making intercession for them. But He will not sit there always. He will come forth from the holy of holies to bless His people. He will come .again with power and glory to put down every enemy under His feet, and to set up His universal kingdom on earth. At present " we see not all things put under Him.'' The devil is the "prince of this world." (Heb. ii. 8. John xiv. 30.) But the present state of things shall be changed one day. When Christ returns, the kingdoms of the world shall become His.
Let these things sink down into our minds. In aU our thoughts about Christ, let us never forget His second advent. It is well to know that He lived for us, and died for us, and rose again for us, and intercedes for us. But it is also well to know that He is soon coming again.
We see, for another thing, in this parable, the present position of all professing Christians. Our Lord compares them to servants who have been left in charge of money by an absent master, with strict directions to use that money well. They are to " occupy till he comes."
The coimtless privileges which Christians enjoy, com- pai^ to the heathen, are " pounds " given to them by CSuist^ for which they must one day give account. We shall not stand side by side in the judgment day with the African and Chinese, who never heard of the Bible, tiie Trinity, and the crucifixion. The most of us, it may be feared, have little idea of the extent of our responsi- bility. To whomsoever much is given, of them much will be required.
Are we " occupying P " Are we living like men who know to whom they are indebted, and to whom they must one day give aeeoimtP This is the only life which is
300 BXPOSnORT THOUOHTS.
wortliy of a reasonable being. The best answer we can give to those who inyite ns to plunge into worldliness and firivolity, is the Master's commandment which is before us. Let us teU them that we cannot consent, because we look for the coming of the Lord. We would fain be found " occupying " when He comes.
We see, for another thing, in this ^parable, the eerimB tedioning which awaits all professing Christians. We are told that when the Master returned, he " commanded His servants to be called, that He might know how much every man had gained."
There is a day coming when the Lord Je^us duist shall judge His people, and give to every one according to His works. The course of this world shall not always go on as it does now. Disorder, confusion, false profes- sion, and unpunished sin, shall not always cover the face of the earth. The great white throne shall be set up. The Judge of aQ shall sit upon it. The dead shall be raised from their graves. The living shall all be sum- moned to the bar. The books shall be opened. High and low, rich and poor, gentle and simple, all shall at length give account to God, and all shall receive an etest- nal sentence.
Let the thought of this judgment exercise an infiuenee on our hearts and lives. Let us wait patiently when we see wickedness triumphing in the earth. The time is short. There is One who sees and notes down all £hat the ungodly are doing. " There be higher than they." (Eccles. V. 8.) Above all, let us live under an abiding sense, that we shall stand one day at the judgment seat of Christ. Let us ''judge ourselves," thai we be not con-