Subjects Of The King

Subjects  Of  The  King

Rupert Maskell  and  Lord Exeter

Sunrise Ranch   August 23, 1987  p.m.

Rupert Maskell — What a tremendously rich blessing there is these days in the provision of music and singing, such as we have been blessed with this evening. When the Lord is in His holy place, such things naturally follow. I understand that I am one of many who volunteered to play an up-front role in service this evening. It happens that I am the one who is up here, but I know in representation of all of you and many more who are not here present physically speaking, though certainly present spiritually, one with us.

During our recent Executive Council sessions, on one particular evening there was a closer look at the description of the new Jerusalem, as is described in the twenty-first chapter of the Book of Revelation. That holy city is another way of describing the sanctuary or the Ark, which have been recently used as symbols in the services. During the service this morning there was one aspect of the description from Revelation that stood out very clearly for me, and that was the fact that the new Jerusalem comes down out of heaven like a bride adorned for her husband. I had never seen the significance of that particular description in the way that I did this morning. A bride must be in response to a bridegroom. There must be that spirit on earth, radiant and sure, which invites the presence of a bride by his side for the marriage that is to ensue. They don’t just stay bride and groom; there is a marriage to take place. And in order for the bride to appear there has to be a groom on hand to welcome and invite her into the presence of the Lord.

For so long mankind has refused to accept the position of being the positive, radiant element, which is another way of describing the bridegroom. He has refused to accept that one identity which would allow him—and her, incidentally, to stand on earth in radiant representation of the One I am, inviting a new state of consciousness, which is what the new Jerusalem is about, to be present in form because of the yielded capacities that are present once the spiritual focus is there. As was said in the service this morning, we’ve had it all backwards. We have felt that the only way a new state of consciousness was going to come was if we negated the reality of ourselves totally to some imaginary figure somewhere else, who presumably would put in an appearance one day, if we waited and were patient long enough in total negativity to this figment of our own imagination. And the recorded history of the world reveals that practically nothing of any significance has put in an appearance. One might wonder why. The answer becomes plainly obvious when one sees that our real role now on the planet is to be, in focus and in form, this radiant presence, the bridegroom, who is capable of welcoming and having union with a state of consciousness that has always been there, and yet simply hasn’t been known.

This requires tremendous humility, because without receptivity and acknowledgment of the One I am, the true identity, nothing more can happen. And if one is to acknowledge that true focus of identity one has to disown, or let dissolve, more accurately, the false sense of self which has heretofore occupied the space for the new Jerusalem with all its arrogance, some of which is false humility. Perhaps false humility is the most arrogant stance that anybody could take, because it totally negates the presence of anything else higher. It is only as we begin to claim our position in the simple stance of our radiant living, loving that focus of spirit with all our heart, and allowing that radiance to characterize our own living, that the union of heaven and earth once more becomes the fact on earth. We have waited long enough for this to be, and now, in the presence of all of us this evening, one beholds a body, a flesh body, of men and women who have, to whatever degree, allowed the radiance of living to be the fact, so that once more union may take place. Once more we may stand with the Lord’s representative on earth, not separately but as one body, with one accord, in one identity, bringing the truth of man once more on earth.

In introductory talks and so on, I have so often used the gesture that Martin referred to in the service this morning, the pointing finger, but had always associated it with blame: “One should never blame because, after all, one has three fingers pointing back in one’s own direction if one is pointing the finger at somebody else!” But it was very refreshing to hear, and so obvious if one thinks about it, that one should never try to impute the focus of being onto anybody else by saying, “He’ll do it for me,” or “She’ll do it for me,” thereby subtly, or not so subtly, denying one’s own responsibility. All these cop-outs that have prevented man standing firm and present are now being cleared away because there is sufficient substance through the living body to dispense with the usurper and to allow the radiant presence of the One I am on earth.

