“父啊，是的，因为你的美意本是如此。”（马太福音 11:26）
在本章中，我们将简要地考虑一下我们在前面几页中思考过的伟大真理在实际中的应用。在第十二章中，我们将更详细地讨论这一教义的价值，但在这里，我们将局限于定义我们对上帝主权的态度。
上帝圣言中向我们揭示的每一个真理不仅是为了让我们了解，也是为了启发我们。圣经赐给我们不是为了满足无聊的好奇心，而是为了启迪读者的灵魂。上帝的主权不仅仅是一个抽象的原则，它解释了神圣统治的原理：它被设计为一种敬畏上帝的动机，它被揭示出来是为了促进正义的生活，它被揭示出来是为了让我们叛逆的心屈服。真正认识到上帝的主权，会让人谦卑，这是其他任何事情都无法做到的，它会使人谦卑地顺服在上帝面前，使我们放弃自己的任性，使我们对神圣意志的感知和执行感到高兴。
当我们谈到上帝的主权时，我们的意思远不止行使上帝的统治权力，尽管当然，这也包含在这个表达中。正如我们在前面一章中所说，上帝的主权意味着上帝的神性。这本书的书名在其最完整和最深刻的含义中，象征着一个人的性格和存在，他的意愿被执行，他的意志被执行。因此，真正认识到上帝的主权就是凝视君主本人。这就是来到威严的“高高在上的威严”面前。这就是看到三一圣洁的上帝在他卓越的荣耀中。圣经中描述了不同人看见上帝之后的经历，我们可以从中了解这种景象的影响。
请注意约伯的经历——上帝亲自说过：“地上再没有人像他完全正直，敬畏上帝，远离恶事”（约伯记 1:8）。在以他的名字命名的这本书的结尾，我们看到约伯在上帝面前，当他与耶和华面对面时，他是如何表现自己的？听听他说的话：“我从前风闻有祢，现在亲眼看见祢。因此我厌恶自己，在尘土和炉灰中懊悔”（约伯记 42:5, 6）。因此，看到上帝，看到上帝以令人敬畏的威严显现，约伯厌恶自己，不仅如此，还在全能者面前自卑。
请留意以赛亚。在他的预言第六章中，我们看到了一个即使在圣经中也很少有人能与之媲美的场景。先知看到主坐在宝座上，一个“高高在上”的宝座。宝座上方站着撒拉弗，脸上蒙着面纱，高呼：“圣哉！圣哉！圣哉！万军之耶和华。”这一幕对先知有什么影响？我们读到：“那时我说：祸哉！我灭亡了；因为我是嘴唇不洁的人……又因我眼见大君王万军之耶和华”（以赛亚书 6:5）。看到神圣的君王，以赛亚就谦卑到尘土中，使他意识到自己的微不足道。
再看一看先知但以理。在他生命的尽头，这位神人看到了主显灵。他以人的形象出现在他的仆人面前，身穿细麻衣，腰束精金带，象征着神圣和神的荣耀。我们读到：“他的身体如同水苍玉，面貌如同闪电，眼目如同火把，手和脚如同光明的铜，说话的声音如同大众的声音。”但以理接着讲述了这一异象对他和与他在一起的人的影响：“只有我但以理一人看见了这异象，同在的人没有看见这异象，他们却大受战兢，逃跑藏匿。只剩下我一人，看见了这大异象，就浑身无力，面貌变为败坏，毫无力气。我却听见他说话的声音；我一听见他说话的声音，就面伏于地沉睡了。”（但以理书 10:6-9）那么，我们再一次看到，看见至高无上的上帝会使受造物的力量枯萎，导致人类在造物主面前卑微到尘埃中。那么，我们对至高无上的君主的态度应该是什么呢？我们的回答是：
1.敬畏上帝。
为什么今天的群众如此完全不关心精神和永恒的事情，他们爱享乐胜过爱上帝？为什么即使在战场上，群众也对自己灵魂的福祉如此漠不关心？为什么对天堂的蔑视变得更加公开、更加明目张胆、更加大胆？答案是，因为“他们眼中不怕上帝”（罗马书 3:18）。再者，为什么最近圣经的权威被如此可悲地降低了？为什么甚至在那些自称是主子民的人当中，也很少有人真正顺服主的话语，而主的训诫却被如此轻视和轻易地抛弃呢？啊！今天需要强调的是，神是一位值得敬畏的神。
“敬畏耶和华是知识的开端”（箴言 1:7）。那些被上帝的威严所震撼、看到上帝可怕的伟大、不可言喻的圣洁、完美的正义、不可抗拒的力量和至高无上的恩典的人是有福的。有人会说：“但只有未得救的人，那些在基督之外的人，才需要敬畏上帝”吗？那么充分的答案是，得救的人，那些在基督里的人，被告诫要“恐惧战兢”地做成自己的救赎。曾经，人们普遍习惯称信徒为“敬畏上帝的人”——这种称呼几乎已经消失，这只能说明我们偏离了方向。尽管如此，这句话仍然站得住脚：“父亲怎样怜恤他的儿女，耶和华也怎样怜恤敬畏他的人”（诗篇 103:13）！
当然，当我们说到敬畏上帝时，我们指的不是奴性的敬畏，就像异教徒对他们的神灵普遍存在的那种。不，我们指的是耶和华承诺要赐福的精神，先知所说的“我（主）要看顾这人，就是虚心痛悔、因我话而战兢的人”（以赛亚书 66:2）所指的精神。使徒写到“要尊敬众人。爱弟兄。敬畏上帝。尊敬君王”（彼得前书 2:17）时，他所指的就是这个。没有什么比承认上帝的主权更能培养这种敬畏上帝的态度了。
我们对上帝主权的态度应该是什么？我们再次回答，
2. 绝对的服从。
看到上帝会让我们意识到我们的渺小和无足轻重，并产生一种依赖感，将自己交给上帝。或者，再说一遍；对神圣威严的认识促进了敬畏上帝的精神，而敬畏上帝又会促使人顺服上帝。这就是我们内心的邪恶的神圣解药。自然，人充满了自我重要性、伟大和自给自足感；总之，充满了骄傲和叛逆。但是，正如我们所说，最好的纠正方法是仰望全能的上帝，因为只有这样才能真正使人谦卑。人要么为自己而荣耀，要么为上帝而荣耀。人要么为服务和取悦自己而活，要么为服务和取悦上帝而活。没有人可以侍奉两个主人。
