The little One Who is to come not only has a Key on His Shoulder, but a
Sceptre in His Hand. The word used for Sceptre (_shebet_) in the Hebrew
has four distinct meanings and we can apply them all to our Lord and
Saviour, JESUS Christ. It is:
(1) a rod of _command_, a sign of _royalty_ (Esther IV. 11, Ps. XLIV.
7);
(2) a rod of iron, a rod of _correction_ (Ps. II. 9, Prov. XXII. 15);
(3) the _shepherd's_ rod or wand (Lev. XXVII. 32);
(4) the _flail_ which separates the grain from the chaff (Is. XXVIII.
27).
(1) _A sign of royalty._ He is my King--how much that says to me! He has
authority over me and a right to command me, a right to my service from
every point of view; but He will not exact it from me. He stretches out
His Sceptre of mercy in token of clemency. He wants my service, but He
wants it to be the outcome of my love and so He uses His Sceptre to
attract me. He brings Himself down to my level, He calls Himself my
Brother, my Friend. He tells me that if I will throw in my lot with Him
and do as He does, one day I shall share His Kingdom and reign with Him.
Such is my King and such is the meaning of His Sceptre. "Where is He
that is born King of the Jews?" Thou art as yet hidden, O my little
King, but Thou wilt be _born_ a king for "Thy throne, O God, is for ever
and ever, a sceptre of justice is the sceptre of Thy Kingdom" (Heb. I.
8). What is my response going to be to that Sceptre stretched out once
again? That of a loyal, whole-hearted, loving subject or that of one
who is still hesitating between the service of self and the service of
the King?
(2) _A rod of correction._ For His enemies it is a "rod of iron," but
for His children a rod of love, for what son is there whom the father
doth not correct? "Whom the Lord loveth He chastiseth; and He scourgeth
every son whom He receiveth. Persevere under discipline. God dealeth
with you as with His sons." (Heb. XII. 6-7). We are not to "faint" nor
"be weary" nor "neglect the discipline," not to be inclined to give all
up and choose an easier path; no, but to regard the discipline as a
"consolation," (verse 5) a proof of love, a sign that we are really the
children with whom He does what He likes, instructing us according to
His own pleasure (verse 10).
Oh! my little King, come with Thy rod of correction, come and make me a
saint and do not spare me in the making. He that spareth the rod
spoileth the child. I do not want to be a spoilt child, but a child on
whom Thou canst count, that is, a child to whom Thou canst say what Thou
wilt and whom Thou canst criticize as thou wilt, by the mouth of whom
Thou wilt, a child whom Thou dost not _consider_ because Thou art sure
of its love, sure, that is, that it loves Thee and Thy ways better than
self and its ways.
(3) _A shepherd's staff or crook._ As it had been prophesied of Him that
He should be a king, so it had also been prophesied that He should be a
shepherd: "I will save My flock ... and I will set up one Shepherd over
them and He shall feed them and He shall be their Shepherd" (Ezech.
XXXIV. 22, 23, and XXXVII. 24). "He shall feed His flock like a
shepherd, He shall gather together the lambs with His arms, and shall
take them up in His bosom, and He Himself shall carry them that are with
young" (Is. XL. 11). "I am the Good Shepherd;" even now while He is yet
in the womb of His Mother He is counting His sheep, calling them out,
knowing each one by name, thinking of the great fold which He is going
to make, of the one shepherd to whom He will entrust the great work of
feeding His sheep, of the "other sheep" whom He "must bring" into the
fold sooner or later. Even now He is planning to lay down His life for
His sheep "that they may have life and have it more abundantly."
(4) _The flail_ which separates the chaff from the good grain, the
_tribulum_ which causes "great _tribulation_" on earth's threshing
floor, but which is used only for the good of the grain and ensures its
being gathered into the heavenly garners. Oh! my little King, Who art
coming to bring peace make me understand that I shall never have peace
till I am fully persuaded that all my _tribulation_, all my troubles,
trials and afflictions are directly caused by Thee, that it is Thou
Thyself and no other Who dost use the threshing instruments to separate
me from all that is not pleasing to Thee.
Come then, and with Thy Key of love unlock the prison-house and bring
forth the captive sitting in darkness and then with Thy Sceptre rule
him, correct him, guide him and afflict him.
_Colloquy_ with Him Who has the Key and the Sceptre.
_Resolution._ To rise up and open to my Beloved.
_Spiritual Bouquet._ O Clavis David!