Seven Promises of the Spirit to the "Overcomers"

The promise is perpetual life in the paradise of God.
The earthly paradise in Eden was only a token paradise compared to the true paradise where God dwells. Eden will have to be replanted and cultivated again to return to its former glory.
The "paradise of God" exists in full glory and is ready to receive all the "overcomers" of this age.



Second death will have no power over the overcoming church. They will not be on trial or in danger of judgment. Their trial will have been successfully completed. They shall then be rewarded with immortality, to have life within themselves even as Jesus has been given life within himself.


The "hidden manna" was incorruptible. The natural food, which we all eat, is perishable and corruptible. If we do not eat it within a certain number of days it must be thrown out. The "hidden manna" is forever. Those who eat it will have everlasting life.
The "white stone" carries with it two thoughts. First, it is the seal of the holy Spirit in our hearts forever. They would split a white stone in half and this would become a symbol of friendship. When these two stones were fitted to each other it would identify that the two stones were really one and the bearer of this stone was united with the other bearer of the broken stone. This, then, is more than a promise of life. Rather, it is a guarantee that the "overcomer" will have a special relationship to the One on the throne.
Also, the "overcomer" will receive a "new name."Probably a pet name, peculiarly fitted to each overcomer, but one which will show God’s affection.


Additionally, they will receive the "morning star." Would you like the bright and morning star? We know that Jesus is that "bright and morning star." Revelation 22:16 He is not yours for the asking. Rather, he is yours for "overcoming." What wonderful promises the "Spirit" gives.
Many followers of Christ have grabbed for power over the nations throughout the age. They have engaged in unholy wars, killing and scheming and plotting to gain power over the nations, to no avail.
God has promised this position to the "overcomers." When they receive that power they will not do as the churches have done, that is, cozy up to the civil governments to live deliciously with them. No, they shall "dash the nations to pieces like a potter's vessel."


The overcomers will no longer need the robe of Christ’s righteousness. They shall be clothed with their "house from heaven" and possess inherent righteousness.
The "overcomers" will have the unspeakable joy of having Jesus confess them before his Father and before his angels. Only a celebrity could be treated with such distinction. That is certainly the red carpet treatment.
While we are on this side of the veil, our names are written in the Lamb’s book of life on a probationary basis. This means our name could be blotted out. Once in grace not always in grace. Normally, a blotter dries the ink, but Jesus’ blotter will wipe our name out of the "book of life" if we do not "overcome."


Here the "overcomer" is promised a vital place in the true temple of God, the Christ of God. A pillar cannot be removed while the structure exists.
They will also receive the name of Jesus’ God written indelibly upon them. Also, the name of the city of Jesus’ God, the New Jerusalem. They will also receive Jesus’ new name written upon them, the name of the glorified Christ.


Just as Jesus had to overcome before he sat down with His Father in His throne, so the saints must overcome before they can sit down with Jesus in His throne.
A place in the throne of God and of the Lamb is just too great to comprehend. We live with such limitations while we are overcoming, but then power and glory and honor will be ours. Oh, not to surfeit ourselves with, but to use to glorify our Father in Heaven.

So the "seven Spirits" of God first originate with God "before the throne." They are then given to Jesus, as though a "Lamb slain" to send forth with "horns" of power and "eyes" of wisdom into the world. As the call to become partakers of the divine nature goes forth with exceeding great and precious promises, the saints are gathered throughout the seven stages of the church. As these come into Christ they are then in line to hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Finally, the "overcomers" of the Gospel age are rewarded with these seven promises fulfilled. The elders who were foreordained become, at last, the ordained and living members of the Christ of God. The plan of God reaches its grand fulfillment when the "overcomers" receive these unspeakable promises.

"He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches."
This is repeated seven times. These seven promises of God and Christ are the "seven Spirits of God." It is like a huge magnet drawing the "overcomers" to their final destiny of glory and honor and immortality. As Peter declares,

"Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the Divine Nature." 2 Peter 1:4

Seraphims

"In the year that King Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple.
"Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly."

We notice again the pairing of wings. In this picture the wings seem to serve another purpose. Two wings cover the Lord’s face. His face is hidden from men. Just as when Jehovah would lift up his countenance upon Israel, it symbolized his favor and blessing.
When he turned his face away from them it was usually their period of punishment. When the LORD JESUS covers his face from men, they cannot see his countenance and his favor is turned away from them.

