0985. The Overcomers at Philadelphia
The Overcomers at Philadelphia
"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the Temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: 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 from My God: and I will write upon him My new name" (Rev_3:12)
As the darkness deepens on the spiritual horizon, God's promises to the overcomers enlarge. Let us observe:
1. The vision of Christ to Philadelphia. "These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David; He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth." The Lord Jesus is described herein as the master of any situation. Let the enemy come in as a flood, yet the Spirit of the Lord will lift up a standard against him. Evil men and seducers may wax worse and worse, the apostasy may come, men filled with the spirit of Jannes and Jambres may withstand those who preach the Truth, but Christ sets before His overcomers an open door. The apostasy presents no occasion for saints to pull down their banners. They are the rather commanded to lift up the hands which hang down, to strengthen the feeble knees. The Lord God will give grace and glory. He will call out of the apostasy a people for His name.
2. The vision of the overcomer himself. The overcomer in Philadelphia is the one who keeps the Word of God's patience. He does not float down with the stream of apostate conditions. He is a man of convictions. He has the courage to act up to them. He gladly bears the stigma of the Lord Jesus Christ.
3. The vision of the overcomer's reward. (1) "I will keep thee from the hour of temptation." This alone is reward sufficient. The Lord will not permit His chosen and His faithful to enter the time of Jacob's trouble; they will be taken out of it.
(2) "I will make him a pillar in the Temple of my God." There were two main pillars in the Temple. One of them was known as "Jachin," which means, "He establishes;" the other was known as "Boaz"–"in Him is strength." The Philadelphia overcomer is thus promised a place of security and of authority in the Temple of his God.
(3) "I will write upon him the Name of my God, and the name of the City of My God, * * and My new name." Bible names always suggests position and character. God is not ashamed to own and to recognize the Philadelphia overcomer. He Who was spoken of as "the God of Abraham," and, "the God of Isaac," and, "the God of Jacob," will not be ashamed to be spoken of as the God of this overcomer.
The overcomer bears more than the name of his God, he bears "the name of the City of his God, the New Jerusalem." He is not only God's son, but he is God's heir; he not only bears God's nature with approbation, but he shares God's habitation with authority.
The climax is reached in the statement, "I will write upon him My new name." Whatever else this new name may be, it bears with it the insignia of Christ's final and completed achievements, and the glory of this name Christ shares with the overcomers.
Autor: R.E. NEIGHBOUR