788# 先知但以理预言，这个教会将接替自世界之初以来存在的教会，并将存到永远，因而是迄今为止所有教会的王冠。当但以理向尼布甲尼撒讲述和解释他梦见的四国（这四国是指尼布甲尼撒看到的雕像所代表的四个教会）时，他第一次预言了这一点；因为他说：
当那些王在位的日子，天上的神必使一国兴起，永不灭亡，它却要灭绝那一切国；但它自己必永远站立。（但以理书2:44）
他说，这一切必通过一块变成一个大磐石、充满全地的石头（但以理书2:35）成就。在圣言中，“磐石”是指神性真理方面的主。这个先知在别处还说：
我在夜间的异象中观看，见有一位像人子的，驾着天云而来，有权柄、荣耀和国度赐给祂；所有人民、民族、语言都必拜祂；祂的权柄是永远的权柄，是不能废去的，祂的国度必不毁灭。（但以理书7:13，14）
但以理说这话，是在他看到四个大兽从海中上来（但以理书7:3）之后，这四个兽也代表四个前教会。但以理的这个预言与现在有关，这一点可从他在但以理书12:4中的话，以及主在马太福音24:15，30中的话明显看出来。在启示录，经上也说了类似的话：
第七位天使吹号；天上就有大声音说，世上的国成了我们主和主基督的；祂要作王，直到时代的时代。（启示录11:15）
788. 但以理预言, 该教会必取代自创世以来曾存在的那些教会, 必存到万代, 因此必成为先前所有教会的王冠。 当但以理向尼布甲尼撒讲述和解释他梦见的四个王国 (就是尼布甲尼撒看到的雕像所象征的四个教会) 时, 第一次作出这个预言:
当那列王在位的时候, 天上的神必另立一国, 永不败坏, 却要打碎灭绝那一切国, 这国必存到永远。 (但以理书2:44)
他说, 这一切必成就, 那石头却变成巨大的岩石, 覆盖全地。 (但以理书2:35)
在圣言中, “岩石”表关于圣真的主。 该先知书还说:
我在夜间的异象中观看, 见有一位像人子的, 驾着天上的云而来, 得了权柄, 荣耀, 国度, 使各方, 各国, 各族的人都事奉他。 祂的权柄是永远的, 不能废去, 祂的国必不败坏。 (但以理书7:13-14)
他看见四个大兽从海中上来之后说了这番话 (但以理书7:3), 这兽也象征先前的四个教会。 但以理预言的所有这些事均涉及当今时代, 这一点可从他在 但以理书12:4里的话看出来, 也可从主在马太福音24:15, 30中的话看出来。 启示录也提到类似的事:
第七位天使吹号, 天上就有大声音说, 世上的国成了我主和主基督的国, 祂要作王, 直到永永远远。 (启示录11:15)
788. Daniel prophesied that this church is going to supersede the churches that have existed since the world began, that it is going to last for ages of ages, and that it is going to be the crown of all the churches that have existed until now. The first time Daniel makes this prophecy is when he recounts and explains Nebuchadnezzar's dream to him. It concerned four kingdoms, which meant the four churches; these were represented in the form of the statue Nebuchadnezzar saw. The text says, "In the days of these [kings], the God of the heavens will cause a kingdom to arise, which will never be destroyed. It will consume all the other kingdoms, and it shall stand forever" (Daniel 2:44). Daniel says that this will be caused by "a stone that becomes a great rock and fills the whole earth" (Daniel 2:35). A rock in the Word means the Lord's divine truth.
The same prophet writes elsewhere:
I saw visions in the night, and behold, there was someone coming with the clouds of the heavens - someone like the Son of Humankind. He was given dominion, glory, and a kingdom. All peoples, nations, and tongues will worship him. His dominion is a dominion of an age that will not pass, and his kingdom is one that will not perish. (Daniel 7:13-14)
Daniel says this after having seen the four great beasts coming up out of the sea (Daniel 7:3). These beasts, too, represented the four former churches.
Both Daniel's own words (Daniel 7:4) and the Lord's (Matthew 24:15, 30) make it clear that Daniel's prophecies foretold what is happening at this very moment in time. Similar things are also said in the Book of Revelation:
The seventh angel sounded. Then great voices came from heaven saying, "The kingdoms of the world have become kingdoms of our Lord and of his Christ, and he will reign for ages of ages. " (Revelation 11:15)
788. It was Daniel who prophesied that this church would take the place of those which had come into existence since the world began, and would last for ever and ever. It would thus be the crown of all the preceding churches. He made this prophecy first when he recounted and explained to Nebuchadnezzar his dream of the four kingdoms, which mean the four churches, represented by the statue he saw:
In the days of those kings the God of the heavens will cause a kingdom to arise which shall not perish for ever; and it will consume all those kingdoms, but itself will stand for ever, Daniel 2:44.
