164. Power
Revelation 2:26 And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations.
The fourth promise to the overcomer: Power over the Nations. “Power” means authority or right to rule; it does not mean force or strength. “Nations” means all the peoples living on the inhabited earth. Jesus gives believers the right to rule over the people of earth. How can this be? Does he mean now temporally before the End or eternally after the End of the world? Probably He means both, now and later, but in a different way. Now the power or authority we exercise over the nations is the preaching of the Gospel, that is, the authority to forgive sins and deliver sinners. Later, the overcomer rules with Christ over the new heaven and new earth.
The authority over the nations of this temporal world of people is hidden; it is hidden in that it is spiritual and in the hearts of people. When the Gospel is proclaimed something momentous happens: the nations are converted to the kingdom of God, transferred by the Gospel from the kingdoms of the world into the kingdom of God. The invisible Church wields this invisible authority. This right to rule lives does not mean we can make them do what we want, but it does mean we have the ruling power to change lives for eternity. The authority to preach repentance and forgiveness of sins brings about invisible change, and this change is always for good and for God, not my will but His be done, through our authority to preach the Gospel.
The authority over the nations of the future, eternal kingdom of God will not be hidden. It will be seen and experienced by all the redeemed people who have authority over one another. The authority is the authority of love that is ever willing to serve and give to others. Each person in Paradise mutually gives and receives the authority of love to each other; everyone takes care of everyone else and everyone takes of me. Everyone gives and receives perfect love; love is the greatest power in the universe, given with authority to make happen what God wants. This would be paradise, and this is our promise. Ultimately, it says: God’s Love rules all. The amazing part is that the believers get to share in that beneficent rule.