講員： 金道元 John Jin
我不得不說，說服自己接受末後事工的意像是一個極具挑戰性的過程。挑戰涉及了兩個方面。首先，是否有任何聖經證據？這是真的嗎？其次，我在天堂清洗馬桶的夢想再也不會成真了。如果末後事工的意像是真的，那麼我要麼成為一個得勝者，要麼我會面臨在天堂失去我的獎賞的危險。我們的主耶穌會比我想像的更早回來。我還沒準備好。
我想和大家分享一下我在說服自己的過程中所做的一些研究和探討。我必須承認全盤接受事工異像我還是有很多掙扎的。對很多人來說可能我的分享會有些乏味，但是我還是想做這件事，因為我們必須能夠在靈裡透過神的話語印證並捍衛我們的信念。只有透過神的話語讓我們得到那個確認後，才能在既定的歷史階段，當挑戰和逼迫從各個方面臨到我們的時候，我們才能站立得穩。
我加入事工後常常想搞明白為什麼神要呼召我離開傳統教會來加入這樣一個事工呢？簡單地說，就是我為什麼在這裡？你曾經問過你自己這個問題嗎？為什麼你會來到這個事工？
某個星期六我們小組團契結束的時候，我們就問了問小組其他成員，「末後事工的異象和使命是什麼呢？」 因為我和太太都在掙扎如何能更好地理解並抓住事工意象和使命。令人驚奇的是，我們發現大家的感受都是有關醫治，屬靈爭戰，為末後做準備。他們既沒有錯，也沒有特別的對，因為醫治和屬靈爭戰確實在事工的意象和使命中起到了很重要的作用。我們意識到大多數人進入事工是因為他們需要被醫治。這也是我們能知道這個事工的原因，因為我們需要心裡的醫治，靈裡的釋放和屬靈的徵戰。大多數的傳統教會相信神是有權能的，神可以選擇醫治或不醫治，因為神有他的主權，你不能強迫神醫治你或者不醫治。這就給末後事工提供了一個機會來幫助有迫切需要的弟兄姐妹。
在傳統教會我們把這叫作鉤子，就是釣魚的鉤子。那麼傳統教會是如何發展的呢？有兩種方法。一種是通過傳福音，一種是透過社會公益活動。傳福音，最簡單的方法就是通過神的話語來使人們信服耶穌成為個人的主和救贖主。但是社會公益活動會有很多方式。例如一個教會可以通過小孩子，青年人把他們的父母或者朋友帶進教會，教會也可以走入社區成為社區的一部分。
一旦人們踏入教會的大門，他們就需要被餵養。除了主日信息之外，門徒訓練也必須開始了，很多事工就要被建立起來。我們看到在教會裡可以有很多事工，他們是建立在不同群體的不同需要上，他們是以需要為基礎的。他們的目標主要是關懷神的子民，使他們成長。所有的事工有兩個共同點1.有一個特定的目標群體 2.有非常特定的異象和使命。
舉例來說，一個青少年的事工和一個弟兄的事工，他們的目標群體是不同的。這兩個不同的群體有不同的需要，需要處理的問題也是完全不同的。所以我們可以看到教會和事工是有一個很大的區別的：一個教會在她下面會有很多不同的事工，因為不同的群體有不同的需要，年少的或年長的，男的和女的，已婚和未婚的。而事工會更狹隘一些，它有它特定的群體和特定的使命。就像多倫多這邊的食品銀行，他們的目標人群就是需要食物的無家可歸者和貧困者。他們的使命就是提供食物的。即簡單又直接。
這就使我不得不問，「末後事工的異象和使命是什麼呢？神所呼召進到事工的人是什麼樣的人呢？給予我們的特定使命是什麼呢？」
傳統教會主日講道一般很少涉及啟示錄。涉及福音書和教牧書信的講道通常只是涉及正反兩方面的觀點。但是涉及啟示錄的時候，大多數傳統教會會有5種不同的觀點，所以這也是為什麼講解啟示錄的時候會非常困難和具有挑戰性。我們不能說傳統教會是完全的對，也不能說是完全的錯，因為這取決於你讀啟示錄的時候是按照字面上的意思來解釋還是你按照它所代表的寓意來解釋。另外一個比較困難的地方，啓示錄中沒有從舊約中引用經文，但提到了一些有關的舊約故事，這也是人們相信但以理書和一些先知書是明白啟示錄這本書的關鍵。只有像末後事工這樣相信末後信息的教會和事工才會要開啟並深入地瞭解啟示錄。這就使我不得不強調明白末後事工使命的重要性。如果你沒有很好地掌握這些重點，你或多或少就會像馬太福音7章中講的聰明和愚笨的童女，無法在磐石上建立你的根基。如果在座的各位沒有在這個共同的異象中建造，基於我們個人的渴望和野心，我們就會做各種各樣不同的事情。末後事工有個特點，因為末後事工呼召的特殊性，神給了我們每一個很多的屬靈恩賜。如果我們不用我們的屬靈恩賜來完成這個呼召，我們就不能在這個恩膏的力量中運行來完成神的使命。這是非常危險的。
