by Wade E Taylor
“He that overcomes shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be My son.” Revelation 21:7
Within each of the seven Churches in Revelation, a specific promise is given to those who “overcome.” Thus, our being rewarded for being an “overcomer” is conditional.
We begin our spiritual experience being self-centered, and then grow toward a Christ-centered life.
In the first confession of the Bride, she said, “He is mine” (Song of Solomon 2:16). Her third confession reveals that a complete change has taken place. Now, she can say: “I am my Beloved’s and His desire is toward me” (Song of Solomon 7:10).
She has come to the place in her experience where she makes no demands on the Lord. Her self-life has been dealt with, and is no longer an obstacle or hindrance to their relationship. She is in direct communion with the Bridegroom and willingly responds to His every desire, as when He comes and knocks on the door of her heart to invite her to be with Him.
“Come, My beloved, let us go forth into the field; let us lodge in the villages. Let us get up early to the vineyards; let us see if the vine flourish, whether the tender grape appear, and the pomegranates bud forth: there will I give you My loves.” Song of Solomon 7:11‑12
“Come… let us go.” We must first enter into a personal relationship with Jesus before He will lead us into any activity with Him. Now, the Bridegroom and Bride have become “one” in heart and purpose. He is in direct communion with the Bride, and is willing to respond to her every desire. No longer need she say:
“…My mother’s children were angry with me, they made me the keeper of the vineyard.” Song of Solomon 1:6
She can come at any time and ask of Him (Jesus) wisdom concerning the one for whom she is burdened.
“We have a little sister, and she has no breasts (spiritually immature): what shall we do for our sister in the day when she shall be spoken for?” Song of Solomon 8:8
The Lord quickly answered her question and gave clear guidelines on how to minister to this need.
“If she be a wall, we will build upon her a palace of silver: and if she be a door, we will enclose her in boards of cedar.” Song of Solomon 8:9
His answer includes His Bride, as she is no longer working “for” Jesus; instead, she is ministering to this need through a cooperative relationship with Him. This is extremely important as we approach the Kingdom Age, as all that Jesus did in His first coming in a single body, He will again do through a corporate body.
“If she be a wall, we will build…” A wall speaks of stability in her salvation experience, and her relationship to the Lord can be strengthened. She is ready to grow into spiritual maturity.
“If she be a door, we will enclose…” If this little sister is unstable, she will appear to be as a door that is mounted with double swing hinges, which opens first one way, and then suddenly the opposite. Therefore, she must be watched and protected until a measure of stability can be developed in her spiritual experience. The boards of cedar speak of this protection and careful watching, until this little sister will be able to dig down through the accumulated rubble in her life to the solid Rock that is beneath.
Through these experiences, the Bride is gradually learning to recognize His presence and to promptly respond whenever He knocks upon the door of her heart. She is becoming an “overcomer.”
“After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were a trumpet talking with me: which said, Come up here, and I will show you things which must be hereafter, and immediately I was in the spirit….” Revelation 4:1-2
An open door has been established through which the Lord can come and invite her to “rise up and come away” with Him. Now, the Bride has direct access to the Throne and is in the same position as the “overcomer.”
“To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with Me in My throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with My Father in His Throne.” Revelation 3:21
The “overcomer” also has an open door set before him through which he can come into the presence of the Lord, in a Throne relationship. This reveals to us that the Bride and the overcomer can be seen as two sides of the same relationship.
Our relationship to the Lord as a Bride speaks of our submission to, our dependence upon, and our communion with the Lord (who we are). Our relationship to the Lord as an overcomer, speaks of our being in the throne with Him – in a position of rulership with authority in the heavenlies (what we do).
There is a sense of fulfillment and completion that comes to us through our experiences of intimate communion with the Lord, as being His Bride. Also, there is a sense of purpose and destiny that comes to us through our being brought into a relationship with the Lord in His Throne, as being an overcomer.
We will better understand these two positional relationships that are available to those who qualify for them, if we also understand the position of those who have not qualified to be either a Bride or an overcomer.
The Bride relates to the Lord and is able to describe her intimate relationship to Him. She gives a very personal and complete description of His person along with His qualities and desirability.
The Daughters of Jerusalem relate to the Bride. The only “description” that they are able to give is to describe the Bride, whom they clearly see and affect. The only “knowledge” that they have of the Lord is that which they receive from the Bride. These contrasting views reveal a very noticeable difference in their relationship to the Lord, and to their position in relation to His Throne.