There is the old story of the caretaker in a church who, early one morning, while going about his duties sees the vicar coming in with a deacon of the church. The vicar throws himself down in front of the altar declaiming, “Oh Lord, I am nothing.” The deacon obviously thinks this is a good idea and so he too prostrates himself and declaims, “Oh Lord, I am nothing.” The caretaker can’t resist this. He comes forward from the shadows, putting his broom aside, prostrates himself beside these other two and cries, “Oh Lord, I am nothing.” Whereupon the two turn in horror toward him, one saying to the other, “Now look who says he’s nothing!” That’s the sort of attitude that’s prevented anything from happening. We are something; we are one thing, one thing only in spirit. And when that’s acknowledged radiantly, in humility and strength, then all the rest follows, including the appearance once more of the new Jerusalem, the dimensions of which we begin to discover as we dwell therein, going no more forth.

Lord Exeter — We speak of the King, the Supreme One. I am sure that it is in our hearts to receive Him in the only way that He may be received. This is to take His Name, so that we come into the world in His name. In so doing we are His subjects. We are not objects to Him. He is supreme. In Him come to focus all the qualities of being which are essential to Him in His position. To us He is the Supreme One, even though He provides that point of spiritual focus for what is beyond Him.

We well know that we have the responsibility of differentiating the focus of spirit which He is. In this sense we of ourselves are nothing, but have the honor, the privilege, of revealing His character as each one of us may be in position to differentiate it. As we understand this, it is very clear as to the greatness of this One whom we speak of as the King. In Him is all that we as individuals are. Because this is so, we are in position together to differentiate His character. His character is greater than all our differentiations.

He is supreme. We cannot help but approach Him in an attitude of reverence and respect, in one sense a little reluctantly, as we become conscious of who He is. Human beings in their human nature are inclined at times to be rather brash. They behave in ways that are not fitting, very often. We approach the King, at least metaphorically, on bended knee, perhaps with our eyes cast down. Humility before the King is the natural stance of His subjects.

Arrogance has been the natural stance of human nature. The inclination seems to have been, in the democratic world at least, to take the attitude that we are all equal, which carries with it the view that “nobody is better than me.” Well it is not a matter of better or worse; it is a matter of the design of Being. It is a matter of the truth. We can accept the truth or we can reject it. At least it has seemed to be this way. I think this presumed freedom of choice is in the process of being wound up. Obviously that point must come if there is to be what we speak of as restoration. If there is to be the true state, the old state must go. It is quite simple. The old state can go easily, or hardly. Thus far it seems that human beings in general have been unwilling to let it go easily.

We have a story back along the way which was referred to when we were discussing the Ark. There was what has been called a deluge, obliterating the state of civilization which had been attained by human beings at that point. If there was a real awareness of what that civilization was, by those of us who live in this civilization now, we might be rather amazed at the progress that had been made, the advances in every field — not just the same as things are now, but similar. There was a harvest, at that time, of human sowing, and there at that time was the reaping of the harvest: the Deluge. Whatever may have been involved in that experience, it was certainly worldwide. So in a sense that prior period came to an end and the books were balanced. However, as we are well aware, observing the way things are now, it all started up again. The same seeds have been sown over, and so the harvest reappears. It does so collectively. There is a harvest. It comes. This morning we said apocalypse comes. That is a harvest of human sowing.

We are concerned that when it comes there should be present on the face of the earth a focus of spirit in form sufficiently clear so that there may be the acknowledgment of the King. That is the one thing that is required, because that is the one thing that was denied to begin with. There is no restoration without that. But for the acknowledgment of the King to come, it must come first with respect to those who have offered themselves in whatever measure, to be His subjects. This must be clearly focused in consciousness, which relates to the new Jerusalem coming down from God out of heaven. The reason for our presence on earth, if we have awakened to it, is to acknowledge the King, to provide for the King a holy place, a place where He is not only safe but from which He may extend His dominion once again. For this to happen there must be an adequate body of subjects. The substance of the subjects is vital.

Something has to be proven out in the absence of the King in physical form. The opportunity to prove that out in the presence of the King in physical form was given but, as we are well aware, was rejected. No amount of Christian fervor can change that fact. The King, when He was present, was rejected. It is quite impossible to go back into the past and repair the damage. Since that time it seems many Christians have been trying to pretend not only that He wasn’t rejected but that He isn’t rejected.