或者我們錯誤計算成為門徒的代價。路14:29講道，「恐怕安了地基，不能成功，看見的人都笑話他。」 我們知道這個事工就是一個軍營，如果你不清楚你要付的代價，對我們在末後的時候持之以恆並成為得勝者來說是非常危險的來。
我仍然記得當我的太太告訴我名老師相信我們就是啟示錄中的那個男孩子，我的下巴都快掉下來了，「哦，天哪！誰敢如此地聲稱？我可不想被殺掉。 「後來我的太太又跟我說，「你知道啓示錄21:8中，被扔到火湖中的名單中，那一類人列居榜首嗎？就是膽怯的人。」
啟示錄是一個充滿挑戰性的書。如果我們把它運用到我們現代基督徒的身上，它批評了那些想要和偶像崇拜的世界相妥協或相適應的基督徒。我們為我們的信仰肯定會受苦的，但是啟示錄為我們提供了一個末後的盼望。這個盼望會支持和鼓勵我們持守這個信仰以至於死，所以這本書是給得勝者的，不是給膽怯的人的。
進入啟示錄12章之前，前面幾章裡面講到呼召教會傳福音和忍受苦難，而從12章開始這個呼召就成為更大衝突的一部分。這個更大的衝突是神的子民和邪惡勢力之間的。這個邪惡勢力就是撒旦和世界，那麼是誰要來對抗魔鬼和世界呢？是所有的基督徒嗎？不是，是這個男孩子。
一、這個男孩子是誰呢？
首先他不是指以色列人。
為什麼呢？根據一些人的觀點，啟示錄12章1節的這個婦人預表的是以色列的首都，耶路撒冷城，他不代表教會，因為太陽、月亮和星星代表以色列國。你們記得年輕的約瑟做了一個夢，太陽、月亮和星星都向他下拜，這個預表的是以色列全家。所以在異像中，這個婦人身披太陽腳踩月亮，頭戴12星冠冕，那她自己就不是以色列。在聖經中大多數的時候是用婦人來預表一個城市，舉例來說巴比倫婦人，在啟示錄中是用淫婦來代表巴比倫，但是在聖經中處女代表教會，因為只有處女才能成為新婦。
另外一個原因這個男孩子不是以色列是他被提到神那裡去。但是從來沒有說過以色列國會直接提到神那裡去，所以這和預言是不吻合的。
而且在啟示錄12:11中可看到，這個男孩子相信羔羊的寶血，但是以色列從來沒有。很多人聲稱並指出在大災難的時候以色列人會信主，但是聖經從來沒有這麼說，聖經只是在撒迦利亞書中提到當耶穌腳踏橄欖山的時候，他們就會得救。
其次，這個男孩子不是主耶穌基督。
如果這個婦人代表耶路撒冷，那麼耶穌就生錯地方了，他在伯利恆出生的。在啟示錄12章，這個男孩子是代表一個群體因為經文提到說「那控告弟兄姐妹的」。如果男孩子是耶穌的話，龍就應該是希律王，但是在12章9節，我們被明確告知這個大龍就是魔鬼也就是撒旦，所以當這個男孩子一出生就被提到神的面前。
再者，這個男孩子不是指的教會。
如果教會被提上去了，這個就和預言不穩合了，因為預言裡面提到有的人先被提，有的人後被提。如果這指的是所有的教會，那就和啟示錄2：26-27節相違背了，「得勝又遵守神命令到底的。」（在欽定版中指的是特定的人，得勝又遵守命令到底的），這就說明不是所有的基督徒都是得勝者。只有那些得勝的人才能和耶穌一起做王，所以他不可能是全部的教會。提摩太后書2:12說，如果我們受苦，我們就和他一起做王，如果我們不認他，他也不認我們。我認為」不認「這個詞翻譯的更好，因為不認是拒絕承認和保持任何的關係，否認就是棄絕的意思。所以男孩子就是指這些得勝的基督徒。
