We ended the previous article with the question, “With these concepts in place the question may be asked how is it that at 9/11 the book of Joel became the message Peter identified at Pentecost?”
我哋喺上一篇文章結束時，提出咗呢個問題：「既然呢啲觀念已經確立，咁點解喺9/11之際，《約珥書》竟成為彼得喺五旬節所指出嘅信息呢？」
Peter was identifying that Joel was being fulfilled on the day of Pentecost, which is a point in time marking the end of the Pentecostal season. In the Pentecostal season there was a manifestation of the Holy Spirit at the beginning, and then a greater manifestation of the Holy Spirit at the end. By faith understanding that both the Bible and Spirit of Prophecy apply Joel to the time of the latter rain we may know that the book of Joel became present truth at 9/11; and that every element of the book will speak directly of the prophetic history beginning at 9/11 on through to and including the seven last plagues, which Joel identifies as the “day of the Lord.”
彼得指出，約珥書喺五旬節嗰日應驗咗；而五旬節嗰日，乃係標誌住五旬節時期結束嘅一個時間點。喺五旬節時期之中，起初有聖靈嘅彰顯，及至末了，則有更大嘅聖靈彰顯。憑住信心去明白《聖經》同埋《預言之靈》都將約珥書應用於晚雨嘅時期，我哋就可以知道，約珥書喺 9/11 成為現代真理；並且，書中每一個要素都會直接講述由 9/11 開始，一直延續到並包括七大災在內嘅預言歷史，而約珥將此稱為「耶和華的日子」。
As typified by 1888, on 9/11 the presentation of the Laodicean message became present testing truth. Isaiah typifies that same message in chapter fifty-eight with the trumpet voice showing God’s people their transgressions. The “day” when Isaiah begins sounding his voice like a trumpet is the same day he sings the song of the vineyard.
正如 1888 年所預表，在 9/11，老底嘉信息嘅傳講成為咗當前考驗人嘅真理。以賽亞喺第五十八章亦以同一信息作為預表，藉着號筒般嘅聲音，向上帝嘅子民指出佢哋嘅過犯。以賽亞開始發出如號筒嘅聲音嗰一「日」，正係佢唱出葡萄園之歌嘅同一日。
In that day sing ye unto her, A vineyard of red wine. I the Lord do keep it; I will water it every moment: lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day. Fury is not in me: who would set the briers and thorns against me in battle? I would go through them, I would burn them together. Or let him take hold of my strength, that he may make peace with me; and he shall make peace with me. He shall cause them that come of Jacob to take root: Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit. Isaiah 27:2–6.
到那日，你們要向她歌唱：有一葡萄園，出產紅酒。 我耶和華看守它；我必時刻澆灌，免得有人損害它；我必晝夜看守。 我心中並無忿怒；誰敢以荊棘蒺藜擺陣與我交戰呢？我必踐踏它們，將它們一同焚燒。 不然，讓他持住我的能力，使他與我和好；他必與我和好。 將來雅各中必有扎根的；以色列必發旺開花，結出嫩芽，並且果實充滿世界的全地。 以賽亞書 27:2–6。
Modern spiritual “Israel shall blossom and bud, and fill the face of the world with fruit” during the period of the latter rain, for the early rain cause the budding and blossoming of a plant, and the latter rain produces the fruit. When the buildings of New York came down on 9/11 the mighty angel of Revelation eighteen descended and the latter rain began to sprinkle. At that time God’s watchmen were to blow the trumpet to the Laodicean church. Isaiah’s message identifying the sins of God’s people is also the song of the vineyard of red wine. The first chapter of Joel is that very message.
屬靈上現代的「以色列必發旺開花，結出嫩芽，並且果實充滿世界的面」（以賽亞書二十七章六節），乃是在後雨時期之中；因為先雨使植物發芽開花，而後雨則結成果子。當紐約的建築物於九一一倒下之時，啟示錄第十八章那位大力的天使便降下，後雨亦開始灑下。於那時，上帝的守望者本應向老底嘉教會吹角。以賽亞指出上帝子民罪惡的信息，也就是那首論紅酒葡萄園的歌。約珥書第一章正是那同一個信息。
The word of the Lord that came to Joel the son of Pethuel.
耶和華嘅話臨到毗土珥嘅兒子約珥。
Hear this, ye old men, and give ear, all ye inhabitants of the land. Hath this been in your days, or even in the days of your fathers? Tell ye your children of it, and let your children tell their children, and their children another generation.
你們老年人哪，要聽這話；這地一切居民哪，都要側耳而聽。你們的日子，或你們列祖的日子，曾有這樣的事嗎？你們要將這事傳與你們的兒女，你們的兒女傳與他們的兒女，他們的兒女又傳與後來的一代。
That which the palmerworm hath left hath the locust eaten; and that which the locust hath left hath the cankerworm eaten; and that which the cankerworm hath left hath the caterpiller eaten.
剪蟲所剩下的，蝗蟲就食盡了；蝗蟲所剩下的，蝻子就食盡了；蝻子所剩下的，螞蚱就食盡了。
Awake, ye drunkards, and weep; and howl, all ye drinkers of wine, because of the new wine; for it is cut off from your mouth.
醉酒的人哪，你哋要醒起，並且哀哭；所有飲酒的人哪，你哋都要號咷，因為新酒；因它已從你哋口中斷絕。
For a nation is come up upon my land, strong, and without number, whose teeth are the teeth of a lion, and he hath the cheek teeth of a great lion. He hath laid my vine waste, and barked my fig tree: he hath made it clean bare, and cast it away; the branches thereof are made white. Lament like a virgin girded with sackcloth for the husband of her youth. The meat offering and the drink offering is cut off from the house of the Lord; the priests, the Lord’s ministers, mourn. The field is wasted, the land mourneth; for the corn is wasted: the new wine is dried up, the oil languisheth.
因為有一國上來侵犯我地，強盛無比，數目不可勝數；牠的牙齒如獅子的牙齒，牠的大牙如猛獅的大牙。牠使我的葡萄樹荒廢，剝去我無花果樹的皮；牠把樹剝得精光，拋棄一旁，以致枝條都變為白色。你們要哀號，好像幼年喪夫、腰束麻布的處女一樣。素祭和奠祭都從耶和華的殿中斷絕了；祭司，就是耶和華的僕役，都悲哀。田野荒涼，大地悲哀；因為五穀毀壞，新酒乾竭，油也衰殘。
Be ye ashamed, O ye husbandmen; howl, O ye vinedressers, for the wheat and for the barley; because the harvest of the field is perished. The vine is dried up, and the fig tree languisheth; the pomegranate tree, the palm tree also, and the apple tree, even all the trees of the field, are withered: because joy is withered away from the sons of men.
你們農夫啊，要羞愧；你們修理葡萄園的啊，要哀號；因為麥子和大麥都毀壞了，田間的收成已經滅沒。葡萄樹枯乾，無花果樹衰殘；石榴樹、棕樹、蘋果樹，連田野一切的樹木，也都枯萎了；因為歡樂已從世人中間枯竭。
Gird yourselves, and lament, ye priests: howl, ye ministers of the altar: come, lie all night in sackcloth, ye ministers of my God: for the meat offering and the drink offering is withholden from the house of your God. Sanctify ye a fast, call a solemn assembly, gather the elders and all the inhabitants of the land into the house of the Lord your God, and cry unto the Lord, Alas for the day! for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. Is not the meat cut off before our eyes, yea, joy and gladness from the house of our God? The seed is rotten under their clods, the garners are laid desolate, the barns are broken down; for the corn is withered. How do the beasts groan! the herds of cattle are perplexed, because they have no pasture; yea, the flocks of sheep are made desolate.
你們要束腰，哀號；祭司啊，你們要悲慟！祭壇的僕役啊，你們要號咷！事奉我上帝的人哪，你們要來，披上麻布，整夜躺臥；因為素祭和奠祭，已從你們上帝的殿中斷絕了。 你們要分別為聖，定下禁食的日子，宣召嚴肅會，招聚長老和這地所有的居民，到耶和華你們上帝的殿中，向耶和華哀求。哀哉，那日！因為耶和華的日子臨近了；這日來到，好像從全能者而來的毀滅。 糧食不是在我們眼前斷絕了嗎？歡喜快樂不是也從我們上帝的殿中止息了嗎？種子在土塊下朽爛了；倉房荒涼，穀倉拆毀，因為五穀枯乾了。牲畜何等呻吟！牛群困惑不安，因為沒有草場；連羊群也受了災殃。
O Lord, to thee will I cry: for the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness, and the flame hath burned all the trees of the field. The beasts of the field cry also unto thee: for the rivers of waters are dried up, and the fire hath devoured the pastures of the wilderness. Joel 1:1–20.
