by Rev. Donald Beaton*
Of all the thrones that have been or will be there is but one that is forever and ever. It is the throne of Him to whom the promise was given: “Thy throne, O God, is forever and ever”. (Ps. 45: 6; Heb. 1: 8) Scripture has many references to God’s throne. It is spoken of in the Book of Jeremiah as a “glorious high throne”. (Jer. 17: 12) When we turn to the Book of Revelation this great throne is often brought before our notice. Intimately connected with the seat of authority and absolute regal dignity is the power that is wielded by Him that sits upon this throne. He is to reign until all opposition is put down and all his enemies are put under His feet. The divine message concerning this throne, as it is set before us in Scripture, is calculated not only to produce feelings of awe and humility, but comfort and calm confidence in times when the very foundations of all things are shaken. In one of Isaiah’s most beautiful and encouraging messages he says: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth”. (Is. 52: 7) In the great song in which the Psalmist magnifies the greatness of Jehovah over all the gods of the heathen he calls upon the people to declare that the Lord reigneth. This is a truth which needs to be kept, not only before men of the world, but also before the Lord’s people. Pride of place has an intoxicating effect upon men suddenly raised from obscurity to power. They fondly dream that they can shape the destinies of nations while their eyes are shut to a St. Helena and a Doorn. Napoleon and Kaiser Wilhelm had plenty of time to think over the inglorious setting of their careers in St. Helena and Doorn, and when God who sits upon this throne arises to deal with Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin, they shall be insignificant enough in His hands. The divine announcement has already gone forth: — “Rule thou in the midst of thine enemies”, and no power on earth or in hell will render this decree inoperative. It is well that the thoughts of the Lord’s people should be turned to this throne, for in times when all things seem out of joint and rushing on to inevitable and headlong destruction the great high throne is as unshaken as ever; for he who occupies it is as powerful as ever. The reins of the government of the world and of His Church are not in helpless hands. This is a fact we are too ready to forget, and in forgetting it we lose the confidence it is fitted to instil into our trembling hearts. Let the Lord’s people never forget that the Father has delegated to His Son, their Lord, Saviour and Master, all power in heaven and in earth: and when the appointed time comes there will be no doubt left in the minds of those looking on, and those who are called upon to feel the strength of that power, how tremendous it is. It must be borne in mind, however, that we no less than John will not see the throne until a door is opened in heaven. When the door was opened strange things happened. John was immediately in the Spirit. He saw a throne in heaven and one sat upon the throne. Round about it was a rainbow. Matters were not going well with the Churches in Asia — only two of them escaped condemnation. Was there no power to stop the downward drift and arrest the progress of error? Not so far as the natural eye could see, but when “the door in Heaven” was opened, and John saw the wonderful vision of the throne, it was not unoccupied. One sat on the throne. What a comfort this vision must have afforded to John in the special circumstances in which the Churches in Asia were, and in which he was also at the time.
Among many other things said about Heaven’s High Throne is that it is a throne of grace. It is to this throne the countless multitude who are now in heaven came with all their troubles, difficulties and perplexities and found help in their time of need. It is to this throne that the Lord’s redeemed people, who are still in the wilderness are coming, and none are sent disconsolate away. When one thinks of all the suppliants that gathered to this throne and those who are yet to come to it, is it any wonder that it occupies such a place in the thoughts of the Lord’s people? Listen to their prayers — how often reference is made to the throne of grace, and yet there is only one passage in Scripture where the
*This article by a former editor of the magazine was written in March 1939.—Editor.
word occurs — “Let us, therefore, come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need”. (Heb. 4: 16)
There is another aspect of God’s throne which sinners would do well to keep in mind. God shall one day make plain before an assembled universe that wickedness, however often it triumphed, was in direct opposition to His righteous government. God has given assurance to all men that He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained, and the appointed Judge, in words of unspeakable solemnity, has told us of the transactions before the Great White Throne when the Day of Judgment comes. The sentence by Him that sits upon the throne is irrevocable and admits of no appeal — it is final — and final for all eternity. When He says: “Depart from me ye cursed,” He shuts the door that had been so long standing open; and let us never forget that it is the Hand that opened the door that shuts it forever for the finally impenitent.
It is good news that it is not to the throne of judgment that we are now being summoned but to a throne of grace where millions of our race came penitently and found pardon, peace and eternal hope. We may derive comfort from the fact that “The Lord God omnipotent reigneth”. It is told of Dr Hugh Martin when he felt himself passing into one of these mental fits of darkness to which he was subject that he used to say: “Alleluia: for the Lord God omnipotent reigneth”. (Rev. 19: 6) Whatever that darkness meant for him he had the confidence that the Lord God omnipotent was reigning.