Revelation Chapter 3

VERSE 11 “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”

“The promise of coming quickly was of special meaning to those nearer the end of the Philadelphia period. It was the stimulus for the Miller and Wolff movements —the Adventists. Since the “Time of the End” was to occur in Philadelphia, the book of Daniel was to begin to be understood.

“Although I heard, I did not understand. Then I said, “My lord, what shall be the end of these things?” And he said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are closed up and sealed till the time of the end.” (Dan 12:8, 9)

The “coming quickly” was EXACTLY what the Adventists gleaned from Dan. 12.

Closely linked to this promise is the warning: HOLD FAST! Let no one take your crown! The disappointments of Adventism made many lose faith as did the contemporaneous philosophical challenges of higher criticism, evolution, Marxism, etc. Jesus DID NOT SAY he was coming DURING Philadelphia; he said he was coming quickly. And it was shortly (quickly) after the discovery of the Daniel prophecies that he DID come —thus marking the end of the Sixth stage of the Church.”

Hold fast so you can Keep Your Crown

“This is the second time that the crown is mentioned in the churches. See also Rev 2:11, where reference is made to the crown of life. If we are not faithful to the Lord, or to what we should be doing, this scripture shows us that it’s possible to lose our crown. This is very important; this scripture indicates that the Lord does have A FIXED NUMBER OF CROWNS (144,000), and that if we lose ours, someone else will receive it instead of us.

That Christ was coming quickly shows that the period of this church reaches up to just before the time of the Second Advent, (1874), and the second presence. In other words he is giving notice that the time of his presence will come immediately after this church period is finished. In a sense, we can even say, that Jesus was in a process of coming during that time, especially since the time of the end (1799). We see that he was coming on the clouds of heaven during that time and that when he arrived in 1874 he was ready to take charge of his kingdom.”

“The hope of the personal return of the Lord Jesus Christ and the accompanying reward to his Church constituted a prominent feature of the closing moments of the Philadelphia era. Yet, sad to say, the implication here in Verse 11 is that during this period of the Church, and particularly at its close, there would be many crown-losers. Those who lost faith, who failed to “hold fast” did not obtain the prize of the high calling and hence lost their crowns.”

VERSE 12-13 “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him my new name. He, who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

“During the Philadelphia period, especially the first and last phases, the faithful were obliged to come out of the nominal temple or be expelled for their straight testimony. The promised reward is that each will become a vital part, a pillar, in the true and eternal temple—a part which cannot be removed while the structure exists. During the trial state in the nominal Church, the names of the faithful were cast out as evil. Branded as infidels and heretics, they were not recognized as children of God, as citizens of heaven, as Christians. However, all will be reversed, for “the Lord knows them that are his” and in due time will fully and eternally acknowledge them (2 Tim. 2:19).

Here in Verse 12 the Savior promises to write three names on the overcoming Christian: 1) the name of God, 2) the name of God’s city, and 3) Jesus’ own name. These appellations are to be prominently displayed upon the pillar class, previously described, in the sense that all mankind will know with certainty to which they properly apply and will remember the names and the exploits of those whom God deigns to honor.

“The name of my [Jesus’] God” is perhaps a reference to Jer 33:16 (correct rendering)—“This is the name by which she shall be called, ‘The Righteousness of Jehovah.’” This text in Jeremiah applies to the Millennial Age, when the world will behold the glory of Christ and the revealed true Church. Then the world will recognize and appreciate the office and work of Messiah and acknowledge his avowed Bride, who will share in his glory and in his work of reconciling the world to God. Thus God’s name that is to be given to the Church is a public name, by which His people will be identified and shown to be His elect.

“The name of the city of my [Jesus’] God” is “the new Jerusalem,” not Rome. Therefore, the city name implies that the Church, collectively, will be seen as God’s government in the earth.

Finally, “my [Jesus’] new name,” the designated title of his own choice to be granted to the Bride class, may be “Jachin,” meaning: whom (God) strengthens (1 Kings 7:21)

This collective public title to be conferred upon each saint should not be confused with the secret name also to be given to each one (see Rev. 2:17); nor will this public title be inscribed through a man-made process of beatification rites and later appointment to sainthood down here, for it will be personally given by Jesus to each of the 144,000 comprising the Little Flock.

This promised future honor and acknowledgment of faithful Christians by the Heavenly Father and His Son are a sharp contrast to the esteem now granted to the unworthy by their fellowman. The names of the latter are conspicuously displayed in houses of worship, inscribed on pillars of earthly temples, or publicly extolled from the pulpit. But all will be changed, for the New Jerusalem has no earthly origin and is neither man-made nor man-ruled. It “cometh down out of heaven”; its ministers are divinely appointed, and their names are enrolled in heaven, not on earthly tablets or rolls (Heb. 12:23). Upon such is Jesus’ “new name” to be written.”

We continue with our next post.