We can view the overcomer in Revelation 23 in three ways: historical, prophetical and moral. Let us consider the overcomer in each one from the prophetic point of view.
Ephesus
Ephesus pictures the beginning of the church period. It is the state of the church right after the days of the apostles, and He says to it, “Thou hast left thy first love” (ch. 2:4).
“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life which is in the midst of the paradise of God” (vs. 7). The tree of life in the Garden of Eden was guarded, so that people would not live forever in their sins. Here the tree of life is Christ, and there are no restrictions against eating of it.
In a real sense every Christian is an overcomer. Every believer will share in the privileges promised to each church. There are no Christians who will not eat of the tree of life.
Smyrna
The prophetic view of Smyrna represents the years from the time of the apostles to the year 313, during which the church was going through terrible persecution.
We find the overcomer in Smyrna in verse 11: “He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.” They might be tortured down here, but He comforts them with the thought they would not have to die twice. It has been said, “If you are born twice you may die but once, but if you are born only once you will have to die twice.”
Pergamos
Pergamos followed right after the time of persecution. Pergamos means “twice or much married.” Pergamos was married to the world. Constantine was used of Satan to bring this about.
“To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth saving he that receiveth it” (vs. 17). The manna was hidden in the ark in the Old Testament. On the ark was the mercy-seat where the blood was put. The cherubim looked down on it. They picture God looking down in judgment.
Manna is a picture of Christ in humiliation. “The bread . . . which I shall give is My flesh, which I will give for the life of the world” (John 6:5151I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. (John 6:51) JND). In heaven you and I are going to feed on Him and enjoy the fact that He was once a man down here, and He remains a man forever, for He was the servant who had His ear pierced to serve forever (Ex. 21:1616And he that stealeth a man, and selleth him, or if he be found in his hand, he shall surely be put to death. (Exodus 21:16)). The Lord will never cease being a man.
The white stone with the new name written on it shows His secret approval. I will never know yours, nor you mine. It is individual approval.
Thyatira
Thyatira means “burning incense,” which is quite characteristic of that system, Catholicism.
“But unto you, I say, and the rest in Thyatira, as many as have not this doctrine, and which have not known the depths of Satan, as they speak; I will put upon you none other burden. But that which ye have already, hold fast till I come. And he that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations” (vss. 24-26).
Why is the reward of “power over the nations” given to this church and not to the others? The Catholic Church has striven for world power all her days. But there are some real believers in that system, so the overcomer will receive, in a future day, what the system longs for now, “power over the nations.” In association with the Lord, the overcomer will be given that which the church is seeking today. Does it not show us how unbecoming it is for us to be seeking power now? Believers are going to have a much higher place than this world — we are going to judge angels. The Lord wants us to go through this world now as quietly as we can.
Sardis
Sardis began with what came out of the Reformation. At first there was a great work of the Spirit, but later was brought in a great nominal profession. “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white: for they are worthy” (ch. 3:4). There were “a few names in Sardis.” Even in that great system there will be some saved souls at the end.
“He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment.” “White raiment” is righteousness. “I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before My Father, and before His angels” (vs. 5). There was a time after the Reformation in Germany when every child as it was born became a member of the church; the church ledger became a professing book of life, for in their catechism they state, “My baptism in which I was born again and made a member of the body of Christ.” Thus the state record professes to become a record of those who were born again and members of the body of Christ. Many names have been blotted out of that book as they grew up to be ungodly men and women. The Lord does not blot out any from His book of life. “They are worthy” (vs. 4) refers to those who had truly repented and were real.
Philadelphia
Philadelphia means “brotherly love” or “love to the brethren.” There are three characteristics of Philadelphia: They have a little strength, they have kept His word, and they do not deny His name. Sometimes we see on the billboards pictures of the strongest men known, with muscles bulging, but we don’t see pictures of the weakest men. Philadelphia has “a little strength” to do that most important thing — “keep His word.”
“Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee” (vs. 9). Who are they? They are the professors who say they are Jews by putting themselves under law. The time is coming when the Lord will have a public demonstration of the truth and will make the world know and own His righteousness. Real believers are going to be kept from the great tribulation.
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (vs. 11). Back through the last forty years I have met with groups of young people who have heard these things, but during that time some have sold out and given it all up and plunged into the world. It is very sad to see people give up. Here we are told to “hold fast.”
“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” (vs. 12). “My” is used five times in this verse, and it makes it very intimate. It is something like being made “heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ.” Let us get along without a name until we get that new name.
The “crown” is the reward of the Lord’s approval. There will be a time when these saints who have crowns will not wear them, but they will cast them at His feet, for they realize that He alone is worthy of all praise, for anything we have won has been through His power and grace. That is the overcomer in Philadelphia.
Laodicea
Laodicea means “voice of the people.” It is characterized by lukewarmness and indifference. It is a blight over the whole profession today —lukewarmness.
“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” (vs. 20). So we find that even in Laodicea there may be some who have an ear to hear. But He is outside the whole system and is knocking at the door of individual hearts.
“To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with Me on My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His throne” (vs. 21). The overcomer’s reward here is not as high as that to Philadelphia, but one can still be an overcomer in Laodicea.
“So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of My mouth” (vs. 16). The Lord coming and taking the true believers out of the world will be the spewing out of the false. Much goes on under the name of Christ but leaves Him outside and is just dead formalism and is distasteful to Him. There is no reality, just going through the motions. There is no heart for Christ.
We are living in the Laodicean age, but we do not have to be Laodicean. It takes grace and truth. God has given us the grace, so let us go on in faithfulness to Him.
C. H. Brown, jottings from a meeting