第八週．週五

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晨興餧養

太二四１４『這國度的福音要傳遍天下，對萬民作見證，然後末期纔來到。』

啟六２『我就觀看，看哪，有一匹白馬，騎在馬上的拿着弓，並有冠冕賜給他，他便出去，勝了又要勝。』

國度的福音，［太二四14，］包括恩典的福音，（徒二十24，）不僅把人帶進神的救恩，也把人帶進諸天的國。（啟一9。）恩典的福音重在罪的赦免、神的救贖、和永遠的生命；國度的福音重在神屬天的管治和主的權柄。在這世代結束之前，國度的福音要傳遍天下，對萬民作見證。…在這世代結束以前，就是大災難以前，這見證必須傳遍全地。

在馬太二十四章四至十四節，我們看見從基督升天直到這世代的終結，就是大災難的三年半，關於猶太人的真實歷史。在大災難來臨以前，這些經文的每件事都要發生。最後一項是傳揚國度的福音。我信主恢復中的召會要接受負擔，把這福音傳遍天下。恩典的福音已經傳遍各洲，國度的福音卻還沒有。…這較高的福音要藉着主恢復中的召會傳到各洲。這世代終結最有力的兆頭，要在大災難以前發生。因此，這世代終結最重要的兆頭，乃是國度的福音傳遍天下。（馬太福音生命讀經，七九七頁。）

信息選讀

［啟示錄六章一節至八章二節中七印的］第一印是白馬與騎馬者，表徵福音廣傳。（六1∼2。）六章二節說，『我就觀看，看哪，有一匹白馬，騎在馬上的拿着弓，並有冠冕賜給他，他便出去，勝了又要勝。』

弓帶着箭是為着打仗的。但這裏只有弓，沒有箭，指明箭已經射出，除滅仇敵；也指明基督那為着構成和平之福音的爭戰已經結束，並且已經得勝。…冠冕表徵福音已經戴上基督的榮耀為冠冕。（林後四4。）我們今日所傳的福音有一個冠冕，這冠冕乃是基督的榮耀。我們傳福音時不該覺得羞恥，而該覺得榮耀。傳福音是榮耀的事。那些傳福音的人成了騎白馬的人。…啟示錄六章二節所說，『出去，勝了，』表徵福音已經與基督一同前去，勝過了各樣的抵擋和攻擊。…歷代以來，福音一直與這位得勝的基督一同繼續往前。

按照聖經所言，我們必須傳福音，使罪人得救。我們都必須結果子。雖然我們可能承認這是合乎聖經的，但我們可能沒有結任何果子。這意思是說，我們沒有騎在白馬上。我們若傳福音，我們的關切乃在於神的國。我們今天在地上的關切是甚麼？我們應當是那些勞苦使人得救，為着神的國建造基督身體的人。我們大多數的人必須作事維持生活，但我們都能為着主的權益分別一些時間給主。不信的人總是能為着娛樂和消遣分出時間來。但我們信徒有神作我們的娛樂和消遣。我們沒有藉口不傳福音。我們必須騎在白馬上，擴展福音。（李常受文集一九九○年第三冊，二九至三一頁。）

參讀：聖經中四個『七』的豫言，第二篇。

WEEK 8 — DAY 5

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Morning Nourishment

Matt. 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole inhabited earth for a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.

Rev. 6:2 And I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he who sits on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer.

The gospel of the kingdom [Matt. 24:14], which includes the gospel of grace (Acts 20:24), brings people not only into God’s salvation but also into the kingdom of the heavens (Rev. 1:9). The gospel of grace emphasizes forgiveness of sin, God’s redemption, and eternal life, whereas the gospel of the kingdom emphasizes the heavenly ruling of God and the authority of the Lord. This gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole earth for a testimony to all the nations before the end of this age…This testimony must spread to the whole earth before the end of this age, the time of the great tribulation.

In Matthew 24:4-14 we see the actual history concerning the Jews from Christ’s ascension until the end of this age, the three and a half years of the great tribulation. Before the great tribulation comes, everything in these verses will transpire. The last item will be the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom. I believe that the churches in the Lord’s recovery will bear the burden to bring this gospel to all the inhabited earth. The gospel of grace has been preached in every continent but not the gospel of the kingdom …This higher gospel will be brought to every continent through the churches in the Lord’s recovery. This, the strongest sign of the consummation of the age, will take place before the great tribulation. Thus, the most important sign of the consummation of the age is the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom to all the inhabited earth. (Life-study of Matthew, pp. 685-686)

Today’s Reading

The first [of the seven seals in Revelation 6:1—8:2] is a white horse and its rider, signifying the spreading of the gospel (6:1-2). Verse 2 says, “I saw, and behold, a white horse, and he who sits on it had a bow; and a crown was given to him, and he went forth conquering and to conquer.”

A bow with an arrow is for fighting. But here there is a bow without an arrow. This indicates that the arrow has already been shot to destroy the enemy and that Christ’s fighting for the constitution of the gospel of peace is finished and the victory is won. A crown signifies that the gospel has been crowned with the glory of Christ (2 Cor. 4:4). The gospel that we preach today has a crown, and this crown is the glory of Christ. We should not feel shameful when we preach the gospel. Rather, we should feel glorious. To preach the gospel is a glorious thing. Those who preach the gospel become the riders of the white horse. Went forth conquering in Revelation 6:2 signifies that the gospel has been going forth with Christ to conquer all kinds of opposition and attack …Throughout all the generations the gospel has been going on with Christ as the Victor.

According to the Bible, we have to preach the gospel to get sinners saved. We all have to bear fruit. Although we may admit that this is scriptural, we may not be bearing any fruit. This means that we are not on the white horse. If we are preaching the gospel, our interest is in God’s kingdom. What is our interest today on this earth? We should be those who are laboring to get people saved to build up the Body of Christ for the kingdom of God. Most of us have to work to make a living. But all of us can separate a certain amount of time to the Lord for His interest. The unbelievers can always spare time for their amusement and entertainment. But we believers have God as our amusement and entertainment. We have no excuse for not preaching the gospel. We must be on the white horse for the spreading of the gospel. (CWWL, 1990, vol. 3, “The
Prophecy of the Four ‘Sevens’ in the Bible,” pp. 22-23)

Further Reading: Life-study of Matthew, msg. 61; CWWL, 1990, vol. 3, “The Prophecy of the Four ‘Sevens’ in the Bible,” ch. 2