CHAPTER XXV - Revelation 1:3-14 - 兩個見證者 THE TWO WITNESSES

CHAPTER XXV

Revelation 1:3-14

兩個見證者
THE TWO WITNESSES

第十一章在第七個號期間，就是七年大災難的期間，出現兩個見證人。到底他們是甚麽人？為甚麽有兩個？在哪個地方傳道？甚麽時候出現？是哪一族人？操甚麽語言？他們怎能讓全世界的人聽到他們講道？我們應該按字面解釋還是按靈意解釋？可能都是我們很想知道的事。

In chapter 11, when the seventh trumpet sounds, which is the time period of the 7 years of great tribulation, two witnesses appear. Who are these two witnesses? Why two? Where will they be preaching? When will they appear? What kind of people are they? What language will they be speaking? How could they preach in such a way that the whole world will be able to hear them? Should we use literal or spiritual interpretation on this passage? These are probably things that we want to know .

我們應該按照靈意來解釋，不能說有兩個人，在世界各地作主的見證人。因為：

We should use spiritual interpretation. We cannot say that these are two persons who are witnessing for the Lord all over the world for the following reasons:

( 1) 這個兩見證人口裡噴火，後來又被無底坑上來的獸所殺。不應該按字面解釋。這裡所說的地方，是所多瑪或埃及，也就是主釘十字架的地方。當然也要根據靈意來解釋了。

(1) Fire flows out of the mouth of these two witnesses and later on the beast that comes up out of the abyss kills them. This part should not be interpreted literally. The places that are mentioned here, Sodom and Egypt, also the place where the Lord was crucified. Certainly, spiritual interpretation should also be used here.

( 2) 兩個見證者witness 這字，不一定是指人。在中文，見證人當然是人，但在其他語言這個字不一定是說人。可以是動物，也可以是一個組織。像在十二章說的婦人，與十七章說的大淫婦，也不是指某人，乃是指教會。在這段經文裡面，描寫他們的字句，也沒有一個字是只有人纔能夠用的，像men 、person 之類的字。

(2) Two witnesses; the word “witness” does not necessarily mean it is talking about a person. It could be an animal or an organization; like the woman mentioned in chapter 12, and the great harlot in chapter 17, which does not refer to a specific person but to the church. In this passage, the words “men” or “person” are not mentioned at all to describe the witnesses.

( 3) 他們所做的，是世界性的事工。雖然現在做世界性的工作，似乎容易得多，但實際上憑兩個人，不見得能行得通。所有世界性的工作都是大組織所做的。

(3) The work that they did was worldwide. Even though doing work globally nowadays seems easier; in reality, if there were only two people, they would not have been able to accomplish much. All work that is done worldwide is done through large organizations.

( 4) 他們被稱為是｢兩個燈臺｣或｢燈盞｣，那都是代表教會的，不是代表個人的。單一一個信徒、先知，或使徒，都不能算是一個燈臺。

(4) They are called “the two lampstands” which represents the church not a person. A single believer, prophet or apostle cannot be considered a lampstand.

教會復興為主見證
THE CHURCH EXPERIENCES REVIVAL AND WITNESSES FOR THE LORD

3 我要使我那兩個見證人，穿著麻衣傳道一千二百六十天。4 他們就是那兩棵橄欖樹，兩個燈臺，立在世界之主面前的。

3 And I will grant authority to my two witnesses, and they will prophesy for twelve hundred and sixty days, clothed in sackcloth.” 4 These are the two olive trees and the two lampstands that stand before the Lord of the earth.

七年大災難開始時，教會被提。看第七章，有大群數不過那麽多的人，被提到天上神的寶座前，他們是從大災難中抽離出來的(7:14) 。

At the beginning of the seven years of the great tribulation, the church will be raptured. Looking at chapter 7, a great multitude which no one could count was raptured and taken to stand before the throne of God; these are the ones who come out of the great tribulation (7:14).

