Whose Throne Does Christ Occupy?
"He that overcometh, I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne, as I also overcame, and sat down with my Father in his throne." (Rev. 43:21.)
Future kingdom advocates generally make a distinction between the Father's throne and the throne of the Son. They are positive in their assertions that Christ is now on the Father's throne but that he will occupy his own throne when he comes again and sets up the kingdom the prophets foretold. They think a man is rather short-sighted and lame in his knowledge of the scriptures who cannot see this.
It is admitted that the kingdom the prophets foretold was the kingdom of Christ, the Messiah. This kingdom was "at hand" when John the Baptist was preaching. He called it "the kingdom of heaven." "Repent ye: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand." (Matt. 3:2) Jesus preached the near approach of this same kingdom. "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand." (Mark 1:15.) Jesus called it the "kingdom of God." God is the Father. We are told that because the Jews rejected their Messiah that his kingdom has been postponed until Jesus comes again to establish the kingdom and usher in the millennium. This is bound up in the term pre-millennialism. Whose kingdom is it to be? The kingdom of Christ. Whose kingdom is it to be? The kingdom of God. Are there to be two kingdoms with God reigning over one and Christ reigning over the other? Certainly not. Premillennialists do not so contend. The kingdom of Christ has a throne. Whose throne is it? It is Christ's throne. The kingdom of God has a throne. Whose throne is it? God's throne. If the kingdom of Christ and the kingdom of God are one kingdom, why then cannot the throne of God and the throne of Christ be one throne? Where then goes the distinction that is made between the throne of the Father, on which Christ now sits, and his own throne which he will presumably occupy after he comes again? It goes the way of the whole future—kingdom theory. It is as unsubstantial as a mere flight or fancy. One might as well and with as much reason argue that Christ cannot sit on his own throne, because he is to sit on David's throne and how can it be his and David's both!? Even David sat on his throne and the Father's throne at the same time. Solomon sat on Jehovah's throne and David's throne at the same time. "And Solomon sat upon the throne of David his father: and his kingdom was established greatly." (I Kings 2:12.) Whose throne? David's. Whose kingdom? Solomon's. "Then Solomon sat on the throne of Jehovah as king instead of David his father, and prospered; and all Israel obeyed him." (I Chron. 29:23.) Whose throne? Jehovah's. Whose reign? Solomon's. It should not be too straining on the eyes to see in the light of this how Christ can sit on the Father's throne, David's throne and his own throne all at the same time. Besides all this, Paul calls the kingdom "the kingdom of Christ and God." (Eph. 5:5.) Why then cannot the throne be that of Christ and God, and David's too?
I think all admit that the church Christ said he would build has been established. Whose church is it? Jesus said: "Upon this rock I will build my church." My church. It is indeed the "church of the Lord" and congregations are called "churches of Christ." (Matt. 16:18; Acts 20:28; Rom. 16:16.) It is also called "the church of God" and "churches of God" is an expression found in the sacred writings. (I Cor. 1:2; I Thess. 2:14.) If it is easily recognized that the church of Christ and the church of God are one and not two institutions; the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Christ are one and not two kingdoms; then the throne of God and the throne of Christ are one and not two thrones. A man who cannot see that must be looking some other way.