In the book of Ezekiel, the ‘siege’ of Jerusalem is the ‘sign’ that is the test by which our eternal destiny will be decided, for it marks the formation of the image of the beast.

喺《以西結書》入面,耶路撒冷被「圍困」乃係嗰個「兆頭」,亦即決定我哋永恆命運嘅考驗,因為呢件事標誌住獸像嘅形成。

“The Lord has shown me clearly that the image of the beast will be formed before probation closes; for it is to be the great test for the people of God, by which their eternal destiny will be decided. …

「主已經清楚指示我,獸嘅像必會喺恩門關閉之前形成;因為呢將要成為上帝子民所要面對嘅重大考驗,藉此佢哋永恆嘅命運將被決定。……」

“This is the test that the people of God must have before they are sealed. All who proved their loyalty to God by observing His law, and refusing to accept a spurious sabbath, will rank under the banner of the Lord God Jehovah, and will receive the seal of the living God. Those who yield the truth of heavenly origin and accept the Sunday sabbath, will receive the mark of the beast.” Manuscript Releases, volume 15, 15.

「呢個就係上帝子民喺受印之前所必須經歷嘅考驗。凡藉着遵守祂嘅律法,並拒絕接受虛假安息日,以證明自己忠於上帝嘅人,都必歸列喺主上帝耶和華嘅旗幟之下,並要領受永生上帝嘅印記。至於嗰啲放棄從天上而來之真理,並接受星期日安息日嘅人,就必領受獸嘅印記。」Manuscript Releases, volume 15, 15.

The Christians that fled Jerusalem at the ‘sign’ of Cestius, did so because they had been forewarned and recognized the ‘sign’ when it arrived. Recognizing the formation of the image of the beast is to recognize the “events,” “preparations” and “movements” that lead to the Sunday law. The prophetic elements that make up the ‘sign’ must be understood in advance of the sign. When Cestius began the siege it was too late to learn what the sign was.

嗰啲喺塞斯提烏斯所顯出嘅「兆頭」之下逃離耶路撒冷嘅基督徒,之所以咁樣行,係因為佢哋早已預先受過警告,並且當「兆頭」來到之時,認得出嚟。認出獸像之形成,就係認出嗰啲導向主日法令嘅「事件」、「預備」同「動向」。構成呢個「兆頭」嘅先知性要素,必須喺兆頭出現之前就已經明白。當塞斯提烏斯開始圍城嘅時候,先去學習個兆頭係乜,已經太遲。

“Already preparations are advancing, and movements are in progress, which will result in making an image to the beast. Events will be brought about in the earth’s history that will fulfill the predictions of prophecy for these last days.” Review and Herald, April 23, 1889.

「各項預備工作已經喺推進之中,種種行動亦已經展開,終必導致為嗰獸造一個像。喺地上歷史之中,將有事情被促成,以應驗預言對呢末後日子所作嘅預告。」Review and Herald, April 23, 1889.

Preparations, Movements and Events

預備、行動同事件

The “preparations,” “movements” and “events” must be recognized in advance of the test.

呢啲「預備」、「動向」同「事件」,必須喺考驗臨到之前預先辨認出嚟。

“All that God has in prophetic history specified to be fulfilled in the past has been, and all that is yet to come in its order will be. Daniel, God’s prophet, stands in his place. John stands in his place. In the Revelation the Lion of the tribe of Judah has opened to the students of prophecy the book of Daniel, and thus is Daniel standing in his place. He bears his testimony, that which the Lord revealed to him in vision of the great and solemn events which we must know as we stand on the very threshold of their fulfillment.

「凡上帝喺預言歷史中所指定要喺過去應驗嘅一切,都已經應驗咗;而一切尚未來到嘅,亦都必按其次序而成就。上帝嘅先知但以理,站喺佢嘅本位。約翰站喺佢嘅本位。喺《啟示錄》之中,猶大支派嘅獅子已經向研習預言嘅人打開咗但以理書,因此但以理正站喺佢嘅本位。佢作出自己嘅見證,就係主喺異象中向佢啟示嗰啲偉大而莊嚴嘅事件;當我哋正站喺其應驗嘅門檻上之際,呢啲乃係我哋必須知道嘅。」

“In history and prophecy the Word of God portrays the long continued conflict between truth and error. That conflict is yet in progress. Those things which have been, will be repeated.” Selected Messages, book 2, 109.

「喺歷史同預言之中,上帝嘅聖言描繪咗真理與謬誤之間長久持續嘅爭戰。呢場爭戰至今仍然進行緊。以往所發生過嘅事,將會重演。」《Selected Messages》,book 2, 109.

We “must know” “the great and solemn events as we stand on the very threshold of their fulfillment.” The threshold identifies our need to understand the events in advance of their fulfilment.

