The question we will seek to resolve in this article is how the first mention of the kingdoms of Bible prophecy in Daniel chapter two agrees with the last mention of the kingdoms of Bible prophecy in Revelation seventeen. I intend to raise some questions about what is actually identified in Nebuchadnezzar’s image and the pioneer’s position, that their history represented the point when the rock would strike the feet of the image.
本文要解决的问题是：《但以理书》第二章中对圣经预言诸国的首次提及，如何与《启示录》第十七章中对这些诸国的最后一次提及相一致。我打算就尼布甲尼撒大像究竟所指为何，以及先驱者的立场——即他们的历史代表着那块石头击打那像脚之时——提出一些问题。
Sister White identifies that we had reached the point where “God’s sacred work is represented by the feet of the image in which the iron was mixed with the miry clay,” which she further describes as the “mingling of churchcraft and statecraft.”
怀特姊妹指出，我们已经到了这样一个地步：“上帝的圣工由那尊像的脚所表征，而那脚是铁与淤泥搀杂的”；她进一步将其描述为“教权与政权的混杂”。
“We have come to a time when God’s sacred work is represented by the feet of the image in which the iron was mixed with the miry clay. God has a people, a chosen people, whose discernment must be sanctified, who must not become unholy by laying upon the foundation wood, hay, and stubble. Every soul who is loyal to the commandments of God will see that the distinguishing feature of our faith is the seventh-day Sabbath. If the government would honor the Sabbath as God has commanded, it would stand in the strength of God and in defense of the faith once delivered to the saints. But statesmen will uphold the spurious sabbath, and will mingle their religious faith with the observance of this child of the papacy, placing it above the Sabbath which the Lord has sanctified and blessed, setting it apart for man to keep holy, as a sign between Him and His people to a thousand generations. The mingling of churchcraft and statecraft is represented by the iron and the clay. This union is weakening all the power of the churches. This investing the church with the power of the state will bring evil results. Men have almost passed the point of God’s forbearance. They have invested their strength in politics, and have united with the papacy. But the time will come when God will punish those who have made void His law, and their evil work will recoil upon themselves.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 4, 1168.
我们已经来到这样的时候：神的圣工由那像的脚所代表，那脚是铁与黏泥搀杂。神有一班子民，就是蒙拣选的子民；他们的辨别力必须成圣，不可因在根基上用草木禾秸建造而致不圣洁。凡忠于神诫命的人都必看出，我们信仰的显著特征就是第七日安息日。若政府照着神的吩咐尊重安息日，它就必站立在神的力量中，并护卫那一次交付圣徒的真道。但政要们却要拥护那伪安息日，并把他们的宗教信仰与对这教皇制度之产物的遵守搀杂在一起，把它置于主所分别为圣且赐福的安息日之上——那安息日是祂为人设立、要人守为圣日，作为祂与祂子民之间直到千代的记号。教权与政权的混合正由铁与泥所表征。这种联合正在削弱各教会的一切力量。将国家的权力授予教会必定带来恶果。人类几乎已经越过神忍耐的界限。他们把力量投入政治，并与教皇制度联合。但时候将到，神要惩罚那些使祂的律法作废的人，他们的恶行必归到自己头上。 《基督复临安息日会圣经注释》，第4卷，第1168页。
The time which we have come to when God’s sacred work is mingling churchcraft and statecraft, is a description of a progressive period of time. She says the mingling “is weakening all the power of the churches,” and it “will bring evil results,” and that “the time will come when God will punish those who have made void His law.”
我们已经进入的这个时期——也就是上帝的圣工与教权和政权相混杂的时候——所描绘的是一个渐进的时期。她说，这种混杂“正在削弱各教会的一切力量”，并且“将带来恶果”，而且“时候将到，上帝要惩罚那些废掉祂律法的人”。
The mingling of church and state that weakens the power of the churches is a description of the church of Pergamos, where the combining of churchcraft and statecraft represented the falling away that precedes the revealing of the man of sin. Pergamos and the emperor that symbolizes the compromise between Christianity and idolatry takes place in the fourth kingdom of Daniel two. That compromise is represented in Daniel two with the use of the word “clay.”
