PHILADELPHIA - THE FAITHFUL CHURCH - Revelation 3:7-13

 

Philadelphia – The Faithful Church

Revelation 3:7-13

 

PHILADELPHIA – A.D. 1750 - Rapture.

THE SALUTATION

“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” (3:7).

 

This was John’s eighth command to write.

He who is holy – This refers to God, who alone possesses absolute holiness (2 Kings 19:22; Job 6:10; Psalms 71:22, 78:41; Isaiah 43:15, 54:5; Habakkuk 3:3). He is utterly separate from sin, and His character is unblemished and flawless. The title “Holy One” is used in the New Testament as a messianic title for the Lord Jesus Christ (Mark 1:24; Luke 1:35; John 6:69). Jesus identifying Himself as “He who is holy” is a direct claim to deity. The Lord Jesus Christ possesses the holy and sinless nature of God.

He who is true – Truth is used in combination with holiness to describe God in Revelation 6:10, 15:3, 16:7, 19:2, 11. True (ἀληθινός alēthinós, Gk.) speaks of that which is “genuine, authentic, and real; one who cannot lie (John 14:6).”  Alēthinós defines the relation of the concept to the corresponding thing; meaning the only true God, not feigned like idols; 1 Thessalonians 1:9; 1 John 5:20; 2 Chronicles 15:3; Isaiah 65:16).

Key of David – David symbolizes the messianic office (Revelation 5:5, 22:16). A key in scripture represents authority; whoever holds a key has control (Revelation 1:18, 9:1, 20:1, Matthew 16:19) Eliakim is a type of the Lord Jesus Christ, the One upon whom should be hung all the glory of His Father’s house (Isaiah 22:22). Jesus alone has the sovereign authority to determine who enters His messianic kingdom (John 10:7, 9, 14:6; Acts 4:12). He is depicted has having the keys to salvation and blessing. To understand the Bible, you need only to know Christ.

He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens – Christ is omnipotent and what He does cannot be overturned by someone more powerful (Isaiah 43:13, 46:9-11; Jeremiah 18:6; Daniel 4:35). No one can shut the doors to the kingdom or to blessing if He holds them open, and no one can force them open if he holds them shut. This also speaks of opening and shutting doors for Christian service. The doors of opportunity for preaching the gospel are controlled by the Lord Jesus Christ.

THE COMMENDATION

“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 (3:8).

 

Your works – Christ found nothing in their deeds that caused Him concern. They had kept His Word (Revelation 1:3, Matthew 28:20) and had not denied His name.

Open door and no one can shut it – Their entrance into the blessings of salvation by grace and into Christ’s future messianic kingdom was guaranteed. Christ opening the door symbolizes His giving the faithful Philadelphia church opportunities for service. An open door depicts freedom to proclaim the gospel (1 Corinthians 16:8-9; 2 Corinthians 2:12; Colossians 4:2-3).

Little strength – Christ commended them on their strength (Luke 12:32). It was a small church, but it had a powerful impact on the city. Spiritual power flowed in this church, people were being redeemed, lives were being transformed, and the gospel of Jesus Christ was being proclaimed. The church of Philadelphia is characterized by a spirit of revival that promotes evangelism and a missionary-minded church.

Kept my Word and not denied my name – Christ commended them for their obedience (Job 23:12). They proved the genuineness of their love for Christ (John 14:23-24, 15:13-14). Despite the pressures they remained loyal, no matter what it cost them (Revelation 14:12). They would not recant their faith in Jesus Christ. The Christians at Philadelphia persevered faithfully through all of their trials and difficulties (Hebrews 12:2-4). Endurance is an essential aspect of saving faith (Matthew 10:22). Faithful churches with a Bible-teaching, evangelistic, missionary-minded ministry is leading many out of their philosophical desert into the abundant life Christ came to offer all humankind.

THE PROMISE

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 (3:9).

Synagogue of Satan – The Christians in Philadelphia faced hostility from the unbelieving Jews, who were a synagogue of Satan. Racially, culturally, and ceremonially they were Jews, but spiritually they were not (Romans 2:28-29).

Worship before your feet – Bowing at someone’s feet depicts total defeat and submission. The Philadelphia church’s enemies would be vanquished, humbled, and defeated (Isaiah 45:14, 49:23, 60:14). The Christians faithfulness would be rewarded by the salvation of some of the very Jews who were persecuting it.

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 (3:10).

 

My command to persevere – Because the believers in Philadelphia had successfully passed so many tests, Jesus promised to spare them from the ultimate test. This verse promises that the church will be delivered from the tribulation. The rapture is the subject of 3 passages in the New Testament (John 14:1-4; 1 Corinthians 15:51-54; 1 Thessalonians 4:13-17). The church will be raptured before the Tribulation begins.

From the hour of trial to test those who dwell on the earth – This test is future, and for a definite, limited time. It is a test that will expose people for what they really are, and it is worldwide in scope. “Those who dwell on the earth” is a technical term in the book of Revelation for unbelievers (Revelation 6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8, 12, 14; 14:6; 17:2, 8). The hour of trial is Daniel’s Seventieth Week (Daniel 9:25-27), the time of Jacob’s trouble (Jeremiah 30:7), and the seven-year tribulation period.

Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown (3:11).

