The Revelation of Jesus Christ

    Be Bereans,…. Acts 17:11

                          Revelation Chapter 3:7-13/

The Church of Philadelphia

There was a City in Jordan,,,East… This Philadelphia Is in Asia Minor   Still a functioning city today

Lets read Revelation 3:7-13

Re 3:7

¶ And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

Re 3:8

I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

Re 3:9

Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

Re 3:10

Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.

Re 3:11

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

Re 3:12

Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Re 3:13

He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches

So if your just joining us we are studying the 7 churches of Asia minor The Apostle John on his face, Before the Glorified CHRIST

Jesus dictating to John,….

In these churches contains the important lessons not only to the Historical church, but the corporate body of believers in the Church we attend and with out a doubt us personally.

Jesus could have picked any Churches,

He chose these because they lend toward the spiritual lessons HE was intending to communicate through them. He wants us to Hear what HE is saying.

What he deems important for the church to know and understand are contained in these letters

What He frowns upon and condemns will be contained in these letters.

Each city lent itself in a particular way historically and to the spiritual points the LORD is making with the Church.

                                 The City of Philadelphia  

City founded by:

one of Two Attalid brothers from Pergamum

King Adalphius

Greek city after the year 180 BC.

Beautiful Valley filled with Great Vineyards known for its grapes

60 miles inland from the Aegean sea 35 miles south of Sardis

This City was on a main route / Trade route

Went from Troas to Pergamos to Sardis on to Philadelphia then splintered out into several different directions.

 So it was a major jumping off place into the eastern world

The Romans used it as an Imperial Post

They kept soldiers it was an major leaping off point to the eastern part of the world

Called the Gateway to the EAST*

That’s Interesting because we here in this letter about open doors

It was called the key to Frigia

Opened up the plane and plateau to Frigia

It was the newest of the seven cities.

It stood between Sardis and Laodicea.

An earthquake had badly damaged Sardis in 17AD.

Another earthquake in 60AD had wrecked Laodicea.

Probably both these earthquakes wrecked Philadelphia.

                            ( Tiberius )

Both times, the Roman Emperor gave large amounts of money to help the people build the city again.

South of this city was the east end of the long hill Tmolus. To the north, beyond some lower hills, was

'The Burnt Land'.

'Volcanoes' found where earthquakes happened often.

The 'Burnt Land’ was affected in this way although there was no one large volcano there where many/smaller) because of it

The land around Philadelphia was good for growing vines.

'Grapes' /wine. Thus they flourished

Grain crops did not grow well in the earth there.

The Roman Empire had far too much wine and not nearly enough grain.

In 92 AD, the Emperor made a new law.

Half the vines over all the Roman Empire were to be destroyed and no more were to be planted.

This made life even more difficult at Philadelphia.

The people there were interested in the Greek games.

We do not know how the church in Philadelphia began; its chief deity was Dionysus, in Greek mythology the god of wine

But,…. there were still churches and many

Greek Christians in Philadelphia even until 1922,

When the Greeks fought a war against the Turks.

The Turks drove all the Greeks out of Asia Minor.

The streets were straight and divided the city up into squares. Many modern cities are built like this, but it was a fairly new idea in those days.

Philadelphia: or The Missionary City

Philadelphia was founded more for consolidating and regulating and educating the central regions subject to the Pergamenian kings.

The intention of its founder was to make it a center of the Greco-Asiatic civilization and a means of spreading the Greek language and manners in the eastern parts of Lydia and in Phrygia.

It was a missionary city from the beginning, founded to promote a certain unity of spirit, customs, and loyalty within the realm, the apostle of Hellenism in an Oriental land.

It was a successful teacher.

Before AD 19 the Lydian tongue had ceased to be spoken in Lydia, and Greek was the only language of the country.

One thing they did when honoring Dignitaries or Magistrates

Was to erect Pillars place in temples in their name

Because of the Greek pantheon Philadelphia was known as

“Little Athens” due to the Idolatry and temple worship

Interesting is that JESUS said He would make us a Pillar in His temple

After the Earthquake in 17ad the Roman senate rebuilt Philadelphia

And they renamed her to Neo-Caesarea or

 “ the new city of Caesar

Interestingly Jesus tells us HE will change our name.

