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.

在《以西结书》中,耶路撒冷被围困乃是那“预兆”,也是那将据以决定我们永恒命运的试验,因为它标志着兽像的形成。

“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. …

“主已清楚地向我显明,兽像将在恩典时期结束之前被立起;因为这将成为上帝子民所要面对的大试验,并借此决定他们永恒的命运。……”

“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.

“这就是上帝的子民在受印之前所必须经历的考验。凡藉着遵守上帝的律法,并拒绝接受伪造的安息日而证明自己忠于上帝的人,都必列于主上帝耶和华的旌旗之下,并要领受永生上帝的印记。凡放弃源于天上的真理而接受星期日安息日的人,必领受兽的印记。”《文稿发布》卷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.

那些在塞斯提乌斯所显出的“兆头”之际逃离耶路撒冷的基督徒之所以如此行,是因为他们预先得了警告,并且在那“兆头”来到时认出了它。认出兽像的形成,就是认出那引向星期日法令的“事件”、“预备”和“动向”。构成这“兆头”的预言要素,必须在兆头出现之前就已明白。当塞斯提乌斯开始围城时,才去学习那兆头是什么,已经太迟了。

“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.

“各项准备工作已经在推进之中,各种行动也正在进行,其结果必是要为那兽立一个像。地上历史中将要发生一些事件,以应验预言对于这末后日子的宣告。”《评论与通讯》,1889年4月23日。

Preparations, Movements and Events

预备、行动与事件

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

这些“预备”、“动向”和“事件”,必须在考验来到之前就被认明。

“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.

“凡上帝在预言历史中所指定要在过去应验的一切,都已经应验了;凡按其次序尚未来到的一切,也必成就。上帝的先知但以理站在他的本位上;约翰也站在他的本位上。在《启示录》中,犹大支派的狮子已经向预言的研读者开启了《但以理书》;如此,但以理正站在他的本位上。他作他的见证,就是主在异象中向他启示的那些重大而严肃的事件;当我们正站在这些事应验的门槛上时,这些事乃是我们必须知道的。”

“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.

“在历史与预言中,上帝的话语描绘了真理与谬误之间长期持续的争战。那场争战至今仍在进行。曾经有过的事,还要重演。”《信息选粹》卷二,109页。

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.

当我们正站在这些大而严肃之事件应验的门槛上时,我们“必须知道”这些事。“门槛”表明,我们需要在这些事件应验之前就明白它们。

“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.

“然而,先知之笔所勾勒出的严峻线条,却显明这宁静景象将要发生改变。那有如羊羔两角的兽,却发出龙的声音,并且‘在头一个兽面前,施行头一个兽所有的权柄。’异教和教皇制度所表现出来的逼迫之灵,将要再次显露。预言宣告,这权势必对‘住在地上的人说,要给那受刀伤还活着的兽作个像。’[启示录 13:14。]这像是为头一个兽,或如豹的兽而作的;这兽就是第三位天使信息中所指出的那一个。借着这头一个兽,所代表的乃是罗马教会——一个披戴民政权力的教会组织,拥有惩罚一切异议者的权柄。兽像则代表另一个同样披戴类似权力的宗教团体。这像的形成,乃是那兽的工作;这兽平和的兴起与温和的宣称,使它极其鲜明地成为美国的象征。在这里可以找到教皇制度的一个像。当我国诸教会在她们共同持守的信条上联合起来,并影响国家去强制执行她们的法令、扶持她们的制度之时,那么新教美国就已经形成了罗马教阶制度的一个像。届时,真教会必将遭受逼迫,正如上帝古时的子民一样。几乎每一个世纪都提供了实例,说明偏执与恶意在以事奉上帝、维护教会与国家权利为托词之下,能够造成何等的作为。那些借着与属世权势结盟而步罗马后尘的新教教会,也显出了同样限制良心自由的欲望。十七世纪时,数以千计的不从国教派牧师在英国国教会的统治之下受苦。凡世俗政府在宗教上有所偏袒,逼迫总是随之而来。”《预言之灵》第4卷,277页。

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

兽像的形成首先是在美国完成的,此后则在全世界完成。

“Foreign nations will follow the example of the United States. Though she leads out, yet the same crisis will come upon our people in all parts of the world.” Testimonies, volume 6, 395.

