Rev 3:7-13; Philadelphia
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Well tonight we come come to 6th of the 7 letters to the churches from Jesus as directed in Rev 1. Each of these letters you will remember has at least 4 levels of interpretation, Locally, Ecclesiastically, Personally, and Historically Prophetic.
We have been getting a Church History lesson as we have seen the different ages of the church through each letter. We have also noticed that the order of churches served a perfect prophetic picture but also served as a practical postal delivery route through Asia minor, modern day Turkey.
Remember, we noticed that each of the final four churches, Pergamos, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea will all be here until the end. They have quantifiable starting points but the Rapture is referenced in each.
Philadelphia means brotherly love. It was founded just 200 years before Christ and is the youngest of the 7 cities referenced. Philadelphia was founded as a missionary outpost for Hellenism, which is ancient Greek Culture and Language.
It was a prosperous city and a gateway to Europe. "Philadelphia commanded one of the greatest highways in the world, the highway which led from Europe to the East. Philadelphia was the gateway from one continent to another." (Barclay)
It was known for its beautiful buildings, architecture, and frequent earthquakes which often required evacuation and it was famously destroyer by an earthquake in 17 AD. It was even referred to as little Athens. All these themes are referenced in the letter.
Video - Intro to Philadelphia 2017
So we in here SoCal can relate to the issues of an earthquake prone area.
Lets read
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
Let’s dig in and see what the Spirit is saying to His Church tonight;
V7-“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”
When you think about it you couldn’t have a better name from a Christian perspective, the city of brotherly love.
Holy and True these are given as a descriptive titles. The Holy and the True. Holy is the Greek word hagios and means sacred (physically, pure, morally blameless or religious, ceremonially, consecrated). True comes from a Greek word alēthinos meaning that which has not only the name and resemblance, but the real nature corresponding to the name, in every respect corresponding to the idea signified by the name, real, true genuine. Opposite to what is fictitious, counterfeit, imaginary, simulated or pretended.
That is a perfect description of Jesus!
He writes, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”
This refers back to Isaiah 22 where Isaiah prophesying against a man named Sebna who was the Steward who would be replaced by a man named Eliakim. This Steward was during the reign of Hezakiah and part of his job was to grant entrance to see the King. He wore as a symbol to his office a large key hung around his neck.
20 ‘Then it shall be in that day,
That I will call My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah;
21 I will clothe him with your robe
And strengthen him with your belt;
I will commit your responsibility into his hand.
He shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem
And to the house of Judah.
22 The key of the house of David
I will lay on his shoulder;
So he shall open, and no one shall shut;
And he shall shut, and no one shall open.
23 I will fasten him as a peg in a secure place,
And he will become a glorious throne to his father’s house.
24 ‘They will hang on him all the glory of his father’s house, the offspring and the posterity, all vessels of small quantity, from the cups to all the pitchers.
Prophetically this passage speaks of Jesus and interestingly Jesus is the One by which we gain access to the Father.
6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.
The pagans also worshipped a deity named Janus who was the god of doors and hinges. He was pictured as as having two faces looking forwards and backwards.
Picture - Janus
Interestingly the word Cardinal comes from the Latin root word for hinge “cardo”.
More important Jesus said,
7 Then Jesus said to them again, “Most assuredly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. 8 All who ever came before Me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not hear them. 9 I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture. 10 The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.
He has the power to admit or exclude.
V8- “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
I know your works, He knows what we are really doing as opposed to what we pretend to do… a message to all the churches.
he says I set before you an Open door that no one can shut. The concept of the open door is an interesting one in scripture. The door is symbolic of deliverance. You might remember Noah’s ark it had just one door, one way in. When the door was shut, who shut it? God.
The church at Philadelphia historically and prophetically as the true end times church has an open door to evangelize, we just need to walk through it.
- In church history this age begins in about 1800 and continues to now. It was about 1800 that great missionary movements began as the spirit moved many Godly men to go out and evangelize the world. At that time it had been about 1 thousand years since the church had gone out to spread the gospel to the un-churched world.
- Note: Someone has said, “If we don’t “evangelize” we will fossilize…”
He Continues, for you have a little strength,
- Little strength… not necessarily a bad thing. I regard to strength Paul wrote;
2 Cor 12 7 And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. 8 Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. 9 And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. 10 Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
So just as we have said many times Gods kingdom is an upside down kingdom.
V8 Continues;
You have… Kept my Word and not denied my name…The church in Philadelphia also was faithful to Jesus and His word. The idea behind have not denied My Name is that they lived in a way that was faithful to the name and character of Jesus.
- Note: this is what Jesus requires. Philadelphia was unspectacular and steady.
V9-“Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
Synagogue of Satan…not really Jews but liars. Historically the Jews were persecuting the church at Phil. Additionally there were those of the Judaizer sect who sought to add the law to the Gospel. In the prophetic He may be referring to the people today that believe in replacement theology, which means that God has given up on Israel and that the church has replaced Israel. This is a very dangerous movement that has a lot of support. See Romans (9,10, and 11)
- I will make them fall at your feet…Vindication is promised. Imagine seeing Bill Mawr or the secular humanists on that day. They will have to acknowledge that God loves you.
V10- “Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Since you persevered, Literally kept the word of my patience. I will keep you from the hour of trial to come on the whole world.
- 2 opinions here kept from or kept through. Context indicates that we are kept from, :hour of trial, that is, from the great tribulation. Compare to;
9 For they themselves declare concerning us what manner of entry we had to you, and how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, 10 and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.
- The passage goes on to say, “ to test those who dwell on the earth”. This statement is used 9 times in the Rev and refers to unbelievers. See
8 The beast that you saw was, and is not, and will ascend out of the bottomless pit and go to perdition. And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world, when they see the beast that was, and is not, and yet is.
V11- “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.
I come quickly… that is suddenly. We must be watchful. Note: Only those who hold to the pre-tribribulation view have a reason to be vigilant.
- Hold on to what you have, that no one takes your crown. What is your crown? This is the same word we looked at a few weeks ago -stephanos, Paul had a interesting view on his crown.
18 Therefore we wanted to come to you—even I, Paul, time and again—but Satan hindered us. 19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming? 20 For you are our glory and joy.
People are your crown, those you have influenced and won to faith in Christ. Jesus said they will know you are Christians by your love for one another. Remember this is the letter to the church of brotherly love.
V12- “He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
Overcomers…will be pillars..Phil was known for earthquakes and often the only things left standing were the pillars. Pillars hold up the building but the pillars are held up by the foundation, Jesus Christ.
- He will go out no more… no more earthquakes, no more to have to evacuate. Just a permanent home with the Lord.
- I will write on him the name of my God… the ultimate team jersey
- City of my God the new Jerusalem…
- Jesus’ new name…a mystery.
Contrast this to those who dwell on the earth who are wearing their own team jersey, the mark of the beast.
And finally;
V13- “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’
If you are not sure if Jesus’ name is on your jersey but you would like to be sure, pray with me now.