Him writing on us his NEW NAME

Today the Turks call Philadelphia ‘Alasehir’.*

(“the city of God) ala Alasehir, or Allah-shehr (“the city of God Arabic

If you stand on a hill on the south side of Alasehir you can look down on the city. You can see that the old walls around the city formed a square.

Still a city of considerable size, Philadelphia is known today as 20,000 in population

1000 members and 5 congregations only of the 7 still today

Out of Sardis or Reformation flow 2 streams

Laodacia

Philadelphia

One is the Church of the Open door, (Missions) Opened to the world around

(Opened to/ not open unto)

The other is the closed door   or (Dead) turned inward not effective in Christ

The one has an impact on Missions

The other  Church is interned and self centered /unproductive

Only Church not to be reproved or rebuked other then Smyrna

There are many wonderful sewries and commondations /promises to this Church.

The thing that is very interesting is that while taking a feature of His Glorified self from the 1st Chapter,

HE uses an attribute from that 1st chapter to the other 6 churches

His eyes were as a flame of fire; feet like unto fine brass, his voice as the sound of many waters. Had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp two-edged sword:

Instead here with Philadelphia

He addresses this Church as THE Holy ONE & the ONE that IS True

He who has the Key of David ,….opens and know man shuts ,….shuts and no man opens

He chooses to use the description from the 22nd chapter of Isaiah.

Clothing,.... ( Isaiah 22:21)

*/And I will clothe him with thy robe, and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand: and he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem, and to the house of Judah.

Isa 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.*/

Very interesting to give to the church of Philadelphia;/*

The name ‘Philadelphia’ Derived from 2 words :

philos fee’-los

properly, dear, i.e. a friend; actively, fond, i.e. friendly (still as a noun, an associate, neighbor, etc.):--friend.

adelphos ad-el-fos’

from 1 (as a connective particle) and delphus (the womb); a brother (literally or figuratively) near or remote (much like 1):--brother.

‘the love between brothers’.    Or     ‘Brotherly Love’

In Isaiah 22 the scene is in that GOD addressing the nation of Israel

It was then Characterized a mood where GOD was calling them to repentance (Isaiah 22:12-13)

Turn to morning and sackcloth and turn back to HIM

But their lifestyle was one of feasting and drunkenness And idolatry and the motto of the day was “Eat drink and be Merry for to morrow we die!”

Much like our era

There is more that we can say about the power of the key of David.

King Hezekiah entrusted the power of the key of David to his servant Shebna.( Corrupt man)

But there came a day when Shebna had to be removed from office,

when the power of the key had to be stripped from him;

this was done because he was wicked and disobedient, not a good and faithful servant.

On that day the power of the key of David was given to Eliakim(cf Isaiah 22

Isaiah shows us later the Mechek /Messiah

Is HE who will have the Key
In Philadelphia, as I already mentioned, there was a Jewish synagogue. This synagogue claimed that the power of the keys has been given to them; they claimed that God entrusted to them the key of David; they claimed that God granted to them the power to include or exclude from the heavenly kingdom. To that end they excommunicated every member of the synagogue that dared to profess Christ as Savior and Lord.

What happened to Shebna, the servant of the king, also happened to this synagogue: the power of the key of David was stripped from them and given to another. The power of the key of David entrusted to the elders of the synagogue has been taken from them and given to the elders of the church. He who holds the key of David gives to every believing church a door that opens directly into heaven (cf Mt 16:19; 18:18).

(V7 ) These things saith he that is holy,

Hagios/ Holy/Saint

Here it’s the HOLY ONE

Separate

JESUS is the HOLY ONE distinct from all others

He is all Powerful Omnipotent

He is all Knowing Omniscient

He is ever and always Omnipresent

He is immutable HE never changes

His is distinct in HIS love for us is like no other love we have ever known without strings attached

Distinct in his Love and mercy and Grace

and

(V7 )  he that is true,

Meaning The  Genuine One/ the Messiah of the Bible The Holy one and because HE is the Genuine One He can say

It is,….

(V7 ) he that hath the key of David,

(V7 ) he that openeth, and no man shutteth;

(V7 )  and shutteth, and no man openeth;

 Only He has that kind of Authority

He alone opens and Shuts

He alone can Open doors and close them

We see this here in the Church of Philadelphia because it is a Church with an open door

 A Church system with a missionary door.

