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繁體中文
英語原文
We have here, I. An angel proclaiming the fall of Babylon, Re 18:1,2. II. Assigning the reasons of her fall, Re 18:3. III. Giving warning to all who belonged to God to come out of her (Re 18:4,5), and to assist in her destruction, Re 18:6-8. IV. The great lamentation made for her by those who had been large sharers in her sinful pleasures and profits, Re 18:9-19. V. The great joy that there would be among others at the sight of her irrecoverable ruin, Re 18:20-24, etc.
1-8
The Fall of Babylon (95 AD)
繁體中文
巴比倫傾覆（主後 95 年）
¹ 此後，我看見另有一位有大權柄的天使從天降下，地就因他的榮耀發光。 ² 他大聲喊著說：巴比倫大城傾倒了！傾倒了！成了鬼魔的住處和各樣污穢之靈的巢穴，並各樣污穢可憎之雀鳥的巢穴； ³ 因為列國都被她邪淫大怒的酒傾倒了，地上的君王與她行淫；地上的客商因她奢華太過就發了財。 ⁴ 我又聽見從天上有聲音說：我的民哪，你們要從那城出來，免得與她一同有罪，受她所受的災殃； ⁵ 因她的罪惡滔天；她的不義，神已經想起來了。 ⁶ 她怎樣待人，也要怎樣待她，按她所行的加倍的報應她；用她調酒的杯加倍地調給她喝。 ⁷ 她怎樣榮耀自己，怎樣奢華，也當叫她照樣痛苦悲哀，因她心裡說：我坐了皇后的位，並不是寡婦，決不至於悲哀。 ⁸ 所以在一天之內，她的災殃要一齊來到，就是死亡、悲哀、饑荒。她又要被火燒盡了，因為審判她的主神大有能力。
巴比倫的傾覆與毀滅，是在神旨意中早已完全定規、又對祂的利益與榮耀影響至大的事，因此關乎它的異象與預言是反覆出現的。1. 此處另有一位天使從天差來，伴有極大的權柄與光輝（啟 18:1）。他不僅自己有光，能辨明自己預言的真實，更能照明世界關乎這件大事；他不僅有分辨的光，更有成就的能力。2. 這位天使宣告巴比倫的傾覆，如同已經成就的事一般；他這樣行是用大有能力的大聲，使眾人都能聽見這呼喊，並看見這位天使何等樂意作這消息的傳報者。這裡似乎暗指對外邦巴比倫傾覆的預言（賽 21:9），在那裡這話也是這樣重複的：傾倒了！傾倒了！有人認為這是指雙重的傾覆，先是她的背道，後是她的毀滅；他們認為接下來的話支持這看法：她成了鬼魔的住處和各樣污穢之靈的巢穴，並各樣污穢可憎之雀鳥的巢穴（啟 18:2）。但這話也是借用自賽 21:9，所描寫的似乎不是她接待偶像（偶像實被稱為鬼魔）的罪，而是她的刑罰；因為按一般的觀念，不潔之靈以及不祥可憎的雀鳥常出沒於傾覆荒涼的城邑或房屋。3. 這傾覆的原因在此宣告（啟 18:3）；因為神雖不必為祂的事向人交代，祂卻樂意如此行，特別是在那些最可畏、最可怖的護理作為上。巴比倫的罪惡極大；因她不僅自己離棄了真神、設立偶像，更以極大的技巧與勤奮吸引各樣的人陷入屬靈的淫亂，並以她的財富與奢華將他們留在她的勢力之下。4. 對一切指望從神得憐憫的人，發出了公正的警告：他們不僅要從那城出來，更要在她的毀滅上有分（啟 18:4,5）。請留意：（1）神在巴比倫中也可能有祂的百姓，有些人是屬乎蒙恩揀選的。（2）神的百姓要被從巴比倫召出來，並且是有效恩召的呼召。（3）那些定意與惡人同享其罪的人，必同受其災殃。（4）當一個百姓的罪惡達到天上，神的忿怒就要臨到地上。（5）私人報復雖被禁止，神卻要祂的百姓在蒙召之時、在祂之下，拆毀祂與他們的死敵（啟 18:6）。（6）神要照罪人邪惡、驕傲與安逸的程度，按比例地刑罰他們（啟 18:7）。（7）當毀滅忽然臨到一個百姓時，這突然性便大大加重他們的痛苦（啟 18:8）。
英語原文
The Fall of Babylon (95 AD)
¹ And after these things I saw another angel come down from heaven, having great power; and the earth was lightened with his glory.
² And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
³ For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies.
⁴ And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues.
⁵ For her sins have reached unto heaven, and God hath remembered her iniquities.
⁶ Reward her even as she rewarded you, and double unto her double according to her works: in the cup which she hath filled fill to her double.
