"And they (the saints of God) overcame him (satan) because of the Blood of the Lamb and because of the Word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even to death." Revelation 12:11
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The Blood of the Lamb
The blood of the New Covenant refers to Jesus' ascension to the heavenly tabernacle that was not made with human hands, to cleanse the tabernacle and the vessels of the ministry in heaven with His own blood.
The Old Testament stipulated that the sacrifice was to be "without blemish" and it's blood was to be poured out on the brazen altar first, as this was the first of the temple furnishings in route to the Holy of Holies. Mishnaic Law further stipulates that the blood of the sacrifice had to be "living", in the sense that if the sacrifice died at any time during the process, it's blood was considered dead at that point. From that place on in progression towards the Holy of Holies, another sacrifice had to be made and it's blood applied. This continued until the High Priest reached the interior of the Holy of Holies. Jesus' blood, however, had the eternal properties of God the Father, so that even though He did experience physical death during the sacrificial offering of His body, His blood never failed to be "living".
The Blood of Jesus was ever living blood and is eternal in its makeup. Once Jesus experienced physical death, the way into the Holy of Holies had been assured. With His body yet on the cross, the Spirit of Jesus descends into the lower parts of the earth and is in Paradise on the same day of His death. He reveals Himself as Messiah to the Old Testament saints and to the thief that acknowledged Him prior to his own death on a cross. Jesus then ascends to the Heavenly Tabernacle and applies His eternal blood upon the altar in heaven, of which the one on earth is a type, enabling captivity to be led captive, fulfilling the Messianic prophecy of Psalm 68:17,18. During this time frame Jesus' body is awaiting the glory of the Father for resurrection. His eternal blood is alive though and is "speaking better" than the blood of Abel. The word better is kreitton which means "stronger", "nobler" and "more excellently". The Blood of Jesus was shed through Jesus' consent and will. His life was not taken from Him by a criminal act of man, like Abel's life, rather Jesus allowed Himself in absolute surrender, to be smitten by God. This was the will of God founded in the foreknowledge of God's eternal counsel. The sovereign LORD was pleased to crush Him, Isaiah 53:10, so that God's holy justice and wrath would be satisfied. Thus, Jesus' blood continues to speak in strength and in excellent nobility.
"... Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled
blood, which speaks better than the blood of Abel. See to it that
you do not refuse Him who is speaking. For if those did not escape
when they refused Him who warned them on earth, much less will
we escape who turn away from Him who warns from heaven."
Hebrews 12:24,25
The blood of Jesus is "speaking" in the Greek present or progressive tense, suggesting its eternal nature in continual activity. The Him used three times in above passage is a participle and is implied. It could be translated as: "See to it that you do not refuse the speaking one. For if they did not escape when they refused the warning one on earth, much less will we escape who turn away from the warning one in heaven." In context, it is possible that the One warning from heaven is a reference to the eternal and speaking Blood of Jesus. The warning from heaven would, in the very least, be not to refuse this precious and eternal Blood of Jesus: that which both cleanses us and frees us from sin.
"If we go on sinning willfully after receiving the knowledge of the
truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain
terrifying expectation of judgment, and "the fury of a fire which
will consume the adversaries". Anyone who has set aside the Law
of Moses dies without mercy on the testimony of two or three
witnesses. How much severer punishment do you think he will
deserve who has trampled under foot the Son of God, and has
regarded as unclean the Blood of the Covenant by which he was
sanctified, and has insulted the Spirit of grace? For we know Him
who said, "Vengeance is Mine, I will repay." And again, "The LORD
will judge His people." It is a terrifying thing to fall into the hands
of the living God." Hebrews 11:26-31
Overcame Because of the Blood of the Lamb
The previous passages are relevant to the process of overcoming seen in Revelation 12:11. The first testimony that overcomers have is that of the Blood of Jesus testifying to their walking in the light of God. The fact the Blood of Jesus still had efficacy upon their consciences showed that it was speaking on their behalf, enabling them to walk in the light in continued fellowship with Jesus and sharing in the Blood of Jesus' cleansing power, I John 1:7.
Overcame Because of the Word of their Testimony
This speaks of the Word of Jesus bearing witness and testifying of them. As the Blood of Jesus spoke a warning which the overcomers heeded, the Word of Jesus also speaks and bears testimony to them, that He is in fellowship with them, I John 1:6, and that they are "walking in the Light." The result is that the Blood of the Lamb has efficacy towards them and continually cleanses them from all unrighteousness, verse 7.
The Word of Jesus testifying of them is similar in concept to "keeping or maintaining the testimony of Jesus."
An angel speaks to John, in Revelation 19:10, and tells him that John's brothers in Christ are those "who hold or have the testimony of Jesus." An angel again speaks to John in Revelation 22:9, this time the angel identifies his brothers as those who "keep, heed or obey the words of this book." The two phrases are identical. Those who "keep, heed and obey the Words of God" are those who hold to and maintain "the testimony of Jesus". The Words of Jesus testify to such men, that they "walked in the same manner as He walked", I John 2:6.
Revelation 12:17 says: "And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and went off to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Jesus." Revelation 14:12 says, "Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus."
Overcame Because They Did Not Love Their Life Even To Death
The word for life here is psuche, and it speaks to the natural life and existence on this earth. A related scripture is as follows:
"He who loves his life loses it; and he who hates his life in this world shall keep it to life eternal." John 12:25
The first two words translated "life" is the Greek word psuche. The last word that is translated "life" in this passage is the Greek word zoe. Zoe is always used in connection to resurrection life and eternal life. The concept of hatred here is similar to what is found in Luke 14:26.
"If anyone comes to Me, and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be My disciple." Luke 14:26
Hatred in these scriptures is completely in the context of comparison. Love and devotion to Jesus is to make all other loves appear as hatred in comparison. The John 12 passage suggests a similar comparison. The desire for life eternal so supersedes an existence on this earth, that life on this earth appears to be hated in comparison. So the saint longs for his true home, in the same way that a stranger in a foreign land longs to see his home once again.
In Conclusion:
It is not difficult to see a connection in my study between the two scriptures that I introduced at the very beginning. The one in I John talks of the victory that overcomes the world and the one from Revelation speaks to overcoming our accusing adversary. Faith is source of overcoming in both cases. The first is in relation to overcoming the constituents from which sin is derived: the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life. The latter is in relation to the adversary who accuses the saints before God. The relationship is that if the saint overcomes the constituent items that birth sin through their conception, then the accusations of the adversary can only fall to the ground, in the very light of the things testifying to both Jesus and the Christian.
And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.
Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes
that Jesus is the Son of God? This is he who came by water and
blood—Jesus Christ; not by the water only but by the water and the
blood. And the Spirit is the one who testifies, because the Spirit
is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit and the
water and the blood; and these three agree. If we receive the
testimony of men, the testimony of God is greater, for this is the
testimony of God that he has borne concerning his Son.
I John 5:5-9
I believe the above passage speaks of the water or Word of God and the Blood of Jesus which testifies and speaks. The Spirit of God testifies, as well: and these three always agree.
The testimony of God bearing witness to the overcomer is a three fold cord.
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