THE THIRD PART: 24 CRUCIAL LINES IN THE BIBLE
God’s Administration
Message Five—God’s Universal Administrative Throne in Revelation
Scripture Reading: Rev. 4:1—5:14
I. It is crucial for us to see a vision of God’s sovereignty—Dan. 4:1-3, 34-35; Rom. 9:19-23:
A. Sovereignty refers to God’s unlimited authority and power—Rev. 4:11; 5:13.
B. As the sovereign One, God is above everything, behind everything, and in everything—1 Kings 22:19.
C. God has the full capacity to carry out what He wants according to the desire of His heart and according to His eternal economy—Dan. 4:35.
II. The book of Revelation is a book of God’s administration, unveiling the throne of God for the divine administration throughout the universe—4:2; 5:1; 6:16; 7:9; 8:3; 21:5; 1 Kings 22:19; Isa. 6:1; Ezek. 1:26; Dan. 7:9:
A. This book presents a clear view of God’s universal administration, revealing the fact that the universe operates according to God’s administration—Rev. 4:2, 5.
B. The throne in Revelation 4 and 5 is the throne of divine authority:
1. God’s throne is related to His administration, which is a matter of His economy—1 Tim. 1:4; Eph. 1:10; 3:9.
2. Apparently the throne is invisible and is not realized by man, but actually it is behind the scene ruling over everyone and everything—Isa. 6:1.
C. The throne of God is not only for God to reign but also for God to accomplish His eternal purpose—Eph. 1:9, 11; 3:11; Rom. 8:28; Rev. 4:11.
D. Revelation, the unveiling of God’s universal administration, shows us that the will, the purpose, of God in His creation is to have an eternal habitation—the New Jerusalem—for His satisfaction and expression—21:2, 10.
E. There are seven lamps of fire—the seven Spirits of God—burning before God’s administrative throne—4:5:
1. The burning of the seven Spirits of God is for the carrying out of God’s administration.
2. The burning of the seven Spirits of God is to bring forth the golden lampstands, the churches, for the fulfillment of God’s economy—1:12.
3. The burning of the seven Spirits motivates us to rise up and take action for the carrying out of God’s economy—Dan. 11:32.
III. As the One enthroned to be the heavenly Administrator in God’s universal government, Christ is the worthy Lion-Lamb, the overcoming Redeemer, opening the scroll of God’s economy— Rev. 5:1-14:
A. Christ, the embodiment of God (Col. 2:9), administrates the universe under the headship of God because God has given Christ to be Head over all things—Eph. 1:22.
B. In the divine administration Christ is the worthy Lion-Lamb—Rev. 5:5-6:
1. As the Lion He is the Fighter against the enemy, Satan; as the Lamb He is the Redeemer for us—Gen. 49:9; John 1:29.
2. Because Christ has solved the problems of the rebellion of Satan and the fall of man, He is worthy to open the scroll of God’s economy.
C. The Lamb, the Redeemer, the One slain on the cross for our sins, is now on the throne carrying out God’s administration over the entire universe:
1. The Lord Jesus has been enthroned to execute God’s governmental administration in the universe—5:6.
2. We need to see that the Lord is on the throne as a man and realize that the Lord of the universe is a man, the God-man, the Man-God—Ezek. 1:26.
D. The enthroned Lion-Lamb has received the commission to carry out God’s economy, symbolized by the scroll—Rev. 5:7-9:
1. In the divine government Christ opens the scroll of God’s economy.
2. By opening the seven seals Christ unlocks the secret of the universe—6:1.
E. The Lamb has seven eyes for the carrying out of God’s administration—5:6:
1. The way Christ carries out God’s administration is by the seven Spirits as His eyes.
2. The seven eyes are for transfusing all that the Lamb is into our being so that we may become the same as He is for God’s building—Zech. 3:9.
F. The Administrator, the worthy and enthroned Lion-Lamb, is administrating the universe through our prayers—Rev. 5:8; 8:3-4.
G. We all must worship Christ as the divine Administrator, as the One in the heavens administrating all things for the fulfillment of God’s economy—5:9-14.
Ministry Excerpts:
THE RULER OF THE KINGS OF THE EARTH
Notice the greeting to the churches in Revelation 1:4-5. “Grace to you and peace from Him Who is, and Who was, and Who is coming, and from the seven Spirits Who are before His throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful Witness, the Firstborn of the dead, and the Ruler of the kings of the earth.” The greeting in Paul’s Epistles is usually, “Grace and peace to you from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ”; this contrasts with the greeting here in Revelation.
