Author: Charlie Garrett

Saturday, 14 August 2021

having the glory of God. Her light was like a most precious stone, like a jasper stone, clear as crystal. Revelation 21:11

The previous verse saw the great city, holy Jerusalem, descending out of heaven from God. John now says that it is “having the glory of God.” This is more than simply having a splendor fitting of God. Rather, it is referring to having the very presence of God radiating out of it in a display of His glory. That will be explicitly stated in verse 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.”

This then is the fulfillment of what was only anticipated in a limited sense in the tabernacle and later in the temple –

“Then the cloud covered the tabernacle of meeting, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle. ³⁵ And Moses was not able to enter the tabernacle of meeting, because the cloud rested above it, and the glory of the Lord filled the tabernacle.” Exodus 40:34, 35

“And it came to pass, when the priests came out of the holy place, that the cloud filled the house of the Lord, ¹¹ so that the priests could not continue ministering because of the cloud; for the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord.” 1 Kings 8:10, 11

The difference between the earthly sanctuaries and this is then to be stated in verse 22:4 where it says that the servants of God and of the Lamb “shall see His face.” In the earthly sanctuary, the presence of the glory of the Lord could not be beheld in its fullness by those who served Him. But in the New Jerusalem, His people shall behold Him in all of His glory.

John next continues with, “Her light.” The Greek reads, “Her light-giver.” It refers to a luminary. It is that by which the city receives its illumination, meaning the Lamb (as is seen in verse 21:23). The glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. The word used to describe this light, phóstér, is found only here and in Philippians 2:15 –

“that you may become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world.”

Of this light, John says it “was like a most precious stone.” In other words, just as the finest gem will radiate in the most brilliant manner, so will be the radiating of the Illuminator of God’s glory as the Lamb reveals it to His people for all eternity. Of this, John next says it is “like a jasper stone.”

The jasper (Greek: iaspis) is believed to be the same as the last stone mentioned in the breastplate of the high priest in Exodus 28:20. In the Hebrew there, the name is yashepheh. That comes from an unused root meaning “to polish.” It is believed to be jasper because of the same general sounding name – yashepheh/iaspis/jasper.

Jasper stone varies in color, and the specific color is speculated on. Throughout the ages, the identification of many of the colors and stones mentioned in the Bible has become unclear. Different terms are used today than they were in the past. Because of this, various translators will identify them differently.

What jasper is today is apparently not the same as what John is speaking of here. Rather, some commentators believe it is a blue-white diamond. Whatever the exact color and nature of it, the glory of God is being reflected in this manner.

However, the symbolism speaks out what John is trying to relay. There is the light of the glory of God emanating through the color, or from the color, that speaks of His infinite perfection, glory, and holiness. Finally, of this, John says it is “clear as crystal.”

The Greek literally says, “shining like crystal.” The word is found only here in Scripture, krustallizó. It signifies “to make (i.e. Intransitively, resemble) ice (‘crystallize’) — be clear as crystal” (Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance).

The words John uses convey the idea of absolute brilliance, splendor, and glory. It is nothing that we can as yet fully comprehend. But someday, because of Christ Jesus, we will behold what John attempts to describe for us in Revelation.

Life application: The New Jerusalem will be stunningly marvelous and more beautiful than we can now comprehend. We see a glimpse of this in Exodus 24:9, 10, were the presence of God is seen on Mount Sinai –

“Then Moses went up, also Aaron, Nadab, and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, ¹⁰ and they saw the God of Israel. And there was under His feet as it were a paved work of sapphire stone, and it was like the very heavens in its clarity.”

This was a mere foreshadowing of the glory that John beholds. Throughout the rest of the Old Testament, the glory of the Lord is revealed in various ways, but none are as spectacular as what John conveys to us. Sinful humans cannot perceive the true glory and majesty of God, nor can mere words adequately describe it. And, therefore, only comparisons can be used. However, at some wonderful point in the future, God’s full and complete glory will be displayed to His redeemed. They will walk in His light, and they will be eternally enlivened by Him.

