'Weep not: behold, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of

David, hath prevailed (nikao overcome) to open the book, and to

loose the seven seals thereof' (Rev. 5:5).  John tells us that he

beheld, and lo, in the midst of the throne, he saw, not a lion,

but a Lamb, and not only a Lamb, but One that had been slain.

This embodies all that is contained in the expression 'Him that

overcometh' or 'they overcame by the blood of the Lamb'.

Scripture is true; it does not hide from the overcomer that the

struggle will be deadly, and for a while, he will appear to have been

forsaken in the fight.

The false Christ is seen going forth 'conquering, and to conquer'

(Rev. 6:2).

'The beast that ascendeth out of the bottomless pit shall make

war against them, and shall overcome them' (Rev. 11:7).

'And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and to

overcome them' (Rev. 13:7).

The link between the overcomer and the seven churches with the closing scenes

of the Revelation, may be set out

as follows.  It will be seen that the opening words of encouragement given in

chapter 1 look to their fulfilment in chapter 20.  Let us see this more

clearly.  First, the Saviour declares:

'I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for

evermore' (Rev. 1:18).

This would put heart into those who, like the believer in the church of

Smyrna, was exhorted and comforted by the words:

'Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life'

(Rev. 2:10).

The Saviour continued:

'And have the keys of hell and of death' (Rev. 1:18).

In Revelation 20:14 we read that 'death and hell' were cast into the

lake of fire.  Now keys are ostensibly a means of 'opening' and 'shutting',

and upon 'opening' the book and 'loosing' the seals, 'Death and Hell' ride

forth as is revealed in Revelation 6:8.  He that 'opens and no man shuts',

can also 'shut and no man open' (Rev. 3:7), and this is a part of the

encouragement given to the church at Philadelphia.

In Revelation 9:1 an angel has the key of the bottomless pit, and opens

it.  In Revelation 20:1 an angel has the key of the bottomless pit and shuts

it, to loosen or open it after a little season.  Consequently it is not the

destruction of death and hades that is in view in Revelation 20:14, it is the

turning of the key once more for a period, for there will be death right up

to the very end of time, 'For He must reign, till He hath put all enemies

under His feet, the last enemy that shall be destroyed is death' (1 Cor.

15:25,26).  Even in the new heavens and new earth there will be those who

'die' and 'carcases', 'worms' and 'fire' are still there as a warning (Isa.

65:17 -20; 66:22 -24).  We must leave this aspect of the subject for a time,

to consider the meaning of the term, 'the second death'.  If by the term 'the