Throne of God
Encyclopedia
The Throne of God is the reigning centre of the chief deity of the Abrahamic faiths, Judaism, Christianity and Islam. The throne is said by various holy books to reside above the Seventh Heaven called Araboth in Judaism.
(1 Kings 22. 19), Isaiah
(Isaiah 6), Ezekiel
(Ezekiel 1) and Daniel
(Daniel 7. 9) all speak of God's throne, although some philosophers such as Saʿadiah Gaon
and Maimonides
, interpreted such mention of a "throne" as allegory.
The heavenly throne room or throne room of God is a more detailed presentation of the throne, into the representation of throne room or divine court.
's extended prophecy (1 Kings 22:19) is the first detailed depiction of a heavenly throne room in Judaism.
and the Angel of the Lord
contend over Joshua the High Priest
in the time of his grandson Eliashib the High Priest. Many Christians consider this a literal event, others such as Goulder (1998) view the vision as symbolic of crisis on earth, such as opposition from Sanballat the Horonite
.
the Throne of God is talked about in several forms. Including Heaven
as the Throne of God, The Throne of David
, The Throne of Glory, The Throne of Grace
and many more. The New Testament continues Jewish identification of heaven itself as the "throne of God", but also locates the throne of God as "in heaven" and having a second subordinate seat at the Right Hand of God
for the Session of Christ
.
describes the Seven Spirits of God
which surround the throne, and John wishes his readers in the Seven Asian churches
to be blessed with grace from God, from the seven who are before God's throne, and from Jesus Christ in Heaven. John states that in front of the throne there appears to be "a sea of glass, clear as crystal", and that the throne is surrounded by a lion, an ox, a man, and a flying eagle; each with six wings and covered with eyes, who constantly repeat "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come". It is also said that "out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices".
, God created His Throne out of two great jewels; supported on the water.
The Qur'an refers to the Throne ( Al-ʿArsh) 22 times, almost entirely in the Surah
s written in the late Meccan
and Medinian periods.
In one Islamic hadith
, it is said that God ascends to His Throne only in the last third of the night at which point he deigns to hear supplication
s from his followers. The Qur'an states that the throne "doth extend over the heavens and the earth" The throne-verse is considered one of the portions of the Qur'an, and is frequently engraved on signet rings in the Eastern world.
Sunni sources record that the Prophet Muhammad had seen the Throne in the Mi'raj, his ascention through the heavens to meet God.
Judaism
MicaiahMicaiah
Micaiah son of Imlah is a prophet in the Hebrew Bible. He is not the same as the titular prophet of the Book of Micah, also called "The Morasthite" to distinguish him from Micaiah. Today Micaiah is a rare name and it is still debated if it is unisex or for men only.-Micaiah's prophecy:The events...
(1 Kings 22. 19), Isaiah
Isaiah
Isaiah ; Greek: ', Ēsaïās ; "Yahu is salvation") was a prophet in the 8th-century BC Kingdom of Judah.Jews and Christians consider the Book of Isaiah a part of their Biblical canon; he is the first listed of the neviim akharonim, the later prophets. Many of the New Testament teachings of Jesus...
(Isaiah 6), Ezekiel
Ezekiel
Ezekiel , "God will strengthen" , is the central protagonist of the Book of Ezekiel in the Hebrew Bible. In Judaism, Christianity and Islam, Ezekiel is acknowledged as a Hebrew prophet...
(Ezekiel 1) and Daniel
Daniel
Daniel is the protagonist in the Book of Daniel of the Hebrew Bible. In the narrative, when Daniel was a young man, he was taken into Babylonian captivity where he was educated in Chaldean thought. However, he never converted to Neo-Babylonian ways...
(Daniel 7. 9) all speak of God's throne, although some philosophers such as Saʿadiah Gaon
Saadia Gaon
Saʻadiah ben Yosef Gaon was a prominent rabbi, Jewish philosopher, and exegete of the Geonic period.The first important rabbinic figure to write extensively in Arabic, he is considered the founder of Judeo-Arabic literature...
and Maimonides
Maimonides
Moses ben-Maimon, called Maimonides and also known as Mūsā ibn Maymūn in Arabic, or Rambam , was a preeminent medieval Jewish philosopher and one of the greatest Torah scholars and physicians of the Middle Ages...
, interpreted such mention of a "throne" as allegory.
The heavenly throne room or throne room of God is a more detailed presentation of the throne, into the representation of throne room or divine court.
Micaiah's throneroom vision
MicaiahMicaiah
Micaiah son of Imlah is a prophet in the Hebrew Bible. He is not the same as the titular prophet of the Book of Micah, also called "The Morasthite" to distinguish him from Micaiah. Today Micaiah is a rare name and it is still debated if it is unisex or for men only.-Micaiah's prophecy:The events...
's extended prophecy (1 Kings 22:19) is the first detailed depiction of a heavenly throne room in Judaism.
