The closing statement of the Old Testament sets forth a promise of the prophet Elijah appearing with a message before the great and dreadful day of the Lord.
舊約嘅結語提出咗一個應許：先知以利亞將會喺主嗰大而可畏之日未到之前，帶住信息顯現。
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. Malachi 4:5, 6.
看哪，在耶和華大而可畏之日未到以前，我必差遣先知以利亞到你們那裏去。他必使父親的心轉向兒女，兒女的心轉向父親，免得我來咒詛遍地。瑪拉基書 4:5, 6.
The Bible is clear that “the great and dreadful day of the Lord” or the “curse” that God smites “the earth with” is also symbolically portrayed as “the seven last plagues” or “the wrath of God” in the book of Revelation. Chapter fifteen of Revelation introduces the prophetic setting that leads to the pouring out of the great and dreadful seven last plagues of chapter sixteen.
聖經清楚指出，「耶和華大而可畏之日」，即上帝用以「咒詛這地」所擊打的「咒詛」，亦在《啟示錄》中以象徵方式描繪為「末後的七災」或「上帝的忿怒」。《啟示錄》第十五章引介了先知預言的背景，導向第十六章那大而可畏之末後七災的傾倒。
And I saw another sign in heaven, great and marvellous, seven angels having the seven last plagues; for in them is filled up the wrath of God.
我又看見天上有異象，大而且奇，就是七位天使掌着末後的七災；因為神的大怒在這七災中發盡了。
And I saw as it were a sea of glass mingled with fire: and them that had gotten the victory over the beast, and over his image, and over his mark, and over the number of his name, stand on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints. Who shall not fear thee, O Lord, and glorify thy name? for thou only art holy: for all nations shall come and worship before thee; for thy judgments are made manifest.
我又看見彷彿有一個玻璃海，當中攙雜着火；又看見那些勝了獸和獸像，並獸的印記，以及牠名號數目的人，都站在玻璃海上，手持神的琴。佢哋唱神僕人摩西之歌，同埋羔羊之歌，話：「主神，全能者啊，你嘅作為偉大奇妙；萬聖之王啊，你嘅道途公義真實。主啊，邊個敢唔敬畏你，唔榮耀你嘅名呢？因為只有你係聖潔嘅；萬國都要嚟到你面前敬拜，因你公義嘅作為已經顯明出嚟。」
And after that I looked, and, behold, the temple of the tabernacle of the testimony in heaven was opened: And the seven angels came out of the temple, having the seven plagues, clothed in pure and white linen, and having their breasts girded with golden girdles. And one of the four beasts gave unto the seven angels seven golden vials full of the wrath of God, who liveth for ever and ever. And the temple was filled with smoke from the glory of God, and from his power; and no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled. Revelation 15:1–8.
此後，我觀看，看哪，在天上那存法櫃帳幕的殿開了。那掌管七災的七位天使從殿中出來，穿着潔白光明的細麻衣，胸間束着金帶。四活物中有一個，把盛滿了活到永永遠遠之神大怒的七個金碗，給了那七位天使。因着神的榮耀和能力，殿中充滿了煙；直至那七位天使所降的七災完畢，總沒有人能進殿。啟示錄 15:1–8。
The reason “no man was able to enter into the temple, till the seven plagues of the seven angels were fulfilled” is that the opportunity to secure salvation closes when the temple is filled with smoke in chapter fifteen. The probationary time that mankind was given to repent and find salvation is then over. When that point in time is reached “the great and dreadful day of the Lord” that John calls “the seven last plagues” are poured out in advance of Christ’s Second Coming. Malachi called that day “dreadful,” and Isaiah identifies it as God’s “strange act.”
「冇有人能夠進入聖殿，直至七位天使所降嘅七災完畢」嘅原因，乃係因為當第十五章中聖殿充滿煙嘅時候，獲得救恩嘅機會就此終止。當時賜予人類悔改並尋得救恩嘅寬容時期，至此便告結束。當嗰一時刻臨到，「主偉大而可畏嘅日子」——約翰稱之為「末後的七災」——就會喺基督第二次降臨之前傾倒下來。瑪拉基稱嗰日為「可畏」，以賽亞則指出嗰是神嘅「非常之工」。
For the Lord shall rise up as in mount Perazim, he shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that he may do his work, his strange work; and bring to pass his act, his strange act. Now therefore be ye not mockers, lest your bands be made strong: for I have heard from the Lord God of hosts a consumption, even determined upon the whole earth. Isaiah 28:21, 22.
因為耶和華必興起，像在毘拉心山一樣；他必發怒，像在基遍谷一樣，好作成他的工，就是他奇異的工；成就他的事，就是他奇特的事。現在，所以你們不可譏誚，免得你們的捆綁越發堅固；因為我從主萬軍之耶和華那裏聽見，已有滅絕的事，就是所定意行在全地上的。以賽亞書 28:21, 22.
Although God’s “strange act” encompasses “the whole earth,” Inspiration is clear that the outpouring of the plagues is associated with the rebellion of one nation.
雖然上帝的「非常作為」涵蓋「全地」，但默示清楚指出，災殃的傾倒乃與一個國家的悖逆有關。
“Foreign nations will follow the example of the United States. Though she leads out, yet the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the world.” Testimonies, volume 6, 395.
「外邦列國必效法美利堅合眾國。雖然由她率先而行，然而同樣嘅危機亦必臨到我哋嘅子民，遍及世界各地。」《教會證言》卷六，395頁。
“As America, the land of religious liberty, shall unite with the Papacy in forcing the conscience and compelling men to honor the false sabbath, the people of every country on the globe will be led to follow her example.” Testimonies, volume 6, 18.
「當美國——宗教自由之地——與教皇制度聯合，強迫人的良心，並逼令人尊崇那虛假的安息日之時，全球各國的人民都必被引導去效法她的榜樣。」《證言》第6卷，第18頁。
Every nation will fill their cup of their probationary time, but the “judgments of God” that Sister White identifies as “national ruin”, “the time of God’s destructive judgments” as she also calls the history that begins at the Sunday law in the United States, are not the seven last plagues.
各國都要盛滿佢哋恩 probation 期間嘅杯，但懷愛倫姊妹所指出、稱為「上帝的審判」並且稱之為「國家的毀滅」之事，以及佢亦用嚟指稱始於美國星期日法案嘅歷史、即「上帝施行毀滅性審判的時候」，並唔係七大災。
“A time is coming when the law of God is, in a special sense, to be made void in our land. The rulers of our nation will, by legislative enactments, enforce the Sunday law, and thus God’s people be brought into great peril. When our nation, in its legislative councils, shall enact laws to bind the consciences of men in regard to their religious privileges, enforcing Sunday observance, and bringing oppressive power to bear against those who keep the seventh-day Sabbath, the law of God will, to all intents and purposes, be made void in our land; and national apostasy will be followed by national ruin.” Review and Herald, December 18, 1888.
「有一個時候將要來到，屆時上帝的律法，在我哋呢個國家中，將要以一種特殊嘅意義被廢棄。我哋國家嘅統治者，將藉立法措施強制施行星期日法，因此使上帝嘅子民陷於極大嘅危險之中。當我哋國家喺立法議會中制定法律，喺宗教特權嘅事上約束人嘅良心，強迫人遵守星期日，並運用壓迫性嘅權力去對付嗰啲守第七日安息日嘅人之時，上帝嘅律法，就一切實際意義而言，將喺我哋嘅國家中被廢棄；而全國性嘅背道，隨之而來嘅必是全國性嘅毀滅。」《Review and Herald》，1888年12月18日。
The judgments of God, which Sister White identifies as “national ruin” begin at the national Sunday law and mark the beginning of God’s “strange act,” though God’s strange act is more specifically the seven last plagues. A more complete picture of the strange act of God appears when the deliverance from Egypt is added to the line of God’s executive judgments. The Egyptian plagues, though ten in number, were divided. The first three were distinguished from the last seven. Thus, the deliverance from Egypt identifies a period of time represented by the first three plagues that begins with the national ruin of the United States, and continues until Michael stands up and human probation closes.
懷愛倫姊妹所指明為「國家毀滅」的上帝審判，始於全國性星期日法，並標誌着上帝「非常的作為」的開始，然而，上帝非常的作為更具體而言乃是最後的七災。當把從埃及得拯救加到上帝施行性審判的脈絡之中時，上帝非常的作為便呈現出一幅更完整的圖畫。埃及的災殃雖然共有十災，卻是分開的；頭三災與後七災有所區別。因此，從埃及得拯救表明了一段由頭三災所預表的時期；這段時期始於美國的國家毀滅，並一直延續，直到米迦勒站起來，人類恩典時期結束。
“God’s judgments will be visited upon those who are seeking to oppress and destroy His people. His long forbearance with the wicked emboldens men in transgression, but their punishment is nonetheless certain and terrible because it is long delayed. ‘The Lord shall rise up as in Mount Perazim, He shall be wroth as in the valley of Gibeon, that He may do His work, His strange work; and bring to pass His act, His strange act.’ Isaiah 28:21. To our merciful God the act of punishment is a strange act. ‘As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked.’ Ezekiel 33:11. The Lord is ‘merciful and gracious, long-suffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, … forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.’ Yet He will ‘by no means clear the guilty.’ ‘The Lord is slow to anger, and great in power, and will not at all acquit the wicked.’ Exodus 34:6, 7; Nahum 1:3. By terrible things in righteousness He will vindicate the authority of His downtrodden law. The severity of the retribution awaiting the transgressor may be judged by the Lord’s reluctance to execute justice. The nation with which He bears long, and which He will not smite until it has filled up the measure of its iniquity in God’s account, will finally drink the cup of wrath unmixed with mercy.
「上帝嘅審判必臨到嗰啲企圖壓迫並毀滅祂子民嘅人。祂長久容忍惡人，反而使人喺罪中愈發膽大妄為；但佢哋所要受嘅刑罰仍然係確定而可怕嘅，因為呢刑罰雖然久延，卻終必臨到。『耶和華必興起，像在毘拉心山；祂必發怒，像在基遍谷，好作成祂的工，就是非常的工；成就祂的事，就是奇異的事。』以賽亞書 28:21。對我哋滿有憐憫嘅上帝而言，施行刑罰乃係非常之事。『主耶和華說：我指着我的永生起誓，我斷不喜悅惡人死亡。』以西結書 33:11。耶和華係『有憐憫有恩典的上帝，不輕易發怒，並有豐盛的慈愛和誠實，……赦免罪孽、過犯和罪惡。』然而，祂卻『萬不以有罪的為無罪。』『耶和華不輕易發怒，大有能力，萬不以惡人為無罪。』出埃及記 34:6, 7；那鴻書 1:3。祂必以公義中可畏嘅作為，維護祂那受踐踏之律法嘅權威。那等候違背者嘅報應有幾嚴厲，可以由主幾咁唔願意施行公義嚟衡量。祂長久容忍、直到喺上帝賬目之中罪孽滿盈先至唔再擊打嘅國民，最終必飲那不摻雜憐憫之忿怒嘅杯。」
“When Christ ceases His intercession in the sanctuary, the unmingled wrath threatened against those who worship the beast and his image and receive his mark (Revelation 14:9, 10), will be poured out. The plagues upon Egypt when God was about to deliver Israel were similar in character to those more terrible and extensive judgments which are to fall upon the world just before the final deliverance of God’s people. Says the revelator, in describing those terrific scourges: ‘There fell a noisome and grievous sore upon the men which had the mark of the beast, and upon them which worshiped his image.’ The sea ‘became as the blood of a dead man: and every living soul died in the sea.’ And ‘the rivers and fountains of waters … became blood.’ Terrible as these inflictions are, God’s justice stands fully vindicated. The angel of God declares: ‘Thou art righteous, O Lord, … because Thou hast judged thus. For they have shed the blood of saints and prophets, and Thou hast given them blood to drink; for they are worthy.’ Revelation 16:2–6. By condemning the people of God to death, they have as truly incurred the guilt of their blood as if it had been shed by their hands. In like manner Christ declared the Jews of His time guilty of all the blood of holy men which had been shed since the days of Abel; for they possessed the same spirit and were seeking to do the same work with these murderers of the prophets.