同時間，在地上也有一群人，他們要經過大災難，但在災難之前，有天使先為他們在額上印上印。表示他們是屬於神的，但他們要留在地上經過最後七年的大災難(7:3) 。

At the same time, there will be another group of people who will have to go through the great tribulation; but before the tribulation an angel will put a seal on their foreheads indicating that they belong to God. This group of people will have to go through the 7 years of great tribulation (7:3).

這意思是，並非全部教會裡面的人都會被提，有些還沒有得到屬天生命，還沒有聖靈引導的人，會被撇下。但他們並不是主的仇敵，因為他們可能也經常參加聚會，他們可以說是教會的朋友。可能只是因為無知，忽略了主的救恩，不明白福音。但他們到了那時候，會看見自己原來沒有聖靈，在那時候，神也為他們開了一個洗罪的泉源，讓他們能夠悔改、認罪、受聖靈的印記，所以出現了末世的複興潮。

This means that not everyone from the church will be taken up during the rapture. Those who do not have the life that comes from heaven and are not led by the Holy Spirit will be left behind. Yet they are not enemies of God because they might have gone to church regularly; they are friends of the church. Maybe they did not understand the Gospel and neglected the Lord's salvation due to ignorance. At that time, they will realize that they do not have the Holy Spirit in them but the Lord will open up a fountain for them to wash their sins away, so that they will repent and confess their sins, and be sealed by the Holy Spirit. Thus, there will be a time of revival in the last days.

他們是穿｢麻衣｣的，因為他們是經過｢悔改｣的人。他們得到聖靈工作之後，成為真正有生命的信徒，他們將留在地上成為末後的見證人。他們也先被量過。那些在外面看熱鬧的人是不用量的。只有在聖所裡事奉主的人纔算在內。天使所量的是：

They were clothed in sackcloth because they had gone through repentance. After they received the Holy Spirit, they became believers who have life from above. They will remain on earth and become witnesses in the last days. They were measured first. The outsiders who are only interested in the excitement will not be measured. Only those who serve the Lord inside the temple will be counted in. The angel told John to measure the following:

( 1) 量聖所– 就是重新量度教會。原來教會裡面的聖徒，早已經被提，這是新悔改的一群。

(1) The temple of God is actually the sanctuary (not the temple)—which is measuring the church once again. The original believers in the church had already been raptured; this group was the new believers who had repented.

( 2) 量祭壇– 就是救恩或得救方式之審定。是怎樣得救的？是否已得到羔羊的代贖？

(2) The altar—the place to prove the way of salvation. How were they saved? Did they receive redemption through the Lamb?

( 3) 量禮拜的人– 屬神子民的審定。在以西結書卅七章，先知看見聖殿異象之前，先看見枯骨復活的異象。那本來稱為神子民的人，其實是死的，毫無生氣。沒有神生命的人就像死人的枯骨一樣。他們與世人追求一樣的東西。唯一不同的地方，只是去過教會，受過洗，有一點聖經知識，但靈魂一樣是死氣沉沉的，沒有聖靈的工作。但在末日，枯骨卻復活，聖靈大能顯在這死透的教會，使他們靈性複甦。

(3) The worshipers—those proved to belong to God. In Ezekiel chapter 37, before the prophet saw the vision of the temple, he saw the vision of dry bones become alive. Those who were called people of God were actually dead; they did not have life in them. Those who do not have the life of God in them are like dry bones. They seek the things that the people of the world seek. The only difference is that they go to church, had been baptized, have a little knowledge of the Bible, but their souls are dead, the work of the Holy Spirit is not in them. But during the end times, the dry bones will become alive, the Holy Spirit's great power will be at work in the church that was completely dead and they will be spiritually revived.

