Tuesday, 15th February 2022
Rev Daniel Xi An Poon
Section One V1-6 Don’t Put Hope on this World
V1-2 ‘For I considered all this in my heart, so that I could declare it all: that the righteous and the wise and their works are in the hand of God. People know neither love nor hatred by anything they see before them. All things come alike to all: One event happens to the righteous and the wicked; to the good, the clean, and the unclean; to him who sacrifices and him who does not sacrifice. As is the good, so is the sinner; he who takes an oath as he who fears an oath.’ We are all the same in this world, living under the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, constantly judging; but today God wants us to be simple like a child, just follow our Father and walk step by step. We should also be like teacher and student, like Jesus and disciples, like Elijah and Elisha… receive whatever we were taught without debate and like a sponge absorbing everything given to us.
V3 ‘This is an evil in all that is done under the sun: that one thing happens to all. Truly the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil; madness is in their hearts while they live, and after that they go to the dead.’ What is right and wrong? There are so many different teachings in this world and what should be listen to? Then we must see where God puts us. God put us in our family, in our environment, with authority, who teaches us and guides us… God must have His purposes in our lives, but can we trust Him and simply follow the teaching we receive? When we put our hope this world, then we will lose the portion God has for us.
Section Two V7-11 Walk in the Way of God
V7 ‘Go, eat your bread with joy, and drink your wine with a merry heart; for God has already accepted your works.’ Live under the Tree of Life, we will no longer complain about the things we don’t have. God likes it for us to be simple, humble, and obedient. Jesus asked His disciples to let go of what they held onto in their hands and follow Him. It was not an easy decision to let go. We all have our standards and values; we all have our daily tasks and to do list; but today when Jesus calls us, can we let everything go?
V8 ‘Let your garments always be white, and let your head lack no oil.’ Live under the Tree of Life, be pure and simple. The world teaches us to debate, to fight back, and to judge; it’s easily for us to feel we are wronged and misunderstood, but what we don’t realise is that the laws of the world are never completely righteous, because only God is righteous. Everything we see is only on the surfaces, only on the appearance, but not the root. In the past, the laws are based on the Word of God, but when people walked away from God further and further, the laws became ungodly, only to satisfy human desires.
God’s laws are never allowed to change, every Word in the Bible is not allowed to be altered or changed, so why can we change the laws? Who gave us the authority to change the laws? We live because of the breath of God; He gave us lives but we chose to live a life without Him. Everything will lead to vanity because of human’s choices. We cannot serve God and serve the world at the same time.
V10 ‘Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might; for there is no work or device or knowledge or wisdom in the grave where you are going.’ We work hard in this world; we earn a lot of money, and we try to hold onto the things we have; but we fail to understand that we can’t even hold onto tomorrow. Nobody knows what will happen next, so the most important thing is for us to live today fully. Everyday we live by the Grace of God, so we should also live for God; He wants us to manage the earth and to disciple the nation, therefore, we should be diligent in managing what we have in our hands and sharing the Word of God with those who are willing to listen to us.
Marriage is to commit to each other and to bear fruits together.
V13-18 Wisdom is the Only Way Out
V13-15 ‘This wisdom I have also seen under the sun, and it seemed great to me: There was a little city with few men in it; and a great king came against it, besieged it, and built great snares around it. Now there was found in it a poor wise man, and he by his wisdom delivered the city. Yet no one remembered that same poor man.’
