I often heard Dr. R. (Dr. Earl Radmacher) say, “This life is training time for reigning time.” Once we believe in Jesus for everlasting life, we are eternally secure. The issue then becomes how full our lives will be now and forever. Will we reign with Him in the life to come? God uses all the events of our lives, both the good times and the hardships, to train us.
Joseph, the son of Jacob, is an OT example of what Dr. R. was talking about. He was seventeen when his brothers betrayed him and sold him into slavery (Gen 37:2). He spent about a year as a slave in Potiphar’s house and about twelve years as a prisoner in a dungeon for a crime he did not commit. He was thirty when he was finally released from prison (Gen 41:46).
Through two dreams, God had promised Joseph that he would rule. That promise was fulfilled. Joseph rose to great power, being the prime minister of the most powerful nation on earth.
Joseph’s experience was a lot like the relationship between us and the Rapture. He knew he would be set free from prison at some point. But when? He never thought he’d have to spend more than a decade in a dungeon. And when, after ten years, he correctly interpreted the dream of the Pharaoh’s chief cupbearer, he thought his release would occur that week. He ended up waiting two more years.
He knew he would rule in this life. He just didn’t know when it would begin.
Interestingly, the Eleven plus Matthias knew they would rule in Jesus’ kingdom (Matt 19:28). They are the only church age believers who were sure they would persevere to the end of their lives. You see, only those who fight the good fight, finish the race, and keep the faith will rule. Until he was only days away from being martyred, not even the Apostle Paul knew he would do that (compare 1 Cor 9:27 with 2 Tim 4:6-8).
The Lord taught many parables about the need to persevere so that we might rule with Him, including the Parable of the Just and Unjust Servant (Matt 24:45-51), the Parable of the Ten Virgins (Matt 25:1-13), the Parable of the Minas (Luke 19:11-26), the Parable of the Four Soils (Luke 8:4-15), and the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matt 22:1-14). His seven letters to seven churches in Revelation 2-3 all call for perseverance so that the believing readers would rule with Him (e.g., Rev 3:21).i
We live in a sinful, fallen world. It is no coincidence that one of the great Judgment Seat of Christ passages, 2 Cor 5:9-11, is part of a context dealing with the groaning we do in these mortal bodies (2 Cor 5:2, 4) as we await our glorified bodies (2 Cor 5:1-8).
We need to keep our eyes focused on what God has promised us if we endure in the faith. “If we endure, we shall also reign with Him” (2 Tim 2:12).
I hope you long to hear Him say, “Well done, good servant; because you were faithful in a very little, have authority over ten cities” (Luke 19:17). Having His approval at the Bema would be a wonderful reward. But that is also combined with treasure, rulership, and various other perseverance prizes that rulers will receive (e.g., the right to eat the fruit of the tree of life, the hidden manna, special white garments, and a beautiful, engraved stone with a special name on it).
Keep grace in focus.
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i Zane Hodges has suggested that Rev 3:21, “To him who overcomes I will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne,” is directed not only to the Laodiceans (Rev 3:14-20) but is a summary statement to all seven churches. Of course, similar statements are found in the six previous letters (Rev 2:7, 10, 17, 26; 3:5, 11-12).
