What awaits us….
We are going to use Revelation 2-3 as an outline for today’s message and look at what it is that we will receive if we continue to overcome….
Tree of Life
Revelation 2:7 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.” ‘
Let’s look at the precursor to this in Genesis
Genesis 2:8 The LORD God planted a garden eastward in Eden, and there He put the man whom He had formed.
Genesis 2:9 And out of the ground the LORD God made every tree grow that is pleasant to the sight and good for food. The tree of life was also in the midst of the garden [in the midst of Eden; in the midst of the Paradise of God], and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.
Genesis 3:22 Then the LORD God said, “Behold, the man has become like one of Us, to know good and evil. And now, lest he put out his hand and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live forever“—
Revelation 22:11 He who is unjust, let him be unjust still; he who is filthy, let him be filthy still; he who is righteous, let him be righteous still; he who is holy, let him be holy still.”
Revelation 22:12 “And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.
Revelation 22:13 I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
Revelation 22:14 Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.
To become spirit as God is part of our reward. Once we have taken of it fully and have been born again of Spirit we will live forever and that will never be taken from us as we see in:
No second death
Revelation 2:11 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ‘
Hebrews 9:27 And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
The wages of sin is death and we have been on this path since then
The first death, is the one that most of the world fears and agonizes over because they believe it all there is to life. They do not understand why babies have to die, why God allows fatal accidents, etc.
What they do not realize is that God will resurrect everyone that has ever died. What they also do not realize is that after their resurrection there is another
Let us look at who the second death is for:
Judgment to Salvation or Judgment to the second death
Revelation 21:8 But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”
But it is the second one that they should fear, because there is no hope for anyone after this.
But we who overcome do not have to fear it.
Revelation 20:6 Blessed and holy is he who has part in the first resurrection. Over such the second death has no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with Him a thousand years.
Revelation 20:14 Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death.
Manna and New name
Revelation 2:17 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To him who overcomes I will give some of the hidden manna to eat. And I will give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.” ‘
Sustained Israelites on the way to the promised land.
Hidden Manna
John 6:48 I am the bread of life.
John 6:49 Your fathers ate the manna in the wilderness, and are dead.
John 6:50 This is the bread which comes down from heaven, that one may eat of it and not die.
John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever; and the bread that I shall give is My flesh, which I shall give for the life of the world.”
… a new name written
Proverbs 22:1 A good name is to be chosen rather than great riches, Loving favor rather than silver and gold.
Salvation for the Gentiles – a Prophecy for the end-time
Isaiah 56:4 For thus says the LORD: “To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, And choose what pleases Me, And hold fast My covenant,
Isaiah 56:5 Even to them I will give in My house And within My walls a place and a name Better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name That shall not be cut off.
It is an eternal name that will not and cannot be taken from you.
Rule over nations
Revelation 2:26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
Revelation 2:27 ‘HE SHALL RULE THEM WITH A ROD OF IRON; THEY SHALL BE DASHED TO PIECES LIKE THE POTTER’S VESSELS’— as I also have received from My Father;
Revelation 2:28 and I will give him the morning star.
We will return with Him in might and power
Revelation 19:11 Now I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse. And He who sat on him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and makes war.
Revelation 19:14 And the armies in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, followed Him on white horses.
Revelation 19:15 Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.
Revelation 17:14 These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.”
Parenthetic thought
Revelation 2:26 And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
Revelation 2:27 …as I also have received from My Father;
We are given that same power
Psalm 149:4 For the LORD takes pleasure in His people; He will beautify the humble with salvation.
Psalm 149:5 Let the saints be joyful in glory; Let them sing aloud on their beds.
Psalm 149:6 Let the high praises of God be in their mouth, And a two-edged sword in their hand,
Psalm 149:7 To execute vengeance on the nations, And punishments on the peoples;
Psalm 149:8 To bind their kings with chains, And their nobles with fetters of iron;
Psalm 149:9 To execute on them the written judgment— This honor have all His saints. Praise the LORD!
It will be an honor for us to begin bringing order and peace to this earth and ruling over them justly and rightly
Luke 19:12 Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.
Luke 19:13 So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.’
Luke 19:14 But his citizens hated him, and sent a delegation after him, saying, ‘We will not have this man to reign over us.’
Luke 19:15 “And so it was that when he returned, having received the kingdom, he then commanded these servants, to whom he had given the money, to be called to him, that he might know how much every man had gained by trading.
Luke 19:16 Then came the first, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned ten minas.’
Luke 19:17 And he said to him, ‘Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities.’
Luke 19:18 And the second came, saying, ‘Master, your mina has earned five minas.’