政教相杂而削弱教会权势，正是对别迦摩教会的描述；在那里，教权与政权的结合，代表着在那大罪人显露之前的离道反教。别迦摩以及那象征基督教与偶像崇拜妥协的皇帝，出现在《但以理书》第二章的第四个国度里。这种妥协在《但以理书》第二章中以“泥”一词来表示。
Thou, O king, sawest, and behold a great image. This great image, whose brightness was excellent, stood before thee; and the form thereof was terrible. This image’s head was of fine gold, his breast and his arms of silver, his belly and his thighs of brass, His legs of iron, his feet part of iron and part of clay. Thou sawest till that a stone was cut out without hands, which smote the image upon his feet that were of iron and clay, and brake them to pieces. Daniel 2:31–34.
王啊，你看见了：看哪，有一个大像。这大像的光辉极其耀眼，立在你面前；其形状令人恐惧。这像的头是精金，胸膛和两臂是银，腹部和大腿是铜，两腿是铁，脚是半铁半泥。你观看，直到有一块非人手凿出来的石头，击打那像的脚，就是那铁与泥的脚，把它们打得粉碎。但以理书 2:31-34。
As Daniel’s interpretation continues it is no longer “clay” but it became dirty or “miry clay.”
当但以理继续解释时，它就不再是“泥土”，而是变得肮脏，也就是“淤泥”。
And whereas thou sawest the feet and toes, part of potters’ clay, and part of iron, the kingdom shall be divided; but there shall be in it of the strength of the iron, forasmuch as thou sawest the iron mixed with miry clay. Daniel 2:41.
你所看见的脚和脚趾，一部分是陶匠的泥，一部分是铁，那国就必分裂；但其中仍有铁的力量，因为你看见铁与黏泥掺杂。 但以理书 2:41。
The pure clay which was the Potter’s clay changes to miry clay. God’s is the divine Potter and his work is never miry.
那纯净的泥，本是陶匠的泥，却变成了淤泥。上帝是神圣的陶匠，他所作的从不成为淤泥。
But now, O Lord, thou art our father; we are the clay, and thou our potter; and we all are the work of thy hand. Isaiah 64:8.
但如今，主啊，你是我们的父；我们是泥土，你是陶匠；我们众人都是你手所造的。以赛亚书 64:8。
In the history of pagan Rome, the church of Smyrna was pure clay. In the history of Pergamos, which is the fourth kingdom in Daniel two, the clay changes into miry clay. What is first mentioned in the passage as simply “clay”, and thereafter “potter’s clay”, changes into “miry clay”, as the interpretation continues. Pergamos is where that change was accomplished in order to prepare the way for Thyatira, or papal Rome. The change from “clay” into “miry clay” is the falling away that prepares the way for Thyatira, which Paul identifies as the “falling away first” in Second Thessalonians.
在异教罗马的历史中，士每拿教会是纯净的泥土。在别迦摩的历史中（它是但以理书第二章中的第四个国度），“泥土”变成了“淤泥”。那段经文中，起初只是称为“泥土”，随后称为“陶匠的泥土”，而随着解释的展开，又变为“淤泥”。别迦摩正是在那里完成了那一转变，以预备通向推雅推喇（即教皇罗马）的道路。从“泥土”到“淤泥”的变化，就是为推雅推喇预备道路的背道；保罗在《帖撒罗尼迦后书》中把它称为“先有背道的事”。
The Millerites could see no further than the fourth kingdom of Rome and expected the Second Coming of Christ to be the next prophetic event, for the stone that smites the image’s feet represents the Second Coming. But did Christ set up a kingdom in 1798? He did come into the Most Holy Place on October 22, 1844, to receive a kingdom, but was it set up at that time?
米勒派只看到罗马的第四个国度，因而期望基督的再临是下一个预言性的事件，因为击打那像脚的石头代表再临。但基督在1798年设立了国度吗？他确实在1844年10月22日进入至圣所以领受国度，但那时国度就设立了吗？
The answer to the first of those two questions is that Christ did not set up His everlasting kingdom in 1798. The second question whether or not Christ set up His everlasting kingdom on October 22, 1844 is also no.
