1. Hello, our listening friends.
亲爱的朋友，你好！

2. Thank you for tuning in.
感谢你收听我们的节目。

3. If you are joining this broadcast for the first time,
如果你是第一次收听的话，

4. we are nearing the end of a series of messages on the second Epistle of Peter.
我们所播出的关于彼得后书的系列信息已接近尾声。

5. In the last message, we began to look at Chapter 3, verses 1 to 9,
在上一次的节目里，我们讲到第三章1到9节，

6. and, in Chapter 3, Peter tells us about the signs of the end of times.
在第三章，彼得告诉我们关于末世的征兆。

7. Peter tells us that while we must not trust false teachers who deny the Bible as the Word of God,
彼得告诫我们，不要相信假师傅，因为他们否认圣经是神的话，

8. but we must trust God and the Bible as His Word.
但我们必须信靠神，并坚信圣经就是神的话语。

9. Our hearts must be stirred up for the Lord, and we must cling to the Scripture.
我们的心必须被神激励，并要持守圣经的每一句话。

10. He gives us several reasons.
他说，这样做有几个原因。

11. First,
首先，

12. because the Bible is the Word of God,
因为圣经是神的话，

13. and, secondly,
第二，

14. Peter tells us, because God is in control.
彼得告诉我们，因为神掌管一切。

15. In Chapter 3, verse 3,
在第三章第3节，

16. Peter said that, when you see apostasy in the church,
彼得说，当你看见教会中有人背叛神，

17. when you see people mocking the Bible,
当你看见有人讥诮圣经，

18. when you see the name of the Lord is taken in vain,
当你看见有人妄称主的名，

19. when you hear arrogant blasphemy,
当你听到亵渎神的话，

20. when you see and hear all of this, rather than being taken back by them,
当你看到、听到这一切，不用大惊小怪，

21. you should see them as a definite indication that the end is near.
反而更要意识到，这一切都显示出末日即将来临。

22. Peter tells us, in verse 4,
彼得在第四节告诉我们，

23. that these false teachers, in order to ease their conscience, they will deny the coming of the Lord as a reality.
这些假师傅，为了避免良心的控告，就否认主再来的事实，

24. They will deny the judgment of God.
他们否认神的审判。

25. In their scoffing attitude, they will say something like this:
他们以嘲笑的态度这么说：

26. “People have been saying that Christ is coming back for a long time, and He never came.”
“长久以来，人们都在说基督要回来；可是祂一直没有回来呀。”

27. Why does Peter call these people "scoffers" in verse 3?
为什么彼得在第三节中把这些人称为“好讥俏的人”呢？

28. Because they are deliberately ignoring the fact that God is separated from the universe.
因为他们故意忽视，神跟宇宙万物是有分别的这个事实。

29. Indeed, He is above the universe.
实际上，祂是在万有之上。

30. He is in control of the universe,
祂掌管万有，

31. and earth and Heaven are only held together by the power of His Word.
天地万物是借着祂话语的权能，才得以立定的。

32. Peter reminds us of who God is:
彼得提醒我们，神是谁：

33. that God is the Creator of all things.
神，就是万有的创造主。

34. He said, “Remember the floods?
他说：“还记得那次大洪水吗？

35. God did it once and He will do it again.”
神曾经用洪水审判世界，神也会再次审判。”

36. Scoffers pride themselves in their knowledge and in their scientific theories,
好讥诮的人以世上的学问和科学理论来炫耀自己，

37. but God permits the volcanic eruptions and the earthquake to demonstrate His power.
然而神却用火山爆发以及地震来彰显祂的大能。

