END OF TIME PROPHECIES 234

The great white throne                                     Revelation 20v11-15.


4.       The person sitting on the throne

As in human legislation, so in the courts of heaven, the status of the judge gives weight to the proceedings.  On earth there are magistrates, circuit judges, high court judges, and the highest of all supreme court judges.   The spirit of God draws our attention to the One who is sitting upon the throne.   On a number of occasions throughout the book of Revelation, he has done the same in connection with the throne of the eternal Father, now he points to the Christ on His throne, the judge of all the earth.   We must at this point assert the teaching of John 5v22  "For the Father judgeth no man but hath committed all judgment unto the Son: that all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father.    In Acts 17v31, Paul makes it clear that there is a judgment day appointed and a man ordained to judge, and that man is the One who was raised from the dead, Jesus Christ.  In Revelation chapter 5 the call goes out to the universe, as to who is worthy to judge the world.   The answer is loud and clear only Jesus Christ the Lamb of Calvary is morally fit to judge the world and He will do it in righteousness from this throne.

So who is He? who is the One who sits upon the throne?   Now of course the answer to this is so vast that it will take eternity to unravel the greatness of this Person.   He is the subject matter of the sixty six books of the bible and even that is only a fraction of what could be written.   We will confine our comments to what is said about Him in the book of Revelation, specifically in chapter 1.

• Chapter 1v5     -     He is a member of the eternal Godhead, being mentioned in the same breath as Jehovah, and the Spirit of God.    
• Chapter 1v5     -     He is the faithful witness, the only One who can truly declare God to us and that He did.  
• Chapter 1v5     -     He is the first begotten from the dead.   This assumes His incarnation, His death and His resurrection.
• Chapter 1v5     -     He is the Prince of the kings of the earth, of all who have been princes and kings he is above them all.
• Chapter 1v13    -     He is invested with judicial power "clothed with a garment down to the foot."   Only priests and judges wore such distinctive clothing.   In the epistle to the Hebrews we see Him as a priest, in the book of Revelation however He is the judge.  This proclaims His superiority in the judiciary of the universe and in chapter 20 He takes His place on the throne.    
• Chapter 1v13    -     He has a golden girdle around His breast.   If the full length garment spoke of His supremacy, the golden girdle speaks of His loyalty to God.   The girdle speaks of control and His emotions are controlled by the standard of Divine righteousness.   
• Chapter 1v14    -     "His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow." This proclaims His purity and the link is Isaiah 1v18.
• Chapter 1v14     -     "His eyes were as a flame of fire."    This proclaims His sagacity; there is nothing hid from these piercing eyes.
• Chapter 1v15     -     "His feet like unto fine brass as if they burned in a furnace."   This suggests His potency, His ability to carry through whatever sentence He pronounces and upon whom He pronounces it.
• Chapter 1v15     -     "His voice as the sound of many waters."   This speaks of His majesty; when he speaks all listen, all take notice.  
• Chapter 1v16     -     "He had in His right hand seven stars."   This declares His sovereignty. Stars are interpreted as angels in the book, so He can command throughout the whole of the universal realm.
• Chapter 1v16     -     "Out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword."   This tells us of His authority.   His word is decisive and final.   there will be no back chat before this throne.  
• Chapter 1v16     -     "His countenance was as the sun shining in his strength."   this declares His glory and before this One every mouth will be stopped.

There is little wonder that in chapter 1v17 the apostle john reported   "when I saw Him I fell at His feet as dead."      The same Person whom he had accompanied for three and a half years in the guise of a servant, now stands before him in all the glory of His being and John has his breath taken away. So will it be with all who stand before this throne.    

Amazon bookshelf  George Neilly

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