不敬导致不服从。埃及傲慢的君王说：“耶和华是谁，使我听他的话，容以色列人去呢？我不认识耶和华，也不容以色列人去。”（出埃及记 5:2）对法老来说，希伯来人的神只是一个神，是众多神中的一个，是一个无能为力的神，不需要害怕或侍奉。他犯了多么可悲的错误，他很快就发现了自己的错误，为此付出了多么惨痛的代价；但我们在这里要强调的是，法老的反抗精神是不敬的产物，而这种不敬是他对神圣存在的威严和权威的无知的结果。
现在，如果不敬导致不服从，那么真正的敬畏将产生和促进服从。认识到圣经是至高者的启示，向我们传达他的思想并为我们定义他的意志，是走向实际敬虔的第一步。认识到圣经是上帝的话语，其训诫是全能者的训诫，我们将明白轻视和忽视它们是多么可怕的事情。接受圣经是造物主亲自赐予我们的，是写给我们自己灵魂的，这将使我们与诗篇作者一起呼喊：“求祢使我的心归向祢的法度……求祢使我的脚步稳当”（诗篇 119:36, 133）。一旦领悟了圣经作者的主权，就不再是从圣经的训诫和律例中挑选和挑选那些符合我们认可的；而是会看到，只有无条件和全心全意的服从才是受造之物应有的。
我们对上帝主权的态度应该是什么？
3. 完全顺从。
真正承认上帝的主权将排除一切抱怨。这是不言而喻的，但这个想法值得深思。抱怨苦难和损失是自然的。当我们被剥夺了那些我们一心想要的东西时，抱怨也是自然的。我们倾向于无条件地将我们的财产视为我们的。我们觉得，当我们以审慎和勤奋的态度执行我们的计划时，我们就有资格获得成功；当我们通过辛勤工作积累了“能力”时，我们就应该保留和享受它；当我们被一个幸福的家庭包围时，没有任何力量可以合法地进入魔力圈并击倒我们所爱的人；如果在任何这些情况下，失望、破产、死亡真的来临，人类心灵变态的本能就是向上帝呼喊。但是，对于那些因恩典而承认上帝主权的人来说，这种抱怨就会消失，相反，他们会屈服于上帝的意志，承认他并没有给我们带来应得的痛苦。
真正承认上帝的主权，就会承认上帝完全有权随心所欲地对待我们。顺从全能者旨意的人，就会承认上帝绝对有权随心所欲地对待我们。如果他选择降下贫穷、疾病、家庭丧亲之痛，即使我们的心每个毛孔都在流血，他也会说，全地的审判者难道不会做正确的事吗！信徒经常会挣扎，因为肉欲的思想会一直留在信徒的尘世旅程的尽头。但是，尽管他的内心可能会有冲突，但对于真正屈服于这一神圣真理的人来说，很快就会听到那个声音说，就像古时对狂躁的革尼撒勒说的那样，“平安归于平静”；内心的狂风暴雨会平静下来，被征服的灵魂会抬起泪眼，但充满信心地看着天堂，说：“愿你的旨意得以实现。”
以色列大祭司以利的历史提供了一个灵魂顺服上帝主权意志的惊人例证。在《撒母耳记上》第 3 章中，我们了解到上帝如何向年幼的撒母耳透露，他将要杀死以利的两个儿子，因为他们作恶，第二天撒母耳将这个消息传达给了这位年迈的祭司。很难想象有比这更令人震惊的消息让一位虔诚的父母感到震惊。在任何情况下，宣布他的孩子将要被突然击倒，对任何父亲来说都是一个巨大的考验，但得知他的两个儿子——正值壮年，完全没有做好死亡的准备——将被上帝的审判所斩杀，这一定是令人难以承受的。然而，当以利从撒母耳那里得知这个悲惨的消息时，他有什么反应呢？当他听到这个可怕的消息时，他作了什么回答？ “他说，这是出于耶和华，愿他凭自己的意旨行事。”（撒母耳记上 3:18）他没有再说一句话。多么奇妙的顺服！多么崇高的顺从！多么美妙的例证，神恩典的力量可以控制人类内心最强烈的情感，征服反叛的意志，使它毫无怨言地顺从耶和华的主权。
另一个同样引人注目的例子是约伯的生活。众所周知，约伯是一个敬畏上帝、远离邪恶的人。如果说有谁可以合理地期望上帝的旨意会眷顾他——我们以人的角度来说——那就是约伯。然而，他的情况如何呢？有一段时间，他的生活很幸福。上帝赐给他七个儿子和三个女儿，让他财源广进。他使他在世俗事务中兴旺发达，直到拥有了巨大的财富。但突然间，生命的太阳被乌云遮住了。一天之内，约伯不仅失去了羊群和牛群，还失去了儿子和女儿。有消息说，他的牛群被强盗抢走了，他的孩子被飓风杀死了。他是如何得到这个消息的？听听他那句崇高的话：“耶和华赐予了，耶和华也夺走了。”他服从耶和华的主权意志。他将自己的苦难追溯到最初的因。他望向偷走他牲畜的示巴人背后，望向毁灭他孩子的狂风背后，看到了上帝之手。但约伯不仅认识到上帝的主权，还为此而欢欣鼓舞。对于“耶和华赐予，耶和华收回”这句话，他补充说：“耶和华的名是应当称颂的”（约伯记 1:21）。我们再说一遍，甜蜜的顺服！崇高的顺从！
真正认识到上帝的主权，会使我们把我们的每一个计划都服从于上帝的旨意。作者清楚地记得二十多年前发生在英国的一件事。维多利亚女王去世了，她长子爱德华的加冕日期定在 1902 年 4 月。在发出的所有公告中，省略了两个小字母，DV-Deo Volente：上帝保佑。计划已经制定，所有安排都已完成，英国有史以来最盛大的庆祝活动已经举行。世界各地的国王和皇帝都收到了参加皇家典礼的邀请。王子的公告被印刷出来并张贴出来，但据作者所知，其中没有一个上面有 DV 字样。一个最宏伟的计划已经安排好了，已故女王的长子将在某一天的某个时间在威斯敏斯特大教堂加冕为爱德华七世。然后上帝介入了，所有人的计划都受挫了。一个微小的声音说：“你没有考虑到我”，爱德华王子患上了阑尾炎，他的加冕典礼被推迟了几个月！