“外国列国必效法美国。虽然她率先而行,然而同样的危机也必临到我们在世界各地的人民。”《证言》第六卷,395页。

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.

公元313年的《米兰敕令》标志着这一形成过程的开端,同时也指明了对复临安息日会信徒而言那扇关闭的门。西方的君士坦丁与东方的李锡尼乌斯将一场条约婚姻附于该敕令之上;当君士坦丁将他同父异母的妹妹君士坦提娅嫁给李锡尼乌斯时,这便是在《但以理书》第十一章预言历史中六次条约婚姻之预言线上所表征的第四次条约婚姻。前两次与南北之间的战争有关,接下来的两次是东西之间的内战,而最后两次则是教皇制教会权势与国家权势的象征性婚姻。

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.

安条克二世·西奥斯于公元前约252年废弃其妻拉奥狄刻一世,迎娶托勒密王朝的公主贝勒尼刻(托勒密二世之女)。塞琉古帝国的和约婚姻是在北方王与南方王之间缔结的;然而,313年的和约婚姻则是在东方皇帝与西方皇帝之间缔结的。

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,安条克二世·西奥斯的和约婚姻,标志着塞琉古帝国的开端;而该帝国作为一个帝国在历史上的终局,则体现在《但以理书》第十一章第十至第十六节所代表的历史之中。在塞琉古帝国最后的历史中,另一场和约婚姻由安条克三世大帝促成;他于公元前193年将自己的女儿克娄巴特拉一世·叙拉(即预言历史中的第一位克娄巴特拉)嫁给托勒密五世。当时,托勒密五世约十六岁,而克娄巴特拉一世·叙拉约十岁。他们的婚姻是第五次叙利亚战争之后的一项外交解决。作为《但以理书》第十一章中北方王与南方王之间的阿尔法和约婚姻,它标志着第二次叙利亚战争的结束。

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.

预言历史中的最后一位克利奥帕特拉,先与尤利乌斯·凯撒发生关联,随后又与马克·安东尼发生关联。公元前44年尤利乌斯·凯撒遭刺杀之后,公元前43年成立了第二次三头同盟。组成该同盟的共有三人;其后三人中的一位——马库斯·雷必达斯——被屋大维逐出这一三方联合之后,东方的马克·安东尼与西方的屋大维之间随即展开了权力斗争。公元前40年,双方这两个东西方对手在布伦迪西乌姆缔结了条约。该条约包括屋大维之妹屋大维娅与马克·安东尼的婚姻。该条约及其所附带的婚姻并未维持下去;马克·安东尼与克利奥帕特拉发生关系之后,于公元前32年与屋大维娅离婚。公元前31年的亚克兴之战,使东西方的帝国合并为一个政权;此后,屋大维成为奥古斯都·凯撒,成为罗马荣耀与权势极盛之巅的象征。

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.

从预言的角度而言,但以理书第十一章中的第一次和约婚姻,乃是北方王与南方王之间所缔结的,目的是要终止这两个交战者之间的敌对状态;他们当时正竭力重建亚历山大大帝的帝国。塞琉古王朝与埃及托勒密王朝之间的那第一次和约婚姻,乃是塞琉古与托勒密两国的阿尔法和约婚姻,并预表了同样这两股势力之间的欧米伽和约婚姻。在最后的,或欧米伽的和约婚姻中,埃及历史上最早的,或阿尔法的克娄巴特拉,成为预言上连接最后的,或欧米伽的克娄巴特拉的环节;后者与马克·安东尼的关系,遂成为屋大维娅与马克·安东尼离婚之事的参照点。这场离婚标志着东方的马克·安东尼与西方的屋大维之间敌对状态的重新燃起,并最终于公元前31年的亚克兴海战告终。