「當基督喺聖所中止咗佢嘅代求之時，嗰向敬拜獸同獸像、並受其印記之人所威嚇嘅純一無雜之忿怒（啟示錄 14:9, 10），就要傾倒出嚟。當上帝快要拯救以色列之時，降喺埃及身上嘅災殃，其性質與嗰啲將要喺上帝子民最後蒙拯救之前、臨到世上之更為可怕、更為廣泛之刑罰相似。啟示者喺描寫嗰啲可怖嘅災禍時話：『就有惡而且毒嘅瘡生喺嗰啲受咗獸印記、又敬拜獸像嘅人身上。』海『就變成好似死人嘅血；海中一切活物都死咗。』又『江河與眾水泉……都變成血。』呢啲刑罰雖然可怕，上帝嘅公義卻完全得以表明。上帝嘅使者宣告話：『主啊，……你咁樣判斷是公義嘅。佢哋曾流聖徒與先知嘅血，依家你亦畀血佢哋飲；呢是佢哋所應得嘅。』啟示錄 16:2–6。佢哋藉住定上帝子民死罪，實在就如同親手流咗佢哋嘅血一樣，已經負上流血之罪。同樣，基督宣告佢嗰個時代嘅猶太人，要為自亞伯嘅日子以來所流一切聖人之血負罪；因為佢哋具有同樣嘅精神，並且正謀求同嗰啲殺害先知之人作同樣嘅工。」
“In the plague that follows, power is given to the sun ‘to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat.’ Verses 8, 9. The prophets thus describe the condition of the earth at this fearful time: ‘The land mourneth; … because the harvest of the field is perished…. All the trees of the field are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.’ ‘The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate…. How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture…. The rivers of water are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness.’ ‘The songs of the temple shall be howlings in that day, saith the Lord God: there shall be many dead bodies in every place; they shall cast them forth with silence.’ Joel 1:10–12, 17–20; Amos 8:3.
「隨之而來嘅災殃之中，權柄賜咗畀日頭，『叫日頭能用火烤人。人被大熱所烤。』第8、9節。先知如此描述喺呢可怕時刻地上嘅景況：『地悲哀；……因為田間嘅莊稼都滅絕了……田野一切嘅樹木都枯乾了：因為眾人嘅喜樂也枯乾了。』『穀種在土塊下朽爛，倉房荒涼……牲畜何等歎息！牛群困苦，因為冇草場……溪水乾涸，野地嘅草場也被火焚燒。』『到那日，殿中嘅詩歌必變為哀號，這是主耶和華說的；各處必有許多屍首，人必默默無聲地把佢哋拋出去。』約珥書 1:10–12, 17–20；阿摩司書 8:3。」
“These plagues are not universal, or the inhabitants of the earth would be wholly cut off. Yet they will be the most awful scourges that have ever been known to mortals. All the judgments upon men, prior to the close of probation, have been mingled with mercy. The pleading blood of Christ has shielded the sinner from receiving the full measure of his guilt; but in the final judgment, wrath is poured out unmixed with mercy.
「呢啲災殃並非普遍臨到全地，否則地上嘅居民就要全然被剪除。然而，呢啲必將係世人所曾知最可怕嘅刑罰。喺恩典時期結束之前，一切臨到人身上嘅審判都摻雜住憐憫。基督代求嘅寶血一直遮蔽罪人，使其不致承受自己罪咎嘅全部刑罰；但喺最後嘅審判中，忿怒要傾倒下來，毫無憐憫摻雜其中。」
“In that day, multitudes will desire the shelter of God’s mercy which they have so long despised. ‘Behold, the days come, saith the Lord God, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord: and they shall wander from sea to sea, and from the north even to the east, they shall run to and fro to seek the word of the Lord, and shall not find it.’ Amos 8:11, 12.” The Great Controversy, 627–629.
「到那日，大眾必渴望上帝憐憫嘅庇護，然而呢憐憫係佢哋長久以來所輕蔑嘅。『主耶和華說：日子將到，我必命饑荒降在地上；人飢餓並非因無餅，乾渴並非因無水，乃因不聽耶和華的話。他們必飄流，從這海到那海，從北邊到東邊，往來奔跑，尋求耶和華的話，卻尋不著。』阿摩司書 8:11, 12。」《善惡之爭》，627–629。
In the previous passage it stated, “The nation with which He bears long, and which He will not smite until it has filled up the measure of its iniquity in God’s account, will finally drink the cup of wrath unmixed with mercy.” She also penned in the same paragraph, “The plagues upon Egypt when God was about to deliver Israel were similar in character to those more terrible and extensive judgments which are to fall upon the world just before the final deliverance of God’s people.” The nation (the United States) that fills up “the measure of iniquity” will suffer plagues similar to the ten plagues in Egypt.
喺前一段落中曾經指出：「嗰個祂長久容忍、並且未曾擊打嘅國家，直至佢喺上帝帳目中罪孽滿盈為止，最終必喝下嗰杯毫無憐憫摻雜嘅忿怒之杯。」她亦喺同一段落寫道：「當上帝將要拯救以色列之時，降喺埃及身上嘅災殃，其性質與上帝子民最後得蒙拯救之前、將要臨到世界之上嗰啲更可怕、更廣泛嘅審判相似。」嗰個使「罪孽滿盈」嘅國家（美國），將要遭受與埃及十災相似嘅災殃。
The plagues of Egypt were divided into two periods. The first three plagues fell on everyone, but the seven last plagues only fell upon the Egyptians.
埃及所受嘅災殃分為兩個時期。頭三樣災殃臨到眾人，但後面七樣災殃只臨到埃及人。
And I will sever in that day the land of Goshen, in which my people dwell, that no swarms of flies shall be there; to the end thou mayest know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth. Exodus 8:22.
到那日，我必將歌珊地，就是我子民所居住之地，分別出來，使那裏沒有成群的蒼蠅；好叫你知道我耶和華是在全地之中。出埃及記 8:22。
The first three plagues in Egypt fell everywhere, but Goshen, where the Hebrews lived did not receive Egypt’s seven last plagues. The United States is the nation that fills up its cup of iniquity at the Sunday law. At that point national apostasy is followed by national ruin, but the judgments which produce national ruin are mixed with mercy until Michael stands up and probation closes for all mankind. At the Sunday law in the United States the majority of those who now profess to be Sabbath-keepers will bow to the powers that be and accept the mark of the beast. At that time the Sunday law issue becomes a spiritual test for those who have been outside of Adventism. From the Sunday law in the United States until Michael stands up is the great ingathering of eleventh-hour workers, but the door has already been closed upon those who are held accountable for the light of the seventh-day Sabbath before the Sunday law.
埃及頭三災遍及各處；然而，希伯來人所居住的歌珊地，卻沒有遭受臨到埃及的最後七災。美國乃是在星期日法之時使自己罪孽之杯滿溢的國家。到那時，國家的背道隨即帶來國家的毀滅；然而，那些導致國家毀滅的審判仍摻雜着憐憫，直到米迦勒站起來，恩典時期向全人類終止為止。在美國實施星期日法之時，現今大多數自稱為守安息日的人，將向在上有權柄者屈膝，並接受獸的印記。到那時，星期日法的爭議，對那些一直在復臨信仰之外的人而言，便成為一項屬靈的試驗。從美國的星期日法直到米迦勒站起來，乃是第十一時辰工人的大收聚；但對於那些在星期日法之前，已就第七日安息日之亮光負有責任的人，恩門其實早已向他們關閉了。
“More and more, as the days go by, it is becoming apparent that God’s judgments are in the world. In fire and flood and earthquake He is warning the inhabitants of this earth of His near approach. The time is nearing when the great crisis in the history of the world will have come, when every movement in the government of God will be watched with intense interest and inexpressible apprehension. In quick succession the judgments of God will follow one another—fire and flood and earthquake, with war and bloodshed.
日子一天天過去，愈來愈明顯可見，上帝的審判正在世上。祂藉着火災、水災同地震，警告地上嘅居民，表明祂已經臨近。時候正在迫近，世界歷史中嗰場大危機將要來到；到嗰時，上帝政權中嘅每一舉動，都要被人以極度關注同難以言喻嘅惶恐注視着。上帝嘅審判必迅速接踵而至——火災、水災同地震，並有戰爭同流血。
“Oh, that the people might know the time of their visitation! There are many who have not yet heard the testing truth for this time. There are many with whom the Spirit of God is striving. The time of God’s destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who have had no opportunity to learn what is truth. Tenderly will the Lord look upon them. His heart of mercy is touched; His hand is still stretched out to save, while the door is closed to those who would not enter.
「但願眾民知道自己被眷顧的時候！仍有許多人尚未聽聞這時代的試驗真理。仍有許多人是上帝的靈正在與之感動、爭取的。上帝施行毀滅性審判的時候，對那些從未有機會學習何為真理的人，乃是施憐憫的時候。主必溫柔地垂顧他們。祂憐憫的心被觸動；當那門向那些不肯進入的人關閉之時，祂的手仍然伸出施行拯救。」
“The mercy of God is shown in His long forbearance. He is holding back His judgments, waiting for the message of warning to be sounded to all. Oh, if our people would feel as they should the responsibility resting upon them to give the last message of mercy to the world, what a wonderful work would be done!” Testimonies, volume 9, 97.
「上帝的憐憫乃顯明於祂長久的忍耐之中。祂抑制着祂的審判，等候警告的信息向眾人發出。噢，倘若我們的子民能照着他們所當有的感受，體會那托付在他們身上、要向世界傳達最後憐憫信息的責任，將會成就何等奇妙的大工！」《證言》卷九，97頁。
In the previous passage she identified that “the time of God’s destructive judgments is the time of mercy for those who have had no opportunity to learn what is truth.” In the next passage she refers to that period of time as “the time of trouble.”