正如前文所述，真正认识到上帝的主权，会使我们将自己的计划置于上帝的旨意之下。它使我们认识到，神圣的陶工对粘土拥有绝对的权力，并根据他自己的帝王之意塑造粘土。它使我们注意到这个警告——可惜，现在它被普遍忽视了——“你们说：今天明天我们要往某城里去，在那里住一年，做买卖得利。其实明天如何，你们不知道。你们的生命是什么呢？原来是一片云雾，出现少时就不见了。你们只当说：主若愿意，我们就可以活着，也可以做这事，或做那事。”（雅各书 4:13-15）是的，我们必须服从主的旨意。他有权决定我将住在哪里，无论是在美国还是非洲。祂决定我将在何种境况下生活，是富裕还是贫穷，是健康还是疾病。祂决定我将活多久，是像田野里的花朵一样在年轻时枯萎，还是能活到七十岁。真正学会这一课，就是靠着恩典在神的学校里达到高水平，即使我们认为我们已经学会了，我们还是一次又一次地发现我们必须重新学习。我们
对神的主权应该抱有怎样的态度？
4. 深深的感恩和喜悦。
对神主权这一最神圣的真理的理解产生了与对不可避免的事情阴郁地屈服截然不同的东西。这个正在消亡的世界的哲学只知道“把坏事做到最好”。但对于基督徒来说，情况应该大不相同。承认上帝的至高无上不仅会让我们内心产生敬畏之心、绝对的服从和完全的顺从，还会让我们与诗篇作者一起说：“我的心哪，你要称颂耶和华！凡在我里面的，也要称颂他的圣名。”使徒不是说过：“凡事要奉我们主耶稣基督的名常常感谢父神”（弗 5:20）吗？啊！正是在这一点上，我们的灵魂状态经常受到考验。唉，我们每个人都有太多的任性。当事情按我们的意愿发展时，我们似乎非常感激上帝；但当事情与我们的计划和愿望相反时，我们又该如何呢？
我们理所当然地认为，真正的基督徒坐火车旅行时，到达目的地后，他会虔诚地感谢上帝——当然，这意味着上帝掌控一切；否则，我们应该感谢火车司机、司炉、信号员等。或者，如果在生意兴隆的一周结束时，我们会向赐予一切美好（世俗）和完美（精神）礼物的上帝表示感谢——这又表明，他将所有的顾客引向你的商店。到目前为止，一切都很好。这些例子并不难理解。但想象一下相反的情况。假设我的火车晚点了几个小时，我会烦躁和愤怒吗？假设另一列火车撞上它，我受伤了！或者，假设我这一周生意不好，或者闪电击中我的商店并使其起火，或者窃贼闯入并抢劫，那么：我在这些事情中看到了上帝的手吗？
再以约伯为例。当他一次又一次地遭受损失时，他做了什么？哀叹他的“坏运气”？诅咒强盗？抱怨上帝？不；他跪在上帝面前敬拜。啊！亲爱的读者，除非你学会在一切事物中看到上帝的手，否则你可怜的心就不会得到真正的安息。但要做到这一点，必须不断锻炼信心。什么是信心？盲目的轻信？宿命论的默许？不，远非如此。信心是依靠永生上帝可靠的话语，因此说：“我们知道万事都互相效力，叫爱上帝的人得益处，就是按他旨意被召的人”（罗马书 8:28）；因此信心会“凡事常常感谢”。有效的信心会“靠主常常喜乐”（腓立比书 4:4）。
现在我们来看一下，这种对上帝主权的认识是如何通过敬畏上帝、绝对服从、完全顺从以及深切的感恩和喜悦来表达的，而主耶稣基督就是这种认识的极致和完美典范。
在所有事情上，主耶稣都为我们留下了榜样，让我们跟随祂的脚步。但是，这与上面提到的第一点有关吗？“敬畏上帝”这个词是否与祂无与伦比的名字联系在一起？记住“敬畏上帝”不是一种奴性的恐惧，而是一种孝顺和敬畏，也记住“敬畏耶和华是智慧的开端”，如果在与智慧化身的那位联系时，根本没有提到“敬畏上帝”，那岂不是很奇怪吗？希伯来书 5:7 是多么美妙和宝贵的话语 - “他在肉体的时候，既大声哀哭，流泪祷告恳求那能救他免死的主，就因他的敬畏蒙了应允”（RV）。除了“敬畏上帝”，还有什么使主耶稣在童年时代“顺服”马利亚和约瑟？当我们读到“耶稣来到拿撒勒，就是他长大的地方，在安息日，照他平常的规矩进了会堂”（路加福音 4:16）时，我们看到的是不是“敬畏上帝”——对上帝的孝顺和崇敬？当化身为人的圣子被撒旦引诱跪下敬拜他时，他不是因为“敬畏上帝”而说：“经上记着说：‘当拜主你的上帝，单要侍奉他’”？不是因为“敬畏上帝”而促使他对得了洁净的麻风病人说：“你去把身体给祭司察看，献上摩西所吩咐的礼物”（马太福音 8:4）？但为什么要多举例子呢？
主耶稣对父上帝的顺服是多么完美啊！在思考这个问题时，我们不要忘记那奇妙的恩典，正是这恩典使他本是神的样式，屈尊降卑，取了仆人的样式，从而被带到了顺服的境地。作为完美的仆人，他完全顺服他的父。我们可以从他“存心顺服，以至于死，甚至死在十字架上”这句话中了解到他的顺服是多么绝对和完全。请注意 旧约预言
也宣称“主的灵”应该“住在他身上，就是使他有智慧和聪明的灵，谋略和能力的灵，知识和敬畏耶和华的灵”（以赛亚书 11:2）。
