講員： 金道元 John Jin
我不得不说，说服自己接受末后事工的意像是一个极具挑战性的过程。挑战涉及了两个方面。首先，是否有任何圣经证据？这是真的吗？其次，我在天堂清洗马桶的梦想再也不会成真了。如果末后事工的意像是真的，那么我要么成为一个得胜者，要么我会面临在天堂失去我的奖赏的危险。我们的主耶稣会比我想像的更早回来。我还没准备好。
我想和大家分享一下我在说服自己的过程中所做的一些研究和探讨。我必须承认全盘接受事工异像我还是有很多挣扎的。对很多人来说可能我的分享会有些乏味，但是我还是想做这件事，因为我们必须能够在灵里透过神的话语印证并捍卫我们的信念。只有透过神的话语让我们得到那个确认后，才能在既定的历史阶段，当挑战和逼迫从各个方面临到我们的时候，我们才能站立得稳。
我加入事工后常常想搞明白为什么神要呼召我离开传统教会来加入这样一个事工呢？简单地说，就是我为什么在这里？你曾经问过你自己这个问题吗？为什么你会来到这个事工？
某个星期六我们小组团契结束的时候，我们就问了问小组其他成员，“末后事工的异象和使命是什么呢？” 因为我和太太都在挣扎如何能更好地理解并抓住事工意象和使命。令人惊奇的是，我们发现大家的感受都是有关医治，属灵争战，为末后做准备。他们既没有错，也没有特别的对，因为医治和属灵争战确实在事工的意象和使命中起到了很重要的作用。我们意识到大多数人进入事工是因为他们需要被医治。这也是我们能知道这个事工的原因，因为我们需要心里的医治，灵里的释放和属灵的征战。大多数的传统教会相信神是有权能的，神可以选择医治或不医治，因为神有他的主权，你不能强迫神医治你或者不医治。这就给末后事工提供了一个机会来帮助有迫切需要的弟兄姐妹。
在传统教会我们把这叫作钩子，就是钓鱼的钩子。那么传统教会是如何发展的呢？有两种方法。一种是通过传福音，一种是透过社会公益活动。传福音，最简单的方法就是通过神的话语来使人们信服耶稣成为个人的主和救赎主。但是社会公益活动会有很多方式。例如一个教会可以通过小孩子，青年人把他们的父母或者朋友带进教会，教会也可以走入社区成为社区的一部分。
一旦人们踏入教会的大门，他们就需要被喂养。除了主日信息之外，门徒训练也必须开始了，很多事工就要被建立起来。我们看到在教会里可以有很多事工，他们是建立在不同群体的不同需要上，他们是以需要为基础的。他们的目标主要是关怀神的子民，使他们成长。所有的事工有两个共同点1.有一个特定的目标群体 2.有非常特定的异象和使命。
举例来说，一个青少年的事工和一个弟兄的事工，他们的目标群体是不同的。这两个不同的群体有不同的需要，需要处理的问题也是完全不同的。所以我们可以看到教会和事工是有一个很大的区别的：一个教会在她下面会有很多不同的事工，因为不同的群体有不同的需要，年少的或年长的，男的和女的，已婚和未婚的。而事工会更狭隘一些，它有它特定的群体和特定的使命。就像多伦多这边的食品银行，他们的目标人群就是需要食物的无家可归者和贫困者。他们的使命就是提供食物的。即简单又直接。
这就使我不得不问，“末后事工的异象和使命是什么呢？神所呼召进到事工的人是什么样的人呢？给予我们的特定使命是什么呢？”
传统教会主日讲道一般很少涉及启示录。涉及福音书和教牧书信的讲道通常只是涉及正反两方面的观点。但是涉及启示录的时候，大多数传统教会会有5种不同的观点，所以这也是为什么讲解启示录的时候会非常困难和具有挑战性。我们不能说传统教会是完全的对，也不能说是完全的错，因为这取决于你读启示录的时候是按照字面上的意思来解释还是你按照它所代表的寓意来解释。另外一个比较困难的地方，启示录中没有从旧约中引用经文，但提到了一些有关的旧约故事，这也是人们相信但以理书和一些先知书是明白启示录这本书的关键。只有像末后事工这样相信末后信息的教会和事工才会要开启并深入地了解启示录。这就使我不得不强调明白末后事工使命的重要性。如果你没有很好地掌握这些重点，你或多或少就会像马太福音7章中讲的聪明和愚笨的童女，无法在磐石上建立你的根基。如果在座的各位没有在这个共同的异象中建造，基于我们个人的渴望和野心，我们就会做各种各样不同的事情。末后事工有个特点，因为末后事工呼召的特殊性，神给了我们每一个很多的属灵恩赐。如果我们不用我们的属灵恩赐来完成这个呼召，我们就不能在这个恩膏的力量中运行来完成神的使命。这是非常危险的。
或者我们错误计算成为门徒的代价。路14:29讲道，“恐怕安了地基，不能成功，看见的人都笑话他。” 我们知道这个事工就是一个军营，如果你不清楚你要付的代价，对我们在末后的时候持之以恒并成为得胜者来说是非常危险的来。
我仍然记得当我的太太告诉我名老师相信我们就是启示录中的那个男孩子，我的下巴都快掉下来了，“哦，天哪！谁敢如此地声称？我可不想被杀掉。 “后来我的太太又跟我说，“你知道启示录21:8中，被扔到火湖中的名单中，那一类人列居榜首吗？就是胆怯的人。”
启示录是一个充满挑战性的书。如果我们把它运用到我们现代基督徒的身上，它批评了那些想要和偶像崇拜的世界相妥协或相适应的基督徒。我们为我们的信仰肯定会受苦的，但是启示录为我们提供了一个末后的盼望。这个盼望会支持和鼓励我们持守这个信仰以至于死，所以这本书是给得胜者的，不是给胆怯的人的。
进入启示录12章之前，前面几章里面讲到呼召教会传福音和忍受苦难，而从12章开始这个呼召就成为更大冲突的一部分。这个更大的冲突是神的子民和邪恶势力之间的。这个邪恶势力就是撒旦和世界，那么是谁要来对抗魔鬼和世界呢？是所有的基督徒吗？不是，是这个男孩子。
一、这个男孩子是谁呢？
首先他不是指以色列人。
为什么呢？根据一些人的观点，启示录12章1节的这个妇人预表的是以色列的首都，耶路撒冷城，他不代表教会，因为太阳、月亮和星星代表以色列国。你们记得年轻的约瑟做了一个梦，太阳、月亮和星星都向他下拜，这个预表的是以色列全家。所以在异像中，这个妇人身披太阳脚踩月亮，头戴12星冠冕，那她自己就不是以色列。在圣经中大多数的时候是用妇人来预表一个城市，举例来说巴比伦妇人，在启示录中是用淫妇来代表巴比伦，但是在圣经中处女代表教会，因为只有处女才能成为新妇。