喺前一段文字之中，佢指出：「上帝施行毀滅性審判嘅時候，正係嗰啲從未有機會認識乜嘢係真理之人蒙憐憫嘅時候。」喺下一段文字之中，佢將嗰段時期稱為「患難的時候」。
“I saw that the holy Sabbath is, and will be, the separating wall between the true Israel of God and unbelievers; and that the Sabbath is the great question, to unite the hearts of God’s dear waiting saints. And if one believed, and kept the Sabbath, and received the blessing attending it, and then gave it up, and broke the holy commandment, they would shut the gates of the Holy City against themselves, as sure as there was a God that rules in heaven above. I saw that God had children, who do not see and keep the Sabbath. They had not rejected the light on it. And at the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully. This enraged the church, and nominal Adventists, as they could not refute the Sabbath truth. And at this time, God’s chosen, all saw clearly that we had the truth, and they came out and endured the persecution with us.” A Word to the Little Flock, 18, 19.
「我看見，神聖的安息日現今是、將來也必是，真以色列民與不信者之間的分隔牆；而且，安息日乃是那重大問題，為要使神所親愛、等候主來的聖徒同心合意。若有人信了，又守安息日，並領受了隨之而來的福氣，後來卻又把它棄掉，干犯這神聖的誡命，他們就是親手向自己關閉了聖城的門；這事的確定，正如天上有一位掌權的神一樣。我看見，神也有兒女尚未看見並遵守安息日；他們並沒有拒絕這方面的亮光。而在大艱難起頭的時候，我們出去更完全地宣講安息日之際，就被聖靈充滿。這就激怒了教會和名義上的復臨信徒，因為他們不能駁倒安息日的真理。就在那時，神所揀選的人都清楚看見我們有真理，於是他們出來，與我們一同忍受逼迫。」《A Word to the Little Flock》，18, 19.
Though modified a little, the same passage just cited is found in the book Early Writings. In that book she includes commentary on her statement about “the time of trouble.” A Word to the Little Flock was the first publication of the disappointed faithful Millerites after the Great Disappointment of October 22, 1844, and decades later, when editors used portions of that pamphlet to include in the book Early Writings, they clarified that “the time of trouble” that was referred to was not the seven last plagues, for when the seven last plagues are poured out there is no mercy mixed with the judgments.
雖然稍作修改，剛才所引述的同一段文字亦見於《早期著作》一書。在該書中，她對自己關於「患難的時候」的陳述附加了評註。《致小群羊的話》乃是在 1844 年 10 月 22 日大失望之後，失望了的忠心米勒派信徒所發表的第一份刊物；而數十年後，當編者採用那本小冊子中的部分內容收入《早期著作》時，便闡明其中所提到的「患難的時候」並不是七大災，因為當七大災傾倒下來之時，在那些審判中已再沒有憐憫摻雜其中。
“1. On page 33 is given the following: ‘I saw that the holy Sabbath is, and will be, the separating wall between the true Israel of God and unbelievers; and that the Sabbath is the great question to unite the hearts of God’s dear, waiting saints. I saw that God had children who do not see and keep the Sabbath. They have not rejected the light upon it. And at the commencement of the time of trouble, we were filled with the Holy Ghost as we went forth and proclaimed the Sabbath more fully.’
「1. 第33頁載有如下文字：『我看見，神聖嘅安息日而家係，並且將來都必係真以色列的神與不信者之間嘅分隔牆；而且安息日乃係使神所親愛、等候主來嘅聖徒同心合意嘅重大問題。我看見，神有一啲兒女仲未看見並遵守安息日；佢哋並未拒絕有關安息日嘅亮光。及至艱難時期開始嘅時候，我哋被聖靈充滿，就出去更充分地宣講安息日。』」
“This view was given in 1847 when there were but very few of the Advent brethren observing the Sabbath, and of these but few supposed that its observance was of sufficient importance to draw a line between the people of God and unbelievers. Now the fulfillment of that view is beginning to be seen. ‘The commencement of that time of trouble,’ here mentioned does not refer to the time when the plagues shall begin to be poured out, but to a short period just before they are poured out, while Christ is in the sanctuary. At that time, while the work of salvation is closing, trouble will be coming on the earth, and the nations will be angry, yet held in check so as not to prevent the work of the third angel. At that time the ‘latter rain,’ or refreshing from the presence of the Lord, will come, to give power to the loud voice of the third angel, and prepare the saints to stand in the period when the seven last plagues shall be poured out.” Early Writings, 85.
「這異象是在1847年賜下的；當時遵守安息日的復臨信徒為數甚少，而其中只有少數人認為，遵守安息日具有足夠的重要性，足以在上帝的子民與不信的人之間劃出界線。如今，該異象的應驗已開始顯明。這裏所提到『那患難時期的開始』，並不是指災殃開始傾倒下來的時候，而是指在災殃傾倒之前不久、當基督仍在聖所裏的那一段短暫時期。那時，當救恩的工作將近結束之際，患難將臨到地上，列國也必發怒，然而仍會受到約束，以致不能攔阻第三位天使的工作。就在那時，『晚雨』，即從主面前而來的甦醒，必要降下，賜能力給第三位天使的大聲呼喊，並預備聖徒，使他們能在那七災傾倒之時站立得住。」《早期著作》，85頁。
At the Sunday law in the United States national apostasy will be followed by national ruin. At that Sunday law Adventism in the United States will be divided into two classes, one will receive the mark of the beast the other the seal of God. The national ruin of the United States is represented by the first three plagues of Egypt. Those judgments continue until the close of human probation, then the seven last plagues that are unmixed with mercy are poured out.
當美國頒佈星期日法之時，國家性的背道將隨之而來，繼而導致國家性的毀滅。於那星期日法之下，美國的復臨信徒將分為兩等：一等受獸的印記，另一等受上帝的印。美國國家性的毀滅，乃由埃及頭三災所預表。那些審判將持續，直到人類恩門關閉；其後，那七個毫無憐憫摻雜其間的末後之災便要傾下。
My point is less about the prophetic history of Egypt and more about the fact that Ellen White identifies Egypt as the symbol of the nation that forces the entire world to receive the mark of the beast, for in doing so she is using the beginning to illustrate the end, which is the prophetic signature of Jesus as the Alpha and Omega. In the Exodus story when the Lord is entering into covenant with ancient Israel, He introduces Himself with a new name.
我所要指出嘅，與其話係關乎埃及嘅預言歷史，不如話更在於以下事實：懷愛倫指出，埃及乃係嗰個強迫全世界領受獸印之國家嘅象徵；因為佢咁樣做，乃係以起初說明結局，呢一點正係耶穌作為阿拉法同俄梅戛嘅預言性印記。喺出埃及嘅故事裏，當主與古代以色列立約之時，祂以一個新名向佢哋顯明自己。
Then the Lord said unto Moses, Now shalt thou see what I will do to Pharaoh: for with a strong hand shall he let them go, and with a strong hand shall he drive them out of his land.
耶和華對摩西說：「而家你必看見我向法老所要行的事；因我必用大能的手使他容他們去，並且用大能的手把他們從他的地趕出去。」
And God spake unto Moses, and said unto him, I am the Lord: And I appeared unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, by the name of God Almighty, but by my name JEHOVAH was I not known to them.
神曉諭摩西，對他說：「我是耶和華；我曾向亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各顯現，稱為全能的神；至於我的名耶和華，他們未曾認識。」
And I have also established my covenant with them, to give them the land of Canaan, the land of their pilgrimage, wherein they were strangers. And I have also heard the groaning of the children of Israel, whom the Egyptians keep in bondage; and I have remembered my covenant. Wherefore say unto the children of Israel, I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians, and I will rid you out of their bondage, and I will redeem you with a stretched out arm, and with great judgments: And I will take you to me for a people, and I will be to you a God: and ye shall know that I am the Lord your God, which bringeth you out from under the burdens of the Egyptians. And I will bring you in unto the land, concerning the which I did swear to give it to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob; and I will give it you for an heritage: I am the Lord.
我亦與他們立了我的約，要把迦南地，就是他們寄居之地、他們在那裏作客旅的地方，賜給他們。我也聽見以色列人的哀聲；埃及人使他們受轄制，我也記念我的約。所以，你要對以色列人說：我是耶和華；我要把你們從埃及人的重擔之下領出來，救你們脫離他們的奴役；我要用伸出來的膀臂，並藉着大施審判，救贖你們。我要以你們作我的子民，我也要作你們的 神；你們就知道我是耶和華你們的 神，是把你們從埃及人的重擔之下領出來的。我要領你們進入那地，就是我曾起誓要賜給亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各的那地；我要把那地賜給你們為業：我是耶和華。
And Moses spake so unto the children of Israel: but they hearkened not unto Moses for anguish of spirit, and for cruel bondage. Exodus 6:1–9.
摩西就這樣對以色列人說；只是他們因心靈愁苦，又因受苦工的轄制，不肯聽從摩西。出埃及記 6:1–9。
The Lord here is identifying Moses as the representative of His covenant as were Jacob, Isaac and Abraham. Until the history of Moses the name JEHOVAH was unknown to Abraham and his descendants, and in the history of the renewing of Abraham’s covenant when the Hebrews were to be delivered from Egyptian bondage the Lord introduces a new revelation of His character, for a name represents character prophetically. When Abram entered into covenant with the Lord, the Lord changed his name to Abraham. At the beginning of the prophecy of Egyptian bondage the human representative of the covenant had his name changed and at the end of that prophecy God introduced a new name for Himself.
主喺呢度係將摩西指明為祂之約嘅代表，正如雅各、以撒同亞伯拉罕一樣。直到摩西嘅歷史為止，亞伯拉罕同佢嘅後裔都未曾認識「JEHOVAH」呢個名；而喺更新亞伯拉罕之約嘅歷史之中，當希伯來人將要從埃及嘅奴役之下被拯救出嚟之時，主就引入對祂品格嘅一個新啟示，因為就預言而言，名字乃係代表品格。當亞伯蘭與主立約之時，主就將佢嘅名改為亞伯拉罕。喺埃及奴役呢個預言開始之初，作為立約之人間代表者，佢嘅名字被更改；而喺嗰個預言結束之時，神就為自己引入一個新嘅名。
Abram entered into covenant in chapter fifteen and there set forth the prophecy of Egyptian bondage for four hundred years. In chapter seventeen Abram was given the rite of circumcision and his and Sarah’s names were changed.
亞伯蘭喺第十五章立約，並喺嗰度宣告咗喺埃及為奴四百年嘅預言。喺第十七章，亞伯蘭領受咗割禮嘅禮儀，而佢同撒拉嘅名字亦都被更改。
Four hundred years later Moses was raised up to fulfill Abraham’s four-hundred-year prophecy. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Moses all represent the one hundred and forty-four thousand who enter into covenant with the Lord in the last days.
四百年之後，摩西被興起，為要應驗亞伯拉罕那四百年的預言。亞伯拉罕、以撒、雅各同摩西，都係預表末後日子與主立約嘅十四萬四千人。
“In the last days of this earth’s history, God’s covenant with his commandment-keeping people is to be renewed.” Review and Herald, February 26, 1914.
「喺呢個世界歷史嘅末後日子，上帝同祂嗰啲遵守誡命之子民所立嘅約，係要被更新。」《Review and Herald》，1914年2月26日。
The separation of the Sabbath-keepers who accept the mark of the beast from the Sabbath-keepers who receive the seal of God is accomplished at the Sunday law. The separation is represented in the parable of the ten virgins.