我哋「必須知道」呢啲「重大而莊嚴嘅事件,因為我哋正站喺佢哋應驗嘅門檻之上。」呢個門檻表明,我哋有需要喺呢啲事件應驗之前,先明白佢哋。

“But the stern tracings of the prophetic pencil reveal a change in this peaceful scene. The beast with lamb-like horns speaks with the voice of a dragon, and ‘exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him.’ The spirit of persecution manifested by paganism and the papacy is again to be revealed. Prophecy declares that this power will say ‘to them that dwell on the earth, that they should make an image to the beast.’ [Revelation 13:14.] The image is made to the first or leopard-like beast, which is the one brought to view in the third angel’s message. By this first beast is represented the Roman Church, an ecclesiastical body clothed with civil power, having authority to punish all dissenters. The image to the beast represents another religious body clothed with similar power. The formation of this image is the work of that beast whose peaceful rise and mild professions render it so striking a symbol of the United States. Here is to be found an image of the papacy. When the churches of our land, uniting upon such points of faith as are held by them in common, shall influence the State to enforce their decrees and sustain their institutions, then will Protestant America have formed an image of the Roman hierarchy. Then the true church will be assailed by persecution, as were God’s ancient people. Almost every century furnishes examples of what bigotry and malice can do under a plea of serving God by protecting the rights of Church and State. Protestant churches that have followed in the steps of Rome by forming alliance with worldly powers have manifested a similar desire to restrict liberty of conscience. In the seventeenth century thousands of non-conformist ministers suffered under the rule of the Church of England. Persecution always follows religious favoritism on the part of secular governments.” Spirit of Prophecy, volume 4, 277.

「但先知之筆所勾勒出嚴峻嘅線條,卻顯示呢個平靜景象將有改變。嗰隻有羔羊兩角嘅獸,發出龍嘅聲音,並且『在頭一隻獸面前,行使佢一切嘅權柄。』異教同教皇制所表現出嚟嘅迫害精神,將要再次顯露。預言宣告,呢股勢力要對『住喺地上嘅人』講,叫佢哋『要給那獸作個像。』[Revelation 13:14.]呢個像係為頭一隻、即似豹嘅獸而造;呢隻獸就係第三位天使信息中所指明嘅嗰一隻。呢頭一隻獸所代表嘅,乃係羅馬教會——一個披上民政權力嘅教會體制,擁有權柄懲罰一切持異議者。獸像所代表嘅,係另一個披上相似權力嘅宗教體。呢個像嘅形成,乃係出於嗰隻獸嘅工作;佢和平嘅興起同溫和嘅宣稱,使佢成為美國極為鮮明嘅象徵。喺呢度,就搵得到教皇制嘅像。當我哋國內嘅各教會,喺佢哋共同持守嘅若干信仰要點上聯合起來,並進而影響國家去強制執行佢哋嘅諭令、扶持佢哋嘅制度之時,咁新教美國就已經造成咗羅馬教階制度嘅一個像。到嗰時,真教會就要遭受迫害,正如上帝古時嘅子民曾遭受迫害一樣。幾乎每一個世紀都提供咗例證,說明偏執同惡意喺以事奉上帝、保護教會同國家權利為藉口之下,能夠做出乜嘢事。凡係藉住同世俗權勢結盟而跟隨羅馬腳蹤嘅新教教會,都顯出同樣想限制良心自由嘅意圖。喺十七世紀,數以千計嘅不遵從派傳道人,喺英國國教會統治之下受苦。世俗政府一旦喺宗教事上有所偏袒,迫害就必然隨之而來。」《Spirit of Prophecy》, volume 4, 277.

The formation of the image of the beast is accomplished first in the United States, and thereafter in the world.

獸像嘅形成,首先喺美國完成,其後遍及全世界。

“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.

「列國都要跟隨美利堅合眾國嘅榜樣。雖然佢首先行出呢一步,但同樣嘅危機亦都要臨到我哋嘅子民,遍及世界各處。」《證言》,第6卷,395頁。

The Edict of Milan in 313 represents the starting of the formation, and also identifies the closed door for Seventh-day Adventists. Constantine of the west and Licinius of the east attached a treaty marriage to the Edict, when Constantine gave his half-sister Constantia to Licinius in the fourth treaty marriage represented in a prophetic line of the six treaty marriages within the prophetic history of Daniel eleven. The first two were associated with wars between the north and south, the next two were civil wars between east and west and the last two are symbolic marriages of the papal church power and state power.

主後313年嘅《米蘭敕令》象徵住呢個形成過程嘅起點,亦都標示出第七日復臨信徒所講嘅關閉之門。西方嘅君士坦丁同東方嘅李錫尼烏斯,將一樁條約婚姻附連於呢道敕令之上;當時君士坦丁將佢同父異母嘅妹妹康斯坦提亞嫁畀李錫尼烏斯。呢一樁婚姻,乃係但以理書十一章預言歷史中六樁條約婚姻嘅預言線上第四樁條約婚姻所代表嘅事。頭兩樁同南北之間嘅戰爭有關;跟住兩樁係東西之間嘅內戰;而最後兩樁,乃係教皇教會權力同國家權力嘅象徵性婚姻。

Antiochus II Theos set aside his wife Laodice I to marry the Ptolemaic princess Berenice (daughter of Ptolemy II) around 252 BC. The treaty marriages of the Seleucid Empire were accomplished between the king of the north and the king of the south, whereas; the treaty marriage of 313 was between the emperor of the east and the emperor of the west.

