In Revelation 2:10b the Lord Jesus says, “Be faithful unto death, and I will give you the crown of life.” A crown in New Testament usage always denotes a prize in addition to salvation. The crown of life as a prize to those who are faithful unto death in overcoming persecution denotes the overcoming strength which is the power of the resurrection life (Phil. 3:10); it also signifies that these overcomers have attained to “the out-resurrection from among the dead,” that is, the outstanding resurrection (Phil. 3:11).
In 1 Corinthians 9:25 Paul says, “Everyone who contends exercises self-control in all things; those, therefore, that they may receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.” The incorruptible crown, which the Lord will award His overcoming saints who win the race, is a reward in addition to salvation. As believers, we have all received His salvation through faith in Him. This has been settled once for all. But whether we shall be rewarded by Him depends on how we run the race. Here in 1 Corinthians 9 the apostle is running the course. In Philippians, one of his last Epistles, he was still running (Phil. 3:14). It was not until the last moment of his running, in 2 Timothy 4:6-8, that Paul had the assurance that he would be rewarded by the Lord at His appearing. With this prize in view, the apostle charged the believers to run the race so that they might obtain the reward.
In Revelation 3:21 the Lord Jesus says, “He who overcomes, to him I will give to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” To sit with the Lord on His throne will be a prize to the overcomer that he may participate in the Lord’s authority in the coming millennial kingdom. This means that the overcomers will be co-kings with Christ ruling over the whole earth.
A verse that we should consider in relation to Revelation 3:21 is Matthew 19:28. Here the Lord Jesus says, “Truly I say to you that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of His glory, you also shall sit on twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.” The regeneration is the restoration of the coming kingdom age (Acts 3:21) after the Lord’s second coming. In the coming kingdom, the overcomers will sit on thrones to reign over the earth (Rev. 20:4). The first twelve apostles, including Peter, will judge the twelve tribes of Israel, while the others will rule over the nations (Rev. 2:26).
In the coming manifestation of the kingdom of the heavens, the overcomers will rule, have authority over, the nations and shepherd them. In Revelation 2:26 and 27 the Lord Jesus says, “He who overcomes, and he who keeps My works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, and he will shepherd them with an iron rod, as vessels of pottery are broken in pieces, as I also have received from My Father.” This is a prize to the overcomers of reigning with Christ over the nations in the millennial kingdom. This promise of the Lord strongly implies that those who do not answer His call to the overcomers will not participate in the reign of the millennial kingdom. In Psalm 2:9 God gave Christ authority to rule over the nations. In the coming kingdom Christ will give the same authority to the overcomers.
Revelation 12:5 tells us that the man-child “was about to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod.” In the millennial kingdom the ruler will be a shepherd. The iron rod in this verse is the authority of Christ which He gives the overcomers. The overcomers will exercise the authority of Christ over the nations and rule them with Christ in the millennial kingdom.
In the Lord’s teaching about faithfulness in Luke 19:11-27, He indicates that the overcomers will rule over the nations. Verse 17 says, “Well done, good slave; because you became faithful in the least, have authority over ten cities.” In verse 19 He says, “And you, be over five cities.” Having authority over ten cities or five cities signifies the overcomers’ reigning over the nations. Furthermore, these verses indicate that the overcoming believers’ reigning in the coming kingdom as a reward will differ in extent.
In Matthew 25:21 and 23 the Lord says to the overcomer, “I will set you over many things.” “Over” signifies the ruling authority in the coming kingdom, and “many things” signify the responsibilities in the coming kingdom.
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