喺星期日法令頒布之時，嗰啲接受獸印記、守安息日嘅人，同嗰啲領受上帝印記、守安息日嘅人，就被分別出嚟。呢種分別，乃係由十個童女嘅比喻所表明。
“The parable of the ten virgins of Matthew 25 also illustrates the experience of the Adventist people.” The Great Controversy, 393.
「《馬太福音》第25章十個童女嘅比喻，同樣說明咗復臨信徒嘅經歷。」《善惡之爭》，393頁。
“I am often referred to the parable of the ten virgins, five of whom were wise, and five foolish. This parable has been and will be fulfilled to the very letter, for it has a special application to this time, and, like the third angel’s message, has been fulfilled and will continue to be present truth till the close of time.” Review and Herald, August 19, 1890.
「我時常被引到那十個童女的比喻，當中五個是聰明的，五個是愚拙的。這個比喻已經應驗，並且將要完全逐字逐句地應驗，因為它特別適用於這個時候；而且，正如第三位天使的信息一樣，它已經應驗，並且將會繼續成為現代真理，直到時代的終結。」《Review and Herald》，1890年8月19日。
The parable was fulfilled on October 22, 1844 when the wise and foolish virgins of Millerite history were separated. The beginning of Adventism represents the end of Adventism, and the separation at the end is a fulfillment of the parable of the ten virgins and the separation at the end is produced by the Sunday law.
呢個比喻喺1844年10月22日應驗咗，當時米勒派歷史中聰明同愚拙嘅童女被分別出嚟。復臨運動嘅開始代表復臨運動嘅終結，而末後嘅分別乃係十個童女比喻嘅應驗；並且末後嘅分別係由星期日法令所造成。
“Again, these parables teach that there is to be no probation after the judgment. When the work of the gospel is completed, there immediately follows the separation between the good and the evil, and the destiny of each class is forever fixed.” Christ’s Object Lessons, 123.
「再者，呢啲比喻教導我哋：審判之後，唔再有恩典時期。當福音嘅工作完成之時，善與惡嘅分別就隨即出現，而各等人嘅命運亦就此永遠定局。」《基督比喻實訓》，123頁。
The parable of the ten virgins identifies that it is the wise virgins of Adventism that receive the seal of God and the foolish virgins of Adventism that receive the mark of the beast at the Sunday law in the United States. The foolish virgins are also represented as Laodiceans.
十個童女的比喻指出：在美國星期日法案之時，復臨信仰中那些聰明的童女領受 神的印記，而復臨信仰中那些愚拙的童女則領受獸的印記。愚拙的童女亦被表述為老底嘉人。
“The state of the Church represented by the foolish virgins, is also spoken of as the Laodicean state.” Review and Herald, August 19, 1890.
「由愚拙童女所代表嘅教會狀況，亦被稱為老底嘉嘅狀況。」《Review and Herald》，1890年8月19日。
In the last days, when God renews His covenant with His commandment-keeping people, God will reveal a new name of Himself as He did when He renewed the covenant in the time of Moses. The condition of the foolish virgins is that they have no oil, and the condition of the Laodiceans is that they are too blind to see they have no oil. It is obvious that if the foolish virgins are Laodiceans, then the wise virgins are Philadelphians.
喺末後嘅日子，當上帝同祂嗰啲遵守誡命嘅子民更新祂嘅約之時，上帝必照住祂喺摩西時代更新此約時所行嘅一樣，向人顯明祂自己一個新嘅名。愚拙嘅童女嘅情況，係佢哋冇油；而老底嘉人嘅情況，係佢哋瞎眼到一個地步，連自己冇油都睇唔見。顯然，若然愚拙嘅童女就係老底嘉人，咁智慧嘅童女就係非拉鐵非人。
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.
你要寫信給非拉鐵非教會的使者，說：那聖潔、真實、攞住大衞之鑰匙、開咗就冇人能關、關咗就冇人能開嗰位，如是說：我知道你嘅行為；看哪，我已經喺你面前設下一道敞開嘅門，係冇人能關嘅：因為你略有一點力量，也曾遵守我嘅道，並冇有否認我嘅名。
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
看哪，我要使那些屬撒但會堂的人，就是那些自稱是猶太人，其實不是，不過是說謊的；看哪，我要使他們前來，在你腳前下拜，也使他們知道我是已經愛了你。因你持守了我忍耐的道，我也必保守你免去那將要臨到普天下、要試煉住在地上的人的試煉時刻。
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches. Revelation 3:7–13.
看哪，我必快來；你要持守你所有的，免得有人奪去你的冠冕。得勝的，我要叫他在我神的殿中作柱子，他也必不再從那裏出去；我又要將我神的名和我神城的名——這城就是從天上、從我神那裏降下來的新耶路撒冷——並我的新名，都寫在他身上。有耳的，就應當聽聖靈向眾教會所說的話。啟示錄 3:7–13。
The Philadelphians represent the one hundred and forty-four thousand and they are promised that God would write His new name upon them. When the Lord enters into covenant with the one hundred and forty-four thousand, He will introduce a new name of Himself. Abraham was told by the Lord that He was God Almighty.
非拉鐵非人代表那十四萬四千人；並且有應許說，神要將祂的新名寫在他們身上。當主與那十四萬四千人立約之時，祂必把祂自己的一個新名啟示出來。亞伯拉罕曾蒙主曉諭，知道祂是全能的神。
And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the Lord appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect. And I will make my covenant between me and thee, and will multiply thee exceedingly. And Abram fell on his face: and God talked with him, saying, As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. Genesis 17:1–5.
亞伯蘭年九十九歲的時候，耶和華向亞伯蘭顯現，對他說：「我是全能的神；你當行在我面前，作完全人。我必在我與你之間立我的約，使你極其繁多。」亞伯蘭就俯伏在地；神又對他說：「至於我，看哪，我的約是與你立的；你必作多國的父。你的名不可再叫亞伯蘭，你的名要叫亞伯拉罕；因為我已立你作多國的父。」創世記 17:1–5。
When the Lord first entered into covenant with a chosen people in the time of Abraham, He identified Himself as the Almighty God. When He furthered His covenant relationship in the time of Moses, for the first time he identified Himself as JEHOVAH. When Jesus came to confirm the covenant with many for one week, He introduced a new name of God that had only been expressed one time in the Old Testament and that was by a Babylonian.
當主喺阿伯拉罕嘅時代首先與一個蒙揀選嘅民族立約嘅時候，祂表明自己係全能嘅神。當祂喺摩西嘅時代進一步推展祂嘅立約關係之時，祂第一次表明自己係 JEHOVAH。當耶穌嚟到，要與許多人堅立盟約一個七之時，祂引入咗神一個新嘅名；呢個名喺舊約只曾經出現過一次，而且係由一個巴比倫人講出嚟嘅。
Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonied, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counsellors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God. Daniel 3:24, 25.
那時，尼布甲尼撒王驚奇，急忙起身，對謀士說：「我們豈不是把三個人捆起來，扔在火中麼？」他們回答王說：「王啊，實在是。」王說：「看哪，我見有四個人，並沒有捆綁，在火中遊行，也沒有受傷；那第四個的相貌，好像神子。」但以理書 3:24, 25。
It is very easy to establish that chapter three of Daniel is identifying the Sunday law in the United States. In Daniel three Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego represent the one-hundred and forty-four thousand. The one hundred and forty-four thousand are those that renew the covenant for the final time. In Daniel three we see a prophetic illustration of the Sunday law and latter rain history. Christ was and will be in the fires of persecution with his three worthies, representing not only the one hundred and forty-four thousand, but also the three angels messages. In the fire, which is typifying the Sunday law crisis, He is identified with one of His names, and it’s a name that would not be introduced into history until Christ arrived as the Son of God. In the illustration of chapter three we see those that renew the covenant at the end of the world interacting with Christ during the final crisis, and He has a name that no man knew.
但以理書第三章所指明嘅，乃係美國嘅星期日法，呢一點係極容易確立嘅。喺但以理書第三章入面，沙得拉、米煞、亞伯尼歌預表嗰十四萬四千人。十四萬四千人，就係嗰啲喺最後一次更新聖約嘅人。喺但以理書第三章，我哋見到一幅關於星期日法同晚雨歷史嘅預言性圖畫。基督曾經同埋將要喺逼迫嘅火焰當中，與祂嗰三位忠貞者同在；佢哋所代表嘅，不單止係十四萬四千人，亦都係三天使嘅信息。喺火中——呢火乃係預表星期日法危機——祂係以祂其中一個名被識別出嚟；而呢個名，直到基督以神子嘅身分來到之時，先至會被帶入歷史當中。喺第三章呢幅圖畫入面，我哋見到嗰啲喺世界末時更新聖約嘅人，喺最後危機當中與基督互動；而祂有一個名，係冇人知道嘅。
Before I stray too far away from our consideration of the Egyptian deliverance representing the Sunday law in the United States, we should remind ourselves that before the first of the ten plagues began in Egypt there was genuine Sabbath agitation.
喺我哋對「埃及得拯救」象徵美國嘅《星期日法》呢一點嘅考察偏離得太遠之前，我哋應當提醒自己：喺埃及十災嘅第一災開始之前，確實曾經有過真正嘅安息日鼓動。
And Pharaoh said, Behold, the people of the land now are many, and ye make them rest from their burdens. And Pharaoh commanded the same day the taskmasters of the people, and their officers, saying, Ye shall no more give the people straw to make brick, as heretofore: let them go and gather straw for themselves. And the tale of the bricks, which they did make heretofore, ye shall lay upon them; ye shall not diminish ought thereof: for they be idle; therefore they cry, saying, Let us go and sacrifice to our God. Let there more work be laid upon the men, that they may labour therein; and let them not regard vain words. And the taskmasters of the people went out, and their officers, and they spake to the people, saying, Thus saith Pharaoh, I will not give you straw. Go ye, get you straw where ye can find it: yet not ought of your work shall be diminished. So the people were scattered abroad throughout all the land of Egypt to gather stubble instead of straw. And the taskmasters hasted them, saying, Fulfil your works, your daily tasks, as when there was straw. And the officers of the children of Israel, which Pharaoh’s taskmasters had set over them, were beaten, and demanded, Wherefore have ye not fulfilled your task in making brick both yesterday and today, as heretofore? Then the officers of the children of Israel came and cried unto Pharaoh, saying, Wherefore dealest thou thus with thy servants? There is no straw given unto thy servants, and they say to us, Make brick: and, behold, thy servants are beaten; but the fault is in thine own people. But he said, Ye are idle, ye are idle: therefore ye say, Let us go and do sacrifice to the Lord. Go therefore now, and work; for there shall no straw be given you, yet shall ye deliver the tale of bricks. And the officers of the children of Israel did see that they were in evil case, after it was said, Ye shall not minish ought from your bricks of your daily task. Exodus 5:5–19.
