So we are united here, and we are all together in Him. He has taken us to Himself, His church, His bride. Notice again what Christ says to the Philadelphians and to the rest of the church.
The saint (he who overcomes) is considered a pillar or column in the Temple. The name of God will be conspicuously recorded on him to show that he belongs to God. It is like a large government building in a sense, and on its columns are recorded the names of people who are distinguished and privileged. It is a public testimonial to the respect of those whose names are recorded there.
The honor given to him, that is, he who overcomes, is as great as if the name of the God He serves and whose favor and friendship He enjoys were inscribed on him in some visible way. He who overcomes is known and recognized as belonging to God; the God of the Redeemer Himself, and it is indicated by the phrase the name of My God.
The name of the city of My God signifies that the Christian belongs to that city or that the New Jerusalem is his home, and wherever he goes and wherever he lives, he will be recognized as belonging to the holy city, as enjoying the rights and privileges of a citizen of New Jerusalem. This is a tremendous blessing to all who are Christians, to all who are members of His Body, the bride of Christ. The Son of God gives us a new name, His own Family name!
So the day is coming when at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of the things in heaven and of things on earth and things under the earth, and that is the name that is given to those who constitute the bride of Christ.
The saint (he who overcomes) is considered a pillar or column in the Temple. The name of God will be conspicuously recorded on him to show that he belongs to God. It is like a large government building in a sense, and on its columns are recorded the names of people who are distinguished and privileged. It is a public testimonial to the respect of those whose names are recorded there.
The honor given to him, that is, he who overcomes, is as great as if the name of the God He serves and whose favor and friendship He enjoys were inscribed on him in some visible way. He who overcomes is known and recognized as belonging to God; the God of the Redeemer Himself, and it is indicated by the phrase the name of My God.
The name of the city of My God signifies that the Christian belongs to that city or that the New Jerusalem is his home, and wherever he goes and wherever he lives, he will be recognized as belonging to the holy city, as enjoying the rights and privileges of a citizen of New Jerusalem. This is a tremendous blessing to all who are Christians, to all who are members of His Body, the bride of Christ. The Son of God gives us a new name, His own Family name!
So the day is coming when at the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of the things in heaven and of things on earth and things under the earth, and that is the name that is given to those who constitute the bride of Christ.
Again, in terms of name in Hebrew thought, name is inextricably bound with existence. Nothing exists unless it has a name. That is, the very essence (of what this thing, or being, or person is) is concentrated in its name. Hence we see in the book of Genesis that, in Hebrew thought, the creation was not completed until Adam named the beasts. The opposite hand of this is that, on occasion, the Bible says, I will cut off his name from Israel. That is the Hebrew way of saying that this person is no longer going to exist.
You begin to collect thoughts like this from the Old Testament and you apply it to a verse like Revelation 3:12, where the Philadelphians are going to receive three new names. That is, (1) the name of our God, (2) the name of the city of our God (Jerusalem), and also (3) as Christ says, our new name. So these names then, in connection with Revelation 3:12, designate the very existence, the nature, and the responsibility of those great beings who are going to be in God's Kingdom.
