65.傳道書8:4

65. The Word of a King

Where the word of a king is, there is power. Ecclesiastes 8:4
KINGS were autocratic in Solomon's day. We may be glad that we are not under bondage to any absolute monarch, but enjoy the blessings of constitutional government. We are by no means slow to say to any one of our governors, "What doest thou?" And such a question, wisely put, is good both for him and for us.
God alone is rightfully sovereign without limit. He is King in the most absolute sense; and so it should be; for he is supremely good, wise, just, holy, etc. As he is Maker of all, dominion over his creatures is a matter of natural right. He has infinite power wherewith to carry out his royal will. Even in his least word there is omnipotence. Let us consider this —

I. TO EXCITE OUR AWE.

Let us carefully think of —
1. His creating word, by which all things arose out of nothing.
2. His preserving word, by which all things abide.
3. His destroying word, by which he will shake earth and heaven.
4. His word of prerogative by which he kills and makes alive.
5. His word of everlasting promise, which is our comfort.
6. His word of terrible threatening, which is our warning.
7. His word of prophecy and fore-ordination, which is a great deep, full of solemn teaching to the lowly in heart.
Who can stand before any of these without trembling adoration? Power attends them to the fullest degree, for each one is the word of a King.

II. TO ENSURE OUR OBEDIENCE.

l. No divine command is to be treated as non-essential, for it is the word of Jehovah, the King. See verses 2 and 3.
2. Each precept is to be obeyed at once, heartily, to the full, by every one, since the King commands.
3. His service must not be shunned, for that were to rebel against our Sovereign. Jonah did not find this succeed: for the Lord will not be trifled with, and will make runaways know that his arm is long.
4. Disobedience is to be repented of. If we have fallen into sin, let the King's word have a gracious power to subdue us to hearty grief.

III. TO INSPIRE OUR CONFIDENCE.

1. That he is able to give to the penitent, pardon; for he has promised in his word to do so.
2. That he will give to the believing, power to renew their lives. "He sent his word, and healed them" is true, spiritually.
3. That he will give to the tempted, power to overcome temptation. God ensures the believer's victory over every assault of Satan through the word. This weapon Jesus used in the wilderness.
4. That he will give to the suffering, power to endure with patience, and to gather profit from the trial.
5. That he will give to the dying, hope, peace, beatific vision, etc. One word from the Lord of life robs death of its sting.

IV. TO DIRECT OUR CHRISTIAN EFFORT.

1. In all we do we should respect the King's word. Churches should own Christ's headship, obey his laws, and acknowledge no other lawgiver. This would be a source of power, as the opposite is the cause of weakness.
2. We must look nowhere else for power. Education, oratory, music, wealth, ceremonialism are weakness itself, if depended on.
3. We must rely upon the word of our King as the instrument of power whenever we seek to do works in his name.

• Preach it: for nothing else will break hard hearts, comfort the despairing, beget faith, or produce holiness.
• Plead it in prayer: for the Lord will surely keep his own promises, and put forth his power to make them good.
• Receive it into our mind and heart: for where divine truth is treasured, there will be a wealth of spiritual power.
• Practice it: for none can gainsay a life which is ordered according to the precepts of the Lord. An obedient life is full of a power before which men and devils do homage.

4. We shall see its power in various ways.

• Gathering congregations. After all, the many do not go to listen to mere human teachings, but the cross attracts everywhere.
• Gaining true converts. No conversion is worth anything unless it is wrought by the word of truth.
• Keeping such converts to the end. The incorruptible seed alone produces an incorruptible life.
• Order is created and preserved in the church by God's word.
• Saints are instructed, edified, sanctified, and fed by the word.
• Love, joy, peace, and every grace are begotten and fostered by the word.
• Read much the royal word
• Speak more than ever the King's word, which is the gospel of peace.
• Believe in the word of King Jesus, and be bold to defend it.
• Bow before it, and be patient and happy.

Experiences

No language ever stirs the deeps of my nature like the Word of God; and none produces such a profound calm within my spirit. As no other voice can, it melts me to tears, it humbles me in the dust, it fires me with enthusiasm, it fills me with felicity, it elevates me to holiness. Every faculty of my being owns the power of the sacred Word: it sweetens my memory, it brightens my hope, it stimulates my imagination, it directs my judgment, it commands my will, and it cheers my heart. The word of man charms me for the time; but I outlive and outgrow its power; it is altogether the reverse with the Word of the King of kings: it rules me more sovereignly, more practically, more habitually, more completely every day. Its power is for all seasons: for sickness and for health, for solitude and for company, for personal emergencies and for public assemblies. ! had sooner have the Word of God at my back than all the armies and navies of all the great powers; ay, than all the forces of nature; for the Word of the Lord is the source of all the power in the universe, and within it there is an infinite supply in reserve.

Believers know the life-giving power of the Word, for they can say, "Thy word hath quickened me"; and its life-sustaining power, for they live "by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God"; and its power against sin, for they can say,"Thy word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against thee."

