“These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful” (Revelation 17:14).

The Greek word “eklektos” that is translated as “chosen” in this verse is the same Greek word that is translated as “elect” in Matthew 24:24. It means selected. As we have previously seen, this word is used to refer to the people of faith, the children of promise, the church. It is also the same word that is translated as “chosen” in Matthew 22:14, where it says, “Many are called, but few are chosen.”

The word “called” in this verse means “invited.” God desires that none would perish (2 Peter 3:9). He has therefore, time and time again, called for people to repent and turn back to Him. “The Lord sent all His servants the prophets to you time and time again, but you have not obeyed or even paid attention.  He announced, ‘Turn, each of you, from your evil way of life and from your evil deeds’” (Jeremiah 25:4-5, HCSB).

God even sent His only Son, Jesus, to call people to repent, and through Him to return to God. Jesus said in Matthew 11:28, “Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest.” This invitation was directed to “all,” to any that were weary. Again, Jesus offered the invitation in John 7:37-38 saying, “If anyone is thirsty, let him come to Me and drink. He who believes in Me, as the Scripture said, ‘From his innermost being will flow rivers of living water.’” Finally, in Revelation 22:17, “The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come!’ He who hears, let him say, ‘Come!’ He who is thirsty, let him come. He who desires, let him take the water of life freely” (WEB).

Paul writes in Romans 10:18, “Their voice has gone out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world.” He is referring to the gospel message offering salvation to all who will repent and come to God through faith in Jesus Christ. These are the called, everyone to whom God has offered the free gift of eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ.

The ones that respond to this call, this invitation, by faith, are the elect, the chosen. The ones that respond by faith to the gospel message are selected by God to receive His free gift of eternal life through Jesus Christ the Lord.

Matthew 22:14 says, “For many are called, but few are chosen.” The called in this verse are all those to whom the offer of salvation through faith in Christ has been extended. They have been invited. The chosen are the few that have accepted the invitation and have come by faith to Christ. They have been selected by God to be His people.

So we return to Revelation 17:14 and consider again, who are these that are with Christ that are referred to as called, chosen, and faithful? We have identified the called, and we have identified the chosen. But who are the faithful?

In Revelation chapters 2 and 3, Jesus sends a letter to each of seven churches. He ends each letter with a promise to the victorious Christians, to those that overcome every trial and persevere, enduring to the end. They are the ones that remain steadfast in their faith and are faithfully and joyfully waiting for the return, the appearing of their Lord, Jesus Christ.

To the church in Ephesus He says, “I will give the victor the right to eat from the tree of life.” To the church in Smyrna He says, “The victor will never be harmed by the second death.” To the church in Pergamum He says, “I will give the victor some of the hidden manna.” To the church in Thyatira He says, “The victor and the one who keeps My works to the end: I will give him authority over the nations.” To the church in Sardis He says, “The victor will be dressed in white clothes, and I will never erase his name from the book of life, but will acknowledge his name before My Father and before His angels.” To the church in Philadelphia He says, “The victor: I will make him a pillar in the sanctuary of My God.” To the church In Laodicea He says, “The victor: I will give him the right to sit with Me on My throne, just as I also won the victory and sat down with My Father on His throne” (HCSB).

John observes in Revelation 20:4-6, “Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” These that have attained unto the first resurrection will rule and reign with Christ. These have faithfully endured unto the end, suffering with Christ, even to the point of death. The word translated as “first” in this passage means “foremost” in time, place, order, or importance. It means first or best.

Paul writes longingly in Philippians 3:10-15, “That I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus. Brethren, I do not regard myself as having laid hold of it yet; but one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and reaching forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude.”

Paul’s goal was to attain unto this first, best, resurrection. This was the purpose for which he was laid hold of by Christ. Christ desires that all the chosen would be faithful. This should also be our goal.

The faithful are the ones that have endured to the end and could say with Paul, “For I am already being poured out as a drink offering, and the time of my departure has come. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith; in the future there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day; and not only to me, but also to all who have loved His appearing” (2 Timothy 4:6-8).

A crown indicates royalty. It indicates one that will rule and reign. It reminds us that we are to be a royal priesthood. “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light” (1 Peter 2:9, NIV).

Hebrews 11 rehearses the lives and the works of God’s people that endured every manner of trial and temptation and became heirs of the righteousness that comes by faith. By faith, through obedience, they pleased God. Verse 39 says, “And all these, having gained approval through their faith, did not receive what was promised, because God had provided something better for us, so that apart from us they would not be made perfect.” These sought something better. They sought the fulfillment of the heavenly promise, and they would not be satisfied with earthly treasures.

