Wednesday, 21 October 2020
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. Revelation 3:21
Jesus now pronounces the final benefit for those who overcome. Again, to overcome simply means to be saved through the gospel of Jesus Christ. When one believes in the Son, he overcomes, and salvation is granted. That person is sealed with the Holy Spirit as a promise of future redemption. To get the full picture of what it means to overcome, please refer to the commentary on Revelation 2:7.
Churches do not overcome. Rather, the people who comprise the church do. Concerning those who overcome, Jesus says to them, “I will grant to sit with Me on My throne.”
Rather than “on,” the Greek reads “in my throne.” In this, there is a closeness to Christ that is expressed in this general way. Jesus’ words in John 17:20, 21 further reveal this closeness when He said, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; 21 that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me.”
To sit in the throne speaks of this unity that Jesus prayed to the Father for. In this, He is not speaking of a literal throne. God does not have parts; He is Spirit. He is speaking of the position of power and authority which He possesses. That power and authority is derived from God. Christ earned the right to that authority through the completion of His work (Matthew 28:18). Christ then shares that with those who overcome. This was spoken of by Paul in Romans –
“The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together.” Romans 8:16, 17
Being “joint heirs with Christ” signifies exactly what Jesus is referring to now. This will be a heavenly rule that will last for all eternity. Again, Paul states this in Ephesians –
“But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5 even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7 that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.” Ephesians 2:4-7
This is promised to all who believe in the Son. In this, they overcome and participate in what He has earned the right to. As He says, “as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Again, the word should be translated “in.” It says, “in His throne.” Christ sits in the throne of His Father, having accomplished the work He was sent to do. And in having done nothing to earn it, but through an act of grace from God, those who believe in the Son are granted the opportunity to participate in that glorious position for all eternity. Thank God for Jesus Christ.
As a review of the promises to those who overcome, and as a snapshot of the redemptive process which began in the Garden of Eden, one can look at the promises made to the faithful and see the progression which leads us from Eden to Heaven –
To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the Paradise of God. 2: 7 (Genesis – The Garden. Access to eternal life is restored).
He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death. 2:11 (Genesis – The Garden. The possibility of death is removed.)
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. 2:17 (Exodus – The wilderness. Christ is the true Manna which sustains God’s people for eternal life. With the new name, comes a new nature.)
And he who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will give power over the nations—
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; 28 and I will give him the morning star. 2:27, 28 (Davidic Rule. Believers are granted rule in the eternal kingdom and are set as jewels in the diadem of Christ’s crown.)
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. 3:5 (Atonement/Justification – believers are imputed Christ’s sinless nature and Christ our Advocate speaks on our behalf.)
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. 3:12 (The Temple – what the earthly temple pictured is realized in the promises of the New Jerusalem. Believers will share in Christ’s eternal nature.)
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. 3:21 (Heavenly Rule – the Most Holy Place. Believers are granted joint-heir status in Christ’s position of power. Man lost his right to rule in the Garden; Christ restores this to humanity forever.)
Life application: The only way to overcome the power of the devil, and the world, he controls is by faith that Jesus is the Son of God. If one denies this, then he remains under the control of the devil. He will never participate in the glories to come. However, for those who call on Jesus by faith, we have the wonderful promises of glory made in Him.
In the earthly temple, there was no place to sit. The work of the priests was never done because sin continuously needed to be atoned for. But Hebrews 1:3 says that when Jesus had purged our sins, He “sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” In other words, the work was finished and the “rest” which man was offered in Eden became available to all who trust in Him.
Hebrews 4:3 says that “we who have believed do enter that rest.” Jesus Christ promises us so very much if we will simply have faith in Him and His works. The glorious promise of reigning and resting with Him is the crown of the honors we will receive. Isaiah 11:10 says that the place of His rest will be glorious.
Zechariah then shows us that Christ is the fulfillment of both the priestly and kingly offices. He is a Priest on His throne. In this, “the counsel of peace shall be between them both” (Zechariah 6:13). Hallelujah and Amen, Christ has accomplished all that is necessary for our glorification. In accomplishing these things, He sat down! He is great, He is glorious, He is Jesus!
Lord Jesus, just to see Your face is enough for us. We long for that day with a burning desire. But You have promised us so many glories in addition to this. We are overwhelmed by the great grace and mercy You have lavished upon us, Your unworthy servants. Praises be to You for all eternity. Amen.