The death of King Uzziah brought a level of uneasiness if not unrest to the Southern Kingdom. Under Uzziah’s leadership Judah experienced everything a politician could hope for: economic prosperity, significant building projects and peace. With the military success and joint ventures with Israel, Judah saw the Northern and Southern Kingdoms almost as large (and prosperous?) as the united Kingdom of Israel under Solomon’s reign. For most of his 52 years Uzziah walked with God. The last dozen years his heart was not loyal and he suffered from leprosy as punishment. Yet the people loved their king and his death created a void and brought fear of an uncertain future.
His death is the marker for Isaiah’s vision (Is. 6). When this king died, Isaiah saw the true King of Israel on his throne with only the hem of God’s garment contained in the temple. Smoke filled room and strange looking seraphs sang “Holy, holy, holy” to the God of the universe. While uncertainly and unrest was unfolding in Judah, consistent control over all creation was present on the throne in heaven. God’s reassuring message was, “It’s ok. I’ve got this” because his Name is on the Throne.
Exile is a constant reminder of failure. The people of Israel failed to keep God’s covenant. The walls around Jerusalem failed to keep the Babylon army from penetrating the city. The people of Judah believed that God failed to protect them. Enter Ezekiel. When we pick up the story he’s thirty years of age, the same age a priest begins ministering in the temple. But he’s not in the temple; he’s in exile. Abandoned. Forgotten. Living out his life as a failure in captivity. If his dream was to minister in the temple, his dream morphed into a nightmare as he was part of the caravan to Babylon. The future was going to get worse before it was ever going to get better.
The marker for Ezekiel’s first vision was at the thirtieth year and fourth month, about the time he should have entered the ministry. God comes to Israel in a powerful windstorm, but the vision is complicated. God’s being carried by a wheel within a wheel to Babylon where he will take up residence with the exiled. The strange looking seraphs are with him and the description of what Ezekiel saw and paints is indescribable. God’s presence and reassuring message is clear, “I’m with you. It’s ok. I’ve got this” because his Name is on the Throne.
The Lord’s Day on the Island of Patmos is the marker for John’s vision. The churches of Asia Minor were under two threats from the outside. The Jews were harassing the Christians at the local level, with Domitian calling for an all-out assault against the Church. While emperor worship was common in the first century, Domitian wanted people to worship him while he was still alive. The confession of the Church, “Jesus is Lord,” was unpatriotic and a threat to the State. So Domitian demanded loyalty, and those who refused to confess their loyalty faced the strong arm of the Empire. With only one apostle alive, the church at the end of the century was transitioning into dark and uncertain times.
John is invited into heaven where God showed him what will take place (Rev. 4). He witnesses the glory of God. The strange looking seraphs are once again present singing “Holy, Holy, Holy.” Lights were blazing with thunderous reverberations. A great sea, so calm and clear it looked like crystal glass, was before the throne. John sees God sitting on his throne with twenty-four elders sitting on their thrones; the elders fall to their knees and lay their crowns before God. A rainbow encompasses God’s throne. God’s presence on his throne is hardly passive but an active rule reassuring John and the Church, “It’s ok. I’ve got this” because his Name is on the Throne.
The Church continues to face turbulent and uncertain times. Entrenched in our own culture, surveys continue to show little to no moral difference between those actively engaged in congregations and those who are not. The active shootings we’ve witnessed in schools for twenty years has begun bleeding over into churches; people live in fear. Speaking of fear, the demographics shift and rise in minority groups coupled with embedded racism has caused much angst. Political party loyalty has almost become a test of Christian fellowship, while a National Christian faith is undermining the Gospel of Christ. In the meantime, church attendance and loyalty in America is shrinking as well as a vision to bring the Gospel to the world.
Yet in turbulent and uncertain times, we can be assured that God still sits on his throne in power and authority. He is actively overseeing his creation and his Church. His reassuring message to his church today remains, “It’s ok. I’ve got this” because his Name is still on the Throne.
Soli Deo Gloria!
(i.e. only God is glorified!)