【双语灵修】“上帝独生爱子” Of The Father’s Love Begotten

“主神说，我是阿拉法，我是俄梅戛，是昔在今在以后永在的全能者。” - 启 1:8

“上帝独生爱子”是另一首古老的圣诞颂歌。它可以追溯到公元四或五世纪的一首圣诗。这首诗欢喜宣告基督是神的永恒之子。在这首歌的开头几句，基督就被看作时间设立以先就存在的神。“上帝所爱，父独生子，创世之先已存在；宇宙根源，万有归宿，贯彻始终不更改；亘古至今直到永远，万有惟从祂而来；无止无终永无尽！”

阿拉法和俄梅戛这个名字在启示录中被使用，指的是全能的上主。耶稣在启示录第22章中这样描述祂自己。祂应许还要再来，使一切都更新。

我们唱这首歌是为了见证圣诞节的意义：世界的创造主，祂如此爱受造物，以至于亲自来拯救和赎回它，祂应许必要再来，使万物彻底更新。

迎接耶稣成为包括我们在内的所有受造物的主和救主，这不是一件小事。祂应许还要再来，使一切都更新，好使我们和祂一同住在新天新地里，直到永远。所以我们祈祷：“主耶稣，我愿你来。”

祷告

永恒的上帝之子，感谢你来拯救我们，把我们从罪恶和死亡中救赎出来。我们期待着你来更新世界。主耶稣，我愿你来。阿们。

启示录 1:7-8

7看哪，他驾云降临，众目要看见他，连刺他的人也要看见他，地上的万族都要因他哀哭。这话是真实的，阿们。
8主神说：“我是阿拉法，我是俄梅戛，是昔在、今在、以后永在的全能者。”

Of The Father’s Love Begotten

"I am the Alpha and the Omega," says the Lord God, "who is, and who was, and who is to come, the Almighty." - Revelation 1:8

"Of the Father’s Love Begotten" is another ancient Christmas hymn. It dates back to a poem from the fourth or fifth century A.D. This song celebrates the confession that Christ is the eternal Son of God. From the very opening lines of this song, Christ is recognized as God from before the beginning of time: "Of the Father’s love begotten ere the worlds began to be,/ he is Alpha and Omega—he the source, the ending he,/ of the things that are, that have been, and that future years shall see/ evermore and evermore."

The name Alpha and Omega is used in the book of Revelation, and it refers to the Lord God Almighty. Jesus refers to himself in this way in Revelation 22, as the one who promises to return to make all things new.

We sing this song as a testimony to what Christmas is all about: the Creator of the world, who loves his creation so much, came to rescue and redeem it, and he promises to come again and restore it forever.

It is no small thing to welcome Jesus as the Lord and Savior of all creation—including us. And he promises to come again to make everything new so that we can live with him in the new heaven and earth forever. So we pray, "Come, Lord Jesus."

Prayer

Eternal Son of God, thank you for coming to rescue and redeem us from sin and death. We look forward to your coming to renew the world. Come, Lord Jesus. Amen.