"I was in spirit: and behold A THRONE was established in the heaven" (iv. 2).

The word throne is from the Greek thronos, an elevated seat with a footstool; and derived from thrao, to sit, metonymically, it signifies imperial and regal power. In the text before us it stands for "the dominion, glory, and kingdom," which Daniel says "was given to the Son of Man, that all peoples, and nations, and languages might serve him" (vii. 14).

As soon as the invitation was given to ascend to the heaven, John was "in spirit." Immediately upon this he saw a throne in the heaven, which had not been there before in such glorious manifestation. It had many ages anterior to his time, occupied a place in the heaven contemporarily with the thrones of Tyre, and Egypt, and Sheba, and Babylon; but, while he was in Patmos, and for many ages before and since, even to this day, there is no such throne in the heaven. When it existed there of old, it was occupied by David and Solomon as the kings of Yahweh over Israel. It was then styled "the throne of Yahweh," and the throne of the kingdom of Yahweh over Israel" (1 Chron. xxviii. 5; xxix. 23). By the covenant of the Olahm, or Hidden Period, this throne was established in the family of David. The proof of this is found in numerous places of the Scripture. Thus in 2 Sam. vii. 12-16, the covenant to David reads, "YAHWEH will make for thee a house. When thy days shall be completed, and thou hast slept with thy fathers, I will cause to raise up after thee thy seed who shall proceed out of thy bowels; and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name; and I will establish the throne of his kingdom ad-olahm, during the hidden period;" that is, the Millennium. "I will be to him for a father, and he shall be to me for a son; whom, in his being caused to bow down, I will chasten with a sceptre of men, and with stripes from the sons of Adam; but my mercy I will not take from him as that I put away from with Saul, whom I removed from before thee. And thy house and thy kingdom shall be established during the Olahm before thy face; thy throne shall be set up for the Olahm," or the thousand years.

Now when David’s days were about completed, he thus expressed himself in reference to this covenant of the throne and kingdom. In 2 Sam. xxiii. 1, it is written: "Now these words of David, the last, are an oracle of David, son of Jesse; even an oracle of the mighty man enthroned, concerning an Anointed One of the Elohim of Jacob; and the pleasant theme of Israel’s songs.

"Yahweh’s spirit spake by me, and His word was upon my tongue; Elohim of Israel spake to me, and the Rock of Israel discoursed, saying, There shall be a Ruler over mankind, ruling in the righteous precepts of Elohim. And as brightness of morning, He shall rise the Sun of an unclouded dawn, shining forth after rain upon tender grass out of the earth.

"Though my house is not so with AIL, yet He hath appointed for me THE COVENANT OF THE OLAHM, ordered in everything and sure: truly this is all my salvation, and all my delight, though he cause it not to spring forth.

"But the wicked shall be all of them as a thorn-bush to be thrust away; yet without hand shall they be taken; nevertheless A MAN shall smite upon them. He shall be filled with iron and the shaft of a spear; but with fire to burn up while standing, they shall be consumed."

The above testimonies I have translated from the Hebrew. The reader can compare them with the English version, and adopt which he thinks the more intelligible and correct. He will find that both renderings agree in affirming this:

1. That a dynastic house was guaranteed to David;

2. That the kingdom and throne of this dynasty should be established during a future period;

3. That the commencement and duration of that period were hidden from David;

4. That said kingdom and throne should be established by AIL; or, as Daniel says, by "the Eloah of the heavens;"

5. That the occupant of said throne should be a resurrected seed of David and Son of the Deity;

6. That this seed should come to his death by the violence of his enemies; and be pierced with a spear:

7. That the establishment of said kingdom and throne should come to pass after David’s sleep with his fathers, and before his face; so that the establishment of the throne and kingdom would be after David’s resurrection from among the dead;

8. That this Covenant of the then, and yet, Hidden Period, ordered in all things and sure, contained all that constituted the salvation looked for by David; and in which was his delight;

9. That He who should be at once seed of David and Son of the Deity should be Ruler over mankind, ruling them in righteousness and in glory, when occupying the covenanted throne; and,

