THE GUEST-CHAMBER
The guest-chamber was the place where the Lord entertained His disciples, where after keeping the feast of the Passover for the last time, He instituted the Supper. It is the Lord’s supper, He is the Host, and we come in as the invited guests. It was a large, upper room, furnished. The disciples would find their way to it by following a man with a pitcher of water. It would illustrate the local assembly, such as the assembly of God at Corinth, or what would spiritually represent it. In the present day it would be impossible to find the local company in any place, on account of the broken and confused state of things. But it is possible to find what spiritually represents it, if there are a few saints in any given place who are walking and assembling together in the truth of the assembly, and in practical holiness.
The room was large, there was room for all, it did not represent a sectarian corner. Those walking in the light of the assembly would in their mind and affections embrace all saints as of the assembly of God, so that the door is open to them if they are prepared to acknowledge Christ as Lord and Head, and to conform to the law of the house.
Then it is an upper room, it is an elevated position above and apart from all that is going on in the world around, a place of happy seclusion where the Lord delights to be with His own. It is furnished, everything is provided for the comfort of the Lord’s guests. How good to know that there is such a spot where the Lord can be found with His own; where He entertains and ministers to them, for His love finds its outlet in serving. It reminds one of what He said to His disciples of the coming day, when He will make His servants sit down and come forth and serve them, Luke 12: 37. He will never cease to serve, because He will never cease to love.
Many a one has found his or her way to this sacred spot by following the man with a pitcher of water, that is, coming into touch with a living ministry which liberates and satisfies the soul, John 7: 37, 38. “If any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water”.
What instruction there is for us in the death of Christ, and what a feast there is provided for us, a feast of love which we shall never exhaust. And He would say to us, “Eat, O friends; drink, yea, drink abundantly, O beloved”, SofS 5: 1. All has been secured by His death, and He would have us enjoy fully the fruits He has secured for us. As we do so, our affections are quickened, and we are drawn after Him. We sit down under His shadow and His fruit is sweet to our taste. It is well pleasing to the Lord to find a company to whom He can come, as those responding to His invitation. He will come and manifest Himself to such, John 14: 18, 28; 20: 19.
What a wonderful place the guest-chamber is, what a privilege to be entertained by the Lord. It is all His own thought and providing. It is the next blessed place to the home He has provided for us in the Father’s house.
From Goodly Words vol 6 (1928)