Ⅰ
The Lamb-God is on the throne within the city—Rev. 4:2-3; 22:1-5; 21:23:
A
The throne of God and of the Lamb shows that there is one throne for both God and the Lamb, indicating that God and the Lamb are one—the Lamb-God, the redeeming God, God the Redeemer—22:1; 4:2-3.
B
In eternity the very God who sits on the throne is our redeeming God, from whose throne proceeds the river of water of life for our supply and satisfaction.
C
This depicts how the Triune God—God, the Lamb, and the Spirit, who is symbolized by the water of life—dispenses Himself into His redeemed under His headship (implied in the authority of the throne) for eternity.
Ⅱ
The throne is the center of our Christian life:
A
In our daily life, in our family life, in our marriage life, in our business life, and in our church life, the center must be God's throne; everything should be subjected to His headship.
B
Every morning after rising up, we need to say, "Lord, thank You for a new day for me to take You as my Lord. I subject myself under Your headship for the whole day. Lord, set up Your throne in my life. Set up Your throne in the center of my being. Lord, bring my whole day with my daily life under Your throne"; if we would offer such a prayer to the Triune God every morning, from that moment we would have the living water flowing within us.
C
In our experience, whenever we subject ourselves to the Triune God, taking Him as our Head, we enjoy a flow within us; the river flows with the God who purposed, with the Lamb who redeemed, and with the Spirit who is now the all-inclusive, processed, life-giving Spirit.
D
Under His headship we enjoy the flow of life with the supply of life and the way of life; in the flow of life we serve Him, we see Him, and we reign with Him—22:2-5.
Morning Nourishment
Rev. 22:3-5 …And the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and His slaves will serve Him; and they will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads…; and they will reign forever and ever.We must realize that whenever the throne is gone, there is no source of the flow. This is why many times we have the feeling that we are dry and even dried up. There is not the flow of the living water because we do not accept or recognize the lordship, the headship, and the authority of the Triune God in the very center of our being. This is why the throne is the last item revealed concerning the New Jerusalem. Without the throne the New Jerusalem does not have a center, and without the throne there is no flow of life. As a result, the entire New Jerusalem would be dried up and even starved to death. The water of life flows out of the throne, and the tree of life grows in the water of life and on the two sides of the river of water of life as a vine producing timely fruits for the food of God’s redeemed for eternity. Both the water of life and the tree of life are the issue of the throne. (CWWL, 1984, vol. 3, “God’s New Testament Economy,” p. 463)
Today’s Reading
Whenever you would take the Triune God as your Head, that will be the time when something begins to flow in your being. We have to apply this to our daily life in every instance and in every small thing. Even in our talk to our children and in our talk to our spouse, we have to practice submitting ourselves to the inner throne. Do not look into the heavens, but look to the center of your entire being where there should be a throne. The throne should be prevailing in the center of your being. Then the water of life will be proceeding out of the throne to supply you and to bring to you the tree of life, which nourishes you all day long.In the place where the Triune God flows, we serve Him (Rev. 22:3). Not only do we serve Him but also we see His face (v. 4)…When you drink the water of life, you see His face. When you eat the fruit of the tree of life, you receive His face. You serve Him by drinking and eating Him. Do not do anything for Him. He can do everything, but He cannot drink Himself, nor can He eat Himself. He depends on you to eat Him and to drink Him. I say again, do not think that you can work for Him. He can do everything for Himself, and He does not need you. He needs you only to eat Him. He needs you only to drink Him. He needs you only to enjoy Him. Do not say, “I will go to the mission field to be a missionary.” God can do everything, but He needs someone to eat Him and to drink Him. He needs many eaters and drinkers.
We all should say, “Lord, I receive You as my Head…I enthrone You in my heart. I put You on Your throne.” Once you put Him on His throne, immediately the water flows and the tree grows, and you have something to drink and to eat.
It is here in this flow from the throne that we serve Him and that we see His face. Also, in this flow we reign as kings (v. 5). If you do go to the mission field, you must go by taking God's throne in the center of your being. Then every day out of the throne the water flows and the tree grows. When you drink the water of life and eat the tree of life, you will serve Him, you will see His face, and you will be a king…The Lord Jesus told us that all authority had been given to Him in heaven and on earth and that now we need to go with His authority to disciple the nations (Matt. 28:18-19). We need to go with the authority of the heavenly King who is now enthroned in our being. We all have to realize that here is the power and the impact of the preaching of the gospel—we have One who is the Lord of all, the Head of the entire universe, enthroned in the center of our being. When He is enthroned in our being, the water flows and the tree grows, and our service will be an enjoyment. When you enjoy Him, you serve Him, you see Him, and you reign with Him to be kings with Him. (CWWL, 1984, vol. 3, “God’s New Testament Economy,” pp. 463-466)
Further Reading: CWWL, 1984, vol. 3, “God’s New Testament Economy,” ch. 38