A time is coming when these things will be fully realized. And so now, as we walk in this darkened and sin-stained world, we can carry with us the hope of this wonderful time. But this is only true if we come to God through His offer of peace and reconciliation. The Lamb that will illuminate the glory of God in New Jerusalem is the same Lamb who first came to die in order to redeem man back to God. Without coming through Christ, no man will enter into His presence. Be sure to call out to God through His Messiah. Call out to Him through JESUS.

Oh God, when the world wears me out and there is only grief in our souls at the wickedness that surrounds us, we can overcome this feeling and stand strong in the sure hope of being in the presence of Your glory – never again to feel frustration, pain, anger, or fear. Instead, we will be perfectly content with the light of Your majesty. How we long for that day! Amen.

Friday, 13 August 2021

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, Revelation 21:10

Having cited the angel’s words, “Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife,” John now says, “And he carried me away in the Spirit.” It is a similar thought to that which came at the very beginning of Revelation when John said, “I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s Day.” John is carried away in this heightened state “to a great and high mountain.”

It is a similar experience to that of Ezekiel –

“In the twenty-fifth year of our captivity, at the beginning of the year, on the tenth day of the month, in the fourteenth year after the city was captured, on the very same day the hand of the Lord was upon me; and He took me there. ² In the visions of God He took me into the land of Israel and set me on a very high mountain; on it toward the south was something like the structure of a city.” Ezekiel 40:1, 2

The intent of being taken to a high mountain seems obvious. Once there, his view would be totally unobstructed as he next beholds the scene before him. Ezekiel saw the structure of a city. It would be hard to view such a city in its total scope while standing on the same level as it. Walls, hills, trees, and so on would obscure parts of it from his view. But the Lord wanted him to see the city laid out before him. Such is the case now with John. Like Ezekiel, he next says, “and show me the great city, the holy Jerusalem.”

In this, there is a slight variation in source texts. Some omit “great,” and the adjective describes the word “city.”

“the holy city, Jerusalem” NASB
“the great city, the holy Jerusalem” YLT

Either way, the intent is understood. Like Ezekiel, John is seeing Jerusalem. It is the city of God’s focus, and it is the city set in contrast to Babylon. Where Babylon was a harlot and defiled, Jerusalem is set apart to God. In Scripture, the earthly Jerusalem was used as an ideal set forth by God to represent something greater and more perfect.

At times, it did not meet up to the standard, and it was defiled by the people who dwelt there. Nonetheless, it was used as a type of that which is prepared by God, just at the earthly tabernacle was set forth based on a heavenly pattern (see Hebrews 8:3-6).

What earthly Jerusalem anticipated is what is then spoken of by Paul and by the author of Hebrews, anticipating that which lies ahead –

“Tell me, you who desire to be under the law, do you not hear the law? ²² For it is written that Abraham had two sons: the one by a bondwoman, the other by a freewoman. ²³ But he who was of the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and he of the freewoman through promise, ²⁴ which things are symbolic. For these are the two covenants: the one from Mount Sinai which gives birth to bondage, which is Hagar— ²⁵ for this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia, and corresponds to Jerusalem which now is, and is in bondage with her children— ²⁶ but the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all.” Galatians 4:21-26

&

“ But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, to an innumerable company of angels, ²³ to the general assembly and church of the firstborn who are registered in heaven, to God the Judge of all, to the spirits of just men made perfect, ²⁴ to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant, and to the blood of sprinkling that speaks better things than that of Abel.” Hebrews 12:22-24

As such, there is the type, earthly Jerusalem, and there is the antitype, “the holy Jerusalem.” Of this, John next says it is “descending out of heaven from God.” Christ is the fulfillment of the tabernacle in heaven, and He descended out of heaven from God. Now is seen the fulfillment of the anticipation of the earthly Jerusalem likewise descending out of heaven from God

The vision may be something that literally happens, or it may be that what John is seeing is a vision containing a spiritual truth. Until the New Jerusalem is actually beheld by the people of God, we can only look to the words of Revelation and speculate how much of what is to be described is literal and how much is symbolic. No matter what, it is to be a city fashioned by God, and it is to be prepared by Him for the dwelling of His people.

Jamieson-Fausset-Brown immediately takes the symbolic approach and states, “descending—Even in the millennium the earth will not be a suitable abode for transfigured saints, who therefore shall then reign in heaven over the earth. But after the renewal of the earth at the close of the millennium and judgment, they shall descend from heaven to dwell on an earth assimilated to heaven itself. “From God” implies that “we (the city) are God’s workmanship.”

