3月17日 撒但的统治
撒但的统治
我们不能说魔鬼之间有爱，因为属天的火热绝不会在魔鬼的心中燃烧。然而，在“企图胜过神与人”这共同的目标上，牠们却有着惊人的合一与秩序。
当神将这些叛军从天上驱逐时，牠们便成了地上的异乡人。从那时起，牠们便在这世上飘忽游荡，寻找机会作恶，企图残害世人——尤其是那些奔走天路的人。
除了数量极其庞大之外，魔鬼之间的合一与秩序使其势力显得更加可怕。我们不能说魔鬼之间有爱，因为属天的火热绝不会在魔鬼的心中燃烧。然而，在“企图胜过神与人”这共同的目标上，牠们却有着惊人的合一与秩序。维系牠们的不是爱的纽带，而是共同的仇恨与阴谋；牠们深知，若不在那邪恶的计划中全心合力，牠们的前景将是一片绝望。
牠们对这邪恶的“兄弟会”是何等忠心！我们的主为此见证说：“若撒但赶逐撒但，就是自相纷争，牠的国怎能站得住呢？”（太12:26）。你曾听说过魔鬼的军中发生过叛变吗？或是见过哪个堕落天使甘心将一个灵魂让给基督吗？
牠们人数虽多，却被同一种邪恶的灵所支配。那鬼对基督说：“我名叫‘群’，因为我们多的缘故”（可5:9）。请注意，牠并没有说“我们名叫……”。这些被咒诅的邪灵在阴谋中彼此配合，并且只要有机会，就会招募人作为同谋。牠们不满足于人仅仅停留在表面上的顺服，更会在那些最黑暗的灵魂里榨取一种誓死般的效忠，正如那些行巫术的人一样。
魔鬼权势的另一个明证，是牠们的大能作为。这位“空中掌权者的首领”在自然界中竟能制造出如此恐怖的效果！牠虽非创造主，连最微小的一口气、一滴水、一点火星都造不出来；然而，只要神放任牠进入那自然的“宝库”，牠就能如此娴熟地利用造物主的工具，以至于无人能敌。牠能激起狂浪使大海翻腾如锅，也能煽起狂风暴雨，仿佛要将诸天都压垮在地上。
麦琴（麦克谦）读经计划进度
家庭敬拜：出28章，约7章，
个人灵修：箴4章，加3章
MARCH 17, TUESDAY
SATAN’S REIGN
We cannot say there is love among them. Such a heavenly fire cannot burn in a devil’s bosom. Yet there is unity andorder in their common goal to overcome both God and man.
When God cast these rebels out of heaven, they became aliens on earth. Ever since, they have been wandering fitfully, seeking to do mischief to the children of men— especially those traveling on heaven’s road.
Besides their vast number, the unity and order among devils makes their number even more formidable. We cannot say there is love among them. Such a heavenly fire cannot burn in a devil’s bosom. Yet there is unity and order in their common goal to overcome both God and man. Knit together not by ligaments of love but of hatred and policy, they know their prospects are utterly hopeless if they do not all agree in their evil design.
How faithful they are to this wicked brotherhood! Our Lord testified to this when He said, “If Satan cast out Satan, he is divided against himself” (Matthew 12:26). Did you ever hear of a mutiny in the devil’s army? Or that any of these apostate angels freely yielded one soul to Christ?
They are many, and yet there is but one spirit of wickedness in them all. “My name is Legion; for we are many,” the devil said to Christ (Mark 5:9). Note he did not say, “Our name …” These cursed spirits work together in their schemes and will enlist human cooperation whenever they can. Not content with bare obedience, they work on the darkest souls to extract an oath of faithfulness, as in the case of witches.
Yet another declaration of the power of devils is their mighty works. What dreadful effects this prince of the power of the air can produce in nature! He is no creator, so he cannot make the least breath of air, drop of water, or spark of fire. But let him loose in God’s storehouse, and he will use the Creator’s tools so deftly that no man can stand before them. He can hurl the sea into such a commotion that the depths boil like a pot, and fan the air into storms and tempests that threaten to bring the very heavens crashing down to earth.