This was to be brought about by a stone becoming a mighty rock filling the whole earth (Daniel 2:35). Rock in the Word means the Lord in respect of Divine Truth. Elsewhere the same prophet says:
I was watching in the visions of the night, and I saw, one like the Son of Man coming with the clouds of the heavens. And to Him was given dominion, glory and the kingdom, and all peoples, nations and tongues shall worship Him. His dominion will be a dominion for ever, which will not pass away, and His kingdom one that will not perish, Daniel 7:13-14.
He says this after seeing four great beasts coming up from the sea (Daniel 7:3); these too represent the four former churches. Daniel prophesied these things about the present time, as is evident from his words at Daniel 12:4; as well as from the Lord's words, Matthew 24:15, 30. Similar things are said in Revelation:
The seventh angel sounded; and loud voices were heard in heaven saying, The kingdoms of the world are made our Lord's and His Christ's, and He shall reign for ever and ever, Revelation 11:15.
788. That this church is to follow those that have existed since the beginning of the world, and that it is to endure for ages of ages, and is thus to be the crown of all the churches that have preceded, was foretold by Daniel; first, when he narrated and explained to Nebuchadnezzar his dream of the four kingdoms (which mean the four churches that were represented by the statue that he saw), saying:
In the days of those kings the God of the heavens shall make a kingdom to arise which shall not perish for ages, and it shall consume all those kingdoms; but itself shall stand for ages (Daniel 2:44).
And this, he said, should be done,
By a stone becoming a great rock and filling all the earth (verse35);
"rock" in the Word meaning the Lord in respect to Divine truth. The same prophet also says elsewhere:
I saw in the night visions, and behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven and there was given Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; and all peoples, nations, and languages shall worship Him; His dominion is the dominion of an age, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed (7:13, 14).
And this he said after he saw the four great beasts coming up out of the sea (verse3), which beasts also represented the four prior churches. That all this was prophesied by Daniel respecting the present time, can be seen from his words in 12:4, as also, from the words of the Lord in Matthew 24:15, 30. Like things are said in the Apocalypse:
The seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of the world are become our Lord's and His Christ's; and He shall reign unto the ages of the ages (11:15).
788. The prophet Daniel foretold that this Church is to succeed the Churches which have existed from the beginning of the world, and that it will endure for ever, and will thus be the crown of all the Churches which have hitherto existed. He first did this when he related and explained to Nebuchadnezzar his dream concerning the four kingdoms, by which are meant the four Churches, represented by the statue that appeared to him; for he says,
"In the days of these kings shall the God of the heavens (A.V., heaven) set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed... it shall consume all these kingdoms, but it shall stand forever" Daniel 2:44;
and that this should be effected by:
A stone that became a great rock (A.V., mountain), and filled the whole earth, Daniel 2:35.
By a rock in the Word is signified the Lord as to Divine Truth. The same prophet says in another place:
"I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of Man came with the clouds of the heavens (A.V., heaven). And there was given to Him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve Him: His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed" Daniel 7:13-14.
This he says after he had seen the four great beasts coming up from the sea, verse 3, which also represented the four former Churches. That this prophecy of Daniel has relation to the present time, is evident from his words in chapter Daniel 12:4; and also from the Lord's words in Matthew 24:15, 30. Similar things are said in the Revelation,
"The seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ; and He shall reign for ever and ever" Revelation 11:15.
788. Quod haec Ecclesia successura sit Ecclesiis, quae a principio Mundi exstiterunt, et quod duratura sit in saecula saeculorum; et quod sic futura sit Corona omnium Ecclesiarum, quae antea fuerunt, prophetavit Daniel; primum dum enarravit et explicuit Nebuchadnezari somnium ejus de quatuor Regnis, per quae intelliguntur quatuor Ecclesiae per Statuam ei visam repraesentatae, dicens, In diebus [regum] 1 horum surgere faciet Deus Coelorum Regnum, quod in saecula non peribit, et consumet omnia illa Regna, illud autem stabit in saecula, 2:44, et quod hoc fiet per Lapidem factum in Petram magnam implentem omnem Terram, Vers. 35; per Petram in Verbo intelligitur Dominus quoad Divinum Verum. Et idem Propheta alibi, "Videns fui in visionibus noctis, et ecce cum Nubibus Coelorum sicut Filius hominis, et Huic datum est Dominium, et Gloria, et Regnum, et omnes populi, gentes et linguae Ipsum colent; Dominium Ipsius dominium saeculi, quod non transibit, et Regnum quod non peribit," 7:13-14; et haec dicit, postquam vidit quatuor Bestias magnas e mari ascendentes, Vers. 3; per quas etiam quatuor Ecclesiae priores repraesentatae sunt; quod haec a Daniele prophetata sint de hoc tempore, constat a verbis ejus, 12:4, tum a Domini verbis, Matthaeus 24:15, 30. 2 Similia dicuntur in Apocalypsi, "Septimus Angelus clanxit; tunc factae sunt voces magnae e Coelo, [dicentes] facta sunt Regna [mundi] Domini nostri et Christi Ipsius, et regnabit in saecula saeculorum," 11:15.
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