PROMISES TO A BURDENED CHURCH.
“He that overcometh, and keepeth My works unto 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. And I will give him the Morning Star.” Rev. 2:26-28. This is a peculiar promise, inasmuch as it is given to an overburdened people, but implies a prospective exercise of great power. It is primarily given to the church in the Dark Ages, when undergoing a great stress of persecution, at the time of which Jesus speaks when He says, “Except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved.” That it is a promise to a burdened church is shown by the statement that “I will put upon you none other burden,” and this notwithstanding the fact that the church at that time was not faultless, but was given to “a few things” which the Son of God could not approve. In that particular age the true church was much under the nations, which, in turn, were under the domination of the apostate church; being the instrument which she used in enforcing her decrees against the people of God, who refused to accept her dogmas. The oppressed ones were encouraged by the promise that they should be given power over the nations. This was not a political promise. It was not a promise of political power, nor yet a promise of victory through political means. Through the influence of the Gospel, promulgated by the courageous Reformers, the church was given such power over the nations that they ceased to be the instruments of tyranny in the hands of Rome. But the promise is not confined to the church of that age; there is encouragement for the oppressed of our own time as well; for the power of the Gospel in the hands of faithful disciples is just as great to-day as ever it was. The second feature of the promise applies equally to Christians of all ages, having special reference to the coming of the Lord. “He shall rule them with a rod of iron,” etc., is the promise made to the Son of God Himself through the prophet David: “Thou art My Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of Me, and I shall give Thee the heathen for Thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for Thy possession. Thou shalt break them with a rod of iron; Thou shalt dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.” Ps. 2:7-9. So the Son takes the overcomer in with Himself, extending the promise to him also. This ruling over the nations with a rod of iron is a judgment scene; it can in no way imply their conversion. The prime factor in conversion is the love of God, ministered by the Holy Spirit through the Word, and is not in any sense analogous to a rod of iron, or the dashing of a potter’s vessel to pieces. David further testifies by the Spirit of prophecy: “The Lord at Thy right hand shall strike through kings in the day of His wrath. He shall judge among the heathen, He shall fill the places with the dead bodies; He shall wound the heads over many countries.” Ps. 110:5, 6. That the saints will participate in the judgment of the wicked, is shown by various scriptures. In the vision recorded in Daniel 7, the prophet says: “I beheld, and the same horn [Rome] made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom.” Verses 21, 22. On this point Paul also testifies: “Do ye not know that the saints shall judge the world? and if the world shall be judged by you, are ye unworthy to judge the smallest matters? Know ye not that we shall judge angels [that is, evil angels]? how much more things that pertain to this life?” 1 Cor. 6:2, 3. Again, David says of the wicked: “Like sheep they are laid in the grave; death shall feed on them; and the upright shall have dominion over them in the morning; and their beauty shall consume in the grave from their dwelling.” Ps. 49:14. The expression, “in the morning,” evidently refers to the resurrection morn. The last part of the promise may be applied as a continuing promise, throughout the Gospel age. Christ Himself is the Morning Star (Rev. 22:16), and the overcomer must needs have Him in order to overcome. “He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life.” 1 John 5:12. He has already given Himself to the world, and all who will appropriate the gift by the obedience of faith will be overcomers by feeding upon Him. He is “the way, the truth, and the life;” and of His sheep He says, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.” John 10:10. What the overcoming pilgrim needs daily is more and more of the Morning Star to guide him in the way. Praise the Lord for the inestimable promise. “He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”