（disown，不認，這個詞翻譯的好，是因為你拒絕和保持這樣的關係，因為很多的基督徒還是承認他們是耶穌的門徒，他說自己是基督徒，可是當他受逼迫的時候他不認主了，來否定和耶穌的關係，所以他否定了和耶穌的關係，而不是棄絕了耶穌。）
二、接下來使我們不得不問這個男孩子的第二個問題，誰屬於這個男孩子的群體呢？他的特徵是什麼呢？
這就使我們要查考寫給啟示錄中七間教會的信。整體來說這些信指出不是所有的基督徒都在他們的信仰上站穩了，當他們僅僅面對受苦的可能性時，有的已經想要妥協了，還有的已經妥協了。所以這7封信中充滿了對這些妥協的基督徒的警告。以弗所的教會離棄了起初的愛，那是在啟示錄2:4；別迦摩教會和推雅推喇教會追隨那些假教師；撒狄教會名存實亡，按照名來說是活的其實是死的（啟示錄3:1）；老底嘉教會是溫吞吞的水，神要把她從口裡吐出去，這是在啟示錄3:16。
我們來總括的看一下各個教會的光景：
以弗所教會（啓2：3），」你也會忍耐，也會為我的名勞苦並不乏倦「，這是在和合本的翻譯方法；在欽定版是這樣說的，」他承擔，他用耐心等候，沒有乏倦「。
啟示錄2:10節士每拿教會，」你將要受的苦你不要怕，你務要至死衷心」。務要至死衷心，或面臨死亡時都要忠心，這就和啟示錄12章11節所說的「雖至於死，也不愛惜生命，是很好的聯合在一起的。
啟示錄2:26-27，「那得勝又遵守我命令到底的，我要賜給他權柄制伏列國」（KJV：持續做我的工到最後，我就給他權利來管理列國。）這是和啟示錄12:5節非常吻合的，這個男孩子要用鐵杖轄管列國。
別迦摩教會在啟示錄2:13節，「當我忠心的見證人，安提帕在你們中間，撒但所住的地方被殺之時，你還堅守我的名，沒有棄絕我的道。」（KJV：因為安提帕是我衷心的殉道者，在你們中間被殺）。
安提帕是別迦摩教會的主教。根據教會傳統，他拒絕並且引導別迦摩地區的人轉離向魔鬼祭祀的習俗。安提帕捍衛他的信仰並且批判異教的祭司，最後觸怒了這個祭司，就把他拖到了寺廟，扔到一個燒得火紅的銅牛裡面，他們把所有的供物放到這個銅牛的裡面。當安提帕被扔在這個銅牛裡面的時候他就大聲向神禱告，來接受他的靈魂，來建立基督徒的信心。根據傳統來說，他的身體沒有被火觸到，他的遺體就像睡著了一樣。
啟3:4撒狄教會， 「然而在撒狄，你還有幾名是未曾污穢自己衣服的；他們要穿白衣與我同行，因為他們是配得過的。」 和合本啟3:5 「凡得勝的，必這樣穿白衣，我也必不從生命冊上塗抹他的名，且要在我父面前和我父眾使者面前認他的名。」
非拉鐵非教會是在啟示錄3:8-12，「我知道你的行為，你略有一點力量，也曾遵守我的道，沒有棄絕我的名。你既遵守我忍耐的道，我必在普天下人受試煉的時候，保守你免去你的試煉。」在12節這樣說：「得勝的我要讓他在我神殿中做柱子」。倪柝聲弟兄提到這個的時候是和啟示錄12:5節聯繫到一起的，因為他是指著路加21:17-19來說的，「你們要為我的名被眾人恨惡， 然而，你們連一根頭髮也必不損壞。 你們常存忍耐，就必保全靈魂（或作必得生命）。」
最後我們來說一下老底嘉教會，啓3: 20-21，「看哪，我站在門外叩門，若有聽見我聲音就開門的，我要進到他那裡去，我與他，他與我一同坐席。 得勝的，我要賜他在我寶座上與我同坐，就如我得了勝，在我父的寶座上與他同坐一般。」 所以這又和啟示錄12:5節是吻合的，來統管，牧養列國。
所以我們很清楚看到這個男孩子就是得勝的基督徒。我們從啟示錄7間教會的信中可以看到得勝者的品格。這些得勝者來自於所有的教會。大家是否記得剛才我們談到婦人預表耶路撒冷城。現在你明白為什麼兩種觀點都是正確的。末後事工持有後一種觀點，我們相信婦人是代表教會。我們事工還相信關於啟示錄中所提到的大災難是在未來，因為有的人提到說在羅馬帝國的時候已經發生了。其實關於大災難是在千禧年之前來還是之後，教會也有三種不同的觀點，我們相信「後苦難千禧年論」，就是大災難還沒有發生。如果我們要經歷大災難，那我們就要準備好成為得勝者。根據我們剛剛談過的7間教會的信箋來說，我們非常確信神希望他的教會在苦難和逼迫中堅強站立。所以我們要被苦難煉淨並要勝過它。