10. That he should utterly destroy the power of the wicked.

When these things were revealed to David, concerning his royal descendant and his kingdom and throne, they became the anchor of his soul both sure and steadfast behind the veil of a future undefined. Now, David was a great poet; we may say, the greatest poet that ever lived; for the Songs of Israel were from his pen indited under the inspiration of Yahweh’s spirit which spake by him, putting divine words upon his tongue. The covenanted seed, and the glorious things to him belonging, were "the pleasant theme of Israel’s songs." In these songs, that which was "all his salvation and all his delight" was always prominent; and made them, not merely David’s, but Yahweh’s songs, which "Israelites indeed," found difficult to sing when captives in a strange and foreign land (Psal. cxxxvii. 4). In the eighty-ninth of these songs, the Rock of Israel discoursed concerning the covenant, saying, "A hidden period of mercy shall be builded; thy faithfulness in them, the heavens, thou wilt establish. I have devised a covenant for my chosen one; I have sworn to David my servant, saying, during a hidden period I will establish thy seed; and I will build thy throne for a generation of the race." And in verse 24, "In my name shall his horn be exalted. And I will set his hand in the sea; and his right hand in the rivers. He shall call upon me, saying, Thou art my Father, my AIL, and the Rock of my Salvation. Yea, I will appoint him the Firstborn, the Most High to the kings of the earth. For the hidden period I will keep my mercy for him; and my covenant shall be steadfast for him. And I have appointed his seed la-ad, for eternity (see diagram in Vol. I, chap. I, sec. iii, 4) and his throne as the days of the heavens." Once have I sworn by my holiness, verily I will not lie to David: his seed shall be for the hidden period; and his throne as the sun before me. As the moon it shall be established a hidden period; and as a witness steadfast in the firmament" (ver. 35). "As the sun" the throne will always be; but "as the moon," as a priestly throne, it shall continue only for the thousand years, until sin and death shall be destroyed.

Now, when we look into the heaven we behold no such throne and kingdom as those covenanted to David among the powers. We see there the Papal throne, the thrones of the Romish kingdoms, the imperial thrones of the Austrian, and Russian, and Turkish dominions, and so forth; but no kingdom and throne of David over Israel in the promised land. Is this present condition of the heaven permanent and final? Are these thrones and governments of the eastern and western hemispheres, always to rule the nations, and is there never to exist a throne and kingdom of David occupied and governed by his immortal household, as the kings and priests of the Deity? Whoever affirms these things, in so saying avers that Yahweh’s spirit has "lied to David." He charges the Deity with falsehood; and in so doing proves, that he himself is like his father the devil, "a liar, and that the truth is not in him." But no. The existing order of the heaven is not final. The things which are seen there are only temporary: ta blepomena proskaira (2 Cor. iv. 18). These thrones are to be cast down when the Ancient of Days shall sit; and judgment shall be executed by the saints (Dan. vii. 9,22). When "his throne as a fiery flame" shall be manifested it will be established in the heaven, and not withhold its "lightnings, and thunders, and voices," till every one of them shall be in the possession of the seed covenanted to David.

But the absence of the throne and kingdom of David from the heaven for a long series of ages anterior to his resurrection was contemplated and expressly declared by the spirit in David and the prophets. In view of their suppression the spirit says in the psalm quoted, "But thou hast cast off and rejected; thou hast been very wroth with thine anointed one. Thou hast made void the covenant of thy servant; thou hast profaned his crown to the earth; thou hast broken down all his defences; thou hast reduced his strongholds to ruins. All who pass by the way spoil him; he hath been a reproach to his neighbors. Thou hast exalted the right hand of his adversaries; all his enemies thou hast made glad: yea, thou wilt turn the edge of his sword, and make him not to stand in war; thou hast made his brightness to cease, and his throne thou hast cast down to the earth. The days of his youth hast thou shortened; thou hast covered him over with shame. How long, O Yahweh? Wilt thou hide thyself la-netzach, perpetually?"

Such was the condition of things in relation to the throne in John’s day as in our own. David, John, and all the saints from their time to ours, are all interested in the inquiry "How long?" Until when shall the kingdom and throne of David and David’s Lord, be prostrate in the dust, and exist only as a matter of hope? This question has been long since answered by Ezekiel, who in ch. xxi. 27, says, the throne shall not exist "until He come whose right it is," and Yahweh Elohim will give it him. Jesus being the Christ, is He whose right it is. This is evident from Gabriel’s word in Luke i. 3, saying to Mary, "Thou shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest; and Yahweh Elohim shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob eis tous aionas, during the Aions, and of his kingdom there shall not be an end. The right to the throne, then, belongs to Jesus. But when he came into the world it was not in existence, nor while he remained here; and when he departed from the earth, instead of possessing a throne, "he went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom;" and having received it "to return," (Luke xix. 12). He has not yet returned, which is a proof that he has not "received for himself a kingdom." But he will certainly receive it according to Daniel’s vision of the night (vii. 13,14); and when he returns in power and glory, and all the holy angels with him, then will he build again the tabernacle of David which is fallen down; and build again the ruins thereof, and set it up as in the days of old; and occupy the throne, which will then be the throne of his glory (Matt. xxv. 31; Amos ix. 11; Acts xv. 16). And this is that throne which John beheld "established in the heaven."