With "twain he covered his feet." The feet of Jesus are his body members which make contact with the world. Isaiah says regarding these feet:

"How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him that bringeth good tidings, who publisheth peace; that bringeth good tidings of good, that publisheth salvation; that saith unto Zion, Thy God reigneth." Isaiah 52:7

It is the feet of the Christ at this end of the age who are engaged in such glorious work. These poor feet are beautiful to God and to the risen Christ, but the world holds them in contempt, even as they did the Master. The feet members should be beautiful in our eyes, as we see them with painstaking efforts trying to walk in the footsteps of the Master and bearing witness to the glorious plan of the ages.

"With twain he did fly." Two wings carry forth the mission of Christ. We believe these two wings are closely identified with the Words of the Old and New Testaments. Our Lord moves irresistibly forward in carrying out the Holy Word. Not a jot or tittle fails of fulfillment. Heaven and earth could pass more easily than for any part of God’s Word to fail. God has placed the carrying forth of His plan in the hands of His beloved Son.

Seven Torches of Fire

The "seven Spirits" of God are before the throne. This is the verse John refers to in Revelation 1:4 when he conveys the greetings of the "seven Spirits which are before his throne."
There is a stark contrast here. You have the throne scene up to this point being very staid and tranquil like a sea of glass. Then, in Revelation 4:5 the tranquility is interrupted by "lightnings and thunderings and voices" coming from the "throne."
Lightning is bright and illuminating. As the flashes of light proceed from the throne, they raise voices and controversial thunder. This is the reaction to God’s flashes of light.

The "seven lamps of fire," or torches, burning before the throne, embody "seven Spirits" or teachings of God. Hence, the "sevens lamps of fire" in essence are seven teachings or messages or spirits from God. That’s part of our answer. The "seven lamps" or "lampstands" are the "seven churches" we are told in Revelation 1:20.

The "sea of glass" portrays God’s purity and righteousness. It was illustrated in Solomon’s temple with the giant laver. Jesus taught, "Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God."
This vision emphasizes the eternal aspect of purity and righteousness in the divine purpose. There can never be sin pollution here. God has a large universe, but not one square inch to spare for sin or sinners.
The idea that God is going to provide for sinners in a hell or torment is absolutely ridiculous. That would mean God would have to provide a part of his universe to house them and keep them. No! All the wicked will God destroy when his work is complete. God has zero tolerance for sin. Those who sympathize with sin persistently can have no place in God’s everlasting kingdom.

The four "Living Creatures," representing the four attributes of God, are on each side of the throne. They are "full of eyes" which look forward and backward. The eternity of the future and of the past is clearly seen. He who "inhabits eternity" also sees into eternity.
There have not been and will not be any conditions which our God could not or cannot harness to redound to His glory. The far-seeing wisdom of God guarantees his sovereignty. There never have been any emergencies with God, nor will there ever be.

Twenty-Four Elders

"Round the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clad in white garments, with golden crowns upon their heads." Revelation 4:4

We understand the twenty-four thrones represent the foreordained twenty-four courses of the priesthood. In 1 Chronicles 24:1-19, David divided the service of the priests into twenty-four divisions. This method of service continued until Zechariah’s time.
In Luke 1:18, we read, "Now while he was serving as priest before God when his division was on duty, according to the custom of the priesthood." It was when Zechariah’s division was on duty that the angel visited Zechariah to tell him of the birth of John the Baptist.
It is our understanding that the twenty-four thrones represent the regal authority of the twenty-four offices of the glorified church. The twenty-four elders represent the (6,000) saints who occupy each office. In other words, 24 x 6,000 would be 144,000.
In the type, the rotation of priests in office was necessary because of the heavy task of offering countless sacrifices. The priests needed a long break after such intense service. In the antitype, we may conjecture, the world will be better served by having contact with different courses of priestly saints.
Each course of priests will bring a particular excellence to the office, as well as a different pool of experience and sensitivity. The rotating courses of priesthood may ultimately touch all the families of earth.
David also divided the singers and musicians into twenty-four courses. They, like the priests, served their turn of office.

In Revelation 5:8 we are told that the "twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb, having every one of them harps." Hence, the "elders" have "harps." There is a difference between having a harp and being a harp.
Revelation 15:2, 3 says that the saints "standing on the sea of glass, having the harps of God. And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb." The elders and the saints both have harps.

What are harps? The Word of God. The "elders" are not the Word of God, but the elders have the Word of God.