另外一个原因这个男孩子不是以色列是他被提到神那里去。但是从来没有说过以色列国会直接提到神那里去，所以这和预言是不吻合的。
而且在启示录12:11中可看到，这个男孩子相信羔羊的宝血，但是以色列从来没有。很多人声称并指出在大灾难的时候以色列人会信主，但是圣经从来没有这么说，圣经只是在撒迦利亚书中提到当耶稣脚踏橄榄山的时候，他们就会得救。
其次，这个男孩子不是主耶稣基督。
如果这个妇人代表耶路撒冷，那么耶稣就生错地方了，他在伯利恒出生的。在启示录12章，这个男孩子是代表一个群体因为经文提到说“那控告弟兄姐妹的”。如果男孩子是耶稣的话，龙就应该是希律王，但是在12章9节，我们被明确告知这个大龙就是魔鬼也就是撒旦，所以当这个男孩子一出生就被提到神的面前。
再者，这个男孩子不是指的教会。
如果教会被提上去了，这个就和预言不稳合了，因为预言里面提到有的人先被提，有的人后被提。如果这指的是所有的教会，那就和启示录2：26-27节相违背了，“得胜又遵守神命令到底的。”（在钦定版中指的是特定的人，得胜又遵守命令到底的），这就说明不是所有的基督徒都是得胜者。只有那些得胜的人才能和耶稣一起做王，所以他不可能是全部的教会。提摩太后书2:12说，如果我们受苦，我们就和他一起做王，如果我们不认他，他也不认我们。我认为”不认“这个词翻译的更好，因为不认是拒绝承认和保持任何的关系，否认就是弃绝的意思。所以男孩子就是指这些得胜的基督徒。
（disown，不认，这个词翻译的好，是因为你拒绝和保持这样的关系，因为很多的基督徒还是承认他们是耶稣的门徒，他说自己是基督徒，可是当他受逼迫的时候他不认主了，来否定和耶稣的关系，所以他否定了和耶稣的关系，而不是弃绝了耶稣。）
二、接下来使我们不得不问这个男孩子的第二个问题，谁属于这个男孩子的群体呢？他的特征是什么呢？
这就使我们要查考写给启示录中七间教会的信。整体来说这些信指出不是所有的基督徒都在他们的信仰上站稳了，当他们仅仅面对受苦的可能性时，有的已经想要妥协了，还有的已经妥协了。所以这7封信中充满了对这些妥协的基督徒的警告。以弗所的教会离弃了起初的爱，那是在启示录2:4；别迦摩教会和推雅推喇教会追随那些假教师；撒狄教会名存实亡，按照名来说是活的其实是死的（启示录3:1）；老底嘉教会是温吞吞的水，神要把她从口里吐出去，这是在启示录3:16。
我们来总括的看一下各个教会的光景：
以弗所教会（启2：3），”你也会忍耐，也会为我的名劳苦并不乏倦“，这是在和合本的翻译方法；在钦定版是这样说的，”他承担，他用耐心等候，没有乏倦“。
启示录2:10节士每拿教会，”你将要受的苦你不要怕，你务要至死衷心”。务要至死衷心，或面临死亡时都要忠心，这就和启示录12章11节所说的“虽至于死，也不爱惜生命，是很好的联合在一起的。
启示录2:26-27，“那得胜又遵守我命令到底的，我要赐给他权柄制伏列国”（KJV：持续做我的工到最后，我就给他权利来管理列国。）这是和启示录12:5节非常吻合的，这个男孩子要用铁杖辖管列国。
别迦摩教会在启示录2:13节，“当我忠心的见证人，安提帕在你们中间，撒但所住的地方被杀之时，你还坚守我的名，没有弃绝我的道。”（KJV：因为安提帕是我衷心的殉道者，在你们中间被杀）。
安提帕是别迦摩教会的主教。根据教会传统，他拒绝并且引导别迦摩地区的人转离向魔鬼祭祀的习俗。安提帕捍卫他的信仰并且批判异教的祭司，最后触怒了这个祭司，就把他拖到了寺庙，扔到一个烧得火红的铜牛里面，他们把所有的供物放到这个铜牛的里面。当安提帕被扔在这个铜牛里面的时候他就大声向神祷告，来接受他的灵魂，来建立基督徒的信心。根据传统来说，他的身体没有被火触到，他的遗体就像睡着了一样。
启3:4撒狄教会， “然而在撒狄，你还有几名是未曾污秽自己衣服的；他们要穿白衣与我同行，因为他们是配得过的。” 和合本启3:5 “凡得胜的，必这样穿白衣，我也必不从生命册上涂抹他的名，且要在我父面前和我父众使者面前认他的名。”
非拉铁非教会是在启示录3:8-12，“我知道你的行为，你略有一点力量，也曾遵守我的道，没有弃绝我的名。你既遵守我忍耐的道，我必在普天下人受试炼的时候，保守你免去你的试炼。”在12节这样说：“得胜的我要让他在我神殿中做柱子”。倪柝声弟兄提到这个的时候是和启示录12:5节联系到一起的，因为他是指着路加21:17-19来说的，“你们要为我的名被众人恨恶， 然而，你们连一根头发也必不损坏。 你们常存忍耐，就必保全灵魂（或作必得生命）。”
最后我们来说一下老底嘉教会，启3: 20-21，“看哪，我站在门外叩门，若有听见我声音就开门的，我要进到他那里去，我与他，他与我一同坐席。 得胜的，我要赐他在我宝座上与我同坐，就如我得了胜，在我父的宝座上与他同坐一般。” 所以这又和启示录12:5节是吻合的，来统管，牧养列国。
所以我们很清楚看到这个男孩子就是得胜的基督徒。我们从启示录7间教会的信中可以看到得胜者的品格。这些得胜者来自于所有的教会。大家是否记得刚才我们谈到妇人预表耶路撒冷城。现在你明白为什么两种观点都是正确的。末后事工持有后一种观点，我们相信妇人是代表教会。我们事工还相信关于启示录中所提到的大灾难是在未来，因为有的人提到说在罗马帝国的时候已经发生了。其实关于大灾难是在千禧年之前来还是之后，教会也有三种不同的观点，我们相信“后苦难千禧年论”，就是大灾难还没有发生。如果我们要经历大灾难，那我们就要准备好成为得胜者。根据我们刚刚谈过的7间教会的信笺来说，我们非常确信神希望他的教会在苦难和逼迫中坚强站立。所以我们要被苦难炼净并要胜过它。
总括来说，
1）为主的名我们要忍受苦难。在我们的世界里好像这并不突出，但我们知道在许多其他国家里基督徒是被逼迫的，他们都找不到工作，现在在中国似乎已经开始发生了。
2）你不要怕那将要临到你的苦难，你务要致死衷心。在我们生命中有些苦难是神允许的，为了成就他更高的旨意。我们当中很多人经历过痛苦，有些人甚至现在还在痛苦当中，如果神允许这些事情发生在你的身上，你是否还仍然爱他而且持守你的信仰？
3）持续主的工作直到最后。传福音是越来越难的，但是不论环境如何我们还是要继续遵守大使命。