 

I am coming quickly – The coming spoke of here is to bring the hour of testing that ushers in our Lord’s second coming. It is Christ coming to deliver His church (2 Thessalonians 2:1). Christ’s coming for His church could happen at any time. This third reference in the 7 epistles to the return of Christ means that there will be Philadelphia-like churches in the world when He does return.  Nothing ignites the fire of evangelism in the heart of a congregation like dynamic preaching on the promised return of Jesus.

Hold fast what you have – Those who persevere to the end prove the genuineness of their salvation (Matthew 10:22; 24:13). The means by which God secures believers is by providing them with a persevering faith. Christians are saved by God’s power, but not apart from their constant, undying faith (1 John 2:19).

Your crown – The crown, or reward for those who faithfully endure to the end is eternal life (2 John 8). It is described as a crown of righteousness (2 Timothy 4:8) and as one of glory (1 Peter 5:4). In our glorified state, we will be perfectly righteous and perfectly able to reflect God’s glory. Your faithful perseverance marks you as a true child of God and you need never fear of losing your salvation.

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 (3:12).

 

He who overcomes – We overcome by being faithful and obedient, and receiving our eternal rewards. Failure to overcome means there has been a loss of rewards.

Pillar in the temple of My God – A pillar represents stability, permanence, and immovability. The promise that Christ makes to believers is that they will have an eternal place of honor in Heaven. “He shall go out no more” speaks of security in eternal glory.

The name of My God – This name depicts ownership, signifying that all true Christians belong to God, and speaks of the intimate, personal relationship we have with Him forever.

The name of the city of My God – Christians have eternal citizenship in heaven’s capital city, the New Jerusalem, described at length in Revelation 21. This is another promise of security, safety, and glory.

My new name – Christ’s name represents the fullness of His person in heaven; believers will “see Him just as He is” (1 John 3:2). The new name will reflect the glorious revelation of His person.

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches” ’ (Revelation 3:13).

 

What the spirit says to the churches – Believers are to heed the truth of what the Holy Spirit is saying in these last days of this age on planet earth. The holy, true, sovereign, omnipotent God pours out His blessings on churches that remain loyal to Him.

Those who are just hearers of the Word of God are not justified before God, but those who have received the Lord Jesus and accordingly are prepared to meet Him at His coming are justified before God – Tim LaHaye

The character of the church at Philadelphia is a fair outline of the church period from A.D. 1750 - Rapture. This period in church history was characterized by revivals that began with George Whitefield in A.D. 1739, followed by John Wesley, Charles G. Finney, and D.L. Moody. In 1793, God opened a door for William Carey to preach the gospel in India. It was followed by other young people whom the Spirit of God touched, and the present-day “Faith Missionary Movement” was begun; with such men as Adoniram Judson, David Livingstone, Jonathan Goforth, and literally thousands of other people, going out to Africa, China, Japan, Korea, India, South America, and the islands of the sea.

1. One factor that led to the great missionary movement was the printing of the Bible in the language of the people and the natural tendency of the ordinary individual to take the Bible literally.

2. The second factor that contributed to this missionary movement was the increased interest in the study of the doctrine of the second coming of our Lord. Around 1800 the doctrine of the premillennial return of Christ, which had been all but dead since the end of the third century, was revived.

Spirit-filled servants of Christ went through various countries like firebrands of the Lord, calling on sinners to repent and saints to awaken from their spiritual slumbering state they were in. The evangelicals preached the truth concerning the church and Christ’s coming, and the worldwide missionary outreach. Satan also made a determined effort to leaven the church with legalism, ritualism, and rationalism.

PARABLE OF THE PEARL (Matthew 13:45-46)

The merchant is the Lord Jesus, and the pearl of great price is the church. At Calvary, He sold all that He had to buy this pearl. As the pearl comes out of the sea, so the church, sometimes called the Gentile bride of Christ, comes largely from the nations. The church will reign with Christ over the renewed earth.

MYSTERY OF THE JEW & GENTILE IN ONE BODY (Ephesians 3:3-9)

This mystery was a hidden truth that was later revealed in the New Testament by Jesus Christ to the apostle Paul; the Jew and Gentile brought together in one body in the Messiah (1 Corinthians 15:51; Colossians 1:27; 1 Timothy 3:16). There would be no racial, social, or spiritual distinctions. The church will reign with Christ over the entire universe, sharing His glory (Ephesians 1:22-23).

MYSTERY OF THE INDWELLING OF CHRIST (Colossians 1:26-27)

This mystery was revealed in the Old Testament (Isaiah 42:6, 45:21-22, 49:6, 52:10, 60:1-3; Psalms 22:27, 65:5, 98:2-3), but it was not revealed that Christ would actually live in each member of His redeemed church. That both Jew and Gentile believers, now possess the surpassing riches of the indwelling Christ is the glorious, revealed mystery (John 14:23; Romans 8:9-10; Galatians 2:20; Ephesians 1:7, 17-18, 3:8-10, 16-19). The indwelling Spirit of Christ is the guarantee to each believer of future glory (Romans 8:11; Ephesians 1:13-14; 1 Peter 1:3-4).

MYSTERY OF GOD (Romans 16:25)

This mystery is that God through His Son Jesus would provide salvation to both Jews and Gentiles (Ephesians 3:3-9). It was unknown in the Old Testament Scriptures but has now been revealed in the prophetic Scriptures of the New Testament (Ephesians 2:20; 3:5). The gospel is the truth that God would save and glorify sinners (1 Corinthians 2:6-8).

 

 

 

©2012 Kenute P. Curry. All rights reserved.