Again, we read in our Lord’s parable (Luke 19:11-27), “And he said, therefore, A certain nobleman went into a far country, to receive for himself a kingdom, and to return.” Here, the subject is not the Saviour coming for his people to receive them unto Himself, but the setting up of the kingdom of God in power.
The “nobleman,” represents Christ; “the far country,” heaven; “a kingdom,” the millennium, or Messiah’s reign in righteousness and peace over the whole earth; “and to return,” the Lord’s second appearing. “And unto them that look for him shall he appear the second time without sin unto salvation.” (Heb. 9:28.) His first appearing was in lowly grace, His second appearing shall be in “brightest glory.” (See the two appearings spoken of in Titus 2:11-14.)
When the meek and lowly Jesus presented Himself to the daughter of Zion as her king, she refused Him. She saw no beauty in Him that she should desire Him. He was “despised and rejected of men.” But, without Him, the head, the kingdom could not be set up, and having, by his obedience unto death, accomplished the great work of atonement—the only foundation of future glory—He goes back to His Father; there, in heaven, to be invested with all power, authority, and universal dominion. And then, in the glory of His kingdom, as foretold by Dan. 7:13, 14, He will return to what was once the scene of His humiliation. “And I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him, and there was given unto him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and His kingdom that which shall not be destroyed.” Such will be the heavenly glory of the “Nobleman’s” return. Not, as at first, subjecting Himself, in perfect grace, to the will of man; but, in kingly power, subjecting all things to the will of heaven.
But before leaving this world to go back to heaven, He calls his ten servants, and delivers to them ten pounds. They each receive a pound, and He says to them. “occupy till I come.” They were to trade with the pound during His absence. Every believer, yea, and each one who professes to be a believer, is a steward. He is entrusted with goods, which, during his Lord’s absence, he is to employ in his Lord’s service. But whether we are viewed in the place of privilege, as in John 14:1-3; or in the place of responsibility, as in Luke 19, the coming of the Lord is the great truth set before us, and that by Himself. The longings, desires, and affections of the heart are sweetly mot by the promise, “I WILL COME AGAIN.” Our service acquires a right tone and character, when rendered in obedience to the injunction, “OCCUPY TILL I COME.” The former class of scripture passages, keeps Him before the mind as the hope of the church; which hope nourishes the affections, forms the character, and governs the life. The latter presents Him as the Lord of glory, who shares, on His return, with all His true servants, the glory and dominion of His kingdom. Thus, we are taught, that the expectation of His return, is the main spring, both in patient waiting, and in diligent service. We need to have it always before us. Christ Himself so places it, in these scriptures. It was the “evil servant,” who said, “My Lord delayeth his coming.” Oh! to be governed in everything by the abiding hope of His coming.
“A little while—he’ll come again:
Let us the precious hours redeem.
Our only grief to give him pain,
Our joy to serve and follow him.
Watching and ready may we be,
As those that long then Lord to see.”
The “Nobleman” next refers to the conduct of his citizens —the Jews. He dwelt in Israel—it was His home as the Messiah, and as such, He calls heaven the “far country.” Oh, wondrous grace! But though “He came unto His own, His own received Him not.” “My people,” He has to say, “would not hearken unto my voice, and Israel would none of me.” “I will go and return to my place, till they acknowledge their offense, and seek my face: in their affliction they will seek me early.” (John 1:11. Psalm 81:11. Hos. 5:15.) They not only rejected Him as their king, but when He was gone, they sent an insulting “message after Him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’” The Spirit and nature of this message, come fully out, in the opposition of that perverse nation, to Christ and His gospel, as recorded in the Acts of the Apostles. And Stephen, whom they stoned, may be viewed as the one who carried it up to Jesus. At the same time, it is equally true of all who refuse the ever-blessed Jesus as their Lord and Saviour. But a day of reckoning comes! Solemn day! Awfully solemn day, to the despisers of Jesus, and the neglecters of His “great salvation.”
And it came to pass, that when he was returned, having received the kingdom, then he commanded these servants to be called unto him, to whom he had given the money, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.” The conduct of the several servants is now judged, and the results stated.
