兩約之間的啟示 Reflection on the Intertestamental Period

文 / Cathy Chen

近來身邊及網路媒體上有些人宣稱，若美國以《十誡》為治國的基礎，美國將會更美好、更強大。面對當今世俗化的種種現象，我知道許多人渴望重回半世紀，甚至一個世紀以前的宗教榮光。但乍聽到這樣的說法，心中卻隱隱感到不安。

照整本聖經的啟示，舊約是人類無法靠律法稱義的歷史見證。若人真能靠遵守律法而得救，基督就不用為我們死（參加拉太書 2:21）。那麼，為何今日的基督徒會想回到舊約律法的框架之下呢？

一、律法的本質與新約的成全

「以十誡為治國基礎」的說法，不僅引起非信徒的爭議，認為違反《美國憲法第一修正案》所保障的政教分離，也讓教會內部出現緊張。一些人批評牧者「不敢為真理發聲」，但若我們混淆了屬靈國度與地上國度，就會偏離福音的核心。

聖經從未吩咐任何外邦國家以摩西律法治國。舊約的律法是神與以色列民族所立的約（出埃及記 19–22），目的在顯明神的聖潔與人類的罪，使人知罪並引向基督（羅馬書 3:20；加拉太書 3:24–25）。

保羅明確指出：「律法是我們的師傅，引我們到基督那裡，使我們因信稱義。但這信既然來到，我們就不在師傅的手下了。」（加拉太書 3:24–25）

因此，十誡的道德原則（如不可殺人、不可偷盜）仍是神永恆的旨意，但基督徒不再受摩西律法轄制。因為我們活在「新約」之下，是靠聖靈得生命、靠恩典行義（羅馬書 8:2–4；希伯來書 8:6）。新約是更美的約。

二、神的主權超越國界

從約瑟（主前約 1876 年進入埃及，創世記 37–50 ）到但以理（主前 605 年被擄至巴比倫，但以理書 1 ），神都興起祂的僕人在外邦國家中忠心服事。他們所事奉的國家並非「神的選民」，但他們都明白神的主權不受國界限制。

但以理清楚宣告：「神改變時候、日期，廢王、立王。」（但以理書 2:21）甚至巴比倫的尼布甲尼撒王（主前 605–562 年在位）被神稱為祂的僕人（耶利米書 25:9），神使用他來管教悖逆的百姓；波斯王古列（Cyrus，主前 559–530 年在位）則被神稱為「祂所膏的」（以賽亞書 45:1），用以成就以色列的被擄歸回（以斯拉記 1:1–3）。

由此可見，神掌管萬國歷史，不被任何民族主義所拘限。祂使用不同時代的列國來完成祂的救贖計畫。

三、從歷史看神國的永恆性

在舊約與新約之間的「沉默四百年」（約主前 430–主前 5 年），雖然神暫時不再透過先知發話，人類的歷史卻波濤洶湧：

亞歷山大大帝（主前 356–323 年）征服了波斯，使希臘文化與語言遍及地中海世界。後來羅馬帝國興起（主前 27 年開始），以色列淪為羅馬行省。神的選民在風雨飄搖中再度換了國名，被劃入不同的行政體系。

然而，正因羅馬四通八達的交通網絡與希臘語的普及，福音得以迅速傳遍世界。神藉著帝國的制度預備了福音的道路。這顯明：神的國度不屬這世界，但在世界中掌權運行。

耶穌說：「我的國不屬這世界；我的國若屬於這世界，我的部下就會為我戰鬥，使我不至於被交給猶太人。只是我的國不屬於這世界。」（約翰福音 18:36）新約也不再以血統或地緣，而是以信靠祂的人組成的群體（教會）。保羅提醒我們：「你們凡受洗歸入基督的都披戴基督了，不再分猶太人、希臘人，為奴的、自主的，男的、女的，因為你們在基督耶穌裡都成為一了。」（加拉太書 3:27-28）

保羅放棄使用他的猶太名字（掃羅），成為外邦人的使徒。他本是在律法上地位崇高的法利賽人、便雅憫支派的純正猶太人（腓立比書 3:5），卻說：「我先前以為與我有益的，現在因基督都當作有損的。」（腓立比書 3:7）他以十字架為榮，流著眼淚提醒眾基督徒不要專以地上的事為念：「我們卻是天上的國民。」（腓立比書 3:20）這就是我們新約子民的身分「屬天的國民，屬基督的子民」。

因此，一個國家若選擇以十誡作為治理參考，這是政治層面的決策，但它與基督在十字架上所立的「新約」無關。神國的榮耀不在於地上政權，乃在於福音在萬民中被傳揚（馬太福音 28:19–20）。

四、結語

在歷史長河中，國家興起又衰微，但神的約永不動搖。

「我們既得了不能震動的國，就當感恩，照神所喜悅的，用虔誠、敬畏的心事奉神。」（希伯來書 12:28）願我們不被民族主義或政治熱情攪動，而是堅定信靠神國的真理。

五、祈禱

親愛的天父，

感謝祢在歷史中掌權，使我們看見列國興衰，而祢的國卻永不動搖。

感謝祢藉摩西頒布律法，讓人認識罪，知道自己深深得罪了祢。

感謝祢藉耶穌基督在十字架上「成了」的工作，成全了我們守不住的律法，使我們因信得稱為義。這是唯一可以回到祢面前的出路。

謝謝祢用身體拆毀了人與人的牆（以弗所書2:14-16），所以我們得以學習祢的樣式。願祢保守祢的教會，不被政治對立撕裂，讓我們在真理與愛中合一，為主作光作鹽。

主啊，求祢幫助我不把盼望寄託在地上的國度、政權或文化裡，而是仰望祢屬天的國度，在這世代活出屬天國民的樣式。願我不倚靠勢力與才能，而是倚靠聖靈與祢同行，榮耀祢。

奉主耶穌基督的名，阿們。

於  10/25/2025

Reflection on  the Intertestamental Period

By Cathy Chen, October 25, 2025

Recently, some people around me and in online media have been claiming that if the United States were governed on the basis of the Ten Commandments, the nation would become better and stronger. In the face of today’s tide of secularization, I know many Christians long to return to the religious glory of half a century ago, or even a hundred years ago. Yet when I first hear such claims, I still feel a quiet but persistent unease in my heart.

