John
the apostle saw the vision of Jesus in chapter one of “Revelation”,
and he began to write to the “seven
churches in Asia”. He
started with the church located in “Ephesus”,
then the “church
of Smyrna”,
the “church
in Pergamos”,
the “church
in Thyatira”,
“the
church in
Sardis”,
“the
church in Philadelphia” and
finally the “church
of the Laodiceans”
where He told them,
“As
many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and
repent”. Jesus
added, “Behold,
I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open
the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with
me”,
and in chapter three and verse twenty-one of Revelation Jesus told
the
“church of the Laodiceans”
“to
him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne” where
we read:
The
verse reads, “To
him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my throne, ...”
John
began with the words, “to
him”
which means “to the selfsame person whether male or female” “that
overcomes”
or “who carries off the victory, is victorious over all his foes
and wins” “will
I grant”
which means “will Jesus give, bestow, supply, furnish, deliver and
extend” “to
sit”
which means “to set, appoint and confer a kingdom” “with
me” or
“alongside Jesus” “in
my throne”
which means “within Jesus' chair of state which has a footstool and
hence power belonging to Christ”. Jesus promised to “give” the
right to “rule” to the person who “is victorious and wins”.
The
verse continues, “... even
as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.”
John
added the words, “even
as I also”
which means “like and indeed as Jesus” “overcame”
or “carried off the victory, was victorious over all his foes and
won”, “and
am set down”
which means “and is appointed, fixed, sojourned, settled and
conferred a kingdom” “with
my Father”
or “alongside God the Heavenly Father of Jesus” “in
his throne”
which refers to “God Almighty's chair of state and footstool and
power”. Jesus referred to the way He
“overcame”
and was “seated upon His throne”
in Heaven beside God the Father.
When
we think through John's words in this verse, we note how Jesus
commends and rewards people who “overcome” in this world.
He likened it to His own “overcoming” and promised to
allow those who “overcome” to sit with Him “in His
throne” even as He sits with the Heavenly Father in His. The
“church of the Laodiceans” saw themselves differently than
Jesus did, and although Jesus exposed the truth concerning them, He
still offered them the opportunity to “overcome” and sit
“in His throne” with Him. God desires a relationship with
every person through His Son Jesus regardless of how far off their
personal assessment of themselves is against the truth, and He is
willing to “grant” them the opportunity to “rule” upon
a “throne” if they will “open the door” to
their hearts and receive Him as “Savior and Lord”.
Next
time
we see John share how Jesus tells the “church
of the Laodiceans” “he that has an ear, let him hear what the
Spirit says”,
so read ahead, and we shall join together then.
Until
tomorrow…there is more…
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
Look for the daily devotional book “Equipped for Battle – From Generation to Generation”, the marriage book “So, You Want to Be Married”, “One Year in the Sermon on the Mount” and the new poetry book "Random Mushrooms" in all major bookstore sites, http://www.amazon.com ; http://www.barnesandnobles.com ; download to e-books, and find it locally at www.mrzlc.com/bookstore.
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