耶和華啊，我要向你呼求；因為火燒滅了曠野的草場，火焰燒盡了田野一切的樹木。田野的走獸也向你哀鳴；因為溪水乾涸，火燒滅了曠野的草場。約珥書 1:1–20。
The first chapter of Joel is addressing the destruction of God’s vineyard. Isaiah establishes “that day” as the day when the latter rain begins, for the plants on that day begin to blossom and bud. The fact that Isaiah informs us that God’s people will “take root,” “blossom and bud” and fill the earth with “fruit” is illustrating a progressive history of three steps. A plant takes “root” in the ground. To “take root” therefore means to stand upon the ground, which is the ground floor or the foundation. Those who “come out of Jacob” “take root” and then they are called “Israel.” Those who come out of the Laodicean experience are then called Philadelphians, though to retain that experience requires victory in a testing process that ends at the Sunday law.
約珥書第一章所講論嘅，係上帝葡萄園嘅毀滅。以賽亞確立咗「那日」就係後雨開始降下之日，因為植物喺嗰日開始開花發芽。以賽亞話畀我哋知道，上帝嘅子民要「扎根」、「開花發芽」，並以「果實」充滿全地；呢一點乃係說明一段循序漸進、分為三個步驟嘅歷史。植物先喺地裏「扎根」。因此，「扎根」即係站立喺地上，而呢地就係底層，亦即根基。凡「從雅各而出」嘅人，先「扎根」，然後先被稱為「以色列」。凡從老底嘉嘅經驗之中出來嘅人，之後就被稱為非拉鐵非人；但若要保持呢種經驗，就必須喺一個試驗過程中得勝，而呢個過程係以星期日法令告終。
The prophetic relationship of Jacob, (the supplanter) and Israel, (the overcomer) is identifying that at 9/11 those who “take root” by returning to the foundations, there and then enter into a covenant relationship. Prophetically a change of name is a symbol of a covenant, as represented by Abram to Abraham, Sarai to Sarah, Jacob to Israel and others. In the verse those who returned to the old foundational truths at 9/11 entered into a covenant relationship as the rain began to produce blossoms and buds. At the Sunday law the whole world will be filled with “fruit” as the rain is then poured out without measure.
雅各（即篡奪者）與以色列（即得勝者）之間所具有嘅先知性關係，指出喺 9/11，那些藉着回歸根基而「扎根」嘅人，就喺嗰時嗰刻進入咗立約嘅關係。按先知性嘅意義，改名乃係立約嘅象徵，正如亞伯蘭改為亞伯拉罕、撒萊改為撒拉、雅各改為以色列，以及其他例子所表明嘅一樣。喺呢節經文之中，那些喺 9/11 回轉歸向古舊根基真理嘅人，當雨開始生發花朵同嫩芽之時，便進入咗立約嘅關係。到咗星期日法案之時，全世界都要充滿「果子」，因為嗰時雨要無限量咁傾注下來。
Isaiah must agree with Isaiah, and of course all the other prophets, but Isaiah is to lift up his voice like a trumpet and show Laodicean Seventh-day Adventists their sins in the context of the song of the vineyard. That song was sung by Jesus in the parable of the vineyard. The vineyard caused him to weep as He for the last time before the cross looked out over Jerusalem; knowing ancient Israel had reached the end of their probationary period and were being passed by as God’s covenant people. Simultaneously Christ was entering into a covenant with a people who would bring forth the appropriate fruits from God’s vineyard. Whether the vineyard story of Joshua at the beginning or of Jesus at the end those who became the new covenant people typified the one hundred and forty-four thousand.
以賽亞必須與以賽亞一致，當然亦要與其餘一切先知一致；然而，以賽亞要高聲如吹角，喺葡萄園之歌嘅背景之下，向老底嘉嘅基督復臨安息日會信徒指明佢哋嘅罪。呢首歌，乃係耶穌喺葡萄園嘅比喻中所唱嘅。當祂喺十字架之前最後一次眺望耶路撒冷時，葡萄園使祂哭泣；因祂知道，古代以色列嘅恩 probation 時期已經去到終局，並且作為上帝立約之民，正被越過。與此同時，基督正與一班將會從上帝嘅葡萄園結出相稱果子嘅子民立約。無論係約書亞喺起初所講述嘅葡萄園故事，抑或耶穌喺末後所講述嘅葡萄園故事，凡成為新約之民嘅，都係十四萬四千人嘅預表。
Christ spoke of Isaiah’s vineyard prophecy, as does Sister White.
基督曾提到以賽亞關於葡萄園嘅預言，懷愛倫姊妹亦然。
“The parable of the vineyard applies not alone to the Jewish nation. It has a lesson for us. The church in this generation has been endowed by God with great privileges and blessings, and He expects corresponding returns.” Christ Object Lessons, 296.
「葡萄園嘅比喻，並唔單單適用於猶太民族；其中亦有畀我哋嘅教訓。呢一代嘅教會，已蒙上帝賜予極大嘅特權同福分，佢亦期望有相稱嘅收成。」《基督比喻實訓》，296。
It is instructive to read the passage which leads to the last statement from the Spirit of Prophecy.
細讀《預言之靈》中引出最後一段陳述的那段經文，實在發人深省。
“Chapter 23—The Lord’s Vineyard
「第23章——主的葡萄園」
“The Jewish Nation
「猶太民族」
“The parable of the two sons was followed by the parable of the vineyard. In the one, Christ had set before the Jewish teachers the importance of obedience. In the other, He pointed to the rich blessings bestowed upon Israel, and in these showed God’s claim to their obedience. He set before them the glory of God’s purpose, which through obedience they might have fulfilled. Withdrawing the veil from the future, He showed how, by failure to fulfill His purpose, the whole nation was forfeiting His blessing, and bringing ruin upon itself.
「兩個兒子」的比喻之後，便是「葡萄園」的比喻。喺前者當中，基督已經將順服嘅重要性擺喺猶太教師面前；喺後者當中，祂指出賜予以色列嘅豐盛福澤，並藉此顯明上帝對佢哋順服所擁有嘅要求。祂將上帝旨意嘅榮耀擺喺佢哋面前——若藉住順服，佢哋本可以將之成全。祂揭開將來嘅帷幕，向佢哋顯示：由於未能成全祂嘅旨意，成個國家正喪失祂嘅福氣，並將毀滅招致喺自己身上。」
“‘There was a certain householder,’ Christ said, ‘which planted a vineyard, and hedged it round about, and digged a winepress in it, and built a tower, and let it out to husbandmen, and went into a far country.’
基督說：「有一個家主，栽種了一個葡萄園，四圍圈上籬笆，裏面挖了一個酒醡，又建造了一座樓，租給園戶，就往遠方去了。」
“A description of this vineyard is given by the prophet Isaiah: ‘Now will I sing to my wellbeloved a song of my beloved touching His vineyard. My wellbeloved hath a vineyard in a very fruitful hill; and He fenced it, and gathered out the stones thereof, and planted it with the choicest vine, and built a tower in the midst of it, and also made a winepress therein; and He looked that it should bring forth grapes.’ Isaiah 5:1, 2.
先知以賽亞曾如此描述呢個葡萄園：「我要為我所親愛的唱歌，是我良人論到祂葡萄園的歌。我所親愛的有葡萄園在肥美的山岡上；祂刨挖園子，撿去石頭，栽種上等的葡萄樹，在園中蓋了一座樓，又在其中鑿出酒醡；祂指望結出葡萄。」以賽亞書 5:1, 2。
“The husbandman chooses a piece of land from the wilderness; he fences, clears, and tills it, and plants it with choice vines, expecting a rich harvest. This plot of ground, in its superiority to the uncultivated waste, he expects to do him honor by showing the results of his care and toil in its cultivation. So God had chosen a people from the world to be trained and educated by Christ. The prophet says, ‘The vineyard of the Lord of hosts is the house of Israel, and the men of Judah His pleasant plant.’ Isaiah 5:7. Upon this people God had bestowed great privileges, blessing them richly from His abundant goodness. He looked for them to honor Him by yielding fruit. They were to reveal the principles of His kingdom. In the midst of a fallen, wicked world they were to represent the character of God.
