The Chair
Many times, families who have experienced the loss of a loved one express this loss by means of a chair. Military loved ones, who have died in battle, or a young child who passed away unexpectedly, all symbolize a love that disappeared. Never to be seen again.
At the dinner table, all place mats are there. The silverware, napkins, and goblets for everyone's favorite beverage. Especially at holiday dinners, everyone is at the table ready to feast. They look at the one end of the table, with the empty chair. Everything is in front of the empty chair, as the table settings remain the same, even though no one will be sitting there to enjoy the family and feast. This empty chair does more than symbolize that loved one who will never again be there to be loved.
More than anything, it represents loss and pain. Perhaps, unresolved pain.
A chair. A simple chair to most. But to those who have suffered, it is a constant reminder of someone they cherished, who will never again arrive for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.
Just like a child's bedroom. after the child passed away at an early age. The room stays exactly like it was the day they were taken to the hospital. It is so hard for a parent to bury a child. As parents, we are never to outlive our children. It happens, and there is no way to describe how they feel. It just hurts and continues to be painful. Really, for the rest of the parent’s lives.
Each of us faced the sorrow of an empty chair. Its seat feels like a scornful sitting place for your heart. A desk chair that used to have Grandpa sitting in it, tying his new fly-fishing gizmo, trying to be ready for his fishing trip that he intended to take you on. He is gone from your life now. His health didn’t allow him time to go fishing any longer. He wanted to. He tried.
Perhaps it is a La-Z-Boy recliner. Electric or manual; they offer a bunch of relaxation once put in the prone position. Sometimes we doze off from a hard day’s work. This chair is more than physical, it is also spiritual.
In fact, the table and chairs at the dining room table have significance spiritually. The table often symbolizes togetherness, community, and a place of shared experiences. The chair is different. It can represent authority, leadership, or a place of rest and reflection.
The table is frequently associated with family. Hopefully a good family. Shared meals. It is a place where people come together to connect and build relationships.
In some religious traditions, the table is seen as a place where God dwells with and provides for his people.
Chairs, especially thrones or prominent seats, can represent authority, leadership, and power. Like the Oval Office of the President of the United States, not many sit there, except the President.
When I was a child, we use to play a game called “musical chairs.” You set up a circle of chairs, and suddenly, as all the children are walking slowly around the chairs to music, the music stops abruptly. At that moment, everyone would scramble to sit in a chair and not be left standing.
This game was always set up in such a way that there was always one less chair than players. If you were not fast enough, sitting down, you were the one left standing. A loner, sort of. Left standing up, and then you were having to exit the game. This went on, until after each stop of the music, a chair was removed, again and again. Finally, there would be only two chairs left, and two children.
The music started again, and when it stopped, they hurried to sit. Obviously, there could be only one winner. That winner received the Grand Prize, and the rest received a token prize. Did not want to leave anyone completely out of the game. That would be cruel. We were just children learning a game.
The parallel here is found in Hebrews 9: 27: “And, in as much as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment.”
This passage teaches that one day life will stop suddenly, just like the music in the game.
All people will be judged. Every single person. Do you see the similarities in this yet?
The music played in the children’s game is life itself. As long as there is life, we are happily marching around our chairs. (Chairs represent tasks and duties). Death comes when the music suddenly stops. We must stop marching. No choice. And the judgment is like the chairs. When the music stops, everybody must take a chair.
The difference is that in the judgment, there is a specific chair for everyone. No one left standing. All must sit. Everyone will have to sit in their chair. The one with their name etched on it.
Now, as far as the judgment goes, everyone in the world will have to sit in one of five chairs representing their own judgment.
The First Chair: Pagans. Pagans are those who do not know Jesus Christ and worship Him as God, and a variety of other things. For example, Pagans worship the flesh or the things and pleasures of this world. Exclusively, we call them Hedonists. (Someone who believes that pleasure and the avoidance of pain, are the most important things in life. They prioritize the pursuit of pleasure above all else).
There are other categories of this, but you get the gist of this.
