The Morning Star

I was reading in the beginning of Revelation this morning and something kind of jumped out at me.

In the second and third chapters of the book of Revelation an angel instructed John to write a letter to the seven churches. Most of the letters are critical of the way the churches were living and treating their Christian walk. However, after each rebuke Jesus offered a reward for overcoming this life. I have listed below the seven rewards mentioned to each of the churches and then combined all of them into a paragraph at the end.

Revelation 2-3

To Ephesus He wrote:
Rev. 2:7 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.

To Smyrna He wrote:
Rev. 2:10-11 I will give you the crown of life… He who overcomes will not be hurt at all by the second death.

To Pergamum He wrote:
Rev. 2:17 To him who overcomes, I will give some of the hidden manna. I will also give him a white stone with a new name written on it, known only to him who receives it.

To Thyatira He wrote:
Rev. 2: 26-28 To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 'He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery'— just as I have received authority from my Father. I will also give him the morning star.

To Sardis He wrote:
Rev. 2: 5 He who overcomes will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before my Father and his angels.

To Philadelphia He wrote:
Rev. 2:12 Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name.

To Laodicea He wrote:
Rev. 2:21 To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

And He finishes each letter to the seven churches with; “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches”.

The Greek word for Overcome is Nikaō, which means to overcome, overpower, to conquer, triumph. So, Jesus is telling us that to those of us are triumphant in this life… To those who can conquer our desire for this world, He offers… the right to eat from the tree of life, the crown of life and will not be hurt at all by the second death, some of the hidden manna, a white stone with a new name written on it known only to him who receives it, authority over the nations, I will also give him the morning star *. I will never blot out his name from the book of life. I will make (him) a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, and I will also write on him my new name, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.

*In both 2 Peter 1:19 and Revelation 22:16 Jesus is referred to as the morning star

That sounds like some pretty special treatment for overcoming! But it also sounds like there isn’t a whole lot of room for a bunch of people on that throne!

Matthew 7:14 But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

I don’t know about you, but I want my own special name and a seat next to the Morning Star on His thrown… and there is nothing in this life I won’t trade for it!