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年布伦迪西乌姆的和约婚姻,乃是东西之争的阿尔法和约婚姻,正如劳狄刻与安条克二世·狄奥斯的和约婚姻,乃是南北之争的阿尔法。313年的和约婚姻,乃是马可·安东尼与屋大维娅之阿尔法和约婚姻的欧米伽,正如托勒密五世与叙利亚的克丽奥佩特拉一世之间的和约婚姻,乃是北方与南方诸国之欧米伽和约婚姻。导向313年那欧米伽和约婚姻的三次和约婚姻,彼此全都对应一致,并为与《米兰敕令》相关的预言特征提供三重见证。如此,东西、南北四个字面的和约婚姻,便与教皇制的两个象征性和约婚姻彼此对应一致。

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.

496年,法兰克人的国王克洛维与克洛蒂尔达成婚。克洛蒂尔达是勃艮第的公主,为勃艮第国王希尔佩里克二世之女。其父母在家族权力斗争中被杀害之后,她先在其叔父的庇护下生活,后于493年被嫁给法兰克人的国王克洛维一世。她是一位天主教徒,也就是说,她持守罗马教会尼西亚/正统的信仰。这使她有别于当时许多其他日耳曼王室家族,因为那些家族信奉的是阿里乌派基督教。她的母亲卡雷特娜一直是天主教徒,克洛蒂尔达也是在这一信仰中长大的。人们记念她,是因为她不断劝勉克洛维弃绝异教并接受天主教的洗礼;此后,他于496年的归信,遂成为法国早期历史以及西方所谓基督教早期历史中最重要的事件之一。

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.

克洛维起誓,若他在托尔比亚克之战中获胜,便要归信克洛蒂尔达的天主教信仰,并领受洗礼。阿勒曼尼人的国王被杀,他们的军队溃散,法兰克人遂获胜。战后,克洛蒂尔达安排兰斯的雷米主教教导克洛维,而后他受了洗礼(传统上认为是在496年圣诞节),并有数千名他的战士与他一同受洗。

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?”

克洛维是法兰克人的国王,按现代的说法,也就是法国的国王。他成为欧洲诸王中第一位最终放弃其异教信仰、转向天主教的人。因此,克洛维被视为“天主教会的长子”,而法国则被称为“天主教会的长女”。1980年,教皇若望保禄二世访问法国时曾发问:“法国,教会的长女,你忠于自己的洗礼吗?”

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.

克洛维归信尼西亚公教,标志着一场象征性婚礼行列的开端,而这行列将引向538年的那场象征性盟约婚姻。克洛维与那与地上众王行淫之淫妇之间的象征性盟约婚姻,乃是由《但以理书》第十一章中先前四次盟约婚姻所预表的。克洛维是第一位为罗马教会提供军事与经济支持的欧洲君王,因此,克洛维也被表征于《但以理书》第十一章的历史之中。

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.

必有军兵站在他那一边,亵渎保障的圣所,除掉常献的燔祭,并设立那行毁坏可憎的。〔但以理书 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年的克洛维,标志着欧洲政治结构开始“兴起”,在教皇权势崛起之际扶助教廷。它标志着一场象征性婚礼行列的开端。经文中的“膀臂”也必玷污那“保障的圣所”;无论对于异教罗马还是教皇罗马,这圣所都是罗马城。

Two Sanctuary's

两个圣所

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.

在《但以理书》中,有两个不同的希伯来词被译为“圣所”。希伯来词“miqdash”和“qodesh”都可译作“圣所”,但 qodesh 只能表示神圣之物,而 miqdash 则可依上下文而定,表示圣洁的圣所或不圣洁的圣所。

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.

第三十一节中的“保障的圣所”一语,原文为“miqdash”,表征罗马力量的圣所;对于异教罗马和教皇罗马而言,这圣所就是罗马城。自亚克兴之战屋大维统一帝国之时起,异教罗马在三百六十年(即“一载”)之内所向无敌,应验了但以理书第十一章第二十四节。

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.

