Elders

Posted on by korgrocker

“Twenty-four thrones surrounded Him, and twenty-four elders sat on them. They were all clothed in white and had gold crowns on their heads.”
Revelation‬ ‭4:4‬ ‭NLT‬‬

John’s vision expands, as though he was seeing through a lens with an increasing field of view. And he sees thrones and people sat on them. The scene’s detail is such that he can count the number of thrones. And he notices that each of the people who were sitting on the thrones – he calls them elders – were wearing white with gold crowns on their heads. The fact that he could identify them as being elders in the church must have meant he had some extra-visionary revelation, something that allowed him to identify them. So we must ask ourselves why were they there, was there anything significant about the number twenty four, and why were they dressed that way.

The easy answer is – we don’t know. But there are perhaps a few hints. Taking the crown first, the Apostle Paul said we would receive a crown of righteousness one day. In 2 Timothy 4:8 we read, “in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing”. James takes up the same theme in James 1:12, referring to a crown of life. There are also several Old Testament references to crowns. So we shouldn’t be puzzled if we receive a crown when we get to Heaven. And it will be a presentation to us from Jesus Himself (think about receiving an honour from the British Queen, a knighthood or something – it will be an infinitely greater occasion than that!). 

And then we have the white clothes. References to white garments appear throughout the Book of Revelation, so I think white is the colour (is white a colour?) that will be almost ubiquitous in Heaven. It signifies purity, and is the opposite to the devil’s favourite – a black darkness. Jesus promised the church in Sardis clothes of white if they overcame what was holding them back in their faith. The words of Jesus in Revelation 3:5, “He who overcomes will thus be clothed in white garments…”. Another enigmatic Scripture that comes to mind is from Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, and let us reason together,” Says the Lord, “Though your sins are as scarlet, they will be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they will be like wool.” 1 John 1:7 reads, “But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin”. When we repent of our sins and believe in faith that Jesus shed His blood for us, then our sins are washed away and we are left white and pure. 

So why were there twenty four elders and why were they sitting on thrones surrounding God’s throne? We don’t really know for sure, though theologians over the centuries have tried to come up with a few theories. But I’m wondering if the “24” refers to the universality and inclusiveness of the Gospel. God’s grace extends both to the twelve tribes of Israel and to everyone else, non-Jews represented by the second twelve. 1 Corinthians 12:13-14 reads, “For we were all baptised by one Spirit so as to form one body – whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free – and we were all given the one Spirit to drink. And so the body is not made up of one part but of many”. 

So to today’s pilgrims, this glimpse into Heaven showing the twenty four elders, and reveals the importance of perseverance, because there awaits for each one of us a personalised reward, and an eternity close to God’s throne. We won’t all be elders I’m sure but there will be a role for each one of us, as eternity plays out in boundless lives of purity. 

Dear Lord. Thank You once again for this glimpse inside Heaven, Please help us to keep our final goal, our final home, firmly in our sights. Amen.

Gemstones

Posted on by korgrocker

“The One sitting on the throne was as brilliant as gemstones—like jasper and carnelian. And the glow of an emerald circled His throne like a rainbow.”
Revelation‬ ‭4:3‬ ‭NLT

John’s glimpse through the door of Heaven must have been amazing. Apparently just inside the door was a throne, and his eyes fixed, as far as they were able, on the Person sitting there, a Person who must have been God. And this is where his ability to communicate what he saw started to struggle. The only way he could make sense of the vision was to compare it with precious stones. And shining through those stones was light. Lots of it. Making them glow and sparkle with a brilliance almost too bright to bear. John, a one time fisherman, would not have had ready access to precious stones but he must have been knowledgeable enough to know what they were.

What about these precious stones? Jasper is a naturally occurring, silicate based, piece of quartz, that can be found in several different colours, caused by whatever minerals were in its presence when it was formed. So we have red, yellow, green, occasionally blue, stones with manifestations of streaks or spots. It is translucent but not clear. Apparently, it may have been two of the gemstones included on the Old Testament Jewish High Priest’s breastplate. Carnelian is another naturally occurring, silica based mineral, coloured with varying amounts of iron oxide that give it colours extending from pale yellow to the deepest reds. Again, it was a translucent, rather than clear, semi-precious stone much used for jewellery. It was also the first stone on the High Priest’s breastplate.