All of these passages refer to the “faithful” that are with Christ in Revelation 17:14 and in Revelation 20:1-6. These are the ones that are called and chosen and faithful. These all sought an eternity of ruling and reigning with Christ, rejoicing in God’s glorious presence. They sought to attain unto that for which they were called and chosen. They were faithful.

So, who are the ones that are called, and chosen, but not faithful? In Matthew 25, Jesus is sitting on the Mount of Olives speaking to His disciples about the end times and the kingdom of heaven. He tells them a parable about the talents. He said it is like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. To one he gave five talents. To another he gave two talents. And to the third slave he gave one talent. He gave to each one according to their ability.

When the master returned from his journey, he settled accounts with each of the slaves. The one with the five talents had earned five more. The master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.” The one with two talents had earned two more talents. The master said to him, “Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.”

The one with the one talent said, “I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.” His master said to him, ‘You wicked, lazy slave.” Then the master said, “Take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents. For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.” The Greek word “exoteros” translated as “outer” means exterior. The Greek word “skotos” translated as “darkness” means shadiness.

Notice that the slaves that used what their master had entrusted to them to gain more for their master were referred to by their master as faithful. The slave that was afraid, produced no fruit and gained nothing for his master from all that was entrusted to him, was referred to by his master as wicked, lazy and worthless. His time and his talents had been wasted.

This is similar to the parable of the sower in Matthew 13:20-23. “The one on whom seed was sown on the rocky places, this is the man who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no firm root in himself, but is only temporary, and when affliction or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he falls away. And the one on whom seed was sown among the thorns, this is the man who hears the word, and the worry of the world and the deceitfulness of wealth choke the word, and it becomes unfruitful. And the one on whom seed was sown on the good soil, this is the man who hears the word and understands it; who indeed bears fruit and brings forth, some a hundredfold, some sixty, and some thirty.”

The one that hears the word and understands it bears much fruit. The others that hear the word and receive it joyfully produce no fruit because they are overcome by persecution or affliction, or they are distracted by the worries of the world and the deceitfulness of riches that choke off the word. Having failed to understand the word and therefore having failed to value the word, these were not steadfast in their faith. They had no root and they lost their focus on what was important.

The faithful were ushered into the joy of their master. They were faithful over a few things and were therefore put in charge of many things. They will rule and reign with their master. This is like the ones in the first resurrection in Revelation 20 that ruled and reigned with Christ for 1,000 years. This is also like the ones that rule and reign with God for eternity in the New Jerusalem in Revelation 22:1-5.

The unfaithful are cast into outer darkness where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. This could be like the one that was not allowed in to partake of the wedding feast in Matthew 22:1-13. When the king came in to view the guests, he saw one that did not have on a wedding garment. The king ordered that the guest that was not properly dressed be bound hand and foot and cast out into outer darkness where there was weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Revelation 19:7-9 says, ‘“Let us rejoice and be glad and give the glory to Him, for the marriage of the Lamb has come and His bride has made herself ready.’ It was given to her to clothe herself in fine linen, bright and clean; for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the saints. Then he said to me, ‘Write, “Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.’””

The righteous acts of the saints, refers to them having ceased from their own works and having rested in the finished work of Christ, being justified by the blood that He shed for them. It refers to them working in obedience to the leading of Christ as the indwelling Spirit empowering them to do everything that God required of them. It refers to them loving one another as Christ had loved them.

As Christians, we must understand that we will be judged by how we live this life, whether walking according to the Spirit, or walking according to the lusts of the flesh. Are we abiding in Christ, walking as He walked (1John 2:6)? Are we holy as He is holy (1 Peter 1:16)? The Spirit is given to born-again believers to enable them to live holy lives and to walk as Jesus walked, in full obedience to the Father.

Our eternal destiny will depend on whether we walk in faithful obedience to the Lord and endure all hardship for His sake and for His glory. If we continue steadfast in the faith, we will receive that crown of righteousness. If we endure trials joyfully as an opportunity to learn obedience and to grow unto maturity in Christ, remaining faithful unto the end, we will receive that crown of righteousness.

