神的異象
屬性中的屬性
經文
啟示錄四1-11
1此後,我觀看,見天上有門開了。我初次聽見好像吹號的聲音,對我說:你上到這裡來,我要將以後必成的事指示你。
2我立刻被聖靈感動,見有一個寶座安置在天上,又有一位坐在寶座上。
3看那坐著的,好像碧玉和紅寶石;又有虹圍著寶座,好像綠寶石。
4寶座的周圍又有二十四個座位;其上坐著二十四位長老,身穿白衣,頭上戴著金冠冕。
5有閃電、聲音、雷轟從寶座中發出;又有七盞火燈在寶座前點著;這七燈就是神的七靈。
6寶座前好像一個玻璃海,如同水晶。寶座中和寶座周圍有四個活物,前後遍體都滿了眼睛。
7第一個活物像獅子,第二個像牛犢,第三個臉面像人,第四個像飛鷹。
8四活物各有六個翅膀,遍體內外都滿了眼睛。他們晝夜不住的說:聖哉!聖哉!聖哉!主神是昔在、今在、以後永在的全能者。
9每逢四活物將榮耀、尊貴、感謝歸給那坐在寶座上、活到永永遠遠者的時候,
10那二十四位長老就俯伏在坐寶座的面前敬拜那活到永永遠遠的,又把他們的冠冕放在寶座前,說:
11我們的主,我們的神,你是配得榮耀、尊貴、權柄的;因為你創造了萬物,並且萬物是因你的旨意被創造而有的。
信息分享
我們從有翅膀的撒拉弗「聖哉!聖哉!聖哉!」(賽六3)這三重的呼喊,看到在天上的寶座前,最受頌揚的屬性是神的聖潔。神自己特別提出這項當受到尊崇的完美,正如豪韋(John Howe)指出,這是「屬性中的屬性」。
撒拉弗的呼喊是重要的,因為這是聖經裡面除了今天的經文以外,唯一把「聖潔」這個詞重複了三次的地方。希伯來語(正如漢語一樣)有時是藉著重複來表示強調。你記得當耶穌引入一個題目的時候,祂經常說:「我實實在在地告訴你們……」。但「聖哉」重複了不止兩次,而是三次,這表示我們是在一件意義重大的事物面前,而事實正是這樣,我們確是在神難以言喻的聖潔面前。
現在讓我們一起來做一件事。我們來慢慢的閱讀以下經文,看看有甚麼事情發生。「主啊,誰敢不敬畏你,不將榮耀歸與你的名呢?因為獨有你是聖的」(啟十五4)。「耶和華啊,眾神之中,誰能像你?誰能像你,至聖至榮,可頌可畏,施行奇事?」(出十五11)。「因我是神,並非世人,是你們中間的聖者」(何十一9)。「你這蟲雅各……不要害怕。耶和華說,我必幫助你,你的救贖主就是以色列的聖者」(賽四十一14)。當你越察覺神的聖潔的時候,你會越想要給祂更多的榮耀和尊敬,不是嗎?
「我們越察覺神的聖潔,便越想給祂更多的榮耀」
進深研究
太六5-13;路一49;詩三十4,一零五3
1. 基督在祂的禱告中首先專注於甚麼?
2. 我們要以甚麼為榮?
祈禱
主我的神啊!天上地下再沒有能像您一樣充滿榮耀的聖潔,充滿光輝的大能,充滿奇妙的威嚴。我的天父,我要敬拜您。言語在我口中枯乾,但是我的心永遠屬於您。阿們。
The Vision of God
"The attribute of attributes"
Bible reading:
Revelation 4:1-11
1 After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this."
2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it.
3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne.
4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads.
5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits[a] of God.
6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the center, around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back.
7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, the fourth was like a flying eagle.
8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying: "'Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty,'[b] who was, and is, and is to come."
9 Whenever the living creatures give glory, honor and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives for ever and ever,
10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives for ever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 "You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honor and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being."
Message
We see from the threefold cry of the winged seraphs - "Holy, holy holy" (Isa. 6:3) - that the holiness of God is celebrated as no other attribute is celebrated before the throne of heaven. God Himself singles out this perfection to be honoured in a way that shows it to be, as John Howe put it, "the attribute of attributes".
The cry of the seraphs is significant because this is the only place in Scripture, apart from the passage before us today, where the word "holy" is repeated three times. Emphasis in Hebrew (as in English) is sometimes conveyed by repeating a word. Jesus, you remember, often used this device when He introduced a subject by saying "Verily, verily, I say unto you...". But the word "holy" is repeated not just twice but three times - the implication being, we are in the presence of something profound. And indeed we are - the ineffable holiness of God.
Try something with me. Read slowly through the following texts, and see what happens. "Who will not fear you, O Lord, and bring glory to your name? For you alone are holy" (Rev. 15:4). "Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you - majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders?" (Ex. 15:11). "For I am God, and not man - the Holy One among you" (Hosea 11:9). "Do not be afraid, O worm Jacob...for I myself will help you,' declares the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel" (Isa 41:14). Is it not a fact that the more you make yourself aware of God's holiness the more honour and respect you want to give Him?
"The more aware we are of God's holiness the more we honour Him"
Prayer
O Lord my God, there is none like You in heaven above or in the earth beneath; glorious in holiness, mighty in splendour, and wondrous in majesty, I worship You my Father. Words die on my lips but my heart is Yours for ever. Amen.
Further study
Matthew 6:5-13
Luke 1:49
Psalm 30:4; 105:3
1. What is the first thing Christ focused on in His prayerp?
2. What are we to glory in?
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