A Study of the Bible.

I'm reading a lot of the old testament right now. You know, cause of class, and the never ending cycle of "oh, i read that for class.... but now i'm about 3 books behind because I wanted to read everything else related to that topic" thing. ha. I learn by relation. So anything I learn I relate it to something else already learned. focus. right. so I also have been reading on repeat the gospels and revelation. Let me tell you my dear friend revelation just blows up my mind. Not in the thinking way well i'm referring to the way that I think which is visually when reading. revelation 4:5 -11 makes me wish i could draw. 

anyway. Not what I'm talking about. 

In the prophecy there's these messages to the seven churches (which are also "lampstands"). At the end of every message there's a statement that says "he who has an ear....He who overcomes." Coincidence... I think not. 

to Ephesus: "to him who overcomes, I will grant to eat of the tree of life which is in the Paradise of God." (2:7) [ okay... okay... so .. alright]

to Smyrna: "He who overcomes will not be hurt by the second death"( 2:11) [so this overcomer; perhaps he overcame death. okay maybe he's Jesus. Cause if he's not hurt by the second death He had to have experienced first death right? what's the second death? ]

to Perganum: "to him who overcomes, to him I will give some of the hidden manna, and I will give him a white stone, and a new name written on the stone which no one knows but he who receives it." (2:17) [i want this? is that allowed. I've read these over and over again and all I have to say to this is I want hidden manna. I want a new name that no one knows.]

to Thyatira: "he who overcomes, and he who keeps My deeds until the end, to him I will give authority over the nations; and he shall rule them with a rod of iron, as the vessels of the potter are broken to pieces, as I also have received authority from My Father; and I will give him the morning star." (2:26-28) [wait a minute. this is written in red. Jesus is speaking. rewind oh yes the one sitting on the throne is speaking these things. Wait so is He speaking of himself. or is He speaking of someone else. One ruler of all nations. Wow. That's some power wielding right there. What's a morning star. the Sun? Jesus is the morning star I think. so he who overcomes receives Jesus. If this Jesus is talking about himself receiving himself. That's a bit confusing.]

to Sardis: "he who overcomes will thus be clothes in white garments; and I will not erase his name from the book of life, and I will confess his name before My Father and before his angels." (3:5) [am I he who overcomes? Jesus is the intercessor who speaks on our behalf to His father? right. huh. Or Jesus ohhh boy. this might be beyond my thoughts. 

to Philadelphia: "he who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name." (3:12) [wow homeboy's got a lot written on him. the name of God. the name of city of God. and his new name. So. huh. okay. so yes.]

to Laodicia: "He who overcomes, I will grant to him to sit down with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with my Father on His throne." [christlikeness just came to a whole new level. So if this is us .. not saying it is.. but if it is. We get to sit down with Jesus. and Jesus is with big G. so we get to sit with Jesus and God. whoa. 

end what's written in red. 

so then later there are these seals. which can't be opened. John was weeping and an elder said. that "stop weeping; behold the lion that is from the tribe of Judah, the Root of David has overcome." (5:5) Okay so in every message to the churches there's this bit about the overcomer. and Jesus is the overcomer. That's true. But is it not strange that he's talking about himself? Sorry if you were expecting some great understanding. I basically was just giving you a tour through how I read the bible. Alright all my friends out there that know a lot about this stuff. Holla at me. I'd appreciate it.