38. What about the rain?
那么，雨水又是谁掌管的呢？

39. Who could ever stop the rain?
是谁让雨水停止不降在地上呢？

40. Now, my listening friends, I want to tell you something very important.
亲爱的朋友，我要告诉你一件很重要的事情。

41. If God did not intervene millions of times each day in our lives,
在我们的一生中，若不是神每一天无数次地保守和看顾，

42. we wouldn’t have a chance to survive.
我们根本无法生存。

43. Scoffers pride themselves in their knowledge, and they scoff at God
那些好讥诮之人不但夸耀自己的学问，他们还讥诮神。

44. and God may let them get away with it for a while.
神也许会暂时宽容忍耐他们，

45. Why?
为什么呢？

46. In order to give them a chance to change their minds, and turn to Him;
为了给他们机会悔改，归向神；

47. but, then, ultimately, they will have to face Him in the Day of Judgment.
否则的话，他们就要面对神末日的审判。

48. God’s Word formed the heavens and the earth.
神的话语创造了天地。

49. God spoke, and they came into being,
神说有，就有了。

50. and we are one word away from the destruction of Heaven and earth.
同样，神的一句话，也可以让天地万物化为乌有。

51. In verse 6, Peter says God is not only the Creator,
在第六节，彼得说，神不但是创造主，

52. but He also has the power to bring judgment about.
祂也是审判世界的主。

53. God can even destroy that which He created.
神甚至可以毁灭祂所创造的一切。

54. It is foolishness to willingly forget or deny Who God is and who we are.
故意忘记神的伟大和我们的身份，是极其愚蠢的。

55. By His Word, He creates, and, by His Word, He destroys.
借着神自己的话，祂创造了一切；同样，祂的话也能毁灭一切。

56. John, in Revelation 20, talks about the destruction of the earth,
约翰在启示录20章谈到了将来世界毁灭的情景，

57. and Jesus prophesied in the Gospel of Matthew, Chapter 13, verse 40,
耶稣在马太福音13章40节，也同样预言世界的末了：

58. “As the tares are gathered and burned in the fire, so it will be at the end of the age.”
“将椑子薅出来，用火焚烧；世界的末了也要如此。”

59. Peter says, in verse 7, when God created the earth,
彼得在第七节说：在神创造大地时，

60. He seeded it with sufficient water to destroy it.
祂预备了足够的水来毁灭世界。

61. In the same way, He seeded the heavens and the earth with enough fire to destroy it.
同样，神也预备了足够的火，来毁灭祂创造的天地万物。

62. In Colossians 1:17, Paul tells us,
在歌罗西书1章17节那里，保罗告诉我们：

63. “…in him all things hold together.”
“……万有也靠祂而立。”

64. If His restraining and controlling hand were to be removed, even for a millisecond,
如果祂的手不托住万有的话，哪怕只有一瞬间，

65. the earth would melt like butter.
世界也要即刻化为乌有。

66. Right now, the heavens and the earth are kept for the Day of Judgment and destruction of the ungodly men.
现在，天地仍然存留，直等到不敬虔之人受审判、遭沈沦的日子来到。

67. God is not only the Creator Who puts all things together,
神不仅是立定天地的创造者，

68. but, thirdly, in verse 8, God is always on time.
第三，正如在第8节中所说的，神一向准时，绝不迟延。

69. Scoffers will attempt to convince us that we are all gods,
那些好讥诮之人企图要说服我们说：我们就是神，

70. or, if there is a god, he has fallen asleep.
或者他们说，即或有一位神，祂也已经睡着了。

71. “It is not so,” Peter said,
然而彼得说：“事实不是这样的。”

72. “because one day with the Lord is as thousand years, and a thousand years is as one day.”
“主看一日如千年，千年如一日。”

73. Peter is quoting here from Psalm 90, verse 4.
在这里，彼得引用了诗篇90篇第4节的经文。

74. Here’s what the Psalmist said:
诗人这样说：

75. “For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is passed, and like a watch in the night.”
“在你看来，千年如已过的昨日，又如夜间的一更。”