从他自己的言语中可以清楚地看出，这是一种有意识的、明智的服从：“我父爱我，因我将命舍去，好再取回来。没有人夺我的命去，是我自己舍的。我有权柄舍了，也有权柄取回来。这是我从我父所受的命令。”（约翰福音 10：17，18）
那么，我们该如何评价圣子对父的旨意的绝对顺从呢？他们之间是完全一致的。他说：“因为我从天上降下来，不是要行自己的旨意，而是要行那差我来者的旨意”（约翰福音 6:38），所有认真追随圣经中标记的他的道路的人都知道他是如何充分证实这一说法的。看他在客西马尼！父手中拿着的苦杯呈现在他眼前。注意他的态度。向他学习，他内心温柔谦卑。记住，在伊甸园里，我们看到道成了肉身，一个完美的人。他的身体在颤抖，因为他想到了等待他的肉体痛苦；他神圣而敏感的天性在畏缩，逃避将要降临在他身上的可怕侮辱；他的心因眼前可怕的“羞辱”而破碎；当他预见到与黑暗势力的可怕冲突时，他的精神非常不安；最重要的是，他的灵魂因想到与上帝分离而充满恐惧——因此，他向天父倾诉他的灵魂，大声哭泣，泪流满面，仿佛流下了大滴的血。现在观察并倾听。让你的心平静下来，倾听从他神圣的嘴唇中说出的话——“父啊，你若愿意，就把这杯撤去；然而，不要成就我的意思，只要成就你的意思”（路加福音 22:42）。这是顺服的化身。这是对至高无上的上帝旨意的顺从，这是最卓越的典范。他给我们留下了一个榜样，让我们跟随他的脚步。他是上帝，成为人，在各方面都像我们一样受到诱惑，除了罪之外，向我们展示了如何承受我们的生物本性！
上面我们问到，我们该如何评价基督对父的旨意的绝对顺服呢？我们进一步回答说，祂在这里，就像在任何地方一样，都是独一无二的，无与伦比的。在一切事上，祂都居于首位。在主耶稣身上，没有需要打破的叛逆意志。在祂的心里，没有需要征服的东西。这难道不是祂在预言中说“我是虫，不是人”（诗篇 22:6）的原因吗？虫子没有抵抗的力量！因为在祂里面没有抵抗，祂才能说“我的食物就是遵行差我来者的旨意”（约翰福音 4:34）。是的，因为祂在一切事上都与父完全一致，祂才说“神啊，我乐意照祢的旨意行，祢的律法在我心里”（诗篇 40:8）。注意这里的最后一句，就能看到祂无与伦比的卓越。上帝必须将他的律法放入我们的脑海，并写在我们的心上（见希伯来书 8:10），但他的律法已经在基督的心中了！
马太福音 11 章中有一个多么美丽和引人注目的例子，描述了基督的感恩和喜悦。首先，我们看到他的先驱者信心的失败（第 22、23 节）。其次，我们看到人们的不满：既不满足于基督的喜乐信息，也不满足于约翰的庄严信息（第 16-20 节）。第三，我们看到那些受宠的城市不悔改，我们的主在那里完成了最伟大的工作（第 21-24 节）。然后我们读到：“那时，耶稣说，父啊，天地的主，我感谢你！因为你将这些事向聪明通达人就藏起来，向婴孩就显出来”（第 25 节）！请注意路加福音 10:21 中的平行经文开头说：“那时，耶稣心里欢喜，说，我感谢你”，等等。啊！这是最纯粹的顺服。这个世界是由他创造的，然而，在他受辱的日子里，在他被拒绝的时候，他却满怀感激和喜悦地顺从“天地之主”的旨意。
我们对上帝的主权应该抱有什么样的态度呢？最后，
5. 崇拜。
有人说得好，“真正的崇拜是建立在公认的伟大之上的，伟大在主权中表现得最为突出，人们不会在其他任何脚凳上真正崇拜”（JB Moody）。在神圣的君王宝座前，甚至六翼天使也要“遮住脸”。
神圣的主权不是暴君的主权，而是无限智慧和善良的人行使的乐趣！因为上帝无限智慧，所以他不会犯错，因为他无限正义，所以他不会做错事。这就是这个真理的珍贵之处。上帝的旨意是不可抗拒和不可逆转的，这一事实本身就让我心生恐惧，但一旦我意识到上帝只愿意做善事，我的心便会欢喜。
这就是本章问题的最终答案，即我们对上帝的主权应持何种态度？我们应该采取的正确态度是敬畏上帝、绝对服从、毫无保留的顺从和服从。但不仅如此：承认上帝的主权，认识到主权者本人是我的父亲，应该淹没我的心，让我在崇拜中跪拜他。我必须时刻说：“是的，父亲，因为在你眼中这是好的。”我们以一个例子来结束，它很好地说明了我们的意思。
大约两百年前，圣洁的库永夫人在地牢里度过了十年，地牢位于地下深处，只有吃饭时才用蜡烛照明，她写下了这些话：
“我是一只小鸟，
与天空隔绝，
然而我坐在牢笼中，歌唱
那位将我囚禁于此的他，
我乐意做囚徒，
因为，我的上帝，这令您喜悦。
我无事可做
，整天歌唱；
我最爱取悦的人，
听我的歌；
他抓住并绑住了我飘忽的翅膀
，但他仍俯身听我歌唱。
牢笼将我禁锢，
我无法在外飞翔，
但尽管我的翅膀被牢牢绑住，
我的心却自由，
牢笼的墙壁无法控制
飞翔，灵魂的自由。
啊！翱翔在天际真好，
这些门闩和栅栏上方，
向着我崇拜其旨意、
热爱其天意的他飞去；
并在您强大的意志中寻找
快乐，寻找心灵的自由。”
google translate from: https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid=24849
"Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in Thy sight" (Matt. 11:26).
