希尼－ 中国？

以赛亚 49：12

看哪，这些从远方来，这些从北方，从西方来，这些从秦国来。（秦原文作希尼）

但以理 11：44

但从东方和北方必有消息扰乱他（敌基督 Antichrist），他就大发烈怒出去，要将多人杀灭净尽。

以下列出我认为以赛亚书 49：12 指的希尼是中国的主要原因：

1. 至于怎么解以赛亚指的希尼这个问题，许多圣经学者都议论纷纷。有的说‘希尼’是指在埃及南部的一个城市，叫做阿斯旺。有的说是古罗马，有的说是腓尼基（迦南的一个地方），还有的说是指西乃，甚至有人说是澳洲。经过一番简单的研究，我发现只有两个较可能的解释。第一个解释是希尼坐落于耶路撒冷的南部。第二个解释是希尼坐落于耶路撒冷的远东。第二个解释告诉我们这里的‘希尼’就是指中国，因为中国就位于耶路撒冷朝远东的方向。
2. ‘希尼’这个名称至今还在中东一些地方使用－如埃及，以色列等。中式餐馆被称为希尼餐馆。在与当地人勾通时，中国游客有时得解释自己是来自 Sinim（希尼），而不能用 China。当然，我想还需确定的是至今还运用的‘希尼’这个名称是否就是圣经里提到的‘希尼’。
3. ‘希尼’的另外一个名称是‘秦国’。在以赛亚的时代，当时的中国还没有统一成一个国家。当时，周朝时期的中国是由上百个诸侯国组成的，而秦国只是其中之一。从以赛亚的时代一直到秦始皇统一中国，建立起秦国的时间，有约 500 年之久。但是我们必须要了解的是以赛亚他是一名先知。他预言耶稣的二次再来，也预言了波斯王赛鲁士（Cyrus, King of Persia）的出现。从以赛亚的年代一直到赛鲁士的年代有近 200 年之久。

我们为什么需要明白圣经说到中国这事？

1. 要迎接耶稣的二次再来，其中一个‘条件’就是完成大使命。我相信在完成大使命的事工上，中国目前就已经扮演着很重要的角色，将福音传回耶路撒冷 （太 28：19）。
2. 从以赛亚书 49 和 但以理书 11，圣经清楚的描述中国将在大患难期间支持神的选民，以色列国。大患难指的是我们人类的最后 3 年半的历史（启 11：2，11：3，12：6，12：14，13：5；但 7：25，9：27，12：11）。在马太福音 25：31－46，耶稣跟门徒说了绵羊山羊的比喻。当耶稣二次再来时，他将会审判万民是否有在以色列遭受及大逼迫的时候站在以色列人那边。所以，我们必须知道我们到时应当做的选择，那就是坚定在主边，支持以色列。圣经已经在此预言到时中国将会如此行。

神要我们回应他。父神渴望的是预备一个完整成熟的新妇，配得与她的新郎上帝同工的新妇，来迎接耶稣二次再来。所以我们必须要了解父神的旨意，好让我们能清楚知道如何回应神，如何祷告，该做怎么样的祷告，并且与耶稣同工遵行父神的旨意。主里的弟兄姐妹们，我邀请你与我们一同祷告让神行他的旨意。愿主的国度降临！

Sinim - China?

Isaiah 49:12
Surely these shall come from afar;
Look! Those from the north and the west,
And these from the land of Sinim.

Daniel 11:44
But news from the east and the north shall trouble him (Antichrist); therefore he shall go out with great fury to destroy and annihilate many.



The reasons for my belief that Sinim in Isa 49:12 is likely to be modern-day China:

1. There have been a number of interpretations of where Sinim might have been. Some say that the location of Sinim is in the Aswan region of Egypt, some say ancient Rome, others say Phoenicia, still some claimed it refers to the desert of Sinai, and to others Australia. After a deeper study, I found that only 2 interpretations stand to the test. First interpretation is that Sinim is located on the extreme South of Jerusalem. Second interpretation is that Sinim is located on the far East to Jerusalem. This second interpretation strongly supports the stand that Sinim is made in reference to China since China lies on the far East of Jerusalem.
2. The name "Sinim" is still used today in many places in the Middle East - in Egypt, Israel and other places. A chinese restaurant is known as a Sinim restaurant. A Chinese tourist, when conversing with the locals, at times has to identify himself as from the land of 'Sinim' instead of 'China'. Of course, I think further verification is required as to whether the name 'Sinim' that is still in use today with reference to China is the same biblical 'Sinim' in Isa 49.
3. In the Chinese Bible, the other name for 'Sinim' is 'Qin Guo' (秦国). During Isaiah's time, China was not one unified country yet. At that time, Under the Zhuo dynasty, China was made up of hundreds of states, whereby the state of Qin was only one of them. It was later on that the state of Qin emerged as one of the 14 major states. It was not until almost 500 years after Isaiah that the Qin dynasty was established, and the name Qin represented the Middle Kingdom, China. We need to understand that Isaiah was a prophet of God. He prophesied much about the 2nd coming of Christ, and about Cyrus, King of Persia, some 200 years ahead.

What is the importance in understanding that China is mentioned in the Bible? What are its implications?

1. One of the 'conditions' in ushering in the 2nd coming of Jesus is the fulfillment of the Great Commission. I believe that China plays a key role in fulfilling the Great Commission and in this last lap of in bringing the gospel back to Jerusalem (Mat. 28:19).
2. From Isa 49 and Dan 11, it is clearly stated in the Bible that the nation of China will stand with God's people, Israel, especially in the Great Tribulation, which is the final 3.5 years of human history (Rev 11:2, Rev 11:3, Rev 12:6, Rev 12:14, Rev 13:5, Dan 7:25, Dan 9:27, Dan 12:11). We also have the famous Parable of the Sheep and Goat in Matt. 25:31-46. When Jesus comes back again, He will judge all on the basis of whether we stand with Israel in her time of great persecution or we have not. It is therefore highly critical that we understand the weight of our choices in those days whether to be on God's side and stand with the nation of Israel in the last days or not to. The Bible has prophesied, that China as a nation, will be standing with Israel.

God requires that we respond to Him. He desires that at the 2nd coming of Jesus, the church of Jesus Christ would have matured as the Bride of Christ, standing in partnership with her Bridegroom God. We therefore need to know the will and plans of God, that we may know how to respond to Him, how and what to pray, and to partner with Jesus in executing the will of the Father. To my brothers and sisters in Christ, I invite you to stand with us and pray for the will of God to come to pass. May God's kingdom come!

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