4）不要弃绝你的信仰，要做他忠心的见证人，甚至于死。你来想像一下，如果有一天有一个人拿着枪对着你的脑袋或者你爱的人的脑袋要求你弃绝耶稣，你会怎么做？有些人说我要等到那天事情发生的时候我才知道怎样反应啊。但是我要告诉你的是，你现在就要做那个决定，而且你要持守这个决定到最后。如果你想成为得胜者就没有其他的选择。
5）不要污秽你的衣服。这是一个持续不断的过程，是你每天都要做的。每天我们都要来到神的面前，请求他来转变我们，来保守我们不要爱世界，来更新我们的心思意念。
6）持守他的道不要弃绝他的名。他的话语就是真理。我们知道末后的时候是大迷惑的时候，如果不明白也不持守神的道，很多的基督徒都会被迷惑。
7）将你的心门敞开。你要不停地向神敞开你自己，你就不会忧虑你是否听到他的敲门声。我们的主非常渴慕住在我们心里，但是很多时候因为过去的伤害给我们造成的恐惧和错误认知，我们不愿去敞开自己。信道是从听道而来，我们需要神可听的话语每天在我们的生命中，那就需要一个很近的个人的关系。我们的力量，我们的权柄和辨别能力都取决于我们和我们的主有多靠近。
过去几个星期，我们事工一直在讲谦卑，圣灵的果子，这不是偶然的，因为如果没有圣灵的果子，没有谦卑，我们就不可能成为主透过写给7间教会所指示我们的那样成为得胜者。
如果我们能够持守主的教导，结果是怎样的？
- 首先启示录讲到他给我们权柄吃生命树的果子（启2:7）；
- 你不会被第二次的死所伤到 （启2:11）；
- 我会给你一个新名；
- 我会给你权柄使你牧养列国；
- 我不会从生命册上涂抹那个人的名；
- 我们要成为神未来国度的国民，所有的事情都要成为新的，圣洁的，并极其安全的 （启3:12）；
- 在父神右手边，我们会和耶稣同坐王，牧养列国。
所以我们要放下我们个人的计划，我们的恐惧，我们个人的行事历和渴望。要成为得胜者。
三、这个男孩子的功用是什么？
从启示录12章我们看到成为得胜者的呼召是一个更大的冲突中的一部分，这个冲突是在耶稣和他的子民与撒旦和他的军队中发生的。所以我们被呼召成为得胜者是有一个目的的。这就是启示录12章5节中说的，这个男孩子要“用铁杖辖管列国”，耶稣要给得胜者权柄牧羊列国并抵挡敌基督的国度。具体来说这个男孩子被呼召出来有三个重要的责任：
（1）根据名老师收到的异象，在末后的日子男孩子他们要与敌基督对抗，借着激烈的国度祷告征战，这些激烈的祷告征战会在天上引发米迦勒和他的使者一个激烈的冲突，所以透过祷告和赐给得胜者的能力，这个大红龙就会从第二层天被打到地上。
启示录12:7-9，“在天上就有了争战。米迦勒同他的使者与龙争战，龙也同它的使者去争战，并没有得胜，天上再没有它们的地方。大龙就是那古蛇，名叫魔鬼，又叫撒但，是迷惑普天下的。它被摔在地上，它的使者也一同被摔下去。”
目前我们事工在预备这最后一场大战。我们先前所做的属灵征战仅是对神的军队的演习和训练。我们还没有进到这场大战中，我们在为那一天做准备。
（2）在经历大灾难期间，这个男孩子也就是这些得胜者，他们会在地上与神同工，圣徒的祷告将会对世界和敌基督进行审判以对抗在大灾难期间对圣徒的逼迫。
关于男孩子的这一个责任，你可以在启示录8:3-5节找到，“另有一位天使拿着金香炉，来站在祭坛旁边。有许多香赐给他，要和众圣徒的祈祷一同献在宝座前的金坛上。 那香的烟和众圣徒的祈祷，从天使的手中一同升到神面前。 天使拿着香炉，盛满了坛上的火，倒在地上，随有雷轰、大声、闪电、地震。”
赞美神，因为他允许他的子民透过祷告与神同工。我们是透过祷告加入征战的，我们不是打仗的人，是耶稣，是天使们。我们的任务就是按着神的心意来祷告，而这个是要在圣灵中，并和神的亲密关系中才能实现的，否则我们是无法按照神的心意来祷告的。靠肉体出来的祷告是从来不会有功效的，我们权能和权柄是取决于我们和神的关系，我们的品格决定了我们和神能有多近，反之亦然。
（3）这个男孩子他们会携带这个世界的大能来临，在大灾难来临的时候他们会帮助教会分辨危机并且帮助教会移动到哪里去，教会还没有预备好成为新妇，他需要被带到旷野，在最后三年半期间预备好自己。
我们可以在启示录12:14节看到，“于是有大鹰的两个翅膀赐给妇人，叫她能飞到旷野，到自己的地方躲避那蛇；她在那里被养活一载二载半载。”
得胜者不仅仅要和敌基督征战，在大灾难期间也要帮助教会来迎接他的新郎。但是并不是只有我们才属于这个男孩子的群体，名老师领受在男孩子的群体中一共有12个群组，所以神在末后的时候要在全球各地兴起得胜者，来完成他伟大的使命，恢复他的创造物，回归地上在他的民中居住，这是一个多么充满荣耀的盼望，你愿意成为这个一部分吗？
男孩子出现的征兆是在启示录12章1-4节，这个奇异的天文现像已经在2017.9.23发生了。这群人他们会经常被提到神的宝座前，也就是说他们时不时就会去见神的面。神会给他们启示和战略预备末后的争战。他们就是得胜者，得胜者也是新妇，也是战士，甚至有些人会殉道。为了预备好我们自己，最关键的事就是，我们和我们的主有多亲近？不管情况如何，第一大诫命仍然是我们的首要任务：尽心，尽性，尽意，尽力爱主你的神。
尽管我们听了关于我们和神关系的讲道多少遍，可是又有多少人是愿意花时间付代价和神在一起的呢？当我们很多人羡慕名老师的恩膏和与神的关系时，你们看到了她所付的代价了吗？神不偏待人，他奖赏那些全心全意寻求他的人。只有我们在神的爱和信心上深深扎根，我们才能从里到外有一个深深的转变，能够回应那个呼召，成为得胜者之一。如果我们相信我们是男孩子群体中的一员，我们就要把服事和个人生活的各个层面来与事工的意象和使命对齐。当那天来临的时候，我们就能听到他对我们说，“做的好，忠心良善的仆人。” 阿门！
名老师的补充：
如果要明白我们的身份和我们在末后的这个地位是需要启示和勇气的。这个异像我守了18年才可以公布我们的身份是什么，因为那个时间到了，军队也兴起来了。但是一公开，我们要面对的不但是外邦人的情况，也是属灵里的黑暗情况，还要面对教会的情况，因为还有很多教会是妥协的。启示录12:10大战发生完后，基督的权柄就都来了，当你得着那个权柄的时候，天地万物才会服到你的脚下。
