The Faithful Church With the Open Door
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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;
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.
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.
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.
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
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.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
The last church we looked, Sardis represented that era of teh church age we know as the reformation. The result of this movement was dead religion.A movement that left the watchtower and become spiritually lazy reuslting in ritualistic unprofitable ministries that had beautful buildings, but no power. They were told to strengthen what remained and remember the truth that brought them out of the false catholic system. He called Christians to wake up and be watchful!
We now move to the next church in the city of Philidelphia. This church represents the next era of the church, the revival era that followed the reformation age. The Lord brought life backinto the church as they held to the truth of God’s Word. In the 18th and 19 th century a movement of God was seen across the world that revived missionary efforts to teh corners of teh earth. This is the church we are looking at today.
Philidephia means “love of the brethren” It was founded by Attalus II of Pergmos. He wanted it to serve as a center for teh spread of Greek Culture throughout the region. It was afertile land that propered in vineyards.
In AD 17 it was heavily damaged by earthquakes and was aided by Emporer Tiberius
Atthe end of teh first centry John wrote this letter that had no rebuke for this church. They were faithfully enduring persecution. Ignatius of Antioch wrote a letter to this church years later encouraging them and reierating the promises of Christ to them
This is what marked revival. Love for God and love for people.
The letter is inmistakably addressing born again believers, as they were faithful. They are no tares in this church. They are true. They loved God and they loved God’s people.
Be ye therefore followers of God, as dear children; And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments.
This church was no doubt made up of people that would sacrifice for one another, not sacrifice each other.
Dear church, we will have people come and go, but the ones that love God, will love you, and will not find it so easy to leave you.
And when he had thus spoken, he kneeled down, and prayed with them all. And they all wept sore, and fell on Paul’s neck, and kissed him, Sorrowing most of all for the words which he spake, that they should see his face no more. And they accompanied him unto the ship.
This would be the heart of Philedelphia, a faithful church. Do we really know what it means to love God? We talk about it, we many times are grateful for things that God does for us, but how do we knowwetruly love God? When we love each other!
I. Christ’s Introduction
I. Christ’s Introduction
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;
A. He that is holy
A. He that is holy
These believers were surrounded by temples of false gods, and ungodly practices that accentuated teh flesh’s desire
Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.
We all know God is holy. He is great and holy and perfect.
Wemust allso remeber that Jesus is God and He is holy as well. All that He did and said was holy.
His love and mercy was holy.
He corrected in holiness
He rebuked in holiness
1. Jesus was holy at His Birth
1. Jesus was holy at His Birth
And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.
2. Jesus was holy at His death
2. Jesus was holy at His death
For thou wilt not leave my soul in hell; Neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
God hath fulfilled the same unto us their children, in that he hath raised up Jesus again; as it is also written in the second psalm, Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee.
And as concerning that he raised him up from the dead, now no more to return to corruption, he said on this wise, I will give you the sure mercies of David.
Wherefore he saith also in another psalm, Thou shalt not suffer thine Holy One to see corruption.
3. Jesus is holy as our intercessor
3. Jesus is holy as our intercessor
Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
This defends His deity. Only God can claim the holiness Jesus is claiming.
Jesus defines holiness to us.
a. Harmless — void of evil, blameless, no duplicity, without mixture
a. Harmless — void of evil, blameless, no duplicity, without mixture
How Jesus reacted to situation never brought harm, but always contributed to others righteousness. Perhaps people repsond in evil to your good, but that does not change that you were harmless like Christ.
Behold, I send you forth as sheep in the midst of wolves: be ye therefore wise as serpents, and harmless as doves.
Do all things without murmurings and disputings: That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God, without rebuke, in the midst of a crooked and perverse nation, among whom ye shine as lights in the world;
“Many times people try to set you straight by being crooked!”
b. Undefiled — That which has nothing in it that defiles, unpolluted, unstained, unsoiled, undefiled by sin
b. Undefiled — That which has nothing in it that defiles, unpolluted, unstained, unsoiled, undefiled by sin
I know we all have sin in us, but we are told to be holy in all manner of conversation, that means our lifestyle.
We may not be able to have holiness completely possessingour hearts and minds until Jesus comes, but we canchooseto follow Christ’s commands and principles to keep ourselves unspotted from the world.
c. Separate from sinners — To put apart, separate, sever.
c. Separate from sinners — To put apart, separate, sever.