"And, thank God! we find that harmony existing, so that the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments constitute what the Lord himself designates ‘the harp of God.’ Revelation 15:2 And the various testimonies of the Law and the prophets are the several chords of that harp, which, when tuned by the holy Spirit dwelling in our hearts, and swept by the fingers of the devoted servants and searchers after divine truth, yields the most enchanting strains that ever fell on mortal ears."

The "harps" are the Word. The elders have "harps." They are not "harps." The elders are not the Word of God.

The Lord Almighty

"After this [the vision of the seven churches] I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter [that is, after the saints enter the open door and come up hither]." Revelation 4:1

The lesson of the open door indicates this "door" was not always open. Rather, it seems the "door in heaven" opens for the first time, and then the invitation is given to the John Class to enter through this "door" and to "Come up hither."
What a wonderful privilege is here extended to the saints. What an honor! It is not the great and mighty people of earth who are invited--only the John Class. Imagine the splendor as John ascends through this open door and sees the glorious vision of the throne scene reserved for those who love him.

The first voice mentioned in Revelation 4:1 refers most likely to Revelation 1:10 in which John says, "I was in the Spirit on the Lord’s day [the Sabbath day, the Millennial day], and I heard behind me a great voice, as of a trumpet [the King’s court majesty]." The same voice in Revelation 1:10 is engaged in Revelation 4:1, which shows us the throne scene of God. Appropriately, the majestic regal sound of a trumpet is employed to describe this vision.

"And immediately I was in the spirit, and, behold, a throne was set in heaven, and one sat on the throne." Revelation 4:2

John could not enter through this door in the flesh, but in the spirit-begotten condition, the John Class sees God’s throne and glory.
We see God’s glory in the Divine Plan of the Ages. Many in the churches today cannot see God’s glory. They see a throne in heaven, but on it they see a triune god, vindictively casting unsaved souls into a burning hell. Not much glory is there?

The One seated on the throne is none other than the Lord God Almighty. The throne represents God’s Divine government, which is in complete control of all things animate and inanimate, except for sinful mankind. Even here, in the outworking of God’s Plan, heaven and earth shall alike be under God’s control and dominion.

"Jasper" here probably represents a diamond. In Revelation 21:11 the jasper is said to be as clear as crystal. God is portrayed as translucent as a diamond. This seems to compare favorably with John’s description of Him, saying, "God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." 1 John 1:5
Paul supports the same thought in 1 Timothy 6:16, saying, God "dwells in unapproachable light." Because God’s true glory could not be seen by anyone in the flesh, John is shown the nearest thing to describe God’s glory and purity.

God is also described as being a "carnelian" stone, or a "sardine" or ruby--pure and translucent, but also red in hue. Red pictures love as shown in the ransom. Around God’s throne is a rainbow of emerald green representing God’s enduring or everlasting qualities.
The John class in the spirit-begotten condition is given a high and exalted view of God and His eternal government as seen from His glorious throne. This vision of God and His throne must never leave us. Only our knowledge of God’s plan through the ages, enables us to see God in such transcendent glory. It is a plan that promises "glory and honor for everyone that doeth righteousness."

A Golden Candlestick with "Seven Lamps" and "Seven Pipes" and "Two Olive Trees"

"I have looked, and behold a candlestick all of gold, with a bowl upon the top of it, and his seven lamps thereon, and seven pipes to the seven lamps, which are upon the top thereof:

"And two olive trees by it, one upon the right side of the bowl, and the other upon the left side thereof." Zechariah 4:2, 3

The lesson is very clear and similar to Revelation in depicting the seven stages of the one Gospel church. We see the source of the churches sustenance. It is the two olive trees (the Old and New Testaments) on either side of the "candlestick." There are two "golden pipes" bringing the "oil" from the trees to the candlesticks.

"What be these two olive branches which through the two golden pipes empty the golden oil out of themselves?

"And he answered me and said, Knowest thou not what these be? And I said, No, my lord.