However, if we are unfaithful, we will suffer great loss. If we allow persecution and affliction to discourage us from walking in obedience to the Lord, we will be considered wicked, lazy and unfaithful servants. If we allow the cares of this life and the deceitfulness of wealth to choke off the word that has been entrusted to us, we will be considered wicked, lazy and unfaithful servants. We will be as the unfruitful slave that was cast into outer darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

“For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man’s work will become evident; for the day will show it because it is to be revealed with fire, and the fire itself will test the quality of each man’s work. If any man’s work which he has built on it remains, he will receive a reward. If any man’s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire” (I Corinthians 3:11-15).

If we walk according to the flesh, serving the Lord in our own strength, according to our own understanding, we will be like those in I Corinthians 3 that built with wood, hay, and straw. At the judgment, their works were destroyed, burned up, yet they were saved as through fire. They did not receive a reward, but rather they suffered great loss.

2 Peter 3:7 says, “But the heavens that exist now and the earth, by the same word have been stored up for fire, being reserved against the day of judgment and destruction of ungodly men.” Verses 10-12 continue, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in which the heavens will pass away with a great noise, and the elements will be dissolved with fervent heat, and the earth and the works that are in it will be burned up. Therefore since all these things will be destroyed like this, what kind of people ought you to be in holy living and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, which will cause the burning heavens to be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells.”

Revelation 21 and 22 reveals that John sees the city, New Jerusalem, coming down from the new heavens to the new earth. The New Jerusalem is adorned as a bride prepared for her husband. It is revealed that God’s dwelling place will be in the New Jerusalem. John says in 21:3-4, “I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

“Those who are victorious will inherit all this, and I will be their God and they will be my children” (Revelation 21:7, NIV). The victorious will inherit the New Jerusalem with all of its blessings. The victorious elect will inherit all the promises of God, all the promises that God has made through His apostles and prophets to the children of promise.

Verse 24 says that the nations will walk in the light of the New Jerusalem. The kings of the earth will bring the glory and honor of the nations into the New Jerusalem. The leaves of the tree of life will be for the healing of the nations. Isaiah 66:22-24 says that the nations will come to the New Jerusalem to worship the Lord. As they leave, they will see the lake of fire, a memorial of God’s righteous judgment where they will see the corpses, the dead bodies of those that rebelled against the Lord. Revelation 21:7-8 says, “It is done! I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give to the thirsty water without price from the fountain of life. The victorious shall inherit these things, and I will be God to him and he will be son to Me. But as for the cowards, the faithless and the corrupt, the murderers, the traffickers in sex and sorcery, the worshippers of idols and all liars—their inheritance is in the lake which burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death” (Phillips).

Three places are recorded as being on the new earth. The city of New Jerusalem adorned as a bride for her husband, will be the inheritance of the faithful, the victorious Christians, the children of promise, the Jewish and Gentile people of faith in Christ from every age or era.

Outside the city will be the lake of fire with the corpses of the rebellious as a memorial of God’s righteous judgment. Also, outside the city will be the outer darkness, the exterior area of shadiness. This place of shadow outside the city is where the nations will live.

Those that are not faithful to use what was entrusted to them for the building up of the church and for the glory of God may find that their eternal destiny is not within the New Jerusalem, but outside of it. Isaiah 65:17-19 says, “For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former things will not be remembered, nor come into mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in that which I create; for, behold, I create Jerusalem to be a delight, and her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; and the voice of weeping and the voice of crying will be heard in her no more.”

Verses 20-22 reveal the life of those outside of the New Jerusalem saying, “No more will there be an infant who only lives a few days, nor an old man who has not filled his days; for the child will die one hundred years old, and the sinner being one hundred years old will be accursed. They will build houses and inhabit them. They will plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They will not build and another inhabit. They will not plant and another eat” (WEB). We know that this is not speaking of those inside the New Jerusalem because Revelation 21:4, speaking of the New Jerusalem says, “Death will be no more.”

May we all continue steadfast in our faith and endure to the end. Let us consider one another as better than ourselves. Let us commit ourselves to using that which has been entrusted to us, the life of Christ as the Spirit within our spirit, and the gifts of the Spirit, to build the church and to glorify God in all we say and do. May our desire be for every believer to arrive at the unity of the faith and to attain unto maturity, growing together into the fulness of the stature of Christ.

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:19-25, NIV).

May we all be victorious Christians!

Writings By Jon von Ernst

The Lord of All Things Series - A Trilogy of Truth 
Books in this series:
Book 1 - The Gospel of the Kingdom
Book 2- The Victorious Christian
Book 3 - Walking in the Light  -  Following in His Steps

*- Audio of these books are available free of charge at thepureword.net.