關於信徒被提，有很多不同的意見。有認為應該是整個教會被提，沒有一個信徒會留在地上。我認為所有有屬靈生命的信徒，就是儆醒的信徒，他們的生活有聖靈引導，他們的燈裡是有油的，全部都會被提。但聖經提到基督再來之時，總是要求大家儆醒，如果全所有教會會員都被提，就沒有提醒的必要。認為全體被提的，有兩個理論加以支持：

There are different opinions regarding the rapture of the believers. Some believe that the whole church will be raptured and not a single believer will be left behind. I think that all the believers who have spiritual life, those who are watchful, whose lives are led by the Holy Spirit, and those whose lamps are filled with oil, all those believers will be raptured. Then again, when the Bible mentions the second coming of Christ, it always tells us to be alert. If all the believers were to be taken during the rapture, then there would be no need of reminding us to be watchful. Those who believe that all the believers will be taken during the rapture have two theories that support their views :

1) 教會是整體不可分割的，不可能只提一半，撇下另一半。這只是人的想法。

1) The church is one whole entity that cannot be separated; there is no way that half would be taken away and half would be left behind. This is just what people think.

2) 人的得救是本乎恩，不是靠行為。信徒不應該靠行為好而被提。這也是人想法。因為人儆醒與否，不是行為的問題，是生命的問題。

2) People are saved by grace, not by works. Believers should not rely on good works to be raptured. That is also just people's ideas; because if a person is watchful or not, it is not a matter of what they do, it is a matter how they live.

普通人根據甚麽斷定人得救了沒有？就是看他有沒有作了接受主的禱告。只要他禱告過了，就認為他已經得救了。但我們要明白，這禱告並不是咒語，不是具有特別的果效。他得救與否，是看他裡面的信心。是否真的接受了主進他生命中。如果他禱告的時候有口無心，他的禱告是打空氣的。他既沒有生命，怎會被提呢？

How do ordinary people determine if a person is saved or not? They look at whether or not the person has prayed inviting Jesus into his heart. If he has prayed that prayer, then he is saved. But we have to understand that the prayer is not an incantation, it does not possess special powers. Whether he is saved or not depends on the faith inside himself; whether he has truly received Jesus into his life. If he didn't mean what he prayed, he prayed in vain. Since he has no life, how could he be raptured?

他們是教會的朋友，不是敵人，也不是神所棄絕的人。只不過要等教會被提之後，他們纔發覺自己信仰上的問題，纔發生這種末日的複興與真誠的悔改。他們是穿麻衣的，是有悔改生命的人。

They are friends of the Church, not enemies; they are not people that God has rejected. Only after the Church has been raptured will they realize that there is a problem with their belief, and only then will they repent and have great revival in the last days. They were clothed in sackcloth; they are people whose lives have gone through repentance.

為甚麽兩個？
WHY TWO?

6 這二個見證者有權柄，在傳道的日子叫天閉塞不不雨，又有權柄叫水變為血。並且能隨時隨意用各樣災殃攻擊世界。

6 These have the power to shut up the sky, so that rain will not fall during the days of their prophesying; and they have power over the waters to turn them into blood, and to strike the earth with every plague, as often as they desire.

一方面從舊約聖經的教訓我們可以看見，要有兩個見證人，見證纔算是有效。

On one hand, from the teachings of the Old Testament in the Bible we see that there must be two witnesses in order for a testimony to be considered valid.

第二方面看，在有生命的信徒被提之後，哪些人算是主的朋友，卻還沒有得救呢？我覺得有兩種人：

On the other hand, after the believers that have life have been raptured, those people who are considered friends and who are not saved yet, who are they? I think they are two kinds of people:

( 一) 猶太人。他們只讀舊約聖經，他們在等候彌賽亞。以為彌賽亞還沒有來到。

(1) Jews. They only read the Old Testament and are still waiting for the Messiah. They think the Messiah has not come yet.

( 二) 外邦人。其他教會中被撇下的，被稱為基督徒但並沒有主生命的人。這些人本意不是要作神的仇敵，只不過在相信的過程中，沒有長出基督的生命。

(2) Gentiles. People from other churches who were left behind, they are called Christians but do not have the life of Christ in them. These people are not meant to be enemies of God, but in the process of believing, their lives did not grow in Christ.

