END OF TIME PROPHECIES 068

LAODICEA     The Compensation        Revelation 3v21-22

Surely the greatest compensation yet; the granting of a seat beside Him on His throne.   No one has been given a higher honour than this and the significance of it is, that it is promised to the overcomer in the worst church of all.   It appears the more difficult the situation, the greater will be the reward.   Perhaps this is a lesson to us all; where there is serious departure, the reward for faithfulness is greater.   Where there is evil we are to oppose it, where there is persecution we are to suffer it.   All true believers are overcomers (1st John 5 & Romans 8).   There are however degrees of reward and heaven makes note not only of what we do, but the circumstances in which we did it.   When David honoured his mighty men, who were faithful to him in the time of his rejection it is recorded in 2nd Samuel 23 that "one defied the Philistines when the men of Israel had gone away" -  "the people fled but he stood in the midst of the ground and defended it" - again - "another slew a lion in a time of snow."   To remain faithful to Him in the worst circumstances will be to ultimately receive the highest award.

The whole concept is astonishing.   He distinguishes between "my throne" and "my Father's throne."   Just as He overcame, and in consequence will sit on His Father's throne, so we as the overcomers will be granted to sit on His throne.   Note  the important and careful distinction made by the Holy Spirit; He alone will sit on His Father's throne, for that is reserved for Deity.   However, we poor sinners with no claim on God or heaven in any way, by simply following Christ, we will one day sit upon His throne.     This is a reminder of what He said to His disciples in Luke 22v28-30  "Ye are they which have continued with me in my temptations.   And I appoint unto you a kingdom, as My Father hath appointed unto Me; that ye may eat and drink at My table in My kingdom, and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of  Israel."   This throne which will become the centre of universal dominion is the subject matter of the whole of the book of Revelation(45 times), and particularly the next two chapters 4 & 5 where  "the throne" is mentioned seventeen times.   In these chapters we find people reigning as kings on the earth.   The whole of chapters 4 & 5 expounds the meaning of this promise to the overcomer at Laodicea.   In chapter 20v4 what was promised is seen to be fulfilled.   They will never be our thrones, they will always be His, but we will be granted to sit with Him wherever He is.  

Other scriptures which reveal this most wonderful truth are as follows:

• Romans chapter 8v17     -     "If children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him that we may also be glorified together.   For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us."
• 2nd Timothy 2v11-12     -     "It is a faithful saying for if we be dead with Him, we shall also live with Him; if we suffer, we shall also reign with Him."  
• Daniel 7v21-22     -      "I beheld and the same horn made war with the saints and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days came and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom."
• Daniel 7v27     -     "And the kingdom and dominion, and the greatness of the kingdom under the whole heaven, shall be given to the people of the saints of the most High, whose kingdom is an everlasting kingdom, and all dominions shall serve and obey Him."
• Matthew 19v28     -     "And Jesus said unto them, that ye which have followed Me, in the regeneration, when the Son of Man shall sit on the throne of His glory, ye also shall sit upon twelve thrones judging twelve tribes of Israel."

He continues in Matthew 19v29, and sums up the whole teaching of this passage, saying that no one, but no one, will lose out for having followed Him in this life.   He says  "everyone that hath forsaken houses, or brethren, or sisters, or father, or mother, or wife, or children, or lands, for My name's sake, shall receive an hundredfold, and shall inherit everlasting life".   There can be no more greater incentive than this!   The sinner is given to live like a saint, the beggar is destined to sit on a throne; and not just any throne...... His throne.   The throne of universal and eternal dominion.   If such an appeal does not lift us from our lethargy, nothing will.