安提阿古二世·提奧斯約於主前252年廢棄其妻拉奧狄刻一世,改娶托勒密王朝嘅公主貝勒尼基(托勒密二世之女)。塞琉古帝國嘅和約婚姻,乃係喺北方王同南方王之間締結;然而,313年嘅和約婚姻,卻係喺東方皇帝同西方皇帝之間締結。

The treaty marriage of Antiochus II Theos in 252 BC, represented the beginning of the Seleucid Empire that reached its conclusion as an empire in the history represented in verses ten through sixteen of Daniel eleven. In the final history of the Seleucid empire another treaty marriage was accomplished by Antiochus III the Great, when he gave his daughter Cleopatra I Syra, (the very first Cleopatra of prophetic history) to Ptolemy V in 193 BC. At the time Ptolemy V was about 16 and Cleopatra I Syra about 10 years old. Their marriage was a diplomatic settlement after the fifth Syrian war. The alpha treaty marriage between the king of the north and south in Daniel eleven had marked the end of the second Syrian war.

公元前252年安條克二世・狄奧斯之盟約婚姻,標誌住塞琉古帝國之開始;而但以理書十一章第十至第十六節所表述之歷史,則顯明此帝國作為一個帝國之終局。於塞琉古帝國最後之歷史中,另一宗盟約婚姻由安條克三世・大帝所成就:佢喺公元前193年將其女兒克麗奧佩脫拉一世・叙拉——即預言歷史中第一位克麗奧佩脫拉——嫁畀托勒密五世。當時托勒密五世約十六歲,而克麗奧佩脫拉一世・叙拉約十歲。佢哋嘅婚姻,乃第五次敘利亞戰爭之後一項外交和解。但以理書十一章中,北方王同南方王之阿拉法盟約婚姻,曾標示第二次敘利亞戰爭之終結。

The last Cleopatra of prophetic history interacted with both Julius Caesar and thereafter with Mark Antony. After the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BC the second Triumvirate was formed in 43 BC. Three men made up the triumvirate and after one of those three, Marcus Lepidus was forced out of the threefold union by Octavian, a power struggle between Mark Antony of the east and Octavian of the west ensued. At Brundisium, in 40 BC a treaty between the two eastern and western rivals was made. The treaty included the marriage between Octavian’s sister Octavia and Mark Antony. The treaty and accompanying marriage did not hold, and after Mark Antony became involved with Cleopatra, he divorced Octavia in 32 BC. At the battle of Actium in 31 BC, the empires of east and west were consolidated into one power, and Octavian thereafter became Augustus Caesar, the symbol of the height of Roman glory and power.

預言歷史中最後一個克麗奧佩脫拉,曾經同尤利烏斯・凱撒有來往,其後又同馬克・安東尼往還。喺主前44年尤利烏斯・凱撒遇刺之後,第二次三頭同盟於主前43年成立。呢個三頭同盟由三個人組成;其後其中一人馬庫斯・雷必達斯被屋大維逐出呢個三重聯盟之後,東方嘅馬克・安東尼同西方嘅屋大維之間,隨即展開權力鬥爭。喺主前40年,雙方東西對立者喺布倫迪西烏姆訂立條約。該條約包括屋大維個妹屋大維婭同馬克・安東尼之間嘅婚姻。呢項條約連同所附帶嘅婚姻,並冇維持落去;及至馬克・安東尼同克麗奧佩脫拉發生關係之後,佢就喺主前32年同屋大維婭離婚。喺主前31年亞克興海戰之中,東西兩方嘅帝國被合併為一個權力;其後屋大維成為奧古斯都・凱撒,象徵住羅馬榮耀同權勢嘅巔峰。

Prophetically the first treaty marriage of Daniel eleven was between the kings of the north and south in an attempt to end hostilities between the two combatants who were struggling to re-establish the empire of Alexander the Great. That first treaty marriage between the Seleucids and the Ptolemy’s of Egypt was the alpha treaty marriage of the Seleucid and Ptolemaic kingdoms, which typified the omega treaty marriage between the same two powers. In the last or omega treaty marriage, the very first or alpha Cleopatra of Egyptian history became the prophetic link to the last, or omega Cleopatra; whose relationship with Mark Antony became the point of reference for the divorce of Octavia and Mark Antony. The divorce marked the renewed hostilities between Mark Antony of the east and Octavian of the west which ended at the battle of Actium in 31 BC.