法老說：「看哪，這地的百姓如今眾多，你們竟使他們歇下，不作他們的苦工。」法老就在當日吩咐百姓的督工和他們的官長，說：「你們不可再像從前那樣給百姓草，好讓他們做磚；要叫他們自己去拾草。至於他們從前所做磚的數目，你們仍要向他們追討，一點也不可減少；因為他們懶惰，所以才呼喊說：『讓我們去向我們的神獻祭。』要把更重的工加在這些人身上，叫他們勞碌於其中，不去理會虛妄的話。」百姓的督工和他們的官長就出去，對百姓說：「法老這樣說：『我不給你們草。你們自己到哪裏能找到草，就往哪裏去取；但你們的工一點也不可減少。』」於是百姓分散在埃及全地，拾取碎稭，代替草。督工催逼他們，說：「你們每日當作的工，都要完成，像從前有草一樣。」法老督工所派管轄以色列人的官長被打，又被追問說：「你們昨天今天為甚麼不像從前那樣完成做磚的定額呢？」於是以色列人的官長來哀求法老，說：「你為甚麼這樣待你的僕人呢？並沒有草給你的僕人，他們卻對我們說：『做磚吧！』看哪，你的僕人被打了，其實錯在你自己的百姓。」但法老說：「你們是懶惰的，你們是懶惰的，所以你們才說：『讓我們去向耶和華獻祭。』現在你們去作工吧！草是不會給你們的，然而磚的定額，你們仍要交出來。」以色列人的官長聽見有人說：「你們每日所當交的磚，一點也不可減少，」就知道自己處境艱難。出埃及記 5:5–19。
Before the Sunday law there will be escalating agitation against those who keep the seventh-day Sabbath, just as there was leading up to the Egyptian plagues. Moses was the one that was identified by both the Egyptians and the Hebrews as the one who was causing all the trouble, just as Ahab accused Elijah of.
喺星期日法令頒布之前，針對嗰啲守第七日安息日之人嘅鼓動與騷擾，將會不斷升級，正如喺埃及各樣災殃臨到之前所發生嘅一樣。摩西就係嗰位被埃及人同希伯來人一致認定為惹起一切禍患嘅人，正如亞哈指控以利亞一樣。
And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel? And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the Lord, and thou hast followed Baalim. 1 Kings 18:17, 18.
亞哈見到以利亞的時候，就對他說：「使以色列遭禍的就是你嗎？」以利亞回答說：「使以色列遭禍的唔係我，乃係你同你父家；因為你哋離棄咗耶和華嘅誡命，又去隨從諸巴力。」列王紀上 18:17, 18.
The story of Moses illustrates the Sunday law history and the story of Elijah illustrates the Sunday law history. Together, or apart Moses and Elijah are symbols. At the Transfiguration of Christ, they together represented the one hundred and forty-four thousand who do not die and those who die in the Lord. Moses was resurrected, Elijah never died. They are also the two prophets who are the tormentors of the people in Revelation eleven. Much truth is represented by Moses and Elijah as symbols, and we hope to address that later.
摩西嘅故事說明咗星期日法案嘅歷史，而以利亞嘅故事亦說明咗星期日法案嘅歷史。無論一同出現，抑或分開嚟看，摩西同以利亞都係象徵。喺基督登山變像之時，佢哋一同代表嗰十四萬四千人當中唔經歷死亡嘅，以及嗰啲喺主裏面死去嘅人。摩西曾經復活；以利亞從未死過。佢哋亦都係《啟示錄》第十一章入面嗰兩位先知，即係叫眾民受痛苦嘅人。藉住摩西同以利亞作為象徵，表明咗許多真理；我哋希望稍後會論到呢一點。
Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. Malachi 4:5, 6.
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Just before human probation closes “Elijah the prophet” is to appear with a special message that turns “the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers.” The prophets all testify of the end of the world, and they all agree with each other.
正喺人類恩典時期結束之前，「先知以利亞」要帶着一個特別嘅信息顯現，使「父親嘅心轉向兒女，兒女嘅心轉向父親。」眾先知都為世界嘅終結作見證，而且佢哋彼此一致。
And the spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets. For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints. 1 Corinthians 14:32, 33.
先知的靈，原是順服先知的；因為神不是叫人混亂，乃是叫人平安。正如在眾聖徒的各教會中一樣。哥林多前書 14:32, 33.
Elijah’s message arrives just before the great and dreadful day of the Lord; therefore, it is the very same special message in the book of Revelation which is represented as “the Revelation of Jesus Christ.” When “the time is at hand” Elijah’s special message shows God’s “servants things which must shortly come to pass.”
以利亞的信息乃喺主偉大而可畏之日來到之前臨到；因此，呢正正就係《啟示錄》中所記載嗰一個同樣特別嘅信息，並且被表述為「耶穌基督的啟示」。當「時候近了」之時，以利亞嗰特別的信息就向神的「眾僕人」顯明「將要快成的事」。
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.
耶穌基督的啟示，就是 神賜給他的，叫他將那些快要成就的事指示他的眾僕人；他就差遣他的使者，曉諭他的僕人約翰。約翰見證了 神的道，和耶穌基督的見證，並他所看見的一切事。念這預言上的話的，和那些聽見又遵守其中所記載之事的，都是有福的；因為時候近了。啟示錄 1:1–3
Notice that when Malachi employs Elijah as a symbol, he includes a direct reference to commandment keeping.
請注意，當瑪拉基以以利亞作為象徵之時，他同時直接提及遵守誡命。
Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse. Malachi 4:4–6.
你們當記念我僕人摩西的律法，就是我在何烈山為全以色列所吩咐他的律例和典章。看哪，耶和華大而可畏之日未到以前，我必差遣先知以利亞到你們那裏去。他必使父親的心轉向兒女，兒女的心轉向父親，免得我來咒詛遍地。瑪拉基書 4:4–6。
These three verses are the last of the Old Testament, and contain the final promise of the Old Testament as well as an emphasis on keeping the ten commandments. There are seven “blessings” in the book of Revelation and the final one is a blessing upon those who keep the ten commandments.
呢三節經文係舊約最後嘅經文，當中包含咗舊約最後嘅應許，並且強調要遵守十誡。《啟示錄》書中有七個「福」，而最後一個福，乃係臨到嗰啲遵守十誡嘅人。
I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last. Blessed are they that do his commandments, that they may have right to the tree of life, and may enter in through the gates into the city. Revelation 22:13, 14.
我是阿拉法，我是俄梅戛；我是首先的，我是末後的；我是初，我是終。那些遵守祂誡命的人有福了！使他們得有權柄到生命樹那裏，也能從門進城。啟示錄 22:13, 14.
The last promise in the Old Testament informs us to “Remember” the ten commandments, but in so doing it emphasizes the one commandment that includes the command to “remember.”
舊約中最後一個應許吩咐我哋要「記念」十誡；而喺如此行嘅時候，佢特別強調嗰一條包含「記念」呢個命令嘅誡命。
Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Exodus 20:8–11.
當記念安息日，守為聖日。六日要勞碌，作你一切的工；但第七日是向耶和華你神當守的安息日；這一日你和你的兒子、你的女兒、你的僕人、你的婢女、你的牲畜，以及在你城門內寄居的客旅，無論何工都不可作。因為六日之內，耶和華造天、地、海，和其中的萬物，第七日便安息了；所以耶和華賜福與安息日，定為聖日。出埃及記 20:8–11。
The last promise in both the Old and New Testaments emphasizes the commandments of God with a special emphasis on the seventh-day Sabbath. Malachi says to “remember” and John informs us you are blessed for doing so. The seventh-day Sabbath commemorates God’s creation and his creative power. The Sabbath also becomes the point of controversy in the last days of earth’s history. When John records the “blessing” upon those who do his commandments, he is simply recording what Jesus, the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and ending, the first and the last proclaimed. Therefore, the last promise of the New Testament has to do with the Seventh-day Sabbath and also the attribute of divinity that identifies the end by the beginning.
舊約與新約之中最後嘅應許，都強調上帝嘅誡命，並且特別着重第七日安息日。瑪拉基話要「記念」，而約翰則話畀我哋知，咁樣行嘅人係有福嘅。第七日安息日係為咗記念上帝嘅創造同埋佢創造嘅大能。安息日亦都成為地上歷史末後日子爭議嘅焦點。當約翰記錄嗰啲遵行佢誡命之人所蒙嘅「福」時，佢只不過係記錄緊耶穌——阿拉法同俄梅戛、首先的與末後的、起初與終結——所宣告嘅話。因此，新約最後嘅應許，係關乎第七日安息日，亦都關乎嗰一種藉着起初嚟標識終局嘅神性屬性。
The first truth mentioned in Genesis, which means beginnings identifies the Creator, the creation and a special emphasis on the Sabbath. Taken together, line upon line the beginning of the Old Testament and the end of the both the Old and New Testaments emphasize God as the Creator, the Ten Commandments, the Sabbath commandment and that Jesus is the beginning and end.
《創世記》所提到嘅第一個真理——其名意指起初——指出咗創造主、受造之物，以及對安息日嘅特別強調。綜合嚟看，呢啲真理層層相承；舊約嘅開端，以及舊約同新約嘅終結，都強調上帝乃創造主、十誡、安息日嘅誡命，並且耶穌係開始同終結。
Elijah the prophet is employed by Malachi as a symbol in the last promise of the Old Testament and he was the prophet who confronted Jezebel and Ahab. The book of Revelation employs Jezebel as a symbol of the papacy and ten kings as a symbol of the United Nations. Elijah’s confrontation with Ahab and Jezebel represents the one hundred and forty-four thousand’s confrontation with the United Nations, empowered by the United States and directed by the papacy. As king of the ten northern tribes of Israel Ahab represented the ruling power over ten tribes, thus typifying the United States (Ahab) empowering the United Nations (ten tribes or ten kings in Revelation seventeen) to do the persecution of Sabbath-keepers for the Papacy (Jezebel). When Malachi uses Elijah to represent a message that comes before the great and dreadful day of the Lord, Elijah represents those who are persecuted by modern Rome (the dragon, the beast and the false prophet) as he was persecuted by Jezebel for three and a half years. Emphasizing the Sabbath by employing the word “remember” in Malachi 4:4 adds the Sunday law crisis to the prophetic scenario illustrated by Malachi.
先知以利亞喺《舊約》最後一個應許之中，被瑪拉基用作一個象徵；而佢正係嗰位同耶洗別同亞哈對抗嘅先知。《啟示錄》用耶洗別作為教皇制度嘅象徵，又用十王作為聯合國嘅象徵。以利亞同亞哈、耶洗別嘅對抗，代表嗰十四萬四千人同聯合國嘅對抗；而聯合國係由美國賦予權能，並由教皇制度所指揮。亞哈作為以色列北方十個支派嘅王，代表住統治十個支派嘅掌權勢力；因此，佢預表美國（亞哈）賦予聯合國（十個支派，或《啟示錄》第十七章嘅十王）權能，替教皇制度（耶洗別）執行對守安息日之人嘅迫害。當瑪拉基用以利亞去代表一個喺主大而可畏之日以前臨到嘅信息時，以利亞就代表嗰啲受現代羅馬迫害嘅人（龍、獸同假先知），正如佢曾經畀耶洗別迫害三年半一樣。瑪拉基書 4:4 用「記念」呢個詞去強調安息日，亦將星期日法案危機加入到瑪拉基所展示嘅預言場景之中。
Much more needs to be added to the consideration of the truths that are conveyed by comparing the beginning of the Old Testament with the end of the Old Testament, and then comparing the beginning of the Bible with the end of the Bible. In Genesis we have the Creator, creation and the Sabbath that commemorates the creation. In Malachi we have the Sabbath commandment identified as the crisis issue that leads to the close of human probation and the seven last plagues, or as Malachi calls it, “the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” Elijah represents God’s people who present the third angel’s message to a dying world.
