包括林獻羔、唐崇懷[11]、何克滿、Louis Talbot,[12] J. K. van Baalen,[13] Harold Lindsell[14][15]的一些宗教學專家因基督復臨安息日會的特殊信仰把它定性為異端。但在1950年代安息日會與新教保守宗派的一連串對話後。[來源請求]，個別基督教宗派已認為它有朝著主流方面邁進的努力。例如在1956年﹐由Donald Barnhouse編輯的保守派基督教雜誌Eternity刊登文章認為復臨信徒有可能是基督徒。Walter Martin在1960年的著作《基督復臨安息日會的真相》（The Truth about Seventh-day Adventists）也曾為安息日會做了某種程度的辯護。但是，今日的安息日會依然堅持"總議會的裁判，是神所認定最高的權力機關在地球上，這機關行使獨立及秘密裁決是不一定要被監管的，但是一定要被聽取。" ，因而不能被認為有實質性的歸正。
1996年9月26日美國電視第七頻道節目「轉捩點」探討有關「另類治療：是希望？是欺騙？」(Turning Point: Alternative Medicine - Hope or Hype?) 訪問一些面臨大手術或身患絕症的人，因不想面對手術或電療化療，情願採用各類未經臨床證實其醫療效果的另類療法，其中就介紹一位患上乳癌的女士，跟隨一位沒有正式西醫註冊的美國另類治療師到他在多明尼加共和國開設的一所用臭氧(Ozone,O3)治療的療養院求醫，每天除了吃新鮮疏果外，沐浴洗髮注射均用臭氧，宣稱可以增強免疫能力，結果這女士仍是不敵癌病、一命嗚呼，還要付上一筆相當貴昂的治療費。治療師則強調只要病人感受舒服，能做個快樂的病人已值回票價了，他從來沒有承諾任何必然的治療果效的。這就是另類治療了！
e.g. 666 到底是谁？20年前流行说比尔盖茨Bill Gates是666 （我对这些推测有保留）
e.g. 兽的印 是电子付账或者植入人体的晶片 （我对这些推测有保留）
e.g.以前说十角 （启13:1）指的是欧盟。 不过现在已经有27国家。（我对这些推测有保留）
困难：今年是2020年。意味着启示录的记载对古时的基督徒是没有意义的。
（IV）精神原则（The Idealist View）[7]
视启示录，书中是有许多象征symbols 带出原则与精神 principles and ideas
提倡：启示录中的原则与精神是教导每一个时代的基督徒
提倡：7 cycles 重复的循环[8]
e.g.兽: 任何时代中敌对神的王或国。
优点：使徒约翰的时代或者是我们的时代或者将来都能被应用遵守
（V） 折衷合并观 Eclectic[9] Combination
Pic 包含结合以上其它四个学派的观点[10] use example of Beast illustrate
此书是写给（这末世时代）给每一个时代的基督徒
e.g.撒旦一直不断使用相同的手段（兽、假先知、淫妇）来设法使基督徒离开耶稣
e.g.启示录中的灾难：每一个时代都面对 战争、地震、海啸、旱灾、瘟疫的地区
V3 念这书上预言的和那些听见又遵守其中所记载的，都是有福的，因为日期近了。
我们最后一定得胜，引主耶稣已经得胜！
[1] But all are agreed that the significant advance in emperor-worship took place in the reign of Domitian (AD 81–96). Whereas the earlier emperors had at best accepted emperor-worship, and at worst actively discouraged it, Domitian seems really to have regarded himself as a god.61 On the score of emperor-worship Domitian’s reign is the most probable by far. It was Domitian above all who demanded worship from his subjects. A difficulty is that we do not know what method he adopted to bring it about. Specifically there is no record of his having executed or imprisoned those who refused to worship him.Morris, L..
Within two weeks of accession, Domitian had restored the cult of the ruling emperor’s genius.[112] He remains a controversial figure, described as one of the very few emperors to scandalously style himself a living divus, as evidenced by the use of “master and god” (dominus et deus) in imperial documents. wiki
[2] It is difficult to understand Revelation without understanding the OT. John identifies himself as a prophet (1:3) in the line of the OT prophets, speaking the word of the Lord in both judgment and promise. Scholars estimate that as many as 278 out of 404 verses in Revelation contain references to the OT and that over five hundred allusions to OT texts are made in total (compared with less than two hundred in all of Paul’s letters). These are allusions (though quite recognizable) rather than direct quotations. Beale, G. K., & Campbell, D. H .