所以這兩個見證者，一是神的選民，二是外邦教會。先知所見異像中常見兩種人。他們不曉得是外邦信徒，給他們一個名稱叫｢馀民｣，常譯作｢馀剩的人｣。如果只讀舊約，不知他們是誰。但經耶穌肉身的弟弟雅各解釋後就知道，原來是指外邦信徒( 徒15:16-17) ：

Therefore, these two witnesses are God's chose people and the gentile church; the two groups of people often seen by the prophets in visions. They do not know they are Gentile believers and so they call them the “remnant”, often translated into “the rest of mankind”. If we only read the Old Testament we would not have known who they are supposed to be. But after the explanation given by Jesus's half-brother, James, we know that it is talking about the gentile believers (Acts 15:16-17):

正如經上所寫的，此後我要回來重新修造大衛倒塌的帳幕把破壞的重新修造建立起來，叫馀剩( 其馀) 的人，就是凡稱為我名下的外邦人，都尋求主。“

Just as it is written, 'After these things I will return, and I will rebuild the tabernacle of David which has fallen, and I will rebuild its ruins, and I will restore it, so that the rest of mankind (the remnant) may seek the Lord, and all the Gentiles who are called by My name,' says the Lord.”

從他的解釋，我們纔恍然大悟。原來早在舊約中，一直都提到有這兩種信徒的存在。

We suddenly realize, from his explanation, that these two groups of believers have already been mentioned in the Old Testament.

啟示錄12 章所記載的那位婦人，是猶太教會。龍，就是撒但，殺不到她就發怒，向神其馀的兒女爭戰。｢猶太教會｣與｢其馀的兒女｣，兩種信徒。彌賽亞徒與基督徒。

The woman that is mentioned in Revelation chapter 12 is the Jewish Church. The dragon is Satan who was enraged because he couldn't kill the woman, so the dragon went off to make war against the children of God; the “Jewish Church” and “the rest of the God's children”, the two groups of believers, Messianic Jews and Christians.

兩位見證人怎可能向全世界的人作見證呢？因為他們是兩個燈臺，不是兩個人。

How could the two witnesses testify to the whole earth? Because they were two lampstands, not two people.

教會受猛烈攻擊
THE CHURCH IS FIERCELY ATTACKED

7 他們作完見證的時候，那從無底坑里上來的獸必與他們交戰，並且得勝把他們殺了。
7 When they have finished their testimony, the beast that comes up out of the abyss will make war with them, and overcome them and kill them.

｢他們作完見證的時候｣，表示這是災難的後期，在後面叁年半所發生的事。這獸，就是末後的敵神帝國，猛烈攻擊神的教會，教會似乎全面被打倒了。那獸能夠打倒教會，因為牠在那七年開始的時候，用和平使者的態度與教會打交道，甚至進入教會內部，從裡到外攪破壞。但以理所說的｢使祭祀止息｣，就是使禮拜停止。教會那時像是一敗塗地了。

“When they have finished their testimony,” indicates the last stages of the tribulation, which are the events that will happen during the last three and a half years. The beast, the empire that is against God, will fiercely attack God's Church and the Church will seem to have been completely overthrown. That beast was able to bring down the Church because at the beginning of the 7 years it used peaceful tactics to deal with the Church and in that way they were able to infiltrate themselves into the internal affairs of the Church, destroying it from the inside out. When Daniel said: “he will put a stop to sacrifice”, he was referring to putting a stop to worship services. It appears that at that time the Church would be completely defeated.

