GATES LIFTED UP
I just wanted to link on with our brother’s opening prayer, speaking of the Lord going into heaven, and the reception He had, and indeed that He might be received into our hearts. The verses read in this Psalm show what is spontaneous: the gates lift themselves up, the everlasting doors lift themselves up. It is a spontaneous matter; it is not an arduous matter, it is not creaking gates. They are gates that respond immediately, and that was so when the Lord Jesus entered into heaven. Think of Him “mighty in battle”; think of the mighty Victor entering into the courts of heaven—wonderful! Think of the acclamation! It says He was “carried up into heaven” (Luke 24: 51): think of the appreciation of our Lord Jesus Christ as He enters into heaven. Think of the Father saying to Him, “Sit at my right hand, until I put thine enemies as footstool of thy feet”, Ps 110: 1. He is still awaiting that moment, and for two thousand years, the preaching of the glad tidings creates an opportunity for repentant sinners; a wonderful result from the Lord entering in! He says to the overcomer, “as I also have overcome, and have sat down with my Father in his throne”, Rev 3: 21. I am just speaking of the reception which the Lord Jesus had on entering into heaven.
But then He is going to come publicly, and this Psalm would also suggest His entrance into Jerusalem publicly, the acclamation. There will be souls there ready to receive Him. He will be strong, He will remove every obstacle, He will bring in conditions of eternal life on the earth for a thousand years. Think of the acclamation He will receive! Think of the spontaneity; those who are ready, after all the suffering, they will receive the King of glory. The gates will be lifted up, it is something spontaneous; it will not be difficult or a prolonged matter. It will be an immediate matter, the Lord received into Jerusalem in the coming day.
And then, as our brother prayed, we need to have the Lord in our hearts—received into our hearts, into our affections, into our lives now. The gospel would have that in view, that there might be a place for the Lord Jesus Christ in our minds, in our affections, in our practical lives. The King of glory might have His place now, anticipating that public day; how important it is that there should be something in our hearts in response to the presentation of the Lord Jesus, something spontaneous rising. The gates open themselves to let the Lord into our affections.
There is a more testing matter, which is why I read this scripture in Luke 12: “For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be. Let your loins be girded about, and lamps burning; and ye like men who wait their own lord”. Whenever we come together for our meetings – for a meeting of this character – there should be an immediate response to the Lord, in order that He should have His place—especially in our reading meetings, I think. I find this a great test. We are generally well-instructed, we can say right things, and that in itself may be instructive; but it is not what this scripture requires. He would have His own active in expectancy. Of course, we look for the Lord to come for us at the rapture; that is one thing. But this scripture appears to refer not to the eventual coming at the rapture, but the Lord coming to us on occasions like those when we read the Scriptures. It says, “if he come in the second watch, and come in the third watch”, v 38. It is “and”; it means He might come more than once, it seems to me. It would be to govern us when we gather together, to come to any occasion. We are accustomed to the Lord coming in among us at the Supper; but it should be the same outlook at other occasions, and it tests us: “your loins be girded about, and lamps burning”. We are to be on the alert for some indication of His coming into the occasion: “Let your loins be girded about, and lamps burning; and ye like men who wait their own lord”. We are to be that kind of person; “when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately”.
Well, I mention this as it is a test. The more we know and the more we have read, it may be that this is somewhat excluded. The Lord’s touch is so living and so important to our comings together: “when he comes and knocks”. You see, we may be so busy that when He knocks we do not hear: “when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately”. This is the vital thing, that when He knocks, they open to Him immediately.
May the Lord help us in exercise that this may be a more real matter among us, for His own Name’s sake.
EDINBURGH