(合用 可用 隨便用)
譯本是參照 AFV (A Faithful Version) 2009
1. And after these things I saw an angel descending from heaven, having great authority; and the earth was illuminated with his glory. 2. And he cried out mightily with a loud voice, saying, “Babylon the Great is fallen, is fallen, and has become a habitation of demons, and a prison of every unclean spirit, and a prison of every unclean and hated bird; 3. Because all nations have drunk of the wine of the fury of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the power of her luxury.” 4. And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, “Come out of her, My people, so that you do not take part in her sins, and that you do not receive of her plagues, 5. For her sins have reached as far as heaven, and God has remembered her iniquities. 6. Render to her as she has rendered to you; and give to her double, even according to her works. In the cup that she mixed, give her back double. 7. To the degree that she glorified herself and lived luxuriously, give to her as much torment and sorrow. For she says in her heart, ‘I sit a queen enthroned, and am not a widow; and in no way shall I experience sorrow.’ 8. For this very reason, her plagues shall come in one day—death and sorrow and famine; and she shall be burned with fire; for the Lord God, Who executes judgment upon her, is powerful. (A Faithful Version)
1. 這事以後,見一位使者,從天而降,是有大權能,其榮耀的光輝使地上的一切變得光明起來。
2. 使者用強而有力的聲音說:「偉大的巴比倫要墮落,全然的敗壞,成了魔的住處,藏污立垢就像一座監牢,住滿了不潔的,有不停令人討厭的聲音發出。
3. 只為地上列國,像喝醉似的,被酒精攪得瘋狂,領袖們與她作出荒淫之事,而商人透過這種奢華,財源廣進。
4. 此時,有聲音從天而來,說:我的民,離開她,不要在她的罪孽中滲和,免得與她一同受災。
5. 只因她罪孽滔天,都看得清清楚楚。
6. 她是如何對待你們,必會雙倍奉還。她所做的事,也會在杯中以雙倍的份量給她償還。
7. 到了某個程度,愈是自誇自擂去過這種奢華的生活,就會有儘可能多的折磨和悲傷。只為即便如此,她心裡仍說:我仍安然在皇后之坐,並不孤單,也決不會感到悲傷。
8. 正是這個原因,就像死亡、悲慘的事和饑餓等事物,會在一天之內忽然臨到,她會被火焚燒。因神會用大能去施行審判。
https://www.ancient-origins.net/ancient-places-europe/fall-babylon-0011090 也許是這段歷史讓猶太人刻骨銘心,從此就自強不息,成就了今日的以色列國。
這是約翰對當時的猶太人所遭遇過的歷史,看到一個現象,是巴比倫這王國的成就,對猶太人而言是何等大的影響。這個影響是好或不好,要視乎猶太人要持守一個什麼價值而定。
明顯約翰是站在亞伯拉罕之後,是神應許的族群這樣的角度,去看所謂成就當中的意義。
這是個關乎世界,也關乎當中生活的人,是如何看待自己在這個環境當中,自己存在的價值所在:滿足私慾還是共享和諧進步。
以前沒有明顯的事例藉此說明,今日就有這樣的例子,中共對與它共存的民眾,不是以國民看待,而是党的私產,用洗腦式的教育去替待啟發式的教育,用律例的正當性去作為整人的工具,對民生的個人資產任意侵犯,因為成就感的驅使,用偷呃拐騙去佈局全球。這種手段與當時的巴比倫,當然沒有可比的地方,因為當時的人,以真材實料去打造一個有聲有色,令人嚮往的王國,它是善待有能之人,並不奴役。只是對非我族類,如猶太人,可就不是一般的對待。
約翰這段描述,似乎有意讓猶太人明白,他們的生活價值是在神的應許,那是人人平等,各自發揮的一個共享共存,進步又美好的生活模式。這模式被人的私心化成了理想,可以努力卻用不擇手段,可以共享共榮卻是獨自吞食,這是有能者為之的事。
世界有另一類想不受影響,卻又無處可逃的,面對這樣的處境,就有了各自的選擇。
約翰似乎是對那些願意保存人性,不想因為私慾而去修及他人的,是為環境所迫,讓這等有良心良知卻又不想出賣自己的人,明白天地仍有位原創造者,與他們共存,在無能為力之時,給他們一徑窗門,不單可以透氣,更可以改變,不單改變自己也影響與他相遇的人。
當時的約翰面對是他的同胞,我們今日面對的同道。這番異象的描述,似乎都有同樣的功用:信神必有改變。

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