权柄不仅是在物质界的，还有人心。这个是一个极大的权柄，是末后要开启的极大的奥秘。我们回想经历的很多神的作为，其实来到事工中的很多人是被神自己呼召的。所以来到事工中的许多弟兄姐妹，你们不要小看自己，因为神看重了你，神要兴起你做得胜者。到了末后的时候，局势已经越来越严峻了，但是对我们来说却是一个非常有盼望的事情，因为日子一到，神预定的那个时刻就发生了。
INTRODUCTION
Before we start, I have to say it is a challenging process to convict myself of the vision of Omega Ministry. The challenges fall on two aspects. First, is there any biblical evidence? Is it true? Secondly, my dream of cleaning the toilet ball in heaven can no longer become true. If the vision of Omega Ministry is true, then I either become an overcomer or I will face the danger of losing my reward in heaven. Our Lord Jesus will come much sooner then I ever imagined. And I am hardly ready for it. Scary thought, isn’t it?
And today I want to share my research and exploration that I have done to convict myself. I still have struggles to completely accept the vision of Omega Ministry. And I know to some of you sitting here or listening online, it may be a little bit boring or even sounds like a Sunday school teaching. But I still want to do it. Because we have to be convicted by the word of God in His Spirit and defend it. Only the conviction of his word can help us stand firmly when facing challenges and persecution in every way in this hour of history.
After I joined the ministry, one thing I have been trying to figure out is why God called me out of the traditional church to join a ministry like this? Put it simply, why I am here? Have you ever asked yourself why you come to this Ministry?
As we were finishing off our fellowship on our regular Saturday night we asked our fellowship members what is the vision or the mission of Omega ministry, because my wife and I were struggling to get a grasp of it and a better understanding. To our surprise, we found the responses were most like these.“Healing” and “Spiritual warfare” and prepare for the end times. Well, they were neither wrong nor right because the healing and spiritual warfare do play a major part of the whole vision/mission of this ministry.
Then we realized that most of the people came to this ministry because they need healing. This was also the reason that we came to know this ministry because of the physical healing, the psychological healing, the spiritual deliverance and spiritual warfare. Most traditional churches believe God is sovereign, and God chooses to heal or not to heal, and you can not make Him to heal because of his sovereignty. This gives this ministry an opportunity to offer help to those who are in desperate need.