So we get the picture of God’s appearance to John as being like these gemstones, multicoloured and with an extremely bright light source behind them, so bright that it made God glow with a presence and appearance formed by the gemstones. God’s appearance must have been substantial enough for John to recognise who He was – it wasn’t just an amorphous blob he saw – but like nothing on earth that he had ever seen before. I think of the quartz pebbles commonly found on Scottish beaches – they are white and semi-translucent and, when held up to the light, pass enough of it through to make them glow. But with Heavenly light behind them they would have been transformed into something else altogether.  But John did his best to describe what he saw. Imagine the difficulty someone would have describing a mobile smartphone a century ago to their next door neighbour. Much of the description would be incomprehensible because the knowledge would not have been there to describe 5G communication, digital data, Apps for messaging and so on. Even batteries, so powerful and small, would have been a marvel. John saw something no man had seen before, through that Heavenly door – one day we too will get a chance to see it.

Finally, John described the glow of an emerald. This is another silicate based gemstone. There are often inclusions of minerals introducing flaws in the stone, but sometimes emeralds can be clear and flawless, with a greenish colour. But an emerald does not glow on its own, so again the light source behind it would have made it appear to glow. This would have been a special light, perhaps combined with the physical form of the emerald, making all the colours of the rainbow encircle the throne. 

So what does a modern pilgrim make of all this? Well, this initial glimpse precedes a rolling exposure of Heaven, which we will see in the coming weeks, as Jesus and His servant angels reveal this wonderful place to John. In reality, I think Heaven will be amazing. I’m sure John only got a glimpse of a fraction of it – it will be incomprehensible to a human being. Through the grace of God, John received a revelation, a hint, of what Heaven will be like. But here’s the thing – there will be many pilgrims there. Let’s make sure we will be in their company.

Dear Lord. We know Heaven will be a wonderful place because You live there. Please help us on our journeys, as we draw nearer and nearer to be with You. Amen.

Heaven’s Door

Posted on by korgrocker

“Then as I looked, I saw a door standing open in heaven, and the same voice I had heard before spoke to me like a trumpet blast. The voice said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must happen after this.” And instantly I was in the Spirit, and I saw a throne in heaven and Someone sitting on it.”
Revelation‬ ‭4:1-2‬ ‭NLT

In our pilgrimage through the book of Revelation, we now find ourselves in chapter 4. The messages to the seven churches are behind us, and now Jesus wants to show John something else. He wants to give John a glimpse of that is inside this place we call Heaven. A door opens. And a very loud voice, sounding to him like a “trumpet blast“, grabs John’s attention. Why a “trumpet blast”? In those days it would have been a common way of grabbing people’s attention, at least those who were out and about in the market places or the town square. So it would have certainly grabbed John’s attention, particularly as it was from what seemed to be a speaking trumpet. A trumpet wasn’t the only way God spoke to mankind. God’s voice sounded like thunder in John 12:28-29, “Father, bring glory to your name.” Then a voice spoke from heaven, saying, “I have already brought glory to my name, and I will do so again.” When the crowd heard the voice, some thought it was thunder, while others declared an angel had spoken to him”. In 1 Kings 19:12, Elijah heard a still small voice, a whisper. In Psalm 18:13, God’s voice was accompanied by natural events, “The Lord thundered from heaven; the voice of the Most High resounded amid the hail and burning coals”. 

But I was thinking about today – our lifestyles don’t tend to revolve around public places, so how would God grab our attention today? I don’t know, but what I do know is that God will tailor-make a way of grabbing the attention of those who want to listen. As we see in the John 12 verse, some interpreted the voice of God as thunder. Others as the voice of an angel. We hear what we want to hear because we have a tendency to try and rationalise things we don’t expect or understand. If the sacrifice of God’s Son on a Roman cross at Calvary doesn’t grab the world’s attention and get a response, then I don’t think people are listening. Jesus ended each of the messages to the seven churches with the verse, “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches”. 

John received an incredible invitation from Jesus. He opened Heaven’s door for John and invited him to join Him there. What a privilege. But what a responsibility. Don’t forget that John was languishing in a prison cell, in exile on the island of Patmos. We know it was the Lord’s Day and John was lost in worship. Little did he know that day that he would be invited to join Jesus in Heaven. John was instantly transported into a spiritual world. Prison cell and exile forgotten. And he received a glimpse as he peeped through the door of Someone, of God probably, sat on his throne.

What else John saw in Heaven unfolds in the Revelation pages. And it’s quite a story!