⁷ How much she hath glorified herself, and lived deliciously, so much torment and sorrow give her: for she saith in her heart, I sit a queen, and am no widow, and shall see no sorrow.
⁸ Therefore shall her plagues come in one day, death, and mourning, and famine; and she shall be utterly burned with fire: for strong is the Lord God who judgeth her.
The downfall and destruction of Babylon form an event so fully determined in the counsels of God, and of such consequence to his interests and glory, that the visions and predictions concerning it are repeated. 1. Here is another angel sent from heaven, attended with great power and lustre, Re 18:1. He had not only light in himself, to discern the truth of his own prediction, but to inform and enlighten the world about that great event; and not only light to discern it, but power to accomplish it. 2. This angel publishes the fall of Babylon, as a thing already come to pass; and this he does with a mighty strong voice, that all might hear the cry, and might see how well this angel was pleased to be the messenger of such tidings. Here seems to be an allusion to the prediction of the fall of pagan Babylon (Isa 21:9), where the word is repeated as it is here: has fallen, has fallen. Some have thought a double fall is hereby intended, first her apostasy, and then her ruin; and they think the words immediately following favour their opinion; She has become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and the cage of every unclean and hateful bird, Re 18:2. But this is also borrowed from Isa 21:9, and seems to describe not so much her sin of entertaining idols (which are truly called devils) as her punishment, it being a common notion that unclean spirits, as well as ominous and hateful birds, used to haunt a city or house that lay in its ruins. 3. The reason of this ruin is declared (Re 18:3); for, though God is not obliged to give any account of his matters, yet he is pleased to do so, especially in those dispensations of providence that are most awful and tremendous. The wickedness of Babylon had been very great; for she had not only forsaken the true God herself, and set up idols, but had with great art and industry drawn all sorts of men into the spiritual adultery, and by her wealth and luxury had retained them in her interest. 4. Fair warning is given to all that expect mercy from God, that they should not only come out of her, but be assisting in her destruction, Re 18:4,5. Here observe, (1.) God may have a people even in Babylon, some who belong to the election of grace. (2.) God's people shall be called out of Babylon, and called effectually. (3.) Those that are resolved to partake with wicked men in their sins must receive of their plagues. (4.) When the sins of a people reach up to heaven, the wrath of God will reach down to the earth. (5.) Though private revenge is forbidden, yet God will have his people act under him, when called to it, in pulling down his and their inveterate and implacable enemies, Re 18:6. (6.) God will proportion the punishment of sinners to the measure of their wickedness, pride, and security, Re 18:7. (7.) When destruction comes on a people suddenly, the surprise is a great aggravation of their misery, Re 18:8.