In traditional churches we call them hooks. How do traditional/evangelical churches grow their congregations? Two ways: evangelism or some form of Social Justice. Evangelism in the most simplest term is to use the Bible/word of God to convict people to accept/come to Jesus Christ as their personal Saviour. While Social Justice has many different forms. For example: A church can use activities through the children/youth/young adults to bring their non-christians friends to church and in turn their parents. And a church can even go out to serve the community and be a part of it.
Once the church start to have people come through theirs doors, they need to be fed besides the Sunday sermons. Generally, discipleship starts and ministries are created. The children’s ministry, the youth ministry, the women and men’s ministry and depending on how big or small the church is. The list can be endless. So we can see in the churches that there can be many ministries based on many different needs of many different people groups. They are need based. The purpose is to care and help the people of God to grow spiritually. And all ministries have two things in common. First, you have a specific target group. And the second, you have a very specific vision/mission. For example, a youth ministry and a men’s ministry target at different groups. And they have different needs and the issues are also very different.
We can see there is a big difference between a church and a ministry in this sense. A church can have many different ministries under it because of the needs of different people groups, young or old, male or female, married and unmarried and so on. But a ministry is much narrower. It has its specific target group and mission. For example a food bank. Their target is the poor and the homeless people who need food. Their mission is to provide food. Simple and straight.
This brings me to ask “what is the mission and vision of Omega Ministry?” What kind of people does God call and gather here? What is the specific vision given to them?
The traditional churches does not usually preach from Revelation compared to the Gospels and the Pastoral Epistles because generally there are only two opposing views on any doctrines. But when it comes to the Book of Revelation, there are five opposing views in most traditional churches. It becomes quite difficult and challenging. Those five traditional ways are neither right or wrong. It all depends on how what is taken literally and what is taken symbolically and also what does it represent symbolically.
