[Photo by Thanos Gkirinis on Unsplash.]
There is one phrase which occurs in each of the seven letters or messages to the seven churches - 'the one who overcomes'. It may be translated as 'the one who conquers' or 'the one who is victorious.' I have referred to this in an earlier blog [Jesus is the winner 27/04/2023] but today I would like to focus in particular on the specific reference to this phrase in the letter to the church at Philadelphia. However before we look at this, we could list the seven references and provide some general comments.
The Church at Ephesus: To the one who conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the paradise of God [Revelation 2:7 ESV]
The Church at Smyrna: The one who conquers will not be hurt by the second death.’ [Revelation 2:11 ESV]
The Church at Pergamum: To the one who conquers I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, with a new name written on the stone that no one knows except the one who receives it.’ [Revelation 2:17 ESV]
The Church at Thyatira: The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, [Revelation 2:26 ESV]
The Church at Sardis: The one who conquers will be clothed thus in white garments, and I will never blot his name out of the book of life. I will confess his name before my Father and before his angels. [Revelation 3:5 ESV]
The Church at Philadelphia: The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. [Revelation 3:12 ESV]
The Church at Laodicea: The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with me on my throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on his throne. [Revelation 3:21 ESV]
It is expected that every genuine believer in the Lord Jesus will be overcomers - the ones who conquer. These blessings are available for every Christian - not just the elite squad who have special powers granted to them. We are all called to show perseverance and loyalty. We are not called to be passengers. Jesus warned his disciples that the Christian pathway would be hard and that we should expect trouble and persecution. In today's blog we are going to focus on just one of these lovely promises for the overcomer. Please don't read this and think that it does not apply to me as I am only a first level Christian. This is one of the most common lies from the evil one - to remind us of our weakness and to limit our expectations and to settle for something which is second-rate and not to aim for total sanctification and commitment to the Lord Jesus.
'The one who overcomes, I will make a pillar in the temple of my God.' [Revelation 3:12 ESV] This image might not mean much to us but it would have meant a great deal to the early Christians who heard the letter being read out loud in their churches. Like the other cities, Philadelphia was a religious city which had many temples. It was a custom to dedicate a pillar to someone who had served the city well as a magistrate or other public official or someone who had given a gift to the city. They would have their name written on one of the pillars in one of the temples. This was considered a great honour. But here it is a much greater honour and it is available to every believer - to be a pillar in the temple of my God. Remember that God's temple is made up of believers and it is not a building which is in view. The whole edifice depends on ordinary Christians being faithful to Christ and overcoming - not in their own strength because we are as weak as the Philadelphians who had only little strength. There is permanence and stability associated with this description. A simple believer like me who is so conscious of his or her weakness but who is clinging on to the risen Lord Jesus for daily strength can be a pillar in the temple. This is what God wants us to be.
"Never shall he go out of it." [Revelation 3:12] This would have a special significance for the suffering residents of Philadelphia who had been ejected from the synagogue but also they were having to leave the city on a regular basis because of aftershocks from earthquakes. Some of the residents were too afraid to stay in their homes in case it was destroyed by another tremor and so they camped outside the city every night. This is looking forward to the New Jerusalem where there is total stability and permanence.
"I will write on him, the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem which comes down from my God our of heaven, and my own new name." [Revelation 3:12} This is a promise of future blessing. It seemed to have been commonplace to remove the names of certain citizens from the roll of the city and this meant the loss of the privileges of citizenship. The Christians had their names removed from the 'membership list' of the synagogue and this meant disgrace and dishonour as well as being ostracised and shunned by their fellow citizens. But they have a future in the New Jerusalem which is guaranteed and secure. They have the name of God, and the name of the name of the city of my God and the new name of Jesus inscribed on them with a permanent marker. This is a tattoo worth having - not that I am advocating tattoos. This is a reference to election and divine choice. It is a reference to eternal security. (John 10:28)
"He is saying, I am your security. I am your unshakeable foundation. In all your going and coming, you're fleeing and returning, I remain the same. My presence with you is not disturbed by geological or economic or political disorder. [Darrell Johnson: Discipleship on the Edge Page 110]
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