提前一17　　但愿尊贵荣耀归与那永世的君王，就是那不能朽坏、不能看见、独一的神，直到永永远远。阿们。

　　赛十六5　　那时必有宝座因慈爱坚立，必有一位凭真实坐在其上，在大卫的帐幕中施行审判，寻求公平，速行公义。

　　在提前一章十七节…的“永世”，实际上就是永远的意思。这辞需要在召会的败落上来领会。保罗在狱中时，召会开始败落，情况非常令人失望。许多人感到沮丧，甚至保罗的一些同工也离开他。但他有坚强的信心同绝对的把握：他所相信、那将荣耀的福音托付给他的神，乃是永世的君王，就是那有绝对权柄直到永远的一位，祂绝不改变。没有一位属地的君王能称为永世的君王。…保罗所事奉的神的确是永世的君王，永远的君王。我们所事奉，并且正分赐到我们里面的，乃是永世的君王（新约总论第一册，六一至六二页）。

　　1 Tim. 1:17 Now to the King of the ages, incorruptible, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

　　Isa. 16:5 Then will a throne be established in lovingkindness, and upon it One will sit in truth in the tent of David, judging and pursuing justice and hastening righteousness.

　　In 1 Timothy 1:17…“ages” actually means eternity. This word needs to be understood in relation to the decline of the church. When Paul was in prison, the churches began to decline, and the situation was very disappointing. Many were discouraged. Even some of Paul’s co-workers left him. But he had a strong faith with an absolute assurance that the very God in whom he believed, the One who had entrusted him with the gospel of glory, is the King of the ages, the One with the absolute authority for eternity, who never changes. No earthly king can be called the King of the ages….The God whom Paul served truly is the King of the ages, the King of eternity. The One whom we serve and who is being dispensed into us is the King of the ages. (The Conclusion of the New Testament, pp. 51-52)

　　按照以赛亚十六章五节，包罗万有的基督乃是在大卫帐幕中掌权的王。我们可能会认为，基督的这一面和我们没有什么关系，因为基督乃是在来世以色列国复兴期间，在大卫帐幕中作王掌权的。但我们必须知道，我们也能在恩典时代，享受基督作在大卫帐幕里的掌权者。

　　我们必须看见，按照希伯来六章五节，恩典时代，就是新约时代，乃是来世的预尝。…因此，我们今日所享受的，乃是在复兴时代里，要来之国度的预尝。

　　因此，我们必须看见，今天基督是我们的王。祂不仅在我们心中掌权，也在大卫的帐幕里掌权。在旧约里，当大卫的帐幕立起，大卫的国度完全建立时，那对以色列人是极大的安慰和喜乐。在来世，当基督在大卫帐幕中掌权时，那对以色列人要成为更大的安慰。基督在大卫的帐幕中掌权，表征安慰、鼓励和复兴。…祂在大卫帐幕中，在我们里面掌权，意思就是，祂带着国度在我们里面掌权。

　　以赛亚十六章五节说，…基督的宝座必因慈爱坚立。慈爱的意思是柔细的情爱。我们都能就近祂的宝座，因为在那里有慈爱。…基督凭真实坐在宝座上，真实在这里的意思是真诚和信实。基督不仅是活泼、慈仁的，也是真诚、信实的；祂是配得的一位。祂是那坐在大卫帐幕中宝座上的，祂是真大卫。祂施行审判，寻求公平。审判乃是调整、改正，以制造和平。基督是整个宇宙中独一的审判官。按照我们天然的人，我们并不按公平对待别人。作丈夫的不按公平对待妻子，作妻子的也不按公平对待丈夫。但基督对每一个人都是完全公平的，并且祂在一切的审判中，寻求公平；祂也是速行公义的那一位。…五节给我们看见，基督有慈爱、真实、信实、公平和公义。今天基督在大卫的帐幕中，在我们里面掌权，带进国度以及慈爱、真实、信实、公平和公义。我们若在祂的管理、掌权之下，我们也会象祂一样，有这些美德。

　　当基督在千年国作王时，甚至最明亮的东西也要“蒙羞”（赛二四23）。但即使在今天，我们也能享受基督在我们里面作王，作为祂在来世作王的预尝（以赛亚书生命读经，三五七至三六○页）。

　　参读：新约总论，第五、三百六十六篇；以赛亚书生命读经，第四十一篇；圣经的十条路线，第十篇。

　　According to Isaiah 16:5, the all-inclusive Christ is the King reigning in the tent of David. We may wonder what this aspect of Christ has to do with us since Christ will reign as a king in the tent of David in the coming age during the restoration of the nation of Israel. We need to realize, however, that we can also enjoy Christ as the reigning One in the tent of David in the age of grace.

　　We have to realize that, according to Hebrews 6:5, the age of grace, the New Testament age, is a foretaste of the coming age….Thus, what we are enjoying today is a foretaste of the coming kingdom in the age of restoration.

　　Thus, today we have to realize that Christ is our King. He reigns not only in our hearts but also in the tent of David. In the Old Testament, when the tent of David was setup, when David’s kingdom was fully established, that was a great consolation and joy to the Israelites. In the coming age, when Christ reigns in the tent of David, that will be a greater consolation to Israel. Christ reigning in the tent of David signifies consolation, encouragement, and restoration…. For Him to reign in us in the tent of David means that He reigns in us with a kingdom.

　　[Isaiah 16:5 says that] Christ’s throne will be established in lovingkindness. Lovingkindness means tender affection. All of us can approach His throne because lovingkindness is there. Christ sits upon His throne in truth. Truth here means truthfulness and faithfulness. Christ is not only loving and kind but also truthful and faithful. He is the worthy One. As the One sitting upon the throne in the tent of David, He is the real David. He judges and pursues justice. To judge is to adjust and correct in order to make peace. Christ is the unique Judge in the whole universe. In our natural being, we do not treat others justly. The husbands do not treat the wives in justice, nor do the wives treat the husbands in justice. But Christ is perfectly just with everyone and pursues justice in all of His judgments. He is also the One hastening righteousness. Isaiah 16:5 shows that with Christ there is lovingkindness, truthfulness, faithfulness, justice, and righteousness. Today Christ reigns in us in the tent of David, bringing in the kingdom with lovingkindness, truthfulness, faithfulness, justice, and righteousness. If we are under His ruling, His reigning, we will be the same as He is in these virtues.

　　When Christ reigns in the millennium, even the brightest things “will be ashamed” [Isa. 24:23]. But even today we can enjoy Christ reigning in us as a foretaste of His reign in the coming age. (Life-study of Isaiah, pp. 283-285)

　　Further Reading: The Conclusion of the New Testament, msgs. 5, 366; Life-study of Isaiah, msg. 41; CWWL, 1959, vol. 3, “Ten Lines in the Bible,” ch. 10