In Revelation, two descriptions are given that will help us to understand this difference of position that exists between the Bride and the Daughters of Jerusalem.
The first description is related to the Bride.
“And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold … And before the throne there was a sea of glass like unto crystal: and in the midst of the throne, and round about the throne, were four beasts full of eyes before and behind.” Revelation 4:4, 6
Seen as being a sea of pure glass, which speaks of purity, or the transparency of their being, are twenty-four elders and four living creatures, who are seated in the midst of the Throne. This corresponds with the promise that is given to those who overcome. “To him that overcomes will I grant to sit with me in my Throne….” (Revelation 3:21)
The first twelve of these elders speaks of the twelve patriarchs of the Old Testament. Jesus said that the twelve apostles would sit on twelve thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel. They were given a special place, as they are the foundation of the New Testament Church. Together, these twenty-four elders, along with the four living creatures are seen as being in the “midst of” and “around about” the Throne.
The four living creatures, the New Testament overcomers, each have four faces.
“And the first beast was like a lion, and the second beast like a calf, and the third had a face as a man, and the fourth beast was like a flying eagle.” Revelation 4:7
This speaks of the four sides, or aspects of the balanced life of an overcomer.
The face of a “lion” speaks of rulership, or authority. The face of a “calf” speaks of sacrifice, or the potential for service. The face of a “man” speaks of fellowship and communication with the Lord. The flying “eagle” represents spirituality, or elevation into the Throne with Jesus. These types represent those who have overcome throughout the entire Biblical ages, and are seen in the midst of the Throne of God.
This group of overcomers is “singing” their testimony, which reflects their position with the Lord.
“And they sung a new song, saying, You are worthy to take the book, and to open the seals thereof: for You were slain, and has redeemed us to God by Your blood out of every kindred, and tongue, and people, and nation; And has made us to our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” Revelation 5:9‑10
This testimony of their having qualified to reign on the earth can be related to a promise that is given to those who overcome.
“And he that overcomes, and keeps My works to the end, to him will I give power over the nations: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of My Father.” Revelation 2:26‑27
The second description represents those who were not willing to become “overcomers.” These are the Body of Christians who are content to remain in the memory of their past experiences. They are only able to see the Lord through those who are so close to Him, that their lives have become as a mirror that reflects His person and presence for them to see.
These, the “Daughters of Jerusalem,” feed upon the Bride and greatly affect her life and walk. Due to their spiritual immaturity and lack of stability (enclosed in boards of cedar), they provide her with much to overcome.
“After this I beheld, and lo, a great multitude, which no man could number of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the Throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands.” Revelation 7:9
The first group was seated in the midst of the throne, singing. The second group, the Daughters of Jerusalem, are standing before the throne with palms in their hand (they are saved), but they are crying:
“And cried with a loud voice, saying, Salvation to our God which sits upon the throne, and to the Lamb.” Revelation 7:10
Our testimony is the expression of our relationship to the Lord. We cannot testify beyond our personal experience. This group is saved – they are the Daughters of Jerusalem, but they had said to the Bride, “What is He more than another?” Their testimony expresses the salvation that was freely given to them, but from which they have not grown, as they choose their own ways and have not submitted their lives to the processing or discipline of the Lord as the Bride has.
The first group is seen to be in the midst of the throne singing, “You have made us to our God kings and priests: and we shall reign on the earth.” These are overcomers.
The second group is “clothed with white robes, and has palms in their hands.” The “palm” speaks of salvation. The first group is in the midst of the throne and they are “reigning” (Revelation 5:10). The second group is before the throne and “serve” Him day and night forever (Revelation 7:15).
These two relationships to the throne are vastly different and reflect the difference of relationship between the Bride and the Daughters of Jerusalem.
“For the Lamb which is in the midst of the throne shall feed them, and shall lead them to living fountains of waters: and God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes.” Revelation 7:17
These Daughters are weeping because now they realize that they missed the opportunity to be an overcomer, as the Bride is. However, the Lord will wipe away these tears and will lead them on. They spent their lifetime accumulating riches in this world, but failed to purchase eternal things.
The time that we have, here on earth, is the most important time of all eternity, as we are making our decisions for eternity now. This is the reason why the Daughters of Jerusalem shed bitter tears. They are to serve day and night forever, while the overcoming Bride is ruling and reigning in the presence of the Lord.
“I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:14
Paul saw the difference in these groups, and he sought the higher level (high calling of God).
May we also seek this place of being seated with Jesus in His throne, as a Bride, and as an overcomer.