Spring 2005
Throne Rights
Doug and Nancy Shope

“To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne.” Revelation 3:21

There are those who have “throne rights,” who have ascended to the throne of His presence and have heard the thundering of His voice. These will become a conduit for the Lord’s glory to be released into the earth.

Daniel, whose life spanned the reigns of three kings, was a man of influence and power who exemplified for us what it means to have these “throne rights.” Consider what set this man apart from his brethren, that gave him access into the secret place of the Lord, that opened his ears to hear the heavenly decrees, and to know the times and seasons of not only the age in which he lived, but the ages to come?

In chapter one, we read the account in which Daniel and his three friends refrained from the king’s food in obedience to Hebrew law.

“But Daniel purposed in his heart that he would not defile himself with the portion of the king’s meat, nor with the wine which he drank.” Daniel 1:8

As a result, their countenances improved, they won the favor of the king, and God gave them knowledge and skill in all wisdom. Along with this, Daniel received “understanding” in all visions and dreams.

King Nebuchadnezzar had a disturbing dream that he could not recall. He sent for the magicians, astrologers, sorcerers and Chaldean diviners to tell him this dream that greatly troubled him, and it’s interpretation, but they could not. In response, the king issued a command to slay all the wise men of Babylon.

“And the decree went forth that the wise men should be slain; and they sought Daniel and his fellows to be slain.” Daniel 2:13

However, Daniel requested of the king time to seek the Lord, and as he did, the secret was revealed to him in a “night vision.” Because he knew how to access the throne of God, he received knowledge of the king’s dream, and its interpretation. The great image of gold, silver, brass, iron and clay, about which King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed, was described in detail to him, and its meaning disclosed. The king awarded great honor to Daniel and his three friends, but we read that Daniel sat in the gate of the king (the king’s court).

King Nebuchadnezzar dreamed again, this time of a great tree that was hewn down and its trunk left to dwell among the beasts of the earth. Concerning this dream, Daniel stated,

“This is the interpretation, O king, and this is the decree of the Most High, which is come upon my lord the king.” Daniel 4:24

The decree: Nebuchadnezzar’s kingdom would be taken from him until he knew that the Most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomever He wills.

The book of Daniel is a book of “decrees.” There are decrees established in the heavens, which are waiting to be discovered and uttered. The Lord is very concerned and involved in the earthly powers, and He is waiting for His people to position themselves before His throne, before His governing council, to hear His voice and to declare on the earth what has been decreed in the heavens.

If we are to sit in the gate of kings, we must first sit in the court of the Kings of kings. There is a “Daniel” mantle that is being held out to the Body of Christ, to those who will discern the times in which they live and make themselves fully available to the Lord for His purposes. These will find themselves in strategic positions (both in a literal and a spiritual sense) to speak unto governments the decrees of the Most High and see His kingdom established in the earth.

Daniel was gifted in matters of wisdom and understanding. When situations arose that demanded answers, Daniel reached his God and took hold of those answers, bringing the wisdom of God into the realm of human understanding.

Daniel blessed the Name of God, and attributed to Him wisdom and might, thanking and praising Him for giving him this same wisdom and might.

“Blessed be the name of God for ever and ever: for wisdom and might are His: And He changes the times and the seasons: He removes kings, and set up kings: He gives wisdom to the wise, and knowledge to them that know understanding: He reveals the deep and secret things: He knows what is in the darkness, and the light dwells with Him. I thank You, and praise You, O You God of my fathers, who has given me wisdom and might, and has made known to me now what we desired of You: for You have now made known to us the king’s matter.” Daniel 2:20-23

Daniel developed his gift. As his “ministry” of interpreting dreams and visions increased, and he was faithful to petition the Lord in behalf of his leaders, an extraordinary shift took place.

We read in Chapter 7:1 that “Daniel had a dream and visions of his head upon his bed: then he wrote the dream, and told the sum of the matters.” Note that Daniel “wrote” the dream. When the Lord speaks, we should record it. Daniel’s vision took him far into the future and permitted him to see the pulling down of thrones and powers, and the glorious Ancient of Days, whose garment was white as snow, seated on His fiery throne.

He beheld the Son of man as He came with the clouds of heaven, unto the Ancient of Days, and received from Him an everlasting dominion, a Kingdom that would never be destroyed. He saw the time when the saints of the Most High would possess the Kingdom. An incredible, unprecedented door of revelation had been opened to him.

Two years later (Chapter 8), another vision appears to him, of which Daniel sought meaning. The angel Gabriel appeared to him and made known to him this vision of the end times. Then, in the first year of King Darius, Daniel received revelation concerning the end of the Babylonian captivity of his nation. As he began to pour out his heart to the Lord, even while he is speaking, the angel Gabriel appeared to him, to give him “skill and understanding” and to consider the (prior) vision.

“At the beginning of your supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to show you, for you are greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.” Daniel 9:23

As we pray concerning end-time events, for our nation and other governments, and in particular for Israel, a door of revelation will open to us. We, as the people of God, can enter into the spiritual domain that Daniel experienced, if we will make ourselves fully available to the Lord and seek to know that which is upon His heart. John, the revelator heard a voice in heaven saying:

“Come up here, and I will show you things which must be hereafter.” Revelation 4:1b

Then we read:

“And immediately I was in the Spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and One sat on the throne.” Revelation 4:2

John’s experiences and revelations, as he was caught up to heaven, are reminiscent of the book of Daniel.

In Daniel’s last recorded vision in which he beheld that One whose face was as lightening, whose eyes were like lamps of fire and whose voice as the voice of a multitude, a great understanding was given him as to what would befall Israel in her latter days. Yet, in chapter 12, vs. 9 he is told, “Go your way, Daniel: for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.”

John was told:

“Seal not the sayings of the prophecy of this book: for the time is at hand.” Revelation 22:10

Understanding is literally being held out to us, if we will seek and reach upwards for it.

We have been given a heavenly mandate to pray for our nation, and to pray that His will would be done on the earth as it is in heaven. This is the hour to ascend before the throne of the Most High, to learn of His will and speak it forth.

As Daniel heard the heavenly decrees, spoke them, and helped to shape the governments in the time in which he lived, so can we. In fact, the Lord desires to broaden our sphere of revelation to include the nations of the earth, and the ages to come. Some of us will have great entrance into governmental arenas. Many Christians today are personal intercessors for heads of states, or, prophetic voices to them. But we can all ascend unto that glorious throne in heaven.

If we will seek to dwell in the court of the King of kings, we will hear the thundering of His voice uttered in the councils of heaven. The Lord desires to speak specific words over peoples, cities, and nations. His intent is to fill all the earth with His glory, and there will be those who will declare this. There is a great mantle being held out to the Body of Christ in this critical hour.

As the Kingdom of the Lord draws closer, the kingdoms of this world are to become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever. We, as the people of God, should cry out to Him for this Daniel “anointing and mantel” and for His end-time purposes to be fulfilled in the earth.