Dear Lord. We thank You that there is nothing dull in a relationship with You. Please help us to get so lost in worship to You that we too get lost in a Heavenly place. And I’m sure the things of the world will go dim in comparison. Thank You Lord. Amen.

Knocking the Door

Posted on by korgrocker

“Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Those who are victorious will sit with me on my throne, just as I was victorious and sat with my Father on his throne. Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.” 
Revelation 3:20-22 NLT

Jesus continued with His message to the Laodiceans. He never gave up on them. Even though they had apparently turned their backs on Him. He gave them this picture of someone knocking at the main door of their houses. Knocking. And knocking. And He calls through the door, reassuring those inside of Who is knocking. Asking them to open the door. 

There is a famous painting by an artist called William Hunt that depicts a rather sad looking Jesus, carrying a lantern, knocking at a decrepit-looking door, surrounded by weeds. Obviously it hasn’t been opened for a while. The image captures the message, that Jesus won’t enter unless the person inside opens the door. And so it was for the Laodiceans. In the verses today, we are told that Jesus wanted to join them for a meal, a meal enjoyed by friends together. Sadly, those inside had become spiritually deaf and may not have heard either the knock or the voice.

Jesus continued by reminding the Laodiceans that if they overcame the troubles and problems before them, honing up their faith, keeping His commandments, dealing with their sins, standing firm when persecuted, then they, as His victorious followers, could join Him on His throne. Just like He joined His Father after He conquered satan at the cross (Hebrews 12:2). 

Anything here of consequence to today’s pilgrims? Quite a bit actually. Revelation 3:20 is a verse that has been much used in evangelism, but the context in this chapter is for something different. It speaks of God’s incredible grace, in pursuing His children even when they have turned their backs on Him, preferring to go their own ways in life. And even when we slam the door to our hearts in His face, He will still remain outside, knocking, and knocking, calling us. What love! What grace! So to any pilgrim reading this today, and who perhaps feel they are not good enough to be in God’s presence, I would encourage them to listen. Can you hear the knocking? Can you hear the voice of Jesus? No? Well, He will never give up on you. He will be knocking until you draw your last breath. What an amazing Saviour! What an amazing God! Take a moment in your busy schedule. Shut out the worldly noise around you. Just listen. Can you hear the knocking now? 

Dear Lord Jesus. Your love for each one of us never ends, never fails. We are so grateful. Amen. 

Discipline

Posted on by korgrocker

“I correct and discipline everyone I love. So be diligent and turn from your indifference.”
Revelation 3:19 NLT

Anyone reading the previous verses in Revelation 3, might initially feel that the Laodicean Christians were beyond hope, unable to find a way into God’s presence. Jesus pointed out to them that their self appraisal was at odds with their spiritual reality. But in today’s verse perhaps a little chink of light provided hope for them. Jesus told them that He loved them so much that He was going to make His correction and discipline available to them, something that He does for all His followers. If they accepted it, of course. 

Jesus encouraged the Laodiceans to be “diligent and turn“. An interesting statement. It implied that, first and foremost, they had to realise that they were spiritually poor. That they were, in fact, not the self-sufficient, “I don’t need anything” people after all. They had to decouple their thoughts of material blessings from their spiritual status in God’s Kingdom. And that would need a very diligent and prophetic pastor and leader to get that message across, with willing congregants desiring to change.

Presumably at some time the Laodiceans had heard the gospel message. They would have heard that God had sent His Son, Jesus, to die as a sacrifice for their sins, and as a consequence they would be made right with God. But after a while their hearts had grown cold and they had become indifferent to the things of God. But God never gave up on them, offering a solution to their apostasy. His grace and love would always be there for them, offering them His righteousness, if they repented and turned again to Him.

So, pilgrims. What is the state of our hearts? Are they hard and calloused, indifferent to the things of God? Or are they still soft and pliable, in the Master’s hands? We can all wander off the road to Heaven at some time. But like the Father in the Prodigal Son story, God is always waiting for us. Always scanning the horizons for a sight of us turning back from our waywardness. Yes, the returning might be painful. But worth it in the end. Because we look forward to an eternity to be spent with Him. There’s an old song I used to listen to. A favourite of my wife. The first verse goes like this:-

He didn’t bring us this far to leave us,
He didn’t teach us to swim to let us drown.
He didn’t build His home in us to move away,
He didn’t lift us up to let us down.