They are correct that what is being prepared will be beyond that which is to be seen in the millennium (implying that there will actually be a thousand-year reign of Christ), and that what is being expressed by John now will be after that period. Whatever it is that God has planned, it will be glorious, even beyond our current ability to grasp. John’s words are given as a foretaste of what will be experienced in its fullest some wonderful day.

Life application: In Isaiah 40:9, we read these words –

“O Zion,
You who bring good tidings,
Get up into the high mountain;
O Jerusalem,
You who bring good tidings,
Lift up your voice with strength,
Lift it up, be not afraid;
Say to the cities of Judah, “Behold your God!”

Isaiah 40 is a passage of comfort for God’s people in all ages, but it is a passage that only is fully realized in the book of Revelation. Today is the beginning of that realization in a tangible way.

Although John saw New Jerusalem descending in verse 2, he will now get a close-up look at it and see the splendor of the city in detail. He is going to be provided a fuller scope of what Isaiah and so many others only saw from a distance. And then he will record what he sees as a point of hope and anticipation for the saints of God.

In Hebrews 11, we learn that the faithful believers of ages past knew this city was coming. In Hebrew 11:10, it says that Abraham waited “for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God.” Later in the same chapter, when speaking of all the faithful witnesses of time past, it says that they desired “a better, that is, a heavenly country. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them.”

This heavenly city is now described as descending out of heaven from God. Imagine the city’s marvel in this way – everything that we now see was created by God in just 6 days – the splendor of the mountains, the magnificent creatures of the seas, and the wonder of the secret caves of the earth with all their variety of life hidden in them. But in addition to the things we have here on earth, God also created the other planets, the stars, the constellations, the immensely vast workings of the universe… it all came from the mind of God and was ordered and established in just 6 days.

Now imagine – “In My Father’s house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. ³And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also.” John 14:2, 3

Jesus spoke these words 2000 years ago. And since then, He has been building a city and a home for His people. If God created every wonderful thing we perceive in just 6 days, imagine the marvel of what He will present to us after His Son finishes what has taken 2000 years?

Will we truly have eternal joy? Youbetcha! It will be so marvelous and so glorious that we will never tire of what is coming. And the best part of this amazing city will be described last of all. It will be such a wonderful source of majesty that God’s people will eternally revel in what they behold.

If you are tired, frustrated, overwhelmed, or just beaten down by life, then hold fast to what is promised. The joy that is coming will erase every thought of the difficulties we now face. Great is God and wonderful are His dealings with the sons of men. Thank God for what He has done for us. Thank God for JESUS!

Oh God, how glorious it will be to see the city that You have prepared for us. Each room will be lovingly fashioned by our glorious Savior. Thank You for showing John these things so that he would record them for us in our times of difficulty – sure promises to carry us through in hopes of something better – a city which has foundations of whom You are the Builder! Amen.

Thursday, 12 August 2021

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 21:9

With the new heaven and the new earth prepared, and the prospect of eternal joy or eternal condemnation laid out, a new vision begins, that of New Jerusalem. The words of this verse are a close parallel to the words of Chapter 17. There, Mystery Babylon was introduced, and so the contrast between the two cities is highlighted by the parallel use of the words –

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, ² with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’” (17:1, 2)

“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.’” (21:9)

This is a pattern that has been repeated many times in Scripture. The first is the introduction of a negative entity which is then followed by a good one. Cain and his line were introduced (Genesis 4:1), followed by Seth and his line (Genesis 4:25). The generations of Ishmael were noted (Genesis 25:2), followed by those of Isaac (Genesis 25:19). The generations of Esau were introduced (Genesis 36:1), followed by those of Jacob (Genesis 46:8).

This pattern continues on in various ways and at various times, such as introducing King Saul and then King David. The pattern defines those who are sons of Adam by nature (seeking after worldly things) and those who are sons of God by nature. The sons of God include those before the cross because of their anticipation of the coming Messiah. They also include those after the cross because of their faith in God’s Messiah who has come, Jesus.