9-24
The Fall of Babylon (95 AD)
繁體中文
巴比倫的傾覆（公元95年）
⁹ 地上的君王，素來與他同行淫亂一同奢華快樂的，看見燒他的煙，就必為他哭泣哀號。
¹⁰ 因怕他的痛苦，就遠遠的站著說，哀哉，哀哉，巴比倫大城，堅固的城阿，一時之間你的刑罰就來到了。
¹¹ 地上的客商也都為他哭泣悲哀，因為沒有人再買他們的貨物了。
¹² 這貨物就是金，銀，寶石，珍珠，細麻布，紫色料，絲綢，朱紅色料，各樣香木，各樣象牙的器皿，各樣極寶貴的木和銅，鐵，漢白玉的器皿，
¹³ 並肉桂，荳蔻，香料，香膏，乳香，酒，油，細麵，麥子，牛，羊，馬，車，和奴僕，人口。
¹⁴ 巴比倫哪，你所貪愛的果子離開了你。你珍饈美味，華美的物件，也從你那裏消滅，決不能再見了。
¹⁵ 販賣這些貨物，藉著他發了財的客商，因怕他的痛苦，就遠遠的站著哭泣悲哀，說，
¹⁶ 哀哉，哀哉，這大城阿，素常穿著細麻布，紫色料，朱紅色料，又用金子，寶石，和珍珠為妝飾。
¹⁷ 一時之間，這麼大的富厚就歸於無有。凡船主，和坐船往各處去的，並眾水手，連所有靠海為業的，都遠遠的站著，
¹⁸ 看見燒他的煙，就喊著說，有何城能比這大城呢。
¹⁹ 他們又把塵土撒在頭上，哭泣悲哀，喊著說，哀哉，哀哉，這大城阿。凡有船在海中的，都因他的珍寶成了富足。他在一時之間就成了荒場。
²⁰ 天哪，眾聖徒眾使徒眾先知阿，你們都要因他歡喜。因為神已經在他身上伸了你們的冤。
²¹ 有一位大力的天使舉起一塊石頭，好像大磨石，扔在海裏，說，巴比倫大城，也必這樣猛力的被扔下去，決不能再見了。
²² 彈琴，作樂，吹笛，吹號的聲音，在你中間決不能再聽見。各行手藝人在你中間決不能再遇見。推磨的聲音在你中間決不能再聽見。
²³ 燈光的亮光，在你中間決不能再照耀。新郎和新婦的聲音，在你中間決不能再聽見。你的客商原來是地上的尊貴人。萬國也被你的邪術迷惑了。
²⁴ 先知和聖徒，並地上一切被殺之人的血，都在這城裏看見了。
我們在此有，
一、巴比倫的朋友為她的傾覆所作的悲慘哀號；請注意，
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哀哭的是誰，就是那些被她的淫亂所迷惑的人、那些曾與她同享感官之樂的人、並那些因她的財富和貿易而獲利的人——地上的君王和地上的客商：「地上的君王」——她容讓他們對臣民專橫暴虐，以此諂媚他們陷入拜偶像，只要他們對她順服；並「客商」，就是那些為著贖罪券、赦罪、特許和晉升而與她交易的人；這些人必哀哭，因為他們「是憑這手藝得財」。
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他們哀哭的方式。（1）他們遠遠站著，不敢靠近她。巴比倫的朋友看見她傾覆也必遠避。他們雖曾與她同享其罪，並同享其罪的快樂和利益，卻不願分擔她的災禍。（2）他們大聲哀號：「哀哉！哀哉！巴比倫大城，堅固的城！」（3）他們哭泣，「把塵土撒在頭上」（啟18:19）。罪中之樂只是暫時的，結局必是淒慘的憂愁。凡因教會仇敵的成功而歡喜的人，必與他們同受傾覆；那些最放縱自己驕傲和享樂的人，最不能忍受災禍；他們的憂愁必如他們先前的享樂和狂歡一樣過分。
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他們哀哭的原因；不是因罪，而是因刑罰。他們並不哀嘆自己陷入拜偶像、放縱和逼迫，而是哀嘆自己陷入毀滅——失去了貿易、財富和權勢。敵基督的靈是屬世的靈，他們的憂愁不過是世俗的憂愁；他們並不因神的怒氣如今臨到他們而哀傷，而是因失去外表的安慰。我們在此有這城財富和貨物的一份詳細清單，這一切都忽然失去（啟18:12、13），並且無可挽回地失去（啟18:14）：「你珍饈美味，華美的物件都從你那裏消滅，決不能再見了」。神的教會可能一時傾倒，卻必再起；但巴比倫的傾覆必是全然的推翻，如所多瑪和蛾摩拉一樣。屬神的憂愁在患難中能給人扶持，但僅僅世俗的憂愁只增加災禍。
二、關於巴比倫不可挽回的傾覆在天上地上所有的喜樂和得勝：當她自己的百姓為她哀哭之時，神的僕人卻蒙召「因她歡喜」（啟18:20）。請注意：1. 這喜樂將是何等普遍：天上和地上、天使和聖徒都要加入；那使這世上的神僕人歡喜的事，也使天上的天使歡喜。2. 何等公義合理；因為：（1）巴比倫的傾覆是神報復性公義的作為。神那時正為他百姓伸冤。他們已將自己的案件交託給那「報應屬乎他」的主，如今為錫安爭論的報應之年已到；他們雖不以任何人的痛苦為樂，卻有理由為神榮耀公義的彰顯而歡喜。（2）因為那是不可挽回的毀滅。這仇敵必不再攪擾他們，而他們藉一個顯著的憑據得了保證（啟18:21）：「一位大力的天使舉起一塊石頭，好像大磨石，扔在海裏，說：巴比倫也必這樣猛力的被扔下去，決不能再見了」；那地不再可居住，不再有工作，不再有安慰，不再有亮光，只有全然的黑暗和荒涼，作為她極大邪惡的報應——她先「以邪術迷惑列國」，其次又毀滅並謀害那些她所不能迷惑的人（啟18:24）。這樣可憎的罪，當受這樣大的毀滅。
英語原文
The Fall of Babylon (95 AD)
⁹ And the kings of the earth, who have committed fornication and lived deliciously with her, shall bewail her, and lament for her, when they shall see the smoke of her burning,
¹⁰ Standing afar off for the fear of her torment, saying, Alas, alas, that great city Babylon, that mighty city! for in one hour is thy judgment come.
¹¹ And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; for no man buyeth their merchandise any more:
¹² The merchandise of gold, and silver, and precious stones, and of pearls, and fine linen, and purple, and silk, and scarlet, and all thyine wood, and all manner vessels of ivory, and all manner vessels of most precious wood, and of brass, and iron, and marble,
¹³ And cinnamon, and odours, and ointments, and frankincense, and wine, and oil, and fine flour, and wheat, and beasts, and sheep, and horses, and chariots, and slaves, and souls of men.
