Regarding Christ’s throne being in Heaven, you are correct that it is there, as many verses attest. However, none of those verses say that Christ must remain in Heaven for all time. The preceding chapter of Revelation actually depicts Christ, as the rider of the white horse, descending from heaven when he defeats the beast and false prophet:
“11I saw heaven standing open and there before me was a white horse, whose rider is called Faithful and True. With justice he judges and wages war. 12His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns. He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself. 13He is dressed in a robe dipped in blood, and his name is the Word of God. 14The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean. 15Coming out of his mouth is a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations. “He will rule them with an iron scepter.”a He treads the winepress of the fury of the wrath of God Almighty. 16On his robe and on his thigh he has this name written:
king of kings and lord of lords.
17And I saw an angel standing in the sun, who cried in a loud voice to all the birds flying in midair, “Come, gather together for the great supper of God, 18so that you may eat the flesh of kings, generals, and the mighty, of horses and their riders, and the flesh of all people, free and slave, great and small.”
19Then I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to wage war against the rider on the horse and his army. 20But the beast was captured, and with it the false prophet who had performed the signs on its behalf. With these signs he had deluded those who had received the mark of the beast and worshiped its image. The two of them were thrown alive into the fiery lake of burning sulfur. 21The rest were killed with the sword coming out of the mouth of the rider on the horse, and all the birds gorged themselves on their flesh.”
(Rev 19:11-21)
So, the answer to the apparent problem is simple: Christ is ruling from Heaven now, but at the end of days, He will return to destroy His enemies, and then the 1000 year reign begins.
>>>The armies of heaven were following him, riding on white horses and dressed in fine linen, white and clean.<<<
It never says they come to earth; it only implies that they “fight” those on earth. Recall that Christ used the Roman armies to carry out his judgement on Jerusalem and Israel. He also used the armies of Babylon to carry out his judgement in the old testament; as well as the Assyrian armies against Egypt.
>>>So, the answer to the apparent problem is simple: Christ is ruling from Heaven now, but at the end of days, He will return to destroy His enemies, and then the 1000 year reign begins.<<<
I understand what you are implying, but I cannot find that in the scripture. If it was true, there should be multiple references. Even the “Sword” doesn’t fit: it comes out of the Lord’s mouth. All we have is this symbolic passage from the Revelation, which has generated about a zillion and one different interpretations, and it is still early.
Philip
Yes I think you have pretty much laid it out. Very good.