Likewise, the idea of the city opposed to God, Babylon (Babel), was first described in Genesis 11 (introduced in Genesis 10). However, the city of God, Jerusalem, was first introduced in Genesis 14 (Salem) with the introduction of Melchizedek (see Psalm 76:2).

Thus, there are these divergent concepts being explored and developed in Scripture in order to reveal what God is doing as opposed to what man is doing. The final end to Babylon has been described, and now the introduction of the eternal city – New Jerusalem – is to be described. With this understood, John begins with, “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me.”

As in verse 17:1, which of the seven angels that this is remains unstated. Therefore, the angel’s identity is irrelevant. It is simply one of the seven. To John, this angel is “saying, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’”

This is in contrast to the harlot of Revelation 17. A harlot is a wife to no one, but rather gives herself away to whoever will participate in her wickedness. Further, the harlot was said to sit on many waters, implying exactly the idea of harlotry. She spread herself out among many lovers, and she committed fornication with the kings of the earth and the earth’s inhabitants.

In complete contrast to this, there is a bride who will receive the affections of her husband, the Lamb – Jesus. There is a united bond between the two that will last forever because of the love of God which is found in Christ Jesus.

Life application: Although a city is going to be described, the New Jerusalem, it is the people who comprise a city. In other words, what will be described may be literal, and it may be an actual edifice that God has prepared. However, as with other biblical passages, New Jerusalem is more than its material parts. Rather, it is the city of the people of God.

The bride of Christ is both the city and its people. To miss this is to miss what God has been doing since the very first pages of the Bible. Since that time, He has been working in and through history to secure for Himself a people who live by faith. This is the premise of both testaments and of every story to be found in the Bible’s pages – faith that God will restore what was lost and that it will be even more glorious because it will be eternal.

The splendor and the majesty of what will be displayed in the coming verses will be highlighted with the glory of God itself. It will be more wonderful than mere words on paper can describe. If you have never called on Jesus Christ as Savior, you will have no part in this marvelous and eternal beauty, so make the right decision today, even now.

Call on Him and share in what lies ahead. Call on JESUS!

Lord, to be a part of Your glorious plan for the ages is more than our minds can grasp. To know that You have accepted us in Christ, even when we fail you, gives us the greatest hope. May we never fail to give you the praise, glory, and honor for all You have done for us. Thank You for the reconciliation You alone have provided through Him! Amen.

Wednesday, 11 August 2021

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.” Revelation 21:8

The Lord noted those who would inherit all things in the previous verse. It is “he who overcomes.” Anyone who doesn’t fit into this category will have a different fate ahead of him. To give an idea of the type of people this includes, a list is provided. The idea here is that all who don’t believe in and accept the finished work of Christ are a part of this list, demonstrating their actual state of lowliness, regardless of how they think of themselves.

Understanding that, Jesus begins the list of those who are disqualified. Each is in the dative case, meaning that they are the recipients of the action that will be expressed. One can think of each category being preceded by the word “for” or “to.” Thus, “To this group, and to this group, and to this group there will be this consequence applied to them.” As such, Jesus begins with, “But the cowardly.” Hence, think of “But to the cowardly.”

The idea of being a coward brings up the thought of shrinking back in fear during a time of war or the like. This is not what is being referred to. The word is deilos. It signifies fearful, timid, or cowardly. The word is used in Matthew 8:26, Mark 4:40, Hebrews 12:28 (where it is translated as “godly fear”), and in this verse.

HELPS Word Studies defines the term – “properly, dreadful, describing a person who loses their ‘moral gumption (fortitude)’ that is needed to follow the Lord. / refers to an excessive fear (dread) of ‘losing,’ causing someone to be fainthearted (cowardly) – hence, to fall short in following Christ as Lord. / deilós is always used negatively in the NT and stands in contrast to the positive fear which can be expressed by 5401 /phóbos (“fear,” see Phil 2:12).”

As it has already been noted concerning those who “overcome” from the previous verse, this cannot be referring to someone who expresses fear after salvation. It refers to one who never receives Christ out of fear of the consequences of doing so.

