Christadelphian Bible Mission BASIC BIBLE TRUTHS

基督弟兄会圣经传教--基本圣经真理

The Jews in God's Purpose

在神的目的里的犹太人

 

When you have read this leaflet you will know the answers to these questions：

1. How did the Jewish race begin?

2.        Why were the Jews chosen as a　special people?

3.        What has happened to the Jews in　history?

4.        What is the future for the Jews?

5.        I am not a Jew—can God save me?

 

当你读了本小册子，你就能明白下列问题的答案：

1. 犹太人种族是什么时候开始的?

2. 为什么犹太人被选为特殊的百姓？

3. 历史上犹太人发生过什么事?

4. 犹太人的未来如何?

5.      我不是犹太人，神会拯救我吗?

 

Keys are essential to open locked doors. Here are five "golden keys" which will help you to unlock the Bible message about the Jews， and us：

1. Understanding God's promises to Abraham.

2.        Knowing about the promises God made to David.

3.        Looking at God's relationship with the Jews.

4.        Understanding the work of Jesus Christ.

5.        Knowing about the coming kingdom of God on earth.

We need to use them all to understand “The Jews in God's Purpose".

要打开锁住的大门关键在于钥匙。下面是五把“金钥匙”，它们有助于你打开圣经关于犹太人和我们的信息：

1. 理解神对亚伯拉罕的应许。

2.    了解神对大卫的应许。

3.    查看神与犹太人的关系。

4.    理解耶稣基督的工作。

5.    知道未来在地球上的国。

6. 我们需要使用所有这些钥匙理解“在神的目的里的犹太人”。

 

1. HOW did the Jewish  race  begin?

1. 犹太人种族是什么时候开始的?

 

The Jewish race began with a man called Abram. God knew his man. Abram's faith is still a great example of trust in God and His promises. God brought Abram from Ur， near the Persian Gulf， to the land we now know as Israel.

犹太人种族始于一个叫作亚伯兰的男人。神知道这个男人。亚伯兰极其信仰神和他的应许。神从波斯海湾附近的吾珥把亚伯兰带到我们现在称作以色列的地。

God made special promises to Abram (his name was later changed to Abraham)：

a)       "I will make you a great nation" (New King James Version).

b)       "I will bless those who bless you， and I will curse him who curses you."

c)        "In you all the families of the earth shall be blessed" (Genesis 12：2，3).

d)       "All the land which you see I give to you and your descendants for ever."

e)       "I will make your descendants as the dust of the earth" (great in number， Genesis 13：16).

f)            "I will make nations of you， and kings shall come from you." "I will establish my covenant between me and you and your descendants after you ... to be God to you and your descendants" (Genesis 17：6-8).

Abraham's grandson Jacob had twelve sons. Over generations， they became a great nation—The Jews.

神对亚伯兰作过许多应许(他的名后来被改成亚伯拉罕)：

a) “我也要使你成为大国” (新英皇钦定本)。

b) “为你祝福的，我必赐福与他；那咒诅你的，我必咒诅他。”

c) “地上的万族都要因你得福” (创世记12：2，3)。

d) “凡你所看见的一切地，我都要赐给你和你的后裔，直到永远。”

e) “我也要使你的后裔如同地上的尘沙那样多”(创世记13：16)。

g)       “国度从你而立，君王从你而出。”“我要与你并你世世代代的后裔坚立我的约…是要作你和你后裔的神”(创世记17：6-8)。

f) 亚伯拉罕的子孙雅各有十二个儿子。代代相传，他们成了大国；犹太人。

 

2. Why were the Jews chosen as a special people?

2. 为什么犹太人被选为特殊的百姓？

 

God had a great regard for the faithful­ness of Abraham， Isaac and Jacob. The Jews were chosen， "because he loved your fathers， therefore he chose their descendants" (Deuteronomy 4：37). God said： "Understand that the Lord your God is not giving you this good land to pos­sess because of your righteousness， for you are a stiff-necked people" (9：6).

神非常敬重亚伯拉罕、以撒和雅各的忠诚。神之所以选择犹太人，“因他爱你的列祖，所以拣选他们的后裔”(申命记4：37)。神说：“你当知道，耶和华你神将这美地赐你为业，并不是因你的义；你本是硬着颈项的百姓” (9：6)。

Nothing had changed centuries later， when they crucified God's Son， Jesus Christ (Acts 7：51).