传道书 9 – 一切都在神的手里
2022年2月15日 星期二
潘锡安牧师
传道书第1到8章告诉我们一个奥秘，就是我们在世上的谋算都是虚空，一切都在乎神。我们要如何站立得稳呢？
一、v.1-6 指望不在地上
V1 “这一切事”指的就是在第8章讲的事 – 一个福乐的生命需要我们向上管理（承载从上而来的水流）、自我管理（不让自己阻挡水流的传递）、并专心寻求神。“义人”指地上做官的，“智慧人”是在地上很有智慧的人，他们“都在神手中”。无论是“爱”是“恨”，都在一个循环、祸患里面。
V3 “祸患”就是分辨善恶树里的“恶”。我们人一生追求的是分辨善恶，所以我们的遭遇是一样的，最后都在灭亡里面。在这样一个循环里，“世人的心充满了恶”。我们的心如何？是否在专心寻求神，还是分辨对错？耶稣基督教训我们，我们要回转像小孩一样， 才能在听到神的指示后不会怀疑、质问神，而是单纯信靠。耶稣与门徒们、以利亚与以利沙所过的就是师傅带着徒弟的生活，这是当时以色列人美好的师徒关系。但后来希腊文化兴起，大家开始有很多批判的思维，不再愿意相信自己师傅说的话。这个世上有很多不同的教导，我们不是要用分辨善恶的心去决定自己听哪一个人的话，神既然将我们放在我们的权柄之下，我们就要像孩子一样单纯跟随他们，而不是整天只想辩论。面对权柄，我们要有“向上管理”的智慧，这智慧是建立在我们对神的信任之上。我们若对我们的信仰没有信心，我们就会像多马一样怀疑主的复活，但耶稣说，没有看见就相信所听之道的人是更有福的。
V4-6 当我们活在分辨善恶树下，最后不过像那“死了的狮子”一样走进灭亡；但我们若是单纯相信，就能活在生命树下。我们的教会有神的话，也有圣灵指示我们该如何领受神的话，我们就能将所教导我们的真理活在生命中。当彼得听到主耶稣让他从船这边走到主那边时，彼得就能行在水面上；但当彼得心中起疑，往下看时，他就掉进水里。我们是否在晨祷中听到牧师分享后，心里质问“真的吗”？本来神要借着他的话给我们生命，我们却因为自己的不信落入水中。我们若把指望放在地上，在神的国度里 “就永不再有份了”。
二、v.7-12 要走在神的路上
V7 神让我们吃饭，我们就要欢欢喜喜去吃，不要抱怨神所给的不好。神喜悦我们单纯、谦卑顺服的心。要放下一切自己觉得重要的东西来单纯跟从神所赐给我们的拉比（师傅），是不容易的。当我们质疑我们的拉比时，我们就陷入了重辩论的希腊文化，而不是神所拣选的以色列人的拉比文化。我们是否愿意学习、进入耶稣基督的文化？希腊的辩论文化不是神子民的文化，我们不要带着世界的文化进入神的国，因为那些最后都是虚空。我们只要单纯活在生命树下。
V8 我们不要被世界的文化沾染，要时常圣洁。就算是地上的法律也是不公不义的，因为都是人所定的。魔鬼撒旦很精明，它没有立刻把原本根据圣经而定的法律完全废去，而是一点一滴慢慢修改，直到最后，地上的法律开始支持违反圣经的错误思想（比如同性恋和堕胎合法化）。唯有神的话才是完全公平、公义的，不可被更改。所以，我们不要去跟人辩论，不要让世界的价值观影响我们对神话语的信心。
V9 我们的生命是神所赐的，他将生命气息吹进我们里面，我们是否还活在虚空中？在创世纪第1章讲到，神看为“甚好”的是人能多结果子（“生养”）、且治理大地。“同你所爱的妻快活度日”在原文意思是“你同你的妻子要观察、注意如何过活”，如此，我们才不会空虚。我们要观察我们每一天所过的生活，是否在神所看重的“多结果子”里有份？夫妻之间的关系不是靠着激情或感情，而是多年后生死与共的爱情。“多结果子”是能够活出自己的命定、门训万民，而不是只顾着自己家里的事。
V10 你所劳碌赚到的钱、买下的投资产品，最后都是虚空的，因为明天如何，我们都不知道；今天我们还能平安活着，就是神的恩典。不要把指望放在地上，而是专心在神所给我们的那一份。作为一个神学生，就当安静学道，而不是在上课之外还想着赚钱。神所给我们的妻子是有能力的，丈夫要爱妻子，而不是把妻子当作摇钱树。婚姻是一同委身在生命树的气息下，多结果子。基督徒若是又拜耶和华又拜玛门，我们就是活在虚空中。
三、v.13-18 智慧是唯一出路
V13-16“智慧”就是敬畏耶和华。“小城”面对实力悬殊的“大君王”的攻击，本来是败局已定，但“城中有一个贫穷的智慧人”救了这小城，却无人纪念。这有智慧的人是一个什么都没有但谦卑寻求耶和华的人。我们看重的是人所有的是多是少吗？比如我们会以聚会人数、分堂数量的表象来评论教会兴旺与否。主耶稣当年努力传道3年后，12门徒都逃跑了，复活后还有门徒不相信他。我们是以什么眼光来看主耶稣、我们的教会、我们的牧者？我们是跟着世界上那些举办特会很厉害的大牧师跑，还是愿意静下心来研读、查考圣经？
V17 在晨祷的时候，我们里面想的是什么？是否能安静吸收牧师所分享的信息，还是天马行空联想到其他的东西？
敬畏耶和华是智慧的开端。让我们专心走在神的道路上，成为多结果子的葡萄树，是在神眼里看为“甚好”的人！