這獸稱為無底坑上來的獸，表示牠是極其兇猛的。在末世後期，災難特別多，因為在後期最兇最邪惡的魔鬼頭子將會放出來(9:2, 20:7) 。所以敵基督的國背後的力量，是從魔鬼頭子來的。凡是提到無底坑，那就是惡天使的監獄。無論哪一個壞天使，要被關在無底坑里的，都是大能力又非常邪惡的。

“The beast that comes up out of the abyss” indicates that it is extremely violent and fierce. During the end times, disasters will be numerous because at that time the most brutal and most wicked leader of the demons will appear (9:2, 20:7). And so, the force that drives the Antichrist nation comes from the leader of the demons. Whenever the bottomless pit (abyss) is mentioned, it is referring to the prison where the evil angels are locked up. Any evil angel that is locked up in the bottomless pit is very powerful and extremely wicked.

但教會怎會敗在他們手上？有可能裝備不足，有可能驕傲輕敵，有可能不夠儆醒。根據但以理書，｢那行毀壞可憎的如飛而來｣，就是說，事情發生得很突然，像長了翅膀，很戲劇性地，一夜之間，教會遭遇大破壞。來一個措手不及。

Yet, how come the Church was defeated at their hands? It is possible that it was not properly equipped, or underestimated their enemies because of pride, or they were not alert enough. According to the book of Daniel, “on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate,” that is to say, the matter happened unexpectedly, as swift as wings, it was dramatic; in one night, the Church suffered serious damage, it was caught unprepared.

教會的死亡
THE DEATH OF THE CHURCH

8 他們的屍首就倒在大城裡的街上，這城按著靈意叫所多瑪，又叫埃及，就是他們的主釘十字架之處。

8 And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city which mystically is called Sodom and Egypt, where also their Lord was crucified.

大概教會被打倒的地方，都在大城市，也是現代進步文明的社會。

Probably the place where the Church was overthrown was in a big city, which is the modern, civilized, advanced society.

有些中國來的年輕人以為，在城市安全，在鄉村不安全，他們奇怪為甚麽很多美國人搬到郊區住。美國人會對他們說，你們錯了，郊區纔是安全的地方，城市裡面罪案多。敵對神的人也特別多。

Some young people who come from China think that it is safer in the city than in the countryside. They find it odd to see that so many Americans prefer to live in the suburbs. Americans will say to them, you are wrong; suburbs are safer , crime rates are higher in the inner cities. And there are more people that are against God in the cities.

啟示錄中提到多個城市，但只有一個是神的城，就是新耶路撒冷。其他的城都將要被毀滅。這裡的大城市按靈意叫做｢所多瑪｣或｢埃及｣，埃及根本就不是城市，那是指敵擋神的世界，放縱情慾的社會，迫害神子民的地方。他解釋說，也就是｢主釘十架之處｣。當世人迫害教會的時候，也就像把主釘在十字架上一樣。

Many cities are mentioned in Revelation, but there is only one City of God, which is the New Jerusalem. All the other cities will be destroyed. According to spiritual interpretation, these cities are called “Sodom” and “Egypt”. Egypt is not a city; it is a world that is against God, a society that is self-indulgent and lustful, a place where God's people are persecuted. Then he says, “Where also their Lord was crucified.” When the world persecutes the Church, it is as if they were crucifying the Lord.

因為神的教會，在地上代表基督，是天國的代表，是神的代表。當有人逼迫教會的時候，他其實是與神為敵。把神兒女關在監牢，等於把基督關在監牢；鞭打殺害神兒女，等於鞭打殺害基督。

Because the Church of God on the earth represents Christ, it represents the Kingdom of Heaven, it represents God. When people persecute the Church, they are actually God's enemies. Putting the children of God in prison is like putting Christ in prison; when they torture and kill God's children, is as if they were torturing and killing Christ.