將《舊約》嘅開始同《舊約》嘅結束相比，然後再將《聖經》嘅開始同《聖經》嘅結束相比，當中所傳達嘅真理，仲有好多需要加以闡述。喺《創世記》入面，我哋見到創造主、創造，以及記念創造嘅安息日。喺《瑪拉基書》入面，我哋見到安息日誡命被指出為危機嘅爭議焦點，並引向人類恩門關閉同七大災，或者照《瑪拉基書》所講，乃係「耶和華大而可畏之日」。以利亞象徵上帝嘅子民，向一個垂死嘅世界傳講第三位天使嘅信息。
“Today, in the spirit and power of Elias and of John the Baptist, messengers of God’s appointment are calling the attention of a judgment-bound world to the solemn events soon to take place in connection with the closing hours of probation and the appearance of Christ Jesus as King of kings and Lord of lords.” Prophets and Kings, 715, 716.
「今日，本着以利亞同施浸約翰嘅靈同能力，照上帝所指定嘅使者，正喚起一個注定要受審判之世界嘅注意，去留心嗰啲快將發生、並且同恩典時期最後嘅時辰以及基督耶穌以萬王之王、萬主之主顯現有關嘅嚴肅事件。」《先知與君王》，715、716。
The beginning of the Bible which is also the beginning of the Old Testament identifies the same story as the end of both Testaments, but each beginning and ending has its own truth to emphasize and contribute to the message. In Genesis the focus is on the activities of God, in Malachi the focus is on the message that warns of the coming crisis. The end of Revelation identifies the Alpha and Omega. In the first book of the New Testament, we read the following.
聖經嘅開端，同時亦係舊約嘅開端，所指認嘅乃係同一個故事；而兩約嘅結尾亦然。然而，每一個開端同結尾，都各有其所要強調嘅真理，並對整個信息有所貢獻。喺《創世記》入面，焦點係上帝嘅作為；喺《瑪拉基書》入面，焦點則係嗰發出警告、預告將臨危機嘅信息。《啟示錄》嘅結尾指認咗阿拉法同俄梅嘎。喺新約嘅第一卷書入面，我哋讀到以下嘅話。
The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
耶穌基督、大衛之子、亞伯拉罕之子嘅世系錄。
Abraham begat Isaac; and Isaac begat Jacob; and Jacob begat Judas and his brethren; And Judas begat Phares and Zara of Thamar; and Phares begat Esrom; and Esrom begat Aram; And Aram begat Aminadab; and Aminadab begat Naasson; and Naasson begat Salmon; And Salmon begat Booz of Rachab; and Booz begat Obed of Ruth; and Obed begat Jesse; And Jesse begat David the king; and David the king begat Solomon of her that had been the wife of Urias; And Solomon begat Roboam; and Roboam begat Abia; and Abia begat Asa; And Asa begat Josaphat; and Josaphat begat Joram; and Joram begat Ozias; And Ozias begat Joatham; and Joatham begat Achaz; and Achaz begat Ezekias; And Ezekias begat Manasses; and Manasses begat Amon; and Amon begat Josias; And Josias begat Jechonias and his brethren, about the time they were carried away to Babylon: And after they were brought to Babylon, Jechonias begat Salathiel; and Salathiel begat Zorobabel; And Zorobabel begat Abiud; and Abiud begat Eliakim; and Eliakim begat Azor; And Azor begat Sadoc; and Sadoc begat Achim; and Achim begat Eliud; And Eliud begat Eleazar; and Eleazar begat Matthan; and Matthan begat Jacob; And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.
亞伯拉罕生以撒；以撒生雅各；雅各生猶大同佢嘅弟兄；猶大從他瑪氏生法勒斯同謝拉；法勒斯生以斯崙；以斯崙生亞蘭；亞蘭生亞米拿達；亞米拿達生拿順；拿順生撒門；撒門從喇合氏生波阿斯；波阿斯從路得氏生俄備得；俄備得生耶西；耶西生大衛王；大衛王從烏利亞妻子生所羅門；所羅門生羅波安；羅波安生亞比雅；亞比雅生亞撒；亞撒生約沙法；約沙法生約蘭；約蘭生烏西亞；烏西亞生約坦；約坦生亞哈斯；亞哈斯生希西家；希西家生瑪拿西；瑪拿西生亞們；亞們生約西亞；約西亞生耶哥尼雅同佢嘅弟兄；嗰時正值百姓被遷到巴比倫。遷到巴比倫之後，耶哥尼雅生撒拉鐵；撒拉鐵生所羅巴伯；所羅巴伯生亞比玉；亞比玉生以利亞敬；以利亞敬生亞所；亞所生撒督；撒督生亞金；亞金生以律；以律生以利亞撒；以利亞撒生馬但；馬但生雅各；雅各生約瑟，就係馬利亞嘅丈夫；那稱為基督嘅耶穌，乃是由馬利亞所生。
So all the generations from Abraham to David are fourteen generations; and from David until the carrying away into Babylon are fourteen generations; and from the carrying away into Babylon unto Christ are fourteen generations.
咁樣，從阿伯拉罕到大衛，共有十四代；從大衛到遷至巴比倫的時候，共有十四代；從遷至巴比倫的時候到基督，共有十四代。
Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not willing to make her a publick example, was minded to put her away privily. But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost.
耶穌基督降生的事，乃是這樣：他母親馬利亞已經許配了約瑟，還沒有同房，便被發現從聖靈懷了孕。她丈夫約瑟是個義人，不願意明明地羞辱她，便有意暗暗地休她。正思念這些事的時候，看哪，主的使者在夢中向他顯現，說：「大衛的子孫約瑟，不要怕，只管娶過你的妻子馬利亞來，因她所懷的孕，是從聖靈來的。」
And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS. Matthew 1:1–25.
她將要生一個兒子，你要給他起名叫耶穌；因他要將自己的百姓從罪惡裏拯救出來。這一切的事成就，是要應驗主藉先知所說的話，說：看哪，必有童女懷孕生子；人要稱他的名為以馬內利。以馬內利翻出來，就是「神與我們同在」。約瑟從睡中醒來，就遵着主的使者所吩咐他的去行，把妻子娶過來；只是沒有和她同房，等她生了頭生的兒子，就給他起名叫耶穌。馬太福音 1:1–25。
The beginning of the New Testament agrees with the beginning and ending of the Old Testament and the ending of the New Testament for it emphasizes God’s creative power, for the power Christ employed to create all things in six days is the identical power He uses to “save his people from their sins.” The word Emmanuel, as the passage cites from the writings of Isaiah means “God with us.” He dwells within His people by combining His divinity with our humanity, and this was the very combination He accomplished when He was incarnated in Mary.
新約嘅開端，與舊約嘅開端同結尾，以及新約嘅結尾，彼此相符，因為佢都強調上帝嘅創造大能；基督用嚟喺六日之內創造萬有嘅能力，正正就係佢用嚟「將自己嘅百姓從罪惡裏拯救出來」嘅同一能力。經文從以賽亞嘅著作所引用嘅「以馬內利」一詞，意思就係「上帝與我哋同在」。佢將自己嘅神性與我哋嘅人性結合，因此住喺佢嘅子民裏面；而呢個結合，正正就係佢喺馬利亞身上道成肉身之時所成就嘅。
“Nothing less than perfect obedience can meet the standard of God’s requirement. He has not left His requirements indefinite. He has enjoined nothing that is not necessary in order to bring man into harmony with Him. We are to point sinners to His ideal of character and to lead them to Christ, by whose grace only can this ideal be reached.
「唯有完全嘅順服，先至能夠符合上帝要求嘅標準。祂並冇將自己嘅要求留得含糊不清。祂所吩咐嘅，冇一樣唔係為咗使人與祂和諧一致所必需嘅。我哋應當向罪人指出祂品格嘅理想，並且帶領佢哋到基督面前；唯有藉着祂嘅恩典，呢個理想先至可以達到。」
“The Savior took upon Himself the infirmities of humanity and lived a sinless life, that men might have no fear that because of the weakness of human nature they could not overcome. Christ came to make us ‘partakers of the divine nature,’ and His life declares that humanity, combined with divinity, does not commit sin.” Ministry of Healing, 180.
「救主親自承擔咗人類嘅軟弱，並且過住無罪嘅生活，叫人唔使懼怕，唔會因為人性嘅軟弱就不能得勝。基督嚟，係要使我哋『有分於上帝嘅性情』，而佢嘅人生宣告：人性同神性聯合，並不犯罪。」《服務真詮》，180。
The beginning of the New Testament identifies where, when and why Jesus took upon himself our human nature. He did so to demonstrate that human power combined with divine power does not sin. Sin is the transgression of the law, which Malachi says we are to “remember.” John informs us that those who keep the law, and therefore those who are not sinning, can enter through heavenly gates. Matthew identifies that a sinner can overcome sin, just as Christ overcame. When we have Christ within us, (the hope of glory) we have the creative power that made the universe within us. This possibility was provided by Christ choosing to enter into the human family, and for the rest of eternity becoming not only the son of God but also the son of man.
新約嘅開端指出，耶穌喺何處、何時，以及點解親自取咗我哋嘅人性。佢咁樣做，係要表明：人嘅能力同神聖嘅能力聯合，並唔犯罪。罪就係違犯律法，而瑪拉基話我哋應當「記念」呢律法。約翰話畀我哋知，凡遵守律法嘅人，因此即係唔犯罪嘅人，都可以經由天上嘅門進入。馬太指出，罪人可以勝過罪，正如基督得勝一樣。當我哋有基督喺我哋裏面，（榮耀嘅盼望）我哋裏面就有創造宇宙嘅創造大能。呢個可能性，乃係藉住基督揀選進入人類家庭，並且喺永恆其餘嘅一切歲月之中，不單止成為神嘅兒子，亦都成為人子，而得以賜下。
There is a special message of truth opened up to God’s people from the book of Revelation just before the close of human probation. That special message is also Malachi’s “Elijah message” that is proclaimed just before the “dreadful day of the Lord”.
喺人類恩典時期結束之前，上帝由《啟示錄》向祂嘅子民展開一個特別嘅真理信息。呢個特別嘅信息，同時亦係瑪拉基所講、喺「耶和華大而可畏之日」來到之前所宣講嘅「以利亞信息」。
At the beginning of both Testaments and the end of the New Testament we have specific attributes of God identified. In Genesis He is the Creator, and at the end of Revelation He is Alpha and Omega. At the beginning of the New Testament, He becomes the son of man. And with the end of the Old Testament, we find the principle which the messenger Elijah uses to accomplish the message he would proclaim as turning the hearts of the fathers unto the children and vice-versa.