In the present chapter we shall consider, somewhat briefly, the practical application to ourselves of the great truth which we have pondered in its various ramifications in earlier pages. In chapter twelve we shall deal more in detail with the value of this doctrine but here we would confine ourselves to a definition of what ought to be our attitude toward the Sovereignty of God.
Every truth that is revealed to us in God's Word is there not only for our information but also for our inspiration. The Bible has been given to us not to gratify an idle curiosity but to edify the souls of its readers. The Sovereignty of God is something more than an abstract principle which explains the rationale of the Divine government: it is designed as a motive for godly fear, it is made known to us for the promotion of righteous living, it is revealed in order to bring into subjection our rebellious hearts. A true recognition of God's Sovereignty humbles as nothing else does or can humble, and brings the heart into lowly submission before God, causing us to relinquish our own self-will and making us delight in the perception and performance of the Divine will.
When we speak of the Sovereignty of God we mean very much more than the exercise of God's governmental power, though, of course, that is included in the expression. As we have remarked in an earlier chapter, the Sovereignty of God means the Godhood of God. In its fullest and deepest meaning the title of this book signifies the Character and Being of the One whose pleasure is performed and whose will is executed. To truly recognize the Sovereignty of God is, therefore, to gaze upon the Sovereign Himself. It is to come into the presence of the august "Majesty on high." It is to have a sight of the thrice holy God in His excellent glory. The effects of such a sight may be learned from those Scriptures which describe the experience of different ones who obtained a view of the Lord God.
Mark the experience of Job-the one of whom the Lord Himself said "There is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil" (Job 1:8). At the close of the book which bears his name we are shown Job in the Divine presence, and how does he carry himself when brought face to face with Jehovah? Hear what he says: "I have heard of Thee by the hearing of the ear; but now mine eye seeth Thee: Wherefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes" (Job 42:5, 6). Thus, a sight of God, God revealed in awesome majesty, caused Job to abhor himself, and not only so, but to abase himself before the Almighty.
Take note of Isaiah. In the sixth chapter of his prophecy a scene is brought before us which has few equals even in Scripture. The prophet beholds the Lord upon the Throne, a Throne "high and lifted up." Above this Throne stood the seraphims with veiled faces, crying, "Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts." What is the effect of this sight upon the prophet? We read "Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips:... for mine eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts" (Isa. 6:5). A sight of the Divine King humbled Isaiah into the dust, bringing him, as it did, to a realization of his own nothingness.
One more. Look at the prophet Daniel. Toward the close of his life this man of God beheld the Lord in theophanic manifestation. He appeared to His servant in human form "clothed in linen" and with loins "girded with fine gold," symbolic of holiness and Divine glory. We read that "His body also was like the beryl, and His face as the appearance of lightning, and His eyes as lamps of fire, and His arms and His feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of His words like the voice of a multitude." Daniel then tells the effect this vision had upon him and those who were with him: "And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves. Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned in me into corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet heard I the voice of His words: and when I heard the voice of His words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground" (Dan. 10:6-9). Once more, then, we are shown that to obtain a sight of the Sovereign God is for creature strength to wither up, and results in man being humbled into the dust before his Maker. What then ought to be our attitude toward the Supreme Sovereign? We reply,
1. ONE OF GODLY FEAR.
Why is it that, today, the masses are so utterly unconcerned about spiritual and eternal things, and that they are lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God? Why is it that even on the battlefields multitudes were so indifferent to their soul's welfare? Why is it that defiance of Heaven is becoming more open, more blatant, more daring? The answer is, Because "There is no fear of God before their eyes" (Rom. 3:18). Again; why is it that the authority of the Scriptures has been lowered so sadly of late? Why is it that even among those who profess to be the Lord's people there is so little real subjection to His Word, and that its precepts are so lightly esteemed and so readily set aside? Ah! what needs to be stressed today is that God is a God to be feared.
"The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge" (Prov. 1:7). Happy the soul that has been awed by a view of God's majesty, that has had a vision of God's awful greatness, His ineffable holiness, His perfect righteousness, His irresistible power, His Sovereign grace. Does someone say, "But it is only the unsaved, those outside of Christ, who need to fear God"? Then the sufficient answer is that the saved, those who are in Christ, are admonished to work out their own salvation with "fear and trembling." Time was when it was the general custom to speak of a believer as a "God-fearing man"-that such an appellation has become nearly extinct only serves to show whither we have drifted. Nevertheless, it still stands written "Like as a father pitieth his children, so the LORD pitieth them that fear Him" (Psa. 103:13)!
When we speak of godly fear, of course, we do not mean a servile fear, such as prevails among the heathen in connection with their gods. No; we mean that spirit which Jehovah is pledged to bless, that spirit to which the prophet referred when he said "To this man will I (the Lord) look, even to him that is poor and of a contrite spirit, and trembleth at My Word" (Isa. 66:2). It was this the Apostle had in view when he wrote, "Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the king" (1 Peter 2:17). And nothing will foster this godly fear like a recognition of the Sovereign Majesty of God.
