虚空 已有的事,后必再有;已行的事,后必再行,日光之下并无新事。我(所罗门王)见日光之下所做的一切事都是虚空,都是捕风(传道书1:9、14) 平安弟兄姊妹们!传道书的关键词是“虚空”,远离上帝而设法寻求幸福,就只有虚空。在以色列历史上,所罗门王是最明智、最富有的王,当他纯粹以人的角度看待“日光之下”的生命时(传道书1:9),得到的结论是:一切都是虚空。权力、名望、地位、快乐……没有任何事能够填满上帝预留在人心里的空洞,除了上帝自己。然而,一旦从上帝的角度来看生命,生命就被赋予了伟大的意义和目的,这就是为何所罗门会高呼:“吃、喝、喜乐、行善、快活度日、敬畏上帝,并要谨守遵行上帝的命令!”(传道书3:12-14)当我们视每一天的生命为上帝的恩赐时,所有的疑虑和绝望都会消失。 上帝“厚赐给我们享受一切”,但是祂也警告我们,不要“倚靠无定的钱财,要倚靠上帝而活”,并劝诫我们要“行善,在善行上富足,甘心施舍”(提摩太前书6:17-18) Vanity Eccl. 1:9, 14; 9 - That which has been is what will be, That which is done is what will be done, And there is nothing new under the sun. 14 - I (King Solomon) have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and indeed, all is vanity and grasping for the wind. Shalom Brothers n Sisters, The key word in Ecclesiates is "vanity," the emptiness of trying to be happy apart from GOD. King Solomon, the wisest, richest king in Israel's history, looks at life "under the sun" (Eccl. 1:9), and from a purely human perspective he declares it all to be empty. Power, popularity, prestige, pleasure - nothing can fill the GOD-shaped vacuum in man's life but GOD HIMSELF. But once seen from GOD's perspective, however, life takes on great meaning and purpose, causing Solomon to exclaim, "eat . . . drink . . . rejoice . . . do good . . . live joyfully . . . fear GOD . . . and keep HIS commandments!" Skepticism and despair will melt away when we view life as a daily gift from GOD. GOD "give us richly all things to enjoy," but HE warns us not "to trust in uncertain riches but in the living GOD" and urges us to "be rich in good works, ready to give" (1 Tim. 6:17, 18).
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