76. My listening friends, please listen very carefully to this.
我亲爱的朋友，请仔细听，

77. With God, there is no past, present or future.
对神来说，没有过去、现在和将来的区别。

78. When He identified Himself to Moses,
当神向摩西介绍祂自己的时候，

79. He told him that His name is "I Am."
祂说祂是“自有永有的”那一位。

80. “Tell them,” He said, “that ‘I Am’ sent you.”
祂对摩西说“告诉他们，那‘自有永有的’ 打发我到你们这里来。”

81. "I Am" means "I was" and "I will be,"
“自有永有”的意思，包括“昔在”和“永在”的意思。

82. yet, God does not call Himself "I Was."
神并没有单单称自己为“昔在”的。

83. Why?
为什么呢？

84. Because that may indicate that He used to be.
因为那只能表明祂过去曾经‘存在过’。

85. He does not call Himself, "I will be."
祂也不称祂自己为：“将要存在”的。

86. Why?
为什么呢？

87. So that we don’t imagine that He is only yet to come,
以免我们误以为祂只不过是将来才会有的那一位，

88. but He said, “I Am,”
祂乃是说： “我是自有永有的”。

89. which means “I was, is and will be.”
意思就是：“我是昔在、今在、以后永在的神。”

90. Peter tells us that one word brought the creation into being
彼得告诉我们，神的一句话曾经创立天地，

91. and one word will end all things.
同样，神的一句话也能够结束一切。

92. Peter tells us that we are dealing with the One to Whom time is not divided into past, present and future.
彼得说，我们所面对的独一真神，时间对祂来说，并没有过去、现在和将来的分割。

93. God is infinite in His essence.
神的本质是无始无终的，

94. God is absolute in His dominion.
神的主权是绝对的，

95. God is ultimate in His power.
神的能力是无限的，

96. God is transcendent in His glory.
神的荣耀是超越万有的。

97. You might imagine it this way:
你可以这样想象：

98. if you get on a boat on the furthest northern point of a long river and travel southward,
假设你从一条河最北端的起源上船，沿河南下，

99. it will take some time before I get to the mouth of the river.
需要相当长的时间才能航行到河口。

100. When I’m halfway,
当船行到半途时，

101. somebody else sails off right at the beginning point where I started,
另一只船又从起点开始航行，

102. leading the same direction, southward;
并同样沿着这条河向南行驶；

103. and, when the second person is halfway,
当第二只船行到半途时，

104. a third person begins the journey;
第三只船又开始航行；

105. but, in space, a powerful satellite can see the entire length of the river
假如在太空中，有一个强力的人造卫星可以观测到整条河的流域，

106. from one end to the other.
从起点到河口都看得见。

107. It can see all three boats:
卫星可以看到三只小船：

108. the one near the mouth,
一只已接近河口，

109. the one near the middle,
一只在中途，

110. and the one at the beginning.
一只刚刚开始航行。

111. That is how life is.
这就如同我们的人生一般。

112. God sees it all in full view.
神看见整个画面。

113. Beginning,
起点，

114. middle,
半途，

115. and end.
终点。

116. We see it in stages,
我们只能看到某一段，

117. but He sees it in full
但是，祂可以看到全部。

118. and that is why a period of a thousand years is like a day for Him
这就是为什么在神看来，千年如一日，

119. because the Lord sees it all in front of Him;
因为，一切都在主的眼前；

120. and only He knows when He will interrupt the flow of history
只有祂知道，什么时候祂会介入历史的长河中。

121. and He will end the world as we know it.
我们也知道，有一天，祂会结束这一切。

122. In verse 9, Peter tells us
在第九节，彼得告诉我们：

123. that God promised to end the history of the ungodly people with judgment
神应许说，祂要在末日审判那些不敬虔的人。