And an open door pertaining to Spiritual things

Do you think that some of the Churches today may have forgotten this?( only Christ can open)

Why do you think they pursue a door that only He can open?                On the flip side

Why doesn’t the Church use that door?

What can we do too Go through or stay behind those doors?

Go to Acts 14:27-28,  1 Corn 16:9

Does this mean that because there is an open door we will not have any struggles?

  2Cor 2:12 Colossians 4:3 Acts 13:4 Acts 16:6

If Paul needed an open or Closed door what does that say for the rest of us?

So we see that this is a church with an open door given by the Genuine Holy One the only one who can make it happen,….leads us or the Church to spiritual opportunity

And this leads this Church and us into verse 8

We see that there is no rebuke HE goes immediately

Into a commendation and Smyrna and this Church are the only ones that don’t receive a rebuke

:8  I know thy works( meaning full knowledge)

(V8 ) behold, I have set before thee an open door,

(V8 ) and no man can shut it:

(V8 ) for thou hast a little strength,

(V8 ) and hast kept my word,

(V8 ) and hast not denied my name.

And now we see Why Jesus has given them an open door 3 reasons

1)      Little Strength ( Little Dunamus) expound on that they had a little( All the other Churches had no strength and He commends them for a little strength) We do not have to be all skilful just available and God never calls the qualified but qualifies the called,…Think of what has been done in biblical times by the faithful, Abraham, Isaac, Noah , Jonah , Moses ect,……

2)      Kept my Word (Held it to heart ,guarded and honored it

3)      “I have given you an open door” because you have Not denied my name (Onoma) Meaning a devotion to Jesus

These qualities are what Jesus holds as a successful Church.

It has often been said that there is no such thing as a perfect Church,.. But I challenge that in that if we as a body are to be perfect (mature and Blameless innocent guiltless set apart and perfect as our Father in Heaven as Jesus would say Would you not say they are a perfect Church?

Here is why and we can go on

He says to them

:9  Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie;

(V9 ) behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet,

(V9 ) and to know that I have loved thee.

:10  Because thou hast kept the word

GOD holds HIS Word on HIGH!

David spoke this many times “Thy word have I hid in my heart that I might not sin agaist thee , Thy word is a lamp, The Law of the LORD is Perfect

Psalm 138:2

I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

All kinds of things can be done with and unto the Name of GOD, Funny how that His name is so casually and flippantly dropped, even Used and abused in the Church as if some magic hokus pocus or someone hits there hand at Work ,… Jesus CHrrrrrrrrrrrrst

Why do they pick on that name don’t ya just hate it

Why don’t they say BUDDA

Or Har    dyy     yyyy Chris     naaaaa

Why?

Because and this should help your faith, There is only one Name that satan hates

JESUS

You see the world can and does change who they think Jesus is

They can change who they think the Name of Jesus is

BUT THEY CAN NEVER CHANGE THE JESUS that the WORD OF GOD says HE is. For thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.

 The WORD is UNCHANGEBLE! And the world can’t deal with the WORD and THE JESUS of THE WORD

KING of KINGS LORD OF LORDS

Born of a virgin

Crucified

dead 3 days in a tomb

Resurrected

Ascended to the Father

Is coming for us

Soon to return

TO Judge this world

Will rule and rein FOREVER!

Not the political correct Jesus

They can say they don’t believe in that Jesus but they can’t say the Bible doesn’t teach us about OUR Jesus!

 Here is the Promise for the keeping as HE says in

(V10 ) of my patience,

Meaning( His Doctrine/His Passion/His teachings 

( Possessing)

(V10 ) I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, 

Temptation = the 70th week of Daniel Dan 9:24-27

The Great Tribulation

Da 9:21

Yea, whiles I was speaking in prayer, even the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, touched me about the time of the evening oblation.

Da 9:22

And he informed me, and talked with me, and said, O Daniel, I am now come forth to give thee skill and understanding.

Da 9:23

At the beginning of thy supplications the commandment came forth, and I am come to shew thee; for thou art greatly beloved: therefore understand the matter, and consider the vision.

Da 9:24

Seventy weeks are determined upon thy people and upon thy holy city, to finish the transgression, and to make an end of sins, and to make reconciliation for iniquity, and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the most Holy.

Da 9:25

Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the commandment to restore and to build Jerusalem unto the Messiah the Prince shall be seven weeks, and threescore and two weeks: the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublous times.

