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In this message we shall cover four aspects of the overcomers in the church: the dead overcomers, the living overcomers, the overcomers as the bride at the marriage feast of Christ and in the millennium, and the overcomers as the armies in heaven fighting with the coming Christ against Antichrist and his armies.
The believers may be overcomers either as the man-child (the dead overcomers) or as the firstfruit (the living overcomers). The dead overcomers are the man-child within the woman in Revelation 12. Verse 5 says, “She brought forth a son, a man-child, who was about to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod; and her child was caught up to God and to His throne.” In the Bible the woman signifies the weaker one and the man the stronger one (1 Pet. 3:7). Hence, the man-child in Revelation 12:5 signifies the stronger part of God’s people. Throughout all generations there have been some stronger ones among God’s people. These are considered in the Bible a collective unit fighting the battle for God and bringing God’s kingdom down to earth.
The fact that the man-child “was about to shepherd all the nations with an iron rod” indicates that the man-child consists of the overcomers, as mentioned in 2:26-27. Furthermore, “brought forth” in 12:5 signifies resurrection, as in Acts 13:33 and 34.
The man-child is composed of the dead overcoming saints resurrected. This is proved by the words “unto death” in Revelation 12:11. All the overcomers who die will be part of the man-child. By resurrection the man-child will come into full existence. Abel, who was the first martyr, the Apostles, and all the martyrs and deceased overcomers are waiting for the time of resurrection. The resurrection of all the dead overcoming believers will be the delivery of the man-child. Therefore, the man-child is composed of all the overcoming saints who die before the time of this resurrection.
A believer who is an overcomer today and lives until the Lord Jesus comes back will not be part of the man-child but may be among the firstfruit. However, a believer who is an overcomer and dies before the Lord Jesus comes back will be resurrected to be part of the man-child. The man-child in Revelation 12:5 does not represent the overcomers who live until the Lord comes back, but represents all the dead overcomers who will be resurrected before the Lord comes back. This resurrection will be their delivery as the man-child.
The dead overcomers, the man-child within the woman, comprise the overcomers of both the Old Testament and the New Testament (Heb. 11:33, 39-40). All these overcomers as a totality are the man-child. As Hebrews 11:39 and 40 indicate, the overcomers in the Old Testament dispensation need the overcomers in the New Testament to be their completion, their complement. This means that the New Testament overcomers will match them in victory over all negative things. Eventually, in the millennium, all will join together to enter into the feast of the kingdom.
The dead overcomers through all the generations will be resurrected and raptured to God and to His throne. Revelation 12:5 tells us that the man-child “was caught up to God and to His throne.” To be “caught up” is to be raptured. The rapture of the man-child differs from that of the majority of the believers as mentioned in 1 Thessalonians 4:17. There, the rapture of the majority of the believers will be to the air, whereas the rapture of the man-child, the dead overcomers resurrected, will be to the throne of God in the heavens.
The dead overcomers will be raptured to God and to His throne before the period of the great tribulation, that is, before the three and a half years, the twelve hundred sixty days. The rapture of the man-child is in Revelation 12:5. Verse 6 goes on to speak of “a thousand two hundred and sixty days,” and verse 14 of “time, and times, and half a time,” which denotes three and a half years. From this we see that the man-child, comprising the dead overcomers through all the generations, will be raptured before the great tribulation.
The living overcomers will be the firstfruit of God’s harvest on the earth (Rev. 14:4). God has a harvest on earth, and this harvest is growing in the field. The growth is taking place in the church life, which today is God’s farm (1 Cor. 3:9). Also, the church itself is the harvest. In this harvest some are growing faster and will ripen earlier. These will be the firstfruit at the time of the Lord’s coming.
Revelation 14:1 says, “I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on mount Zion, and with Him a hundred and forty-four thousand, having His name and the name of His Father written on their foreheads.” Verse 4b goes on to explain, “These were purchased from among men as firstfruit to God and to the Lamb.” The firstfruit to God and to the Lamb are those of God’s crop who mature the earliest. These early overcomers will be the first ripe ones in God’s field. Hence, they will be reaped before the harvest as firstfruit to God and to the Lamb. According to verses 14 through 16, the harvest will be reaped later. This means that the firstfruit will be raptured to the heavens before the harvest, just as the firstfruit of the good land was reaped and brought into the temple of God before the harvest. The crucial matter concerning the firstfruit is the principle that among the believers living on earth at the time of the Lord’s coming back, some will ripen early and, being the first to mature, will become the firstfruit in God’s field.
The living overcomers, the firstfruit of God’s harvest, will comprise only the New Testament overcomers who live until the Lord’s coming back. This is indicated by Matthew 24:39b-41, which says, “So also shall the coming of the Son of Man be. Then shall two men be in the field; one is taken, and one is left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; one is taken, and one is left.” “To be taken” means to be raptured. The two men in verse 40 must be brothers in Christ, and the two women in verse 41 must be sisters in the Lord. This is indicated by verse 42, which tells us to watch because we do not know on what day the Lord comes. Both “watch therefore” and “your Lord” prove that the two men and the two women in these verses are believers. Of the two men in the field, one is taken and the other is left; and of the two women grinding at the mill, one is taken and the other is left. The reason for this is that there is a difference between them in the matter of life. I believe that the one taken is mature and that the one left is immature. The growth in life to maturity makes the difference.
The firstfruit will be raptured to mount Zion in the heavens before the great tribulation. The Zion in Revelation 14:1 is not the earthly one but the one in the heavens (Heb. 12:22). The events recorded in Revelation 14:6-13, all of which will take place during the great tribulation (Matt. 24:21), indicate clearly and prove strongly that the first overcomers as the firstfruit will be raptured before the great tribulation and that the harvest in Revelation 14:14-16, which includes the majority of believers, will be raptured toward the end of the great tribulation.