那两个问题中，第一个问题的答案是：基督并没有在1798年设立祂永恒的国度。第二个问题，即基督是否在1844年10月22日设立祂永恒的国度，答案也是否定的。
Was there a kingdom set up in the time of pagan Rome? I ask this for the pioneers understood the fourth kingdom to be both pagan and papal Rome which identifies 1798 as the conclusion of the fourth kingdom when Christ would set up an everlasting kingdom. But the book of Revelation identifies four kingdoms that follow pagan Rome.
在异教罗马时期有没有建立起一个王国？我之所以这样问，是因为先驱们认为第四个王国既包括异教罗马也包括教皇罗马，从而把1798年界定为第四个王国的结束之时，届时基督将建立一个永恒的国度。然而，《启示录》却指出在异教罗马之后还有四个王国。
If the fourth kingdom of iron in Daniel two is simply representing pagan Rome where the compromise of Constantine is represented by the clay being turned into miry clay, did Christ setup a kingdom in that history? The answer is yes. At the cross, which is the history of Pergamos, not Thyatira, Christ established His kingdom of “grace.” There was an everlasting kingdom set up at the cross, and the throne of that kingdom typifies a throne that gets set up during the latter rain. That latter rain throne represents His kingdom of “glory.”
如果但以理书二章中的铁的第四个国度只是代表异教罗马，而君士坦丁的妥协则由陶泥变成淤泥来象征，那么基督在那段历史中是否设立了一个国度？答案是：是的。在十字架那里——那是别迦摩的历史，而不是推雅推喇——基督设立了祂“恩典”的国度。在十字架上设立了一个永恒的国度，而那国度的宝座预表在晚雨期间要被设立的一座宝座。那晚雨的宝座代表祂“荣耀”的国度。
“The announcement which had been made by the disciples in the name of the Lord was in every particular correct, and the events to which it pointed were even then taking place. ‘The time is fulfilled, the kingdom of God is at hand,’ had been their message. At the expiration of ‘the time’—the sixty-nine weeks of Daniel 9, which were to extend to the Messiah, ‘the Anointed One’—Christ had received the anointing of the Spirit after His baptism by John in Jordan. And the ‘kingdom of God’ which they had declared to be at hand was established by the death of Christ. This kingdom was not, as they had been taught to believe, an earthly empire. Nor was it that future, immortal kingdom which shall be set up when ‘the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the Most High;’ that everlasting kingdom, in which ‘all dominions shall serve and obey Him.’ Daniel 7:27. As used in the Bible, the expression ‘kingdom of God’ is employed to designate both the kingdom of grace and the kingdom of glory. The kingdom of grace is brought to view by Paul in the Epistle to the Hebrews. After pointing to Christ, the compassionate intercessor who is ‘touched with the feeling of our infirmities,’ the apostle says: ‘Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace.’ Hebrews 4:15, 16. The throne of grace represents the kingdom of grace; for the existence of a throne implies the existence of a kingdom. In many of His parables Christ uses the expression ‘the kingdom of heaven’ to designate the work of divine grace upon the hearts of men.
门徒奉主的名所发布的宣告在每一点上都是正确的，而且它所指向的事件当时就正在发生。“时候已经满了，神的国近了”，这是他们的信息。到了“时候”的满期——但以理书第九章所说直指弥赛亚“受膏者”的六十九个七——基督在约旦河接受约翰的洗后，领受了圣灵的膏抹。而他们所宣称临近的“神的国”，是借着基督的死而建立的。这个国度并不是他们被教导去相信的那种地上的帝国；也不是那将来不朽的国度——就是在“国度、权柄和天下诸国的大权都要赐给至高者的圣民”之时所要设立的——那永远的国度，其中“一切掌权的都必事奉他、顺从他”。但以理书7:27。在圣经的用法中，“神的国”这一表达用以指称恩典的国度与荣耀的国度。保罗在《希伯来书》中把恩典的国度呈现在我们面前。在指向那位“能体恤我们软弱”、满有怜悯的代求者基督之后，使徒说道：“所以，我们只管坦然无惧地来到施恩的宝座前，为要得怜恤，蒙恩惠。”希伯来书4:15、16。施恩的宝座代表恩典的国度；因为宝座的存在就意味着国度的存在。在祂许多比喻中，基督用“天国”这一称呼来指称神圣恩典在人心中的工作。
“So the throne of glory represents the kingdom of glory; and this kingdom is referred to in the Saviour’s words: ‘When the Son of man shall come in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then shall He sit upon the throne of His glory: and before Him shall be gathered all nations.’ Matthew 25:31, 32. This kingdom is yet future. It is not to be set up until the second advent of Christ.
