啓示錄的背景，場合與目的

 Purpose, Occasion, and Background of the book of Revelation

1) Revelation is addressed to first-century churches in seven cities of the  Roman province of Asia (now western Turkey (1:4, 11) as representative of all Christ’s churches (cf. “all the churches,” 2:23; and “to the churches,” 2:7, etc.).

啓示錄是寫給第一世紀，羅馬帝國統治的七個城市的教會（現在的土耳其西部-1：4，11）他們代表所有基督的眾教会（参见“众教会”，2:23，“2:7等）。

2) These churches were threatened by false teaching (such as that of the Nicolaitans, 2:6, 15)by persecution (2:10, 13)by compromise with surrounding paganism through idolatry and immorality (2:14, 20–21), and by spiritual complacency (3:1–3, 15–17).

這些教會受異端教訓的威脅(例如: 尼哥拉一黨人的教訓 2:6,15), 逼迫(2:10, 13), 和周圍異教徒拜偶像, 淫蕩(2:14, 20–21), 屬靈的自滿(3:1–3, 15–17).

3) Jesus sent his revelation to John to fortify his churches to resist the wiles of the devil, whether in the form of intimidating violence (the beast), deceptive heresy (the false prophet), or beguiling affluence (the prostitute). (ESV Study Bible notes)

耶穌啟示約翰要鞏固教會抵擋魔鬼的詭計: 暴力恐嚇 (獸), 骗人的异端 (假先知), 诱人的财富（妓女）(新译本圣经研究笔记)

Today, the church of Jesus Christ needs to properly respond in reverential awe before the Christ revealed in Revelation
今天基督教会需要诚惶诚恐的來回应基督在启示录中向我們所启示的。

AW Tozer said:

“There is a point in true worship where the mind may cease to understand and goes over to a kind of delightful astonishment—probably to what Carlyle described as “transcendent wonder,” a degree of wonder without limit and beyond expression!”

在真正的敬拜中會達到一個地步, 就是心智難以理解到一种令人奇妙忘我的惊讶 -這大概就是凯雷形容的 “超越的奇迹”, 一種無止境, 無法形容的境界.

Dr. Richard J. Krejcir writes about awe and fear:

“Fear is how we are to come before God. Our word for "respect" is a frail comparison to its Hebrew and Greek equivalent. Thus, "fear" is used instead of "respect" or "reverence" in most English translations. In Proverbs and other Jewish wisdom literature, the fear of God is a foundational theme that we in the evangelical world have either forgotten or replaced with platitudes and ideas that fail in comparison. Too many of us have forsaken this necessity for true worship. However, realizing that the fear of the LORD is also the loving reverence for God that contains our love for Him may help us understand. This helps us embrace our submission to His Lordship of our lives, and causes us to keep His precepts and Word (Eccl. 12: 13).” 

“敬畏就是：我们如何面對神。我們所用的“尊重”, 和在希伯来文和希腊同等的字相比顯得太脆弱了。因此，在大多数英文翻译裏“敬畏”用来代替“尊重”或“崇敬”。敬畏上帝在箴言和其他犹太智慧文学裏是一个基本的主题，而在福音派世界已经被忘记或被陈词滥调和其它的观念所取代。我们很多人都已舍弃了这个在真正敬拜中所必要的。然而，认识到敬畏上帝，也就是敬愛上帝，包含了我们对他的爱, 可以帮助我们理解。这就能幫助我们交出我们生命的主权，并使我们遵守他的戒命（传道书12：13）。"