Dear Lord God. We thank You that You care so much for us. We thank You that You never give up on us. Please pick us up when we fall, to be in Your presence once again. Amen.

Emperor’s Clothes

Posted on by korgrocker

“You say, ‘I am rich. I have everything I want. I don’t need a thing!’ And you don’t realise that you are wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked.”
Revelation‬ ‭3:17‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus continues with His observations about what was going on at Laodicea. He has already exposed their apostasy, their spiritual lukewarmness, and how much He hates it. And He now points out that the Laodiceans were guilty of being complacent. The people in that church were comfortably off, it seems, and their wealth seems to have corrupted their spiritual life to the extent that they felt they had no need for God. 

There is obviously a difference between our earthly and spiritual lives. On earth, the natural man and woman work so that, in return, they can receive or purchase the supplies, food, clothing etc., they need for life. A fundamental reality that started when Adam and Eve were ejected from the Garden of Eden. But in the spiritual, there is a different economy at work. All that is needed for spiritual life is supplied through a relationship with God. And it looks as though the Laodiceans were unaware of their spiritual needs and instead were perhaps rationalising that their wealthy state was God’s blessing. And by so doing they were totally missing what being a Christian was all about.

Jesus goes on to point out that they were “wretched and miserable and poor and blind and naked”. Jesus was of course referring to their spiritual state as history hasn’t recorded stories of blind and naked people at that time forming a church. You would think that anyone told this would be aware of it, but it seems the Laodiceans were so spiritually dead, that they were walking around in blissful ignorance, anaesthetised by their comfortable life and wealth. Jesus pointed out five attributes that marked out their relationship with God. They were “wretched and miserable”, a reference to an unhappy life. Isn’t it strange how people can apparently have everything but still feel within themselves a desperate unhappiness? They were “poor”, meaning they were spiritually bankrupt. Incidentally, how many rich people reach the news, wealthy beyond what most of us can ever dream of, but are still desperately needy? Rich in possessions and money, but spiritually poor. In his first letter to Timothy, his son in the faith, the Apostle Paul wrote, “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:10). The reference to being “blind” perhaps related to their lack of a vision. Proverbs 29:18 (NASB) reads, “Where there is no vision, the people are unrestrained, but happy is he who keeps the law“. Finally, Jesus said they were “naked”, exposed for what they had become. Without the spiritual covering of a relationship with God. I’m reminded of the Hans Christian Anderson fairy tale of the emperor who was deceived into thinking he was wearing a marvellous suit of clothes but in fact was naked before his people, deceived and vain.

Today’s pilgrims, in our comfortable Western societies, need to take note of today’s verse. We must frequently ask ourselves relevant questions about our spiritual status because it is so easy to fall into complacency. We must always be aware that we are at our most vulnerable when we don’t think we need anything. I can remember two specific periods in my life when I was in a desperate situation, so desperate that only God had the remedy. And that was when I was closest to God. My spiritual vision was sharp and focused. Prayers were answered. My pain was replaced by an assurance that God was in control. And He was.

Pilgrims also need to have a vision. A church or fellowship of believers need a clear vision of where they are going and how they are growing, as a group of Christ’s followers. We cannot go through life without one, because otherwise we will just spiritually drift. If we’re unsure we ask God. That is a prayer He will always answer. 

Dear Lord God. Thank You for reminding us that without You we quickly find ourselves in dangerous territory. Not for us are emperor’s clothes. We want to be clothed in Your love and grace, close to our Source. Please help us on our journey. Amen.

The Lukewarm

Posted on by korgrocker

“I know all the things you do, that you are neither hot nor cold. I wish that you were one or the other! But since you are like lukewarm water, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth!”
Revelation‬ ‭3:15-16‬ ‭NLT‬‬

This is a verse that sometimes makes me feel a bit uncomfortable. An internal “Oh dear!” and a heavy sigh starts a few minutes of self reflection that usually ends up with me mentally on my knees before Jesus. Asking once again for forgiveness. And His love and grace floods over me once again.

Jesus used the analogy of water and its temperature and it would have been a significant metaphor in that culture. Lukewarm water in 1st Century Laodicea would have been a bit suspect. It brings to mind the picture of glass of water that has been sitting out in the sun, and consequently didn’t taste very nice. And, as well, it may have become polluted by whatever was flying around near it. One mouthful, and perhaps a response would be to spit it out. On the other hand, cold water was refreshing and wholesome, probably sourced from an underground spring. Hot water would have been used for cooking or for washing, with the benefit of knowing that it felt good through cooked food or through the refreshment washing brings.

