The Vacant Chair

What does this mean to you? To many it may mean no more than an empty seat, but to others it may bring back fond memories of a loving friendship, a close companion, a lost love. It may mark the end of a career, an era, or of cherished hopes and plans. Indeed, it may symbo­lize a grief so intense that only death it­self can still the aching heart.

A little over a year ago, our country was shocked and saddened by the sud­den assassination of the youngest man ever elected to be president of the Uni­ted States. Governments and organiza­tions throughout the world expressed their regrets at this great tragedy, books were written, and magazine articles and newspaper acconts eulogizing the life and character of the martyred president appeared. Among his memoirs was a portrait of the rocking chair in which he was accustomed to sit when he relaxed from his strenuous duties. Now that chair is a vacant chair, made vacant by the death of one loved by his family and many friends throughout the world. There are numerous vacant chairs in homes throughout our land and other lands. Death is no respecter of persons; he comes alike to the great and small, caus­ing anguish, grief and tears.

Why Vacant?

But vacant chairs are not always cau­sed by death. Sometimes a dear one has left his childhood home for a home of his own, to go to college, or it may be he no longer loves his parents and broth­ers and sisters as he once did. Indeed, we are confronted with vacant chairs in our ecclesia, sometimes because of death, often because the ones who occupied those chairs have lost their first love and seldom come to the meetings any more. Whatever the cause, we must not judge in these matters, for God alone knows the hearts, and is capable of righteous judg­ment.

When we turn to the divine record we read of other vacant chairs in the lives and experiences of those who lived long, long ago, where a vacant chair came into the limelight as a symbol marking the end of a career, an era, or of a life of persecution, sorrow, suffering and hu­miliation. For some time past we have been reading about the life of the patri­arch Job. The Almighty said of him: “Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? . . . ” (Job 2:3). Job had been sitting in a seat of honor, with many children, friends and great possessions, but now, after losing all of these things, he was still holding fast to his integrity and faith in God. Later, however, when his body had been grievously stricken, we see him sit­ting in a chair or reclining on a couch or bed, bemoaning his loss of position, sufferings and humiliation. His so-called friends added to his trouble by endeav­oring to prove to him that his present state was all his fault. In a seemingly vain attempt to understand the reason for his present misery he made an effort to raise his morale by reviewing his past life and experience. He began: ” . . . I delivered the poor that cried, and the fatherless, and him that had none to help him. The blessing of him that was ready to perish came upon me: and I caused the widow’s heart to sing for joy” (Job 29:12,13). He continues in verses 15 and 16: “I was eyes to the blind, and feet was I to the lame. I was a father to the poor: and the cause which I knew not I searched out.” He goes on to say: “The stranger did not lodge in the street: but I opened my doors to the traveler” (Job 31:32).

Job Wondered Why

Job could not understand why, after all the honor that had been given him, and after all his acts of charity and good deeds he should be so bitterly persecuted, and concluded that nobody seemed to care, not even the Almighty. There was nothing left in the broad square of the city but a vacant chair. Job was no longer there. He was the forgotten man, despised and spit upon, the untouchable and an outcast. The vacant chair marked the end of a prosperous, useful and eventful life; now he wanted to die, and pleaded with God to take away his life.

But, like ourselves, Job could not see into the future to what James styles “the end of the Lord.” For after these bitter experiences had proved to the adversary that Job, even though at times doubtful and despairing, was still faithful to God, he was blessed with much more than he had formerly possessed, and his three persecutors were forced o ask him to pray for them. Job was once more seated in the honored chair which he had been forced to vacate and again was surround­ed by many friends. What a powerful les­son this is for us, not to become faint­hearted, short-sighted or make hasty de­cisions, but to trust in the Lord and await patiently for his sometimes delayed bless­ings and rewards.

Where Was David?

