Wade E Taylor
“Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with Me.”
“After this I looked, and behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will show you things which must be hereafter.
“ And immediately I was in the spirit: and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne.” Revelation 3:20, 4:1-2
The door upon which Jesus is knocking is at the end of the message to the seventh and last Church. It relates to the time of transition from the Church Age into the Millennial Kingdom Age. All that precedes these words, “after this I looked” concerns the Church. All that follows relates to the Kingdom.
Jesus said that a right response to His knocking on the door of our spirit will lead us into an active, personal relationship with Him, and will result in our having a part in the establishing of the Millennial Kingdom.
Notice that the door opened when John looked. This requires our having a present “upward gaze” toward the Kingdom – “I looked… and behold, a throne.” It is in direct relationship to our ability to hear spiritually – “the first voice which I heard.” This speaks of our spiritual ear.
“He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the Churches.” Revelation 3:22
This “voice” has a very particular quality. It is as a “trumpet that is talking with me” – a quickened revelatory word of direction and purpose. It is being imparted to those, who as overcomers, have cultivated their ear to hear. These are receiving an understanding of all that is about to take place in relation to the closing out of the Gentile Age and the establishing of the Millennial Kingdom.
Jesus entered this world as a baby to become the “Lamb of God,” and died on the cross to pay the full penalty for our sin.
“Though He were a Son, yet learned He obedience by the things which He suffered; And being made perfect, He became the author of eternal salvation to all them that obey Him.” Hebrews 5:8-9
He is again coming, not as a lamb, but as the “Lion of the tribe of Judah.”
“His head and His hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and His eyes were as a flame of fire; And His feet like to fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and His voice as the sound of many waters.” Revelation 1:14-15
We have come to the “fullness of times” and Jesus is taking His place as our head for the outworking of all that follows. Therefore, His voice has become as the “sound of many waters.” This is the “voice of the trumpet.” Like the mighty Niagara river which flows over the Falls in a narrow channel in order to produce power, this corporate voice is beginning to function as one body under the direction of One Head, which all will be saying and doing exactly the same thing.
The present exhortation of this voice is for us to “Come up… and I will show you things which must be hereafter.” This refers to those who have rightly responded to the promise given in Revelation 3:21:
“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.”
When John heard this heavenly call, he was able to say, “Immediately, I was in the spirit.” The Lord is presently separating us from earthly things, in order for us to become more perceptive to spiritual things.
When John looked, he said, “Behold a throne.” This is “governmental” and speaks of authority. It relates to the restoration of the “dominion” that Adam lost, which will operate during the present time of increasing tribulation, and will have a part in the establishing of the Millennial Kingdom.
This end-time “dominion” will be given to an overcoming people who will have been lifted up into “apostolic authority.”
“And he that overcomes, and keeps My works to the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron….” Revelation 2:26-27
These overcomers are presently being dealt with by the Lord in order to be prepared to become an end-time “apostolic-prophetic” witness and ministry.
As a part of end-time ministry, there are apostles and prophets whose purpose is to impart into and perfect the Body, lifting those who respond from the gift and office realm, into the higher spirit realm. Thus, the apostle imparts apostolic enabling and anointing into the Body. The prophet imparts prophetic enabling and anointing into the Body.
At this present time, there are those who are being called to “come up” in order to become an apostolic-prophetic people who will begin to function as overcomers with Jesus taking His place as their Head – “if any one hears My voice… I will come into him.” This is beyond, and more than the present understanding that most have.
The Lord is becoming the active Head of those who have unconditionally submitted the totality of their being to Him. These are being called apart and “made ready” to function in spiritual authority – the word with “consequence,” which will affect both the Church and the Nations.
This will enable Jesus to again live His life through these submitted ones as an end-time corporate witness – “the voice of many waters.” This will require a high level of submission and integrity, as these will hear directly from the Head and function in obedience to His word. The five-fold ministry is being dealt with to recognize this new end-time relationship, and allow it to function in its full purpose and outworking.
Therefore, it is imperative that we spend quality time “waiting” in the presence of the Lord with an upward gaze in expectancy, that we may be able to hear and rightly respond, in order to become a part of this desperately needed end-time ministry.