So to translate that into spiritual terms, what do we get? What is the optimum temperature for a follower of Jesus? Obviously, being lukewarm is not an option – Jesus made very clear that His palate rejects it. Perhaps, a lukewarm “Christian” is someone who goes through the motions of church life, failing to engage with the spiritual aspects, but putting up with them so that they can enjoy the benefits of the fellowship and any secular activities that take place on their church premises. A lukewarm person is someone who knows all about the liturgy and even Bible passages, but tends to ignore them, being more interested in the display of flowers, how the chairs are laid out, the length of the sermon, or what they should wear to church. They see no reason to engage with our wonderful and amazing Heavenly Father in an abundance of praise and worship, in thankfulness and reverence. These people may also be resistant to responding to the Gospel, having hearts that are hardened against Biblical truth, or prayer and worship. Jesus doesn’t want them in His church – He will eject them forcibly.

A person who is cold is someone who has no desire to get involved with anything to do with God. They probably won’t darken any church with their presence, unless the service is a wedding, funeral, or christening/baptism. They may confess atheism or be an agnostic. I was one myself until God, through His Spirit, connected with me. He brought me into a situation where I had to decide and one night, in response to an anguished prayer, He graciously allowed me to know His reality and love. So a cold person can be reached by the Gospel, and warmed by the power of God. God’s grace extends to them – they only need to reach out and accept Him. Salvation is all by His grace and it’s a free gift, costing us nothing, though it cost Jesus His life.

A person who is hot, is someone who has fully and totally embraced the Gospel. And through faith he or she fervently pursues God, reading the Bible, praying, evangelising and serving God in the way He wants them to. When times are troubled their faith carries them through. And their pilgrimage through life bears fruit, both in their own lives and the lives of others. 

Jesus said He knew everything the Laodiceans do. Of course He did. And unlike the other 6 churches He had no praise or encouragement for them. At least the church at Sardis had a few dying embers that were possible to revive, but the Laodiceans had absolutely nothing – they had reached a spiritual entropy.

A sensible pilgrim will occasionally do a spiritual check up, just to make sure they’re still “hot” and not heading for being lukewarm. As water cools to room temperature and becomes lukewarm, they too will do the same unless they put in place the spiritual safeguards necessary to maintain temperature. But we must never forget our relationship with God. He is our loving Heavenly Father. Through Jesus He has welcomed us into His family. He has made it possible for us to live with Him for eternity. So how can we ever grow cold in our faith? And neither must we forget that he has given us the special task of sharing His grace and love with the lukewarm and cold people around us. While there is still time.

Dear Lord God. How can we ever forget You, the One who has graciously done so much for us. For our salvation and our adoption into Your family we are so grateful. We pray that You will never allow our hearts to grow cold. In Jesus’ name. Amen.

The Amen

Posted on by korgrocker

“Write this letter to the angel of the church in Laodicea. This is the message from the one who is the Amen—the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation”
Revelation‬ ‭3:14‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Jesus’ message through John moves on to address the “angel of the church in Laodicea”.This was the last of the seven churches addressed by Jesus in these early chapters in Revelation.  Laodicea was another Western Turkey church established, it is thought, by Epaphras, one of the Apostle Paul’s disciples. Laodicea was a wealthy city, active in textiles and banking, as well as being located on important trade routes.

Jesus, in declaring His credentials, said He was the “Amen” and the “faithful and true witness, the beginning of God’s new creation”. There are several thoughts to unpack in this verse. Firstly, what does being an “Amen” mean? The word “Amen” has within its meaning concepts such as truth and certainty. We use it at the end of a prayer or hymn as a concluding word, meaning “so be it” or “it is so”. So when Jesus described Himself as the “Amen“, He was declaring that He was the final Word. That what He said was truth and would certainly happen and He would be faithful to all His promises. There is nothing to add to Jesus. He is everything.

Jesus also described Himself as the “faithful and true witness”. A witness is a person who has observed an event and is prepared to announce what he witnessed. In a court of law, a witness will tell the court about something that happened when he or she was watching. But this statement can be subjective because the event or situation being described will only be from the witness’s perspective and could be filtered through their prejudices or affected by external factors such as bad lighting. Not the case with Jesus. His witness statement is both “faithful and true”. Faithful because that quality is who He is. In 2 Timothy 2:13 we read, “If we are unfaithful, He remains faithful, for He cannot deny who He is“. And Jesus is true – He said so Himself in John 14:6, “…“I am the way, the truth, and the life…“. So Jesus is the ultimate, absolute witness, faithful and true.