Jesus as God is divided or severed from sinful man,but He chose to identify with us, and feel with us teh suffering of sin He did not have for Himself, but He felt teh suffering and punishment of our sins in Himself.
This si where many say this can only be attributed to God since we are all sinners. Yes we are all sinners,but Jesus also gave us commands to be separate from unclean things.
Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you, And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
We cannot use our fallen state as an excuse to walk in darkness. We have been changed, made righteous before God, and though that sin priniple is in your heart, you no longer have to allow it govern your lives, and teh more separate you stay from things that sin produces, the easier it will be to stay clean.
We must understand that holiness is not just about separated from evil, but it is about being separated to Christ. There is no holiness aprt from Christ.
B. Jesus is true — true, one who cannot lie. Real, genuine. Alēthinós defines the relation of the concept to the corresponding thing.
B. Jesus is true — true, one who cannot lie. Real, genuine. Alēthinós defines the relation of the concept to the corresponding thing.
Though they had many around them that claimed they had the true God, only Jesus is the genuine God of Heaven.
Many religions have a story about how teh world was created, but we have teh genuine creator.
Many religions talk about the way they will escape this world , but we have the genuine Saviour
Many religions have a book they say is from God, but we have the Living Word, a true declaration of God from God, and the perfect written Word
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.
As concerning therefore the eating of those things that are offered in sacrifice unto idols, we know that an idol is nothing in the world, and that there is none other God but one. For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) But to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.
C. He that hath the key of David
C. He that hath the key of David
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;
When talking about David we can guess that it is talking about Christ;s Kingship. Jesus Christ will sit upon the throne of David.
The Lord hath sworn in truth unto David; He will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.
1. Jesus is has ultimate authority
1. Jesus is has ultimate authority
And it shall come to pass in that day, That I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah: 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. 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.
Here a type is given of Christ named Eliakim that succeeded Shebna. Eliakim was unselfish, a picture of Christ .
Jesus was given a key of authority and kingship.
What Jesus will allow to take place, but what He doesn’t won’t.
It rests on Christ alone.
2. Jesus will carry the burdens of the Church
2. Jesus will carry the burdens of the Church
And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place; And he shall be for a glorious throne to his father’s house. And they shall hang upon him all the glory of his father’s house, The offspring and the issue, All vessels of small quantity, From the vessels of cups, even to all the vessels of flagons.
D. He that openeth and shutteth
D. He that openeth and shutteth
Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, That there may be meat in mine house, And prove me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, If I will not open you the windows of heaven, And pour you out a blessing, that there shall not be room enough to receive it.
It is ultimately the Lord makes teh way of the church possible.
It will not be the bank account or the programs that open doors for the hurch. Jesus is the head of the church and will make a church prosper if that is His will.
The Lord will open doors of opportunity.
II. Christ’s Testimony
II. Christ’s Testimony
A. I know thy works
A. I know thy works
B. He Set an open door before them
B. He Set an open door before them
1. What are the open doors?
1. What are the open doors?
a. Jesus opened the door of faith to the world
a. Jesus opened the door of faith to the world
And when they were come, and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all that God had done with them, and how he had opened the door of faith unto the Gentiles.
There are always situations and peopke that will hinder teh gospel progress, but we are called to give out the Gospel, so we must continue as this church did, in teh face of opposition, becaus eteh door of faith is opened, and no man can shut it.
In 1786, when William Carey laid the burden of world missions before a ministerial meeting in Northampton, England, the eminent Dr. Ryland said to him, “Young man, sit down! When God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or mine!” More than one Spirit-filled servant of God has had to enter open doors of opportunity without the support of churches and religious leaders.
Paul and his associates faced this same challenge at the Jerusalem Conference about twenty years after Pentecost. Courageously, they defended both the truth of the gospel and the missionary outreach of the church. There were three stages in this event.
b. Jesus opens doors for churchplanting
b. Jesus opens doors for churchplanting
For a great door and effectual is opened unto me, and there are many adversaries.
Paul understood that a door was opened in Ephesus to establish church so he did not want to miss the opportunity by going to Corinth to deal
with carnal belevers.
Paul saw the opportunity and he saw the adversary, but he also knew he had to keep walking through teh doors the Lord gave him.