The only way that the King can be accepted, received, is as I Am. No one has had the temerity to accept that requirement. If that requirement is not accepted, the King is rejected. And it is an individual requirement. As potential subjects of the King, it might be said that we have been edging towards the acceptance of His presence. The only way He can be accepted is as I Am, is as He occupies all the space that heretofore has been held apart by this rather miserable, sometimes a little happy, human self. The human self occupies the space, the place, of the King. We have seen this in terms of thievery. God certainly has been robbed, and all human beings on the face of the earth are criminals in this sense, so it is not surprising if they land up in jail, bondage.

There is no way out. At last this fact that there is no way out is becoming apparent to increasing numbers of people. There is nothing anyone can do! Even the most brilliant human intellects are stymied. Now it is being laid out front, so that nobody eventually can avoid it. There are, obviously, a lot of people who are avoiding it now, but there are increasing numbers who are forced to recognize the fact. There comes a point where it may be said that it is finished. If one is still avoiding the fact, well one can keep right on avoiding the fact, and that will be that. If one has accepted it, one can keep right on accepting it. That also will be that. There is talk about the separation of the sheep from the goats. It happens. The day of judgment, it has been called. It’s easily understood, is it not? It has been happening in our own experience; it’s happening all around us: the apocalypse on one hand, and the restoration on the other. We presumably are interested more in the restoration than in the apocalypse. The restoration needs to be seen differently to what has been the case heretofore.

I am sure we all are well aware that, as there is an increased awakening or rising up in consciousness — or you can look at it the other way, the increased expression of the One I am — there comes a changing comprehension of what it is we are dealing with, of the way things really are. We have had little awareness of the way things really are, as we thought of it. This awareness has been different from what most people see, but I’m sure we don’t imagine that we have seen all there is to see yet. There is a changing view, naturally so, to the extent that the One I am comes forth more through the available consciousness. Some of that coming forth is conscious. The majority of it is subconscious. Whether conscious or subconscious, the coming forth of the angel, we have called it, the coming forth of the One I am, dissolves the one I am not. It brings the view and the understanding of the One I am into clearer perspective in one's own heart and mind, so that we see things in new ways.

It was said of John in the Book of Revelation that he saw a new heaven and a new earth. We think we’ve seen something of that too. We have seen something of the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. We speak of a new state of consciousness — well of course, because the One I am is coming forth, bringing the design and the control of truth, so that all things are drawn into that design and under that control, which are of the required resonant substance. So there is an Ark created: the Ark, the holy city, the body of the subjects of the King. It has a design. The design is the way it is. The human mind usually is interested in this sort of thing: “You tell me what the design is.” No. We don’t need to be told. We just let it emerge, and it emerges in very specific ways. It has been doing this through this body of subjects of the King, and we can, if we are alert, become aware of some of the things which are putting in an appearance in form because of what has been happening in spirit.

It is interesting to note that the holy city was of a peculiar shape. There have been those who have been trying to figure out how it could be, because the length and the breadth and the height were all equal. That looks like a cube. That is hardly a city. However, as someone noted, you can put a sphere inside a cube, and our planetary home is a sphere. In any case there were a number of features of this holy city. It had twelve gates, as I recall, three on each of the four sides. Gates presumably are for ingress and egress. They were always open. They were pearls, too, as I recall, pearls of great price. We ourselves participate in a process which is one of invitation to people to come, to come close, to come near unto me. But, also, at the same time we are aware of the necessity of radiation. That is the invitation, after all. So there is a flow moving out and moving in, the creative process. The creative process, we are aware, has some relationship to what we have spoken of as the four forces. Oh yes, there were four sides to the holy city, and in those four sides three gates in each one of them.

