Bring the King Home
By Roy Loney
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Absalom, the pampered son of David, had raised a rebellion against his father, the king, and David had fled from Jerusalem, the capitol city, to save his life. In the ensuing battle Absalom had been killed and his army demoralized. David was now free to return to his throne, but for some strange reason, no one appeared willing to make the first move to bring the king home. As long as the king was absent from his capital city there could be no stability in the nation, nor orderly administration of the government. The rebellion had disrupted all administra-
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The above incident of history carries a lesson for the people of God today, and we will be wise if we can appropriate to ourselves this lesson. Christ, as the son of David, occupies the throne of Israel according to the divine prediction (Luke 1:32), and as a king he has his proper dwelling place. As in the case of David, the orderly administration of the kingdom depends on the king being in the seat of authority. When Christ ascended to heaven, the Father gave to him this divine decree, "Sit thou on my right hand, until I make thy foes thy footstool." The throne of God is in heaven (Psalms 11:4) and David's Son rules thereon by the authority of the Almighty. The children of God are his subjects and it is important for him to be among them, exercising his benevolent authority in order that the kingdom may prosper and grow. The seat of his authority is truly in heaven, yet he dwells among his people spiritually to encourage, teach and rule them. God dwells not in temples made with hands, for "Ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I will dwell in them and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall be my people" (2 Cor. 6:16). Ephesians 2:20-22 expresses the same thought: "And are built on the foundation of apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief cornerstone; in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth into an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit."
Christ must dwell among his people; he must be in their assemblies if they are to be properly governed, guided and controled. His statement that "where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them" (Matt. 18:20) should ever be remembered for our spiritual good. The citizens of His kingdom will suffer a great spiritual loss unless His dwelling place is with them. But, be it remembered, He will not dwell among them unless they make for Him a proper dwelling place. The dying embers of love among the Ephesians (Rev. 2:4) made a room too frigid to be a comfortable dwelling place for the King of Kings, and He threatened to remove His presence from among them unless the fires of devotion were fanned to life again. Christ will not dwell where the spiritual temperature falls below the freezing point. No congregation of the saints can expect the Lord to be among them unless the fires of love glow with brightness and warmth.
If Christ's spiritual presence is not in their assemblies all such assemblies are utterly useless and their activities are in vain (Luke 6:46). In thousands of cases the professed people of the Lord meet, sing, pray, teach, commune and contribute, all without giving one single thought to the divine Presence supposedly among them. Why are they so cold and formal? Why does so much worldliness dwell in their hearts? Simply because the King is not among them. He has been driven away by their carnality and worldliness, and it is time to bring the King home. I have been in assemblies where members casually and without any sense of shame would smoke their pipes and cigarettes while talking of the affairs of the church. I am very sure they would not do so, if the personal presence of Christ had been there. Is His personal presence more important than His spiritual presence? I wonder if they would openly smoke at a funeral. I am positive they would not, yet the spiral of their tobacco incense hovered over the sacred Table of the Lord and their breath was fetid with the filth of their indulgence! "Now therefore why speak ye not a word of bringing the king back?"
I am bold to confess that I can not get excited about "Going back to Jerusalem"; but I am fervent in my desire to get
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Why are the professed people of the Lord so restless, so unhappy and frequently so disturbed? Simply because the King is not at home. Coldness, formality and gross indifference to spiritual things can exist only when the King is absent from His rightful dwelling place--our hearts. The tempestuous winds and the fearful hearts of the disciples were calmed when Christ was once more among them. "There was a great calm." That will be true of our hearts when Christ dwells therein. "Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you; not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled; neither let it be afraid." "And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."
Having bachelor elders, using instrumental music in our services, and practicing a more liberal fellowship will not solve our present day problems. But putting the King back in the throne room of our hearts, and in our assemblies, His rightful dwelling place, will effect a wonderful change. That is why we must have more of Christ in our teaching, our preaching and thinking. If Christ is really in the hearts of the many who profess to know Him, I am persuaded that they have placed Him in the attic of their hearts, among the cobwebs of indifference, sitting in an antique chair of the forgotten past! We need Christ in the living room of our heart, where we, like Mary, may sit at His feet listening in rapt attention to the gracious words that fall from his lips. Let us all unite to bring the King home so that we may dwell in the security of His presence and luxuriate in the warmth of His love.