Also another area of difficulty is that it has no actual quotation but far more allusion to the Old Testament. That is why people believe Daniel and some other prophets are the key to understanding the Book of Revelation. But only an end time church or an end time Ministry like Omega Ministry will unpack it and dive more deeply into the Book of Revelation.
This brings me to emphasize the importance of understanding the vision/mission of Omega Ministry. We need to have a biblical understanding so you can explain your position and why you believe in what you believe to be true.
If we do not have a firm grasp of these points you will in some sense and in part like “The Wise and Foolish Builders” in Mathew 7, “ not building its foundation on the rock”. If all of us here are not built on this common vision, we could go anywhere according to our own desires and ambitions. One thing so special about our ministry is that God has given a lot of spiritual gifts to each one of us because of the special calling of Omega Ministry. If we don’t use our gifts to fulfill this specific calling, we can’t flow in the power of this anointing to fulfill God’s purpose. That is dangerous.
Or we will miscalculate “The Cost of being a Disciple” in Luke 14 verse 27-30. “For if he lays the foundation and is not able to finish it, everyone who see it will ridicule you saying this person began to build and wasn’t able to finish.”
We know this ministry is a military bootcamp. Without knowing the price you have to pay, it is detrimental for us to persevere and be the overcomers in the last days.
I still remember when my wife told me that Teacher Ming believes we are the male child in Revelation 12. My jaw dropped, “uh?” “Oh my God. Who dare to proclaim that? I don’t want to be martyred.” And my wife later said, “Do you know who are on the top of the list to be thrown into the lake of fire in Revelation 21:8? “The cowardly!”.
Revelation is a challenging book. If we would apply it to our modern day Christians, it chastise those Christians who want to reach an accommodation or compromise with our idol-worshipping culture. We will suffer for our faith, yet Revelation offers victory over this reality by offering an apocalyptic hope. And this hope will sustain and encourage us to hold on to our faith even to death. This book is for the victors, not for the cowardly.
As we enter Revelation 12, “the call of the church to proclamation and suffering” in previous chapters, now is shown to be part of the larger conflict. The conflict between the people of God and the forces of evil , namely Satan and the world. And who will come to confront the Devil and world? All the Christians? Apparently not. It is the boy, the male child.
1. WHO IS THE BOY
First he is not the Israelites.
Why? According to Watchman Nee: The woman represents Jerusalem of the nation of Israel in Revelation 12:1. She doesn’t represent the church.
Because the sun, the moon and the stars represent the nation of Israel. Do you remember young Joseph’s dream that the sun, the moon and the stars bowed before him? That is the house of Israel. So if the woman clothed with the sun, step on the moon with 12 stars as her crown, she is not Israel. And all the time in the Bible, a woman represents a city. For example: the woman of Babylon and in Revelation Babylon is represented as a prostitute. The Bible only uses a virgin to represent the church. Only a virgin can become a bride.
Another reason the boy does not represent Israelites is the male child is caught up, but the nation of Israel never says they will be caught up. This does not match the prophecy concerning Israel.
Also, the child believes in the blood of Lamb in Revelation 12:11 but Israelites never have. People will also say and indicate that the Israelites will believe in the Lord during the tribulation, but the Bible never indicates this. The Bible does say when Jesus ‘s feet stand upon the Mount of Olives, and then they will be saved in the Book of Zechariah.
Second the male child is not Jesus Christ:
If the woman represents Jerusalem then Jesus was born in the wrong place. He was born in Bethlehem
The male child represents a corporate entity in Revelation 12.“…for the accusers of our brothers and sisters…”
If the male child is Jesus than the Dragon must be Herod but we are told specially in Revelation 12:9 “the great dragon…that ancient serpent called the Devil, or Satan…”
After the male child is borne he is immediately “caught up, snatched, or seized.”
Third the male child is not the church.
If the whole church is “caught up” then it does not follow the prophecy that some will go first and some will go later.
If it is all the church, it would go against revelation 2:26-27 “…to the one who is victorious and does my will to the end….(NIV)”. In KJV, it says, “ and he [the one] the overcomth, and keepeth my works unto the end…(KJV)”, which means not all are overcomers.
Only those who overcomes will reign with Jesus, therefore it cannot be the whole church. In 2 Timothy 2:12 says “ if we suffer, we shall also reign with: if we deny him, he also will deny us (KJV)” and in NIV it says, “if we endure….if we disown him, he will disown us”. I think “disown” convey a better meaning. It means to refuse to acknowledge or maintain any connection with. Deny means rejection.
Therefore the male child refers to overcoming Christians.
2. CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MALE CHILD
That leads to our second question concerning the boy. Who belong to the corporate entity of the boy? What are their characteristics?
