Immediately I became in the Spirit, and behold, a throne was there in heaven, and there was One sitting on the throne. Rev. 4:2.
One of the highlights of any visit to Istanbul, Turkey, is a chance to tour Topkapi Palace, the famous palace of the sultan on a hill overlooking the Bosporus and the Golden Horn. I particularly enjoyed a visit to the palace museum that displayed the sultan's treasures. An especially memorable part of he museum is a view of the sultan's throne. I had never actually seen a throne before, and this one came as quite a surprise. It looked roughly like a highly decorated love seat, with comfortable cushions.
I had always thought that thrones were like armchairs, but this one was much too wide for that. And then I remembered the text: "To the one who overcomes I will give to sit with Me on my throne" (Rev. 3:21). Obviously the throne of heaven is not an armchair! It is more like a couch, on which two or more people can sit. Suddenly the New Testament texts about Jesus sitting down at the right hand of God made sense (Acts 2:33; Heb. 1:3, 13; 8:1, etc.). Jesus here receives everything that the throne represents and offers a future place there to those who overcome.
A careful reading of revelation 4 makes it clear that "throne" is the key word of the entire chapter. Appearing 12 times in the chapter, it is the center and focus of the scene. Everything that takes place in the heavenly throne room does so in relationship to the throne. A series of prepositions signals the various actions. Things happen "around" the throne, "upon" the throne, "out from" the throne., "before" the throne, "in the midst of" the throne, and "at the right side of" the throne. Clearly the central word of this passage, the throne represents the central theme of everything that takes place in it.
What is a throne and what does it symbolize? A throne represents the right to rule. The person who sits on it has the authority to govern a piece of territory, a nation, or a group of some kind. Since the throne is the center, the key issue of this passage involves God's right to rule and how that functions in heavenly places. While the book of Revelation normally associates the word "throne" with God, it can apply to Satan and his cohorts as well (Rev. 2:13; 13:2). Thus the centrality of the throne here means this passage is a decisive development in the conflict between God and Satan over the dominion of the universe. Revelation 4 and 5 portrays the crucial event in that war--the death of the Lamb and His resulting exaltation to the throne of God.
Lord, I accept that You have the right to rule in my everyday life. May my decisions and actions today conform to Your gentle government of my life.
One of the highlights of any visit to Istanbul, Turkey, is a chance to tour Topkapi Palace, the famous palace of the sultan on a hill overlooking the Bosporus and the Golden Horn. I particularly enjoyed a visit to the palace museum that displayed the sultan's treasures. An especially memorable part of he museum is a view of the sultan's throne. I had never actually seen a throne before, and this one came as quite a surprise. It looked roughly like a highly decorated love seat, with comfortable cushions.
I had always thought that thrones were like armchairs, but this one was much too wide for that. And then I remembered the text: "To the one who overcomes I will give to sit with Me on my throne" (Rev. 3:21). Obviously the throne of heaven is not an armchair! It is more like a couch, on which two or more people can sit. Suddenly the New Testament texts about Jesus sitting down at the right hand of God made sense (Acts 2:33; Heb. 1:3, 13; 8:1, etc.). Jesus here receives everything that the throne represents and offers a future place there to those who overcome.
A careful reading of revelation 4 makes it clear that "throne" is the key word of the entire chapter. Appearing 12 times in the chapter, it is the center and focus of the scene. Everything that takes place in the heavenly throne room does so in relationship to the throne. A series of prepositions signals the various actions. Things happen "around" the throne, "upon" the throne, "out from" the throne., "before" the throne, "in the midst of" the throne, and "at the right side of" the throne. Clearly the central word of this passage, the throne represents the central theme of everything that takes place in it.
What is a throne and what does it symbolize? A throne represents the right to rule. The person who sits on it has the authority to govern a piece of territory, a nation, or a group of some kind. Since the throne is the center, the key issue of this passage involves God's right to rule and how that functions in heavenly places. While the book of Revelation normally associates the word "throne" with God, it can apply to Satan and his cohorts as well (Rev. 2:13; 13:2). Thus the centrality of the throne here means this passage is a decisive development in the conflict between God and Satan over the dominion of the universe. Revelation 4 and 5 portrays the crucial event in that war--the death of the Lamb and His resulting exaltation to the throne of God.
Lord, I accept that You have the right to rule in my everyday life. May my decisions and actions today conform to Your gentle government of my life.
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