Philadelphia: Rev. 3:7-13

Introduction

The church at Philadelphia was known as the faithful church. They received no condemnation in this letter, but lots of promises. We should try to be more like this church.

The Recipient of the Letter vs 7a

Like all the other letters this one is written to the angel of the Church in Philadelphia, but would be passed from church to church.

Philadelphia

Little is known about the Church in Philadelphia, it is likely that this church was started during Paul’s ministry in Ephesus.

The city was known as the “The City of Brotherly Love.”

It was the youngest of the 7 cities addressed here and was found some time after 189 B.C.

It was located about 30 miles southeast of Sardis and was located on top of an 800 foot hill overlooking and important road. Though it would’ve been a great military city, it was founded primarily to be a center of Greek culture and language, A missionary outpost for spreading Hellenism to the regions of Lydia and Phrygia. They did so well that by A.D. 19 the Lydian language had been completely replaced by greek.

It was known as the “gateway to the east”

The city was damaged by an earthquake in A.D. 17 anD

Philadelphia still survives as modern day town, Alasehir, Turkey.

The Writer of the Letter vs. 7b

The names Jesus uses to describe himself

He that is Holy

Holy - Perfectly just and good

Jesus Christ is Holy, The cherubims and seraphims cry out “Holy, Holy, Holy”

1 Peter 1:15–16 “But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.”

Revelation 4:8 “And the four beasts had each of them six wings about him; and they were full of eyes within: and they rest not day and night, saying, Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty, which was, and is, and is to come.”

Mark 1:24 “Saying, Let us alone; what have we to do with thee, thou Jesus of Nazareth? art thou come to destroy us? I know thee who thou art, the Holy One of God.”

Jesus’ identification of himself as he that is Holy can be no less than a direct claim to deity.

One commentary said this “The Lord Jesus Christ possesses in undiminished, unaltered essence the Holy and Sinless nature of God. Because Christ is Holy, his church must be as well.”

He that is true

In the midst of false prophets, perversion of the word of God and wickedness, Jesus is truth!

Revelation 6:10 “And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?”

Revelation 15:3 “And they sing the song of Moses the servant of God, and the song of the Lamb, saying, Great and marvellous are thy works, Lord God Almighty; just and true are thy ways, thou King of saints.”

He that hath the key of David

Isaiah 22:22 “And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; So he shall open, and none shall shut; And he shall shut, and none shall open.”

Because of Jesus we have access to the treasures of the King.

The key hanging on the shoulder in Is. 22:22 was symbolic of governmental authority, given access to the treasures of the kingdom. Through Jesus Christ we have full access to the treasures of the king.

This key proves the sovereign nature of God.

The last part of verse 7 stresses the omnipotence of God.

No one is powerful enough to close a door that Jesus opened and no one is powerful enough to open a door that Jesus has closed. He has the only key to the door!

The Commendations vs. 8-10

I know thy works

Jesus had just introduced himself as Holy, true, sovereign and omnipotent and then tells the church I know your works.

Unlike the other churches Philadelphia only receives commendations. They were doing God’s work God’s way and because of that Jesus is going to give them some things they are doing well.

Because of their works Jesus set an open door to receive blessings that no man can shut.

This church was a blessed church that was receiving the blessings of God on their church.

Because of the faithfulness of this church God opened the windows of heaven and continued to pour out blessings on them.

No matter the persecution and trials that would come as this church continued, God would continue to bless it.

For thou hast little strength

This is talking about them being a weak church, but rather a small church.

I think a lot of us are taught that if a church is big it’s blessed, here this proves that the size of the church doesn’t matter to Jesus, the heart of the church does.

Though this church was small in number, it was faithful to what God had called it to do.

Remember what the Apostle Paul said

2 Corinthians 12:10 “Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, in distresses for Christ’s sake: for when I am weak, then am I strong.”

Despite the small size of the church, spiritual power flowed in the church at Philadelphia. People were getting saved and lives were being transformed by the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

for clarity, I think it is more important to grow spiritually than numerically, and we should pray for both.

We should pray for our church to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ.

We should also pray that our church would grow numerically so we can widen the reach of the Gospel in our church.

they kept His word

Job 23:12 “Neither have I gone back from the commandment of his lips; I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food.”

When Martin Luther was on trial before the Imperial diet he said this “My conscience is captive to the Word of God”

They didn’t stray from their obedience to the word of God, proving their love for God

John 14:23–24 “Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Father’s which sent me.”

John 15:13–14 “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends. Ye are my friends, if ye do whatsoever I command you.”

They didn’t deny His name

No matter what they were facing they didn’t deny the name of Jesus.

They remained loyal to God no matter what it would cost them, and we can too.

The promise of Jesus vs. 9

Promise 1

Jesus promised that he would take those who were claiming to be jews, that were worshipping in the synagogue of Satan to bow down before Jesus in front of the church at Philadelphia

Henry Morris said this “These Jews who were of the synagogue of Satan would not worship the Philadelphian believers themselves (not even angels would accept that kind of worship), but in the presence of these believers, they will bow down to the Lord whom they had rejected on the earth

Philippians 2:10 “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;”

Promise 2

Because they kept the word of his patience he will keep them from the hour of temptation

This “Hour of temptation” was yet to “come upon all the world” so this statement could not have referred to any events of the first century. It’s purpose will be to “try them that dwell upon the earth.” It is a time of judgement on unbelievers, not on believers. This testing will be “the great day of his wrath”, the seven year period of tribulation at the end of the age. God has promised to deliver all true believers from this “hour of temptation” this passage clearly teaches that the ressurection and rapture of true Christian believers must take place before the hour of temptation begins.

The final promises vs. 11-12

He promises to come quickly and charges the church to hold fast to the things they have.

Jesus coming will be in a moment in the twinkling of an eye, we must remain faithful to Him until he calls us home.

Christ promises a people who were used to having to flee their city because of earthquakes and aftershocks, that when they get to the new jerusalem they have security!

We would have Christ name written on us proving we belong to Him.

We are promised eternal citizenship in the new Jerusalem where will be spend all of eternity praising him!

What our finite mind understands about Jesus will be fully developed and we will know his new name!

Conclusion vs. 13

Jesus ends this letter like he ends all of the letters, by reminding them to listen and take heed to what the letter he wrote told them.

Will christ find us faithful until the end?