[3] The word preterist refers to the past
[4] The strongest evidence for a preterist approach lies in the connections of Revelation to the situation of the 7 churches. Every one of the messages in Rev. 2-3 contains details about the church situation, including subtle allusions to the larger environment in the city (see commentary on chapters 2-3 and Colin Hemer’s research on the 7 churches in The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia). The problems addressed in Rev. 2-3 continue to be in focus throughout the rest of the Book. The visionary material of Rev. 4:1-22:5 has many linkages backward. For example, references to “those who say that they are Jews and are not” (2:9; 3:9) are connected with the vision of the true Jews in 7:1-8. Satan’s throne in 2:13 relates to the Dragon/Satan in 12:9. Martyrdom in 2:10, 13 links up with martyrdom in 6:9; 11:7; 13:15; 17:6; and 20:4. The promise of the tree of life in 2:7 links with the tree in 22:2. Jezebel in 2:20-22 links with the Prostitute of 17:3ff. And so on. Through these linkages it becomes clear that the whole Book, not just Rev. 2-3, addresses the problems and struggles of the 7 churches in the first century. Poythress
[5] This view takes two forms. Dispensational futurism (or classic dispensationalism) interprets the visions very literally and chronologically as referring to events of history. Generally the order of the visions in chs. 4–21 is seen as representing the actual historical order of events to happen in the yet-future latter days. Israel is restored to its own land immediately prior to 4:1. Then events unfold in the following order: the church is raptured into heaven, there is a seven-year tribulation, the reign of the antichrist begins, the nations gather together to make war against Jerusalem, Christ returns and defeats the nations, Christ rules during the millennium, Satan gathers together unbelievers at the end of the millennium to fight against Christ, and Christ defeats the devil and begins His eternal reign in heaven. Beale, G. K., & Campbell, D. H.
[6] Progressive dispensationalism holds similarly to the above unfolding of events but maintains a looser approach (e.g., the “latter days” began during the church age, and many of the visions are interpreted symbolically and not literally). Modified futurism takes various forms, some affirming that the church is true Israel and that there will be no “pretribulation rapture.” Rather, Christians will pass through the final period of trial. Most if not all events recorded in chs. 4–22 refer to a final period of tribulation and to succeeding events (though some hold that 4:1–8:1 covers the period from Christ’s resurrection up to the end of history). Beale, G. K., & Campbell, D. H.
[7] Different terms used : Idealism: Repeated Pattern of fulfilment by Poythress. The Redemptive-historical Idealist by View G K Beale
In rejecting pretribulationism, Ladd also rejects dispensational interpretation although he distinguishes Israel from the church in some passages. In others he rejects a distinction, holding that promises given to Israel in the Old Testament should be interpreted as having a dual fulfillment, that is, fulfilled both in the church and in Israel. Ladd recognizes that dispensationalism naturally leads to pretribulationism, and therefore he devotes a chapter to a refutation of dispensationalism. John F. Walvoord from Dallas TS
[8] •主题以不同的象征symbols 不同角度，重复进展的表达
[9] As such, the message of the letter is of relevance and value to all believers of all ages, which is why the vision was given to John. We might call this an eclectic redemptive-historical idealist view, since, while the focus is on a symbolic presentation of the battle between good and evil and on specific repeated historical events during the church age, aspects of the preterist, historicist, and futurist views are incorporated (hence “eclectic”). G K Beale
All the school except the historicist school have considerable merit. Can we somehow combine them? If we start with the idealist approach, it is comparatively easy to see how. The images in Revelation enjoy multiple fulfillments. They do so because they embody a general pattern. The arguments in favor of futurism show convincingly that Revelation is interested in the Second Coming and the immediately preceding final crisis (cf. 2 Thess. 2:1-12). But fulfillment in the final crisis does not eliminate earlier instances of the general pattern. We have both a general pattern and a particular embodiment of the pattern in the final crisis. Likewise, the arguments in favor of preterism show convincingly that Revelation is interested in the seven churches and their historic situation. The symbols thus have a particular embodiment in the first century, and we ought to pay attention to this embodiment. Finally, we have a responsibility to apply the message of Revelation to our own situation, because we are somewhere in church history, somewhere in the interadvent period to which the book applies. Here is the grain of truth in the historicist approach. We can sum up these insights in a single combined picture. The major symbols of Revelation represent a repeated pattern. This pattern has a realization in the first century situation of the seven churches. It also has an embodiment in the final crisis. And it has an embodiment now. We pay special attention to the embodiment now, because we must apply the lessons of Revelation to where we are. Poythress
Horatio G. Spafford was known as a sincere, devout Christian. He was the father of four daughters, an active member of the Presbyterian church, and a loyal friend and supporter of D. L. Moody and other evangelical leaders of his day.
