17:18 他登了國位,就要將祭司利未人面前的這律法書,為自己抄錄一本,
17:19 存在他那裡,要平生誦讀,好學習敬畏耶和華─他的上帝,謹守遵行這律法書上的一切言語和這些律例,
17:20 免得他向弟兄心高氣傲,偏左偏右,離了這誡命。這樣,他和他的子孫便可在以色列中,在國位上年長日久。」
18 When he takes the throne of his kingdom,
he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of
the Levitical priests. 19 It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days
of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow
carefully all the words of this law and these decrees 20 and not consider
himself better than his fellow Israelites and turn from the law to the right or
to the left. Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his
kingdom in Israel.
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在聖經中對國王的權柄是多方制衡,因多人認為自己是君王,就超越群倫的感覺,目中無人,為所欲為!但是,上帝仍然用祂的全能,來限制、來提醒為君王的,不要忘記自己仍然是人,仍然要敬畏上帝!
也因此摩西在王尚未被設立之前規定好,要求:「他登了國位,就要將祭司利未人面前的這律法書,為自己抄錄一本,存在他那裡,要平生誦讀,好學習敬畏耶和華─他的上帝,謹守遵行這律法書上的一切言語和這些律例,免得他向弟兄心高氣傲,偏左偏右,離了這誡命。這樣,他和他的子孫便可在以色列中,在國位上年長日久。」
而這樣的要求說明,成為王更要遵行上帝的律法,以上帝的律法來領導百姓敬畏上帝,使全國歸向上帝。王的作為是會影響整個國家與上帝的關係,更是影響國家的命運,這也是王和他的子孫的命脈所在!
今日雖然沒有王,但是基督徒也是從基督承受了王的職分,要活得像王一般,要遵行上帝的律法,使自己有王的榮美和生命,這是基督徒彰顯基督王權所要實踐的,不可輕忽!