“To Him That Conquers”

13. (a) What blessing awaited the Ephesians if they ‘conquered’? (b) How would Ephesian Christians ‘conquer’?

¹³ Finally, as he does also in his other messages, Jesus calls attention to God’s spirit as making known through Jesus the rewards for faithfulness. To the Ephesians he says: “Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: To him that conquers I will grant to eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God.” (Revelation 2:7) Those with hearing ears would be eager to heed that vital message, knowing that it did not come on Jesus’ initiative but that it flowed from the Sovereign Lord Jehovah himself through His holy spirit, or active force. How would they ‘conquer’? By following closely in the steps of Jesus, who kept integrity to the death and so could say: “Take courage! I have conquered the world.”​—John 8:28; 16:33; see also 1 John 5:4.

14. To what must “the paradise of God” mentioned by Jesus refer?

¹⁴ Since they have no prospect of living in an earthly paradise, how is it that anointed Christians, such as those Ephesians, are rewarded with eating “of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God”? This could not be the restored Paradise on earth, since the 144,000 anointed Christians, including those of the congregation at Ephesus, are bought from among mankind to rule with the Lamb, Christ Jesus, on the heavenly Mount Zion as spirit sons. (Ephesians 1:5-12; Revelation 14:1, 4) Hence, the reference here must be to the heavenly gardenlike realm inherited by these conquerors. There, “in the paradise of God,” yes, in the very presence of Jehovah himself, these overcomers who have been granted immortality will continue to live eternally, as symbolized here by their eating of the tree of life.

6. (a) Why should the Christians in Smyrna not be afraid? (b) How did Jesus conclude his message to the congregation in Smyrna?

⁶ Nevertheless, the Christians in Smyrna should not be afraid or compromise. If they remain faithful to the end, there is laid up for them as a reward “the crown of life,” in their case immortal life in the heavens. (1 Corinthians 9:25; 2 Timothy 4:6-8) The apostle Paul viewed this precious prize as worth the sacrifice of everything else, even his earthly life. (Philippians 3:8) Evidently, those faithful ones in Smyrna feel the same way. Jesus concludes his message by saying: “Let the one who has an ear hear what the spirit says to the congregations: He that conquers will by no means be harmed by the second death.” (Revelation 2:11) The conquerors are assured of immortal heavenly life that cannot be touched by death.​—1 Corinthians 15:53, 54.

Prove yourself faithful even to death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10)