What ought to be our attitude toward the Sovereignty of God? We answer again,
2. ONE OF IMPLICIT OBEDIENCE.
A sight of God leads to a realization of our littleness and nothingness and issues in a sense of dependency and of casting ourselves upon God. Or, again; a view of the Divine Majesty promotes the spirit of godly fear and this, in turn, begets an obedient walk. Here then is the Divine antidote for the native evil of our hearts. Naturally, man is filled with a sense of his own importance, with his greatness and self-sufficiency; in a word, with pride and rebellion. But, as we remarked, the great corrective is to behold the Mighty God, for this alone will really humble him. Man will glory either in himself or in God. Man will live either to serve and please himself, or he will seek to serve and please the Lord. None can serve two masters.
Irreverence begets disobedience. Said the haughty monarch of Egypt "Who is the LORD that I should obey His voice to let Israel go? I know not the LORD; neither will I let Israel go" (Exo. 5:2). To Pharaoh, the God of the Hebrews was merely a god, one among many, a powerless entity who needed not to be feared or served. How sadly mistaken he was, and how bitterly he had to pay for his mistake he soon discovered; but what we are here seeking to emphasize is that Pharaoh's defiant spirit was the fruit of irreverence, and this irreverence was the consequence of his ignorance of the majesty and authority of the Divine Being.
Now if irreverence begets disobedience, true reverence will produce and promote obedience. To realize that the Holy Scriptures are a revelation from the Most High, communicating to us His mind and defining for us His will, is the first step toward practical godliness. To recognize that the Bible is God's Word, and that its precepts are the precepts of the Almighty, will lead us to see what an awful thing it is to despise and ignore them. To receive the Bible as addressed to our own souls, given to us by the Creator Himself, will cause us to cry with the Psalmist, "Incline my heart unto Thy testimonies...Order my steps in Thy Word" (Psa. 119: 36, 133). Once the Sovereignty of the Author of the Word is apprehended it will not longer be a matter of picking and choosing from the precepts and statutes of that Word, selecting those which meet with our approval; but it will be seen that nothing less than an unqualified and whole-hearted submission becomes the creature.
What ought to be our attitude toward the Sovereignty of God?
3. ONE OF ENTIRE RESIGNATION.
A true recognition of God's Sovereignty will exclude all murmuring. This is self-evident, yet the thought deserves to be dwelt upon. It is natural to murmur against afflictions and losses. It is natural to complain when we are deprived of those thing upon which we had set our hearts. We are apt to regard our possessions as ours unconditionally. We feel that when we have prosecuted our plans with prudence and diligence that we are entitled to success; that when by dint of hard work we have accumulated a 'competence' we deserve to keep and enjoy it; that when we are surrounded by a happy family no power may lawfully enter the charmed circle and strike down a loved one; and if in any of these cases disappointment, bankruptcy, death, actually comes, the perverted instinct of the human heart is to cry out against God. But in the one who, by grace, has recognized God's Sovereignty, such murmuring is silenced, and instead, there is a bowing to the Divine will and an acknowledgment that He has not afflicted us as sorely as we deserve.
A true recognition of God's Sovereignty will avow God's perfect right to do with us as He wills. The one who bows to the pleasure of the Almighty will acknowledge His absolute right to do with us as seemeth Him good. If He chooses to send poverty, sickness, domestic bereavements, even while the heart is bleeding at every pore, it will say, Shall not the Judge of all the earth do right! Often there will be a struggle, for the carnal mind remains in the believer to the end of his earthly pilgrimage. But though there may be a conflict within his breast, nevertheless, to the one who has really yielded himself to this blessed truth there will presently be heard that Voice saying, as of old it said to the turbulent Gennesareth, "Peace be still"; and the tempestuous flood within will be quieted and the subdued soul will lift a tearful but confident eye to Heaven and say, "Thy will be done."
A striking illustration of a soul bowing to the Sovereign will of God is furnished by the history of Eli the high priest of Israel. In 1 Samuel 3 we learn how God revealed to the young child Samuel that He was about to slay Eli's two sons for their wickedness, and on the morrow Samuel communicates this message to the aged priest. It is difficult to conceive of more appalling intelligence for the heart of a pious parent. The announcement that his child is going to be stricken down by sudden death is, under any circumstances, a great trial to any father, but to learn that his two sons-in the prime of their manhood, and utterly unprepared to die-were to be cut off by a Divine judgment must have been overwhelming. Yet, what was the effect upon Eli when he learned from Samuel the tragic tidings? What reply did he make when he heard the awful news? "And he said, It is the LORD: let Him do what seemeth Him good" (1 Sam. 3:18). And not another word escaped him. Wonderful submission! Sublime resignation! Lovely exemplification of the power of Divine grace to control the strongest affections of the human heart and subdue the rebellious will, bringing it into unrepining acquiescence to the Sovereign pleasure of Jehovah.
Another example, equally striking, is seen in the life of Job. As is well known, Job was one that feared God and eschewed evil. If ever there was one who might reasonably expect Divine providence to smile upon him-we speak as a man-it was Job. Yet, how fared it with him? For a time the lines fell unto him in pleasant places. The Lord filled his quiver by giving him seven sons and three daughters. He prospered him in his temporal affairs until he owned great possessions. But of a sudden the sun of life was hidden behind dark clouds. In a single day Job lost not only his flocks and herds but his sons and daughters as well. News arrived that his cattle had been carried off by robbers, and his children slain by a cyclone. And how did he receive this intelligence? Hearken to his sublime words: "The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away." He bowed to the Sovereign will of Jehovah. He traced his afflictions back to their First Cause. He looked behind the Sabeans who had stolen his cattle, and beyond the winds that had destroyed his children, and saw the hand of God. But not only did Job recognize God's Sovereignty, he rejoiced in it, too. To the words, "The LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away," he added, "blessed be the name of the LORD" (Job 1:21). Again we say, Sweet submission! Sublime resignation!