But it may be asked, in what terrestrial locality will this throne in the heaven be established? What is the topography of the substance, or reality, of the vision John beheld "in spirit?" The answer is MOUNT ZION IN JERUSALEM. This is where the Davidian covenant locates it, in saying to David, "THY kingdom shall be established during the Olahm before thy face; THY throne shall be set up for the Olahm," or hidden period of a thousand years duration. When these words were spoken to David he was reigning in Mount Zion in Jerusalem in the presence of ancients, the princes of Israel. Deeply impressed with this truth, as the poet of the House of Jacob, he celebrated the glory of Zion when he should behold her full of palaces tenanted by the saints, the Elohim of Israel. Hence, the psalms, are not only styled "Yahweh’s Songs," and "Israel’s Songs," but "the Songs of Zion." The following is a specimen of the teaching of the spirit concerning Zion and Jerusalem:

"Yahweh’s foundation is in the mountains of holiness. He loveth the gates of Zion more than all the dwelling places of Jacob. Glorious things are spoken of thee, O city of the ELOHIM. Selah. This Man (the foundation-stone laid in Zion) was developed there: even to Zion it shall be said, the man, even THE MAN, was brought forth in her; and He the Most High, will establish her. In enrolling the peoples Yahweh will reckon (that) this Man was born there. Also singers as well as musicians (Apoc. v. 8,9; xiv. 2; xv. 2,3) there: all my springs are in thee (Psal. lxxxvii.)

Again. In Psalm xlviii it is written, "Great is Yahweh, and greatly to be praised in the city of our Elohim, the mountain of his holiness. Beautiful of situation, the joy of all the earth, is the mountain of Zion, the sides of the north, the citadel of the Great King. Elohim in her palaces has been known for a defence. For behold, the kings (under Gog) were assembled, they perished together. They beheld; so were they in consternation; they were terrified, in terror they hasted away. Trembling seized upon them there, and anguish as a parturient woman. With a wind of the east thou wilt wreck the ships of Tarshish. As we have heard so have we seen in the City of YAHWEH Tz’vaoth, in the city of our ELOHIM. Elohim will establish her ad-olahm, during the hidden period," or MILLENNIUM.

Again, In Psal. l, "AIL, Elohim, YAHWEH spoke and made proclamation to the earth from the rising of the sun unto its going down. Out of Zion the perfection of beauty Elohim shined forth. Our Elohim shall come, and not keep silence. A fire before him shall devour, and it shall be very tempestuous around him. He will make proclamation to the heavens from above, and to the earth for to vindicate his people: saying, Gather ye to me my saints, the separatists of my covenant by the sacrifice. And the heavens shall declare his righteousness; for He, the Elohim, is judge. Selah."

In Psa. xlvi. 4, also it says: "There is a river whose channels shall gladden the city of Elohim, the holy place of the tabernacles of the Most High. Elohim in her midst, therefore she shall not be moved. Elohim shall help her at the opening of the dawn. The nations were enraged; the kingdoms were moved. He uttered his voice and the earth shall melt. Yahweh Tz’vaoth is with us; a fortress for us the Elohim of Jacob. Selah."

In Psa. cxxii it is written, "Our feet shall stand within thy gates, O Jerusalem -- Jerusalem! that is builded as a city compactly joined together. Whither have gone up the tribes, the tribes of Yah, a testimony for Israel, to give thanks to the name of Yahweh; because there they have established thrones for judgment, the thrones of the House of David. Seek ye the peace of Jerusalem; they shall prosper who love thee."

Lastly, in Psa. cxxxii. 11, it is written, "Yahweh swore to David the truth; he will not turn from it, saying; Of the fruit of thy body I will set upon the throne for thee. If thy sons will keep my covenant and my testimony which I will teach them; their sons also shall sit in the throne for thee, adai-ad, until the beyond" (see diagram in Vol. I, chap. I, sec. iii, 4). "For Yahweh has chosen to be in Zion; he has desired it for a dwelling for himself. This is my rest until the beyond. Here I will dwell, for I have desired it. Blessing I will bless her provision; her poor I will satisfy with bread. Also her priests I will clothe with salvation, and her saints shall shout aloud for joy. There I will cause a HORN to bud for David; I have prepared a LAMP for mine anointed. His enemies I will clothe with shame; but upon him shall his crown flourish."

Such, then, is merely a specimen of what is testified in "the songs of Zion" of the relation she is destined to hold to Messiah’s kingdom, when he shall sit and rule as a priest after the Order of Melchizedec, upon the throne to be established in the heaven, and shall bear the glory of his Father’s house. The vision in the fourth chapter of the Apocalypse is of the "GREAT WHITE THRONE" of David’s Son, encircled by the Judicial thrones of the House of David, to be occupied jointly with him by the apostles and saints in general, as his ancients, according to his promise. They are the thrones to be established in the Era of Regeneration; when the Son of Man shall sit upon the throne of his glory, and the apostles upon twelve thrones governing the twelve tribes of Israel (Matt. xix. 19), "then shall Jerusalem be called THE THRONE OF YAHWEH: and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to THE NAME OF YAHWEH, to Jerusalem (Jer. iii. 17); and because of its superior glory, majesty, and power, compared with any other throne that ever was on earth, or ever shall be for a thousand years; the luminaries of the political expanse which now shed their rays upon the earth of subject nations, peoples, and tongues, shall be darkened with a total and permanent eclipse, according to the testimony of the Spirit that "the moon shall be confounded, and the sun ashamed, when Yahweh Tz’vaoth shall reign in Mount Zion, and in Jerusalem, and before his ancients gloriously" (Isa. xxiv. 23).