按預言而言,但以理書十一章所記第一場盟約婚姻,乃係北方王同南方王之間,目的係要止息呢兩個交戰勢力之間嘅敵對;當時佢哋正竭力重建亞歷山大大帝嘅帝國。呢一場發生於塞琉古王朝同埃及托勒密王朝之間嘅第一次盟約婚姻,乃係塞琉古同托勒密兩國嘅阿爾法盟約婚姻,並且預表同樣呢兩個勢力之間嘅歐米伽盟約婚姻。喺最後,即係歐米伽嘅盟約婚姻當中,埃及歷史上最早、即阿爾法嘅克麗奧佩脫拉,成為咗通往最後、即歐米伽克麗奧佩脫拉嘅預言性連結;而後者同Mark Antony之關係,遂成為Octavia同Mark Antony離婚事件嘅參照點。呢場離婚標誌住東方嘅Mark Antony同西方嘅Octavian之間敵對再起,並且最終喺主前31年亞克興海戰中告終。

The treaty marriage of Brundisium in 40 BC was the alpha treaty marriage of the struggle between east and west, just as the treaty marriage of Laodice and Antiochus II Theo was the alpha of the struggle between north and south. The treaty marriage of 313 was the omega to the alpha treaty marriage of Mark Antony and Octavia, just as the treaty marriage between Ptolemy V and Cleopatra I Syra was the omega treaty marriage of the northern and southern kingdoms. The three treaty marriages that led to the omega treaty marriage of 313 all align, and provide three witnesses to the prophetic characteristics associated with the Edict of Milan. Together the four literal treaty marriages of east, west, north and south align with the two symbolic treaty marriages of the papacy.

公元前40年布隆迪西翁嘅和約婚姻,係東西之爭嘅阿爾法和約婚姻,正如老底嘉同安條克二世提奧之間嘅和約婚姻,係南北之爭嘅阿爾法。313年嘅和約婚姻,對應馬克・安東尼同屋大維婭嘅阿爾法和約婚姻而成為其俄梅加,正如托勒密五世同克麗奧佩脫拉一世・敘拉之間嘅和約婚姻,乃係南北兩國嘅俄梅加和約婚姻。引向313年嗰場俄梅加和約婚姻嘅三場和約婚姻,全部彼此對齊,並且就《米蘭詔書》所關連嘅先知性特徵,提供三個見證。東、西、南、北四場字面上嘅和約婚姻,同教皇制兩場象徵性嘅和約婚姻一同彼此對齊。

In 496, Clovis the king of the Franks was married to Clotilda. Clotilda was a Burgundian princess, the daughter of King Chilperic II of Burgundy. After her father and mother were murdered in a family power struggle, she lived under the protection of her uncle before being given in marriage to Clovis I, king of the Franks, in 493. She was a Catholic, that is, she held the Nicene/orthodox faith of the Roman Church. This set her apart from many other Germanic royal families of the time, who were Arian Christians. Her mother Caretena had been Catholic, and Clotilda was raised in that faith. She is remembered for persistently urging Clovis to abandon paganism and accept Catholic baptism, and thereafter his conversion in 496 is one of the most important events in the early history of France and of Western so-called Christianity.

喺496年,法蘭克人嘅王克洛維斯娶咗克洛蒂爾達為妻。克洛蒂爾達係勃艮第嘅公主,乃勃艮第王希爾佩里克二世之女。喺其父母於家族權力鬥爭中被殺之後,佢先喺其叔父庇護之下生活,其後於493年被嫁予法蘭克人之王克洛維斯一世。佢係天主教徒,即係持守羅馬教會尼西亞/正統信仰嘅人。呢一點使佢有別於當時許多其他日耳曼王室家族,因為彼等乃亞流派基督徒。佢母親卡雷特娜一直係天主教徒,而克洛蒂爾達亦喺此信仰中被養育成人。後世記念佢,因佢持續敦促克洛維斯離棄異教並接受天主教洗禮;其後,佢於496年嘅歸信,乃法國早期歷史以及西方所謂基督教早期歷史中最重要嘅事件之一。

Clovis vowed that if he won the battle of Tolbiac he would convert to Clotilda’s Catholic faith and be baptized. The Alemanni king was killed, their army broke, and the Franks won. After the victory Clotilda arranged for Bishop Remigius of Reims to instruct Clovis, and he was baptized (traditionally on Christmas Day 496), along with several thousand of his warriors.

克洛維起誓,若然佢喺托爾比亞克之戰得勝,佢就必歸信克洛蒂爾達所奉嘅天主教信仰,並領受洗禮。阿勒曼尼王被殺,佢哋嘅軍隊潰散,法蘭克人遂告得勝。勝利之後,克洛蒂爾達安排蘭斯主教雷米吉烏斯教導克洛維,而佢亦領受咗洗禮(按傳統係於496年聖誕日),連同佢數千名戰士一同受洗。

Clovis was the king of the Franks, which in modern terms is the king of France. He became the first of the kings of Europe who would ultimately surrender their pagan religion and turn to Catholicism. For this reason, Clovis is considered the “eldest son of the Catholic church,” and France is called, “the eldest daughter of the Catholic church.” In 1980, when pope John Paul II visited France he asked, “France, eldest daughter of the Church, are you faithful to your baptism?”