因此，荣耀的宝座代表荣耀的国度；而这国度在救主的话中有所提及：“当人子在他荣耀里降临，所有圣天使同他一起来的时候，他要坐在他荣耀的宝座上；万国都要聚集在他面前。”马太福音25:31-32。这个国度尚在将来。要等到基督第二次降临时才会建立。
“The kingdom of grace was instituted immediately after the fall of man, when a plan was devised for the redemption of the guilty race. It then existed in the purpose and by the promise of God; and through faith, men could become its subjects. Yet it was not actually established until the death of Christ. Even after entering upon His earthly mission, the Saviour, wearied with the stubbornness and ingratitude of men, might have drawn back from the sacrifice of Calvary. In Gethsemane the cup of woe trembled in His hand. He might even then have wiped the blood-sweat from His brow and have left the guilty race to perish in their iniquity. Had He done this, there could have been no redemption for fallen men. But when the Saviour yielded up His life, and with His expiring breath cried out, ‘It is finished,’ then the fulfillment of the plan of redemption was assured. The promise of salvation made to the sinful pair in Eden was ratified. The kingdom of grace, which had before existed by the promise of God, was then established.” The Great Controversy, 347.
在人类堕落之后，恩典的国度就被设立；那时为救赎这有罪的人类而拟定了一个计划。它当时存在于上帝的旨意与应许之中；人也可以借着信心成为它的子民。然而直到基督之死，它才真正建立。即使在祂开始地上的使命之后，救主也因人的顽梗与忘恩而心力交瘁，本可以从各各他之牺牲退缩。在客西马尼，忧苦之杯在祂手中颤抖；祂甚至本可以拭去额上的血汗，任由这有罪的人类在他们的罪孽中灭亡。若祂如此，堕落之人便无救赎可言。但当救主交出自己的生命，并在临终之际呼喊：“成了！”的时候，救赎计划的成就便得以确证。在伊甸向那对犯罪的夫妇所赐下的救恩应许也得以确认。那先前仅凭上帝的应许而存在的恩典国度，于是被建立起来。 《大争战》，347。
Christ did set up an everlasting kingdom in the prophetic history of pagan Rome, not at the end of papal Rome. He also sets up His kingdom of glory at His Second Coming which includes the history of the latter rain, when the four winds of Islam are released.
基督确实在异教罗马的预言历史中设立了永远的国度，而不是在教皇罗马的末期。祂也要在祂再临时设立祂荣耀的国度，其中包括晚雨的历史；那时伊斯兰的四风将被释放。
“The latter rain is coming on those that are pure—all then will receive it as formerly.
末后的雨正在临到那些纯洁的人——那时所有人都将像从前一样接受它。
“When the four angels let go, Christ will set up His kingdom. None receive the latter rain but those who are doing all they can. Christ would help us. All could be overcomers by the grace of God, through the blood of Jesus. All heaven is interested in the work. Angels are interested.” Spalding and Magan, 3.
当四位天使放手的时候，基督将设立祂的国度。只有尽其所能的人才能领受晚雨。基督会帮助我们。靠着神的恩典，借着耶稣的宝血，人人都可以成为得胜者。全天庭都关切这项工作。天使们也关切。Spalding and Magan, 3.
When the four winds are released, Christ sets up His kingdom. Both the latter rain and the releasing of the four winds represent progressive events, and neither represent a point in time. The four winds represent Islam.
当四风被释放时，基督设立祂的国度。晚雨和四风的释放都代表渐进性的事件，二者都不代表一个时间点。四风代表伊斯兰教。
“Angels are holding the four winds, represented as an angry horse seeking to break loose and rush over the face of the whole earth, bearing destruction and death in its path.
