Written on February 7th, 2006 - 3:52AM Last Updated: February 7th, 2006 - 3:52AM
In the apostle John's revelation from the Son of God, we find a wonderful truth concerning the unity of Yahweh, His Son, and His Spirit. It gives us great insight into the nature of Yahweh and how we can relate to and know Him better.
1He showed me a{TR adds "pure"} river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, 2in the middle of its street. On this side of the river and on that was the tree of life, bearing twelve kinds of fruits, yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. 3There will be no curse any more. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants serve him. (Revelation 22:1-3)
In this new creation promised by God, there will be a throne in its midst. This throne is termed "the throne of God and of the Lamb." Because Greek is a precise language, a person can discern whether this is written to mean that there is more than one throne, or whether God and Lamb refer to the same thing, or whether the throne belongs to both God and the Lamb as separate persons.
In this case, the latter is how it has been written in Greek (εκ του θρονου του θεου και του αρνιου): the throne is of both God and the Lamb. There is only one throne, and both God and the Lamb are its occupants. And finally, "the God" and "the Lamb" are not the same subject, they are two different things.
In the Midst of the Throne
Throughout the rest of the Revelation, the Lamb is seen standing in the midst of the throne.
I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. (Revelation 5:6)
for the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne shepherds them, and leads them to springs of waters of life. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes." (Revelation 7:17)
This would seem to allude to the fact that the Father has never been and cannot be seen by men (John 1:18)(John 5:37)(John 6:36); however, the Lamb (the Son of God, JesusChrist) is visible in the midst of the throne where the Father cannot be seen. He is the visible image of the invisible God (Colossians 1:15), the very likeness of His substance and the radiance of His glory (Hebrews 1:3).
In other places, things and people are described as being or coming "before the throne and before the Lamb."
I heard every created thing which is in heaven, on the earth, under the earth, on the sea, and everything in them, saying, "To him who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb be the blessing, the honor, the glory, and the dominion, forever and ever! Amen!{TR omits "Amen!"}" (Revelation 5:13)
After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude, which no man could number, out of every nation and of all tribes, peoples, and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, dressed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9)
The HolySpirit is showing us the simple yet profound truth, that God and His Son, though yet separate from one another, are one with each other. Yahweh sits on the throne, and the Son (Lamb) is at His right hand; and at the same time the Lamb is present in the midst of the throne, for the throne is "of God and of the Lamb."
Before the Throne
This imagery of the one throne is not confined to the Father and the Son. The Spirit is present at the throne as well.
John, to the seven assemblies that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace, from God, who is and who was and who is to come; and from the seven Spirits who are before his throne; (Revelation 1:4)
Out of the throne proceed lightnings, sounds, and thunders. There were seven lamps of fire burning before his throne, which are the seven Spirits of God. (Revelation 4:5)
Here, before God and the Lamb who are seated upon the throne, are the seven spirits of God. In Isaiah we read of the Spirit of Yahweh, described in seven ways, Who was promised to rest upon the Christ (Isaiah 11:1-10). These "seven spirits" are also said to belong to the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne, for that very reason.
"And to the angel of the assembly in Sardis write: "He who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars says these things: "I know your works, that you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. (Revelation 3:1)
I saw in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, a Lamb standing, as though it had been slain, having seven horns, and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God, sent out into all the earth. (Revelation 5:6)
That same Christ gave this revelation to John, allowing Him to see, although in a limited way, the fulfillment of that promise. Here was the Father, almighty God, King Yahweh, seated on His throne. In the midst of that throne was His Beloved Son, the Lamb of God slain for the sin of mankind. And before the throne, His Spirit flowing as the river of water of life:
He showed me a{TR adds "pure"} river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb, (Revelation 22:1)
All of this formed one glorious image for John to behold:
Immediately I was in the Spirit. Behold, there was a throne set in heaven, and one sitting on the throne that looked like a jasper stone and a sardius. There was a rainbow around the throne, like an emerald to look at. (Revelation 4:2, 3)
Seated with Them
The amazing glory of this truth is not contained in only that this one throne is of both God and the Lamb, with the Spirit flowing out of it, but that this throne is ours to sit upon as well.
He who overcomes, I will give to him to sit down with me on my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father on his throne. (Revelation 3:21)
Just as the Father restored the risen Son of Man to His rightful place upon His own throne in heaven, so are we given the same position as we enter ChristJesus by faith—we are able to sit upon the Lamb's throne, which He has joined in with His Father.
This one throne has now become our dwelling and habitation, just as it is for Yahweh and the Lamb. We, the overcomers as the children of God through faith in Christ, sit down upon the one throne together with God and His Son.
In this one throne we can see the glory of Yahweh as He has revealed Himself to us as Father, Son and HolySpirit—and through His grace and power, we may join them upon the throne as we overcome through our trust in Yahweh's Son, JesusChrist.
For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world: your faith. Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 5:4, 5)
As you read this site, you will hopefully come to know Yahweh more fully.
But all of this continuing knowledge is useless unless and until you come into union with Him. I use the word union because it is truly a marriage. It is that deep connection we all seek, for which we most often look in other people. However, the truth is that our hearts will only be fulfilled when we enter that union in fullness with the One Who made us.
This is the grace of God, that He has not stayed distant for us only to worship as Creator. But He has come unto us, even become one of us—in His Son, ChristJesus—in order to share an intimate union with us. He desires such closeness that it truly will envelope our entire life, transforming us into something new and wonderful.
You may have already entered this union with Him and only seek to know Him better through reading here. But if you have not, as you do read, let this Gospel sink into your heart as you read it now.
God loves you, and has cast your sins into the sea. He has sent His only Son as the Savior of the world—that includes you.
That Son, JesusChrist, was born as a man through a virgin who had given her life to Yahweh; He lived without sin, reflected the glory of His Father, God, in all His words and deeds, and was persecuted even unto death because of it.
His death upon a cross was the powerful explosion that separated you from your life of death. It remains for you, now, to enter into that death with Him. As you die to the one you are now, a person separated from God from your many sins, you will be born anew, with a nature predisposed to live rightly. This gift is free to you, with nothing you can do to earn it. It is the mercy of God to offer it to you, as He loves you so much! All you must do is receive it by trusting Him to have delivered you. Simply place your life in His hands and embrace the freedom that came through that death on the cross.
The Gospel is that Jesus did not remain dead, but rose again on the third day after His crucifixion! Death could not hold Him, as He was without sin. And so death will not be able to hold you, as you identify with Him fully through your trust in Him. Let go of yourself and confess Him as Lord of your life. The power of His death and resurrection will work in you all that your Creator has destined for you. You will truly enter a new life and experience that intimate union you have been seeking all of your life.
So ponder these words as you read here of this great God—Yahweh—and all that He has revealed to His creation. Let His Spirit testify to your heart that these words are true, that God is Love, and that He sent His Son so that you might receive the life that is unbound by time and space. As you feel that witness in your heart, simply believe and receive what He is offering to you, even now, and begin your new life as a child of God.
Please write to me and let me know when you take this step, as I will be your brother in Christ—we will be one in Him!
Scripture Quotes: World English Bible Translation.
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