克洛維斯乃法蘭克人之王;以今日之稱謂言之,即法國之王。佢成為歐洲列王之中首位最終捨棄其異教信仰而歸向天主教者。基於此,克洛維斯被視為「天主教會的長子」,而法國則被稱為「天主教會的長女」。一九八〇年,當教宗若望保祿二世訪問法國之時,佢問道:「法國,教會的長女,你忠於你的洗禮嗎?」

Clovis' conversion to Nicene Catholicism identifies the start of a symbolic marriage procession that would lead to the symbolic treaty marriage of 538. The symbolic treaty marriage between Clovis and the whore who commits fornication with the kings of the earth was typified by the four previous treaty marriages in Daniel eleven. Clovis was the first European king to provide military and economic support for the Roman church and Clovis is therefore represented within the history in Daniel eleven.

克洛維歸信尼西亞天主教,標誌住一場象徵性婚姻行列嘅開始,並且引向五三八年嗰場象徵性嘅條約婚姻。克洛維同嗰個與地上眾王行淫嘅淫婦之間呢場象徵性條約婚姻,乃係由《但以理書》第十一章先前四場條約婚姻所預表。克洛維係第一位向羅馬教會提供軍事同經濟支援嘅歐洲君王,所以克洛維亦喺《但以理書》第十一章嘅歷史當中有所表徵。

And arms shall stand on his part, and they shall pollute the sanctuary of strength, and shall take away the daily sacrifice, and they shall place the abomination that maketh desolate. Daniel 11:31.

必有軍兵站喺佢嗰邊,褻瀆保障嘅聖所,除掉常獻嘅燔祭,又設立那行毀壞可憎之物。Daniel 11:31.

Clovis in 496 marks the beginning of the European political structures to “stand up” to aid the papacy as it rose to power. It marks the beginning of a symbolic marriage procession. The “arms” of the verse would also pollute the “sanctuary of strength,” which for both pagan and papal Rome is the city of Rome.

496年克洛維標誌住歐洲政治結構開始「起來」,喺教皇制興起掌權之際加以扶助。呢件事標誌住一場象徵性婚禮行列嘅開始。經文所講嘅「膀臂」亦都會污穢「保障嘅聖所」;對異教羅馬同教皇羅馬嚟講,呢個都係指羅馬城。

Two Sanctuary's

兩個聖所

There are two different Hebrew words in the book of Daniel that are translated as “sanctuary.” The Hebrew words ‘miqdash’ and ‘qodesh’ are both translated as “sanctuary,” but qodesh can only represent a holy entity, whereas miqdash can represent either a holy or unholy sanctuary—as determined by context.

喺但以理書入面,有兩個唔同嘅希伯來詞語都被譯作「聖所」。希伯來詞語「miqdash」同「qodesh」兩者都可譯作「聖所」,但「qodesh」只可以指一個神聖之實體;至於「miqdash」,則可按上下文所定,指聖潔或不聖潔嘅聖所。

The “sanctuary of strength” in verse thirty-one is ‘miqdash’ and represents the sanctuary of Rome’s strength, which for both pagan and papal Rome was the city of Rome. From the battle of Actium, when Octavian united the empire, pagan Rome was invincible for three hundred and sixty years (a time) in fulfilment of verse twenty-four of Daniel eleven.

第三十一節所講嘅「保障嘅聖所」,原文係「miqdash」,乃係象徵羅馬力量之聖所;無論對異教羅馬抑或教廷羅馬而言,呢個聖所都係羅馬城。自亞克興戰役起,屋大維統一帝國之時開始,異教羅馬喺三百六十年(一載)之間都所向無敵,應驗咗《但以理書》第十一章第二十四節。

He shall enter peaceably even upon the fattest places of the province; and he shall do that which his fathers have not done, nor his fathers’ fathers; he shall scatter among them the prey, and spoil, and riches: yea, and he shall forecast his devices against the strong holds, even for a time. Daniel 11:24.

佢必平安無事噉進入省中最肥美之地;佢所行嘅,係佢列祖同佢列祖之祖都未曾行過嘅;佢必將擄物、掠物同財寶散畀眾人:並且佢要圖謀攻擊保障,直到時候。Daniel 11:24.

When pagan Rome ruled from the city of Rome it was invincible, but when Constantine moved the capital to Constantinople in 330, the “time” of verse twenty-four was fulfilled. When the last of the three horns (the Goths) of Daniel seven were driven out of the city, papal Rome prophetically took the throne as the fifth kingdom of Bible prophecy in 538. The Goths had besieged Rome, but ultimately retreated as Belsarius, general for Justinian secured the city. The Roman church then ruled supremely for twelve hundred and sixty years until Napoleon had the pope removed and put in exile in 1798.

當異教羅馬由羅馬城統治之時,佢係所向無敵;但當君士坦丁於 330 年將首都遷往君士坦丁堡之後,第二十四節所講嘅「時」就應驗咗。當但以理書第七章嗰三角之中最後一角(哥特人)被逐出嗰城之時,教皇羅馬就按預言於 538 年登上寶座,成為聖經預言中第五個國度。哥特人曾經圍困羅馬,但最終撤退,因為查士丁尼手下嘅將軍伯利撒留穩守住嗰城。其後,羅馬教會掌握至高統治權一千二百六十年,直到拿破崙於 1798 年將教皇革除並放逐。

Rome, “the sanctuary of strength” was “polluted,” (polluted, meaning ‘wounded or dissolved’), through the “arms” from the ongoing warfare against the city, represented primarily by the first four trumpets of Revelation chapter eight.

