嘅係一個銀嘅國度，由兩個勢力組成，就係瑪代人同波斯人；而《但以理書》第八章入面嗰隻波斯嘅角，係後起並且更高。瑪代人大利烏係第一隻角，而佢嘅將軍居魯士係一個波斯人，最終會喺瑪代王大利烏之後掌權。
Cyrus was a type of Christ who was going to begin the process of freeing God’s people from captivity. The Medo-Persian empire represents the sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy which is the United States. The United States has two horns representing Republicanism and Protestantism. Darius represents the Republican horn of the United States and Cyrus represents the horn of Protestantism. As Cyrus began the process of freeing God’s people to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, the United States was the land which was raised up to free the captives of spiritual Babylon’s captivity in order to erect the spiritual temple, of which the Millerites laid the foundation. The literal captivity in Babylon being seventy years typified the captivity in spiritual Babylon for twelve hundred and sixty years. The United States is the shoulders of silver in Nebuchadnezzar’s image.
古列乃基督嘅預表，佢將要開始使上帝子民脫離被擄之境嘅過程。瑪代—波斯帝國代表《聖經》預言中第六個國度，即係美國。美國有兩角，代表共和主義同新教主義。大利烏代表美國嘅共和主義之角，而古列則代表新教主義之角。正如古列開始使上帝子民得釋放，好叫佢哋重建耶路撒冷同聖殿；照樣，美國乃係被興起之地，為要釋放那些被屬靈巴比倫擄去嘅俘虜，以便建立屬靈嘅聖殿，而米勒派人曾為此奠下根基。巴比倫中實際被擄七十年，乃預表在屬靈巴比倫中被擄一千二百六十年。美國就係尼布甲尼撒像中嘅銀膊頭。
The third kingdom of brass was Greece that represents a worldwide kingdom. That kingdom is the United Nations, that in Revelation seventeen was the kingdom that in 1798 had not yet came. The ten kings of Revelation seventeen agree to give their kingdom unto the papacy, the eighth kingdom, that is of the seven. They make this agreement because they are forced to by the United States, and because the world is being destroyed by the “four winds” of Islam, that are released during the time of the latter rain, which begins to be fully poured out at the Sunday law in the United States.
第三個銅的國度乃是希臘，表徵一個世界性的國度。那國度就是聯合國；在《啟示錄》第十七章中，就是那在1798年尚未來到的國度。《啟示錄》第十七章中的十王同意將他們的國交給教皇權——那第八個國度，就是出於那七個之中的。他們達成這協議，是因為被美國所迫，也是因為世界正被伊斯蘭教的「四風」所毀滅；這四風是在晚雨時期被釋放出來的，而晚雨乃是在美國的星期日法令之時開始全面傾注。
At the Sunday law in the United States, God establishes His kingdom of “glory” as He lifts up His people as an ensign to call God’s other children out of Babylon. Thus, the horn of Protestantism comes up last and is higher than the first in agreement with the two horns of Medo-Persia. Once the United Nations agrees to turn the control of the world over to the papacy, the four winds of Islam are released and the worldwide kingdom is confronted by the warfare that followed the death of Greece’s first horn that was broken and produced four horns.
當美國實施星期日法之時，上帝便建立祂「榮耀」的國度，祂高舉祂的子民作為旌旗，呼召上帝其餘的兒女從巴比倫出來。因此，新教之角乃是最後興起，且比先前的更高，正如瑪代波斯的兩角一樣。當聯合國一旦同意將世界的控制權交予教皇權之後，伊斯蘭的四風便被釋放出來，而普世的國度便要面對那場爭戰；這爭戰乃是繼希臘第一角被折斷之後而起，並由此生出四角。
When the image reaches the feet of iron (statecraft) and miry clay (churchcraft) and the ten toes (ten kings), the stone that has been cut out of the mountain without hands strikes the feet of the image. The Millerites were accurate to Daniel’s image, as much as they could be accurate from their vantage point in prophetic history. But the Alpha and Omega always illustrates the end with the beginning and the four kingdoms of Nebuchadnezzar’s image represent four literal kingdoms that typify their spiritual counterparts at the end of the world.
當呢個像到達鐵（政權術）同稀泥（教權術）嘅腳，以及十隻腳趾（十王）嘅時候，嗰塊非人手鑿出、由山而出嘅石頭，就擊打呢個像嘅腳。米勒派對但以理所見之像嘅理解係準確嘅，正如按住佢哋喺預言歷史中所處嘅立場，佢哋所能達到嘅準確程度一樣。然而，阿拉法同俄梅戛總係以起頭說明末後，而尼布甲尼撒之像嘅四個國度，乃係四個真實嘅國度，預表世界末時其屬靈嘅對應體。
With the kingdoms of history Rome comes up eighth and is of the seven. In Daniel seven Rome comes up eighth and is of the seven. In Daniel eight Rome comes up eighth and is of the seven. In Revelation seventeen Rome comes up eighth and is of the seven. In Daniel two, which represents the first mention of the kingdoms of Bible prophecy, modern spiritual Rome comes up eighth and is of the seven. The first (Alpha) illustration of the kingdoms of Bible prophecy identifies the last (Omega).
喺歷史上諸國度之中，羅馬興起為第八，且係出於嗰七個。喺《但以理書》第七章，羅馬興起為第八，且係出於嗰七個。喺《但以理書》第八章，羅馬興起為第八，且係出於嗰七個。喺《啟示錄》第十七章，羅馬興起為第八，且係出於嗰七個。喺《但以理書》第二章——即聖經預言中國度首次被提及之處——現代屬靈嘅羅馬興起為第八，且係出於嗰七個。聖經預言中國度最先（Alpha）嘅圖解，辨明咗最後（Omega）。
“We have come to a time when God’s sacred work is represented by the feet of the image in which the iron was mixed with the miry clay. God has a people, a chosen people, whose discernment must be sanctified, who must not become unholy by laying upon the foundation wood, hay, and stubble. Every soul who is loyal to the commandments of God will see that the distinguishing feature of our faith is the seventh-day Sabbath. If the government would honor the Sabbath as God has commanded, it would stand in the strength of God and in defense of the faith once delivered to the saints. But statesmen will uphold the spurious sabbath, and will mingle their religious faith with the observance of this child of the papacy, placing it above the Sabbath which the Lord has sanctified and blessed, setting it apart for man to keep holy, as a sign between Him and His people to a thousand generations. The mingling of churchcraft and statecraft is represented by the iron and the clay. This union is weakening all the power of the churches. This investing the church with the power of the state will bring evil results. Men have almost passed the point of God’s forbearance. They have invested their strength in politics, and have united with the papacy. But the time will come when God will punish those who have made void His law, and their evil work will recoil upon themselves.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 4, 1168.
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The Alpha and Omega has made the correct pioneer understanding of Daniel two “new.”
阿拉法同俄梅戛已使但以理書中兩個「新」嘅正確先驅理解得以確立。
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Revelation 21:5, 6.
坐寶座嗰一位話：「看哪，我將一切都更新了。」又對我話：「你要寫上；因為呢啲話都係真實可信嘅。」佢又對我話：「成了。我係阿拉法，我係俄梅戛；我係初，我係終。我要將生命水嘅泉，白白賜畀口渴嘅人。」啟示錄 21:5, 6