WHEN JESUS GOT UP FROM HIS THRONE
I have to admit, that's a pretty good title!!! I have been studying two topics that seem to have a lot in common. Purity and compromise. Those are two that would take a lot of time and we still wouldn't be able to go through a tenth of it!!!
So, let's look at this title. When did Jesus get up from the throne? I didn't even think about this until I started to read a study on Revelations and the Greek language.
In Acts 7:54-56, the high priests and some of the other big shots had Stephen before them with charges (which were drummed up against him). Now, you have to read what Stephen said and how he addressed them! He had walked with great power by the Holy Spirit before and he was well schooled in addressing his belief in Jesus. They were intently listening to Stephen and he presented his case but he pretty much told them that they were hypocrites and that didn't set well with them. They dragged him out and began to stone him. This is where I started to see something that I had missed before. In verse 55, "...Stephen, filled by the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven. He saw God's glory, and he said, (56)"Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man STANDING at the right hand of God!".
In Daniel, he sees Jesus seated at the Right Hand of the Father. (7:9). In the New Testament, Jesus was seated in : Eph. 1:20-23; Col. 3:1; Heb. 1:3; 10:12; 12:2.
Seated means in many cultures : rest and completion. Jesus' work of redemption is finished and He now rests after accomplishing His Divine assignment.
But here we read how Stephen sees Jesus standing up at the right hand of God!! What made Him stand up?? Now, you might be saying, "what does it matter". Well, I believe that Jesus stood up to take notice and honor the first martyr that died in His Name!! It is almost like when a General stands in honor for a soldier. Why else would He be standing when most of the scriptures say that He was sitting?
In the first three chapters of Revelation, Jesus is seen standing among the Lamp Stands. Something He saw and felt moved Him to stand up and move among the seven churches.
So think about this, Jesus is seated at the right hand of the Father but He gets up when Stephen is being stoned and when John is having his vision.
So where am I going with this? Jesus was moved to stand when Stephen was being killed. He stands up when He sees His churches going off in different directions. He is concerned about what goes on in our lives every single minute of the day. We have access to the unlimited power of the Holy Spirit at anytime. We have to be bold in our faith during these days and we can't allow the world to influence us to compromise the Gospel in any way!
I need to ask for the discernment from the Holy Spirit to help me through each day so I don't fall prey to my own selfish desires.
That's why the Word is the Word of God and we need to know it and live it!!
God Bless!!
Paul
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