總括來說，
1）為主的名我們要忍受苦難。在我們的世界裡好像這並不突出，但我們知道在許多其他國家裡基督徒是被逼迫的，他們都找不到工作，現在在中國似乎已經開始發生了。
2）你不要怕那將要臨到你的苦難，你務要致死衷心。在我們生命中有些苦難是神允許的，為了成就他更高的旨意。我們當中很多人經歷過痛苦，有些人甚至現在還在痛苦當中，如果神允許這些事情發生在你的身上，你是否還仍然愛他而且持守你的信仰？
3）持續主的工作直到最後。傳福音是越來越難的，但是不論環境如何我們還是要繼續遵守大使命。
4）不要棄絕你的信仰，要做他忠心的見證人，甚至於死。你來想像一下，如果有一天有一個人拿著槍對著你的腦袋或者你愛的人的腦袋要求你棄絕耶穌，你會怎麼做？有些人說我要等到那天事情發生的時候我才知道怎樣反應啊。但是我要告訴你的是，你現在就要做那個決定，而且你要持守這個決定到最後。如果你想成為得勝者就沒有其他的選擇。
5）不要污穢你的衣服。這是一個持續不斷的過程，是你每天都要做的。每天我們都要來到神的面前，請求他來轉變我們，來保守我們不要愛世界，來更新我們的心思意念。
6）持守他的道不要棄絕他的名。他的話語就是真理。我們知道末後的時候是大迷惑的時候，如果不明白也不持守神的道，很多的基督徒都會被迷惑。
7）將你的心門敞開。你要不停地向神敞開你自己，你就不會憂慮你是否聽到他的敲門聲。我們的主非常渴慕住在我們心裡，但是很多時候因為過去的傷害給我們造成的恐懼和錯誤認知，我們不願去敞開自己。信道是從聽道而來，我們需要神可聽的話語每天在我們的生命中，那就需要一個很近的個人的關係。我們的力量，我們的權柄和辨別能力都取決於我們和我們的主有多靠近。
過去幾個星期，我們事工一直在講謙卑，聖靈的果子，這不是偶然的，因為如果沒有聖靈的果子，沒有謙卑，我們就不可能成為主透過寫給7間教會所指示我們的那樣成為得勝者。
如果我們能夠持守主的教導，結果是怎樣的？
- 首先啟示錄講到他給我們權柄吃生命樹的果子（啟2:7）；
- 你不會被第二次的死所傷到 （啟2:11）；
- 我會給你一個新名；
- 我會給你權柄使你牧養列國；
- 我不會從生命冊上塗抹那個人的名；
- 我們要成為神未來國度的國民，所有的事情都要成為新的，聖潔的，並極其安全的 （啟3:12）；
- 在父神右手邊，我們會和耶穌同坐王，牧養列國。
所以我們要放下我們個人的計劃，我們的恐懼，我們個人的行事曆和渴望。要成為得勝者。
三、這個男孩子的功用是什麼？
從啟示錄12章我們看到成為得勝者的呼召是一個更大的衝突中的一部分，這個衝突是在耶穌和他的子民與撒旦和他的軍隊中發生的。所以我們被呼召成為得勝者是有一個目的的。這就是啟示錄12章5節中說的，這個男孩子要「用鐵杖轄管列國」，耶穌要給得勝者權柄牧羊列國並抵擋敵基督的國度。具體來說這個男孩子被呼召出來有三個重要的責任：
（1）根據名老師收到的異象，在末後的日子男孩子他們要與敵基督對抗，藉著激烈的國度禱告徵戰，這些激烈的禱告徵戰會在天上引發米迦勒和他的使者一個激烈的衝突，所以透過禱告和賜給得勝者的能力，這個大紅龍就會從第二層天被打到地上。
啟示錄12:7-9，「在天上就有了爭戰。米迦勒同他的使者與龍爭戰，龍也同它的使者去爭戰，並沒有得勝，天上再沒有它們的地方。大龍就是那古蛇，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。」
目前我們事工在預備這最後一場大戰。我們先前所做的屬靈徵戰僅是對神的軍隊的演習和訓練。我們還沒有進到這場大戰中，我們在為那一天做準備。