羅馬——「保障嘅聖所」——被「污穢」咗,(「污穢」即係「受創傷或被瓦解」嘅意思),呢件事係藉住持續攻打嗰城嘅「膀臂」而成,主要由《啟示錄》第八章頭四枝號所表徵。

The history that ensued from 496 onward would see the city of Rome polluted as it changed from the power and glory of the Roman empire unto the power and glory of the Roman Catholic empire. Those arms would take away the religion of paganism, represented by the word “daily” in the passage, as they accepted the religion of Nicene Catholicism.

自496年起其後所發生嘅歷史,將會見到羅馬城喺由羅馬帝國嘅權勢同榮耀,轉變為羅馬天主教帝國嘅權勢同榮耀之時,受到玷污。嗰啲膀臂會除掉異教嘅宗教——經文中以「常獻的」一詞作代表——因為佢哋接納咗尼西亞天主教嘅宗教。

At the battle of Vouillé, Clovis defeated the Arian Visigoths under Alaric II and took Aquitaine. In the aftermath of the victory, in 508, the Eastern emperor Anastasius I (in Constantinople) honored Clovis for his victory over the Visigoths. Gregory of Tours says that Anastasius sent Clovis' official papers making him consul. At Tours, in Saint Martin’s church, Clovis put on a purple tunic and cloak, set a diadem on his head, rode out, and scattered gold and silver to the crowd. Gregory says that from that day he was hailed as consul and recognized by the Roman emperor that Clovis was a legitimate Christian king in the west. He was rewarded for breaking the Arian Visigoths, whom Constantinople also opposed. 508 is the year the emperor in the East publicly honored the Catholic Frankish king—church, victory, and Roman legitimacy in one scene. 508 is the year the Frankish Catholic kingdom stood as the dominant Catholic power in Gaul after breaking Arian Visigoth’s rule. Clovis is the first major barbarian king to fight for Nicene Catholicism against Arian kingdoms, and thus the prototype of the French role as “eldest daughter of the Church.” Clovis represents the period of 496 unto 508 and is the alpha symbol of the symbolic marriage treaty. The thirty years from 508 unto 538 are represented by Justinian who is the omega symbol of the procession.

喺武耶戰役(Battle of Vouillé)之中,克洛維斯擊敗咗阿拉里克二世(Alaric II)麾下嘅阿里烏派西哥特人,並且奪取咗亞奎丹。喺呢場勝利之後,於508年,東方皇帝阿納斯塔修斯一世(Anastasius I,喺君士坦丁堡)因克洛維斯戰勝西哥特人而向佢致敬。圖爾嘅額我略(Gregory of Tours)話,阿納斯塔修斯派咗授予克洛維斯執政官職銜嘅正式文書畀佢。喺圖爾、聖馬丁教堂(Saint Martin’s church)入面,克洛維斯着上紫色長袍同披風,將冕旒戴喺頭上,騎馬出行,並向群眾散發金銀。額我略話,由嗰日起,佢被稱頌為執政官,而羅馬皇帝亦承認克洛維斯乃西方合法嘅基督徒君王。佢因為打破咗阿里烏派西哥特人而得賞,而君士坦丁堡同樣反對佢哋。508年,就係東方皇帝公開尊崇呢位天主教法蘭克君王嘅年份——教會、勝利同羅馬嘅合法性喺同一幕之中匯聚。508年,就係法蘭克天主教王國喺打破阿里烏派西哥特人統治之後,作為高盧境內主導性天主教勢力而屹立嘅年份。克洛維斯係第一位為尼西亞天主教信仰而對抗阿里烏派諸王國嘅重要蠻族君王,因此亦係法國作為「教會長女」呢一角色嘅原型。克洛維斯代表由496年至508年呢段時期,並且係象徵性婚約嘅阿爾法象徵。由508年至538年呢三十年,則由查士丁尼(Justinian)所代表,佢係呢一行列嘅歐米伽象徵。

In 538, the “arms” placed the papal power on the throne of the earth for 1260 years. It was then that the symbolic treaty marriage was consummated at the conclusion of the marriage procession that had begun in 496. In 1798, the treaty marriage that had begun between the pope of Rome and Clovis of France, was disannulled when Napoleon of France divorced the papal power by having his general take the pope captive.

喺538年,「膀臂」將教皇權勢安置喺地上嘅寶座之上,歷時1260年。正係喺嗰時,自496年開始嘅婚禮行列去到終結之際,嗰場象徵性嘅條約婚姻正式完成。到咗1798年,羅馬教皇同法國克洛維之間所開始嘅條約婚姻,被宣告解除;因為法國嘅拿破崙命其將軍擄去教皇,藉此與教皇權勢離婚。

The alpha symbolic papal treaty marriage, which had begun its marriage procession in 496, was consummated at the Sunday law in 538, and it was thereafter disannulled in 1798, just as was every other treaty marriage of Daniel eleven. Revelation adds to the papal marital relationship between the kings of Europe and popes of Catholicism, for the dragon of Revelation twelve is both Satan and pagan Rome’s kings.