The next on the list include the “unbelieving.” The word, in this context, is anyone who has failed to believe the gospel. As belief in the gospel is required to be sealed with the Holy Spirit, such a person is unsaved. Paul defines this in Ephesians 1 –

 ^“In Him you also trusted, after you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation; in whom also, having believed, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, ¹⁴ who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.” Ephesians 1:13, 14

A person who believes the gospel is sealed with the Holy Spirit as a guarantee of his salvation. Those who do not believe will not be saved. The context of Jesus’ words is after His completed work and ascension. Thus, a lack of belief in the gospel is the focus of what is stated here. Next, it refers to the “abominable.”

The word is a perfect participle, and it signifies “to stink.” Thus, it speaks of the total corruption of the person. He is foul, detestable, and loathsome. Remembering that those on this list are given as comparisons, it is saying that those who may think they are pure and good smelling are rejected, vile, and loathsome without Christ.

Jesus next mentions “murderers.” This refers to those who commit unjustified, intentional homicide. Jesus uses the verb form of this word to make a point about people’s need for Him –

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ ²² But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” Matthew 5:21, 22

God looks at the heart when He evaluates man. The act of murder carries punishment, but the intent of the heart is no less convicting before God. This is true with the next category, the “sexually immoral.”

The word speaks of a male prostitute. However, in the New Testament, that is given as a type of any who engages in sexual immorality. Of such conduct, Jesus uses adultery as an example of the intent of the heart –

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ ²⁸ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.” Matthew 5:27, 28

The next on this list includes “sorcerers.”  HELPS Word Studies defines this as “properly, a sorcerer; used of people using drugs and ‘religious incantations’ to drug people into living by their illusions – like having magical (supernatural) powers to manipulate God into giving them more temporal possessions.”

From there, Jesus refers to “idolaters.” This speaks of a server or worshiper, either literally or figuratively, of idols. Being in a congregation where Christian images, such as crucifixes, statues of “saints,” and so on are served must be included in this. Without Christ’s atoning sacrifice to cover one’s sins, such actions merely heap up added guilt. They are no different than worshiping statues of Buddha.

Jesus finishes this list by saying, “and all liars.” The word used is general in nature. It certainly includes liars, but it signifies false, deceitful, lying, and untruths.

Of these, Jesus says they “shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.” This is hell. It is a place from which there is no escape and no end. God promised full restoration to man of that which was lost. But that is conditional on the work of the Messiah. He completed His work, and all who receive Him will be saved. All who do not are included in this list of doomed souls.

Again, and as stated before, the list is given as a comparative list to show that those who have not come to Christ are like any of those mentioned in this verse. There is no gradient scale by which man can be saved. There is no bell curve. There will be no evaluations of how hard or how well someone worked. There is either being in Christ and being covered by His righteousness, or there is nakedness and exposure. Those who stand naked and exposed before God will find their place in this lake of fire, “which is the second death.”

The second death is that spiritual death that all humans are born with. We are born physically alive, but spiritually dead. Being born again in Christ restores the spiritually dead condition to life. Not being found in Christ leaves that person dead in sin. When he dies, his spiritual condition is in an unconverted state. As such, his fate is sealed. The lake of fire becomes his eternal home. As Jesus says, “this is the second death.”

The 21^st letter of the Hebrew aleph-bet, Shin, corresponds to the 21^st Chapter of Revelation. Shin is pictured as the two front teeth, and it signifies sharp, press, eat, and two. However, it also represents the eternal flame. Thus, there is a contrast between the lake of fire in verse 8 and the illumination of God and the light of the Lamb in verse 23. There are those condemned to the flames, and there are those who will be illuminated by the light of God – both are eternal.

Life application: One of the most common misperceptions about Jesus is that He is a cosmic pushover and that through His work there is an “anything goes” attitude concerning our walk and conduct. This attitude leads to heretical groups and cults by the bucketful.

People who spend all their time solely in the beatitudes fail to take in the whole counsel of God. They fail to realize that the same God who thrust Adam from the Garden of Eden, who swept the world clean in the Flood of Noah, who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah with fire and brimstone, who punished the people who had stood at the base of Mount Sinai – making them wander in the wilderness until all the disobedient were dead – and who also exiled His chosen people from their land – among many other acts of judgment recorded in the Bible – is the same God who spoke out those beatitudes. He is the Lord Jesus. He is the Judge of the sins of the world, and He will cast those who fail to meet His perfect standard into the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.

