Revelation 2:26: And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto the end, to him will I give power over the nations

Christ told the Thyatiran saints that if they held fast to his doctrine¹ they would overcome all things² and inherit eternal life.³ To overcome, however, the saints had to keep Christ's works (commandments)⁴ unto the end.⁵ The same promise is repeated in latter-day revelation found in the Doctrine and Covenants.⁶

Saints that qualify for eternal life shall also be given power over the nations⁷ at the Second Coming.⁸ At that time, Christ will make a full end of all nations⁹ in the company of his exalted saints called the kings of the east from Revelation 16:12.¹⁰ All earthly nations and their false religions will end¹¹ as Christ establishes his political and ecclesiastical kingdom on earth.¹² The Joseph Smith Translation of Revelation 2:26 changes power over the nations to "power over many kingdoms."¹³ This change recognizes that when all earthly nations are destroyed, the saints who are exalted kings and queens¹⁴ shall rule over endless kingdoms and dominions.¹⁵ There will be glorified kingdoms upon glorified kingdoms,¹⁶ for there is no space in which there is no kingdom.¹⁷

Revelation 2:27: And he shall rule them with a rod of iron; as the vessels of a potter shall they be broken to shivers: even as I received of my Father.

The rod of iron symbolizes the word of God in the Book of Mormon.¹⁸ Here that meaning expands to include the power of exalted saints to rule by the word of God.¹⁹ Although a rod of iron is typically firm and unyielding,²⁰ the Joseph Smith Translation expresses a more benevolent rule associated with the forthcoming millennium by replacing the rod of iron with the word of God.²¹ A similar change occurs in Revelation 19:15, where Christ rules the nations with a rod of iron in the King James Version,²² but by the word of his mouth in the Joseph Smith Translation.²³ In Revelation 12:5, Jehovah had power to rule all nations with a rod of iron in the premortal existence, and those words remain unchanged in the Joseph Smith Translation.²⁴

Revelation 2:27 includes the destructive image of vessels of a potter... broken to shivers.²⁵ Once again, the Joseph Smith Translation changes this harsh image of broken nations to a more benevolent image of nations that "shall be in his hands as the vessels of clay in the hands of a potter."²⁶ This symbolizes the creative and procreative powers of exalted saints to mold their own kingdoms,²⁷ as their own lives have been molded like clay in the hands of the master potter.²⁸ The Joseph Smith Translation also adds that exalted saints in the millennium "shall govern [the nations] by faith, with equity and justice, even as I received of my Father."²⁹ Thus, even as Christ did only the things which he saw his father do,³⁰ the exalted saints shall do only the things in their kingdoms that they have seen the Savior do.³¹

The rod of iron has a dualistic meaning.³² At the Second Coming, the word of God will be a violent rod of iron as Christ smites wicked people with the sword of his mouth³³ and makes a full end of all earthly nations.³⁴ During the millennium,³⁵ however, the word of God will become the benevolent staff of a shepherd³⁶ used by Christ and his exalted saints to rule in peace.³⁷

Revelation 2:28-29: And I will give him the morning star. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

Jesus Christ is the morning star.³⁸ The prophecy in Numbers 24:17 states that Christ will rise like a star to rule with great power.³⁹ Those that overcome and are exalted will be given the morning star,⁴⁰ which means they will have his power and attributes.⁴¹ That is, they will be like Christ⁴² and will be a morning star as he is.⁴³

Pre-eminent spirits born early in the dawn or morning of the spirit creation are also called morning stars.⁴⁴ Satan (Lucifer) was among the firstborn morning stars⁴⁵ in the premortal existence.⁴⁶ He was a morning star like Christ (Jehovah)⁴⁷ until he rebelled and fell from his high station.⁴⁸ Similarly, the Thyatiran saints were to have the title of morning star, but only as they overcame and were perfected in Christ.⁴⁹ At a future day they will be given the fulness of Christ's attributes⁵⁰ as they are reborn⁵¹ with exalted bodies⁵² in the dawn or morning of the first resurrection.⁵³ On the other hand, many saints from Thyatira fell as Lucifer fell when they came to know the depths of Satan.⁵⁴ These fallen saints will become like Satan as though no atonement had been made.⁵⁵ With this dichotomy in mind, John's letter to the church in Thyatira ends with the familiar admonition, saying: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith.⁵⁶