Priests, Pillars and Privileges
Revelation 3:11-13 NASB
“‘I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your
crown.
The word “Behold” in the KJV is not in
the NASB because it was only in the few MSS that became a vital part of what was known as the
Textus Receptus or the received text, a collection of
about 8-10 fairly late Greek MSS that were used by Erasmus to form the basis for his
initial critical Greek New Testament which became foundational through much of
the early Reformation. It became the foundation for the KJV translation.
However, we have discovered many, not older MSS since, but also many better MSS, both in terms of age
and quality. It is interesting that both the Majority Text as well as the
Critical Text, which operate on completely opposing theories of dealing with
textual variance, recognize that this just isn’t a good reading.
“I am coming quickly.” The
emphasis here is that when the Lord returns it is going to happen suddenly and
unexpectedly. So there is the admonition, the exhortation to “hold fast what
you have, so that no one will take your crown.
Then there is a purpose
clause: “so that no one will take your crown.
The first of these crowns
is called the crown of righteousness. This is described and attributed
specifically to the believer who advances to spiritual maturity. Every believer
has an opportunity to receive the crown of righteousness, according to 2
Timothy 4:7, 8; 2 Peter 3:13.
Secondly, there is the
crown of life which seems to be a special capacity above and beyond others in
the future kingdom. It goes to those who persevere to spiritual maturity, to
persevere in trial: mentioned in James
Third, we have the crown
of glory which seems to go to pastors and missionaries who are faithful in the
communication of the Word of God—1 Peter 5:2-4.
It is interesting and to
watch and to observe historical trends on the church down through the ages of
how the pastoral ministry has changed as a result of the culture around them.
Over the past 100 years since the culmination of the industrial revolution and
the develop of corporate America beginning in the late 19th century
the church has taken on more and more of a reflection of running a local church
like a local business or corporation. As a result of that now in many churches
and seminaries the pastor is basically viewed as the Chief Executive Officer,
the manager; it emphasises his role as a people person, taking care of all the
things that go on in the life of the church, and on occasion he teaches the
Bible; but because he is so busy managing and administering all of the
different things that go on in the local church that he doesn’t have a lot of
time to study and teach. The reason God puts a pastor in a local congregation
is to feed the flock. That is what Jesus told the apostle Peter in John chapter
21. The pastor feeds the sheep and he protects the sheep. How does he do that? By teaching God’s Word.
The implication of
Revelation 3:11 is that a believer can lose his crown
one he has gained it. There is that potential that having grown to spiritual
maturity and having qualified for certain rewards that he may become
disqualified. We have studied in the past the fact that when we walk by means
of the Spirit and the Holy Spirit is working in and through us we produce the
fruit/production of the Spirit, and we produce that which we call divine good
to distinguish it from human good. Anybody can do good work in the power of the
flesh but it doesn’t count at all for eternity because it has nothing to do
with the Holy Spirit and has no eternal value whatsoever. Anything that we do
in life that is done in the power of the Holy Spirit will always last. It will
be some of that gold, silver, and precious stones that survives at the judgment
seat of Christ. We are rewarded on the basis but there are serious warnings to
believers that of they advance to a certain stage and then regress there are
indeed consequences for that regression. 2 John 1:8 NASB “Watch yourselves, that you do not lose what we have accomplished,
but that you may receive a full reward.” The implication is there if we advance
to a certain level of spiritual growth and maturity and then backslide, that
even the amount of divine good produced remains the same—in spiritual
regression we lose capacity for serving God, capacity for righteousness and
capacity for wisdom— then we also forfeit whatever rewards we might have
gained, whatever privileges and responsibilities we might have been given for
the eternal kingdom because of subsequent failures. This is what Paul is
referring to in 1 Corinthians 9:24ff NASB “Do you not know that
those who run in a race all run, but {only} one receives the prize? Run in such
a way that you may win…Therefore I run in such a way, as not without aim; I box
in such a way, as not beating the air;
This is where verse 12
comes in. “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God,
and he will not go out from it anymore; and 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 My new name.
One of the incentives here
is, “I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God.” The word translated
“pillar” is the Greek STULOS [stuloj]
and it is used figuratively in the Scripture of any firm support. It is used
for persons who have authority and influence in the church. We use that idiom
the same way today. The idea is that this is someone who has stability, strength,
and who is a contributing force in the community or church or some
organization. This was an idiom that was popular in both Greek and Latin
culture. It refers to people like Paul and Peter and others as pillars in the
church. They are those who are of influence, those who are in authority, those who have special responsibilities. That fits the whole
context of what is going on in Revelation. The next key word is “temple,” the
Greek word NAOS [naoj],
referring to the specific inner holy of holies, the inner sanctum, the dwelling
place of God. Remember, that our destiny, according to Revelation 21 and other
passages, is to be priests and rulers in the Millennial
kingdom. Where do priests function? In the temple. And
that is all this is saying, that in the temple of God in the Millennial kingdom
there are believers who are overcomers in this age who are going to have a
special privilege and place and responsibility in terms of serving the Lord and
functioning within that area throughout the Millennial kingdom and in eternity.