天使正在按住四风；四风被描绘成一匹愤怒的马，企图挣脱束缚，席卷全地，所到之处带来毁灭与死亡。
“Shall we sleep on the very verge of the eternal world? Shall we be dull and cold and dead? Oh, that we might have in our churches the Spirit and breath of God breathed into His people, that they might stand upon their feet and live. We need to see that the way is narrow, and the gate strait. But as we pass through the strait gate, its wideness is without limit.” Manuscript Releases, volume 20, 217.
我们岂可在永恒世界的边缘上沉睡？我们岂可麻木、冷淡，像死了一般？哦，愿在我们的教会里，有上帝的灵与气息吹入祂的子民，使他们站起来，活了过来。我们需要认识到，道路是窄的，门是窄的；但当我们经过这窄门时，它的宽广却是没有限量的。《手稿发布》第二十卷，第217页。
The angels are holding the angry horse of Islam that is seeking to break loose bearing death and destruction in its path, in the time period when the Spirit of God is breathed upon God’s people. They then stand upon their feet and live. Prior to the Spirit being breathed upon them, God’s people are dead, for the breath of the Spirit causes them to stand up and live. When Sister White says we have now come to a time when the feet of the image that is mixed with iron and miry clay represents the combination of church and state, the outpouring of the latter rain was still in the future.
天使正按住那匹伊斯兰的暴怒之马；它企图挣脱束缚，沿途带来死亡与毁灭。这发生在上帝的灵吹在上帝子民身上的时候。他们于是站立起来，活了过来。在灵吹在他们身上之前，上帝的子民是死的，因为灵的气息使他们站起来并活过来。当怀爱伦姐妹说我们如今已经来到一个时期：那与铁和黏土混杂之像的脚象征政教合一之时，那时晚雨的倾降仍在将来。
“The latter rain is to fall upon the people of God. A mighty angel is to come down from heaven, and the whole earth is to be lighted with his glory.” Review and Herald, April 21, 1891.
“晚雨要降在上帝的子民身上。一位大能的天使要从天而降，全地都要被他的荣耀照亮。”《Review and Herald》，1891年4月21日。
There are two voices in Revelation eighteen.
《启示录》第十八章中有两个声音。
“When Jesus began His public ministry, He cleansed the Temple from its sacrilegious profanation. Among the last acts of His ministry was the second cleansing of the Temple. So in the last work for the warning of the world, two distinct calls are made to the churches.” Selected Messages, book 2, 118.
当耶稣开始公开事工时，祂洁净了圣殿，除去其中的亵渎之事。祂事工最后的行动之一是第二次洁净圣殿。因此，在为警告世界而进行的最后工作中，向众教会发出了两个明确的呼召。《信息选集》第二册，第118页。
The first voice is a wake-up call for God’s people, the second voice is the wake-up call for God’s other children that are still in Babylon.
第一个声音是对神的子民的警醒，第二个声音是对仍在巴比伦中的神的其他儿女的警醒。
“There is a world lying in wickedness, in deception, and delusion, in the very shadow of death,—asleep, asleep. Who are feeling travail of soul to awaken them? What voice can reach them? My mind is carried to the future when the signal will be given, ‘Behold the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him.’ But some will have delayed to obtain the oil for replenishing their lamps, and too late they will find that character, which is represented by the oil, is not transferable.” Bible Echo, May 4, 1896.
整个世界正躺卧在邪恶、欺骗和迷惑之中，在死荫之下——沉睡，沉睡。谁在为唤醒他们而经历心灵的劳苦？有什么声音能触及他们？我的心被带到将来，那时将有呼声发出：“看哪，新郎来了；你们出来迎接他。”但有些人会耽延，没有预备补充灯里的油；等到为时已晚，他们才会发现，那由油所象征的品格是不能转让的。——《圣经回声》，1896年5月4日。
In the passage two questions were asked. Who are feeling travail of soul to awaken them? What voice can reach them?
在这段文字中提出了两个问题。谁在经历心灵的煎熬以唤醒他们？什么声音能触及他们？
The “voice” that awakens the world is the second voice of Revelation eighteen that calls God’s other flock out of Babylon. Both God’s people and the world need to be awakened by the Midnight Cry, which is simply another symbol of the latter rain.
