The Throne

"God reigns over the nations; God is seated on his holy throne" Psalm 47:8 (see also Daniel 4:17; Isaiah 40:12-26).

The throne - The place of ultimate authority

"This is what the Lord says: Heaven is my throne and the earth is my footstool" Isaiah 66:1; Psalm 11:4.

The throne of God represents not only the full authority of God over all His creation but also every aspect of God's nature.

"Righteousness and justice are the foundation of your throne�" Psalm 89:14 (see also verses 5- 13).

Delegated authority

Angels carry out the will of God in His Kingdom. The Bible continually portrays them as worshipping and ministering before the throne. Hebrews 1:14 calls them 'ministering spirits' sent specifically to look after us, who are the 'heirs of salvation'. The three highest angelic dignitaries mentioned in the Bible are:

Michael - whose name means 'who is like God'. He was the warrior-archangel,who appeared at the time of spiritual conflict or battle (see Revelation 12:7; Daniel 12:1; Jude 9).
Gabriel - whose name means 'God is mighty'. This archangel was God's messenger, carrying divine communications to men (see Luke 1:19,26; Daniel 8:16; 9:21;10:10-13).
Lucifer - whose name means 'day star' (later called Satan or the Devil) (Revelation 12:9; Isaiah 14:12). He was "anointed as a guardian cherub" (Ezekiel 28:14). Music was created in him to lead the heavenly hosts in worship before the throne (Ezekiel 28:11-19; Job 38:7).

To these three dignitaries, God delegated government and power in the eternal Kingdom.

The redeemed as sharers of God's throne

God's eternal purpose was for the Church to be partakers of His glory, and sharers of His Throne (Romans 8:17,28-30). As the Son is co-equal with the Father, yet subject to His authority in everything (1 Corinthians 15:24-28) - so the Church was designed to be joint-heirs with the Son, yet He is "in everything...(to) have the supremacy" (Colossians 1:15) (see also Philippians 2:9-11; Revelation 4:4,10-11). It was designed so that He would be the Head of the Body, the 'Husband' of the 'Bride'.

This plan - in the mind of God even before the creation of the world - placed the Church in the line of delegated authority "far above all rule and authority, power and dominion" (Ephesians 1:20-21; 2:6) - which included all the angelic realm and all creation (see Ephesians 3:10-11; Hebrews 1:4-8; 2:5-11). It was this plan which God had for the Church that triggered the very first power-struggle ever attempted for the Throne of the universe .

Lucifer's challenge for the throne

Lucifer desired the position that God planned for the Church. Isaiah 14:12-14 reveals the five proud objectives that formed Satan's rebellion:

The Five Declarations of Rebellion

"I will ascend into Heaven..." (see Ephesians 2:6).
"I will exalt my throne above the stars of God" (see Hebrews 11:11-12).
"I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the north" (see Psalm 48:1-2; Hebrews 12:22).
"I will ascend above the heights of the clouds" (see Revelation 14:14-16).
"I will be like the most High" (see Genesis 1:26-27; Romans 8:29).

With God's Reply

In Ezekiel 28:16-29 (KJV), God gives five replies to Satan's five proud boasts:

"I will cast thee to the ground" (see Revelation 12:10-12).
"I will destroy thee, O covering cherub, from the midst of the stones of fire".
"I will cast thee as profane out of the mountain of God".
"I will lay thee before the kings that they may behold thee".
"Therefore will I bring forth a fire from the midst of thee; it shall devour thee, and I will bring thee to ashes upon the earth in the sight of all them that behold thee" (see Revelation 20:10).

God cast Lucifer (his name is now 'Satan', which means "the hater" or "the accuser") and every mutinous angel out of Heaven. Now, not only will the Church fulfil the glorious eternal plan that God has purposed for her, but will also fill the vacancy left in heaven by the fall of Lucifer - leading the hosts of heaven in worship, music and song before the throne (see Hebrews 2:12).

Ever since his expulsion from heaven, Satan has been at war with God and His Church. The Church symbolises to him not only the point over which he rebelled, but also the target of his contention - the Throne.

The first battle

Adam, created in the image of God, receives delegated authority. He is given dominion over the entire earth, but the ultimate authority rests at the Throne with God Himself. The placing of the forbidden Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil at the centre of the garden represented to Adam and Eve the ultimate authority of God (Genesis 2:17). Man shared God's authority only as he was in submission to His authority (note the principle in Matthew 8:9).

This had to be the area Satan would challenge. The only way Satan could get dominion over the earth was to get Adam to commit the same sin he had - to usurp the dominion and authority of God. When Adam chose to rebel, he forfeited his rightful authority over the earth to Satan. The Cross, however, destroyed Satan's right over man, and when we come under God's authority, through the work of Jesus, we are "rescued from the dominion of darkness" (Colossians 1:13).

Continued warfare

"To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne" Revelation 3:21 (see also Ephesians 6:11-13).

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