“He who overcomes… I will write on him the name of My God…”
Revelation 3:12
In Revelation 3:12 we come to second promise the Lord makes to the overcomers in Philadelphia. First, He promised that they will be pillars in the Holy of Holies, where God dwells. The Lord may remove a
lampstand but he will never remove a pillar. This is the great promise of the eternal security of the believer. Now the Lord turns to his second “I will”.
I will The Lord repeats His assurance. When the One who is “the truth” gives us His guarantee there is no reason to ever doubt.
Write on him The second thing the Lord says is He will write the name of God on the overcomer. The Greek word “write” refers to the act of inscribing characters on a surface. This denotes ownership, as a how the antichrist counterfeits God by having His name, 666, written on those who follow Him?)
The word write can also refer to composing of a written work. For example it is used to refer to the written word of God. This would indicate the overcomer, transformed into the image of God, is the completed word of God, he is what God designed him to be – a revelation of God to all mankind.
The name of My God What does the Lord write on the overcomer? While “name” indicates a literal name of a person or place, it can also refer to a person’s authority, character, reputation, or identity. It expresses the full essence or nature of a person. The word “God” refers in scripture to the one true God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. It conveys the full divine nature and attributes of God. Why is this important.? Remember the word temple the Lord used earlier referred to the Holy of Holies which only the High Priest could enter once per year. On the turban of the High Priest was a gold plat e placed at the forehead. On that turban were inscribed the words “Holy to the Lord.” Exodus 28:38 tells us the inscription “will be on Aaron’s forehead continually so that (the children of Israel) will be acceptable to the Lord”. The name the Lord writes on the overcomer is our badge that we are forever acceptable into the presence of God. Continually.
What can we learn? Peter wrote in I Peter 2:9 “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, to proclaim the virtues of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” In Revelation 3:12 we gain insight into what that means. Peter says we are a chosen people and the Lord tells us He will write the name of God on us showing God’s ownership of His children, “a people for God’s own possession”.
Then Peter says we are a royal priesthood and the Lord links that position to entering the Holy of Holies just as the High Priest entered into the presence of Almighty God. Our access will not be limited to once per year, it will be continual access – we will live in God’s presence.
Finally Peter says we “proclaim the virtues of Him who called us out of darkness”. The Lord tells us we will enter the Holy of Holies with God’s name, proclaiming His character and attributes in worship and thanksgiving for having called us ”out of darkness into His marvelous light”. That name will be visible to all, as the Philadelphians were making it to the world they lived in (and as we are to do in the world we live in).