阅读经文 

希伯来书第十一章，让我们在圣经的后视镜中回顾过去的事。这章圣经提到的都是很久以前的人，他们是生活在耶稣降临之前的人。他们都有一个共同点：都是凭信心在神的应许中生活的；在未离世和未被接去与主同活之前，他们“并没有得着所应许的，却从远处望见，且欢喜迎接。”（参来 11:13）

我们可以用“从远处望见”来形容在启示录中的景象、声音和场面。我们看到整个天上都欢喜快乐和感恩颂赞，因为“世上的国，成了我主和主基督的国。”启示录十一章就是以这个场景来结束的。这幅有权能的画面显示神在地上作王，如同祂在天上作王一样；这里还包含一个应许，就是“祂要作王，直到永永远远。” （参启 11:15）哈利路亚！

凭借信心的眼睛，我们可以“从远处望见”这个景象。然而，当我们近距离环顾我们周围的世界时，我们看到的却往往是可怕的事情，例如癌病，新冠病毒、贫穷、种族主义、暴力、毒瘾和死亡。这些可怕的事时常令我们哭泣。在这些时刻，信靠圣灵的能力帮助我们能够眺望“远方”。

在今天，信心也帮助我们期待神的国在将来完全降临；信心之所以有这种能力，因为信心正是“所望之事的实底，是未见之事的确据。”（参来 11:1）

Hebrews 11 gives us a glance in the Bible’s rearview mirror. The faithful witnesses mentioned in this chapter lived long ago, even before Jesus came. And they had this in common: they all lived by faith in God’s promises. And before they died and were taken to live with the Lord, "They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance."

"Seeing from a distance" is how we can describe the sights, sounds, and scenes in the book of Revelation. Revelation 11 closes with a scene in which all heaven rejoices and gives thanks to God because "the kingdom of the world has become the kingdom of our Lord and of his Messiah." It is a powerful picture of God reigning on earth as in heaven. And the promise is that "he will reign for ever and ever." Hallelujah!

With eyes of faith, we can see this "from a distance." Close-up in the world around us, though, we often see terrible things such as cancer, COVID-19, poverty, racism, violence, addiction, and death. And there are times when these appalling things make us weep. At such times, faith is the Holy Spirit’s muscle that enables us to see "from a distance."

Faith also welcomes the future of God’s full kingdom today. Faith has this power because it is "confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see."