記得使徒保羅在還沒有信主之前，迫害神的教會，拿了政府的通輯令，奉旨捉拿門徒。在大馬色路上基督向他顯現，用大榮光照著他，使他眼睛瞎了，還對他說：｢掃羅、掃羅，你為甚麽逼迫我？｣我們注意，主不是說，你為甚麽逼迫我的教會？祂乃是說：你為甚麽要逼迫我？這不只是感同身受，乃是實在與我們一同受苦。我們受逼迫，就是祂在受逼迫，我們受苦時，就是與祂一同受苦。

Remember how the Apostle Paul persecuted God's Church before he believed in Jesus. He even asked the government for official letters to arrest the disciples by imperial decree. On the Road to Damascus Christ appeared to him with a light from heaven that blinded him; and the Lord said to him: “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” Notice that the Lord did not say: “Why did you persecute my Church? But He said to Saul: “Why are you persecuting me?” He is not just empathizing with us, but He is actually suffering together with us. When we are persecuted, He is persecuted and when we suffer, we are suffering together with Him.

展示教會的死
DISPLAYING THE DEAD CHURCH

9 從各民各族各方各國中，有人觀看他們的屍首叁天半，又不許把屍首放在墳墓裡。
9 Those from the peoples and tribes and tongues and nations will look at their dead bodies for three and a half days, and will not permit their dead bodies to be laid in a tomb.

這裡也出現各民各族各方各國。在第七章出現時，是指那些得救，被提在天上聖所前面的群眾，那些是屬神的人，是住在天上的。十一章所出現的，是分佈在全地上，與神為敵的人，是住在地上的人。雖然也是從各國各民各族各方來，卻是完全不同的人。這些人不是站在神聖所面前敬拜讚美歌頌，卻是為教會受打擊受傷害而快樂。

Here it mentions peoples and tribes and tongues and nations. Chapter 7 also mentions a great multitude from every nation, tribes, peoples and tongues but it refers to those who are saved, those who were raptured to the Sanctuary in heaven, those who belong to God, those who live in heaven. The people in chapter 11 were scattered among the earth, they were enemies of God, and they lived in the world. Even though they were also from all peoples, tribes, tongues and nations but they were a completely different group. These people were happy because the Church was attacked and wounded, not because they were standing before the Sanctuary of God worshiping, praising and singing praise songs to Him.

甚麽是見證者的屍首？就是空的教堂，就像現在很多歐美的教堂一樣，擺在那裡作遊客觀光之用。裡面沒有生氣、沒有信徒、沒有聚會。

What are the dead bodies of the witnesses? They are empty churches, like many churches in Europe and America which are just used as a tourist attraction. There is no life in them, no believers inside, and no worship services.

教會復興成了地上的見證，只有叁年半的時間。到七年大災難的中期之後，就受撒但與敵基督的打擊，地上教會受嚴重傷害，被污穢、被邪惡人佔據。

The revival of the Church became a witness in the world; only for three and a half years. In the middle of the 7 years of great tribulation, Satan and the Antichrist's fatal blow on the Church injured it severely; it was desecrated and taken over by evil people.

但教堂不能拆掉，要讓屍體，就是讓所有沒有人氣的教堂，仍然擺擺樣子，證明死透。讓教堂變為旅遊的景點，讓教堂變為茶餐廳、快餐店，證明撒但的能力大，人人佩服、人人慶祝。所以最後七年，只有前面叁年半，是教會可以見證主的時候。

But the churches were not removed, so that the dead bodies, the churches that were not alive anymore may become an exhibit to prove that they were completely dead. Letting the churches become tourist attractions, turning churches into cafes, fast food restaurants, to prove that Satan has great powers and everyone would admire him and everyone celebrated. Therefore, the Church was only able to witness for the Lord during the first three and half years of the final 7 years.

這裡說叁天半，其實是代表叁年半。如果是計算天數，半天就會算為一天，沒有說半天的。耶穌釘十字架之後，埋在地裡只有兩天半，但那就算為叁天，半天就算一天。這裡出現叁天半，是因為代表叁年半。

Here it says three and a half days, but in fact it is representative of three and a half years. If it is was referring to the number of days, half a day would be counted as one day, not half a day. After Jesus was crucified, He was buried only for two and a half days, but it was considered 3 days, half a day is considered as one day. Therefore, the three and a half days mentioned in this verse actually represents three and a half years.

