What does it mean that heaven is God’s throne (Matthew 5:34)?

Answer

In Matthew 5:34, as part of the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus cautions His disciples against swearing oaths “by heaven, for it is God’s throne.” This part of Jesus’ teachings emphasizes the importance of demonstrating integrity without relying on oaths to prove our honesty, especially when people try to swear by heaven, earth, or any other part of creation, as if avoiding swearing by God. Our main verse highlights that we should not swear an oath by heaven because it is God’s throne.

Jesus’ words in Matthew 5:34 are similar to Isaiah 66:1, where God proclaims, “Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool.” A throne represents a monarch’s seat of power and authority from which he rules. Therefore, God’s throne is a symbol of His authority and power, indicating that God rules over all creation. The fact that His throne is in heaven, above all, emphasizes His transcendence. The use of the word throne here is symbolic. In this manner, God describes His attribute as the Sovereign King in terms that humans can understand.

Apart from heaven being God’s throne, the earth acts as His footstool «nor by the earth; for it is his footstool: neither by Jerusalem; for it is the city of the great King. », (Matthew 5:35). Together, this imagery highlights that everything is under God and exists for His glory. When it comes to swearing, we must not mistakenly believe that swearing on God’s creation is different from swearing in God’s name. Heaven, earth, and everything within them belong to God.

The idea of God seated on a throne is fundamental to our worldview. If we deny the existence of God, then reality seems random, morality becomes a human invention, and life’s purpose is reduced to our mere existence on earth. As the hip-hop artist Lecrae raps, “If there is noGod, what is the purpose of each day? Why do we wake up? Are we merely cells on a cellphone? Just a collection of atoms hanging in the attic? Just molecules in the mailroom?” (“Nothing Left to Hide,” 2020). However, if we acknowledge the existence of a God who reigns over us as proposed in the Bible, then there is an absolute right and wrong as well as a reason for our existence. When we follow God’s will, we are in alignment with what is right, but when we stray from His path to pursue our own desires, we have turned away from God and sinned. Unfortunately, humanity, starting with Adam, has consistently turned its back on God, opting to indulge in our corrupt nature and assume the role of our own gods.

The great news is that God descended from His heavenly throne to forgive our sins. He accomplished this through Jesus, and because of Him, we can approach God’s throne to seek mercy and grace «Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.», (Hebrews 4:16). We can “give joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified [us] to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light” «giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light: », (Colossians 1:12).