In November 1873, Spafford decided to take his entire family to Europe for a vacation, intending also to assist Moody in his evangelistic work once he arrived there. However, Spafford was unexpectedly detained in Chicago due to urgent business concerns, but decided to send his family aboard the S.S. Ville du Harve as scheduled. Midway through the trans-Atlantic voyage, S.S. Ville du Harve was struck by the English vessel Loch Earn and eventually foundered. Spafford's four daughters—Anna, eleven; Maggie, nine; Bessie, seven; and Tanetta, two—were among the 226 who perished in the aftermath. Mrs. Spafford, one of the few who were spared, sent her husband the heartbreaking telegram: "Saved alone."
Spafford immediately sailed for England to join his grief-stricken wife. As his ship passed the approximate location where his daughters had drowned, his deep sorrow mingled with his unwavering faith in God's goodness caused him to compose this hymn.
1873年11月，斯帕福德决定带全家去欧洲度假，并计划抵达后协助穆迪的布道工作。然而，斯帕福德因紧急商务滞留在芝加哥，但他决定让家人按原计划乘坐“法兰西号”（S.S. Ville du Harve）邮轮先行。在横渡大西洋的途中，“法兰西号”被英国船只“洛赫恩号”（Loch Earn）撞击，最终沉没。斯帕福德的四个女儿——11岁的安娜、9岁的玛吉、7岁的贝西和2岁的塔妮塔——都在事故中遇难，共有226人丧生。斯帕福德夫人是少数幸存者之一，她给丈夫发了一封令人心碎的电报：“只剩我一人。”
在倫敦她除了積極參加教會的各種事工外，還加入了當地的世界基督教女青年會（World Young Women’s Christian Association），從兼職做到全職秘書。具有愛心的她經常晚上獨自一人在街頭尋找那些流浪街頭的妓女，說服她們接受職業技能培訓，或者住進青年會提供的庇護所接受幫助。期間她幫助協會開設了倫敦第一家面向女性的平價公共餐廳。由於長時間的艱苦付出和精神壓力她患了某種疾病，需要做一次手術；可就在後來進行的手術過程中發生了意外，導致她的心臟受到永久性的傷害。
You don't need to be a Bible scholar, you don't need the perfect words, the best church clothes, or a polished spiritual resume... what Jesus wants is your heart.
不要混淆宗教知识和关系。
Don't confuse religious knowledge with relationship.
基督教的本质不是只知道圣经，而是认识活着的耶稣。
The essence of Christianity is not just knowing the Word, but knowing the Living Word-JESUS.
你可以研读上帝的话语，却仍然拒绝话语中的上帝。
You can study the Word of God, yet still reject the God of the Word.
约翰福音 5:39-40
John 5:39-40
每一个神迹、每一个比喻、每一个教导都是邀请你去跟随耶稣，而不仅仅是仰慕他。
Every miracle, every parable, every teaching is an invitation to follow Jesus, not just to admire Him.
你可以把圣经从头到尾都了解一遍，但仍然
You can know the Bible cover to cover, but still
错过耶稣是谁。
miss who Jesus is.
不要只知道圣经，要认识耶稣。
Don't just know the Bible, know Jesus.
不要只满足于研读耶稣，要与他同行。
Don't settle for studying Jesus. Walk with Him.
研读圣经是绝对必要的。但它从来不是目的——它是认识基督的手段。
Studying the Bible is absolutely necessary. But it was never meant to be the end—it is the means to knowing Christ.
如果我们知道圣经但：
If we know the Bible but:
* 对破碎的人没有渴望，
* have no desire for the broken,
* 对他的同在没有饥渴，
* no hunger for His presence,
* 不渴望不惜一切代价顺服他，
* no desire to obey Him at all cost,
* 我们的品格没有转变，
* no transformation in our character,
那么我们可能没有真正认识他。
then we may not truly know Him.
这不是呼吁减少知识，而是呼吁更深的降服。
This is not a call to less knowledge, but to deeper surrender.