嗰個作為象徵嘅教皇條約婚姻,自496年開始其婚禮行列,喺538年藉住星期日法而正式成婚,其後又於1798年被解除,正如《但以理書》第十一章其他一切條約婚姻一樣。《啟示錄》進一步補充咗歐洲列王同天主教教皇之間嘅教皇婚姻關係,因為《啟示錄》第十二章嘅龍,既係撒但,亦係異教羅馬嘅君王。

“Thus while the dragon, primarily, represents Satan, it is, in a secondary sense, a symbol of pagan Rome.” The Great Controversy, 439.

「所以,龍固然主要係代表撒但,但從次一層意思嚟講,佢亦係異教羅馬嘅象徵。」《善惡之爭》,439。

In Revelation John informs us of three things the kings (the dragon) gave to the sea beast of Catholicism.

喺《啟示錄》入面,約翰話畀我哋知,列王(嗰條龍)將三樣嘢交咗畀天主教體系嘅海獸。

And the beast which I saw was like unto a leopard, and his feet were as the feet of a bear, and his mouth as the mouth of a lion: and the dragon gave him his power, and his seat, and great authority. Revelation 13:2.

我所看見的獸,形狀像豹,腳如熊腳,口如獅子口;那龍將自己嘅能力、座位,同大權柄都賜咗畀牠。啟示錄 13:2。

In 496, the kings of Europe began providing the papal beast their “power” as represented by their military might and economic support. They had moved the capital of their empire to Constantinople in 330, leaving the city of Rome as the “seat” of the papal authority. The “arms” thereafter identified the papal church as the head of all churches in 533 with the decree of Justinian. The decree included the use of their military might to persecute those who the papacy identified as heretics, thus placing their civil “authority” into the hands of the popes.

喺496年,歐洲列王開始將佢哋嘅「能力」賦予教皇獸,呢種能力乃藉住佢哋嘅軍事勢力同經濟支持所表徵。佢哋早於330年已將帝國嘅首都遷往君士坦丁堡,因而留下羅馬城作為教皇權柄嘅「座位」。此後,「軍力」喺533年藉住查士丁尼嘅諭令,確認教皇教會為眾教會之首。該項諭令亦包括運用佢哋嘅軍事力量去逼迫嗰啲被教廷指為異端嘅人,從而將佢哋民事上嘅「權柄」交喺諸教皇手中。

The alpha treaty marriage between the papacy and the kings of Europe began with Clovis in 496. By 508, paganism, the legal religion of the realm was set aside for the religion of Nicene Catholicism. In 533, Justinian identified the papacy as the head of all churches, and surrendered the legal authority of their respective thrones unto the papal power.

教皇制度同歐洲列王之間嗰個阿爾法條約婚姻,乃始於496年克洛維斯。到咗508年,異教,即該國法定之宗教,已被擱置,改奉尼西亞天主教之信仰。及至533年,查士丁尼指明教皇制度為眾教會之首,並將彼等各自王位之法定權柄交付於教皇權勢。

The Alpha and Omega Seat

阿拉法與俄梅戛座位

In 330, the city of Rome was left in the hands of the Roman church where she would be seated until she is destroyed in the lake of fire at Christ’s second coming. In 538, she was officially seated again upon the papal throne, thus identifying the history of 330 unto 538 as a prophetic period that begins with an alpha seat and ends with an omega seat. The period represents the ending of the fourth kingdom of Bible prophecy (Pergamos) as a progressive demise beginning in 330 and ending in 538 with the arrival of Thyatira. Both western and eastern Rome continued the slow dissolution beyond 538, but the period began with giving the seat, representing the city of Rome to the papacy in 330, until the seat became not simply a throne over the city, but over the kingdom represented by the city in 538.

喺330年,羅馬城被交喺羅馬教會手中;佢將會坐喺其上,直到基督第二次降臨之時,喺火湖中被毀滅為止。喺538年,佢正式再次坐上教皇寶座;因此,330年至538年呢段歷史,乃被標識為一段先知性時期,係由一個阿勒法座位開始,並以一個俄梅戛座位結束。呢段時期代表住《聖經》預言中第四個國度(別迦摩)嘅終局,乃係一個漸進式嘅衰亡,始於330年,並於538年推雅推喇嘅來臨而告終。西羅馬同東羅馬喺538年之後都繼續緩慢瓦解;但呢段時期係由330年將座位——即代表羅馬城——交畀教皇制而開始,直到538年,嗰座位唔再單單係管轄嗰城嘅寶座,而係管轄由嗰城所代表之國度嘅寶座。

330 to 538 is a specific prophetic period that defines the ‘eight’ waymarks of the papacy’s empowerment. Those eight steps are repeated in the healing of the papacy’s deadly wound at the soon-coming Sunday law.