Revelation 3:10 also refers to this rapture. “Because you have kept the word of My endurance, I also will keep you out of the hour of trial which is about to come on the whole inhabited earth, to try them who dwell on the earth.” “Trial” in this verse undoubtedly denotes the great tribulation. The Lord promises the overcoming believers that He will keep them “out of the hour of trial” (not just out of the trial but out of the hour of trial) because they have kept the word of His endurance, the word of His suffering. This promise of the Lord indicates that the believers who have kept the word of the Lord’s endurance will be raptured before the great tribulation. This implies that those who have not kept the word of His endurance will be left in the tribulation.
Luke 21:36 says that some believers will “prevail to escape all these things which are about to take place, and to stand before the Son of Man.” “All these things” are the things of the great tribulation. The word “escape” signifies being taken, raptured, before the great tribulation. Here the Lord promises that if we are watchful and beseeching so that we may overcome to escape (or, are counted worthy to escape) the coming tribulation, we shall be raptured to, will be placed in, His presence. This is what it means “to stand before the Son of Man.” This verse is a further indication that the living overcomers will be raptured before the great tribulation.
The firstfruit of God’s crop will be raptured to mount Zion in the heavens for God and Christ’s satisfaction. Here we see the difference between the man-child in Revelation 12 and the firstfruit in Revelation 14. The man-child is for fighting and for defeating Satan. The firstfruit is not for fighting but for the satisfaction of God and Christ. God and Christ need enjoyment. The living overcomers will be the firstfruit to satisfy this need for enjoyment. The enemy, the Devil, in heaven must be cast down by the man-child, who will execute the Lord’s judgment over him. But there is another need in the heavens-God and Christ must be satisfied through having fresh enjoyment. God and Christ are hungry and thirsty, desiring some firstfruit to taste for Their satisfaction. If we realize this, we shall desire to ripen earlier for the satisfaction of God and Christ. The earliest ones, the firstfruit, of God’s crop to mature are for the enjoyment of God and Christ.
All the overcomers, both the dead and the living, will be the bride at the marriage feast of Christ and in the millennium (Rev. 19:7-9; 21:2). This means that at His coming back Christ will marry the overcoming believers.
Revelation 19:7 says, “Let us rejoice and exult, and let us give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb is come, and His wife has made herself ready.” The marriage of the Lamb is the issue of the completion of God’s New Testament economy. God’s economy in the New Testament is to obtain for Christ a bride, the church, through His redemption and divine life. By the continual working of the Holy Spirit through all the centuries, this goal will be attained at the end of this age. Then the bride, consisting of the overcoming believers, will be ready.
The words “His wife” in Revelation 19:7 refer to the church (Eph. 5:24-25, 31-32), the bride of Christ (John 3:29). However, according to Revelation 19:8 and 9, the wife, the bride of Christ, in verse .7 consists only of the overcoming believers during the millennium, whereas the bride, the wife, in Revelation 21:2 is composed of all the saved saints after the millennium for eternity. The readiness of the bride in 19:7 depends on the maturity in life of the overcomers. Furthermore, the overcomers are not separate individuals but a corporate bride. The overcomers are not only mature in life but are also built together as one bride.
Revelation 19:8 says, “It was given to her that she should be clothed in fine linen, bright and pure; for the fine linen is the righteousnesses of the saints.” “Pure” refers to the nature, whereas “bright” refers to the expression. The Greek word translated “righteousnesses” may also be rendered “righteous acts.” These righteousnesses do not refer to the righteousness (which is Christ) we received for our salvation (1 Cor. 1:30), a righteousness that is objective so that we may meet the requirement of the righteous God. The righteousnesses of the overcoming believers in Revelation 19:8 are subjective so that they may meet the requirements of the overcoming Christ. Hence, the fine linen indicates our overcoming life, our overcoming living. This is actually the Christ whom we live out of our being.
The overcomers will also be the armies in heaven fighting with the coming Christ against Antichrist and his armies (Rev. 17:12-14; 19:11-21). Christ’s armies are composed of His called, chosen, and faithful ones. “He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and they who are with Him are called and chosen and faithful” (Rev. 17:14). Here we see that those with Christ are called, chosen, and faithful. It is significant that “chosen” is mentioned after “called.” To be called is to be saved, but to be chosen is to be approved by the Lord on the basis of an overcoming life. Many are called today, but few will be chosen in the future (Matt. 22:14). We all have been called. In order to be among the chosen in the future, we need to live an overcoming life today. In Revelation 17:14 the chosen ones are those faithful to the Lord who will become His armies.
Revelation 19:14 tells us that those in the Lord’s armies are “dressed in fine linen, white and pure.” This fine linen is the garment of the overcoming believers that qualifies them both to attend the marriage feast of Christ and to fight with Him against His enemy. Thus, the wedding garment becomes the fighting garment. The “fine linen, white and pure” qualifies the overcomers not only to attend the wedding feast but also to be in the armies. The overcomers who follow Christ to fight against His enemy will be properly formed heavenly armies.
The heavenly armies following the Lord will fight against Antichrist and the false prophet and their armies and destroy them. Revelation 19:19 says, “I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies gathered together to make war with Him who sits on the horse and with His army.” Christ’s enemies are the beast. Antichrist (undoubtedly including his associate, the false prophet), and the kings of the earth and their armies. The kings of the earth especially include the ten kings under Antichrist (Rev. 17:12-14), and the armies include the two hundred million cavalry troops from the rising of the sun (Rev. 9:16; 16:12). Christ and His armies will defeat Antichrist and his armies. Christ as the King of kings and the Lord of lords with His armies, composed of the overcoming believers, will defeat Antichrist, the false prophet, and their armies.