Another vacant chair is recorded in the life of the patriarch David. In his younger days before he became king, Da­vid was the principal character as King Saul’s son-in-law. But later we see a va­cant chair at the king’s table. Why was this chair vacant? What did it signify? It was a symbol of fear. David had fled from the presence of the king. Is that why we so often have vacant chairs in our assemblies? No! We know that our God is a merciful God, so we think that He will pardon our laxity and indiffer­ence; but should we impose upon His goodness? Or as the Apostle Paul asks, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound?” His answer is, “God for­bid.” In Romans 11:21,22 he states: “For if God spared not the natural branches, take heed lest he also spare not thee. Be­hold therefore the goodness and severity of God: on them which fell, severity; but toward thee, goodness if thou con­tinue in his goodness: otherwise thou also shalt be cut off.” These words testify to us that we dare not trifle with God’s institutions or make a mockery of His commandments. In Galatians 6:7,8, we read: “Be not deceived; God is not mock­ed: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corrup­tion; but he that soweth to the spirit shall of the spirit reap life everlasting.” Let us ponder deeply upon these words until they become a part of us, and there will not be so many empty chairs at ecclesial meetings.

There is another important vacant chair in that city that Jesus called, “The City of the Great King,” or Jerusalem. It became vacant when God removed the crown from Zedekiah, the last king of Judah, and stated that from that time on the throne would be vacant “until He come whose right it is”—Jesus. The birth of Christ is the theme of the Chris­tian world, especially at the Christmas season when Christendom celebrates this birth with singing, oratory, drama and much glamor. They recite the words of the angel Gabriel as spoken to Mary, the mother of Jesus, when he said: ” . . . Thou shalt . . bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David; And he shall reign over the house of Jacob forever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:31-33). But Christendom does not believe or understand the great mission of Christ, or believe that He will come again and the saints will reign with Him upon this earth. But the Bible states positively that there will be others in that kingdom to reign with Christ. In Psalms 122:2,5, we read: “Our feet shall stand within thy gates, 0 Jerusalem. For there are set (decreed) thrones of judgment, the thrones of the house of David.” Possibly Jesus had these words in mind when He said to His disciples: “Ye are they who have continued with me in my tempta­tions. And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as my Father hath appointed unto me; That ye may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom, and sit on thrones judg­ing the twelve tribes of Israel” (Luke 22:28-30). There are several such state­ments in the Scriptures, but these will suffice for the time being. At any rate, we can be certain that there will be no vacant chairs at Christ’s table in that day.

Will We Occupy One?

But how can we be certain that we will be there to occupy one of those chairs? In the beginning, Christ merely told His disciples to come to Him, but later He impressed upon them the necessity of ABIDING IN HIM. There is a great difference between coming and abiding. Many come to Jesus and remain for a time, but they do not ABIDE in Him to the end. Like Jesus’ disciples, on the night of His betrayal, they become weary in waiting, drowsy, grow listless, heedless, and drift away with the world. Abiding in Christ is not easy, it com­prises a number of requirements. It requires a valiant stand for God’s divine Truth without deviation or compromise, always, no matter what the occasion may be. And it necessitates a continued devout submission to Christ’s commands and re­quests (John 15:14; 1st Thessalonians 5:9). In order to do this, we must dili­gently study God’s Word daily, and attend ALL the ecclesial assemblies unless, for some good reason that is known to God, it is impossible to do so. After all that God has done for us, in giving us His Son to be a propitiation for our sins, and all that Christ has done in dying for us, why should we encourage vacant chairs by our absence from ecclesial meetings?

It is indeed wonderful that Jesus re­vealed His way of eternal salvation in these three simple words. “Abide in me.” There are many Scriptural evidences pointing to the fact that all who DO abide in Christ will be included in that galaxy of glorious and glorified immort­als, whom Jesus will invite to sit down with Him in His kingdom. Let us be certain that we continue to abide in Christ so that one of those chairs will be re­served for us, for, rest assured, whether or not we are there, There Will Be No Vacant Chairs.