Editorial

The more our society becomes segregated, disenchanted, fractious and tormented by dissidents, the more we need to know about the fact that ‘there is a throne in heaven and one sat upon it!’

A world in turmoil brings turmoil into people’s lives. When there is restlessness on the world scene it is so important to maintain for the people of God the enjoyment, sense of wellbeing and tranquillity that only the assembly provides. The Lord well said, ‘In the world ye shall have tribulation … but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world’.

A throne will always indicate governmental authority, the power to bring out of turmoil peace, order and understanding. A throne is linked to rule. It declares that there is power and purpose that should not be denied. When this is God’s throne then these things become absolute in character. Nothing can thwart in the end His total rule. So then dear fellow saints, thank God today that, ‘there is a throne … in heaven’ and that our God is on it!

It is ‘set’ in heaven. This speaks of it being unshakeable in its stability. It is unmoveable by men or demons; it cannot be assailed by any force or surrender to a usurper. It is the unshakeable authority that moves in every scenario, seen or unseen, to work out eventually its own purpose and will. The chorus learned in youth will hold for ever true, ‘God is still on the throne, and He will remember His own!’

It is ‘occupied’. Our Queen rarely sits on her thrones. In her palaces they are viewed as empty thrones. Our God never vacates His! He is neither ill nor senile nor absent for reasons of limitation, time or space, He is always in residence upon the throne. That suggests that the resources of the throne of God are constantly available to meet His people’s needs at whatever time or place they call upon Him. So let us ‘call upon Him in a time of need’ and see Him answer without delay or failure.

It is described. In Revelation chapter 4, colours that are ‘clear’, ‘blood red’ and ‘emerald’ convey to us the Person and the throne. These declare the totality of light, love and life that are the very essence of God’s nature and characteristic of His throne. What else do we require of Him than unsullied purity, irrepressible love and vibrant life? Why do we not draw more often from these rich resources of His throne?

It is ‘rainbow encircled’. How glad Noah must have been after the Flood to see ‘his bow in the sky’ whenever it began to rain. The Flood would never happen again for God had promised. Now we discover that every promise and covenant of God is backed by the power of His throne. It is rainbow encircled! So let us rise to the calling of Wesley’s hymn, ‘Bold I approach the eternal throne, And claim the crown’. We can revel in the undeniable right of sons to expect their Father to give them appropriately and in accord with His promises!

I must leave it there except to say how vital a part prayer still plays in the peace and prosperity of the people of God. In this issue the Keynote article raises the matter of the assembly prayer meeting and the vital part it plays for us. Let us accept its challenge. We commence an excellent series by our brother James Cochrane on the life and times of Daniel. We also open up our main study of the Lord’s letters to the seven churches with the first part of the Introduction. Rarely do we get material on our spiritual heritage but it is cheering to read the article ‘Guard your Heritage’ as a real provocation to ‘hold fast the things that remain’. So yet another issue of the magazine goes out with our prayers for God’s blessing upon His word to all His saints.