¹⁴ And the fruits that thy soul lusted after are departed from thee, and all things which were dainty and goodly are departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all.
¹⁵ The merchants of these things, which were made rich by her, shall stand afar off for the fear of her torment, weeping and wailing,
¹⁶ And saying, Alas, alas, that great city, that was clothed in fine linen, and purple, and scarlet, and decked with gold, and precious stones, and pearls!
¹⁷ For in one hour so great riches is come to nought. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
¹⁸ And cried when they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, What city is like unto this great city!
¹⁹ And they cast dust on their heads, and cried, weeping and wailing, saying, Alas, alas, that great city, wherein were made rich all that had ships in the sea by reason of her costliness! for in one hour is she made desolate.
²⁰ Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; for God hath avenged you on her.
²¹ And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all.
²² And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee;
²³ And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived.
²⁴ And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth.
Here we have,
I. A doleful lamentation made by Babylon's friends for her fall; and here observe,
1. Who are the mourners, namely, those who had been bewitched by her fornication, those who had been sharers in her sensual pleasures, and those who had been gainers by her wealth and trade—the kings and the merchants of the earth: the kings of the earth, whom she had flattered into idolatry by allowing them to be arbitrary and tyrannical over their subjects, while they were obsequious to her; and the merchants, that is, those who trafficked with her for indulgences, pardons, dispensations, and preferments; these will mourn, because by this craft they got their wealth.
2. What was the manner of their mourning. (1.) They stood afar off, they durst not come nigh her. Even Babylon's friends will stand at a distance from her fall. Though they had been partakers with her in her sins, and in her sinful pleasures and profits, they were not willing to bear a share in her plagues. (2.) They made a grievous outcry: Alas! alas! that great city, Babylon, that mighty city! (3.) They wept, and cast dust upon their heads, Re 18:19. The pleasures of sin are but for a season, and they will end in dismal sorrow. All those who rejoice in the success of the church's enemies will share with them in their downfall; and those who have most indulged themselves in pride and pleasure are the least able to bear calamities; their sorrows will be as excessive as their pleasure and jollity were before.
3. What was the cause of their mourning; not their sin, but their punishment. They did not lament their fall into idolatry, and luxury, and persecution, but their fall into ruin—the loss of their traffic and of their wealth and power. The spirit of antichrist is a worldly spirit, and their sorrow is a mere worldly sorrow; they did not lament for the anger of God, that had now fallen upon them, but for the loss of their outward comfort. We have a large schedule and inventory of the wealth and merchandise of this city, all which was suddenly lost (Re 18:12,13), and lost irrecoverably (Re 18:14): All things which were dainty and goodly have departed from thee, and thou shalt find them no more at all. The church of God may fall for a time, but she shall rise again; but the fall of Babylon will be an utter overthrow, like that of Sodom and Gomorrah. Godly sorrow is some support under affliction, but mere worldly sorrow adds to the calamity.
II. An account of the joy and triumph there was both in heaven and earth at the irrecoverable fall of Babylon: while her own people were bewailing her, the servants of God were called to rejoice over her, Re 18:20. Here observe, 1. How universal this joy would be: heaven and earth, angels and saints, would join in it; that which is matter of rejoicing to the servants of God in this world is matter of rejoicing to the angels in heaven. 2. How just and reasonable; and that, (1.) Because the fall of Babylon was an act of God's vindictive justice. God was then avenging his people's cause. They had committed their cause to him to whom vengeance belongs, and now the year of recompence had come for the controversies of Zion; and, though they did not take pleasure in the miseries of any, yet they had reason to rejoice in the discoveries of the glorious justice of God. (2.) Because it was an irrecoverable ruin. This enemy should never molest them any more, and of this they were assured by a remarkable token (Re 18:21): An angel from heaven took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, "Thus shall Babylon be thrown down with violence, and be found no more at all; the place shall be no longer habitable by man, no work shall be done there, no comfort enjoyed, no light seen there, but utter darkness and desolation, as the reward of her great wickedness, first in deceiving the nations with her sorceries, and secondly in destroying and murdering those whom she could not deceive," Re 18:24. Such abominable sins deserved so great a ruin.
此處我們看見：一、一位天使宣告巴比倫傾倒了（啟 18:1,2）。二、說明她傾倒的原因（啟 18:3）。三、警告一切屬神的人從其中出來（啟 18:4,5），並協助毀滅她（啟 18:6-8）。四、那些曾經大享她罪中之樂與利益的人為她大大哀號（啟 18:9-19）。五、其他人見她傾覆無可挽回時所要大大歡喜的景象（啟 18:20-24 等）。