Prophecy

Earlene Davis

Promised reward to Philadelphia.

Rev. 3:10-12, “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world…Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast…Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God…and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven… and I will write upon him my new name.”

The overcomers are waiting and watching patiently for His coming and the Lord will keep them from the tribulation period. Like Smyrna overcomers, they have a crown. Also He will make them a pillar in the temple of God. To most of the others we read, “I will give.” But these overcomers become an established part of God’s sanctuary, because they have been established by Paul’s gospel and have been pillars, support, for other people to lean on. They grew and became strong. 

Also “I will write upon them the name of by God” – identified with God as to His nature and person, having His family name. “And the name of the city of my God, New Jerusalem. Not only citizens, but they will bear the name of the city. Rev. 21:2, New Jerusalem “coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.” “I will write upon him my new name.” Christ’s bride will bare His new name. 

Laodicea overcomer’s reward - Rev. 3:21, “…To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.” When Christ sat down with His Father, He did not sit as an equal. Heb. 2:8, “But now we see not yet all things put under him.” Acts 2:34, “The LORD said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, Until I make thy foes thy footstool.” 

These saints will sit with Him, but not rule conjointly. It will cost these saints something to overcome the Laodicean condition. We see a distinction in the different rewards to these different groups. All are overcomers of the conditions in Christendom of their time, but some are full overcomers and He is not going to give the careless and indifferent the same reward as devoted ones. That would make Christ to be an unrighteous judge.

Seven times Christ has said to these churches, “I know thy works,” and seven time “will I” or “I will reward.” He will reward according to our works of faith out of love to Him. We read in I Cor. 15:41-42, “There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:”

I Cor. 15:22-23, “For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. But every man in his own order: Christ the firstfruits; afterward they that are Christ’s at his coming.”