唤醒世界的“声音”，就是启示录第十八章中那呼召上帝的另一群羊从巴比伦出来的第二个声音。上帝的子民和世人都需要被半夜呼声唤醒，而这不过是晚雨的另一个象征。
Were the Millerites correct in identifying that in the days of the fourth kingdom Christ would set up an everlasting kingdom? Yes.
米勒派认定在第四个王国的时期基督会设立永远的国度，这个看法正确吗？是的。
He established His kingdom of “grace” at the cross, which was during the history of the fourth kingdom of Bible prophecy. That kingdom being pagan Rome. In Daniel two, is the falling away that precedes the church of Thyatira represented? Yes, for the clay which represents God’s people changed from clay unto miry clay. So where is Thyatira in the image? Or is it even in the image? It is represented in the image, and Nebuchadnezzar sheds light on that fact when he reaches the height of his proud arrogance in chapter four of Daniel.
祂在十字架上建立了祂的“恩典”国度，这发生在圣经预言中第四个王国的历史时期。那个王国就是异教的罗马。在但以理书第二章中，是否呈现了在推雅推喇教会之前的背道？是的，因为那代表神子民的黏土变成了淤泥。那么，推雅推喇在那座大像中何处？或者它根本在像中吗？它在大像中有所代表，而尼布甲尼撒在但以理书第四章中达到他骄傲自大的顶峰时，阐明了这一事实。
The king spake, and said, Is not this great Babylon, that I have built for the house of the kingdom by the might of my power, and for the honour of my majesty? Daniel 4:30.
王说：“这大巴比伦，不是我凭着我大能的力量建为王宫，为彰显我威严的荣耀吗？”但以理书 4:30。
Just prior to Nebuchadnezzar’s judgment of twenty-five hundred and twenty days of living like a beast of the field, he exhibited his pride by asking the question of whether or not he built the kingdom that is Babylon the great? The whore of Revelation seventeen has written on her forehead, “MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.” The Roman church, as Sister White calls her is Babylon the Great. The head of gold in the image represents literal Babylon and it also represents spiritual Babylon, the fifth kingdom of Bible prophecy that has the singular characteristic as being the power who received a deadly wound. In Isaiah twenty-three the papal power represented as Tyre, would be forgotten for seventy years as the days of one king. Literal Babylon represented by Nebuchadnezzar also received a deadly wound that was healed when Nebuchadnezzar was banished from his kingdom for twenty-five hundred and twenty days. Literal Babylon the great typified spiritual Babylon the great and both had their kingdoms temporarily removed, and thereafter restored. The whore of Revelation seventeen did not have a silver cup in her hand, nor a brass or iron cup, she had a golden cup.
就在尼布甲尼撒被施以那项审判——像野地的兽一样生活二千五百二十天——之前，他因自高自大而发问：这称为大巴比伦的国，不是我建造的吗？启示录十七章的淫妇额上写着：“奥秘，大巴比伦，地上淫乱与可憎之物之母。”罗马教会，按怀特姐妹的称呼，就是大巴比伦。像中的金头代表字面上的巴比伦，也代表属灵的巴比伦——圣经预言中的第五个国度，其独特特征在于它是那受了致命伤的权势。在以赛亚书二十三章中，以推罗所象征的教皇权势要被人遗忘七十年，如同一王的年日。由尼布甲尼撒所代表的字面巴比伦也受了致命伤，而当尼布甲尼撒被逐离他的国度二千五百二十天的时候，这伤得了医治。字面的大巴比伦预表属灵的大巴比伦，二者的国度都一度被撤去，随后又得以恢复。启示录十七章的那淫妇手中拿的不是银杯，也不是铜杯或铁杯，而是金杯。
And the woman was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour, and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication. Revelation 17:4.
那女人穿着紫色和朱红色的衣服，佩戴金子、宝石和珍珠，手里拿着金杯，杯中满是可憎之物和她淫乱的污秽。启示录 17:4
Gold represented literal Babylon and it also represents spiritual Babylon, the fifth kingdom of Bible prophecy that received a deadly wound in 1798, when the sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy took the throne. Literal Babylon in the image was followed by a silver kingdom that consisted of two powers, the Medes and the Persians, and the Persian horn in Daniel eight came up last and higher. Darius the Mede was the first horn and his general, Cyrus was a Persian that would ultimately come into power after the Median king Darius.