“…and he will not go out from it anymore” means that this is not something he
is going to be able to lose. It is just the flip side of you can not hold fast
and you can lose and you can regress; but that won’t happen in the Millennial kingdom.
Once we have our resurrection bodies we are locked into positive volition and
there won’t be the option of failure anymore. So we will have a permanent
position of service in the temple, those who are overcomers.
In addition to this He
says, “and 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 My
new name.
Ezekeil 48:35 NASB ““{The city shall
be} 18,000 {cubits} round about; and the name of the city from {that} day
{shall be,} ‘The LORD is there.’” This relates to the second part of our
verse: “and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem.” Jesus Christ
will dwell on the earth in the earthly
Isaiah mentions this. We have some indications
of the new Jerusalem in the Old Testament.
1) New Jerusalem only appears three times in Revelation:
2) It is distinct from the Millennial Jerusalem which is
the earthly city of
3) The new Jerusalem was implied, if not specifically
discussed, by Old Testament prophets, e.g. Isaiah 65:16; 66:20-22 NASB
“Then they shall bring all your brethren from all the nations as a grain
offering to the LORD, on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules and on
camels, to My holy mountain Jerusalem,” says the LORD, “just as the sons of Israel
bring their grain offering in a clean vessel to the house of the LORD. I will
also take some of them for priests {and} for Levites,” says the LORD. For just
as the new heavens and the new earth Which I make will
endure before Me,” declares the LORD, “So your offspring and your name will endure.”
What we see here is that
during the period of the new heavens and the new earth not a lot is said but
there is the new Jerusalem and there is the function
of a priesthood. It is interesting that when we get into Revelation 21 there is
no temple in the new Jerusalem, but the Lord dwells
there and His presence provides, light. There is no moon, no sun; it is going
to be a very different universe. We also see the new
Jerusalem descend from heaven, it is a heavenly city. The description of the new Jerusalem is in Revelation 21:10-22:5. It seems to be in
the shape of a cube and is actually 1500 miles square and 1500 miles high. It
is the abode of the church. When we go through Revelation 21 John indicates
that it is like a jewelled lamp which illuminates the city.
In summary, what we have
is the theme that Jesus is coming and then He is going to be crowned King. This
is reflected in many hymns: Crown Him with Many Crowns, there is a reference to
the crowning of Jesus in When I Survey the Wondrous Cross, All Hail the Power
of Jesus’ Name; these are hymns that speak of the coming of Jesus when He is
crowned as King. Matthew 25:31 states NASB “But when the Son of Man
comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His
glorious throne.” He is not sitting on the throne of His glory now while He is
in heaven. At the end of the Tribulation the Antichrist will be destroyed by
Jesus who is the perfect King. Revelation 14:1 NASB “Then I looked,
and behold, the Lamb {was} standing on Mount Zion, and with Him one hundred and
forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on
their foreheads.” This is when Jesus returns and establishes His reign on the earth.
At that times He establishes His dwelling place on the
earth in the Millennial
The worship is centred on
the Messiah and on the Millennial temple. Zechariah
14:9 NASB “And the LORD will be king over all the earth; in that day the LORD will be
{the only} one, and His name {the only} one.” Verse 16, “Then it will come
about that any who are left of all the nations that went against Jerusalem will
go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to celebrate
the Feast of Booths.” Isaiah 2:2-4 NASB “Now it will come about that
In the last days The mountain of the house of the LORD Will be
established as the chief of the mountains, And will be raised above the hills;
And all the nations will stream to it.
All of this lies behind
that imagery that Jesus used when He said: “I will make the overcomer a pillar
in the temple of my God,” indicating that we will have a specific role of
responsibility in the temple in the Millennial kingdom. Then He says, “and I
will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God,”
which is an entry pass to the new Jerusalem for the
overcomer believer, “and My new name.
Then the final statement in verse 13 which is directed to everyone who reads this: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” This is, if you are positive pay attention to what you have just heard. This is a significant warning and this is a significant incentive to stay with it and not to give up in the Christian life. It is not directed to just one congregation but to “the churches.” The message ultimately applies to one and all.