Christ writes on him who is created a pillar in the Temple of God. Christ writes the Father's name because the victorious saint is the son of the Father and is identified eternally with the Father (Revelation 21:7).

Christ writes "Jerusalem" on the conqueror because he is an eternal part of the Wife of the Lamb. Christ writes His own new name on the faithful Christian because he has become the Bride of Christ. He has been made an integral part of the new creation of God, the Kingdom of God, the making visible of the invisible God. The conqueror belongs eternally to Christ and forever is a part of Christ.

It is one matter to be pardoned. It is another matter to be created a part of the revelation of God to the universe.

All believers are invited to the ranks of the conquerors. What incomprehensible loss we suffer if we sell our inheritance as sons of God for the miserable "treasures" of the present age!

The conqueror, now having been sealed into God Himself for eternity, is established forever with Christ on the throne that rules the creation, the throne that possesses total dominion over all of the works of God's hands.

To sit with Christ in His throne (3:21).

This is the first resurrection from the dead, the complete and perfect fulfillment of the Old Testament feast of Tabernacles.

Notice the statements of the following passage:

And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and that had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark on their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished. This is the first resurrection. (Revelation 20:4,5)

What is the first resurrection from the dead? It is the resurrection of the royal priesthood—that which will take place when the Lord returns from Heaven. The first resurrection is for the victorious saints. It is not the general resurrection of salvation.

To participate in the first resurrection from the dead is to live and reign with Christ.

The Scriptures teach that the order is as follows: death, resurrection, judgment, and then sentencing to eternal life or to punishment. Much of this program can take place in a spiritual sense while we are alive on the earth, if we will count ourselves as dead and follow the Lord Jesus diligently.

The raising of our body from the ground is not necessarily the attainment to eternal life. All bodies will be raised from the ground so the individual can be judged before the throne of Christ.

Every person will be judged.

After he has been judged, each individual will be assigned to his or her own reward. His reward may be to receive the authorities and powers we have described on the preceding passages. His reward may be to be carried forward naked and barren of spiritual fruit to the new heaven and earth reign of Christ.

His sentence may be eternal banishment from the Presence of Christ into a place of everlasting torment.

But all shall be raised and all shall be judged.

To be continued.