An ancient Roman proverb says, “While we stop to think, we often miss our opportunity.” Once we know what to do, we must do it and not delay. We can usually think of many reasons (or excuses) not to act.
c. Jesus opens doors to preach the Gospel
c. Jesus opens doors to preach the Gospel
Furthermore, when I came to Troas to preach Christ’s gospel, and a door was opened unto me of the Lord, I had no rest in my spirit, because I found not Titus my brother: but taking my leave of them, I went from thence into Macedonia. Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: To the one we are the savour of death unto death; and to the other the savour of life unto life. And who is sufficient for these things?
Paul saw this door open in Troas and did not have rest in hsi spirit. He knew that the devil was always working against him, but he laso knew that the Lord had given victory, and was sufficient.
What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
d. Jesus wants us to pray for open doors
d. Jesus wants us to pray for open doors
Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving; Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:
Weare to pray for opportunities that we and others can have doors open for utterance
]utterance — to speak intelligently. Intelligence, word as the expression of that intelligence, discourse, saying, thing.
Do you pray for opportunities to reach others and be a blessing to others. Do you pray that you could have someone come across your path that needs what you have?
The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: And he delighteth in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down: For the Lord upholdeth him with his hand.
e. Jesus opens the door to Heaven for the church before the Tribulation
e. Jesus opens the door to Heaven for the church before the Tribulation
After this I looked, and, behold, a door was opened in heaven: and the first voice which I heard was as it were of a trumpet talking with me; which said, Come up hither, and I will shew thee things which must be hereafter.
No man can close this door when it is opened.
For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord.
This church respresents the churches of born again believers today that will be delivered from teh wrath to come, by the rapture.
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.
2. Why Did Jesus open these doors for them?
2. Why Did Jesus open these doors for them?
a. Jesus opened the door because they did not have the strength to open their own doors. Revelation 3:8
a. Jesus opened the door because they did not have the strength to open their own doors. Revelation 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.”
1) This is a realization that we can do nothing of ourselves.
1) This is a realization that we can do nothing of ourselves.
I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing.
2) This is a statement of our dependence on Christ for everything
2) This is a statement of our dependence on Christ for everything
I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.
But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.
b. Jesus opened the door because they kept God’s Word
b. Jesus opened the door because they kept God’s Word
“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.”kept — a warden, guard. To keep an eye on, watch, and hence to guard, keep, obey,
I have manifested thy name unto the men which thou gavest me out of the world: thine they were, and thou gavest them me; and they have kept thy word.
God’s people keep His Word. They know that His Word is true and seek to keep it, to be watchful concerning what He says.
1. Those that keep God’s Word are blessed
1. Those that keep God’s Word are blessed
But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.
2. They kept the word because they loved the right way.
2. They kept the word because they loved the right way.
I have refrained my feet from every evil way, That I might keep thy word.
They were forced into many different positions. Paul had mentioned that when He was a Pharisee that he caused believers to blaspheme. These believers were grieved with sin and those that sinned against God.
I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; Because they kept not thy word.
3. They kept the word because they had honest and good hearts.
3. They kept the word because they had honest and good hearts.
But that on the good ground are they, which in an honest and good heart, having heard the word, keep it, and bring forth fruit with patience.
Before I was afflicted I went astray: But now have I kept thy word.
I beheld the transgressors, and was grieved; Because they kept not thy word.
c. Jesus opened the door because they did not deny His Name.
c. Jesus opened the door because they did not deny His Name.
1. Peter denied Christ due to fear of man.
1. Peter denied Christ due to fear of man.
Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.
2. They had much opposition of the Jews
2. They had much opposition of the Jews
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.
They wouLD spread lies and get them in trouble. They would try to get them arrested and even killed.
But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven.
to refuse someone, not to know or recognize him, to reject him either in the face of a former relationship or better knowledge. To deny, decline, reject, give up (Matt. 10:33; 2 Tim. 2:12, 13, to renounce one's own character, to be inconsistent with oneself
name — Name, title, character, reputation, person.
It is a faithful saying: For if we be dead with him, we shall also live with him: If we suffer, we shall also reign with him: if we deny him, he also will deny us: If we believe not, yet he abideth faithful: he cannot deny himself.
C. Christ will Protect Them from the Synagogue of Satan
1. Counterfeit Jews that Lie
2. Christ will make them worship before their feet
3. Jesus will make them know He loves us.
D. They kept the word of His patience
III. Christ’s Promises to the Faithful Church
III. Christ’s Promises to the Faithful Church
A. Jesus Will Deal with the Enemies of the Faithful Church
A. Jesus Will Deal with the Enemies of the Faithful Church
Revelation 3:9 (KJV 1900)
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.