Zechariah's throneroom vision
Zechariah 3 depicts a vision of the heavenly throne room where SatanSatan
Satan , "the opposer", is the title of various entities, both human and divine, who challenge the faith of humans in the Hebrew Bible...
and the Angel of the Lord
Angel of the Lord
The Angel of the Lord is one of many terms in the Hebrew Bible used for an angel. The Biblical name for angel, מלאך mal'ach, which translates simply as "messenger," obtained the further signification of "angel" only through the addition of God's name, as The Angel of the Lord (or the Angel of...
contend over Joshua the High Priest
Joshua the High Priest
Joshua the High Priest was, according to the Bible the first person chosen to be the High Priest for the reconstruction of the Jewish Temple after the return of the Jews from the Babylonian Captivity The name is also spelled 'Jeshua' in some English versions , and, as with the earlier Joshua, is...
in the time of his grandson Eliashib the High Priest. Many Christians consider this a literal event, others such as Goulder (1998) view the vision as symbolic of crisis on earth, such as opposition from Sanballat the Horonite
Sanballat the Horonite
Sanballat the Horonite or Sanballat I was a Samaritan leader and official of the Persian Achaemenid Empire who lived in the mid to late fifth century BC...
.
Dead Sea Scrolls
The concept of a heavenly throne occurs in three Dead Sea Scroll texts. Later speculation on the throne of God became a theme of Merkavah mysticism.Christianity
In the New TestamentNew Testament
The New Testament is the second major division of the Christian biblical canon, the first such division being the much longer Old Testament....
the Throne of God is talked about in several forms. Including Heaven
Heaven (Christianity)
Traditionally, Christianity has taught Heaven as a place of eternal life and the dwelling place of Angels and the Throne of God, and a kingdom to which all the elect will be admitted...
as the Throne of God, The Throne of David
David
David was the second king of the united Kingdom of Israel according to the Hebrew Bible and, according to the Gospels of Matthew and Luke, an ancestor of Jesus Christ through both Saint Joseph and Mary...
, The Throne of Glory, The Throne of Grace
Grace (Christianity)
In Christian theology, grace is God’s gift of God’s self to humankind. It is understood by Christians to be a spontaneous gift from God to man - "generous, free and totally unexpected and undeserved" - that takes the form of divine favour, love and clemency. It is an attribute of God that is most...
and many more. The New Testament continues Jewish identification of heaven itself as the "throne of God", but also locates the throne of God as "in heaven" and having a second subordinate seat at the Right Hand of God
Right Hand of God
The Right Hand of God or God's Right Hand may refer to the Hand of God often referred to in the Bible and common speech as a metaphor for the omnipotence of God and as a motif in art...
for the Session of Christ
Session of Christ
The Christian doctrine of the Session of Christ or heavenly session says that Jesus Christ is seated at the right hand of God the Father in Heaven—the word "session" is an archaic noun meaning "sitting." Although the word formerly meant "the act of sitting down," it no longer has that meaning in...
.
Revelation
The book of RevelationRevelation
In religion and theology, revelation is the revealing or disclosing, through active or passive communication with a supernatural or a divine entity...
describes the Seven Spirits of God
Seven Spirits of God
The seven Spirits of God are referenced several times in the Bible, primarily in the Book of Revelation. The meaning of this term has been interpreted in multiple ways.-The Seven Spirits of God:...
which surround the throne, and John wishes his readers in the Seven Asian churches
Seven churches of Asia
The Seven Churches of Revelation, also known as The Seven Churches of the Apocalypse and The Seven Churches of Asia , are seven major churches of Early Christianity, as mentioned in the New Testament Book of Revelation and written to by Ignatius of Antioch...
to be blessed with grace from God, from the seven who are before God's throne, and from Jesus Christ in Heaven. John states that in front of the throne there appears to be "a sea of glass, clear as crystal", and that the throne is surrounded by a lion, an ox, a man, and a flying eagle; each with six wings and covered with eyes, who constantly repeat "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord God Almighty, who was, and is, and is to come". It is also said that "out of the throne proceeded lightnings and thunderings and voices".
Islam
In Islamic mythologyIslamic mythology
Islamic mythology is the body of traditional narratives associated with Islam from a mythographical perspective. Many Muslims believe that these narratives are historical and sacred and contain profound truths...
, God created His Throne out of two great jewels; supported on the water.
The Qur'an refers to the Throne ( Al-ʿArsh) 22 times, almost entirely in the Surah
Sura
A sura is a division of the Qur'an, often referred to as a chapter. The term chapter is sometimes avoided, as the suras are of unequal length; the shortest sura has only three ayat while the longest contains 286 ayat...
s written in the late Meccan
Meccan sura
The Meccan suras are the chronologically earlier suras of the Qur'an that were, according to Islamic tradition, revealed anytime before the Hijrah . The other type of sura is the Madinan sura....
and Medinian periods.
In one Islamic hadith
Hadith
The term Hadīth is used to denote a saying or an act or tacit approval or criticism ascribed either validly or invalidly to the Islamic prophet Muhammad....
, it is said that God ascends to His Throne only in the last third of the night at which point he deigns to hear supplication
Supplication
Supplication is the most common form of prayer, wherein a person asks God to provide something, either for the person or who is doing the praying or for someone else on whose behalf a prayer. This because of a supplication is being made, also known as intercession.The concept of supplication is...
s from his followers. The Qur'an states that the throne "doth extend over the heavens and the earth" The throne-verse is considered one of the portions of the Qur'an, and is frequently engraved on signet rings in the Eastern world.
Sunni sources record that the Prophet Muhammad had seen the Throne in the Mi'raj, his ascention through the heavens to meet God.