18
THE KING’S BUSINESS “ Behold He Cometh.” By A. J. GORDON, D. D.
/'''JENTURIES have passed since our . great High Priest disappeared be hind the cloud curtain of the heavenly sanctuary; and His Church, like the peo ple of old who waited for Zacharias, has “Marvelled that He tarrieth so long in the temple.” Pondering the sacred promises of His return, which are written for our hope, we find warnings of startling immediate ness, but also mysterious suggestions of possible long delay. In the post-ascension Gospel of Revela tion, the word is constantly sounding out, “Behold, I come quickly”; while in the parables of the kingdom, contained in the closing chapters of the Gospel ac cording to Matthew, we read, “While the bridegroom tarried,” and “After a long time, the Lord of those servants cometh and reckoneth with them." Yet both of these Gospels have the same keynote: “Watch, therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh,” Mat. 25:13; and “Blessed Is he that watcheth and keepeth his garments,” Rev. 16:15. Hence we conclude that these texts are part of a complex system of prophecy wherein incitements to hope and checks to impatience are so perfectly balanced as to keep the Church ever expectant, while restraining her from being ever despondent. T T is sad to think of the number of pro fessing Christians who, in the very face of the Holy Spirit’s solemn warning, habitually forsake the assembling of themselves together. They would prob ably acknowledge the claims of the Lord Jesus upon their love and obedience; they would perhaps admit that He pur chased them with His blood; they might even confess that they are bound by the highest, the most sacred, and the most lasting considerations and obligations to pay Him at least the outward respect of public worship; and yet upon the slight est excuse, or no excuse at all, they ab sent themselves from the stated services of His house.
For nothing can be plainer to the un prejudiced reader of the New Testament than that it is the purpose of the as cended Bridegroom to have His bride constantly, soberly, and busily waiting for His return, until the appointed time of His detention in the heavens shall have expired. Hence, as says Archer Butler, “He has harmonized with consummate skill every part of His revelation to produce this general result; now speaking as if a few seasons more were to herald the new earth, now as if His days were thou sands of years; at one moment whisper ing into the ear of His disciple, at an other retreating into the depth of in finite ages. It is His purpose thus to live in our faith and hope, remote yet near, pledged to no moment, possible at any; worshipped, not with the constern ation of a near, or the indifference of a distant certainty, but with the anxious vigilance that awaits a contingency ever at hand. This, the deep devotion of watchfulness, humility and awe, He who knows us best knows to be the fittest posture of our spirits; therefore does He preserve the salutary suspense that ensures it, and therefore will He deter mine His advent to no definite day in the calendar of eternity.” v They certainly cannot be ignorant of the fact that it is the will of their Mas ter to have them meet socially to honor Him, as well as to hold communion with Him privately. “Where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them,” He says, (Matt, xviii. 20), although there may be only two or three thus gathered. It was to the disciples assembled within closed doors He revealed Himself on the even ing after His resurrection, and Thomas who was absent, missed a great bless ing, (John xx. 19-25). Not separately but together the apostles "all continued with one accord in prayer and supplication, with the women, and Mary the mother
“As the Manner qf Some Is.”
By J. H. BROOKS, D. D. A
Made with FlippingBook - Online magazine maker