几个世纪以后也没有改变，即使他们钉死神的儿子，耶稣基督(使徒行传7：51)。

However， by working through one spe­cial people， God was able to draw atten­tion to His character and purpose with the earth. He said to Moses： "For this purpose I have raised you up， that I may show my power in you， and that my name may be declared in all the earth" (Exodus 9：6).

神通过一个特别的民族工作，让世人注意他的本质和目的。他对摩西说：“其实，我叫你存立，是特要向你显我的大能，并要使我的名传遍天下”(出埃及记9：6)。

This was vitally important， for God later said： "But truly， as I live， all the earth shall be filled with the glory of the Lord" (Numbers 14：21). This wonderful promise will be fulfilled after Jesus Christ returns to the earth.

这是至关重要的，因为神说：“然我指着我的永生起誓，遍地要被我的荣耀充满”(民数记14：21)。这美妙的应许将在耶稣基督返回到地球上以后实现。

 

3.         What has happened to the Jews  in history?

3. 历史上犹太人发生过什么事?

 

The history of the Jews is mainly a sad one. Although they had the great privi­lege of knowing about God， they were disobedient. God said that if they were obedient—"the Lord your God will set you high above all nations of the earth". But， if not， "you shall become an aston­ishment， a proverb， and a byword among all nations where the Lord will lead you" (Deuteronomy 28：1，37).

犹太人的历史是一部悲伤史。虽然他们具有了解神的特权，但他们没有很好地服从神。神说如果他们顺从—“耶和华你神必使你超乎天下万民之上”。否则，“你在耶和华领你到的各国中，要令人惊骇、笑谈、讥诮”(申命记28：1，37)。

The Jews have suffered in many coun­tries of the world： banished from Israel on pain of death (AD 135); expelled from England (1020) and France(1306); expelled from Spain (1492) and Portugal (1498); expelled from Russia and the Ukraine， many being killed and persecut­ed in the process (1918); and in the Second World War， six million died in the Holocaust" (1939-1945).

犹太人在世界各国遭受苦难： 痛苦地被驱逐出以色列(公元135年)；被驱逐出英国(1020年)和法国(1306年)；驱逐出西班牙(1492年)和葡萄牙(1498年)；被驱逐出俄罗斯和乌克兰，期间许多人被杀害和受到迫害 (1918年)；在第二次世界大战中六百万犹太人死于大屠杀(1939-1945年)。

Yet， miracle of miracles， they have sur­vived as a nation! That is because God still has a purpose with them： "You shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; you shall be my people， and I will be your God" (Ezekiel 36：28).

然而最大的奇迹是他们依然作为一个民族生存了下来！那是因为神对他们仍还有目的：“你们必住在我所赐给你们列祖之地。你们要作我的子民，我要作你们的神” (以西结书36：28) 。

 

4. What is the future for the Jews?

4. 犹太人的未来如何?

 

The future for the Jews is firmly rooted in God's promise to Abraham that they would possess the land of Israel for ever.

犹太人的未来已经牢固地扎根在神对亚伯拉罕的应许里，他们将永远拥有以色列的地。

God later promised King David： "I will set up your seed after you， who will come from your body ... and I will establish the throne of his kingdom for ever" (2 Samuel 7：12，13).

神后来应许大卫王：“你寿数满足、与你列祖同睡的时候，我必使你的后裔接续你的位…我必坚定他的国位，直到永远”(撒母耳记下7：12，13)。

Jesus Christ， the Son of God， is descended from David through Mary his mother. He died for our sins and rose from the dead to live for ever. He will return to the earth to fulfil the promises made to David： "The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David. And he will reign over the house of Jacob for

神的儿子耶稣基督通过母亲玛丽亚接续大卫。他为我们的罪而死，并从死亡中复活得永生。他将返回到地球实现对大卫的应许：“主神要把他祖大卫的位给他。他要作雅各家的王，直到永远；他的国也没有穷尽”(路加福音1：32，33)。

Peter， on the Day of Pentecost， reminded the Jews that， "The patriarch David ... is both dead and buried，" but "God had sworn with an oath to him that ... he would raise up the Christ to sit on his throne" (Acts 2：29，30). What God has promised， He will surely perform.

