Question: How should I interpret Revelation 3:11?
IMO, that statement is addressed to Israel!
V.11 (a)I come quickly: (b)hold that fast which thou hast, that no one take thy crown.
(a) Reminiscent of the Acts period, but this time without the Jewish human qualification of acceptance; see Acts 28 i.e. had Israel accepted Christ Jesus at Acts 28:28; He would have returned, and John the Baptist would have been "as Elijah"; (Matt. 17:12-13), and on this occasion the statement "I come quickly", is a statement of fact, and not subject to corporate Israel's acceptance of Him as Messiah.
(b) This comment clearly applies to the Jews in context.
The Body of Christ does not have or need such reward, as they are "ever with the Lord" at the "Rapture", and to be with Him is reward enough (1Thess. 4:17). The timing of this event is one of great controversy, some teach at the beginning of the "7 year count down", (so called because it is deemed to be the last 7 years of the prophecy given to Daniel in Dan. 9), which is the writers view. An alternative teaching is 3½ years after the beginning of the 7 years, and coinciding with "the breaking of the Covenant" of Daniel 9. A third is that the Rapture event is at the end of the 7 years. A major theme in the parts of the N.T. that deal with this subject is that the Body of Christ would not be destined for the Wrath of Almighty God, and that logic seems to be backed by Scripture. A possibility is that the Wrath of God on the Gentile Nations, which is alluded to in O.T., and seems specific in N.T., starts after the Salvaging of Remnant Israel. As Remnant Israel is rescued at a critical point in their "Jacob's Trouble" period, some teach that the Rapture of the Lord's Body is not until that event and is simultaneous. This idea raises the distinct possibility that the marking of the forehead or hand by the Beast/Anti-Christ, is for Israel only, see later discussion on this subject.
See: Rev Chapter 3
http://www.revelationsmessage.co.uk/P2%20BACKUP.html
If you have questions or comments, please click here.
Subjectindex or