A true recognition of God's Sovereignty causes us to hold our every plan in abeyance to God's will. The writer well recalls an incident which occurred in England over twenty years ago. Queen Victoria was dead, and the date for the coronation of her eldest son, Edward, had been set for April 1902. In all the announcements which were sent out, two little letters were omitted, D. V.-Deo Volente: God willing. Plans were made and all arrangements completed for the most imposing celebrations that England had ever witnessed. Kings and emperors from all parts of the earth had received invitations to attend the royal ceremony. The Prince's proclamations were printed and displayed, but, so far as the writer is aware, the letters D. V. were not found on a single one of them. A most imposing program had been arranged, and the late Queen's eldest son was to be crowned Edward the Seventh at Westminster Abbey at a certain hour on a fixed day. And then God intervened and all man's plans were frustrated. A still small voice was heard to say, "You have reckoned without Me," and Prince Edward was stricken down with appendicitis, and his coronation postponed for months!
As remarked, a true recognition of God's Sovereignty causes us to hold our plan in abeyance to God's will. It makes us recognize that the Divine Potter has absolute power over the clay and molds it according to his own imperial pleasure. It causes us to heed that admonition-now, alas! so generally disregarded-"Go to now, ye that say, Today or tomorrow we will go into such a city, and continue there a year, and buy and sell, and get gain: Whereas ye know not what shall be on the morrow. For what is your life? It is even a vapor, that appeareth for a little time, and then vanisheth away. For that ye ought to say, If the Lord will, we shall live, and do this, or that" (James 4:13-15). Yes, it is to the Lord's will we must bow. It is for Him to say where I shall live, whether in America or Africa. It is for Him to determine under what circumstances I shall live, whether amid wealth or poverty, whether in health or sickness. It is for Him to say how long I shall live, whether I shall be cut down in youth like the flower of the field, or whether I shall continue for three score and ten years. To really learn this lesson is, by grace, to attain unto a high form in the school of God, and even when we think we have learned it we discover, again and again, that we have to relearn it.
What ought to be our attitude toward the Sovereignty of God?
4. ONE OF DEEP THANKFULNESS AND JOY.
The heart's apprehension of this most blessed truth of the Sovereignty of God produces something far different than a sullen bowing to the inevitable. The philosophy of this perishing world knows nothing better than to "make the best of a bad job." But with the Christian it should be far otherwise. Not only should the recognition of God's supremacy beget within us godly fear, implicit obedience, and entire resignation, but it should cause us to say with the Psalmist, "Bless the Lord, Omy soul: and all that is within me, bless His holy name." Does not the Apostle say, "Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ" (Eph. 5:20)? Ah! it is at this point the state of our souls is so often put to the test. Alas, there is so much self-will in each of us. When things go as we wish them we appear to be very grateful to God; but what of those occasions when things go contrary to our plans and desires?
We take it for granted when the real Christian takes a train-journey that, upon reaching his destination, he devoutly returns thanks unto God-which, of course, argues that He controls everything; otherwise, we ought to thank the engine-driver, the stoker, the signalmen, etc. Or, if in business, at the close of a good week, gratitude is expressed unto the Giver of every good (temporal) and every perfect (spiritual) gift-which again, argues that He directs all customers to your shop. So far, so good. Such examples occasion no difficulty. But imagine the opposites. Suppose my train was delayed for hours, did I fret and fume; suppose another train ran into it and I am injured! Or, suppose I have had a poor week in business, or that lightning struck my shop and set it on fire, or that burglars broke in and rifled it, then what: do I see the hand of God in these things?
Take the case of Job once more. When loss after loss came his way what did he do? Bemoan his "bad luck"? Curse the robbers? Murmur against God? No; he bowed before Him in worship. Ah! dear reader, there is no real rest for your poor heart until you learn to see the hand of God in everything. But for that, faith must be in constant exercise. And what is faith? A blind credulity? A fatalistic acquiescence? No, far from it. Faith is a resting on the sure Word of the living God, and therefore says "We know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose" (Rom. 8:28); and therefore faith will give thanks "always for all things." Operative faith will "Rejoice in the Lord alway" (Phil. 4:4).
We turn now to mark how this recognition of God's Sovereignty which is expressed in godly fear, implicit obedience, entire resignation, and deep thankfulness and joy was supremely and perfectly exemplified by the Lord Jesus Christ.
In all things the Lord Jesus has left us an example that we should follow His steps. But is this true in connection with the first point made above? Are the words "godly fear" ever linked with His peerless name? Remembering that "godly fear" signifies not a servile terror, but rather a filial subjection and reverence, and remembering too that "the fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom," would it not rather be strange if no mention at all were made of "godly fear" in connection with the One who was wisdom incarnate! What a wonderful and precious word is that of Hebrews 5:7-"Who in the days of His flesh, having offered up prayers and supplications with strong crying and tears unto Him that was able to save Him from death, and having been heard for His godly fear" (R. V.). What was it but "godly fear" which caused the Lord Jesus to be "subject" unto Mary and Joseph in the days of His childhood? Was it "godly fear"-a filial subjection to and reverence for God-that we see displayed when we read "And He came to Nazareth where He had been brought up: and, as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day" (Luke 4:16)? Was it not "godly fear" which caused the incarnate Son to say, when tempted by Satan to fall down and worship him, "It is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and Him only shalt thou serve"? Was it not "godly fear" which moved Him to say to the cleansed leper, "Go thy way, show thyself to the priest, and offer the gift that Moses commanded" (Matt. 8:4)? But why multiply illustrations?
