Rekindle That First Love -"To Him That Conquers"

 Finally, as he does also in his other messages, Jesus calls attention to God's spirit in making know  through Jesus the rewards for faithfulness.  To the Ephesians he says: "Let the one wo has ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To him that conquers I will grant to eat the tree of life, which is the paradise of God."(Revelation 2:7)  Those with hearing ears would be eager to need 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; 16:23; see also 1 JOHN 5:4. 

Since they have not prospect of living in an earthly paradise, how it is 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 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 reference here must be the heavenly gardenlike ream inherited by these conquerors.  There, "in the paradise of of God," yes, in the very presence of Jehovah himself, these overcomers who have been granted immorality 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 144,00 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 the 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 express your warm love for Jehovah and win out in the conquest of faith.  Thus you attain to the happiness of the everlasting life in the Paradise earth. - Compare 1 JOHN 2:13, 14.

Loving Praise to Jehovah and His Son

In the songbook produced by Jehovah's people in 1905, there were twice as many songs praising Jesus as there were songs praising Jehovah God.  In their 1928 songbook, the number of songs extolling Jesus was about the same as the number extolling Jehovah. But in the latest songbook of 1984, Jehovah is honored four ties  as many songs as is Jesus.  This is in harmony with Jesus' own words: "The Father is greater than I am." (John 14:28) Love for Jehovah must preeminent, accompanied by deep love for Jesus and appreciation of his precious sacrifice and office as God's High Priest and King.

Next time: Striving to Be Conquerors - SMYRNA

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