According to the full revelation of Scripture, the Old Testament bears witness that humanity cannot be justified by the law. If people could truly be saved through obeying the law, then Christ would not have needed to die for us (Galatians 2:21). Why, then, do some Christians today long to return to the framework of the Old Covenant?

1. The Nature of the Law and the Fulfillment of the New Covenant

The idea of “governing a nation by the Ten Commandments” not only sparks controversy among nonbelievers—who see it as violating the First Amendment’s principle of church-state separation—but also creates tension within the church. Some accuse pastors of “failing to stand up for the truth,” yet when we confuse the spiritual kingdom with earthly kingdoms, we drift from the heart of the gospel.

Scripture never commands any Gentile nation to govern by the Mosaic Law. The law was given as a covenant between God and the nation of Israel (Exodus 19–22) to reveal God’s holiness and humanity’s sin—so that people might recognize their sin and be led to Christ (Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:24–25).

Paul clearly states:

“The law was our guardian until Christ came, that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian.” (Galatians 3:24–25)

Thus, while the moral principles of the Ten Commandments (such as not murdering or stealing) remain part of God’s eternal will, Christians are no longer under the rule of the Mosaic Law. We now live under the New Covenant—empowered by the Spirit and walking in grace (Romans 8:2–4; Hebrews 8:6). The New Covenant is the better covenant.

2. God’s Sovereignty Transcends National Borders

From Joseph—who entered Egypt around 1876 B.C. (Genesis 37–50)—to Daniel—who was taken captive to Babylon in 605 B.C. (Daniel 1)—God raised up His servants to serve faithfully in foreign nations. These nations were not “God’s chosen people,” yet His sovereignty was not bound by geography or ethnicity.

Daniel boldly declared: “He changes times and seasons; He deposes kings and raises up others.” (Daniel 2:21)

Even Babylon’s King Nebuchadnezzar (605–562 B.C.) was called God’s servant (Jeremiah 25:9), whom God used to discipline His disobedient people. Later, the Persian King Cyrus (559–530 B.C.) was called God’s “anointed” (Isaiah 45:1), chosen to bring the exiles back to their land (Ezra 1:1–3).

Through history we see that God governs all nations and uses them to fulfill His redemptive plan—never confined by nationalism or human boundaries.

3. History Reveals the Eternal Nature of God’s Kingdom

During the “silent 400 years” between the Old and New Testaments (approximately 430–5 B.C.), though God no longer spoke through prophets, human history was anything but quiet.

Alexander the Great (356–323 B.C.) conquered Persia, spreading Greek culture and language throughout the Mediterranean world. Later, the Roman Empire rose (beginning in 27 B.C.), and Israel became a Roman province. God’s chosen people once again found themselves under foreign rule, incorporated into a different political system.

Yet it was precisely through Rome’s vast network of roads and the common use of Greek that the gospel could quickly spread across the world. God used the empire’s infrastructure to prepare the way for His good news—demonstrating that His kingdom is not of this world, yet reigns within it.

Jesus said: “My kingdom is not of this world. If it were, my servants would fight to prevent my arrest by the Jewish leaders. But now my kingdom is from another place.” (John 18:36)

Under the New Covenant, membership in God’s kingdom is no longer defined by bloodline or geography, but by faith in Christ—the true community of believers, the Church. Paul reminds us: “For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.” (Galatians 3:27–28)

Paul gave up his Jewish name, Saul, to become the apostle to the Gentiles. Though he had every reason to boast—a Pharisee of high standing, a pure-blooded member of the tribe of Benjamin (Philippians 3:5)—he said: “Whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ.” (Philippians 3:7)

He gloried in the cross and wept for those who set their minds on earthly things, reminding believers:“Our citizenship is in heaven.” (Philippians 3:20)

This is our identity as people of the New Covenant—citizens of heaven and members of Christ’s kingdom.

Therefore, while a nation may choose to use the Ten Commandments as a moral or political guide, that decision belongs to the realm of politics. It is not connected to the New Covenant established by Christ on the cross. The glory of God’s kingdom does not depend on earthly power but on the gospel being proclaimed among all nations (Matthew 28:19–20).

4. Conclusion

Throughout history, kingdoms rise and fall—but God’s covenant remains unshaken.

“Since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptably with reverence and awe.” (Hebrews 12:28)

May we not be swayed by nationalism or political fervor, but stand firm in the truth of God’s unshakable kingdom.

Prayer

Dear Heavenly Father,

Thank You for reigning sovereignly over history, showing us that nations rise and fall, but Your kingdom never fades.

Thank You for giving the law through Moses, that we might recognize sin and our deep need for You.

Thank You for the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, who fulfilled the law we could not keep, so that by faith we are justified and reconciled to You.

Thank You that through His body You broke down the dividing wall of hostility (Ephesians 2:14–16), teaching us to walk in Your likeness.

Guard Your Church, Lord, from being torn apart by political division. Unite us in truth and love, that we might be salt and light for Your glory.

Help me not to place my hope in earthly kingdoms, governments, or cultures, but to fix my eyes on Your heavenly kingdom—to live as a true citizen of heaven.

May I rely not on strength or ability, but walk with Your Spirit and bring glory to Your name.

In Jesus Christ’s name, Amen.