It's Gonna Be Worth It

The Revelation of Jesus Christ
in the back of The Book.

Seven Letters Written to Seven Churches
Filled with Commendations, Criticisms,
Instructions, and Promises.

Read Chapter One to get a picture of Who
He is and What He Looks Like.

Read Chapters Two and Three
to hear what He Writes
to the Seven Churches.

Today, I am looking at the Rewards and Promises for those
Who repent and follow through with God's Instructions
to the end and by so doing,
are known as "Overcomers."

Reward #1-"To him who overcomes I will give to eat from the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of God."

The fellowship Adam and Eve had with God in the Garden of Eden will be restored to us. We will eat from the tree which gives eternal life. We will walk and talk with God in His place of complete beauty and life.

Reward #2-"Be faithful until death and I will give you the crown of life. He who is faithful to the end shall not be hurt by the second death."

In those days, a garland or wreath shaped like a crown was awarded to athletic winners in a competition. A garland of life will crown the heads of Overcomers and they will never die.

Reward #3-"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."

Would this be the manna hidden in the ark of the covenant?
 My Bible notes say that '"juries voted for acquittal by casting a white stone in an urn. Special stones were also used as tokens for various purposes such as rewards for victors in games."
Also, "In the context of a Messianic banquet the white stone was probably for the purpose of admission."
And " 'New name' refers to the imputed character of Christ," revealed as a personalized blessing.

Reward #4-"Hold fast what you have until I come. 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 and I will give him the morning star."

We will share in Christ's triumph over the nations and be given Jesus Himself, as our morning star. I love this. The morning star reward is probably my favorite.

Reward #5-"He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels."

We will be dressed as the Redeemed and Jesus will declare our name before His Father as a citizen of Heaven and as one who has overcome.

Reward #6-"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."

My Bible notes say, "A city often honored a notable citizen by erecting a pillar in a temple with his name inscribed on it. Thus the Lord will honor His faithful permanently (go out no more) by inscribing on them the name of My God, of the New Jerusalem, and of Christ, indicating identification with and possession by God, a spiritual citizenship, and a reflection of the character of Christ."

Reward #7-"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."

Wouldn't that be wonderful? To be that close to Him? To sit beside Him on His throne?

It seems that the rebuke and the reward coincide with the particular struggle against sin that each church was experiencing. The reward is perfect for each church and serves as a personal motivation to push through, repent, and overcome.

~A Tree of Life
~The Crown of Life
~Hidden Manna and a Stone with a New Name
~Rule over Nations and Receive the Morning Star
~Faithful Honored and Clothed in White
~A Place in God's Presence, a New Name, and the New Jerusalem
~Share God's throne

It's gonna be worth it~
Repent, Renounce, Return.

It's gonna be worth it~
Be faithful.
Be strengthened.
Be diligent.

It's gonna be worth it all~

(Scriptures and notes taken from the New Spirit Filled Life Bible;
The New Internation Version Study Bible)