彼得在五旬节提醒犹太人，“先祖大卫的事…他死了，也葬埋了”，但是“神曾向他起誓，要从他的后裔中立一位坐在他的宝座上”(使徒行传2：29，30)。 神对自己的应许肯定会执行。

Though scattered and persecuted， the Jews still exist as a nation. That is because God promised： "I will save you from afar ... I will not make a complete end of you" (Jeremiah 30：10，11).

虽然被离散和受迫害，今天犹太人依然作为一个民族生存了下来。这是因为神应许过：“我要从远方拯救你…却不将你灭绝净尽”(耶利米书30：10，11)。

In 1948， the State of Israel was estab­lished. The Jews returned from over 100 countries. They survived， in spite of wars with Arab nations. They will yet go through a time of great trouble (Zechariah 14：1，2). God will send Jesus Christ to save them， "and the Lord shall be king over all the earth" (verses 3-9). The mes­sage is clear： "Rejoice greatly ... your King is coming to you ... He shall speak peace to the nations; his dominion shall be ... to the ends of the earth" (9：9，10).

1948年，以色列国建立。犹太人从100多个国家返乡。仅管与阿拉伯各国的战争，他们还是生存下来了，但是他们还要经历大灾难(撒迦利亚书14：1，2)。神会差遣耶稣基督拯救他们，“耶和华必作全地的王”(3-9节)。下面的信息更明确：“应当大大喜乐...你的王来到你这里 ... 他必向列国讲和平；他的权柄...地极” (9：9，10节)。

Many Bible passages speak of Israel being regathered to their own land (Jeremiah 31：10; Ezekiel 36：24-28). Many more talk about Jesus coming as king (Psalm 72; Acts 1：11). Our five "golden keys" work together to unlock God's message about "The Jews in God's Purpose".

圣经里许多章节都讲到以色列重聚到他们的地(耶利米书31：10；以西结书36：24-28)。更多的是谈论耶稣回来做王(诗篇72；使徒行传1：11)。我们用五把“金钥匙”协同工作就能打开神关于“在神的目的里的犹太人”的信息。

 

5. I am not a Jew—Can God save me?

5.我不是犹太人，神会拯救我吗?

 

Yes， God's salvation is also offered to Gentiles (non-Jews). Jesus will rule the world from Jerusalem. "The Gentiles shall see your righteousness， and all kings your glory” (Isaiah 62：2).

是的，神的拯救也同样赐予外邦人（非犹太人）。耶稣将在耶路撒冷统治世界。“列国必见你的公义；列王必见你的荣耀” （以赛亚书62：2）。

God does not just offer a good natural life to Jews and Gentiles when Jesus comes to be king. To individual Jews and Gentiles He offers everlasting life， if they believe， are baptized and follow His Son， Jesus Christ. His offer is open to every­one， including you..

当耶稣回来做王时，他不单单把气血的生命赐予犹太人和外帮人。他会把永生赐予每个犹太人和外帮人，如果他们信耶稣，受洗，顺从他的儿子耶稣基督。他的意图针对每个人，包括你在内。

Yes， you can live for ever， joyfully help­ing Jesus Christ in the Kingdom of God. The day will come when sin and death will be no more. God's chosen ones will live with him for ever. Faithful Jews and Gentiles will be there. Will you be with them?

是的，你可以永远地活着，在神的国里欢快地帮助耶稣基督。没有罪孽和死亡的那一天很快就要到来了。被神选择的人将永远和他生活在一起。忠诚的犹太人和外帮人会在那里。你会和他们在一起吗?

"Let him who thirsts come. And who­ever desires， let him take the water of life freely" (Revelation 22：17).

“口渴的人也当来；愿意的，都可以白白取生命的水喝”(启示录22：17)。

 

Please tell us if you would like to know more about Bible teaching and the beliefs of Christadelphians. Would you like：

•   Other leaflets in this series?

•   A booklet Who are the Christadelphians?

•   A monthly magazine Glad Tidings?

•   A Postal Correspondence Course?

Ask your nearest Christadelphians or write to：

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请告诉我们你是否希望了解更多有关圣经的教义和基督弟兄会的信仰。你是否需要：

•          本系列的其它小册子?

•          一本《谁是基督弟兄会》的小册子?

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•          一本邮寄的函授教材?

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