喺兩約嘅開頭，同埋新約嘅結尾，我哋都見到神一啲特定嘅屬性被指明出嚟。喺《創世記》入面，祂係創造主；而喺《啟示錄》嘅末了，祂係阿拉法同俄梅戛。喺新約嘅開頭，祂成為人子。而喺舊約嘅結尾，我哋見到以利亞呢位使者用以成就佢所要宣告之信息嘅原則，就係使父親嘅心轉向兒女，兒女嘅心轉向父親。
The prophetic principle which Elijah applies to present his warning message is just what John was commanded to do in the Revelation. Elijah “shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers,” and John was told to write the things that then were and in so doing he would simultaneously be writing the things that would come. John was used to illustrate how the principle of alpha and omega operates in the prophetic Word, and Elijah will base his message upon the same principle. When we compare the beginning of the Bible with the end of the Bible, we are comparing Old with the New. A father is the beginning of his child and the child is the ending of the father. The one hundred and forty-four thousand are the final generation of Abraham’s children, and the history where God entered into covenant with Abraham typifies the history when God renews that covenant with the one hundred and forty-four thousand.
以利亞用嚟提出佢警告信息嘅預言原則，正正就係約翰喺《啟示錄》中受命所要做嘅事。以利亞「必使父親的心轉向兒女，兒女的心轉向父親」，而約翰就奉命寫出當時所存在嘅事；佢喺咁樣寫嘅同時，亦會一併寫出將要發生嘅事。約翰被用嚟說明阿拉法同俄梅戛呢個原則如何喺預言之道中運作，而以利亞亦會根據同一原則建立佢嘅信息。當我哋將《聖經》的起頭同《聖經》的末後互相比較，我哋就係將舊約同新約作比較。父親係兒女嘅起頭，而兒女係父親嘅終結。十四萬四千人係亞伯拉罕子孫最後一代，而上帝與亞伯拉罕立約嗰段歷史，正係預表上帝與十四萬四千人更新此約之時嘅歷史。
Therefore it is of faith, that it might be by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all. Romans 4:16.
所以，這便是本乎信，為要按着恩典；使所應許的，向一切後裔都得以堅定；不但歸給那屬乎律法的人，也歸給那效法亞伯拉罕之信的人。亞伯拉罕乃是我們眾人的父。羅馬書 4:16。
The message of Elijah is representing the principle of alpha and omega, for the fathers are alpha and the children are omega. Elijah’s message would turn the hearts of the fathers to the children. Christ identified John the Baptist as Elijah and Ellen White identified William Miller as both Elijah and John the Baptist. The message of all of these representative men was represented as turning the hearts of the fathers to the children and vice-versa. That work represents the effect of the message in turning men’s hearts to their heavenly Father, but it means more, for it is a symbol of the work. In Bible prophecy symbols have more than one meaning and must be identified by context.
以利亞的信息代表住阿拉法同俄梅戛嘅原則，因為列祖係阿拉法，而兒女係俄梅戛。以利亞嘅信息要使列祖嘅心轉向兒女。基督指出施洗約翰就係以利亞，而懷愛倫則指出威廉・米勒既係以利亞，亦係施洗約翰。所有呢啲具有代表性之人物嘅信息，都被表述為使列祖嘅心轉向兒女，兒女嘅心亦轉向列祖。呢項工作代表住呢信息所產生嘅果效，使人嘅心轉向佢哋天上嘅父；但其意義唔止於此，因為呢乃係對嗰項工作嘅象徵。喺聖經預言入面，象徵往往具有多於一重嘅意義，必須按上下文加以辨識。
“What was it that made John the Baptist great? He closed his mind to the mass of tradition presented by the teachers of the Jewish nation, and opened it to the wisdom which comes from above. Before his birth the Holy Spirit testified of John: ‘He shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost…. And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before Him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.’ Luke 1:15–17.” Counsels to Parents, Teachers and Students, 445.
「係乜嘢使施洗約翰成為偉大呢？佢向猶太民族嘅教師所提出嗰一大堆遺傳封閉自己嘅心思，卻向從上頭而來嘅智慧打開。喺佢出生之前，聖靈已為約翰作見證：『他在主面前將要為大，淡酒濃酒都不喝；從母腹裏就被聖靈充滿……他要使許多以色列人回轉，歸於主他們的神。他必有以利亞的心志能力，行在主的前面，叫為父的心轉向兒女，叫悖逆的人轉從義人的智慧，又為主預備合用的百姓。』路加福音 1:15–17。」《給父母、教師和學生的勸勉》，445。
The message is designed that those who choose to hear will turn their hearts unto the Heavenly Father, yet the primary prophetic principle that will be used to convey the warning message will be that Christ is the Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and ending. The Elijah message is based upon the presentation of God’s prophetic Word from the perspective that Jesus Christ is the Word of God, and the rules that govern the Bible are also attributes of His character.
呢個信息乃係為咗使凡選擇去聽嘅人，將佢哋嘅心轉向天父而設；然而，用以傳達呢個警告信息嘅主要預言原則，將會係：基督乃係阿拉法同俄梅戛、首先嘅同末後嘅、起初同終結。以利亞信息乃係建基於從呢個觀點去呈現上帝嘅預言之道：耶穌基督就係上帝之道，而支配《聖經》嘅各項法則，亦都係祂品格嘅屬性。
“The law of God is as sacred as God Himself. It is a revelation of His will, a transcript of His character, the expression of divine love and wisdom. The harmony of creation depends upon the perfect conformity of all beings, of everything, animate and inanimate, to the law of the Creator. God has ordained laws for the government, not only of living beings, but of all the operations of nature. Everything is under fixed laws, which cannot be disregarded. But while everything in nature is governed by natural laws, man alone, of all that inhabits the earth, is amenable to moral law. To man, the crowning work of creation, God has given power to understand His requirements, to comprehend the justice and beneficence of His law, and its sacred claims upon him; and of man unswerving obedience is required.” Patriarchs and Prophets, 53.
「上帝的律法與上帝自己一樣神聖。它乃是祂旨意的啟示，祂品格的寫照，神聖慈愛與智慧的彰顯。受造萬有之和諧，有賴一切眾生，並一切有生與無生之物，完全符合創造主的律法。上帝已為管治之用定下律例，不單為活物而設，也為自然界一切運作而立。萬事萬物都在一定的律之下，不能置之不理。然而，自然界中一切都受自然律所支配，惟獨人，在地上所有居住者之中，是須向道德律負責的。對於人，就是創造之工的冠冕，上帝賜給他能力，使他明白祂的要求，領會祂律法的公義與恩惠，以及這律法向他所提出的神聖要求；而上帝向人所要求的，乃是毫不動搖的順服。」《先祖與先知》，53頁。
Everything (and this would include the Bible, for the Bible is something and if it is something, then it is part of everything) is under fixed laws. The Bible has fixed laws or rules that govern its correct interpretation. One of those rules is that the Bible identifies the end of a thing with the beginning of a thing. Jesus is the Word of God, and He is the first and the last, and it’s a “fixed law” and an attribute of His character.
萬事（而呢一點亦包括聖經，因為聖經係某種事物；若佢係某種事物，咁佢就屬於萬事之內）都處於既定嘅法則之下。聖經有既定嘅法則或規則，支配住對佢作出正確嘅詮釋。其中一條規則，就係聖經將一件事嘅終結同一件事嘅起始聯繫起來。耶穌係神嘅道，佢係首先嘅，亦係末後嘅；呢乃係一條「既定嘅法則」，亦係祂品格嘅一種屬性。
We used this introduction of Elijah to show that the beginning and ending of both the Old and New Testaments agree. The ending of the Bible, which is also the end of the book of Revelation also agrees with the beginning of Revelation. Five witnesses to the same truths based upon the principle which is an attribute of God’s character that God’s Word always illustrates the end of a thing with the beginning of that thing. This reality is part of what it means that Jesus Christ is the Alpha and Omega.
我哋引用以利亞呢一段引言，為要顯明舊約同新約兩者嘅起頭同結尾彼此一致。聖經嘅結尾，亦即係《啟示錄》一書嘅結尾，同樣亦同《啟示錄》嘅起頭彼此相符。呢五個見證都為同一啲真理作見證，乃係根據一項原則；呢項原則乃係上帝品格嘅一種屬性：上帝嘅話語總係以一件事物嘅起頭，去表明嗰件事物嘅結局。呢個現實正係耶穌基督係阿拉法同俄梅戛所包含嘅部分意思。
“To the apostle John on the isle of Patmos were opened scenes of deep and thrilling interest in the experience of the church. Subjects of intense interest and vast importance were presented to him in figures and symbols, that the people of God might become intelligent concerning the perils and conflicts before them. The history of the Christian world to the very close of time was revealed to John. With great clearness he saw the position, dangers, conflicts, and final deliverance of the people of God. He records the closing message which is to ripen the harvest of earth, either as sheaves for the heavenly garner, or as fagots for the fires of the last day.
「喺拔摩海島上，使徒約翰得見一啲關乎教會經歷、極其深刻而又扣人心弦嘅異象。嗰啲極受關注、意義重大嘅題旨，乃係藉住表號同象徵向佢顯明，好叫上帝嘅子民能夠明白前面所要臨到佢哋嘅危險同爭戰。基督教世界嘅歷史，直到時間最終了結，都向約翰啟示出嚟。佢極其清楚噉看見上帝子民嘅處境、危險、爭戰，同埋最終嘅拯救。佢記錄咗嗰末後嘅信息，呢信息要使地上嘅莊稼成熟；或者成為收歸天上倉中嘅禾捆，或者成為末日火中焚燒嘅柴把。」
“In vision John beheld the trials which God’s people would endure for the truth’s sake. He saw their unyielding firmness in obeying the commandments of God, in the face of the oppressive powers that sought to force them into disobedience, and he saw their final triumph over the beast and his image.
約翰喺異象中看見上帝嘅子民為真理嘅緣故所要忍受嘅試煉。佢看見佢哋喺嗰啲企圖強迫佢哋違背上帝誡命嘅壓迫勢力面前，仍然堅定不移咁遵守上帝嘅誡命；又看見佢哋最終勝過獸同佢嘅像。
“Under the symbols of a great red dragon, a leopard-like beast, and a beast with lamblike horns, the earthly governments which would especially engage in trampling upon God’s law and persecuting His people, were presented to John. The war is carried on till the close of time. The people of God, symbolized by a holy woman and her children, were represented as greatly in the minority. In the last days only a remnant still existed. Of these John speaks as they ‘which keep the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.’
「喺大紅龍、豹形獸，以及一隻有羊羔般角嘅獸呢啲表號之下，嗰啲喺地上嘅政權——尤其會踐踏上帝律法並迫害祂子民嘅——都向約翰呈現出嚟。呢場爭戰一直延續到末時。上帝嘅子民，以一個聖潔嘅婦人同佢嘅兒女作為象徵，被描繪為極其少數。到咗末後嘅日子，仍然存在嘅只係餘民。關於呢班人，約翰如此講：『就是守上帝誡命、並有耶穌基督見證的人。』」
“Through paganism, and then through the Papacy, Satan exerted his power for many centuries in an effort to blot from the earth God’s faithful witnesses. Pagans and papists were actuated by the same dragon spirit. They differed only in that the Papacy, making a pretense of serving God, was the more dangerous and cruel foe. Through the agency of Romanism, Satan took the world captive. The professed church of God was swept into the ranks of this delusion, and for more than a thousand years the people of God suffered under the dragon’s ire. And when the Papacy, robbed of its strength, was forced to desist from persecution, John beheld a new power coming up to echo the dragon’s voice, and carry forward the same cruel and blasphemous work. This power, the last that is to wage war against the church and the law of God, was symbolized by a beast with lamblike horns. The beasts preceding it had risen from the sea, but this came up out of the earth, representing the peaceful rise of the nation which is symbolized. The ‘two horns like a lamb’ well represent the character of the United States Government, as expressed in its two fundamental principles, Republicanism and Protestantism. These principles are the secret of our power and prosperity as a nation. Those who first found an asylum on the shores of America rejoiced that they had reached a country free from the arrogant claims of popery and the tyranny of kingly rule. They determined to establish a government upon the broad foundation of civil and religious liberty.