"Then said he, These are the two anointed ones (the Old and New Testaments), that stand by the Lord of the whole earth." Zechariah 4:12-14

The church's source for sustenance is the "oil" from the two "olive trees" or, as in Revelation 11:3, the two witnesses of the Old and New Testament. Just as lamps need to be cleaned and maintained, so the church has needed angels or messengers to trim their lamps to get the true light and not a carbon-filled smoking flame that gives off more smoke than light.
When I was a boy, we had kerosene lamps. The wicks needed to be cut and trimmed. As wicks burned, they became filled with carbon, and the kerosene could not flow through the carbon choked end. Then it would start burning more wick than oil, giving off smoke, soot, and very poor light. Left this way, the wicks would burn out.
Even the pure oil of these olive trees cannot burn through a carbon-choked wick. Likewise, as the light of the Lord’s Word burns through human wicks, our humanness gets in the way. Our carbon-filled personalities begin to give off smoke and soot. Instead of the pure light of God’s Word shining forth, we have soot-filled creeds and carbon-filled personalities giving forth more black smoke than light.
The Lord knew this and engaged "seven stars" or "seven messengers" to trim the lamp of God’s Word in each stage of the church, a very necessary service. The light would be the light of the Lord’s Word in each time and place. Happy are those who can receive it and walk in its light. But there are always some who say the old smoke and soot light was better.

Zechariah 4:10 refers to "seven eyes." "Those seven; they are the eyes of the Lord, which run to and fro through the whole earth." These "eyes of the Lord" represent the far-seeing wisdom or perfect wisdom of God which provides the churches with Heavenly Wisdom from above. God employs the eyes of His beloved Son in each stage of the church.
Hence, we read of, "A Lamb as it had been slain, having seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent forth into all the earth." Revelation 5:6 We see how Zechariah 4:10 and Revelation 5:6 speak in similar language.

The Words of Him Who Has the Seven Spirits of God and the Seven Stars

Here we learn that John saw Revelation 5 before he penned this verse. It is important that we understand this, because it helps us realize that the whole of Revelation is not given in absolute time sequences.
Revelation 4 and 5 were seen and absorbed by John before he wrote Revelation 1 and 3. Only God possessed the "seven Spirits of God" in Revelation 4. Then we find the worthy Lamb in Revelation 5, who is described as the "Lamb" as though it had been slain, "with seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth."
John comprehended the message of Revelation 5 before he penned Revelation 3. John, therefore, wrote with a great deal of understanding. He had absorbed the vision, and then subsequently recorded it.

The same is true of John's Gospel. Nearly one-quarter of his Gospel covers the last day of Jesus' life. John gives details no other Gospel writer supplies. Chapters 13-19 of John's Gospel have an intense focus on the last day of Jesus’ life.
John was the only disciple to stay with Jesus through the last night, and who absented himself perhaps for no more than an hour while Jesus was carrying the cross. Except for John's report, we would not have known what transpired during Jesus' last night. Only Jesus’ enemies would have been the witnesses. John seems to have total recall, recording Jesus’ discourse and his complete prayer in John Chapter 17.
Even though John was very old when he wrote Revelation, he did not lose his total recall or his artist’s eye for detail. Whether this was John’s natural ability alone or whether the holy Spirit strengthened his natural abilities, we are glad John did not miss any details. John was heaven’s choice to give us the Revelation of Jesus Christ.

We learn in Revelation that Jesus has both "the seven Spirits of God" and the "seven stars." Who are the "seven stars?"
Revelation 1:20 says, "The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches." Jesus holds the "seven stars" in his right hand. That is a place of power.
It would be a tragic mistake to ignore the "star" or "angel" of the period of the church that we live in. Any insubordination on our part would be a grave offense to our Master.
Let us be careful not to imbibe the world’s infatuation with power and influence. The Scriptures tell us, "Let each esteem others better than themselves." In our time many are chaffing with the thought that anyone could be used of God in a higher way than himself or herself.

As a case in point, the woman’s movement is constantly attacking the Bible for excluding women from the pulpit. It has become an obsession. The devil is still at work telling the modern Eves that God is withholding from them worlds of power and light. They want and are partaking of the "forbidden fruit" again. The media has fanned the flames of ambition and power lust in all classes of society to the hurt and downfall of this present evil world.

The Seven Spirits Of God

"Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come; and from the seven Spirits which are before his throne; and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth." Revelation 1:4,5

John saw Revelation 4 and 5 before he wrote chapter one. John injects into chapter one what he could not have seen until chapter four. For instance, it is in Revelation 4:5 that we are told about "seven lamps of fire burning before the throne, which are the seven Spirits of God."
John recalls this vision and that these "seven Spirits of God" were before the great throne. However, in this chapter the "seven Spirits" were stationary. They were not sent forth and no greetings were mentioned.

