“我观看，见有许多的人，没有人能数过来，是从各国、各族、各民、各方来的，站在宝座和羔羊面前。” - 启 7:9

从某一个角度来看，圣经讲述了一个独一无二的故事，这个故事是关于一位神（耶和华）、一个人（亚伯拉罕）、一个国家（以色列）、一位救主（耶稣）、一群人（教会）的。有谁不希望有独一无二的身份呢？

然而，独一无二的身份也可能会令人感到不自在。我们在里面向外望、看到别人从外面也在看我们时，我们或许会感到忐忑不安，除非我们是高高在上，才不会有这种感觉。

然而，圣经也从另一个角度来看这个故事。就这个角度而言，它不单是关于“一个国家（以色列）”的故事。例如，诗篇87篇颂扬神对以色列的中心-锡安独一无二的爱；不过，它又描述神对其他的国家表示欢迎，说他们“个个生在〔锡安〕。”

新约圣经更进一步扩展了这个角度。在马太福音 2章，有博士从远方来敬拜婴孩耶稣；在马太福音28章，耶稣差遣衪的跟随者到万国传扬好消息。在启示录7章，我们在异象中看到有许多的人，“从各国、各族、各民、各方”到来敬拜在天上的神。

这个广角镜之下的景象，描绘出神施与每一个人的爱。从这角度来看，唯有耶稣是独一无二的，唯有衪才是神的羔羊，衪不单除去一个国家的罪，衪更除去世人的罪！

祷告

主耶稣，没有任何人、家庭、和国家，是你的爱不能触及的。你的爱就像整个世界那样长阔高深，我们赞美你！阿们。

诗篇 87

1耶和华所立的根基在圣山上。
2他爱锡安的门，胜于爱雅各一切的住处。
3神的城啊，有荣耀的事乃指着你说的。（细拉）
4我要提起拉哈伯和巴比伦人，是在认识我之中的；看哪，非利士和推罗并古实人，个个生在那里。
5论到锡安，必说：“这一个那一个都生在其中。”而且至高者必亲自坚立这城。
6当耶和华记录万民的时候，他要点出：“这一个生在那里。”（细拉）
7歌唱的、跳舞的都要说：“我的泉源都在你里面！”

The Bible's Wide-angle Lens

"I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb." - Revelation 7:9

From one angle, the Bible tells an exclusive story about one God (the Lord), one man (Abraham), one nation (Israel), one Savior (Jesus), one people (the church). And who doesn't want to be part of something exclusive?

But exclusive can be uncomfortable. While we're on the inside looking out, we may get queasy seeing people on the outside looking in. Unless we're looking down on them.

There is another angle in the Bible, though. From this angle, it's not just a "one nation (Israel)" story. Psalm 87, for example, celebrates God's exclusive love for Zion, the heart of Israel. But then it also pictures God welcoming other nations and saying of them, "This one was born in Zion."

This angle widens in the New Testament. In Matthew 2, Magi come from faraway nations to worship the child Jesus. In Matthew 28, Jesus sends out his followers with good news for all nations. And in Revelation 7 we see a vision of a vast multitude from "every nation, tribe, people and language" worshiping God in heaven.

The wide-angle view paints a wonderfully inclusive picture of God's love. From this angle, the only thing exclusive is Jesus. He alone is the Lamb of God. And he takes away the sin of not just one nation but the whole world!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, no person, family, or nation is beyond the reach of your love. Your love is as wide and long and high and deep as all the world. We praise you! Amen.