The throne has a source, and the throne is the source; the throne has a goal, and the throne is the goal. It is the source flowing out and the goal coming back. This is the divine traffic, and this traffic is the administration. This traffic, this administration, is signified by a golden street, which is the base itself. Each one of us needs to declare, “I am not a person without a throne in the universe. I have the throne of God, and I am in His administration.”
The throne of God and of the Lamb is for God’s administration. God is the One who had a purpose, made a plan in eternity past, and created all things for the fulfillment of His plan. The Lamb is the One who redeemed us, the One who has accomplished a full redemption to fulfill God’s plan. Thus, the throne of God and of the Lamb denotes that this throne is to carry out God’s plan through Christ’s redemption. Both God’s plan and Christ’s redemption are being carried out through this throne. The throne is the source from which the river of water of life flows, and it flows with the tree of life growing in it (Rev. 22:2). The throne for the accomplishment of God’s eternal purpose is to flow out God Himself so that by this flow of life His purpose could be accomplished.
God who is in us is the source of life. The throne of God and of the Lamb should be the center of our being. In the meeting we may say the throne is in us, but many times in our daily living, the throne is often neglected by us. We need to ask ourselves if we have the throne of God in us in our living. Who is our Lord, Head, and authority in our daily life? Often, even in small things, we would not let the throne rule in our heart.
The throne is the source not only of God’s administration but also of the divine fellowship. The street signifies not only the traffic of God’s administration but also the fellowship of God’s redeemed. This divine fellowship, signified by the street with its communication, flows with the divine supply. This supply is the river of the water of life and the tree of life. The river is for beverage, and the tree is for food, for life supply. One is for quenching, and the other is for nourishing.
The administration of the New Jerusalem, an organic building, is joined to the street, the communication of which, from the throne to the gates, signifies the execution of the administration of this organic building. In the New Jerusalem there is a street that is joined to the throne. The street is for communication. The street joined to the throne is for the governmental dealings, the administration, in the New Jerusalem.
As we have seen, Revelation 22 shows that the river of water of life proceeds out of the throne of God and of the Lamb (vv. 1-2). Hence, when God and the Lamb are enthroned in our being and are able to rule and reign in us, this life will be manifested as power that supplies us inwardly. Because the Lord desires to set up His throne within us, He cares for the authority, the ground, and the dominion within us. We must give Him the dominion. God has already made Him Lord and Christ and has given Him all authority in heaven and on earth. The entire universe is His domain. Yet it seems that we are those who do not give Him the authority. God has made Him King, but we may not honor Him as King. Instead, often in our daily living, we are our own king and do many things by ourselves. Even to this day there seems to be little room for Christ in us. Our inner being may not be Christ’s domain but our own domain. It seems that in many things we are the lord, we are in control, and we have the final word. The Lord Jesus is frustrated in us. He is the Lord who is enthroned in heaven, but He may not be enthroned in our heart.
The church is the place where God exercises His authority, and the throne of God’s Son is set up among the churches. His authority and reign should have the ground in all the saints. Although they all have God’s life, the Lord Himself, and the Lord’s throne, authority, and kingdom in them, many will not submit to the Lord’s authority, allow the Lord to be seated on the throne within them, or allow Him to establish His kingdom and obtain His domain in their being. We must realize that if this is our situation, we cannot be living and strong Christians, the power of the Lord Jesus cannot be expressed through us, and the divine life cannot be a supply to us.
The gospel saves us so that we may become the Lord’s kingdom. God regenerates us with His life so that we may have the throne of His Son in us. Satan seeks to overthrow God’s authority in the universe. He is unwilling to let God’s authority be brought to earth. In the meantime, he also usurps the earth among the worldly people so that God’s kingdom cannot come to earth and His authority cannot be exercised among men. Through His Son’s dying for man, being raised from the dead, cleansing away man’s sins with His blood, and regenerating man with His life, God brings His throne, His authority, and His kingdom into the saved ones so that they may have His authority in them and become His kingdom.
We need to apply the throne of God with its administration to our daily life. Every day we need to realize that we are persons who are under the divine throne and who are also in the divine administration. We need to remember this crucial matter; this is to apply the throne and the administration. If we can remember that we are persons under the divine throne and in the divine administration, this will change our daily life. With this realization we cannot be loose and uncontrolled. Every day we need to apply this. We should remember: “I am a God-man under the throne of God and in the administration of God. I cannot be free. I am fully ruled, governed, by the Lord.”