Like the Apostle Paul, we need to pray for a spirit of wisdom and revelation

[jidong xiao]

我们读约翰的著作时，仅仅运用心思是不彀的。我们需要很多的祷告。我们也需要相信今天神圣的灵在我们里面，就是在我们的灵里。我们该相信这位内住的灵，要把约翰著作的内容启示我们，并赐给我们智慧，领会、理解我们因这启示在灵里所看见的事物。我们需要像使徒保罗一样，祷告求智慧和启示的灵：“愿我们主耶稣基督的神，荣耀的父，赐给你们智慧和启示的灵，使你们充分的认识祂。”（弗一17。）仅仅阅读或默想约翰的著作是不彀的，单单运用我们天然的领会也是不彀的。我们来看约翰的著作时，不该信靠我们的阅读、默想或领会。相反的，我们该祷告：“主，我倚靠你将这些著作中所包括的，启示给我。主，我不靠我天然的能力来领会你的话。”

整本启示录都是启示，所以启示录开头就说，“耶稣基督的启示，就是神赐给祂…。”（启一1。）“启示”一辞指幔子的揭开。启示乃是揭开幔子，给我们看见隐藏在幔子后的奥秘。我们都需要这样的揭示。许多奇妙神圣的事物一直隐藏着，但我们可以经历一种揭示，使这些事物向我们启示。

As we read the writings of John, it is not adequate merely to exercise our mentality. We need much prayer. We also need to believe that today the divine Spirit is within us, in our spirit. We should trust in this indwelling Spirit to give us the revelation of the things contained in John's writings, and also the wisdom to grasp, lay hold of, the things we see in our spirit as a result of this revelation. Like the Apostle Paul, we need to pray for a spirit of wisdom and revelation: "That the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you a spirit of wisdom and revelation in the full knowledge of Him" (Eph. 1:17). It is not sufficient simply to read John's writings or meditate on them. Neither is it sufficient only to exercise our natural understanding. When we come to the writings of John, we should not trust in our reading, meditating, or understanding. On the contrary, we should pray, "Lord, I depend on You to grant me a revelation of what is contained in these writings. Lord, I do not trust my natural ability to understand Your word."

The entire book of Revelation is a revelation. This is why it opens with the words, "The revelation of Jesus Christ which God gave to Him" (Rev. 1:1). The word "revelation" denotes the opening of a veil. Revelation is a matter of opening a veil to show us something mysterious hidden behind the veil. We all need such an unveiling. Many marvelous divine things have been concealed, but we may experience an unveiling and have these things revealed to us.