John saw the vision of Revelation 5:6 in which he saw a "Lamb" with "seven horns and with seven eyes, which are the seven Spirits of God sent out into all the earth." The "seven Spirits" are now identified with the Lamb. We have now been given three different descriptions of these "seven Spirits of God." It is not until Revelation 5:6 that the "seven Spirits" are SENT FORTH.

Revelation 4:5 speaks of the "seven Spirits" as "burning before the throne," but they were not yet sent forth. They would not be and could not be sent forth until the Lamb was found "worthy" to open the "seven seals" and release the information contained therein.
There is "but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him: and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him." 1 Corinthians 8:6 As long as the Lamb had not been slain, the "seven Spirits of God" just "burned before the throne" as "lamps" or "torches." They were a part of God’s plan and purpose, but they were not sent forth. They were not activated.
So we see a stationary vision in Revelation 4, but in Revelation 5 the Lamb is energized and through him the "seven Spirits of God" are "sent out into all the earth," to gather His elect from the "four winds of heaven and the four corners of earth."

We notice the evolution regarding these "seven Spirits."
--First they are described as "seven lamps of fire" burning before
God’s throne.
--Then they are said to be "the seven Spirits [or teachings] of
God," although not yet sent forth from the throne.
--Then in Revelation 5 we see the slain "Lamb" standing before the
throne, with "seven horns" and "seven eyes."

The Seven Golden Candlesticks

"And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks." Revelation 1:12.
The above verse is introduces us to a symbol the Lord used in a vision given to the aged apostle John. The previous verse had mentioned seven congregations located in Asia Minor. The Lord uses seven golden candlesticks to represent these churches.

"The mystery of the seven stars which thou sawest in my right hand, and the seven golden candlesticks. The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches: and the seven candlesticks which thou sawest are the seven churches." Revelation 1:20.
Unfortunately today the word "church" is often used to describe other things than that which the candlesticks symbolized. So often, people use the word to refer to a building which was built for the purpose of worship. But the word never meant that in the Bible. God has something completely different in mind when He uses the term "church" in the Scripture.

So, the seven golden candlesticks do not represent seven buildings, at least not the kind made with brick, wood and stone. Concerning the church in Jerusalem, the Bible says, "And fear came upon the whole church, and upon all who heard these things." (Acts 5:11). We are fairly certain that we are not talking about a building here! "And the news about them reached the ears of the church at Jerusalem..."; "And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church..." (Acts 11:22; Matthew 18:17). These verses would be rather funny if the word "church" meant a building.

The word "church" refers to people. In the universal sense, specifically those people who have obeyed the gospel by faith (Ephesians 1:22,23). In the local sense, as the word is used in our text, the word "church" refers to a local body of believers who are in fellowship together in work and worship (Romans 16:16; 2 Corinthians 1:1; 1 Corinthians 16:10).

One more thing: a local church can cease to be recognized by the Lord as His due to ongoing sin without repentance. Jesus told the church at Ephesus "...or else I am coming to you, and will remove your lampstand out of its place - unless you repent." (Revelation 2:5; see also 2:16 and 3:3).

There are two sides to the church. There is the Divine side and the human side. The Divine side, the Head of the church, is perfect. But the human side, the members of the body, are less than perfect. But the better they listen to the Head, the closer to perfection they get.

There were seven golden candlesticks. Why seven? In ancient thought, the number seven stood for perfection. There are no improvements to be made to the church on the Divine side. The Law of the Lord is perfect. His design for the local church is just as He wants it to be. There is no innovation we can or should make. The Lord has already claimed all authority (Matthew 28:18-20).

However, on the human side, there are improvements we can make. We can grow in the character traits of discipleship; in love, joy and peace (see Philippians 3:12-14). A problem exists when someone is intent on trying to make improvements on the Divine side and fails to see that it is on the individual side where improvements are necessary. The Divine side is fine, thank you. Keep your hands off (Galatians 1:11,12; Acts 2:42)!

The candlesticks are gold. This would symbolize something of great value. Perhaps a case can be made for purity as well. We recall how the church at Corinth was rebuked for allowing impurity within it to go on without action (1 Corinthians 5:2-8).

As Jesus walked amid the seven candlesticks in our text (Revelation 1:13-20), one of the ways in which He identifies Himself is "Do not be afraid, I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last, Iam he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death." (Revelation 1:17b-18). It was in His death that He purchased the church with His blood (Acts 20:28).