農夫從荒野之中揀選一塊土地；他把它圈起來，清理，耕種，又栽上上好的葡萄樹，期望得着豐盛的收成。這一塊土地，既較那未經開墾的荒地優勝，他期望它藉着顯出他在其上栽培照料、辛勞作工的成果，為他增添榮耀。照樣，上帝從世人當中揀選了一個民族，藉着基督加以訓練和教導。先知說：「萬軍之耶和華的葡萄園，就是以色列家；猶大人是祂所喜愛的栽子。」以賽亞書 5:7。上帝曾將極大的特權賜給這民，從祂豐盛的恩慈中厚厚賜福與他們。祂指望他們藉着結出果子來尊榮祂。他們要彰顯祂國度的原則。在一個墮落、邪惡的世界當中，他們要代表上帝的品格。
“As the Lord’s vineyard they were to produce fruit altogether different from that of the heathen nations. These idolatrous peoples had given themselves up to work wickedness. Violence and crime, greed, oppression, and the most corrupt practices, were indulged without restraint. Iniquity, degradation, and misery were the fruits of the corrupt tree. In marked contrast was to be the fruit borne on the vine of God’s planting.
「佢哋既然係主嘅葡萄園，就應當結出同外邦列國全然唔同嘅果子。呢啲拜偶像嘅民族，已經任憑自己行各樣邪惡。強暴同罪行、貪婪、欺壓，同埋最敗壞嘅行徑，都毫無約束噉放縱出嚟。不義、墮落同痛苦，就係呢棵敗壞之樹所結出嘅果子。與此形成鮮明對比嘅，應當係神所栽種之葡萄樹上所結嘅果子。」
“It was the privilege of the Jewish nation to represent the character of God as it had been revealed to Moses. In answer to the prayer of Moses, ‘Show me Thy glory,’ the Lord promised, ‘I will make all My goodness pass before thee.’ Exodus 33:18, 19. ‘And the Lord passed by before him, and proclaimed, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin.’ Exodus 34:6, 7. This was the fruit that God desired from His people. In the purity of their characters, in the holiness of their lives, in their mercy and loving-kindness and compassion, they were to show that ‘the law of the Lord is perfect, converting the soul.’ Psalm 19:7.
「猶太民族所得之特權，乃是要表彰那已向摩西啟示之上帝的品格。摩西禱告說：『求祢顯出祢的榮耀給我看。』主回答說：『我要使我一切的恩慈在你面前經過。』出埃及記 33:18, 19。『耶和華在他面前宣告說：耶和華，耶和華上帝，是有憐憫、有恩典、不輕易發怒，並有豐盛的慈愛和誠實，為千萬人存留慈愛，赦免罪孽、過犯和罪惡。』出埃及記 34:6, 7。這就是上帝向祂子民所要的果子。他們要藉着品格的純潔、生活的聖潔，以及憐憫、慈愛和同情，顯明『耶和華的律法全備，能甦醒人心。』詩篇 19:7。」
“Through the Jewish nation it was God’s purpose to impart rich blessings to all peoples. Through Israel the way was to be prepared for the diffusion of His light to the whole world. The nations of the world, through following corrupt practices, had lost the knowledge of God. Yet in His mercy God did not blot them out of existence. He purposed to give them opportunity for becoming acquainted with Him through His church. He designed that the principles revealed through His people should be the means of restoring the moral image of God in man.
「上帝嘅旨意，係要藉住猶太民族，將豐盛嘅福惠賜畀萬民。藉住以色列，祂嘅光要傳遍全世界嘅道路，本應被預備好。世上列國因隨從敗壞嘅風俗，已經失落咗對上帝嘅認識。然而，上帝喺祂嘅憐憫之中，並冇將佢哋從存在之中塗抹。祂定意要藉住祂嘅教會，畀佢哋有機會認識祂。祂旨意要使藉住祂子民所啟示嘅原則，成為恢復人裏面上帝道德形像嘅方法。」
“It was for the accomplishment of this purpose that God called Abraham out from his idolatrous kindred and bade him dwell in the land of Canaan. ‘I will make of thee a great nation,’ He said, ‘and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing.’ Genesis 12:2.
「上帝呼召阿伯拉罕離開他拜偶像的親族，並吩咐他住喺迦南地，正是為要成就呢一個旨意。祂話：『我必叫你成為大國；我必賜福給你，叫你嘅名為大；你也要叫別人得福。』創世記 12:2。」
“The descendants of Abraham, Jacob and his posterity, were brought down to Egypt that in the midst of that great and wicked nation they might reveal the principles of God’s kingdom. The integrity of Joseph and his wonderful work in preserving the lives of the whole Egyptian people were a representation of the life of Christ. Moses and many others were witnesses for God.
「阿伯拉罕的後裔、雅各及其子孫，被帶到埃及，為要使他們在那偉大而邪惡的國家當中，彰顯上帝國度的原則。約瑟的正直，以及他為保全全埃及人民性命所成就的奇妙工作，乃是基督生平的表徵。摩西和許多其他人，都是上帝的見證人。」
“In bringing forth Israel from Egypt, the Lord again manifested His power and His mercy. His wonderful works in their deliverance from bondage and His dealings with them in their travels through the wilderness were not for their benefit alone. These were to be as an object lesson to the surrounding nations. The Lord revealed Himself as a God above all human authority and greatness. The signs and wonders He wrought in behalf of His people showed His power over nature and over the greatest of those who worshiped nature. God went through the proud land of Egypt as He will go through the earth in the last days. With fire and tempest, earthquake and death, the great I AM redeemed His people. He took them out of the land of bondage. He led them through the ‘great and terrible wilderness, wherein were fiery serpents, and scorpions, and drought.’ Deuteronomy 8:15. He brought them forth water out of ‘the rock of flint,’ and fed them with ‘the corn of heaven.’ Psalm 78:24. ‘For,’ said Moses, ‘the Lord’s portion is His people; Jacob is the lot of His inheritance. He found him in a desert land, and in the waste howling wilderness; He led him about, He instructed him, He kept him as the apple of His eye. As an eagle stirreth up her nest, fluttereth over her young, spreadeth abroad her wings, taketh them, beareth them on her wings: so the Lord alone did lead him, and there was no strange God with him.’ Deuteronomy 32:9–12. Thus He brought them unto Himself, that they might dwell as under the shadow of the Most High.
「當主將以色列人從埃及領出來時，祂再次彰顯了祂的大能和祂的憐憫。祂在他們從奴役中蒙拯救的事上所行的奇妙作為，並祂在他們經過曠野旅程時對待他們的作為，並不單是為了他們自己的益處。這些乃是要作為給四圍列國的一個鑑戒。主啟示自己為一位超乎一切人間權柄和偉大的上帝。祂為祂子民所行的神蹟奇事，顯明了祂勝過自然界，並勝過那些敬拜自然之人中最偉大的。上帝怎樣經過驕傲的埃及地，祂也必照樣在末後的日子經過全地。藉着火、暴風、地震和死亡，偉大的「自有永有者」救贖了祂的子民。祂把他們從為奴之地領出來。祂引導他們經過那「大而可怕的曠野，那裏有火蛇、蠍子、乾旱之地。」申命記 8:15。祂使水從「堅硬的磐石」中流出來，又用「天上的糧食」餵養他們。詩篇 78:24。「因為，」摩西說，「耶和華的分本是祂的百姓；雅各是祂產業的分。祂在曠野之地遇見他，在荒涼咆哮的野地看顧他；祂環繞他，教導他，保護他如同保護眼中的瞳人。又如鷹攪動巢窩，在雛鷹以上兩翅搧展，接取牠們，背在兩翼之上；這樣，惟有耶和華引導他，並無外邦神與他同在。」申命記 32:9–12。如此，祂將他們帶到自己跟前，使他們得以住在至高者的蔭下。」
“Christ was the leader of the children of Israel in their wilderness wanderings. Enshrouded in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night, He led and guided them. He preserved them from the perils of the wilderness, He brought them into the land of promise, and in the sight of all the nations that acknowledged not God He established Israel as His own chosen possession, the Lord’s vineyard.