"His word was with power" in Capernaum of old, and it will be with thesame power in any place nowadays. His word cannot fail; "it shall not return void; it shall prosper." Therefore, when our "words fall to the ground," it only proves that they were not his words. — Miss Havergal
Charles Hadden Spurgeon

65. 君王的話語

一、為要激發我們的敬畏

讓我們謹慎思想：

1. 祂創造的話語：萬有藉此從無而有。
2. 祂保守的話語：萬有因之得以存立。
3. 祂毀滅的話語：祂將以此震動天地。
4. 祂主權的話語：祂使人死，也使人活。
5. 祂永恆應許的話語：這是我們的安慰。
6. 祂嚴厲警告的話語：這是我們的提醒。
7. 祂預言與預定的話語：這是一個深淵，向心靈謙卑的人啟示嚴肅的教訓。

誰能在這些話語之前不存戰兢的敬拜呢？因為在每一句話中，都有完全的能力；這些都是君王的話。

二、為要確保我們的順服

1. 沒有任何神的命令可以被視為無關緊要，因為那是耶和華——君王——的話。（參第2、3節）
2. 每一條誡命都當立刻、全心、完全地遵行，因為是君王所命。
3. 不可逃避祂的事奉，否則就是悖逆主權者。約拿的經歷證明，這樣的逃避不會成功；主不容人戲弄，必使逃跑的人知道祂的膀臂何等長。
4. 對於不順服，必須悔改；若我們陷入罪中，當讓君王的話語以恩典的大能，使我們生出真誠的憂傷。

三、為要激發我們的信心

1. 我們確信祂能賜給悔改的人赦免，因為祂在話語中已應許如此行。
2. 我們確信祂必賜給信的人更新生命的能力；「祂發命醫治他們」在屬靈上也是真實的。
3. 我們確信祂必賜給受試探的人勝過試探的能力；神藉著祂的話，保證信徒能勝過撒但的一切攻擊。耶穌在曠野正是使用這件兵器。
4. 我們確信祂必賜給受苦的人忍耐的能力，並從試煉中得著益處。
5. 我們確信祂必賜給臨終的人盼望、平安與榮耀的異象；生命之主一句話，便奪去死亡的毒鉤。

四、為要指引我們的基督徒事奉

1. 我們所行的一切，都當尊重君王的話。教會應當承認基督的元首地位，遵行祂的律法，不承認其他立法者；如此便有能力，反之則成為軟弱的原因。
2. 我們不可向別處尋求能力；若倚靠教育、口才、音樂、財富或儀式主義，這些本身都是軟弱。
3. 當我們奉主名作工時，必須倚靠君王的話作為能力的器皿。

• 要傳講這話：因為沒有別的能打破剛硬的心、安慰絕望的人、產生信心、或結出聖潔的果子。
• 在禱告中引用這話：因為主必守祂自己的應許，並施展大能使之成就。
• 將這話接納在心思意念中：因為神的真理被珍藏之處，就有屬靈能力的豐富。
• 實踐這話：因為一個按主誡命而行的生命，無人能反駁；順服的生活充滿能力，使人與鬼魔都俯伏。

4. 我們將在多方面看見它的能力：

• 聚集會眾：眾人並非來聽人的教訓，而是十字架在各處吸引人。
• 得著真正的歸信者：凡不是藉真理之道而來的歸信，都毫無價值。
• 保守信徒到底：唯有不朽壞的種子，才能生出不朽壞的生命。
• 教會的秩序：藉神的話被建立並維持。
• 聖徒得教導、造就、成聖與餵養：全都出於神的話。
• 愛、喜樂、和平與一切美德：都是由神的話生發並被滋養。
• 多讀這君王的話。
• 比以往更勇敢地傳講君王的話——這和平的福音。
• 信靠君王耶穌的話，並勇敢為它辯護。
• 向它俯伏，便能忍耐且喜樂。

經歷

沒有任何語言，能像神的話那樣攪動我內心的深處；也沒有任何聲音，能在我靈裡帶來如此深沉的安寧。它使我流淚，使我俯伏塵埃；它點燃我的熱情，使我滿得喜樂，將我提升進入聖潔。我全人的每一個官能，都承認聖言的能力：它使我的記憶甘甜，使我的盼望明亮，激發我的想像，引導我的判斷，掌管我的意志，並歡慰我的心。人的話語暫時迷人，但我終究會超越、也會失去它的影響；然而萬王之王的話卻完全相反——它一天比一天更主權地、更實際地、更習慣地、更完全地統治我。它在各樣時刻都有能力：在病中與健康時，在獨處與群聚時，在個人的危急關頭與公共的聚會中。我寧可背後有神的話，也不要世上一切軍隊與海軍，甚至不要自然界的一切力量；因為耶和華的話是一切能力的源頭，其中蘊藏著無限的儲備。

信徒知道神話語使人得生命的能力，因他們能說：「你的話將我救活」；也知道它維持生命的能力，因他們「靠神口裡所出的一切話而活」；也知道它勝過罪的能力，因他們能說：「我將你的話藏在心裡，免得我得罪你。」

昔日在迦百農，「祂的話語帶著權柄」；今日在任何地方也是如此。祂的話必不落空，「決不徒然返回，必成就所喜悅的事。」所以，若我們的話「落在地上」，只證明那不是祂的話。
——密司·哈弗格爾（Miss Havergal）
查爾斯．海登．司布真（Charles Haddon Spurgeon）