Project Description

2014/09

The Galleries of the King

The children of God are of royal descent. Their second birth identifies them with a person of royal dignity; one who is the Christ of God and King of Zion. He grants them admittance to His court and sweet counsel attends His presence. As He is the King eternal, what an honour it is to be with Him and to behold Him in the galleries! The word ‘galleries’ is also translated ‘rafters’ (Song 1:17) and is suggestive of dwelling in fellowship with the King in his ‘banqueting house’ (Song 2:4). While the galleries of stately houses are often impressive to the eye, they are not to be compared with the galleries of gospel ordinances where the magnificence of the Lord’s majesty, power and glory are seen. In the galleries of preaching, prayer, scripture reading, meditation, the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper there is opportunity and provision to commune and fellowship with the royal Bridegroom.

It is good to be in these galleries of the King of Zion, but have you been in them with the King? Many seem content to walk in them alone, without hearing from or seeing the Lord Jesus. Meet Him and you will want to ‘hold’ Him and be as the spouse when she found her beloved: “she held him and would not let him go” (Song 3:4). This ‘holding’ of Christ supposes a fear of losing Him. It is true that “his kindness shall never depart from thee, the covenant of his peace shall never be removed” (Isaiah 54:10). Union with Christ is indissoluble and His promise, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5), can never fail. However, His comforting presence may be lost, for the child of light may at times walk in darkness (Isaiah 50:10). It is the loss of this presence that the soul fears and so there should be a concern to hold or ‘bind’ the King in the galleries.

Never forget His inestimable worth and excellency. He is the chiefest, the standard bearer, among ten thousand and altogether lovely (Song 5: 10, 16). His very company inspires courage and gives strength. And at what cost to Him was this privilege purchased for us! He trod alone the wine-press of His Father’s wrath and shed His blood in order to visit us in the galleries of His gospel. Let then the grace of faith be continually exercised and the eye of faith be focused upon Him! Keep the fires of love to Him burning on the altar of your heart. Maintain a tender heart against sin, for “the Lord is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit” (Psalm 34:18). Ever wait on Him and when you do not find Him in the public galleries, retire to the private ones of prayer and meditation. “He is good unto them that wait for Him, to the soul that seeketh Him” (Lamentations 3:25). As His people, we are highly honoured to walk with Him in His galleries and “this honour have all his saints” (Psalm 149:9).

Rev Leslie Curran.