基督乃係以色列子民喺曠野漂流時期嘅領袖。佢日間隱藏喺雲柱之中，夜間隱藏喺火柱之中，帶領並引導佢哋。佢保守佢哋免受曠野嘅危險，又帶領佢哋進入應許之地；並且喺一切唔承認上帝嘅列國眼前，建立以色列成為屬於自己所揀選嘅產業，即主嘅葡萄園。
“To this people were committed the oracles of God. They were hedged about by the precepts of His law, the everlasting principles of truth, justice, and purity. Obedience to these principles was to be their protection, for it would save them from destroying themselves by sinful practices. And as the tower in the vineyard, God placed in the midst of the land His holy temple.
「神的聖言曾交託予這百姓。他們四圍有祂律法的訓誡作為籬笆，就是那真理、公義與純潔的永恆原則。對這些原則的順服本應成為他們的保障，因這要救他們脫離因罪惡的行徑而自取滅亡。並且，正如葡萄園中的高樓一樣，神將祂的聖殿安置在那地的中央。 」
“Christ was their instructor. As He had been with them in the wilderness, so He was still to be their teacher and guide. In the tabernacle and the temple His glory dwelt in the holy shekinah above the mercy seat. In their behalf He constantly manifested the riches of His love and patience.
「基督乃係佢哋嘅導師。正如祂曾經喺曠野與佢哋同在，照樣祂仍然要作佢哋嘅教師同引導者。喺會幕同聖殿之中，祂嘅榮耀住喺施恩座以上神聖嘅榮光之中。祂不住為佢哋彰顯祂慈愛同忍耐嘅豐盛。」
“God desired to make of His people Israel a praise and a glory. Every spiritual advantage was given them. God withheld from them nothing favorable to the formation of character that would make them representatives of Himself.
「上帝渴望使祂的子民以色列成為稱讚與榮耀。凡屬靈上的優勢，祂都賜給了他們。凡有助於塑造品格、使他們成為祂自己的代表的一切有利條件，上帝都毫無保留地賜給了他們。 」
“Their obedience to the law of God would make them marvels of prosperity before the nations of the world. He who could give them wisdom and skill in all cunning work would continue to be their teacher, and would ennoble and elevate them through obedience to His laws. If obedient, they would be preserved from the diseases that afflicted other nations, and would be blessed with vigor of intellect. The glory of God, His majesty and power, were to be revealed in all their prosperity. They were to be a kingdom of priests and princes. God furnished them with every facility for becoming the greatest nation on the earth.
「佢哋若順服上帝嘅律法，就必喺世上列國面前成為興盛昌隆嘅奇觀。嗰位能賜畀佢哋智慧，同埋各樣精巧工作技能嘅主，必繼續作佢哋嘅教師，並且藉住佢律法嘅順服，使佢哋尊榮、高升。佢哋若順服，就必蒙保守，免受其他國家所遭受嘅疾病侵害，並且必蒙賜予心智強健嘅福氣。上帝嘅榮耀、佢嘅威嚴同權能，都要喺佢哋一切昌盛之中顯明出嚟。佢哋要成為祭司同君王嘅國度。上帝已經賜畀佢哋各樣便利同條件，使佢哋可以成為地上最偉大嘅國家。」
“In the most definite manner Christ through Moses had set before them God’s purpose, and had made plain the terms of their prosperity. ‘Thou art an holy people unto the Lord thy God,’ He said; ‘the Lord thy God hath chosen thee to be a special people unto Himself, above all people that are upon the face of the earth…. Know therefore that the Lord thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations…. Thou shalt therefore keep the commandments, and the statutes, and the judgments, which I command thee this day, to do them. Wherefore it shall come to pass, if ye hearken to these judgments, and keep, and do them, that the Lord thy God shall keep unto thee the covenant and the mercy which He sware unto thy fathers; and He will love thee, and bless thee, and multiply thee: He will also bless the fruit of thy womb, and the fruit of thy land, thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil, the increase of thy kine, and the flocks of thy sheep, in the land which He sware unto thy fathers to give thee. Thou shalt be blessed above all people…. And the Lord will take away from thee all sickness, and will put none of the evil diseases of Egypt, which thou knowest, upon thee.’ Deuteronomy 7:6, 9, 11–15.
基督藉着摩西，已經以最明確嘅方式，將上帝對佢哋嘅旨意擺喺佢哋面前，並且清楚說明咗佢哋得享興盛嘅條件。祂說：「因為你歸耶和華你嘅上帝為聖潔嘅子民；耶和華你嘅上帝揀選咗你，使你成為屬祂自己嘅子民，超乎地上萬民之上……所以你要知道，耶和華你嘅上帝，祂係上帝，係信實嘅上帝；向愛祂、守祂誡命嘅人守約施慈愛，直到千代……所以，你要謹守我今日所吩咐你嘅誡命、律例、典章，遵行佢哋。故此，如果你哋聽從呢啲典章，謹守遵行，耶和華你嘅上帝就必向你守祂向你列祖所起誓嘅約，施行慈愛；祂必愛你，賜福與你，使你人數增多；亦必喺祂向你列祖起誓應許賜你嘅地上，賜福與你身所生嘅、地所產嘅，並你嘅五穀、新酒、油，以及牛犢增多、羊群蕃盛。你必蒙福，勝過萬民……耶和華必使一切疾病離開你，你所知道埃及一切惡疾，祂都唔會加喺你身上。」申命記 7:6, 9, 11–15。
“If they would keep His commandments, God promised to give them the finest of the wheat, and bring them honey out of the rock. With long life would He satisfy them, and show them His salvation.
「如果佢哋肯遵守祂嘅誡命，上帝就應許將上好嘅麥子賜畀佢哋，又從磐石中使佢哋得着蜂蜜。祂必以長壽使佢哋飽足，並將祂嘅救恩顯明畀佢哋。」
“Through disobedience to God, Adam and Eve had lost Eden, and because of sin the whole earth was cursed. But if God’s people followed His instruction, their land would be restored to fertility and beauty. God Himself gave them directions in regard to the culture of the soil, and they were to co-operate with Him in its restoration. Thus the whole land, under God’s control, would become an object lesson of spiritual truth. As in obedience to His natural laws the earth should produce its treasures, so in obedience to His moral law the hearts of the people were to reflect the attributes of His character. Even the heathen would recognize the superiority of those who served and worshiped the living God.
「因著悖逆上帝，亞當同夏娃失去了伊甸園，而全地也因罪受了咒詛。但如果上帝的子民遵從祂的訓示，他們的土地便會恢復肥沃與美麗。上帝親自將耕作土壤的指示賜給他們，而他們也要與祂合作，使之得以恢復。如此，整片土地在上帝的管治之下，便會成為屬靈真理的實物教材。正如地若順服祂自然的律法，便會產出其中的珍寶；照樣，人民的心若順服祂道德的律法，也必反映祂品格的屬性。甚至連外邦人也會承認那些事奉並敬拜永生上帝之人的優越。」
“‘Behold,’ said Moses, ‘I have taught you statutes and judgments, even as the Lord my God commanded me, that ye should do so in the land whither ye go to possess it. Keep therefore and do them; for this is your wisdom and your understanding in the sight of the nations, which shall hear all these statutes, and say, Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people. For what nation is there so great, who hath God so nigh unto them, as the Lord our God is in all things that we call upon Him for? And what nation is there so great, that hath statutes and judgments so righteous as all this law, which I set before you this day?’ Deuteronomy 4:5–8.
「摩西說：『看哪，我照着耶和華我 神所吩咐我的，將律例典章教訓你們，好叫你們在所要進去得為業之地，照樣遵行。所以你們要謹守遵行；因為這在萬民眼前，就是你們的智慧，你們的聰明。他們聽見這一切律例，必說：這大國的人真是有智慧，有聰明。哪一大國有神與他們相近，像耶和華我們的 神，在我們每逢求告祂的時候與我們相近呢？又哪一大國有這樣公義的律例典章，像我今日擺在你們面前的這一切律法呢？』申命記 4:5–8。」
“The children of Israel were to occupy all the territory which God appointed them. Those nations that rejected the worship and service of the true God were to be dispossessed. But it was God’s purpose that by the revelation of His character through Israel men should be drawn unto Him. To all the world the gospel invitation was to be given. Through the teaching of the sacrificial service Christ was to be uplifted before the nations, and all who would look unto Him should live. All who, like Rahab the Canaanite, and Ruth the Moabitess, turned from idolatry to the worship of the true God, were to unite themselves with His chosen people. As the numbers of Israel increased they were to enlarge their borders, until their kingdom should embrace the world.
