“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more…” Revelation 3:12
The Lord finishes His letter to the church at Philadelphia by speaking to the overcomers. To this group who desire to live for the Lord He gives three promises. The faithful and true Lord gives His assurance these promises will be carried out.
I will Each of the Lord’s promises begins with His pledge.
Make him The Greek word make includes a wide range of actions involved in producing a completed result. It includes creating as well as performing and executing. It is often used to describe God’s creative acts as well as the fulfillment of His plans. Here He tells the church at Philadelphia which is small, weak and struggling to obey Him against fierce opposition that He is a unique transformation of each of them into His image.
A pillar The word pillar derives from the word “to stand”. This is important to this church for several reasons. First, they live in a city with massive temples built to idols. There are classic Greek architecture with impressive pillars holding up the roofs where people come to worship idols. The Lord reminds His church that while they are not impressive to the world like the idolatrous
religions around them but they are doing what the Lord called them to do, They are human, living. pillars of the faith. They are lifting Him up for all to see. Second, the Lord focuses the church on their responsibility. A pillar stands firm. Standing firm is their mission and that is what the Lord empowers them to do. Just stand tall. Third, the concept of a pillar would remind the church of the perilous times they live in. Massive earthquakes had leveled the city and after-shocks were common. Much of the city inside its walls was destroyed.
Perhaps the church could look and see that the Greek architecture the city was famous for had been destroyed. Perhaps they could see, as we do in many ruins today, the only thing left standing were the pillars of these famous buildings. That would serve as a visible reminder that despite the shaking of the world they live in the Lord’s promise was they would remain standing – what they were doing
counted for eternity in the eyes of the living and true God.
In the temple of My God T he Lord then reminds the church who they are standing for. They are not supporting idolatry and dead religion. They stand for the truth of the living God. But what the Lord is saying is more significant than that. The Greek word for temple refers to the inner sanctuary or the most sacred part of the temple where God’s presence dwells. It is separate from the broader temple complex, which includes the outer courts. In other words the Lord tells the overcomer they will stand in as pillars in the very place that God dwells – a place that for centuries men were prohibited to enter.
And he shall go out no more The Philadelphians were familiar with fleeing their city when earthquakes hit. The Lord assures His church that will not be the case in eternity. Their, really His, foundation is absolutely secure.
What can we learn? The Lord told His church to hold fast – don’t quit. The Lord will make those who endure through the tests of this life a pillar in His temple. The temple refers to the Holy of Holies – the
place the High Priest of Israel could only enter once per year. Yet the overcomer will stand in the very presence of God for all eternity. The overcomers then (the same is true for overcomers now) can be assured it will be worth it all!