―To the angel of the church in Philadelphia

write…‖

The faithful church

―And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this: ‗I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. ‗Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews

and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you. ‗Because you have kept the word

of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on

the earth. ‗I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown. ‗He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and 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 My new

name. ‗He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.‘ " (Revelation 3:7–13)

The Letter to Philadelphia

General Background on Philadelphia

• Named for a king of Pergamum, AttalusPhiladelphus, who built it

• Means ―love of brother/sister‖• Leveled a number of times by

earthquakes, so they had suffered under natural disasters

• Emperor cult worship began there in the 3rd century A.D.

• Called ―little Athens‖ by the 5th century because of all the pagan temples

• Called ―Allah shehr‘ today – ―the city of God‖

• Written to by the martyr Ignatius of Antioch who spoke of his recent visit with them and encouraged them in Christian unity

Ignatius‟ Letter to Philadelphia

―Ignatius, who is also Theophorus, to the church of God the Father and of Jesus Christ, which is in Philadelphia of Asia,

which hath found mercy and isfirmly established in the concord of God and rejoiceth in the passion of our Lord

and in His resurrection without wavering, being fully assured in all mercy; which church I salute in the blood of Jesus

Christ, that is eternal and abiding joy; more especially if they be at one with the bishop and the presbyters who are with him, and

with the deacons that have been appointed according to the mind of Jesus Christ,

whom after His own will He confirmed and established by His

Holy Spirit…‖

The Description of Christ

―He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one

opens, says this" (Revelation 3:7)

1. Christ is holy2. Christ is true3. Christ has the keys of David4. Christ opens/shuts with

authority

All of these have distinctive Old Testament features

The Description of Christ

―He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one

opens, says this" (Revelation 3:7)

Holy means to be set apart, to be pure. The Old Testament describes God as the ―Holy One‖ and the same name is used for the Messiah in the New.

Label used for God elsewhere in Revelation: ―and they cried out with a loud voice, saying, ―How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and

avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?‖ " (Revelation 6:10)

―What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One

of God!‖ " (Mark 1:24)

―The angel answered and said to her, ―The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and

for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. " (Luke 1:35)

―We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.‖ (John 6:69)

―But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you" (Acts 3:14)

The Description of Christ

―He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one

opens, says this" (Revelation 3:7)

• The Greek term is ―alethinos‖ which is derived from ―aletheia‖ (truth) and literally means ‗trustworthy‘, ‗authentic‘.

• We can trust Jesus, believe in what He says

• In a world filled with deception, errors, lies, we can trust what Christ tells us

• Jesus said to him, ―I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. " (John 14:6)

The Description of Christ

―He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one

opens, says this" (Revelation 3:7)

• A key symbolizes the means to access and gain entry to something

• David symbolizes the messianic office• ―Then I will set the key of the house of

David on his shoulder, When he opens no one will shut, When he shuts no one will open. " (Isaiah 22:22) Spoken of the faithful Eliakim, the prime minister who controlled access to the king

• Jesus, the Messiah, has the keys to the kingdom and to death (cf. Rev 1:18) and determines who enters both.

The Description of Christ

―He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one

opens, says this" (Revelation 3:7)

• ―Then I will set the key of the house of David on his shoulder, When he opens no one will shut, When he shuts no one will open. " (Isaiah 22:22) Spoken of the faithful Eliakim, the prime minister who controlled access to the king

• No one can overrule Jesus‘ decision on matters of eternal life and death

Philadelphia‟s Destiny

―I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little

power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. " (Revelation 3:8)

• As with the other churches, Christ tells them He knows their deeds, which are the evidence of what‘s inside (i.e. true saving faith)

• Jesus just said that what He opens and closes no one can change, and He has placed an open door in front of them symbolizes access to the Kingdom of Heaven – something no one can change

Philadelphia‟s Opportunity

―I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little

power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. " (Revelation 3:8)

• It‘s also possible that Jesus is opening a door of service to the church

• "A wide door for effective service has opened to me and there are many adversaries‖ (1 Cor. 16:9)

• "When I came to Troas for the gospel of Christ and when a door was opened to me‖ (2 Cor. 2:12)

The Description of the Church

―I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little

power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. " (Revelation 3:8)

1. A little power2. Kept My word3. Not denied My name

“A Little Power”

―On the other hand I am filled with power-With the Spirit of the LORD‖ (Micah 3:8)

―but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you‖ (Acts 1:7)

“Kept my Word”

―it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law will be justified.‖ (Romans 2:13)

―But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves.‖ (James 1:22)

―Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Jesus.‖ (Revelation 14:12)

―If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him, He also will deny us"

(2 Timothy 2:12)

―They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for

any good deed. " (Titus 1:16)

―Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the one who confesses the Son has the Father also. "

(1 John 2:23)

“Not Denied My Name”

The Fake and the True

―Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie-I will make

them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.‖ (Revelation 3:9)

• When the Jews rejected Jesus as their Messiah, Judaism literally became as bad as Satanic worship

• ―For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that which is of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter; and his praise is not from men, but from God.‖ (Rom. 2:28-29)

The Fake and the True

―Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie-I will make

them come and bow down at your feet, and make them know that I have loved you.‖ (Revelation 3:9)

• Bowing down at someone's feet was the ancient posture of a humbled, defeated enemy.