Pagans are into everything and nothing, all at the same time. Go left, go right, go back around, and around and around again. They are just into every little thing. They are mobile. They are always ready to believe anything that feels or looks good. Status quo belief systems. They are as empty and dark as the empty chair they sit in. The Bible explains their judgment in this “number one chair.”
Acts 17: 30-31: “Therefore, having overlooked the times of ignorance, God is now declaring to men that all people everywhere should repent, because He has fixed a day in which He will judge the world in righteousness through a Man whom He has appointed, having furnished proof to all men, by raising Him from the dead. Jesus the Christ.”
Having faith in Jesus Christ is the standard to avoid judgment. No other options. You have the freedom to accept or reject the work of the Cross, and He who hung and died on it.
The rest of the chairs, individually represent something.
The Doubters. Those who do not believe what Jesus did, and vacillate between wanting to believe, and not believing it is the truth. Called a doubting man, being tossed to and fro, like a wave of the sea. A double-minded man.
Cold Christians. Not even lukewarm. Having a form of Godliness but denying the power. They go to church to fulfill their duty to family, and country only. Not to please a Holy God. Revelation 2: 4-5: “But I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Therefore, remember from where you have fallen, and repent and do the deeds you did at first; or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place-unless you repent.”
Lukewarm Christians. At least those who are cold, openly have rejected Christ. These hypocrites pretend, and in doing so, they do it openly and at times, secretly. They really do not do anything of spiritual value.
They don't try, and they only serve themselves. God offers mercy to them if they repent. Selfish-Christianity is the worst oxymoron.
Zealous Christians. Chair Five is like the old metal, folding chair. This chair is reserved for hot and zealous Christians. That is the chair for them. It represents those whose lives match what they believe. They do believe that Jesus is God. They receive instruction from Him regularly. They talk to Him regularly. They try and serve Him daily. They make every effort to obey Him. They are committed to these things, because they are committed to Him, and Him alone. These zealous servants are not perfect, but they serve the One Who is.
They treat His Name, His Word and His work on the Cross with respect and love. The dignity Christ deserves. They’re eager for others to know Him.
These radical Christians, make sure that no one loses their faith, because they go out of their way to bring hope and healing to those who are hurting. This chair is the one we want to sit in, and carry with us, so we can sit down, and wash feet from this chair, whenever possible. Not our feet. Lost souls, and Christians, whose feet and hearts are in despair. Their feet are sore from standing on false promises, lies, and disappointments. They just can’t stand in faith any longer. They need to sit down and be cleansed with love.
The lost souls who have not met the Healer of their soul yet, are the feet we should wash carefully, so when they clean outside, and their hearts cleansed inside, then they will have new strength to stand on their own two feet.
The Bible declares a truth about feet. Romans 10:15: *And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the Gospel of Peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!”
It is called, being a servant of the Most High God.
So, if the music plays in life, we still have time to choose which chair that we will sit in, heading to eternity. But when the music stops, the choice will be gone. Gone forever. Perhaps it is time to put the footrest of the old, tattered brown recliner you sit in, and recline it down. Get up, walk, maybe run, to the right chair of life. It is the chair of living in peace. Sit down in it, and you will see.
There are chairs of death too. Maybe you have the worn-out recliner of death, that needs to be tossed into the dumpster where you reside tonight.
If you choose correctly, the next chair will have the God who sits on the throne of eternity, standing up, and clapping His nail-scarred hands. He will clap as the angels in Heaven rejoice over you. Yes, you!
“Even when one soul repents, the angels around the throne of God, rejoice.” Luke 15:10.
If the music of your life stopped this very instant, which chair would you be found sitting in? It is a ponderous chair we sit in, until we get up from it, and run to Jesus.
He will sit with you and keep you still. Still in His love. His chair never wears out. His chair never quits holding the weight of your pain.
Not just a chair, a seat too. His resting place. His seat of love.
Not a judgment seat at all.
Copyright © 2025 by Joe Wilkins