This brings us to the seven churches which the letters were intended for. Overall the letters indicate not all Christians were standing firm in their faith. When they were faced with even the possibility of suffering, some were tempted to compromise or have already compromised. The letters are filled with warnings for those who are comprising. Ephesus had forsaken her first love (Rev. 2:4), Pergamum(別迦摩） and Thyatira （推雅推喇） are following false teachers (Rev 2:14-15, 20), Sardis（撒狄） has a reputation of being alive but it is dead (Rev 3:1) and Laodicea （老底加）who is lukewarm and God is about to spit it out of his mouth (Rev. 3:16).
Let’s take a look at all the churches:
Ephesus in Revelation 2:3 “you have persevered and endured hardships for my name and have not grown weary (NIV) and “And hast borne, and hast patience(patient waiting for), and hast not fainted (grown weary) (KJV).”
Smyrna in revelation 2:10 “ do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer…..Be faithful even to the point of death…” The phrase to be faithful even the point of death or faithful upon death ties in with Revelation 12:11 “even unto death.”
Thyatira in revelation 2:26-27 “to the one who is victorious (to conquer or prevail, nikao (Greek) and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations that one will rule them with an iron sceptre…(NIV) and “ and he that overcometh and keepth my works unto the end, to him I will give power over the nations (KJV).” It ties well to Revelation 12:5 “ who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron”
Pergamum in revelation 2:13 “…not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was put to death in your city…(NIV) and “even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful Martyr, who was slain among you..(KJV).
Antipas was the bishop of the Church of Pergamum, and according to tradition he refused and began to turn the people of Pergamum from offering sacrifices to idols. While defending his faith and criticizing the pagan priests, he managed to enrage the priest who in turn dragged him to the Temple of Artemis and throw him in a red hot copper bull “where they put sacrifice to the idols”. While Anitpas was in the copper bull he prayed loudly to God to receive his soul and to strengthen the faith of Christians. Also according to tradition his body was untouched by the fire like he was asleep.
Sardis Revelation 3:4-5 “yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled (stained) their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white for they are worthy….I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life.”
The Church of Philadelphia (非拉鐵非）in Revelation 3:8-12. In verse 8: “I know you have little strength, yet you have kept my words and have not denied my name..
In verse 10 “since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will keep(to watch over, to guard (Greek)) you from the hour of trial ….to test the inhabitants of the earth.”
Inverse 12, it says, “The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God.
Watchman Nee interprets this as being “caught up”， which ties in Revelation 12:5.
He could be referring to Luke 21:17-19 “…But not a hair of your head will perish. Stand firm, and you will win life.”
Finally the Church of Laodicea （老底加） in Revelation 3: 20-21 “If anyone hears my voice and open the door. I will come in and eat with that person and they with me.” “To the one who is victorious(NIV) or overcome (KJV) I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious or overcome and sat down with my father on his throne.” Again this matches up with 12:5 “ to rule (to act as a Shepherd, poimaino) the nations.
So the male child are the Christians who are overcomers. What we find just now through the seven churches indicate the characters of the overcomers. And you can see all the overcomers come from all the churches. But do you remember what we talked what the woman represent as Jerusalem. You can see now why both positions are valid. Omega Ministry takes this position. Also this ministry takes a futuristic view which is one of the 5 interpretation on the Book of Revelation and a post-tribulational premillennialism (後苦難前千禧年論) stand about the Great Tribulation which has three views.
If we believe Great tribulation has not happened yet, If we believe Christians have to go through the great tribulation, then we will have to get ready for it so that we can become the overcomers. According to what we just went through the letters to the seven churches, we can be confident to say that God wants His church to be strong in suffering and persecution. So we have to be refined by tribulation and overcome it. In summary,
1. You have to persevere hardship for His name.
In our part of the world, it may not be that phenomenal. But we know in a lot of countries, Christians are persecuted. They can’t find jobs. And that is happening in China now.
2. Do not fear of what you are about to suffer…Be faithful even to the point of death. Suffer even to the point of death. Some sufferings in our lives are allowed by God to fulfill his higher purpose. Many of us suffered, some of us are suffering, if God allows that happen to you, would you still love Him and hold on to your faith?
3. Keep my works until the end.
Though it becomes more and more difficult to evangelize, we still need to keep the great commission no matter what.
4. Do not renounce your faith in Him, be a faithful witness until death.
I asked several people this question. Imagine if one day someone points a gun against your head or your loved ones and ask you to renounce Jesus? What would you do? Some people told me, “I need to wait for that day to know how would I react?” But let me tell you, you have to make that decision now and hold on to that decision till the end. There is no second choice if you want to be the overcomers.
5. Do not soil or defile you clothes.
This is an ongoing process. It is a daily endeavour. Everyday we need to come before God and ask Him to transform us, to keep us from loving the world, to renew our minds.
6. Keep his words and do not deny his name.
His word is the truth. We know the last days are also the time of big deceptions. Without knowing and keeping God’s words, many Christians will be deceived.
7. Leave the door of your heart open. Constantly open to God, and you will not need to worry about hearing his knock.
Our Lord longs to dwell in our hearts. But a lot of times, we don’t open ourselves due to fear and misconception caused by past hurt. Believing comes from hearing the word of God. We need the rhema word of God daily in our life. That requires a close personal relationship. And our strength, our authority and our discernment depend on how close we are to our Lord.