以色列人要佔領上帝所指定給他們的一切疆土。那些拒絕敬拜並事奉真神的列國，便要被逐出其地。然而，上帝的旨意乃是要藉着祂的品格透過以色列而顯明，使世人都被吸引歸向祂。福音的邀請原是要傳給全世界的。藉着獻祭制度的教訓，基督要在列國面前被高舉；凡仰望祂的，都必得生。凡像迦南婦人喇合和摩押女子路得一樣，離棄偶像敬拜、歸向敬拜真神的人，都要與祂所揀選的子民聯合。隨着以色列人口增多，他們要擴張疆界，直到他們的國度包羅天下。
“God desired to bring all peoples under His merciful rule. He desired that the earth should be filled with joy and peace. He created man for happiness, and He longs to fill human hearts with the peace of heaven. He desires that the families below shall be a symbol of the great family above.
「上帝渴望將萬民都帶到祂慈悲的統治之下。祂渴望使全地充滿喜樂與平安。祂創造人，原是為叫人得享幸福；祂切望以天上的平安充滿人心。祂渴望地上的家庭成為天上大家庭的表徵。 」
“But Israel did not fulfill God’s purpose. The Lord declared, ‘I had planted thee a noble vine, wholly a right seed: how then art thou turned into the degenerate plant of a strange vine unto Me?’ Jeremiah 2:21. ‘Israel is an empty vine, he bringeth forth fruit unto himself.’ Hosea 10:1. ‘And now, O inhabitants of Jerusalem, and men of Judah, judge, I pray you, betwixt Me and My vineyard. What could have been done more to My vineyard, that I have not done in it? Wherefore when I looked that it should bring forth grapes, brought it forth wild grapes? And now go to; I will tell you what I will do to My vineyard: I will take away the hedge thereof, and it shall be eaten up; and break down the wall thereof, and it shall be trodden down: and I will lay it waste; it shall not be pruned nor digged; but there shall come up briers and thorns: I will also command the clouds that they rain no rain upon it. For … He looked for judgment, but behold oppression; for righteousness, but behold a cry.’ Isaiah 5:3–7.
「但以色列並沒有成就上帝的旨意。主宣告說：『我栽你原是上等的葡萄樹，全然是真種子；你怎麼向我變為外邦葡萄樹的壞枝子呢？』耶利米書 2:21。『以色列是空虛的葡萄樹，只為自己結果子。』何西阿書 10:1。『耶路撒冷的居民和猶大人哪，請你們現今在我與我的葡萄園中間，斷定是非。我為我葡萄園所作之外，還有甚麼可作的呢？我指望它結好葡萄，怎麼倒結了野葡萄呢？現在我告訴你們，我要向我葡萄園怎樣行：我必撤去籬笆，使它被吞滅；拆毀牆垣，使它被踐踏。我必使它荒廢，不再修理，不再鋤刨；荊棘蒺藜倒要生長。我也必吩咐雲彩不降雨在其上。因為……他指望的是公平，不料，倒有暴虐；指望的是公義，不料，倒有冤聲。』以賽亞書 5:3–7。」
“The Lord had through Moses set before His people the result of unfaithfulness. By refusing to keep His covenant, they would cut themselves off from the life of God, and His blessing could not come upon them. ‘Beware,’ said Moses, ‘that thou forget not the Lord thy God, in not keeping His commandments, and His judgments, and His statutes, which I command thee this day: lest when thou hast eaten and art full, and hast built goodly houses, and dwelt therein; and when thy herds and thy flocks multiply, and thy silver and thy gold is multiplied, and all that thou hast is multiplied; then thine heart be lifted up, and thou forget the Lord thy God…. And thou say in thine heart, My power and the might of mine hand hath gotten me this wealth…. And it shall be, if thou do at all forget the Lord thy God, and walk after other gods, and serve them, and worship them, I testify against you this day that ye shall surely perish. As the nations which the Lord destroyeth before your face, so shall ye perish; because ye would not be obedient unto the voice of the Lord your God.’ Deuteronomy 8:11–14, 17, 19, 20.
「主曾藉着摩西將不忠信所帶來嘅結果擺在祂子民面前。佢哋若拒絕遵守祂嘅約，就必使自己與上帝嘅生命隔絕，而祂嘅福氣亦唔能臨到佢哋。摩西話：『你要謹慎，免得你忘記耶和華你嘅上帝，不守我今日所吩咐你嘅誡命、典章、律例；恐怕你食得飽足，建造美好房屋居住；你嘅牛群羊群加增，你嘅金銀增添，並你所有嘅全都加增；你就心高氣傲，忘記耶和華你嘅上帝……又恐怕你心裏說：這貨財是我力量我能力得來的……你若忘記耶和華你嘅上帝，去隨從別神，事奉敬拜牠們，我今日鄭重警戒你哋，你哋必要滅亡。耶和華在你哋面前所滅絕嘅列國怎樣滅亡，你哋也必照樣滅亡，因為你哋不聽從耶和華你哋上帝嘅話。』申命記 8:11–14, 17, 19, 20。」
“The warning was not heeded by the Jewish people. They forgot God, and lost sight of their high privilege as His representatives. The blessings they had received brought no blessing to the world. All their advantages were appropriated for their own glorification. They robbed God of the service He required of them, and they robbed their fellow men of religious guidance and a holy example. Like the inhabitants of the antediluvian world, they followed out every imagination of their evil hearts. Thus they made sacred things appear a farce, saying, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord, are these’ (Jeremiah 7:4), while at the same time they were misrepresenting God’s character, dishonoring His name, and polluting His sanctuary.
猶太民族並沒有留心這警告。他們忘記了上帝，亦失去了對自己作為祂代表之崇高特權的認識。他們所領受的福分，並沒有為世界帶來福分。他們把自己一切的優勢都據為己有，用以榮耀自己。他們奪去了上帝向他們所要求的事奉，也奪去了同胞所當得的宗教引導與聖潔榜樣。他們好像洪水以前世界的居民一樣，順從自己邪惡之心的一切意念。如此，他們使神聖的事顯得如同笑談，說：「這些是耶和華的殿、耶和華的殿、耶和華的殿」（耶利米書 7:4）；然而與此同時，他們卻是在曲解上帝的品格，羞辱祂的名，並玷污祂的聖所。
“The husbandmen who had been placed in charge of the Lord’s vineyard were untrue to their trust. The priests and teachers were not faithful instructors of the people. They did not keep before them the goodness and mercy of God and His claim to their love and service. These husbandmen sought their own glory. They desired to appropriate the fruits of the vineyard. It was their study to attract attention and homage to themselves.
「那些被派去掌管主葡萄園的園戶，對所託付予他們的職分並不忠誠。祭司和教師並不是百姓忠信的導師。他們沒有常把上帝的良善與憐憫，以及祂對他們的愛與服事之要求，擺在他們面前。這些園戶只圖自己的榮耀。他們想據為己有葡萄園的果子。他們一心所求的，就是把人的注意和尊崇吸引到自己身上。」
“The guilt of these leaders in Israel was not like the guilt of the ordinary sinner. These men stood under the most solemn obligation to God. They had pledged themselves to teach a ‘Thus saith the Lord’ and to bring strict obedience into their practical life. Instead of doing this they were perverting the Scriptures. They laid heavy burdens upon men, enforcing ceremonies that reached to every step in life. The people lived in continual unrest, for they could not fulfill the requirements laid down by the rabbis. As they saw the impossibility of keeping man-made commandments, they became careless in regard to the commandments of God.
