Day 78

“The one who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat with My Father on His throne. ²² The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Rev 3:21-22 NASB.

There is something truly special in this promise that doesn’t become obvious until you have looked at all seven over-comer promises in the seven letters. In stair-step progression, each church is given more and more promises, perhaps to counter the increasing degeneration seen as one reads through the seven letters. The first church, Ephesus, receives a single promise: the over-comer there will gain the right to eat from the Tree of Life.

The second church, Smyrna, receives two promises. The over-comer is promised both the crown of life and that they will not be hurt by the second death.

Pergamum is promised three things, the hidden manna, the white stone, and a new name, which will be written on the white stone.

The fourth church, Thyatira, receives a total of four promises. The over-comer in Thyatira receives authority over the nations. He will rule them with an iron sceptre, will dash them in pieces, and will also be given the morning star.

The over-comer in Sardis walks with Jesus and is dressed in white. Not only that, they are assured that their names will not be blotted out of the book of life, instead their names will be acknowledged before Jesus’ Father, and also before His angels.

Philadelphia six promises from Jesus. They are to be kept from the hour of trial, will be pillars in the temple of God, and will never again leave it. God will write His name on them, and the name of the city of God, and Jesus’ own new name. A total of 21 promises, seven times three!

Does that mean Laodicea is going to get seven promises? No. It actually gets only one. The most hopeless of the seven churches gets the best promise! The over-comer in Laodicea gets to sit with Jesus on His throne! That one promise includes all the twenty-one promises received by the other six churches! If you sit with Jesus on His throne, you have everything!

The church who has nothing receives the promise of everything! “Where sin abounds grace does much more abound.”

As the condition of the churches declines, as the rebukes of Jesus become more severe, the promises of Jesus abound more and more. The worse things get, the greater the grace and power that God exerts. The deeper the problems you may have in life, the more powerful is the grace of Jesus Christ. This message speaks as powerfully for us today as it did in ancient times.