In the end, all of the sins of man can be forgiven, but they must acknowledge their violations of what God expects of and from His people. Only through the cleansing power of the precious blood of Christ can man be purified from these things. Let us come to the throne of grace and receive God’s offer of mercy while there is still time to do so. Let us come to JESUS.

Lord Jesus, we come before You and confess that our lives have been lived apart from You. We have committed sinful acts and deserve only God’s wrath. But we look to You for forgiveness and mercy. Thank You, Lord, for the undeserved favor You offer. Amen.

Tuesday, 10 August 2021

He who overcomes shall inherit all things, and I will be his God and he shall be My son. Revelation 21:7

In the previous words, Jesus said to John that He would give the fountain of the water of life freely to him who thirsts. The implication is that they have the Source of eternal life flowing to sustain them forever, and thus they will live forever. In this, there is an implication made that Jesus next explicitly states to John, saying, “He who overcomes shall inherit all things.”

As a side note, some manuscripts say, “shall inherit these things” instead of “shall inherit all things.” It would then be referring to those things promised in this passage (and elsewhere that are connected to the things mentioned in this passage).

Either way, one must overcome in order to receive the fountain of the water of life. This demands that we remember exactly how one overcomes. The subject was addressed in detail in Revelation 2:7, but it is now the last time that the word nikaó, or overcome, is found in Scripture. Thus, it is worth repeating again, towards the end of Revelation, to ensure the matter is properly understood. John’s letters provide the necessary detail –

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The words are based on 1 John 5:5 (cited below), and which are taken in connection with John’s other words of that epistle.  Look at how John weaves thoughts together in the book of 1 John in order to ensure that all ends are secure –

“…whatever is born of God overcomes the world.” (5:4)
“Whoever believes that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” (5:1)
“He who believes that Jesus is the Son of God” overcomes the world. (5:5)
“Every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is of God.” (4:2)
“…every spirit that does not confess that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is not of God. (4:3).

In this, John is obviously equating “Christ” with “Son of God.” The Christ is God incarnate (come in the flesh) – where the fulness of the Godhead dwells bodily (Colossians 2:9). John is revealing that which is true and that which is false. This calls out for proper understanding because to believe otherwise is the spirit of the antichrist.

There are those who claim that Jesus is the Christ, but they do not believe He is God incarnate. Thus, verse 5:1 does not apply to them. There are those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God, but they do not accept that He is then fully God. Thus, verse 5:5 does not apply to them. In other words, there are sons of God recorded in both testaments – such as in Genesis 6 and Job 1. These are referring to human beings, not the divine Son of God.

There are also sons of God in the New Testament, such as in Romans 8:14 and elsewhere. These are adopted sons of God, not the Son begotten of God – meaning Jesus Christ, the incarnate Word of God.

One must take the words of John on a much more global scale to fully understand what he is referring to. Without doing so, a Mormon or a Jehovah’s Witness might appear to pass the test of one who overcomes the world. But such is not the case. Through evaluating the entire scope of what John is referring to, we find that such heretics do not pass muster, and have not overcome the world. As John asks, “Who is he who overcomes the world…?”

It is the person who will meet the qualifications he will state in a moment, but that person must meet the other qualifications which are directly tied to those words as well. John says that it is “he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.” This is the person who overcomes. But he only does so if he believes that the Son of God (Jesus) is the Christ. And further, he only does so if he confesses that Jesus Christ has also come in the flesh.

If he does so, he is of God and has both been born of God and has overcome the world. If he does not confess the deity of Christ (having come in the flesh), he “is not of God.” In proper theology, one plus one will always equal two. However, sometimes the equation is built upon other such simple equations. When each is properly realized, then the truth of the situation is confirmed. This is why it is so important to have a larger understanding of what John is conveying when talking with people from aberrant cults.

Also, in his words, John uses present participles, each prefixed with an article when speaking of the one who overcomes. More literally, he says, “Who now is the one overcoming?” The response is, “…the one believing.” As noted, one can believe in a “Christ” who is not the Christ (see 2 Corinthians 11:4, for example). It is the one believing in the proper Christ, who is the Son of God – fully Man and yet fully God. In his belief, he is overcoming the world. For those who believe in the wrong “Christ,” they are not overcoming anything. They are still in their sins, and they belong to this world.