以色列呢啲領袖所犯嘅罪，並唔似普通罪人所犯嘅罪一樣。呢啲人係處於對上帝最莊嚴嘅責任之下。佢哋曾立誓要傳講「耶和華如此說」，並且喺實際生活中活出嚴格嘅順服。佢哋非但冇咁樣行，反而曲解聖經。佢哋將沉重嘅擔子加喺人身上，強迫人遵守各樣禮儀，甚至延及生活中每一步。百姓常常活喺持續不安之中，因為佢哋無法 fulfill 拉比所定下嘅要求。當佢哋睇見人所制定嘅誡命根本無法遵守時，就對上帝嘅誡命變得漫不經心。
“The Lord had instructed His people that He was the owner of the vineyard, and that all their possessions were given them in trust to be used for Him. But the priests and teachers did not perform the work of their sacred office as if they were handling the property of God. They were systematically robbing Him of the means and facilities entrusted to them for the advancement of His work. Their covetousness and greed caused them to be despised even by the heathen. Thus the Gentile world was given occasion to misinterpret the character of God and the laws of His kingdom.
主曾指示祂的子民，說祂乃葡萄園的主人，而他們一切所有的，都是交託給他們代為掌管，好用於祂的事上。然而，祭司和教師並沒有按着自己是在經手上帝產業的人那樣，去履行他們神聖職分的工作。他們有計劃地奪取了那交託給他們、原為推進祂工作之用的資財與便利。他們的貪婪與貪心，甚至使外邦人也輕看他們。如此，外邦世界便得了機會，去誤解上帝的品格和祂國度的律法。
“With a father’s heart, God bore with His people. He pleaded with them by mercies given and mercies withdrawn. Patiently He set their sins before them, and in forbearance waited for their acknowledgment. Prophets and messengers were sent to urge God’s claim upon the husbandmen; but instead of being welcomed, they were treated as enemies. The husbandmen persecuted and killed them. God sent still other messengers, but they received the same treatment as the first, only that the husbandmen showed still more determined hatred.
神以父親嘅心腸容忍佢嘅子民。祂藉着所賜下嘅憐憫同所收回嘅憐憫，向佢哋懇切呼籲。祂耐心地將佢哋嘅罪擺喺佢哋面前，並以寬容等候佢哋承認。先知同使者被差遣去催促嗰些園戶承認神對佢哋嘅權利；然而，佢哋非但冇有歡迎，反倒將佢哋當作仇敵看待。嗰些園戶迫害並殺害佢哋。神又再差遣其他使者，但佢哋所受嘅待遇同先前一樣，只係園戶所顯出嘅仇恨更加堅決。
“As a last resource, God sent His Son, saying, ‘They will reverence My Son.’ But their resistance had made them vindictive, and they said among themselves, ‘This is the heir; come, let us kill Him, and let us seize on His inheritance.’ We shall then be left to enjoy the vineyard, and to do as we please with the fruit.
「到咗最後嘅辦法，上帝差遣祂嘅兒子，話：『佢哋必尊敬我嘅兒子。』但佢哋嘅抗拒已使佢哋變得懷恨報復，於是彼此商議話：『呢個就係承受產業嘅；嚟啦，我哋殺咗佢，好叫我哋可以奪取佢嘅產業。』咁樣，我哋就可以留下嚟享受呢個葡萄園，並且任意處置其中嘅果子。」
“The Jewish rulers did not love God; therefore they cut themselves away from Him, and rejected all His overtures for a just settlement. Christ, the Beloved of God, came to assert the claims of the Owner of the vineyard; but the husbandmen treated Him with marked contempt, saying, We will not have this man to rule over us. They envied Christ’s beauty of character. His manner of teaching was far superior to theirs, and they dreaded His success. He remonstrated with them, unveiling their hypocrisy, and showing them the sure results of their course of action. This stirred them to madness. They smarted under the rebukes they could not silence. They hated the high standard of righteousness which Christ continually presented. They saw that His teaching was placing them where their selfishness would be uncloaked, and they determined to kill Him. They hated His example of truthfulness and piety and the elevated spirituality revealed in all He did. His whole life was a reproof to their selfishness, and when the final test came, the test which meant obedience unto eternal life or disobedience unto eternal death, they rejected the Holy One of Israel. When they were asked to choose between Christ and Barabbas, they cried out, ‘Release unto us Barabbas!’ Luke 23:18. And when Pilate asked, ‘What shall I do then with Jesus?’ they cried fiercely, ‘Let Him be crucified.’ Matthew 27:22. ‘Shall I crucify your King?’ Pilate asked, and from the priests and rulers came the answer, ‘We have no king but Caesar.’ John 19:15. When Pilate washed his hands, saying, ‘I am innocent of the blood of this just person,’ the priests joined with the ignorant mob in declaring passionately, ‘His blood be on us, and on our children.’ Matthew 27:24, 25.
「猶太人的官長並不愛上帝；因此，他們使自己與祂隔絕，並且拒絕祂為達致公義和解所作的一切提議。基督這位上帝的愛子前來，為葡萄園主人的權利提出主張；但那些園戶卻以明顯的輕蔑對待祂，說：『我們不要這個人作我們的王。』他們嫉妒基督品格之美。祂教導人的方式遠遠勝過他們，因此他們懼怕祂的成功。祂責備他們，揭露他們的假冒為善，並向他們指出他們所行之路必然帶來的結果。這就激起他們狂怒。他們因那些無法壓止的責備而痛苦不堪。他們恨惡基督不斷擺在他們面前那崇高的公義標準。他們看見，祂的教訓正在使他們落到一個地步，叫他們的自私無所遁形，於是他們決意要殺害祂。他們恨惡祂真誠與虔敬的榜樣，也恨惡在祂一切作為中所彰顯那高超的屬靈性。祂的一生整個就是對他們自私的責備；及至那最後的考驗來到，就是那意味着順服以致永生，或悖逆以致永死的考驗，他們竟棄絕了以色列的聖者。當人問他們要在基督和巴拉巴之間作出選擇時，他們喊着說：『釋放巴拉巴給我們！』路加福音 23:18。及至彼拉多問：『這樣，那稱為基督的耶穌，我怎麼辦祂呢？』他們就凶狠地喊着說：『把祂釘十字架！』馬太福音 27:22。彼拉多又問：『我可以把你們的王釘十字架嗎？』祭司和官長就回答說：『除了該撒，我們沒有王。』約翰福音 19:15。當彼拉多洗手，說：『流這義人的血，罪不在我，你們承當吧。』祭司就同那無知的群眾一同激烈地宣告說：『祂的血歸到我們和我們的子孫身上。』馬太福音 27:24, 25。」
“Thus the Jewish leaders made their choice. Their decision was registered in the book which John saw in the hand of Him that sat upon the throne, the book which no man could open. In all its vindictiveness this decision will appear before them in the day when this book is unsealed by the Lion of the tribe of Judah.
「因此，猶太人嘅領袖就作出咗佢哋嘅選擇。佢哋嘅決定已經記錄喺約翰所見、坐在寶座上者手中嗰卷書上；嗰卷書，係冇有人能展開嘅。到咗猶大支派嘅獅子將呢卷書揭開嘅日子，呢個決定連同其中一切報復嘅惡意，都要顯現喺佢哋面前。」
“The Jewish people cherished the idea that they were the favorites of heaven, and that they were always to be exalted as the church of God. They were the children of Abraham, they declared, and so firm did the foundation of their prosperity seem to them that they defied earth and heaven to dispossess them of their rights. But by lives of unfaithfulness they were preparing for the condemnation of heaven and for separation from God.
「猶太民族珍視一個觀念：就是他們乃天所眷愛的人，並且理當永遠被高舉，作為上帝的教會。他們宣稱自己是亞伯拉罕的子孫；而且，在他們看來，他們昌盛的根基是如此穩固，以致他們竟向天地挑戰，叫天地也不能剝奪他們的權利。然而，他們藉着不忠信的生活，乃是在為自己預備天上的定罪，並預備與上帝隔絕。」
“In the parable of the vineyard, after Christ had portrayed before the priests their crowning act of wickedness, He put to them the question, ‘When the Lord therefore of the vineyard cometh, what will he do unto those husbandmen?’ The priests had been following the narrative with deep interest, and without considering the relation of the subject to themselves they joined with the people in answering, ‘He will miserably destroy those wicked men, and will let out His vineyard unto other husbandmen, which shall render Him the fruits in their seasons.’