Luke 19:19 Likewise he said to him, ‘You also be over five cities.’
Luke 19:20 “Then another came, saying, ‘Master, here is your mina, which I have kept put away in a handkerchief.
Luke 19:21 For I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow.’
Luke 19:22 And he said to him, ‘Out of your own mouth I will judge you, you wicked servant. You knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow.
Luke 19:23 Why then did you not put my money in the bank, that at my coming I might have collected it with interest?’
Luke 19:24 “And he said to those who stood by, ‘Take the mina from him, and give it to him who has ten minas.’
Luke 19:25 (But they said to him, ‘Master, he has ten minas.’)
Luke 19:26 ‘For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
Luke 19:27 But bring here those enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, and slay them before me.’ ”
White Garments and Book of Life
Revelation 3:5 He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
Revelation 3:4 You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy.
Because of the way that they were acting
Revelation 19:8 And to her it was granted to be arrayed in fine linen, clean and bright, for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints.
We will be made perfect and fully righteous – we will be clothed in righteousness! This is how we will be able to judge the nations at His return.
I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life
It has been written there already – look at when it was written
Revelation 17:8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world….
We were predestined to this calling from the beginning and it has been up to us as to what we will make of it. He is saying here that we have made it and we no longer have to fear it being taken out or blotted out
Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my beloved and longed-for brethren, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, beloved.
Philippians 4:2 I implore Euodia and I implore Syntyche to be of the same mind in the Lord.
Philippians 4:3 And I urge you also, true companion, help [present tense] these women who labored with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the Book of Life. [present tense]
…but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels.
It will no longer be Satan accusing us before God, but it will be our Advocate and the greatest lawyer of all time making our case for us.
Jude 1:24 Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, And to present you faultless Before the presence of His glory with exceeding joy,
Become Pillar in Temple and New Name Written
Revelation 3:12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. 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 out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
Revelation 21:9 Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.”
Revelation 21:10 And he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the great city, the holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God, [the city of God].
Revelation 21:11 having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal.
Revelation 21:12 Also she had a great and high wall with twelve gates, and twelve angels at the gates, and names written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:
Revelation 21:13 three gates on the east, three gates on the north, three gates on the south, and three gates on the west.
Revelation 21:14 Now the wall of the city had twelve foundations, and on them were the names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.
Revelation 21:15 And he who talked with me had a gold reed to measure the city, its gates, and its wall.
Revelation 21:16 The city is laid out as a square; its length is as great as its breadth. And he measured the city with the reed: twelve thousand furlongs. Its length, breadth, and height are equal.
Revelation 21:17 Then he measured its wall: one hundred and forty-four cubits, according to the measure of a man, that is, of an angel.
Revelation 21:18 The construction of its wall was of jasper; and the city was pure gold, like clear glass.
Revelation 21:19 The foundations of the wall of the city were adorned with all kinds of precious stones: the first foundation was jasper, the second sapphire, the third chalcedony, the fourth emerald,
Revelation 21:20 the fifth sardonyx, the sixth sardius, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, and the twelfth amethyst.
Revelation 21:21 The twelve gates were twelve pearls: each individual gate was of one pearl. And the street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.
Revelation 21:22 But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.
This city is then a representation of all those that made it and have become a pillar
Revelation 21:23 The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.
Revelation 21:24 And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it.
Revelation 21:25 Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there).
Revelation 21:26 And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it.
Revelation 21:27 But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
WE are the ones, those written in the book of life that will be this city and the pillars in it — the great city, the holy Jerusalem, the new Jerusalem
Place on the Throne
Revelation 3:21 To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.
We made the point already about reigning for 1000 years
Revelation 22:5 There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever.
1 Corinthians 6:2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if the world will be judged by you, are you unworthy to judge the smallest matters?
1 Corinthians 6:3 Do you not know that we shall judge angels? How much more, things that pertain to this life?
We will be given the authority to judge and rule all nations.
Inherit all things
Throw in this catch all
Revelation 21:7 He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son.
We cannot fully grasp or imagine what this is or what it all means, but notice:
Christ overcame
John 16:33 These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.”
Jesus did it and set us an example that we should do the same!
We must overcome the World
1 John 5:1 Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, and everyone who loves Him who begot also loves him who is begotten of Him.
1 John 5:2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments.
1 John 5:3 For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome.
1 John 5:4 For whatever is born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
1 John 5:5 Who is he who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
Conclusion
There is much to overcome, but as we see there is much to be gained.
We have two choices that have been put in front of us: life and death.
Let’s stay focused on being a part of the better resurrection
Revelation 3:13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ‘