Another thing interesting to note at this point, without forming concepts or engendering speculation, is that presently we have twelve units. I don’t think anyone decided that there should be twelve units because, after all, we need twelve gates. No one thought of that, fortunately, so it could be allowed to happen the way it happened. I don’t think we have entirely completed the spectrum of units, but we may think of this in present terms for the moment. It acquaints us with the fact that when the creative process is allowed to work it puts things together in the design. We discover what the design is, actually, rather than theoretically, rather than merely in symbol, when we are willing to let it take form. And if we are considering the matter of units, these took form how? Because we decided we were going to have a unit here and a unit there? No. What happened was that there were people in whom there was substance resonating with the radiant expression of the One I am, and in that radiant expression is the design and the control of what must take form. So we are quite content to let that radiant expression reveal the form — create its own form, in other words — in whatever way will be fitting. We have often spoken of the fact that spirit creates its own form when allowed to do so. Human beings are intent, generally speaking, on trying to make their own form, get everything set up the way they want it. Of course this engenders conflict and doesn’t work. The fact that it doesn’t work is easily seen in the world, isn’t it? Yet apparently very few have come to the realization that all their efforts don’t work; so why continue with that senseless sweat of the brow?

We do not wish to pat ourselves on the back at all, because I don’t think we could have helped but move the way we have. That’s what we did, after all. So it wasn’t our brilliance that decided that we should face the fact of heretofore being unintelligent, and now at last we are beginning to be intelligent. Be careful! Spirit works the way it works, according to the design and the control of truth and in the power of love. We know something about that too. Very often it seems that those who have thought of themselves as Emissaries were inclined to back into the experience of love. They thought they were with people whom they couldn’t love, for whatever reason. However the creative process is very persuasive and it puts people together whether they like it or not, and after a while they find out they like it. It would have been much more sensible, really, to have decided to like it right from the beginning, instead of going through all the miseries that ensue when one doesn’t like something. So we find ourselves fitting together, but it takes the creative process quite a bit of maneuvering to get the job done — I’ve noticed this — but eventually it will get it done. It will get it done, provided there is present in those concerned sufficient substance which is capable of resonating with the radiation of the focus of spirit. We understand somewhat what all these words mean. There are getting on for five billion people in the world who probably wouldn’t. But as long as there are a few whose resonation is such that there is a beginning, at least, of understanding, of light, of comprehension, we are on the way; and we have assumed that we have been on the way for quite a little time. If we actually are on the way, and there is the movement of the creative process — it is going on right now — things will change, and be different to what they were before.

I would sound a little note of caution to everyone, because there is still probably present in all of us some measure of the attitude which sees things as continuing the way they always have since the fathers fell asleep. But factually they are not. In the human sense the world is a dangerous place. We have had some evidences of this, striking fairly close to home recently, but it relates to all of us. You can’t take for granted that the way you have been doing things heretofore will continue to work. It may relate to such simple things as taking a bath or driving a car, or doing anything that human beings do and that we have been doing. Let us not take anything for granted. There has been an attitude on the part of Emissaries that somehow or other they are enfolded in a protective sheath, so that they can do anything and not receive the results of what they do. It ain’t so!

The safe place is in the body. It is a spiritual body. The safe place is in the spirit of that body. The safe place, as we have noted — this morning, was it? — is not in the world of form. One must abide in the world of spirit while functioning in the world of form, if that safe place is to be brought into the world of form. We are responsible for bringing it into the world of form, not for discovering that it isn’t a safe place in the world of form. We have all had opportunity to do that. We get sick and have accidents and all this because we are inclined to take for granted that we dwell in the world of spirit, when in fact our focus is in the world of form. Now things are hotting up, getting more intense. If one has the awareness of the One I am, one will act accordingly. One will not act like an adolescent, or even like a brash Emissary.

Have a care! Acknowledge the King and behave accordingly. In such case one can’t behave like a childish human being. We are all related to each other, so in various ways our behavior puts everybody else at risk if we fail to remember who we are. It isn’t enough to come into the Chapel on a Sunday and say, “Oh yes, now I know who I am,” and then forget it when we go out. I am not talking about something deliberate or intentional, but the way it happens. And we may put ourselves at risk, or we may inadvertently put others at risk. We belong in the Ark. The Ark is composed of spiritual substance. There we dwell, in the substance which is the character of the King, and we reveal that character in momentary living, the way we handle ourselves and the way we handle our environment. Let us be sure that we acknowledge the King, for after all that is the one thing that has been lacking in human consciousness, in human experience. We share this responsibility. Sharing that responsibility accurately, we carry the authority of the King.

© Emissaries of Divine Light