阅读经文 

在人类历史和文化中，封立一位君王或统治者是一个普遍的观念。然而，一位理想的君王是什么样子的呢？我们应该用什么标准来衡量君王的质素？

在今天的经文中，神藉着摩西说，祂预料以色列民会要求立一个王，就像其他国家有王一样。神便定下在地上立王的规条，祂列出基本的职务条件，和立定衡量君王质素的标准。

留意神也表示地上的君王是可有可无的，立王不是必须的，但祂也不禁止这样做。百姓如果想有一个君王，这人必须是从他们中间出来，他一方面是蒙神拣选，又同时是由百姓委任的。

听到对这位君王的描述，或许有点出人意料之外。他不可有过多的武器、妃嫔或财富，尽管君王的观念是以色列民从四围的国家得来的，他们理想的王权其实却和当时的文化传统相反。其他国家的君王以武器、妃嫔和财富来宣扬和拓展他们的统治权，然而以色列的君王却不应该是这样的。

对我们中间那些宣称基督为君王的人来说，我们看到祂和世上的君王实在有很大的分别。祂的王权是谦卑和平的，因为祂以神的慈爱和良善来统治，祂在世界各地维护公义和真正的公平。

The idea of having a king or ruler is common throughout human history and culture. But what does an ideal king look like? By what standard should a king be measured?

In today's passage, the Lord, through Moses, anticipates that the time will come when Israel will want a king like all the other nations have. So here God gives his law for appointing a human king; he lays out the basic job requirements and gives a standard by which kings will be measured.

Note too that God shows that having a human king is optional. It is neither required nor forbidden. If the people want a king, the king must be someone from among them, both divinely chosen and appointed by the people.

The description of this king may seem surprising. He is not to have too much in the way of weapons, wives, or wealth. Though Israel may get the idea of the king from surrounding nations, the ideal for kingship will actually be countercultural. The kings of other nations used weapons, wives, and wealth to proclaim and advance their reign. But that was not to be the way in Israel.

For those of us who proclaim Christ as King, we note how different he is from worldly kings. His kingship is humble and peaceful because he reigns with God's love and goodness, maintaining righteousness and true justice everywhere.