Here I want to say, in the last few weeks, we preached following the line of humility, fruit of the Spirit. It is not coincident. Without humility, without the fruit of the Spirit, we can not become overcomers as our Lord instructed us through his letters to the seven churches.
If we hold on to the instructions of the Lord, the result will be:
1. I will give the right to eat from the trees of life (Revelation 2:7)
8. You will not be hurt at all by the second death (Rev. 2:11)
9. I will also give… a new name….
10. I will give authority to rule or Shepard over the nations.
11. I will never blot out the name of that person from the book of life
12. We will have a new citizenship in God’s future kingdom. Everything will be new, pure and secure. (Revelation 3: 12)
13. We will have the right to sit on the right hand of the Father along with Jesus to Shepard the nations. (Revelation 3: 21)
We have to lay down our concerns, our fears, our personal agenda, our personal desires. Be the overcomers.
3. WHAT ARE THE TASKS OF THE BOY?
And we come to our last point of today. What are the specific function of the boy?
We just talked about Revelation 12 which shows us that our calling to be overcomers is part of the conflict between Christ and his people and Satan and his army. We are called to become the overcomers for a purpose.
That is Revelation 12:5, The boy “will rule all the nations with an iron scepter.” The Lord will give the authority to the overcomers to rule or Shepard over the nations and to resist the kingdom of anti-Christ.
In detail, the male child is called to undertake three major responsibilities.
1. In the last days, they will confront the Antichrist and fight through fierce prayer battle for the Kingdom. This will cause the battle between the Archangel Michael, God angels, and Satan and his angels. By the prayers and the power given to the overcomers, the Red Dragon or Satan will be hurled down from the second heaven to the earth.
We can find this from Revelation 12: 7-9
“ Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon, and the dragon and his angels fought back. 8 But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. 9 The great dragon was hurled down—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him.”
So currently, our ministry is preparing for this final battle. All the spiritual war we have fought are pre-engagement and training for this army of God. We are not in it yet, we are preparing for that day.
2. During the Great Tribulation, the boy, the overcomers will co-work with God on the earth. The prayers of the overcomers will release the judgment of the world and the empire of the Antichrist. The judgement is to against the persecution of the Saints by the Antichrist during the Great Tribulation.
This responsibility of the boy can be found in Revelation 8: 3-5.
“ Another angel, who had a golden censer, came and stood at the altar. He was given much incense to offer, with the prayers of all God’s people, on the golden altar in front of the throne. 4 The smoke of the incense, together with the prayers of God’s people, went up before God from the angel’s hand. 5 Then the angel took the censer, filled it with fire from the altar, and hurled it on the earth; and there came peals of thunder, rumblings, flashes of lightning and an earthquake.”
Praise God that He gives his people to co-work with Him through prayer. We engage the spiritual warfare through prayers. We are not the ones to fight the war. Jesus does. The Angels do. Our job is to pray according to God’s will. This has to be done in the Spirit and through a close relationship with God. Otherwise it is impossible to pray according to God’s will. Prayers out of the flesh never work. Our power and authority come from our relationship with God. And our characters will determine how close we are to the Lord and vice versa.
3. “The boy” they will carry the power of this generation. They will help the church to identify the crisis and where to move during the Great Tribulation. The church are not ready to become the bride. She will be taken to the wilderness to hide and get herself ready during last 3 and half years.
We can find this in Revelation 12: 14
“The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time, out of the serpent’s reach.”
The overcomers will not only fight anti-Christ, they also will assist the Anti-Christ in the Great Tribulation and help the church to get ready for her bridegroom.
But we are not the only people belong to the male child’s group. Teacher Ming received that there will be 12 groups of people in this male child’s call. God will raise up overcomers all over the world at the end of times to finish His great purpose of restoring His creation and coming back to earth to dwell among His people. What a glorious hope! Are you willing to be part of this calling?
The sign of the appearance of the male child is in revelation 12: 1-4. This magnificent astrological sign already happened on September 23, 2017. This group of people will be constantly snatched up to the throne of God, which means to meet up with God from time to time. God will give them revelation and strategy to prepare for the final war at the end times. They are overcomers. Overcomers are the bride, the warriors, even some of them will be martyred. And to get ourselves ready, one critical thing is how close we are to our God? Which means no matter what, the great commandment is always the first priority. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.
Though we hear so many times about the relationship with God, how many of us really are willing to pay the price to spend the time with Him?
When you admire Teacher Ming of her anointing and her relationship with God, have you seen the price she has paid? God doesn’t play favouritism. He reward those who seek him wholeheartedly. Only when we are deeply rooted in the love and faith of our God, we can be changed inside out and we can be ready to respond to the call of being one of the overcomers. If we believe we are part of the corporate male child, we have to align every aspect of the ministry, every aspect of our life to this calling so that when that day comes, we may stand before Him, our Saviour and Lord, and hear him telling us, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”
Amen!
末后事工 
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