「透過異教，然後再透過教皇制度，撒但在許多世紀之中施展牠的權勢，企圖將上帝忠心的見證人從地上塗抹淨盡。異教徒與教皇派同樣都受着那龍之靈所驅使。兩者所不同的，只在於教皇制度假託事奉上帝之名，因而成為更危險、更殘酷的仇敵。藉着羅馬教的媒介，撒但使全世界陷於擄掠之中。上帝那徒有其名的教會被捲入這迷惑的行列；一千多年之久，上帝的子民都在那龍的忿怒之下受苦。及至教皇制度被奪去其力量，被迫停止逼迫的時候，約翰看見另一種權勢興起，要附和那龍的聲音，並繼續推行同樣殘酷褻瀆的作為。這權勢乃是最後一個要向教會和上帝律法爭戰的權勢，乃以一隻有如羊羔兩角的獸為其表號。先於它的諸獸都是從海中上來；惟獨這一隻是從地中上來，表明那以此為象徵的國家是以和平的方式興起。那「兩角如同羊羔」最恰當地表徵美國政府的性質，正如其兩大基本原則——共和政體與新教主義——所表現出來的一樣。這兩項原則乃是我國作為一個國家之權力與繁榮的祕訣。那些最先在美洲海岸尋得庇護之所的人，因為到達了一個脫離教皇制度狂妄僭越之要求與君主專制暴政的國土，便歡欣快樂。他們決意要在公民自由與宗教自由這廣闊的根基之上建立政府。」
“But the stern tracing of the prophetic pencil reveals a change in this peaceful scene. The beast with lamblike horns speaks with the voice of a dragon, and ‘exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him.’ Prophecy declares that he will say to them that dwell on the earth that they should make an image to the beast, and that ‘he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads; and that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name.’ Thus Protestantism follows in the steps of the Papacy.
「然而，先知預言之筆那嚴峻嘅勾勒，卻顯出呢幅和平景象將會有所轉變。嗰隻有如羊羔兩角嘅獸，竟發出龍嘅聲音，並且『在頭一個獸面前，行使頭一個獸所有的權柄。』預言宣告，佢要吩咐地上居住嘅人為嗰獸造個像，並且『叫眾人，無論大小、貧富、自主的、為奴的，都在右手上或是在額上受一個印記；除了那受印記、有了獸名或有獸名數目的，都不得作買賣。』如此，新教就步羅馬教廷嘅後塵。」
“It is at this time that the third angel is seen flying in the midst of heaven, proclaiming: ‘If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, the same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of His indignation.’ ‘Here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.’ In marked contrast to the world stands the little company who will not swerve from their allegiance to God. These are they of whom Isaiah speaks as repairing the breach which had been made in the law of God, they who are building the old waste places, raising up the foundation of many generations.
正是在這時，見有第三位天使飛在空中，宣告說：「若有人拜獸和獸像，在額上或在手上受了印記，這人也必喝 神大怒的酒；這酒斟在 祂忿怒的杯中，純一不雜。」「聖徒的忍耐就在此；他們是守 神誡命和耶穌真道的。」與世界形成鮮明對比的，是那一小群決不偏離對 神忠誠的人。這些人就是以賽亞所說那修補 神律法破口的人；他們重修久已荒廢之處，建立歷代的根基。
“The most solemn warning and the most awful threatening ever addressed to mortals is that contained in the third angel’s message. The sin that calls down the wrath of God unmixed with mercy must be of the most heinous character. Is the world to be left in darkness as to the nature of this sin?—Most assuredly not. God does not deal thus with His creatures. His wrath is never visited upon sins of ignorance. Before His judgments are brought upon the earth, the light in regard to this sin must be presented to the world, that man may know why these judgments are to be inflicted, and may have opportunity to escape them.
「曾經向世人發出、最嚴肅嘅警告同最可怖嘅威嚇，就係第三位天使嘅信息所包含嘅內容。嗰種招致上帝毫無憐憫摻雜其中之忿怒嘅罪，必定係極其可憎、極其嚴重嘅。至於世人會唔會被留喺黑暗之中，唔知道呢種罪嘅性質呢？——斷乎唔會。上帝唔會咁樣對待祂所造嘅生靈。祂嘅忿怒從來唔會臨到出於無知而犯嘅罪。在祂嘅審判臨到全地之前，關於呢種罪嘅亮光，必須呈現畀世人，使人可以知道點解呢啲審判要降下，並且有機會逃避。」
“The message containing this warning is the last to be proclaimed before the revelation of the Son of man. The signs which He Himself has given declare His coming to be near at hand. For well-nigh forty years has the message of the third angel been sounding. In the issue of the great contest two parties are developed, those who ‘worship the beast and his image,’ and receive his mark, and those who receive ‘the seal of the living God,’ who have the Father’s name written in their foreheads. This is not a visible mark. The time has come when all who have an interest in their soul’s salvation should earnestly and solemnly inquire, What is the seal of God? and what is the mark of the beast? How can we avoid receiving it?
「包含呢個警告嘅信息，乃係喺人子顯現之前最後要宣告嘅信息。祂親自所賜下嘅預兆，表明祂嘅來臨已經迫近。第三位天使嘅信息，發聲至今，差不多已經有四十年之久。喺呢場大爭戰嘅結局之中，形成咗兩等人：一等係「拜獸同獸像」並受其印記嘅人；另一等係領受「永生神嘅印」，額上寫有父名嘅人。呢並唔係一個可見嘅記號。時候已經到咗，凡關心自己靈魂得救嘅人，都應當懇切而莊嚴噉查問：神嘅印係乜嘢？獸嘅印記又係乜嘢？我哋點樣先可以避免受佢呢？」
“The seal of God, the token or sign of His authority, is found in the fourth commandment. This is the only precept of the Decalogue that points to God as the Creator of the heavens and the earth, and clearly distinguishes the true God from all false gods. Throughout the Scriptures the fact of God’s creative power is cited as proof that He is above all heathen deities.
「上帝嘅印記，即係祂權柄嘅憑證或記號，乃見於第四條誡命之中。呢一條乃係十誡之中唯一指出上帝為天地之創造主嘅誡命，並且清楚分辨真神同一切假神。縱觀聖經，上帝創造大能呢一個事實，屢次被引用為證據，表明祂超乎一切外邦神祇之上。 」
“The Sabbath enjoined by the fourth commandment was instituted to commemorate the work of creation, thus to keep the minds of men ever directed to the true and living God. Had the Sabbath always been kept, there would never have been an idolater, an atheist, or an infidel. The sacred observance of God”s holy day would have led the minds of men to their Creator. The things of nature would have brought Him to their remembrance, and they would have borne witness to His power and His love. The Sabbath of the fourth commandment is the seal of the living God. It points to God as the Creator, and is the sign of His rightful authority over the beings He has made.
第四條誡命所吩咐之安息日，乃為記念創造之工而設立，藉此使人的心思常常歸向那位又真又活的上帝。若安息日一直都被遵守，便決不會有拜偶像的人、無神論者，或不信者。對上帝聖日之神聖遵守，本會引導人的心思歸向他們的創造主。自然界中的萬物本會使他們記念祂，並為祂的權能與祂的慈愛作見證。第四條誡命中的安息日，乃是永生上帝的印記。它指向上帝為創造主，並且是祂對自己所造之受造物具有合法權柄的記號。
“What, then, is the mark of the beast, if it is not the spurious sabbath which the world has accepted in the place of the true?
「咁樣，若獸的印記唔係世人用嚟取代真正安息日、並已經接受咗嗰個偽造嘅安息日，咁獸的印記又係乜嘢呢？」
“The prophetic declaration that the Papacy was to exalt itself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, has been strikingly fulfilled in the changing of the Sabbath from the seventh to the first day of the week. Wherever the papal Sabbath is honored in preference to the Sabbath of God, there the man of sin is exalted above the Creator of heaven and earth.
「關於教皇制度將要高舉自己，超乎一切稱為神的，或一切受人敬拜之物以上的先知性宣告，已在把安息日由一週的第七日改為第一日這件事上，得到顯著的應驗。無論何處，人若尊崇教皇的安息日，過於上帝的安息日，在那裏，那大罪人便是高舉自己，超乎天地之創造主以上。」
“Those who assert that Christ changed the Sabbath are directly contradicting His own words. In His Sermon on the Mount He declared: ‘Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets; I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in nowise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. Whosoever, therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven; but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.’
「凡主張基督更改了安息日的人，乃是直接與祂自己所說的話相矛盾。在祂的登山寶訓中，祂宣告：『莫想我來要廢掉律法和先知；我來不是要廢掉，乃是要成全。我實在告訴你們，就是到天地都廢去了，律法的一點一畫也決不能廢去，都要成全。所以，無論何人廢掉這誡命中最小的一條，又這樣教訓人，他在天國要稱為最小的；但無論何人遵行這誡命，又教訓人遵行，他在天國要稱為大的。』」
“Roman Catholics acknowledge that the change in the Sabbath was made by their church, and they cite this very change as evidence of the supreme authority of this church. They declare that by observing the first day of the week as the Sabbath, Protestants are recognizing her power to legislate in divine things. The Roman Church has not relinquished her claim to infallibility, and when the world and the Protestant churches accept the spurious sabbath of her creating, they virtually acknowledge her claim. They may cite the authority of the apostles and fathers in defense of this change, but the fallacy of their reasoning is easily discerned. The papist is sharp enough to see that Protestants are deceiving themselves, willingly closing their eyes to the facts in the case. As the Sunday institution gains favor, he rejoices, feeling assured that it will eventually bring the whole Protestant world under the banner of Rome.” Signs of the Times, November 1, 1899.
「羅馬天主教徒承認，安息日嘅更改乃係由佢哋嘅教會所作出；而且，佢哋正係引用呢一項改動，作為該教會至高權威嘅證據。佢哋宣稱，藉着守一週嘅第一日為安息日，新教徒就係承認咗佢嘅權柄，可以喺屬神嘅事上立法。羅馬教會並冇放棄佢對無謬誤嘅宣稱；當世界同新教各教會接受咗由佢所創製嘅偽安息日，佢哋實際上就係承認咗佢嘅主張。佢哋或者會援引使徒同教父嘅權威，為呢項更改辯護；但佢哋推理中嘅謬誤，係好容易辨明嘅。教皇派人士足夠敏銳，睇得出新教徒正喺度自欺，甘心情願噉對呢件事實情閉埋眼睛。隨着星期日制度愈來愈受歡迎，佢就歡喜快樂，深信最終必會將整個新教世界帶到羅馬嘅旗幟之下。」《Signs of the Times》，1899年11月1日。