Old Testament prophets lamented
the fact that God was so patient and did not dispense judgment quickly enough
to suit them. But, God has His own agenda which does not suit us in the flesh.
1Timothy 2:4 Who will have all
men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.
In verse 10 the reference is made
to the hour of temptation which is
going to come upon the world of men and women on the earth. Here, use is made
of a period of time as a general type, as in the day of judgment, meaning a time
of rather than 60 minutes or a specific 24 hours. It is a promise of the
Great Tribulation to come, which we shall see soon. This church will be
protected through it or kept from it. Perhaps this is a reference to the
Rapture itself or perhaps it is a reference to supernatural deliverance while
in what we call The Great Tribulation. It sounds as if this church will not go
through it as they are promised that they will be kept from the hour of temptation.
Matthew 24:21 For then shall be
great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this
time, no, nor ever shall be.
Events are going to happen fast,
as Christ says He will come quickly. Here is the thought of the possibility of
losing a crown. Paul, James, and Peter talk about crowns.
Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my
brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the
Lord, my dearly beloved.
1Thessalonians 2:19 For what is
our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our
Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?
2Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is
laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge,
shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love
his appearing.
James 1:12 Blessed is the man
that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of
life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.
1Peter 5:4 And when the chief
Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.
Are these crowns figurative,
metaphors for the glory we await or are they literal crowns that can be removed
as in the following verse we’ll encounter later;
Revelation 4:10 The four and
twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that
liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne…
When it says no man shutteth in verse 7 and let
no man take thy crown in verse 11 the Holy Spirit through John is using a
figure of speech to make a point. If it were talking about a literal man then
it would most likely be the Beast who is referred to here who cannot stand
against God though he stands against the faithful in their humanity.
Verse 12…
12 Him that overcometh will I
make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will
write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is
new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write
upon him my new name. 13 He that hath an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Pillars in the porch of Solomon’s
temple did have a name so there is a precedent for that.
1Kings 7:21 And he set up the
pillars in the porch of the temple: and he set up the right pillar, and called
the name thereof Jachin: and he set up the left pillar, and called the name
thereof Boaz.
This is very figurative and
metaphorical language as these warnings to the churches seem to be.
The overcomer, as a solid pillar
that will not be moved, has God’s name in him, the New Jerusalem written in
him, and the new name Christ has already spoken of giving him, or, perhaps,
Christ has a name we don’t know that will be written in the believer who
believes that Jesus is God until the end.
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