" To Him That Conquers"

Finally, as he does also in his other messages, Jesus calls attention to God's spirits making known through Jesus the rewards for faithfulness. To the Ephesians he says: "Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To him that conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7) Those with hearing ears would be eager to heed that vital message, knowing that it did not come on Jesus' initiative but that it flowed from the Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself through his holy spirit, or active force. How would they 'conquer'? By following closely in the steps of Jesus, who kept integrity to the death and so could say: "Take courage! I have conquered the world."-John 8:28; 16:33; see also 1John 5:4.

Since they have not prospect of living in an earthly paradise, how is it that anointed Christians, such as those Ephesians, are rewarded with eating "of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God"? This could not be the restored paradise on earth, since the 144,000 anointed Christians, including those of the congregation at Ephesus, are brought from among mankind to rule with the Lamb, Christ Jesus, on the heavenly Mount Zion as spirit sons. (Ephesians 1:5-12;Revelation 14:1-4) Hence, he reference here must be to the heavenly garden like realm inherited by these conquerors. There, "in the paradise of God," yes, in the very presence of Jehovah himself, these overcomer who have been granted immortality will continue to live eternally, as symbolized here by their eating of the tree of life.

What, then, of the loyal earthly supporters of the 144,000 anointed ones? A great crowd of these companion Witnesses are also conquering. But their hope rests on entering an earthly paradise, where they wil drink from "the river of water of life"and find healing from "the leaves of the trees" planted alongside that river. (Revelation 7:4, 9, 17; 22:1, 2) If you are one of this group, may you too express your warm love for Jehovah and win out in the conquest of faith. Thus you may attain to the happiness of everlasting life in the Paradise earth.- Compare 1John 2:13, 14.

Next time: Striving To Be Conquerors