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To sum up this most important point of doctrine, it is to the person who trusts in the Person and work of Jesus Christ, the God/Man, that overcomes. With this understood, Jesus next says of he who overcomes, “and I will be his God and he shall be My son.”

Of this, Vincent’s Word Studies notes, “This is the only place in John’s writings where υἱός son is used of the relation of man to God.” The Father/son relationship that began to be revealed in Genesis 6:2 with the “sons of God,” meaning those of the line of Seth that trusted in the promise of the coming Messiah, and that is then carefully and methodically built upon throughout Scripture, is fully realized in this verse.

The promise is that any who overcomes (placing their trust in the Messiah according to the level of understanding given in any particular dispensation) is granted this Father/son relationship. The hope of returning to paradise, and of spending eternity in the presence of God, is explicitly promised in these verses of Revelation. The thing God promised in Genesis 3:15, and which He has continued to slowly and progressively reveal since then, is realized here. God, who is ever faithful to His word, sent His Christ. He has restored all to the state it was originally intended. For His redeemed, the coming of that day is as certain as the word uttered forth by Him.

These wonderful words are the final fulfillment of what Paul hinted at for any who are already in this relationship because of faith in Christ –

“I will be a Father to you,
And you shall be My sons and daughters,
Says the Lord Almighty.” 2 Corinthians 6:18

For the one who has overcome, the position is already realized. We are just waiting for the redemptive narrative to unfold, but we already possess this blessed Father/son relationship.

Life application: In the evaluation of Revelation 3:22, the promises made by Jesus to those who overcome were noted. They were made in the seven letters to the seven churches addressed in Revelation 2 & 3. That list is –

(1) Jesus will allow him to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God.
(2) He shall not be hurt by the second death.
(3) He will be given some of the hidden manna to eat. Jesus will also give him a white stone, and on the stone a new name written which no one knows except him who receives it.
(4) Jesus will give him power over the nations – “He shall rule them with a rod of iron; They shall be dashed to pieces like the potter’s vessel” – as Jesus also has received from His Father; and He will give him the morning star.
(5) He shall be clothed in white garments, and his name will not be blotted out from the Book of Life; Jesus will confess his name before His Father and before His angels.
(6) He will be made a pillar in the temple of God, and he shall go out no more. Jesus will write on him the name of His God and the name of the city of His God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from His God. And He will write on him His new name.
(7) He will be given the right to sit with Jesus on His throne, as He also overcame and sat down with His Father on His throne.

All of these things are coming to the one who overcomes. Along with that is promised the intimate Father/son relationship noted in the verse analyzed above. As noted, the “sons of God” in Genesis 6:2, is a passage speaking of the chosen line that will lead to the Messiah.

From that springboard, there is a succession of adoption which leads all the way to this verse in Revelation. The promise was made to Abraham in Genesis 17:7. Israel was proclaimed the Lord’s firstborn in Exodus 4:22. They were given the promise of being His special treasure in Exodus 19:5, 6. After this was seen the confirmation of this covenant line through David in 2 Samuel 7:14. Eventually, these promises were made to the church on several occasions in the New Testament.

This Father/son relationship is made possible because of Jesus. In Hebrews 1:2, He is noted as the “heir of all things.” We are called “joint heirs” with Him in Romans 8:17. We are united to God through the work of Christ. And that is based on simple faith, with nothing else added. Jesus tells us this in John 3:16, Paul states it again and again in his epistles, and finally John gave us the great and wonderful news of how to overcome in 1 John 5:4, 5 (noted above).

To be a son of God, one must look to the work of the Son of God. To overcome and reign with Christ one must look to the One who overcame and reigns with God. To be an heir of the great promises of God, one must be adopted through the Son of God. It is the most wonderful and glorious promise ever, and it comes by simple faith. Praise God for His glorious gift! Praise God for our Lord, JESUS!

Heavenly Father, how wonderful it is to be called a son of God! We, your people, accept Jesus and we come to You in faith, knowing that only through Him can we receive Your gift of eternal life. Thank You for Jesus, thank You for His work, and thank You for the grace and faith You have granted us to come to this wonderful place. Hallelujah and Amen!