To The One Who Overcomes
Greetings Friends and Readers! You may recall from my recent series, Was the Church Born at Pentecost, that I am currently making my way through the book of Revelation. It's a slow walk, and I am finding morsels that I have skipped right over in the past. For example...those 7 churches -- in the past I have rushed through reading about them. As I have taken my time digging into what Yeshua had to say to the churches, it has been quite exciting. One notice is that Yeshua gave a message to overcomers within each church. Don't we all want to be overcomers! Want to know more? Let's go!
The Pattern
As we begin looking at the 7 churches, we will see a pattern. Each letter:
- Is written to "the angel" of the church;
- Begins with a different description of Yeshua directly tied to the overall description that John gives us in Revelation chapter 1;
- Moves in to commendations (when there are any to give);
- Then continues with things Yeshua has against the church (when there are any to give);
- Encourages the church to "hear" the message;
- And provides information about what rewards await those who overcome.
There is much to glean from each element of the pattern, but in this blog we will begin with the end in mind. Each church was given a message for those who overcome. My attention was peaked when I realized that some of the rewards promised to those who overcome, are the same rewards that YHVH has given to Yeshua Himself. Let's take a look...
Ephesus
"To the one who overcomes, I will grant the right to eat from the Tree of Life, which is in the Paradise of God." Rev 2:7
Wow! That one is loaded right out of the gate! The Tree of Life takes us all the way back to the beginning. If those who overcome will be granted the right to eat of the Tree of Life, then we must indeed be working our way back to the Garden of Eden. I think a preacher could keep me in the pew until way after lunch talking about all that the verbiage of this verse implies!
Smyrna
"The one who overcomes shall never be harmed by the second death." Rev 2:11
This church was told not to fear what they were about to suffer. And, Yeshua's description in the beginning of the pattern reminded them that Yeshua had Himself overcome death. No doubt, the words given to this church were particularly comforting.
Pergamum
"To the one who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone -- and written on the stone a new name that no one knows except the one who receives it." Rev 2:17
Hidden manna? White stone? New name? This church has quite a few interesting rewards. I cannot help but think of Yeshua being "the bread of life" John 6:35 and that Yeshua will be given a new name "that no one knows but Himself." Rev 19:12
It was about here ↑ that I began noticing 👀 that Yeshua is bestowing some of His own personal things...gifts He has received from The Father...on those who overcome from the 7 churches. It's about to happen right here ↓ too!
Mind-blowing 💥
Thyatira
"To the one who overcomes and guards my deeds until the end, 'I will give him authority over the nations and he shall rule them with an iron rod, as when clay pots are broken into pieces.' Even as I have received from My Father, so I will give him the morning star."
Do you recall that it is Yeshua who is to rule with an iron rod? The overcomers from this church are being gifted with the gift spoken of to Messiah Yeshua in Proverbs 2:9.
This. Is. Huge.
Messiah is sharing His authority with His overcomers!!!!
Sardis
"The one who overcomes thus will be dressed in white clothes; I will never blot his name out of the Book of Life, and will confess his name before My Father and His angels." Rev 3:5
Could these white clothes have anything to do with the bright and clean fine linen made from the righteous deeds of YHVH's holy ones as written in Revelation 19:6-8? If so, could this reward be a hint of the Psalm 45 Royal Wedding or be spoken of in Messiah's parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25? Both the Bridegroom and the thief come at an unexpected time. Much swirling around in my head on this one...
Philadelphia
"The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the Temple of My God, and he will never leave it. And on him I will write the name of My God and the name of the city of My God -- the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God -- and My own new Name." Rev 3:12
WOW! It's easy to see why we have so many churches who have taken the name "Philadelphia" in their title. What beautiful rewards these overcomers are promised...and Yeshua speaks no words of condemnation against this church. These rewards remind me so much of Isaiah 56:1-8, where foreigners and eunuchs are promised a name better than sons and daughters...in the House of YHVH.
Laodicea
"To the one who overcomes I will grant the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I myself overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne." Rev 3:21
I don't know about you, but I was surprised to see such an amazing award for the overcomers of this church. I mean, all I have ever heard is how terrible Laodicea was. Yet, we can clearly see that Yeshua is willing to share His throne...His Father's throne.
YHVH's Throne
with the overcomers of this church. Rev 3:21
Perhaps if we paid better attention to that reward, we may actually see a church named after this one. For now, I will keep looking ;)
So there you have it. Each of the 7 churches has a reward...and some pretty hefty ones at that...for those that overcome.
These rewards are more meaningful if you are a Bible reader. Just like I have noticed a few possible connections, as you read the Bible, you will begin to notice them, too. You may be miles ahead of me and notice even more!
You see, it's all ONE book.
There isn't an "Old Testament" for Jews and a "New Testament" for Christians.
It's one cohesive book that tells the history and future of YHVH's people from Eden to Eden.
It's the history and future of Israel.
Oh boy, here she goes again! But, we are New Covenant Believers, Deb...
Yes, me too! Let's just take a look at the New Covenant right now.
Behold, days are coming - it is a declaration of YHVH - when I will make a New Covenant with the...
House of Israel
and with the
House of Judah.
I will put my Torah within them. Yes, I will write it on their heart.
Jeremiah 31:30-32 (selected portions)
Who is the New Covenant being made with?
Israel and Judah
--That's it.
What is "new" about the New Covenant?
The Torah is being written on hearts
--That's it.
Well, if it's only for Israel and Judah, how do gentile Christians become part of the New Covenant?
Perhaps the most important question we will look at today!
Paul explains this beautifully in Romans chapters 9-11. Gentile believers in Messiah Yeshua are grafted in to the commonwealth of Israel. So when we read of the New Covenant being made with Israel, gentile believers are there by adoption. HallaluYAH!
This also means that the Torah, the law of YHVH given within the first 5 books of the Bible, is to be written on our hearts.
But we have the Holy Spirit, Deb. That's Old Testament stuff...
It sure is! And we have just identified, using scripture, that we are grafted into Israel. Their law is our law. Their Torah is our Torah. Their Messiah is our Messiah. Their God is our God.
The gift of the Holy Spirit, given in Acts chapter 2 (first to a group of Jewish men, mind you) is the tool that YHVH uses to write His Torah on our hearts. We no longer have to be bound to tablets of stone. The Holy Spirit will teach and guide us as we read our Bibles. He is our teacher! 1 John 2:27
How humbling this has been to look at the rewards Messiah Yeshua is willing to give to the overcomers. He will be giving of the very gifts that YHVH has bestowed upon Himself. What a privilege to know that Yeshua will one day be sharing His authority with those who have proven their love by passing their tests. I cannot even imagine a more self-LESS and generous action? It makes me want to study hard, love others, give freely, walk in obedience, and finish well.
I hope this look at the overcomers of Revelation has peaked your interest to take a fresh look at the 7 churches. If you do a little historical research on these cities, you will find even more to be "wowed" about, as Messiah has used word plays and culturally relevant analogies that the people who first heard these letters would understand far better than we do.
Enjoy the journey, and if you find anything interesting, please share!
I will be back soon to invite you to...
Come Seek With Me!
Other Blogs You May Enjoy
Was the Church Born at Pentecost? - Part 1
The Great Escape - What Joseph Knew
Yeshua in the Foundational Scriptures
Passover Part 1: The Threshold Covenant
Resting During Difficult Times - What Can the Sabbath Teach Us?
Comments
Post a Comment