金子代表古代巴比伦，也代表属灵的巴比伦——圣经预言中的第五个国度，它在1798年受了致命一击；当圣经预言中的第六个国度掌权时便是如此。图像中的古代巴比伦之后，是一个由两股势力——玛代人与波斯人——组成的银的国度；而在但以理书第八章中，那波斯的角是后来长起来的，并且更为高大。玛代人大利乌是第一只角，他的将军古列是波斯人，最终会在玛代王大利乌之后掌权。
Cyrus was a type of Christ who was going to begin the process of freeing God’s people from captivity. The Medo-Persian empire represents the sixth kingdom of Bible prophecy which is the United States. The United States has two horns representing Republicanism and Protestantism. Darius represents the Republican horn of the United States and Cyrus represents the horn of Protestantism. As Cyrus began the process of freeing God’s people to rebuild Jerusalem and the temple, the United States was the land which was raised up to free the captives of spiritual Babylon’s captivity in order to erect the spiritual temple, of which the Millerites laid the foundation. The literal captivity in Babylon being seventy years typified the captivity in spiritual Babylon for twelve hundred and sixty years. The United States is the shoulders of silver in Nebuchadnezzar’s image.
古列是基督的一个预表，他将开始使上帝的子民从被掳中得释放。玛代-波斯帝国代表圣经预言中的第六个国度，这个国度就是美国。美国有两只角，代表共和主义与新教。大流士代表美国的共和主义之角，古列代表新教之角。正如古列开始释放上帝的子民以重建耶路撒冷和圣殿一样，美国这片土地被兴起，是为要释放被属灵的巴比伦掳去的人，以建立属灵的圣殿，而米勒派为此奠定了基础。巴比伦里实际的被掳为七十年，预表在属灵巴比伦中的被掳为一千二百六十年。美国是尼布甲尼撒像中银的双肩。
The third kingdom of brass was Greece that represents a worldwide kingdom. That kingdom is the United Nations, that in Revelation seventeen was the kingdom that in 1798 had not yet came. The ten kings of Revelation seventeen agree to give their kingdom unto the papacy, the eighth kingdom, that is of the seven. They make this agreement because they are forced to by the United States, and because the world is being destroyed by the “four winds” of Islam, that are released during the time of the latter rain, which begins to be fully poured out at the Sunday law in the United States.
第三个铜的国度是希腊，代表一个世界性的国度。那个国度就是联合国；在启示录第十七章中，它是那在1798年尚未来到的国度。启示录第十七章的十王同意把他们的国权交给教皇权——那“属七者”的第八个国度。他们之所以达成这一协议，是因为被美国所迫，也因为世界正被伊斯兰的“四风”所毁坏；这些“四风”在晚雨时期被释放出来，而晚雨在美国的星期日法令之时开始完全倾倒。
At the Sunday law in the United States, God establishes His kingdom of “glory” as He lifts up His people as an ensign to call God’s other children out of Babylon. Thus, the horn of Protestantism comes up last and is higher than the first in agreement with the two horns of Medo-Persia. Once the United Nations agrees to turn the control of the world over to the papacy, the four winds of Islam are released and the worldwide kingdom is confronted by the warfare that followed the death of Greece’s first horn that was broken and produced four horns.
当美国颁布星期日法令时，上帝建立祂“荣耀”的国度，并将祂的子民高举为旌旗，呼召上帝其余的儿女从巴比伦出来。因此，新教的角末后兴起，并且高过先前那一角，这与玛代—波斯的两角相一致。一旦联合国同意把世界的统治权交给教皇制，伊斯兰的四风就被释放，这个全球性的国度便将面临那种在希腊第一角折断而亡、并生出四角之后所发生的战争。
When the image reaches the feet of iron (statecraft) and miry clay (churchcraft) and the ten toes (ten kings), the stone that has been cut out of the mountain without hands strikes the feet of the image. The Millerites were accurate to Daniel’s image, as much as they could be accurate from their vantage point in prophetic history. But the Alpha and Omega always illustrates the end with the beginning and the four kingdoms of Nebuchadnezzar’s image represent four literal kingdoms that typify their spiritual counterparts at the end of the world.