（2）在經歷大災難期間，這個男孩子也就是這些得勝者，他們會在地上與神同工，聖徒的禱告將會對世界和敵基督進行審判以對抗在大災難期間對聖徒的逼迫。
關於男孩子的這一個責任，你可以在啟示錄8:3-5節找到，「另有一位天使拿著金香爐，來站在祭壇旁邊。有許多香賜給他，要和眾聖徒的祈禱一同獻在寶座前的金壇上。 那香的煙和眾聖徒的祈禱，從天使的手中一同升到神面前。 天使拿著香爐，盛滿了壇上的火，倒在地上，隨有雷轟、大聲、閃電、地震。」
讚美神，因為他允許他的子民透過禱告與神同工。我們是透過禱告加入徵戰的，我們不是打仗的人，是耶穌，是天使們。我們的任務就是按著神的心意來禱告，而這個是要在聖靈中，並和神的親密關係中才能實現的，否則我們是無法按照神的心意來禱告的。靠肉體出來的禱告是從來不會有功效的，我們權能和權柄是取決於我們和神的關係，我們的品格決定了我們和神能有多近，反之亦然。
（3）這個男孩子他們會攜帶這個世界的大能來臨，在大災難來臨的時候他們會幫助教會分辨危機並且幫助教會移動到哪裡去，教會還沒有預備好成為新婦，他需要被帶到曠野，在最後三年半期間預備好自己。
我們可以在啟示錄12:14節看到，「於是有大鷹的兩個翅膀賜給婦人，叫她能飛到曠野，到自己的地方躲避那蛇；她在那裡被養活一載二載半載。」
得勝者不僅僅要和敵基督徵戰，在大災難期間也要幫助教會來迎接他的新郎。但是並不是只有我們才屬於這個男孩子的群體，名老師領受在男孩子的群體中一共有12個群組，所以神在末後的時候要在全球各地興起得勝者，來完成他偉大的使命，恢復他的創造物，回歸地上在他的民中居住，這是一個多麼充滿榮耀的盼望，你願意成為這個一部分嗎？
男孩子出現的徵兆是在啟示錄12章1-4節，這個奇異的天文現像已經在2017.9.23發生了。這群人他們會經常被提到神的寶座前，也就是說他們時不時就會去見神的面。神會給他們啟示和戰略預備末後的爭戰。他們就是得勝者，得勝者也是新婦，也是戰士，甚至有些人會殉道。為了預備好我們自己，最關鍵的事就是，我們和我們的主有多親近？不管情況如何，第一大誡命仍然是我們的首要任務：盡心，盡性，盡意，盡力愛主你的神。
儘管我們聽了關於我們和神關係的講道多少遍，可是又有多少人是願意花時間付代價和神在一起的呢？當我們很多人羨慕名老師的恩膏和與神的關係時，你們看到了她所付的代價了嗎？神不偏待人，他獎賞那些全心全意尋求他的人。只有我們在神的愛和信心上深深紮根，我們才能從裡到外有一個深深的轉變，能夠回應那個呼召，成為得勝者之一。如果我們相信我們是男孩子群體中的一員，我們就要把服事和個人生活的各個層面來與事工的意象和使命對齊。當那天來臨的時候，我們就能聽到他對我們說，「做的好，忠心良善的僕人。」 阿門！
名老師的補充：
如果要明白我們的身份和我們在末後的這個地位是需要啟示和勇氣的。這個異像我守了18年才可以公佈我們的身份是什麼，因為那個時間到了，軍隊也興起來了。但是一公開，我們要面對的不但是外邦人的情況，也是屬靈裡的黑暗情況，還要面對教會的情況，因為還有很多教會是妥協的。啟示錄12:10大戰發生完後，基督的權柄就都來了，當你得著那個權柄的時候，天地萬物才會服到你的腳下。
權柄不僅是在物質界的，還有人心。這個是一個極大的權柄，是末後要開啟的極大的奧秘。我們回想經歷的很多神的作為，其實來到事工中的很多人是被神自己呼召的。所以來到事工中的許多弟兄姐妹，你們不要小看自己，因為神看重了你，神要興起你做得勝者。到了末後的時候，局勢已經越來越嚴峻了，但是對我們來說卻是一個非常有盼望的事情，因為日子一到，神預定的那個時刻就發生了。
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!