124. and God will keep His promise.
神会遵守祂的诺言。

125. If it appears to us that there is a delay,
即或看起来像是耽延，

126. it does not mean that God is unfaithful to His promise.
其实，并不是神违背了祂的应许，

127. It is only because He is patient.
而是因为神对人有宽容。

128. God longs for no one to perish.
神不愿意一人沉沦。

129. God desires that all should come to repentance.
神愿意人人都悔改。

130. God purposefully extends the years of grace.
神故意延长恩典时代的日子。

131. Why? So that men and women have every opportunity to be saved.
为什么呢？为了要给每一个人得救的机会。

132. He delays His Day of Judgment long enough so that those of you who are listening to us who do not believe may come to hear His message and turn your heart toward Him.
祂尽量推迟了末日审判的日子，就是为了要让今天还没有相信祂的朋友，有机会听到福音，并悔改归向祂。

133. Jesus is welcoming you right now.
耶稣正在欢迎你。

134. He is ready to forgive you your sin,
祂随时都等候要赦免你的罪，

135. and assure you of Heaven right now.
并赐给你上天堂的确据。

136. Will you come to Him?
你愿意归向祂吗？

137. He is waiting for you,
祂正等着你。

138. but, then, there are some of you who are listening who are believers.
对于在我们中间已经信主的朋友，

139. God has a plan for your life and He wants to use you before He returns.
神在你的生命中有祂的计划，就是在祂回来之前要使用你。

140. I want to illustrate this by telling you a story as I conclude.
我想用一个故事来说明这一点，作为今天的结束。

141. There was a man of God who was used of God to bring thousands and thousands to the foot of the cross.
有一个被神大大使用的人，他曾经带领成千上万的人来到十字架前归向基督。

142. When he was a young man and in his final year as a law student,
当他还是一个年轻的法律系学生的时候，就在他毕业前夕，

143. he was sitting in a village law office.
有一天，他在一个村子里的律师办公室里坐着。

144. It was very early in the morning
天还很早，

145. and he was sitting alone when he heard the Lord speak to his heart.
他独自坐在那里，听到主在他心里问他：

146. “What are you going to do when you finish your course?”
“你毕业后打算干什么？”

147. He answered, “Put out the shingle and practice law.”
他回答说：“挂牌营业。”

148. “Then what?” says the Lord.
“然后呢？”主问他。

149. He replied and said, “Get rich...”
他回答说：“发财致富。”

150. then, the Lord spoke to him again and said, “Then what?”
这时候，主又问他：“然后呢？”

151. He said, “I’ll retire...”
他说：“退休。”

152. and the Lord said another time, “Then what?”
主再次问他：“然后呢？”
153. He said, “I’ll die…”
他说：“死亡。”

154. then, the Lord said to him again, “Then what?”
主又问他：“然后呢？”

155. And the words came out of his lips with trembling,
他战战兢兢地说：

156. “Then the judgment.”
“然后就是审判。”

157. At that thought, the young man left the office.
想到这里，这位年轻人离开了办公室。

158. He went into the woods and he knelt and he prayed
他走进树林，跪下来祷告。

159. and, as he prayed, he saw himself at the judgment seat of Christ.
就在他祷告的时候，他仿佛看见自己站在基督的审判台前。

160. He saw that he had spent his life in a self-centered, self-serving way
他看到他自私自利地耗尽了自己的一生，

161. and he had not spared a thought for his eternity.
并没有为他的永生着想。

162. He came out of the woods a changed man
当他从树林中走出来的时候，他已经完全改变了。

163. and, after a long struggle with the question of the purpose of life,
对自己活着的目的，长时间思考挣扎之后，

164. he dedicated his life to the preaching of the Gospel
他决定奉献一生传福音。

165. and he became an effective instrument to God’s purpose.
他变成合神心意的器皿。

166. Let me ask you, my listening friends, as I conclude,
我亲爱的朋友，让我最后问你一个问题，

167. have you spared a thought for your eternity,
你有没有为你的永生着想呢？

168. so that you may know where you will be on the Day of Judgment?
当末日审判的时候，你会在哪里呢？

169. It is my prayer that you would not go to sleep today until you answer this question.
求主让你在今天睡觉以前，弄清楚这个问题。

170. Until next time, I wish you God’s richest blessing.
我们下一次再见，愿神大大赐福给你。