How perfect was the obedience that the Lord Jesus offered to God the Father! And in reflecting upon this let us not lose sight of that wondrous grace which caused Him, who was in the very form of God, to stoop so low as to take upon Him the form of a Servant and thus be brought into the place where obedience was becoming. As the perfect Servant He yielded complete obedience to His Father. How absolute and entire that obedience was we may learn from the words He "became obedient unto death, even the
*Note how Old Testament prophecy also declared that "the Spirit of the Lord" should "rest upon Him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the Lord" (Isa. 11:2).
death of the Cross" (Phil. 2:8). That this was a conscious and intelligent obedience is clear from His own language: "Therefore doth My Father love Me, because I lay down My life, that I might take it again. No man taketh if from Me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received from My Father" (John 10:17, 18).
And what shall we say of the absolute resignation of the Son to the Father's will? what, but, between Them there was entire oneness of accord. Said He, "For I came down from Heaven, not to do Mine own will, but the will of Him that sent Me" (John 6:38), and how fully He substantiated that claim all know who have attentively followed His path as marked out in the Scriptures. Behold Him in Gethsemane! The bitter 'cup,' held in the Father's hand, is presented to His view. Mark well His attitude. Learn of Him who was meek and lowly in heart. Remember that there in the Garden we see the Word become flesh, a perfect Man. His body is quivering at every nerve in contemplation of the physical sufferings which await Him; His holy and sensitive nature is shrinking from the horrible indignities which shall be heaped upon Him; His heart is breaking at the awful "reproach" which is before Him; His spirit is greatly troubled as He foresees the terrible conflict with the Power of Darkness; and above all, and supremely, His soul is filled with horror at the thought of being separated from God Himself-thus and there He pours out His soul to the Father, and with strong crying and tears He sheds, as it were, great drops of blood. And now observe and listen. Still the beating of thy heart and hearken to the words which fall from His blessed lips-"Father, if Thou be willing, remove this cup from Me: nevertheless, not My will, but Thine be done" (Luke 22:42). Here is submission personified. Here is resignation to the pleasure of a Sovereign God superlatively exemplified. And He has left us an example that we should follow His steps. He who was God became man, and was tempted in all points like as we are, sin apart, to show us how to wear our creature nature!
Above we asked, What shall we say of Christ's absolute resignation to the Father's will? We answer further, This, that here, as everywhere, He was unique, peerless. In all things He has the preeminence. In the Lord Jesus there was no rebellious will to be broken. In His heart there was nothing to be subdued. Was not this one reason why, in the language of prophecy, He said, "I am a worm, and no man" (Psa. 22:6)-a worm has no power of resistance! It was because in Him there was no resistance that He could say, "My meat is to do the will of Him that sent Me" (John 4:34). Yea, it was because He was in perfect accord with the Father in all things that He said, "I delight to do Thy will, O God; yea, Thy law is within My heart" (Psa. 40:8). Note the last clause here and behold His matchless excellency. God has to put His laws into our minds, and write them in our hearts (see Heb. 8:10), but His law was already in Christ's heart!
What a beautiful and striking illustration of Christ's thankfulness and joy is found in Matthew 11. There we behold, first, the failure of the faith of His forerunner (vv. 22, 23). Next, we learn of the discontent of the people: satisfied neither with Christ's joyous message, nor with John's solemn one (vv. 16-20). Third, we have the non-repentance of those favoured cities in which our Lord's mightiest works were done (vv. 21-24). And then we read, "At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank Thee, O Father, Lord of Heaven and earth, because Thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes" (v. 25)! Note the parallel passage in Luke 10:21 opens by saying, "In that hour Jesus rejoiced in spirit, and said, I thank Thee," etc. Ah! here was submission in its purest form. Here was One by whom the worlds were made, yet, in the days of His humiliation and in the face of His rejection, thankfully and joyously bowing to the will of the "Lord of Heaven and earth."
What ought to be our attitude toward God's Sovereignty? Finally,
5. ONE OF ADORING WORSHIP.
It has been well said that "true worship is based upon recognized GREATNESS, and greatness is superlatively seen in Sovereignty, and at no other footstool will men really worship" (J. B. Moody). In the presence of the Divine King upon His throne even the seraphims 'veil their faces.'
Divine Sovereignty is not the Sovereignty of a tyrannical Despot, but the exercised pleasure of One who is infinitely wise and good! Because God is infinitely wise He cannot err, and because He is infinitely righteous He will not do wrong. Here then is the preciousness of this truth. The mere fact itself that God's will is irresistible and irreversible fills me with fear, but once I realize that God wills only that which is good my heart is made to rejoice.
Here then is the final answer to the question of this chapter, What ought to be our attitude toward the Sovereignty of God? The becoming attitude for us to take is that of godly fear, implicit obedience, and unreserved resignation and submission. But not only so: the recognition of the Sovereignty of God, and the realization that the Sovereign Himself is my Father, ought to overwhelm the heart and cause me to bow before Him in adoring worship. At all times I must say "Even so, Father, for so it seemeth good in Thy sight." We conclude with an example which well illustrates our meaning.
Some two hundred years ago the saintly Madam Cuyon, after ten years spent in a dungeon lying far below the surface of the ground, lit only by a candle at meal-times, wrote these words:
"A little bird I am,
Shut from the fields of air;
Yet in my cage I sit and sing
To Him who placed me there;
Well pleased a prisoner to be,
Because, my God, it pleases Thee.
Nought have I else to do
I sing the whole day long;
And He whom most I love to please,
Doth listen to my song;
He caught and bound my wandering wing
But still He bends to hear me sing.
My cage confines me round;
Abroad I cannot fly;
But though my wing is closely bound,
My heart's at liberty,
My prison walls cannot control
The flight, the freedom of the soul.
Ah! it is good to soar
These bolts and bar above,
To Him whose purpose I adore,
Whose Providence I love;
And in Thy mighty will to find
The joy, the freedom of the mind."
link: https://www.sermonindex.net/modules/articles/index.php?view=article&aid=24849
No comments:
Post a Comment