Chapter Seven/Rekindle That First Love

"To Him That Conquers"

Finally, as he does also in his other messages, Jesus calls attention to God's spirit as 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 congregation: 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 is 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 1 John 5:4.

 Since they have no 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 of Ephesus, are bought 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, the gardenlike realm inherited by these conquerors. There, "in the paradise of God," yes, in the very presence of Jehovah himself, these overcomers 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 will drink from "a 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 1 John 2:13, 14.

Next time: Chapter Eight/Striving to Be Conquerors

From the book of Revelation