啟示錄談最後七年之時，也用不同的數字來表達叁年半。

In Revelation when it talks about the final 7 years, it also uses different figures to represent three and a half years.

( 一) 一千二百六十天這是教會傳道的時間，這只是叁年半，但每一天都是重要的日子，都要計算，每一天都是見證日。都是正面的好日子，教會能勤勞傳揚福音的日子。

(1) Twelve hundred sixty days – Was the amount of time that the Church preached the Word of God, and even though it was only three and half years, every day was considered very important, every day had to be counted, every day was a day to witness. Every day was a positively good day, days when the Church would be diligent in spreading the Gospel.

( 二) 四十二個月聖殿的外院給異教徒踐踏四十二個月。前面叁年半，教會能見證主，不過那時平靜中隱藏危機。異教徒會進入教會伺機攪破壞。四十二個月看來不算很長，也不算很短。是危機四伏的時間。

(2) Forty-two months – The outer court of the Temple was given to the nations and they will tread underfoot the holy city for forty-two months. During the first three and half years the Church could witness for the Lord, but there was danger lurking under that peaceful setting. Pagans would enter the Church and wait for the opportunity to wreak havoc. Forty-two months does not seem to be a very long time, or a very short time but it was a time of great danger and crisis everywhere.

( 叁) 一載二載半載( 12:14) 是教會受迫害的時間。這是苦的時間，但用短的數字表示，告訴我們，雖然受苦，卻不算是很長的日子。期間也會得到一些短暫的安全保護。

(3) A time and times and half a time (12:14) – It was the time when the Church was persecuted. Those were times full of distress, but it was indicated with shorter figures, which tells us that even though there was much suffering, it was not going to be for too long. There would be a period of time when they would enjoy security and protection.

( 四) 叁天半這看來是最短的時間，是教會似乎完全被消滅了，像徹底死透了，是死亡的時間，但只算是很短的幾天。很快教會又神蹟性地複活過來。在這死亡的時間，可能轉變成地下教會，繼續暗暗發展。屍體，就是空教堂，擺在那裡讓世人觀看。

(4) Three and a half days – It appears to be the shortest period of time, it is when the Church seemed completely destroyed, as if it was totally dead, but it was only for a short few days. Miraculously the Church came to life again very quickly. Maybe while it was dead it became an underground Church and continued expanding. The dead bodies were the empty church buildings, left out there for the people of the world to see.

慶賀教會的死
CELEBRATING THE DEATH OF THE CHURCH

10 住在地上的人就為他們歡喜快樂，互相餽送禮物，因這兩位先知曾叫住在地上的人受痛苦。
10 And those who dwell on the earth will rejoice over them and celebrate; and they will send gifts to one another, because these two prophets tormented those who dwell on the earth.

住在地上的人，就是以這地為他們永久家鄉的人，會為教會全面關門、禮拜停止而慶祝。他們互相送禮慶賀，因為他們覺得教會使他們受痛苦。教會的存在，使他們不快樂。他們希望禁止一切電視台的佈道，不准在學校開禱告會，不容許創造論在教科書中出現。他們其實使主的門徒受痛苦，卻說是主的門徒使他們受痛苦。

Those who dwell on the earth are the people who consider this world their permanent home; they were celebrating because the Church had closed its doors completely and worship services had stopped. They celebrated by sending gifts to one another because they felt that the Church made them suffer. The existence of the Church made them very unhappy. They want to ban all evangelistic programs from TV's, prohibit prayer meetings in the schools, and do not want to allow Creationism to appear in textbooks. In reality, they are the ones who are making the Lord's disciples to suffer, and yet they say that it is the Lord's disciples who are making them suffer.

世人禁止基督教傳播的結果是，每年都有學生在學校開鎗殺人，使很多無辜的信徒都受傷害。是他們使教會受傷害纔真。

The prohibition by the world to let Christianity spread the Gospel results in shootings in school grounds every year injuring and killing many innocent people. They are actually the ones who are hurting the Church.