当那像到了铁（政权）与淤泥（教权）的脚，以及十个脚趾（十王）的时候，那块非人手从山上凿出来的石头就击打那像的脚。米勒派关于但以理书所述那座像的理解，在他们所处的预言历史视角下，已经尽可能准确了。然而，阿尔法与欧米伽总是以开端说明结局，而尼布甲尼撒之像的四个王国，代表四个真实的王国，用以预表世界末了时它们的属灵对应体。
With the kingdoms of history Rome comes up eighth and is of the seven. In Daniel seven Rome comes up eighth and is of the seven. In Daniel eight Rome comes up eighth and is of the seven. In Revelation seventeen Rome comes up eighth and is of the seven. In Daniel two, which represents the first mention of the kingdoms of Bible prophecy, modern spiritual Rome comes up eighth and is of the seven. The first (Alpha) illustration of the kingdoms of Bible prophecy identifies the last (Omega).
就历史诸国而言，罗马第八个兴起，却又属那七个之中。在《但以理书》第七章，罗马第八个兴起，却又属那七个之中。在《但以理书》第八章，罗马第八个兴起，却又属那七个之中。在《启示录》第十七章，罗马第八个兴起，却又属那七个之中。在《但以理书》第二章——它代表圣经预言中对诸国的首次提及——现代属灵的罗马第八个兴起，却又属那七个之中。圣经预言诸国的第一个（阿尔法）图像指认出最后一个（俄梅伽）。
“We have come to a time when God’s sacred work is represented by the feet of the image in which the iron was mixed with the miry clay. God has a people, a chosen people, whose discernment must be sanctified, who must not become unholy by laying upon the foundation wood, hay, and stubble. Every soul who is loyal to the commandments of God will see that the distinguishing feature of our faith is the seventh-day Sabbath. If the government would honor the Sabbath as God has commanded, it would stand in the strength of God and in defense of the faith once delivered to the saints. But statesmen will uphold the spurious sabbath, and will mingle their religious faith with the observance of this child of the papacy, placing it above the Sabbath which the Lord has sanctified and blessed, setting it apart for man to keep holy, as a sign between Him and His people to a thousand generations. The mingling of churchcraft and statecraft is represented by the iron and the clay. This union is weakening all the power of the churches. This investing the church with the power of the state will bring evil results. Men have almost passed the point of God’s forbearance. They have invested their strength in politics, and have united with the papacy. But the time will come when God will punish those who have made void His law, and their evil work will recoil upon themselves.” The Seventh-day Adventist Bible Commentary, volume 4, 1168.
我们已经来到这样的时候：神的圣工由那像的脚所代表，那脚是铁与黏泥搀杂。神有一班子民，就是蒙拣选的子民；他们的辨别力必须成圣，不可因在根基上用草木禾秸建造而致不圣洁。凡忠于神诫命的人都必看出，我们信仰的显著特征就是第七日安息日。若政府照着神的吩咐尊重安息日，它就必站立在神的力量中，并护卫那一次交付圣徒的真道。但政要们却要拥护那伪安息日，并把他们的宗教信仰与对这教皇制度之产物的遵守搀杂在一起，把它置于主所分别为圣且赐福的安息日之上——那安息日是祂为人设立、要人守为圣日，作为祂与祂子民之间直到千代的记号。教权与政权的混合正由铁与泥所表征。这种联合正在削弱各教会的一切力量。将国家的权力授予教会必定带来恶果。人类几乎已经越过神忍耐的界限。他们把力量投入政治，并与教皇制度联合。但时候将到，神要惩罚那些使祂的律法作废的人，他们的恶行必归到自己头上。 《基督复临安息日会圣经注释》，第4卷，第1168页。
The Alpha and Omega has made the correct pioneer understanding of Daniel two “new.”
阿尔法与欧米伽已经使先驱者对《但以理书》第二章的正确理解变得“新”。
And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful. And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. Revelation 21:5, 6.
那坐在宝座上的说：看哪，我使万物都更新。他又对我说：你要写上，因为这些话是真实可信的。他又对我说：成了。我是阿尔法和欧米伽，是起初也是末了。我要把生命泉的水白白赐给口渴的人。启示录21:5、6。