Da 9:26

And after threescore and two weeks shall Messiah be cut off, but not for himself: and the people of the prince that shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end thereof shall be with a flood, and unto the end of the war desolations are determined.

Da 9:27

And he shall confirm the covenant with many for one week: and in the midst of the week he shall cause the sacrifice and the oblation to cease, and for the overspreading of abominations he shall make it desolate, even until the consummation, and that determined shall be poured upon the desolate.

Now back to us

Keep is( EK out of)  Guard from damage

Because you have kept I will keep

Not preserved through it because in Chapters 6:9,10

Chapters 8,20, 24, are all speaking of Martyrs slaughtered because they wont worship the beast

After Chapter 4 the Book of Revelation speaks only of those being put to death and there is no guarding, or protecting nor is the Church ever mentioned again until Chapter 19

The post tribulationalists can’t produce it anywhere

They call us escapists what are they stayests?

So if the Post toasties want to stay here as your faith is so be it unto you,I want out!

THE HOUR

Again this will as Jesus says here in

(V10 ) which shall come upon all the world,

(V10 ) to try them that dwell upon the earth ( Earth dwellers

the hour. Re 2:10. of temptation. Da +*12:1. Zp 1:14-18. Mt ✓24:21, 22. come upon. Da *7:21, 25. 2 Th ✓2:8-12. all the world[1]

:11 Behold, I come quickly:

(V11 ) hold that fast which thou hast,

(V11 ) that no man take thy crown.

thy crown. Re *2:10. 4:4, *10. 1 Co *9:25. 2 Ti 2:5. *4:8. Ja +*1:12. 1 P *5:3, 4. [2]

:12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God,

(V12 ) and he shall go no more out: ( Forever in the HOLY of HOLIES in HIS PRESENCE (Naos)

(V12 )  and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, ( Numbers are given out here and names in Heaven Poetry is better then numbers!

(V12 ) which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name.

Solomon’s temple

Pillars of Boaz and Jacinth= Strengthen and establish

pillar. 1 K *7:21. 2 Ch 3:17. Is 22:23. Je 1:18. Ga 2:9. 1 Ti 3:15. the temple. or, sanctuary. Re 7:15. 11:1, 2, 19. 14:15, 17. 15:5, 6, 8. 16:1, 17. 21:22. Ps *23:6. *65:4. *92:13. Mt +23:16. 1 Co *3:9. Ep *▶2:19-22. 1 P *2:5. no more out. ƒ158, Mt +5:18. 1 Ch =23:25, 26. Ps *23:6. 27:4[3]

He promises to make us a pillar in HIS HOUSE!

:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

----

+ +     More references at verse indicated

* *     Clear cross reference

✓ ✓     Critical, significant cross reference

[1]Smith, J. H. 1992; Published in electronic form, 1996. The new treasury of scripture knowledge : The most complete listing of cross references available anywhere- every verse, every theme, every important word. Thomas Nelson: Nashville TN

* *     Clear cross reference

+ +     More references at verse indicated

[2]Smith, J. H. 1992; Published in electronic form, 1996. The new treasury of scripture knowledge : The most complete listing of cross references available anywhere- every verse, every theme, every important word. Thomas Nelson: Nashville TN

* *     Clear cross reference

+ +     More references at verse indicated

▶ ▶     Old Testament quoted in the New Testament

= =     Type or antitype

[3]Smith, J. H. 1992; Published in electronic form, 1996. The new treasury of scripture knowledge : The most complete listing of cross references available anywhere- every verse, every theme, every important word. Thomas Nelson: Nashville TN

Introduction

So if your just joining us we are studying the 7 churches of Asia minor The Apostle John on his face,

Jesus dictating to John,….

In these churches contains the important lessons not only to the Historical church, but the corporate body of believers in the Church we attend and with out a doubt us personally.

Jesus could have picked any Churches,

He chose these because they lend toward the spiritual lessons HE was intending to communicate through them. He wants us to Hear what HE is saying.

What he deems important for the church to know and understand are contained in these letters

What He frowns upon and condemns will be contained in these letters.

Each city lent itself in a particular way historically and to the spiritual points the LORD is making with the Church.

Sermon text with italics and bold and John 3:16 and v. 20.

Heading 2

Text with an outline.

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