1. The Villians of the church
1. The Villians of the church
“Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie...”
This is specifically speaking of the Pharisaical Jews that persecuted the church because we claim Jesus Christ is the Son of God and the Messiah, but they reject Christ and crucified Him and would not repent.
He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.
There is a true Jew, but they will not trust in their own righteousness, but will trust the righteosuness of Christ.
This passage does not make Gentiles Jews, it is speaking of those of Jewish origin.
Many have called themselves the children of God and seem religious, but they are not truly from the Lord.
Someone that attacks the church and seeks to hurt the church and its work is the enemy of the Lord and teh faithful church.
(For many walk, of whom I have told you often, and now tell you even weeping, that they are the enemies of the cross of Christ: Whose end is destruction, whose God is their belly, and whose glory is in their shame, who mind earthly things.)
But ye, brethren, be not weary in well doing. And if any man obey not our word by this epistle, note that man, and have no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an enemy, but admonish him as a brother.
2. The Lord will vindicate the Faithful Church
2. The Lord will vindicate the Faithful Church
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: Thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.
a. Our enemies will bow before our feet “...I will make them to come and worship before thy feet...”
a. Our enemies will bow before our feet “...I will make them to come and worship before thy feet...”
For it is written, As I live, saith the Lord, every knee shall bow to me, and every tongue shall confess to God.
b. Our enemies will know the love Christ has for us “...and to know that I have loved thee...”
b. Our enemies will know the love Christ has for us “...and to know that I have loved thee...”
And the glory which thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.
When you love someone, you want others to know that you love them.
Jesus wants the world to know that He and teh Father lve you.
All teh enemies will know that you are loved.
they will see that sacrifice Christ made for you though they themselves have rejected it.
B. Jesus Will Keep the Faithful Church from the Tribulation
B. Jesus Will Keep the Faithful Church from the Tribulation
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.
This is the promise that Jesus had mentioned aforetime.
Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
This is talking about the removal of the church before the beginning of Daniel’s Seventieth Week
1. The Lord will “keep” us — be our guard
The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous, And his ears are open unto their cry.
2. The hour of temptation which shall come upon the world
hour — period of time
temptation — to make trial of, try, tempt. Trial, temptation, a putting to the test, spoken of persons only.
shall come upon all the world — The Tribulation is the only time biblically that the whole world will fall under jdugment and proving.
And the kings of the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; And said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb: For the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?
And the fourth angel poured out his vial upon the sun; and power was given unto him to scorch men with fire. And men were scorched with great heat, and blasphemed the name of God, which hath power over these plagues: and they repented not to give him glory.
C. Jesus will Reward the Faithful Church
C. Jesus will Reward the Faithful Church
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.
1. If we are careless we will lose our rewards
1. If we are careless we will lose our rewards
Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.
hold fast — don’t let go for anything
2. Responding right to persecution brings rewards
2. Responding right to persecution brings rewards
Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake. Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
D. Jesus Will Honour the Faithful of the Church
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.
1. Overcomers are those that have trusted in Christ as Saviour
For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?
2. The eternal temple is the Father and the Lamb
And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it.
The temple is the being in the presence of God forever, never being aprt from the Lord.
3. A pillar is about stability and strength
“...Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out...”
In Turkey in this location, was known for earthquakes. They would make teh pillars of their temples 5 feet thick to withstand the shock of an earthquake.
When an earthquake wuldhit, people would neeed to run out of teh buildings in case they fall on them and crush them.
We have eternal security with Christ already.
4. He will write on us three names
Name also refers to charcter or reputation.
a. The name of my God
Suggests a permanent relationship and possession of God.
We as His children belong to Him. It is now a fixed position, it has become permanent.
This is teh name we have lived for and some have died for.
b. The name of the city of my God
For our conversation is in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ: Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.
We have our citizenship already in Heaven. We are here as strangers and pilgrims.
We have a new city to live in an dthat will be a dwelling of peace.
And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God.
Jerusalem—dwelling of peace
c. Jesus Christ’s new name
1) Jesus will have a new name written
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God.
2) We as overcomers will carry that name of victory in Christ
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.
They will be kept from the hour of temptation (rapture)
1. It will come upon all the world
2. It will try them that dwell upon the earth