He Sitteth at the Right Hand of God
His Majesty
“Tue Lord said unto my Lord, Sit Thou on my right hand, until I have made thy foes the footstool of thy feet.” This is a quotation from an ancient Messianic Psalm. Our Lord said that David said it, being taught by the Holy Spirit; and out of it He made a puzzle, which His wily foes could not answer without making admissions, which would concede His claims.;
“What think you about the Christ? Whose Son is He?” ‘‘ David’s,” they replied. ‘‘ How then,” He asked, “does David call Him Lord? For if he calls Him Lord, how can He be his Son?” (Ps. cx. 1; Matt. xxii. 41). No one could say a word in reply, nor, from that day forth, did any one venture to put a question to Him.
But what dignity is here! The right hand is always the place of dignity and honour. To sit at the right hand of the King is the privilege of the Queen or eldest son, of the Vicegerent or
Favourite: and to be invited to sit at the right hand of Jehovah, this can only belong to “the Man that is His fellow.” To which of the Angels has He ever said, “Sit at My right hand, till I make thy foes a footstool for thy feet?” (Heb. i. 13). They are ministering spirits, sent forth to render service for the benefit of them, who, before long, will inherit salvation: but to the Son He saith: ‘“Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever.”
When, therefore, in the Creed, we avow our belief that He who was known as Jesus of Nazareth now sitteth at the right hand of God, we acknowledge as clearly as words can do it that He is God, and that the Father has crowned Him with glory and honour.
Of course if we admit that Jesus Christ is all this, it becomes us to give Him reverence. He is our Brother, but He is our God. We must not only be orthodox in Creed, but becoming in behaviour and speech. It does not follow that those who bow their heads at each mention of His name are superior in these respects to those who do not literally conform to such observance; but it becomes us all to remember that His Name is above every name, that in the Name of Jesus every knee should bow and every tongue confess that He is Lord to the Glory of God the Father.
Nothing glorifies the Father more absolutely than this loyal and constant recognition of the glory of His Son.
There are several practices which such a recognition will enforce. We shall for the most part avoid speaking of Him familiarly by the human name of Jesus, and shall either prefix the title Lord, or follow it by Christ, the Hebrew term for the Messianic King. We shall adopt a reverential posture when we address Him, either standing or kneeling, but not lolling listlessly. We shall obey His precept with careful obedience, lest He should upbraid us as He did the chosen people, saying, “If I be King, where is Mine honour?”
Some men, whom we know, and who cannot be accused of cant or weakness, are so inspired with their conception of the Glorious Exaltation of their Master, that they seem to be always courteous, standing in His Presence, with uncovered heads, and something of His dignity passes into their demeanour.
Emerson remarks of the English Cathedrals that their custodians by habitual contemplation of the stately beauty around them, become imbued with a certain stateliness of mien, which well becomes them; and certainly it is impossible for the mind to dwell constantly on the glories of Jesus without becoming changed from glory to glory, by the Spirit of the Lord.
What an inspiring thought is here, that He whom we know as our Kinsman and Friend, is in the midst of the throne, possessed of infinite power, wisdom, and love. Our human nature ranks highest in the universe of created things. We are brethren of the King, and when we pray, we speak into the ear of One before whom the four living creatures, emblems of the highest intelligence and the twenty-four elders fall down, saying, “Thou art worthy.”