top of page
Ed Romero

The great reversal (Revelation 2:26-29)

You are suffering now, Christian. But one day, your suffering will be reversed. This is essentially what Christ promises to the church at Thyatira. He's just told them to hold fast until He comes. And then He says,

26 The one who conquers and who keeps my works until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations, 27 and he will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces, even as I myself have received authority from my Father. 28 And I will give him the morning star. 29 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ (Revelation 2:26-29)

As we've seen throughout this chapter, "the one who conquers" is the one who endures the trials and tribulations of this age and makes it to the end. The one who conquers is the one "who keeps [Christ's] works until the end" (v. 26). Now, we know from the rest of the Scriptures that, ultimately, it's God who keeps the Christian to the end. But that doesn't change the fact that the individual Christian must persevere and keep Christ's works. God works through means of perseverance in order to preserve His people.


To the one who conquers, Christ will "give authority over the nations" (v. 26). Here's the first reversal. Whereas the nations, the unbelieving world around the Christians, were persecuting Christ's people, in the end, Christ will give them rule over the nations. And it will be a mighty rule: "...[the one who conquers] will rule them with a rod of iron, as when earthen pots are broken in pieces" (v. 27). It will ultimately be Christ who is ruling over the nations ("even as I myself have received authority from my Father"), but somehow, His people rule with Him over the nations as His co-regents. What that looks like exactly, we don't know, but the point is that those who previously oppressed us will be one day ruled over by us. It's a reversal.


We also see a reversal in verse 28: "And I will give him the morning star." This is simply talking about the sunrise but in a symbolic way. Right now, it is nighttime, a time of darkness, confusion, chaos, and sin. But Christ is going to give the sunrise. Light is going to break over the dark horizon. Our future, saints, is bright. The darkness will be finally reversed with light.


"He who has an ear, let Him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."

59 views0 comments

Comments


Get email updates of new posts

Thanks for subscribing!

bottom of page