他必安然进入那省最肥美之地,行他列祖和他列祖的列祖所未曾行的事;将掠物、夺得之物和财宝散给他们;并且要图谋攻击保障,然而只是暂时。但以理书 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.

当异教罗马从罗马城施行统治时,它是不可战胜的;但当君士坦丁于330年将首都迁至君士坦丁堡时,第二十四节中的“时候”便应验了。当《但以理书》第七章中的三角之最后一角(哥特人)被逐出该城时,教皇制的罗马便在预言上于538年登上宝座,成为《圣经》预言中的第五国。哥特人曾围困罗马,但最终撤退,因为查士丁尼麾下的将军伯利撒留稳固了该城。此后,罗马教会至高无上地统治了一千二百六十年,直到1798年拿破仑将教皇废黜并流放。

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.

罗马——“保障之圣所”——被“污秽了”(“污秽”之意,即“受创或被瓦解”),乃是借着那从持续攻打这城的战争而来的“军兵”所致;此事主要由《启示录》第八章前四枝号所表征。

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年起随后展开的历史,将见证罗马城在其由罗马帝国的权势与荣耀转变为罗马天主教帝国的权势与荣耀之际,遭受玷污。那双膀臂既接受了尼西亚天主教的宗教,便废除了异教的宗教;在这段经文中,异教的宗教乃由“常献的”一词所表征。

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.

在武耶战役中,克洛维击败了阿拉里克二世统率下的阿里乌派西哥特人,并夺取了阿基坦。胜利之后,于508年,东方皇帝阿纳斯塔修斯一世(驻君士坦丁堡)因克洛维战胜西哥特人而向他致荣。图尔的额我略说,阿纳斯塔修斯派人将授予克洛维执政官之职的正式文书送给他。在图尔的圣马丁教堂中,克洛维披上紫色长袍与斗篷,将冕旒戴在头上,策马而出,并向民众抛撒金银。额我略说,从那日起,他被欢呼为执政官;罗马皇帝也由此承认克洛维乃是西方一位合法的基督教君王。他因击破阿里乌派的西哥特人而蒙赏赐,而君士坦丁堡同样反对他们。508年,乃是东方皇帝公开尊荣这位法兰克天主教君王之年——教会、胜利与罗马的合法性,在同一幕中汇聚。508年,乃是法兰克天主教王国在打破阿里乌派西哥特统治之后,作为高卢占支配地位的天主教势力而屹立之年。克洛维是第一位为尼西亚天主教信仰而与阿里乌诸王国争战的重要蛮族君王,因此也成为法国作为“教会长女”之角色的原型。克洛维代表496年至508年这一时期,并且是象征性婚约的阿尔法象征。自508年至538年的三十年,则由查士丁尼所代表;他是这一行列中的欧米伽象征。

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.

公元538年,“膀臂”将教皇权势安置在地上的宝座上,共一千二百六十年。正是在那时,那象征性的盟约婚姻,在始于496年的婚礼行列结束之际,正式完成。1798年,始于罗马教皇与法兰西的克洛维之间的盟约婚姻,被宣告解除;因为法兰西的拿破仑命其将军将教皇掳去,以此与教皇权势离婚。

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.

象征性教皇条约婚姻的阿尔法,自496年开始其婚礼行列,于538年的星期日法案中完成其婚配,此后又于1798年被废除,正如但以理书第十一章中其他一切条约婚姻一样。启示录对欧洲诸王与天主教诸教皇之间的教皇婚姻关系有所补充,因为启示录第十二章中的龙既是撒但,也是异教罗马的诸王。

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

“因此,龙固然首先代表撒但,但从次要的意义上说,它也是异教罗马的象征。”《善恶之争》,439页。

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

在《启示录》中,约翰告诉我们,列王(龙)将三样东西赐给了天主教的海兽。

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.

我所看见的兽,形状像豹,脚像熊的脚,口像狮子的口;那龙将自己的能力、座位和大权柄都给了它。启示录 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.