「喺葡萄園嘅比喻入面，基督喺祭司面前描繪咗佢哋罪惡嘅頂點之後，就向佢哋發問：『所以，葡萄園嘅主人來到嘅時候，佢要點樣處置嗰啲園戶呢？』祭司一直都極有興味咁跟住呢個敘述，未曾想到呢件事同自己有咩關係，就同百姓一齊回答話：『佢要嚴嚴地滅絕嗰啲惡人，並且將葡萄園另租畀別的園戶，就是按着時候交果子畀佢的人。』」
“Unwittingly they had pronounced their own doom. Jesus looked upon them, and under His searching gaze they knew that He read the secrets of their hearts. His divinity flashed out before them with unmistakable power. They saw in the husbandmen a picture of themselves, and they involuntarily exclaimed, ‘God forbid!’
「佢哋不知不覺之間，已經宣告咗自己嘅厄運。耶穌望住佢哋；喺祂洞察一切嘅目光之下，佢哋知道祂已經看透咗佢哋心中隱密嘅意念。祂嘅神性喺佢哋面前以無可置疑嘅能力閃耀顯現。佢哋喺嗰啲園戶身上睇見自己嘅寫照，便不由自主地喊出：『但願呢事唔好臨到！』」
“Solemnly and regretfully Christ asked, ‘Did ye never read in the scriptures, The stone which the builders rejected, the same is become the head of the corner; this is the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes? Therefore say I unto you, The kingdom of God shall be taken from you, and given to a nation bringing forth the fruits thereof. And whosoever shall fall on this stone shall be broken; but on whomsoever it shall fall, it will grind him to powder.’
基督莊嚴而悲痛地問道：「你哋從來冇喺聖經上讀過嗎：『匠人所棄嘅石頭，已成咗房角嘅頭塊石；呢件事係主所作嘅，喺我哋眼中看為希奇。』所以我對你哋講，神嘅國必從你哋奪去，賜畀一個結出其果子嘅國民。凡跌喺呢塊石頭上嘅，必被跌碎；但呢塊石頭掉喺邊個身上，就要把佢磨成粉碎。」
“Christ would have averted the doom of the Jewish nation if the people had received Him. But envy and jealousy made them implacable. They determined that they would not receive Jesus of Nazareth as the Messiah. They rejected the Light of the world, and thenceforth their lives were surrounded with darkness as the darkness of midnight. The doom foretold came upon the Jewish nation. Their own fierce passions, uncontrolled, wrought their ruin. In their blind rage they destroyed one another. Their rebellious, stubborn pride brought upon them the wrath of their Roman conquerors. Jerusalem was destroyed, the temple laid in ruins, and its site plowed like a field. The children of Judah perished by the most horrible forms of death. Millions were sold, to serve as bondmen in heathen lands.
「若果猶太民族曾經接納基督，祂本會使他們免於所注定的厄運。但嫉妒與猜忌使他們變得頑梗不化。他們決意不接納拿撒勒人耶穌為彌賽亞。他們棄絕了世界的光，從此他們的生命便被黑暗四面圍困，如同子夜的幽暗。所預言的厄運臨到猶太民族身上。他們自己那猛烈而失去約束的情慾，造成了他們的毀滅。在盲目的狂怒中，他們彼此殘害。他們悖逆而頑梗的驕傲，招致了羅馬征服者的震怒。耶路撒冷被毀，聖殿成為廢墟，其所在地被耕作如田地一般。猶大之子民以最可怕的方式喪生。數以百萬計的人被變賣，作為奴僕服役於異教之地。」
“As a people the Jews had failed of fulfilling God’s purpose, and the vineyard was taken from them. The privileges they had abused, the work they had slighted, was entrusted to others.
作為一個民族，猶太人未能成就上帝的旨意，因此葡萄園便從他們手中被奪去。他們所濫用的特權、所輕忽的工作，便交託了給別人。
“The parable of the vineyard applies not alone to the Jewish nation. It has a lesson for us. The church in this generation has been endowed by God with great privileges and blessings, and He expects corresponding returns.” Christ’s Object Lessons. 284–296.
「葡萄園的比喻並非單單適用於猶太民族；它對我哋亦有教訓。今世代嘅教會，已蒙上帝賜予極大嘅特權同福氣，而祂亦期望有相稱嘅回報。」《基督實訓》284–296。
The book of Joel identifies the history of the latter rain at the end of the world. The latter rain is God’s final warning message of the third angel of Revelation fourteen. Although the latter rain represents the message of the third angel, it also represents the communication process between Divinity and humanity as symbolized by Zechariah’s golden oil, the early and latter rains, the fire from the altar and other representations. The latter rain is not only a message, and the communication process between God and man, but it is also the only sanctified “methodology” of Bible study sustained in God’s Word. That methodology is Isaiah’s “line upon line” found in chapter twenty-eight.
《約珥書》指出咗世界末時後雨嘅歷史。後雨就係上帝喺《啟示錄》第十四章之第三位天使嘅最後警告信息。雖然後雨象徵第三位天使嘅信息，但佢亦象徵神性同人類之間嘅傳達過程，正如撒迦利亞所象徵嘅金油、秋雨同春雨、從壇上而來嘅火，以及其他各樣表徵所顯明嘅一樣。後雨唔單止係一個信息，亦唔單止係上帝同人之間嘅傳達過程；佢同時亦係唯一一種喺上帝聖言中所維持、並已被分別為聖嘅聖經研讀「方法論」。呢種方法論，就係以賽亞第二十八章所載嘅「律上加律，例上加例」。
At the beginning of ancient and also modern Israel, God, “the husbandman” brought Israel “from the wilderness.” Whether the captivity of four hundred and thirty years captivity in Egypt or the captivity of the Dark Ages from 538 unto 1798, Israel was taken out of “the wilderness,” for a “wilderness” is a symbol of slavery and captivity. Whether ancient literal Israel or modern spiritual Israel God delivered them out of a wilderness captivity and “established” them “as His own chosen possession, the Lord’s vineyard” called to be priests and princes who “were committed” with the privilege of representing “the oracles of God.” The “oracles” for ancient Israel being the Law and to modern Israel being both the Law and the prophecies.
喺古代以至現代以色列嘅起初，上帝——「栽種的人」——將以色列「從曠野」領出嚟。無論係喺埃及四百三十年嘅奴役，抑或由538年至1798年黑暗時代嘅被擄，以色列都係從「曠野」被領出，因為「曠野」乃係奴役同被擄嘅象徵。無論係古代有形嘅以色列，定係現代屬靈嘅以色列，上帝都將佢哋從曠野般嘅被擄之中拯救出嚟，並且「建立」佢哋成為「祂自己所揀選嘅產業，耶和華嘅葡萄園」，蒙召作祭司同君王，並且「受託」享有代表「上帝聖言」嘅特權。對古代以色列嚟講，呢啲「聖言」就係律法；對現代以色列嚟講，則包括律法同預言。
“God has called His church in this day, as He called ancient Israel, to stand as a light in the earth. By the mighty cleaver of truth, the messages of the first, second, and third angels, He has separated them from the churches and from the world to bring them into a sacred nearness to Himself. He has made them the depositaries of His law and has committed to them the great truths of prophecy for this time. Like the holy oracles committed to ancient Israel, these are a sacred trust to be communicated to the world. The three angels of Revelation 14 represent the people who accept the light of God’s messages and go forth as His agents to sound the warning throughout the length and breadth of the earth.” Testimonies, volume 5, 455.
「上帝在現今這日子呼召了祂的教會，正如祂呼召古時的以色列一樣，要在地上站立，作為光。藉着真理那大能的劈刀，就是第一位、第二位、第三位天使的信息，祂已將他們從眾教會中、並從世界中分別出來，為要領他們進入與祂自己神聖而親密的相近之中。祂使他們成為祂律法的受託者，並將這時代偉大的預言真理託付給他們。正如那交託給古代以色列的聖言一樣，這些乃是要傳達給世人的神聖託付。啟示錄第十四章的三位天使，代表那些接受上帝信息之光的人；他們作為祂的使者出去，在全地各處發出這警告。」《證言》卷五，455頁。
Modern Israel was ordained to proclaim the loud cry of the third angel under the power of the latter rain, while manifesting the character of Christ in their personal experience under the power of the Holy Spirit. The loud cry of the third angel is fulfilled during the outpouring of the latter rain, during a time when a false peace and safety latter rain message is being promoted by a class of men who are drunken with the wine of Babylon. These are Isaiah’s drunkards of Ephraim and Joel’s drinkers of wine who have the new wine cut off from their mouths. Those receiving the true latter rain message are represented by Daniel, Mishael, Hananiah and Azariah who rejected the Babylonian food for heavenly fare. These are the one hundred and forty-four thousand who sing the song of Moses and the Lamb, but also of the vineyard, for the vineyard parable was fulfilled in the history of Moses in the beginning of ancient Israel’s covenant relationship, and it was fulfilled again at the end of ancient Israel’s covenant relationship in the history of the Lamb.