330 至 538 乃一段特定嘅預言時期,界定咗教皇權勢得着授權嘅「八個」路標。呢八個步驟,亦會喺即將來臨嘅星期日法令之中、教皇權勢致命傷口得醫治之時,再次重演。

The first of the eight steps was the giving of the city of Rome to the papal power, and the eighth step was the giving of the city as the throne of the fifth kingdom of Bible prophecy. This identifies 538 as the seat, and as ‘the eighth step, that is of the previous seven steps.’ The first step was the giving of the seat and the eighth step was the giving of the seat; thus, the first step in 330 is the alpha and 538 is the omega. Two seats, three horns removed, the daily taken away, Clovis’ conversion and Justinian’s decree equal eight total steps that identify the marriage procession, and ultimately the marriage.

八個步驟之中,第一個步驟,乃係將羅馬城交予教皇權勢;而第八個步驟,乃係將該城作為《聖經》預言中第五國度之寶座而交出。由此可見,538年乃係嗰座位,亦即「第八步,係出於前七步者」。第一步係交出座位,第八步亦係交出座位;因此,330年之第一步乃阿拉法,而538年乃俄梅戛。兩個座位、三角被拔除、常獻的祭被除去、克洛維斯之歸信,同埋查士丁尼之詔令,共成八個完整步驟,指出婚禮之行列,並且最終指向婚姻本身。

In 1798, France, the power who had represented the ten European kings, who placed the papacy on the throne in 538, removed the papacy from that very throne. The alpha treaty marriage represented in the history of 538 unto 1798 typifies the omega treaty marriage of the papal power with the ten kings of Revelation seventeen. The marriage procession from 496 unto 538 typifies eight steps that align with the last eight presidents of the United States. Clovis and France are symbols of the ten European kings. They represent the United States who will become the premier king of Revelation seventeen’s ten kings at the soon-coming Sunday law.

1798年,法國——嗰個曾經代表歐洲十王、並喺538年將教皇制安置於王位之上嘅勢力——又將教皇制從嗰同一個王位上撤去。喺538年至1798年歷史當中所表明嘅阿勒法條約婚盟,預表咗《啟示錄》第十七章之中教皇勢力同十王之間嘅俄梅加條約婚盟。由496年至538年嘅婚禮行列,預表八個步驟,並且同美國最後八位總統彼此對應。克洛維同法國,乃係歐洲十王嘅象徵。佢哋所代表嘅,乃係美國;而美國將喺即將來臨嘅星期日法案之時,成為《啟示錄》第十七章十王之中居首嘅王。

The five previous treaty marriages of Daniel eleven align with the sixth and final treaty marriage of the latter days. The alpha and omega treaty marriages of north and south identify the bride from the south as the alpha and the omega is a bride from the north. In the treaty marriages of pagan Rome, the alpha bride from the east was given to the west, and the omega of 313 was a bride from the west. Those four marriages are prophetically linked together by Cleopatra the first and Cleopatra the last. The symbolic treaty marriage of papal Rome represented the groom as the premier king of a prophetic confederacy of ten kings joining with their bride—the scarlet woman of Rome. The divorce was carried out by the premier king of the ten kings in 1798.

但以理書十一章之前嗰五次盟約婚姻,同末後時代第六次、亦即最後一次盟約婚姻彼此相符。北方同南方嗰啲阿拉法同俄梅戛盟約婚姻,表明出自南方嘅新婦係阿拉法,而俄梅戛則係一位出自北方嘅新婦。喺異教羅馬嘅盟約婚姻之中,阿拉法新婦由東方被交予西方,而主後313年嘅俄梅戛乃係一位出自西方嘅新婦。呢四次婚姻,藉住第一個克利奧佩特拉同最後一個克利奧佩特拉喺預言上彼此連繫起來。教皇羅馬嗰象徵性盟約婚姻,將新郎表述為一個由十王組成之預言性同盟嘅首要君王,與佢哋嘅新婦——羅馬嘅朱紅色婦人——聯合。呢場離婚,乃由1798年十王之中嗰位首要君王所施行。

The treaty marriage of 313 represents the final treaty marriage of the papal power with the United States—the premier king of Revelation seventeen’s ten kings; a two horned power that is typified by the two horned power of France. The history that began with Clovis in 496 and ultimately led to the decree of Justinian in 533 and the enthronement of the papacy in 538, represents the history of 1989 unto the Sunday law.

313年嘅條約婚姻,象徵教皇權勢同美國——即係《啟示錄》第十七章十王之中居首嘅王——所締結最後一次條約婚姻;而美國乃係一個兩角嘅權勢,預表於法國嗰個兩角嘅權勢。呢段歷史由496年克洛維開始,最終引至533年查士丁尼嘅諭令,同埋538年教皇制度登位,乃係1989年直到星期日法案之歷史嘅表徵。

We will continue these things in the next article.

我哋將會喺下一篇文章繼續論述呢啲事。