公元496年,欧洲诸王开始将他们的“能力”赋予教皇兽,这“能力”乃以他们的军事强权与经济支持为表征。他们早在330年已将帝国的都城迁往君士坦丁堡,使罗马城成为教皇权柄的“座位”。此后,“膀臂”又借着查士丁尼于533年所颁布的敕令,确认教皇教会为众教会之首。该敕令还包括运用他们的军事力量去逼迫那些被教皇制度认定为异端的人,如此便将他们民事上的“权柄”交在众教皇手中。

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.

教皇制度与欧洲诸王之间那首次的盟约婚姻,始于公元496年的克洛维。至公元508年,作为王国法定宗教的异教已被废弃,转而奉行尼西亚天主教之宗教。至公元533年,查士丁尼认定教皇制度为众教会之首,并将各自王位的法定权柄交付于教皇权势。

The Alpha and Omega Seat

阿拉法与俄梅戛宝座

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.

公元330年,罗马城被留在罗马教会手中;她将坐在那里,直到基督第二次降临时,在火湖中被毁灭。公元538年,她又正式坐上了教皇的宝座;由此,公元330年至538年的历史被界定为一段预言时期,这时期始于一个阿尔法座位,并终于一个欧米伽座位。这一时期象征《圣经》预言中第四个国度(别迦摩)的终结,乃是一种渐进性的衰亡:始于公元330年,并终于公元538年推雅推喇的来到。西罗马和东罗马在538年之后都继续缓慢解体;但这一时期乃始于座位的赐予——即公元330年将罗马城交给教皇权——直到这座位在公元538年不再仅仅是统治那城的宝座,而是统治那城所代表之国度的宝座。

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年至538年是一个特定的预言时期,它界定了教皇权势得着授权之“八个”路标。这八个步骤将在即将来临的星期日法令中、在教皇权致命伤的医治上重演。

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.

八个步骤中的第一步,是将罗马城交给教皇权势;第八步,则是将该城赐作《圣经》预言中第五国的宝座。由此可见,538年就是那座位,并且是“第八步,也就是出于先前七步的那一步”。第一步是赐下座位,第八步也是赐下座位;因此,330年的第一步是阿拉法,538年则是俄梅戛。两个座位、三角被拔除、常献的燔祭被除去、克洛维的归信,以及查士丁尼的谕令,总共构成八个步骤,标明了婚娶的行列,最终也标明了婚礼本身。

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,法国——那曾代表欧洲十王、并于538年将教皇制扶上王位的势力——又将教皇制从那同一宝座上除去。538年至1798年这段历史中所表征的阿尔法条约婚姻,预表了教皇势力与《启示录》第十七章十王之间的欧米伽条约婚姻。496年至538年的婚礼行列,预表了与美国末后八位总统相对应的八个步骤。克洛维与法国乃是欧洲十王的象征;他们代表美国,而美国将在那即将来到的星期日法之时,成为《启示录》第十七章十王中的首要之王。

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.

但以理书第十一章前五次和约婚姻,与末后第六次也是最后一次和约婚姻彼此对应。北方与南方之阿拉法与俄梅戛和约婚姻表明,来自南方的新妇是阿拉法,而俄梅戛则是来自北方的新妇。在异教罗马的和约婚姻中,来自东方的阿拉法新妇被交给西方,而公元313年的俄梅戛则是一位来自西方的新妇。这四次婚姻在预言上由最初的克娄巴特拉与最后的克娄巴特拉联系在一起。教皇罗马的象征性和约婚姻,将新郎表征为一个由十王组成之预言性同盟中的首要君王,与他们的新妇——罗马的朱红色妇人——联合。离婚则由这十王之首要君王于1798年执行。

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年的盟约婚姻,预表教皇权势与美国——启示录第十七章十王中的首要之王;一个由法国之两角权势所预表的两角权势——之间最终的盟约婚姻。始于496年克洛维的历史,并最终导向533年查士丁尼的敕令与538年教皇制度的登位,这段历史预表自1989年直到星期日法案的历史。

We will continue these things in the next article.

我们将在下一篇文章中继续论述这些事。