現代以色列受命，要喺後雨能力之下，傳揚第三位天使嘅大聲呼喊；同時喺聖靈能力之下，喺佢哋個人嘅經歷中彰顯基督嘅品格。第三位天使嘅大聲呼喊，係喺後雨傾降期間應驗嘅；而嗰時，正有一班被巴比倫之酒灌醉嘅人，推廣一個虛假嘅「平安穩妥」後雨信息。呢啲人就係以賽亞所講以法蓮中醉酒的人，同埋約珥所講嗰啲飲酒之人——新酒從佢哋口中斷絕。領受真正後雨信息嘅人，則由但以理、米沙利、哈拿尼雅同亞撒利雅所預表；佢哋拒絕巴比倫嘅膳食，而揀選天上嘅糧。呢啲人就係嗰十四萬四千人，佢哋唱摩西同羔羊之歌，亦都唱葡萄園之歌；因為葡萄園嘅比喻，喺古以色列與上帝立約關係開始之時，已喺摩西嘅歷史中應驗；而喺古以色列與上帝立約關係終結之時，又喺羔羊嘅歷史中再次應驗。
The song of the vineyard concludes with a former covenant people being passed by when a new covenant people are being married to the Lord. The Lord passed by those who died in the forty-year wilderness wandering and entered into covenant with Joshua at the very same time he was divorcing those who would die. The Lord was divorcing ancient Israel at the very same time He was marrying the Christian church. The alpha or beginning history is represented by Moses and the omega is represented by the Lamb. The history they both represent is the history of the vineyard parable, thus Isaiah’s song of the vineyard is John the Revelator’s song of Moses and the Lamb.
葡萄園之歌以一個舊約之民被主越過作結，正當一個新約之民與主成婚之時。主越過了那些死於四十年曠野飄流之中的人，並且就在祂休棄那些將要死去之人的同一時刻，與約書亞立約。主休棄古代以色列，正是在祂迎娶基督教會的同一時刻。阿拉法，或起初的歷史，是由摩西所代表；而俄梅戛則由羔羊所代表。他們二者所共同代表的歷史，就是葡萄園比喻的歷史；因此，以賽亞的葡萄園之歌，就是啟示者約翰的摩西與羔羊之歌。
We will continue these thoughts in the next article.
我哋將會喺下一篇文章繼續探討呢啲思想。
“These are not the words of Sister White, but the words of the Lord, and His messenger has given them to me to give to you. God calls upon you to no longer work at cross purposes with Him. Much instruction was given in regard to men claiming to be Christian when they are revealing the attributes of Satan, counteracting in spirit, word, and action the advancement of truth, and are surely following the path where Satan is leading them. In their hardness of heart they have grasped authority which in no way belongs to them, and which they should not exercise. Saith the great Teacher, ‘I will overturn, overturn, overturn.’ Men say in Battle Creek, ‘The temple of the Lord, the temple of the Lord are we’ but they are using common fire. Their hearts are not softened and subdued by the grace of God.” Manuscript Releases, volume 13, 222.
「呢啲唔係懷姊妹嘅說話，乃係主嘅說話；而佢嘅使者已經將呢啲話賜畀我，好叫我傳畀你哋。上帝呼召你哋唔好再同佢背道而馳、各行其是。關於一啲人自稱為基督徒，然而所顯露出嚟嘅卻係撒但嘅屬性，在精神、言語同埋行為上抵制真理嘅推進，並且確實係行喺撒但所引領佢哋嘅道路上，主已經賜下咗好多教訓。佢哋因心硬，就攫取咗本來絲毫唔屬於佢哋、亦唔應當由佢哋行使嘅權柄。偉大嘅教師說：『我必傾覆，傾覆，傾覆。』人在 Battle Creek 說：『耶和華的殿，耶和華的殿，我哋就係。』但佢哋用嘅係凡火。佢哋嘅心並冇因上帝嘅恩典而變得柔和馴服。」《Manuscript Releases》，第13卷，222。
“The patience of God has an object, but you are defeating it. He is allowing a state of things to come that you would fain see counteracted by and by, but it will be too late. God commanded Elijah to anoint the cruel and deceitful Hazael king over Syria, that he might be a scourge to idolatrous Israel. Who knows whether God will not give you up to the deceptions you love? Who knows but that the preachers who are faithful, firm, and true may be the last who shall offer the gospel of peace to our unthankful churches? It may be that the destroyers are already training under the hand of Satan and only wait the departure of a few more standard-bearers to take their places, and with the voice of the false prophet cry, ‘Peace, peace,’ when the Lord hath not spoken peace. I seldom weep, but now I find my eyes blinded with tears; they are falling upon my paper as I write. It may be that erelong all prophesyings among us will be at an end, and the voice which has stirred the people may no longer disturb their carnal slumbers.
「神嘅忍耐係有其目的，但你哋正喺度挫敗呢個目的。佢容讓一種局面臨到，而你哋本想日後再去抵擋，然而到嗰時就已經太遲。神曾吩咐以利亞膏立殘酷詭詐嘅哈薛作敘利亞王，好使佢成為鞭打拜偶像之以色列嘅刑杖。邊個知道神會唔會任憑你哋陷入你哋所喜愛嘅迷惑之中？邊個知道嗰啲忠心、堅定、真誠嘅傳道人，會唔會就係最後一批向我哋忘恩負義嘅眾教會宣講和平福音嘅人？或者嗰啲毀滅者已經喺撒但手下受訓，只等待再有少數執掌旌旗者離去，便取代佢哋嘅位置，並以假先知嘅聲音呼喊：『平安，平安。』其實耶和華並冇宣告平安。我甚少流淚，但如今我只覺雙眼被淚水模糊；我寫作之時，淚正滴落喺紙上。或者唔使幾耐，我哋中間一切說預言嘅事都要止息，而嗰把曾經震動眾民嘅聲音，亦唔再攪擾佢哋屬肉體嘅昏睡。」
“When God shall work His strange work on the earth, when holy hands bear the ark no longer, woe will be upon the people. Oh, that thou hadst known, even thou, in this thy day, the things that belong unto thy peace! Oh, that our people may, as did Nineveh, repent with all their might and believe with all their heart, that God may turn away His fierce anger from them.” Testimonies, volume 5, 77.
「當上帝要在地上施行祂奇異的作為之時，當聖潔的手不再抬約櫃之時，禍患必臨到這百姓。哦，但願你，就是你，在這屬於你的日子裏，曉得那關乎你平安的事！哦，但願我們的百姓能像尼尼微一樣，盡其所能地悔改，全心相信，好叫上帝轉離祂向他們所發的烈怒。」《證言》卷五，77。
“If you indulge stubbornness of heart, and through pride and self-righteousness do not confess your faults, you will be left subject to Satan’s temptations. If when the Lord reveals your errors you do not repent or make confession, his providence will bring you over the ground again and again. You will be left to make mistakes of a similar character, you will continue to lack wisdom, and will call sin righteousness, and righteousness sin. The multitude of deceptions that will prevail in these last days will encircle you, and you will change leaders, and not know that you have done so.” Review and Herald, December 16, 1890.
「如果你放縱心裏嘅頑梗，並且因着驕傲同自以為義而唔肯承認自己嘅過錯，你就會被撇下，受制於撒但嘅試探。若然當主顯明你嘅錯誤之時，你唔悔改，也唔認罪，祂嘅眷顧就會使你一再重行舊路。你將會被任由犯上性質相近嘅錯誤，你會繼續缺乏智慧，並且稱罪為義，稱義為罪。在呢末後嘅日子裏將要盛行嘅眾多迷惑，必包圍你，而你會更換主帥，竟不知道自己已經如此行了。」《Review and Herald》，1890年12月16日。