Now we want to see the reward for keeping the Lord’s word and not denying the Lord’s name.
The first reward to the overcomers is to be kept out of the hour of trial, which is about to come on the whole inhabited earth, to try them who dwell on the earth (Rev. 3:10). Trial here undoubtedly denotes the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21), which is about to come on the whole inhabited earth. The Lord Jesus promised the Philadelphian overcomers that before the tribulation begins, He will take them away. This indicates that the saints who keep the Lord’s word and do not deny the Lord’s name will be raptured before the great tribulation. This is a great promise and a great reward.
The overcomers will receive the crown (Rev. 3:11), which indicates their victory and authority. In New Testament usage, a crown always denotes a prize that is in addition to salvation (Rev. 2:10; 3:11; James 1:12; 2 Tim. 4:8; 1 Pet. 5:4; 1 Cor. 9:25).
The overcomers who keep the Lord’s word and do not deny His name will be made pillars (for the building of God) in the temple of God, upon which are written the name of God, the name of the city of God, the New Jerusalem, and the new name of Christ (Rev. 3:12). In Revelation 2:17 the overcomer will become a transformed stone for God’s building. In 3:12 the overcomer will become a pillar built into the temple of God. Because he is built into God’s building, he shall by no means go out anymore. This promise, as a prize to the overcomer, will be fulfilled in the millennial kingdom.
The pillar in the temple of God will bear the name of God, the name of the New Jerusalem, and also the new name of Christ. This indicates that the overcomer is possessed by and is one with God, the New Jerusalem, and Christ. This also indicates that the overcomer belongs to these three names. When someone purchases a new Bible, he may sign his name in it. His name indicates that this Bible is his possession. The overcomers will be the possession of God, the possession of Christ, and the possession of the New Jerusalem. Actually, they are a part of the New Jerusalem, so they bear the name of the New Jerusalem.
The overcomers bear the new name of Christ. This does not mean that Christ has a new name. It means that Christ will be experienced by these overcomers in a new way. Thus, the very Christ they are experiencing is new to them. If we would make up our minds to take the overcoming way, we will experience Christ in a new way, and Christ will become new to us. Our Owner will be God, the New Jerusalem, and the new Christ.
To many of us Christ is old, not new. At the beginning of our Christian life, Christ was new to us, but gradually that new Christ became old to us. We have Christ, but is Christ new to us? Mostly our experience of Christ is too old. It may be that our experience of Him is the same as it was ten years ago. He is old to us. But if we make the decision to be an overcomer in this age, we will have the sense that Christ is so fresh and new. We will enjoy Him as God’s new mercies refreshing us every morning (Lam. 3:22-23).
Thus, those who overcome the trend of not keeping the Lord’s word and the tide of denying His name will be raptured before the great tribulation, will receive the crown, and will be made a pillar for the building of God, having the name of God, the name of the New Jerusalem, and the new name of Christ.
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