The Lord Jesus is called here the faithful Witness; this witness is for God. Then He is called the Firstborn of the dead; this is for the church. Finally He is called the Ruler of the kings of the earth; this is for the nations. Our heavenly Christ is God’s faithful Witness. He is the Firstborn of the dead to be Head of the church, the new creation. He is the Ruler of the kings of the earth; all nations are under Him.
CHRIST AS “ANOTHER ANGEL”
The Opener of this mysterious scroll is four times in Revelation called another Angel (7:2; 8:3-5; 10:1-3; 18:1). These chapters, Revelation 7, 8, 10, and 18, reveal Christ as another Angel. An angel is a sent one. Of all the myriads of angels, Christ was the unique One sent by God to carry out His administration.
In chapter seven this another Angel “cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was given to harm the earth and the sea, saying, Do not harm the earth nor the sea nor the trees until we have sealed the slaves of our God upon their foreheads” (vv. 2-3). He ordered the angels who were going to damage the earth to wait until those of Israel were sealed.
In chapter eight “another Angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer, and much incense was given to Him that He should add it to the prayers of all the saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne. And the smoke of the incense went up with the prayers of the saints out of the hand of the Angel before God. And the Angel took the censer and filled it with the fire of the altar and cast it to the earth; and there were thunders and voices and lightnings and an earthquake” (vv. 3-5). This another Angel here offers the saints’ prayers to God. Then He brings God’s answer back to earth. When He pours out God’s answer to the saints’ prayers, the earth comes under God’s judgment.
In chapter ten John saw “another strong Angel coming down out of heaven, clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon His head, and His face was as the sun, and His feet as pillars of fire; and having in His hand a little opened scroll. And He placed His right foot on the sea and the left on the land, and cried with a loud voice as a lion roars. And when He cried, the seven thunders uttered their own voices” (vv. 1-3). Here Christ descends as the mighty One. His having one foot on the sea and the other on the land signifies that He is coming to take possession of the whole globe. Both the water and the land belong to Him. At this stage of His coming, however, He is hidden in a cloud, not visible openly to those on earth.
In chapter eighteen there was “another Angel coming down out of heaven, having great authority; and the earth was illumined with His glory. And He cried with a strong voice, saying, Fallen, fallen is Babylon the great! And she has become a dwelling place of demons and a hold of every unclean spirit and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird” (vv. 1-2). At this stage of His coming, the another Angel is no longer hidden. He comes with authority and glory to judge the great Babylon.
SUBDUING AND JUDGING
In the next chapter He comes as the Commander of the heavenly army (19:11-16). He is called The Word of God (v. 13), the King of kings, and the Lord of lords (v. 16). He comes to execute God’s government by fighting. Some citizens refuse to obey the law; then the police must step in and take them into custody. They must go before the judge and be sentenced. In God’s government Christ is both the Commander of the army to subdue the rebellious ones and the Judge to execute the heavenly judgment.
ALL THINGS UNDER CHRIST’S RULERSHIP
The affairs of the nations are under Christ’s rulership. There is no need to be concerned about what is going on in Iran. Every nation, including Iran and Russia, takes orders from Him. He is not a king of only one nation. He is the Ruler of all kings. Whatever He commands, the nations must follow. Do not be anxious.
The whole world situation corresponds to His heavenly priesthood. He is working to save God’s chosen ones and to discipline some. You may think the economy in this country is out of hand. You may be worried about inflation and high unemployment. You may lose your job. Nonetheless, praise the Lord! Before you were fired, you may have been lukewarm. By losing your job you have become burning! One kind of firing causes another kind of fire!
Romans 8:28 says, “And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to the purpose.” All things includes Russia, Iran, the economy, your job situation, and all your circumstances. All these things work together not for Satan or Russia but for us, God’s chosen people. All things are for the benefit of the saints and of the churches.
HIS PURPOSE BEING WORKED OUT
May we all see the complete picture of Christ’s heavenly ministry. He is working in the heavens to see that God’s chosen people are saved, called, and brought in. He is ordering events and circumstances so that we may all grow in life. He is arranging things so that the local churches may be built up and the lampstands may all be completed. By His ministry the dark things are being trimmed away and the heavenly elements added that we may be transformed into golden lampstands shining forth His glory.
If we once see this heavenly ministry, our lukewarmness will be gone. We shall be hot, even burning others! (The Mending Ministry of John, msg. 1)