The “good and faithful servants” He rewards with a share in the government of the kingdom. They reign with Him, over the millennial earth. “Have thou authority over ten cities.” “And they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.” (Rev. 20:4-6.) The “wicked servant” is judged out of His own mouth. And the openly avowed enemies of the king, are slain before Him. This takes place immediately on our Lord’s return, at the commencement of His reign, and preparatory to it. “When he was returned,” it is said, “having received the kingdom, then he commanded his servants to be called unto Him.” The Lord will not set up His kingdom in the midst of evil and disorder. He must judge everything, and place every one, and everything on their true and proper foundation. Now, at this present time, “All the foundations of the earth are out of course.” (Psalm 82:5.) Then, He will re-place, re-set, re-construct, everything. He will restore all things. Israel, long “scattered and peeled,” will be restored to their own land, and become the head nation of the earth, and all the nations of the Gentiles shall be blessed through them. “The whole creation,” which has been subject to vanity, decay, and death, ever since the fall of man, “shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption, into the glorious liberty of the children of God.” (Rom. 8:18-23.) The curse will be removed from the face of nature, Satan bound in the bottomless pit, and “The Sun of righteousness shall arise with healing in His wings.” (Rev. 20:12. Mal. 4:2.)
The effect of the sin of the “first Adam,” was to bring a curse on the ground, and cover it with barrenness and death. Hence, the thorn and the thistle, the toil and the sweat, the sighs and the groans. On the other hand, the effect of the righteousness of the “second Adam,” will be, when he appears, to remove the curse, and cover the face of the earth with fruitfulness and life-to heal the hurt inflicted through sin, and to fill the hearts of all with joy and gladness. “Then shall the earth yield her increase, and God, even our own God, shall bless us. God shall bless us; and all the ends of the earth shall fear him.” “His name shall endure forever; his name shall be continued as long as the sun, and men shall be blessed in him; all nations shall call him blessed.” (Psalm 72:17)
One song employs all nations; and all cry,
“Worthy the Lamb, for He was slain for us!”
The dwellers in the vales and on the rocks
Shout to each other, and the mountain tops
From distant mountains catch the flying joy,
Till, nation after nation taught the strain,
Earth rolls the rapturous Hosannah round!
Cowper.
But when? oh, when, the heart exclaims, shall these promised, peaceful, happy times arrive? Just when the “Nobleman” returns, “having received the kingdom.” He brings them with him. “The heavens’ we know, must receive Him until these times arrive. “Whom the heavens must receive until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:17-21.) But when they do arrive, our God, according to His promise, “shall send Jesus Christ,” and “ the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord.” “Jesus Christ”— “the presence of the Lord,” is the source from whence they flow. He is the center and power of “the kingdom of God,” in its full, manifested glory.
Thus our hearts are taught, from all these scriptures, to keep looking for the Lord Himself; our expectations are all from Him. Nothing must be allowed to come between the heart and the blessed Master-not even the promised kingdom, with all its glories. That will assuredly come, as the Lord hath said, but He comes first. Our place now, is one of service, responsibility, and patient waiting. “Occupy,” is His own word, “till” when for how long? “till I come.” This includes the entire period, from the time that He left for the far country, until He come again. There is not a word throughout the whole parable about the kingdom being set up during His absence. True, all who believe in Jesus now, and receive him as their Lord and Saviour, are in it, they belong to it, because they belong to Jesus. But now it is by faith, then it will be by sight. “Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son, in whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins.” (Col. 1:13, 14.) This is indeed the true position of every believer in Jesus, at this present time. No language can be more explicit, “Who HATH delivered us,” “and HATH translated us,” “we HAVE redemption,” “the forgiveness of sins.” These are the sure words of God Himself, and blessed be His name, they rest not on any conditions to be performed by us, but on the imperishable basis of the Redeemer’s blood. We have ALL “through His blood.” We are blessed according to God’s own estimate of the value of the blood of “His dear Son.” Consequently, there is no uncertainty whatever, as to the believer’s position in Christ, and in the kingdom now, and nothing can hinder his enjoyment of that blessed position, save the unbelief of his own heart. God’s word is plain, positive and absolute.
But art thou, Ο my reader, a believer in Jesus? —Art thou trusting in Him? —As one lost and ruined under sin, hast thou fled for refuge to Him? —Art thou looking for His return? —Art thou ready to meet Him with a joyous welcome? Or, alas! would He find thee, were He to come now, amongst those, who, in heart, are saying, “We will not have this man to reign over us.” Oh! surely not! Oh! flee now from the ranks of the king’s enemies. They will all be slain at His coming. Submit thyself unto Him. Bow to His scepter of love and grace. He bids thee come. “Whosoever will let him come,” “And him that cometh unto me I will in no wise cast out.” Oh, come! come, now! Why delay? What has He done? What has He said? that thou shouldest refuse to come. He is the fountain of life, the King of Glory. Who would refuse to live and reign with Him? Who would prefer the world to Christ, the regions of despair to the mansions of glory? “Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him.” (Psalm 2:12.)