Hey . . . What’s That Throne Doing There?

(1) After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter. (2) And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. (Rev. 4.1-2)

The next step in our Rethinking the Rapture series (if you want to call it that) brings us to Rev. 4.2. Most times Rev. 4.1 gets all the attention. Why? Because it seemingly depicts the Rapture of the Church as John hears a trumpet and then a voice talking with him, saying, “Come Up Hither!” (Rev. 4.1)

Some deem the catching away of John as a telling sign in favor of a pre-Trib Rapture since it occurs immediately after the letters to the churches in the earlier chapters. That said, even LaHaye (arguably today’s top proponent for pre-Tribulationism) admits Rev. 4.1 does not warrant a pre-Trib view.

This passage alone would not establish the Rapture as a pre-Tribulation event, but in light of the passages we have already studied, describing the translation of all believers (both dead and living) at this stage of Christ’s coming, John being called up into heaven could certainly be construed as a preface to the pre-Tribulation rapture. [Tim LaHaye, Rapture Under Attack, Pg. 80-81]

As we move the limelight off of Rev. 4.1 and onto Rev. 4.2, a question arises that begs an answer. WHAT IN THE WORLD IS THIS THRONE DOING HERE?

The reason it needs to be addressed lies in who’s throne it is. Does it belong to God the Father, or Jesus? Numerous Biblical scholars have maintained the throne of Rev. 4.2 to be God the Father’s due to the lack of any human characteristics describing the one sitting on the throne. Walvoord writes,

It is significant that God is not given an anthropomorphic figure in this revelation and does not appear as a man. Apart from the fact that He is said to sit on the throne, no description is given except the colors which impressed John. It is evident that the glory of God was the intent of the vision rather than an anthropomorphic representation. [John Walvoord, The Revelation of Jesus Christ, pg. 105]

Significant? Yes. Conclusive? Not a chance! Perhaps he’s just looking in the wrong place. It’s not what John saw that identifies who’s on the throne, but what he heard.

The four living creatures seen roundabout the throne, extending exaltation to the one sitting thereon, announce him to be the one who was and who is, and who is to come (Rev. 4.6-8.) Could this be anyone but Jesus? Does it not say these very same words of Him in Rev. 1.4? Is it not Jesus who is the one to come, and the one who promised to return? (John 14.1) John continues by saying,

And when the living creatures shall give glory and honor and thanks to him that sitteth on the throne, to him that liveth for ever and ever,  the four and twenty elders shall fall down before him that sitteth on the throne, and shall worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and shall cast their crowns before the throne. (Rev. 4.9-10 ASV)

This is still the same throne of Rev. 4.2 but here the one sitting on it is identified as he that lives for ever and ever. Didn’t Jesus say those same words of himself in Rev. 1.18 when He said, I am he that lives, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore? It is not God the Father who is described in this way intermittently throughout the scriptures, Jesus is. Therefore, I maintain that the throne of Rev. 4.2 belongs to Jesus.

And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne. (Rev. 4.2)

The Greek word ekeito is used here and was translated, “was set.” Because of the imperfect, passive verb tense, a literal translation of ekeito would be, “was being set.” From this we can see that a new development had taken place; a throne was being set in heaven, unlike God’s throne, which would have always been there. Positionally, Jesus is currently at the Father’s right hand, and not on a separate throne of His own. (Rev.3.21) It was David who prophesied of an intermittent time period when the risen Christ would be exalted to the Father’s right hand, followed by His reign. Along with that, it is His coming reign as a king that signifies the eventuality of a throne.

The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou at my right hand, until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (Ps. 110.1)

John, in Rev. 4.2, is seeing Jesus’s throne, which had been set in place, and Jesus sitting on His throne. Not only does this correlate with the entire thrust of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, but it relays the central development of His Revelation; that Jesus, when he comes, will come in power and authority as a king sitting on His throne.

But the question still remains. What is Jesus’s throne doing here, in this chapter, at this point of John’s vision? The prophecy experts have routinely taught that Rev. 4 is describing events that will mark the beginning of the last seven years.  The conundrum at hand then is why would Jesus take His seat on the throne at the beginning of the last seven years when it is thoroughly evident that the war in heaven (Rev. 12.7-9), a mid-point marker, precipitates His authority and His kingdom? More bluntly, why would Jesus presumably be seen sitting on His throne three and a half years prematurely?

The answer lies in where Rev. 4 falls in the time-line of the last seven years. It’s not, and can’t be, at the onset. John was caught up in the spirit (Rev. 1.10, Rev. 4.1) into the middle of the last seven years. His own words declare this to be the case.

I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day, and heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet. (Rev. 1.10)

The whole frame-work of the entire book of Revelation emanates from this perspective. John’s vision, therefore, centers on the all important Revelation of Jesus Christ. It should be viewed entirely from this frame of reference, since this was the perspective given to John. The mention of the Lord’s day here is not merely a reference to Sunday as some have said, but the very day of Christ (2 Thes. 2.2 – “be not quickly shaken . . as that the day of Christ hath arrived); the day of His Revelation (2 Thes. 1.7-10 – “And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven”, Rev. 1.7 – “every eye shall see him, and they also which pierced him”); the day of His power (Rev. 12.10 -”Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ”); the day of His reign and His kingdom. (2 Pete 1.16 – “when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”) Peter, James, and John saw this day when Jesus was transfigured before them. Jesus, Himself, said they would see the son of man coming in His kingdom. (Matt. 16.28)

The catching away of John in Rev. 4.1 depicts the rapture, but the throne of Jesus appearing in Rev. 4.2 mandates a timing frame-work that obviously puts a damper on the pre-Trib view. More importantly, it guides us right back to the heart of all end-time prophecy, The Revelation of Jesus Christ.

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