Jesus also said He was the “beginning of God’s new creation”. We read in Colossians 1:18, “And he is the head of the body, the church; he is the beginning and the firstborn from among the dead, so that in everything he might have the supremacy”. In Romans 8:29, the Apostle Paul said that Jesus was the firstborn of many siblings. Through Jesus, the world as we know it was created, but one day He will come again, at the forefront of the new creation. Because He is the new creation. 

So to our pilgrim plodding through life, is there any relevance in this verse? There is of course, because we have on record the words of Jesus, post resurrection, declaring that he is still alive and active, getting things ready for the new order, the new world, to come. Jesus is so dependable. He is unchanging. He is faithful and true. He is our Lord and Saviour.

Dear Lord. We thank You that You came to this world bringing salvation and hope to all who believe in You. And we thank You, in faith-inspired anticipation of our lives in the world to come. We echo the words at the end of Revelation, “Come Lord Jesus”. Amen.

Our Identity

Posted on by korgrocker

“All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of My God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of My God, and they will be citizens in the city of My God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from My God. And I will also write on them My new name. Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what he is saying to the churches.
Revelation‬ ‭3:12-13‬ ‭NLT‬‬

Those who are victorious are once again mentioned and honoured in this verse. As a reminder, the victorious are those who have persevered over their difficulties. Over the persecution that came from the Jews belonging to “satan’s synagogue” just down the road. The victorious were those who were holding onto their faith, obeying Jesus’ command to persevere. And as a reward Jesus said they were to become “pillars in the Temple of My God”. But we’re not talking here about a physical column of stone, propping up the roof of a building used for worship. We read in Revelation 21:22, “I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple“. So without a Temple in the new Jerusalem, what are the “pillars“? Surely God doesn’t need propping up?

In any building, the part of it called a pillar indicates something important, foundational, and necessary for the structural integrity of the building. And that is exactly what the Philadelphians were to become. Those that are victorious anyway. They were the people of that generation with whom Jesus was building His Church. People described as “pillars” crop up everywhere in our churches. They are the “glue” that maintains the integrity and cohesion of their fellowships. They are dependable, hardly ever missing a meeting. When something needs to be done, they volunteer, no matter how menial the task. When trouble comes their way, they persevere and overcome the difficulties. And from today’s verse, we see how Jesus views them. He will treasure them, writing on them the names of God and a new name for His Son, Jesus. They will be given a special identity.

In the new Jerusalem, the “pillars” will have a special role close to God. They are guaranteed citizenship. They will never have to leave. There will be something amazing about being in the company of these saints. What stories they will have to tell!

In our societies, we often feel our identities can be lost in the crowds. Or so we think. On our life-pilgrimages, the enemy will try and demoralise us. He will tell us that we are insignificant. That we don’t matter. He will attack our identities. At such times as these we can remind him that we already have a special identity – we are children of God. The writer of Revelation also wrote this in 1 John 3:1, “See how very much our Father loves us, for he calls us His children, and that is what we are! But the people who belong to this world don’t recognise that we are God’s children because they don’t know Him“. So by faith, we know we already have an identity, that is eternal and indestructible. We can’t be any more special, or significant, than being a son or daughter of God.

And to those who are not Christians, many nevertheless still strive to make themselves significant. Perhaps by committing a crime so that the authorities notice them. Or by entering politics with the hope that one day they will be up there, making the news with the rest of the politicians. Or by succeeding in business like some of our high profile company owners. Even in issues of sexuality and gender some may perhaps be trying to find a new identity, becoming, if only in their eyes, someone significant. But all these people are chasing the wind, because one day their earthly identities will die with them. In their earthly lives, they are attempting to counterfeit what God instead truly designed people to be.

Pilgrims today, as they have been in previous generations, can relax secure in their God-given identities. We have no need to try to be something else. When we look in a mirror, what do we see? Regardless of what the enemy tries to tell us, there’s a child of God looking back. Look closely – you may see a pillar in the image somewhere as well.

Dear Lord. Thank You that through Your love You have not only redeemed us, but You have elevated us to the role of being Your adopted children. Our identities are now in You and nowhere else. We are so grateful. Amen.