這兩位見證者被稱為｢先知｣，就是神的代言人之意，那時的教會，就成了在地上僅有的神的代言人。

The two witnesses were called “prophets”, God's spokesman; the Church at that time was the only spokesman for God.

教會的複活
THE RESURRECTION OF THE CHURCH

11 過了這叁天半，有生氣從神那裡進入他們裡面，他們就站起來，看見他們的人甚是害怕，兩位先知聽見有大聲音從天上來對他們說：上這裡來，他們就駕雲上了天。仇敵也看見了。11 But after the three and a half days, the breath of life from God came into them, and they stood on their feet; and great fear fell upon those who were watching them. 12 And they heard a loud voice from heaven saying to them , “Come up here.” Then they went up into heaven in the cloud, and their enemies watched them.

教會是不會永遠被打倒的，就像只有叁天半的時間一樣。這是外邦人所不明白的事。歷史中發生多次，那些具有權勢的人想消滅教會，結果教會又復活了。因為教會是有生命的團體，在基督再降臨到地上來之前，教會要復興，像以西結在他卅七章所說的異象：枯骨復活一樣。

The Church will not be overthrown forever, as if it only happened for just three and half days. This is what the Gentiles fail to understand. This kind of event took place many times in history, powerful people wanted to destroy the Church but at the end the Church came to life again; because the Church is an organization that is alive. Before Christ returns the second time, there will be revival in the Church. Like in the vision that Ezekiel spoke about in chapter 37: The dry bones came to life again.

結果末後的見證者也復活升天。他們是後一期的複活。信徒的複活不止一次，林前十五章廿叁節說：｢各人是按著自己的次序復活。｣讀到第廿章，原來人的複活，有好幾次。

As a result, the witnesses during the end times also resurrected and went up to heaven. They resurrected later. The resurrection of the believers does not happen only once. 1 Corinthians 15:22-23 says: “…In Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order …”When we get to chapter 20 we see that people actually resurrected a few times.

13 那時地大震動，城倒塌了十分之一。因地震而死的有七千人，其馀的都恐懼，歸榮耀給天上的神。

13 And in that hour there was a great earthquake, and a tenth of the city fell; seven thousand people were killed in the earthquake, and the rest were terrified and gave glory to the God of heaven.

最末後時刻，神還是用地震來顯祂的威嚴。這城，不是一個城市，是代表整個敵對神的環境。在這威震全世界的獸國中，大部份地方將受天災的破壞。他們用最先進的武器對付神的教會，看來像勝利者。到最後，神的國得勝，卻是用最古老的武器：天災。約書亞時代、撒母耳時代打仗，神都用大自然的威力幫助他們得勝，到末日仍是一樣。

At the very end, God uses a great earthquake to show His majesty. The city is not really a city; it represents a whole environment that is hostile toward God. This unprecedented major natural catastrophe will destroy most of the world, the Beast's empire. The world used the most advanced weapons against God's Church, they seemed to be winners. But at the end, God's Kingdom won the victory using the most ancient weapon: a natural disaster. During the times of Joshua and Samuel, God also used forces of nature to help them win battles; during the end times it will be in the same way.

這是最後一次的大地震。這次將是榮耀歸給天上神的事件，因為會很明顯看見是神的作為。越靠近末日，地震越多。但多數人不認是神的作為。但這一次，榮耀歸給神，一定是很清楚看見是神的手段。地震死的一定都是最兇惡敵對神的人。其他人都看出來了。

This great earthquake will be the last one. This event will give glory to the God of Heaven, because it will clearly show without any doubts that it was an act of God. The closer we are to the end, the greater the number of earthquakes . Yet many people still do not believe that it is the work of God. But this last time, glory was given to God. Definitely the hand of God was clearly seen. Those who died in the earthquake were also the most hostile enemies of God . Even the rest of the people were able to see that.