Hold On

Posted on by korgrocker

“I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.“
Revelation 3:11 NLT

The Philadelphians would have been encouraged by the message that Jesus was coming soon. Their expectation was probably that Jesus was just waiting in the wings, ready to return in the same way as He departed, from the skies. But the hours and days would have extended into weeks and months. Years would have rolled by, and some of their number would have passed on to eternal life. Did they experience disappointment? Did they turn on their leaders, demanding an explanation, or a definition of what “soon” really meant? We don’t know.

Jesus was clear that He didn’t know when He would return to earth again. We read in Matthew 24:30b, “…And they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory“. And Matthew 24:36, “However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows“. But Jesus, in His message to the Philadelphians, used the word “soon“. In our earthly, time-dominated, lives, the word “soon” means something is about to happen imminently, or in a few days. But from the perspective of eternity, where time as we know it doesn’t exist, “soon” takes on a different meaning. We are living in a time of unmerited grace. God is giving more and more people, generation by generation, the opportunity to embrace His Son and all that that means. After all, if “soon” had meant that Jesus returned sometime in the first century, I wouldn’t be writing these words, and you wouldn’t be reading them. But there will come a time when “soon” converts into the reality of God saying to Jesus that now is the time. In Romans 13:11-12 we read, “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here…” One day, perhaps sooner than we expect, Jesus will return. “For you know quite well that the day of the Lord’s return will come unexpectedly, like a thief in the night. When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labour pains begin. And there will be no escape.” (1 Thessalonians 5:2-3).

John’s message continues. He wrote, “Hold on to what you have”. The Philadelphians, at face value, would seem to have very little. But Jesus wasn’t encouraging them to hold on to their material possessions. In the Kingdom of God materialism has no worth. In the earthly kingdom gold has value, but in the Heavenly Kingdom, gold is used to pave the roads. No, Jesus was referring to the spiritual treasure they were accumulating. The spiritual gifts they had received. The treasure they were storing up in Heaven. Jesus taught about the difference between treasure in the two kingdoms. In Matthew 6:19-21 we read, “Don’t store up treasures here on earth, where moths eat them and rust destroys them, and where thieves break in and steal. Store your treasures in heaven, where moths and rust cannot destroy, and thieves do not break in and steal. Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be“. Jesus would also have been encouraging the Philadelphians to, quite simply, hold on to their faith. To not give up, even when the going was tough. When persecution was sapping their strength. 

And Jesus continues to remind them that if they hold on to what they have then “no one will take away [their] crown[s]”. What are these crowns? James 1:12 refers to the crown of life, “God blesses those who patiently endure testing and temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love Him“. The Apostle Paul wrote to Timothy about the crown of righteousness, “And now the prize awaits me—the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give me on the day of His return. And the prize is not just for me but for all who eagerly look forward to His appearing“. (2 Timothy 4:8). But whatever it is, the crown awaiting those who hold on to their faith is going to be amazing. 

To today’s pilgrim, we must take on board the message to the Philadelphians. We too must hold on to what we have. Even when the road before us seems long and difficult. Even when the temptation is there to give up, and perhaps just take an easy option. We must never forget that turning back, even just for a short time away from the difficulties of doing life God’s way, can turn very quickly into a worldly lifestyle. Sadly, I know so many people who have decided, for one reason or another, to turn their backs on their faith, and they now do other things. They have lost sight of their Heavenly treasure and the crown awaiting them. We must never give up holding on to our heritage, our faith, our Lord.

There is an old Gospel song – these are the lyrics.

  1. I have decided to follow Jesus;
    I have decided to follow Jesus;
    I have decided to follow Jesus;
    No turning back, no turning back.
  2. The world behind me, the cross before me;
    The world behind me, the cross before me;
    The world behind me, the cross before me;
    No turning back, no turning back.
  3. Though none go with me, still I will follow;
    Though none go with me, still I will follow;
    Though none go with me, still I will follow;
    No turning back, no turning back.
  4. My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
    My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
    My cross I’ll carry, till I see Jesus;
    No turning back, no turning back.
  5. Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
    Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
    Will you decide now to follow Jesus?
    No turning back, no turning back.

Dear Lord Jesus. Please help us never to give up on living life Your way. We know that no-one else has the words of eternal life. No-one else can gift us salvation. We will follow You to the end. Thank You. Amen.