• ―Thus says the Lord God, I'll lift up My hand to the nations, I'll set up My standard to the peoples, they will bring your sons in their bosom and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders. Kings will be your guardians, princes your nurses and I'll make them bow down to you with their faces to the earth and lick the dust of your feet and you'll know I am the Lord.‖ (Is. 49:23)

The Promise

"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who

dwell on the earth." (Revelation 3:10)

• True believers persevere. Whereas false believers fall away, true Christians persevere until the end

• The believers of Philadelphia had past all the tests to demonstrate their true faith –they had the Holy Spirit, they kept Christ‘s word, and they had not denied His name

• Because of their faithfulness, there were no further tests they needed to endure

The Promise

James 1:12

The Promise – Kept from the „Hour of Testing‟

"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who

dwell on the earth." (Revelation 3:10)

• Some say that this hour of testing would be some sort of natural disaster for those back in the first century, but most commentators believe this refers to a future event

• All faithful churches like the Philadelphia church will be kept from some sort of global event (‗upon the whole world‘)

―What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth? Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One

of God!‖ " (Mark 1:24)

―The angel answered and said to her, ―The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and

for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. " (Luke 1:35)

―We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy One of God.‖ (John 6:69)

―But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a murderer to be granted to you" (Acts 3:14)

The Promise – Kept from the „Hour of Testing‟

"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who

dwell on the earth." (Revelation 3:10)

• This test appears to be for unbelievers based on how the phrase ―those who dwell on the earth‖ is used throughout the rest of the book of Revelation

• The test is future as the promise is ―I WILL keep you…‖

• This test appears to be the 70th week of Daniel, the last 7 years of God‘s timetable laid out in Daniel chapter 9

―When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the

word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying,

"How long , O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the

earth ?‖ And there was given to each of them a white robe ; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their

brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also.‖(Revelation 6:9-11)

The Church is gone, but some are saved

―After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their hands ; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, " Salvation to our God who sits

on the throne, and to the Lamb." And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures ; and they fell on their

faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, " Amen, blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever

and ever. Amen." Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?" I said to him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. "For this reason, they are before the throne of God ; and they serve Him day and night in His temple ; and He who sits on the throne will spread His tabernacle over them. "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore ; nor will the sun beat down on them, nor any heat ; for the Lamb in the center of the throne will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life ; and God

will wipe every tear from their eyes.‖‖(Revelation 7:9-17)

The Church is gone, but some are saved

The Promise – Kept from the „Hour of Testing‟

"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who

dwell on the earth." (Revelation 3:10)

• Some try and say the church will go through the hour of testing: ―I will also keep you within the hour of testing.‖ The verb tereowhich means to keep or guard is followed by a little preposition ek. Ek means ‗out of‘. There is a word for in, en, there is a word for through, dia. Jesus didn't use en, He didn't say, "I'll keep you in it." He didn't use dia, "I'll keep you through it." He used ek, "I'll keep you out of it."

―Now My soul has become troubled ; and what shall I say, ' Father, save Me from this hour '? But for this

purpose I came to this hour.‖(John 12:27)

Jesus uses the same Greek preposition ek that is used in Revelation 3:10 that says the faithful church

will be kept out of the hour of testing.

The Promise – Kept from the „Hour of Testing‟

"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who

dwell on the earth." (Revelation 3:10)

• ―about to come upon the whole world‖ communicates a sense of immanence; that it is near

• ―You too be patient ; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.‖ (James 5:8)

• ―Do this, knowing the time, that it is already the hour for you to awaken from sleep ; for now salvation is nearer to us than when we believed. The night is almost gone, and the day is near.‖ (Rom. 13:11-12)

Another Promise and Command

―I am coming quickly ; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.‖ (Revelation 3:11)

• Which coming is Jesus speaking about? Since there is no condemnation for this church, it appears He is talking about His second coming.

• The word ‗quickly‘ is ‗tachys‘, which means suddenly or at a rapid rate.

• This is a reference to the immanence of Christ‘s coming; it could happen at any time.

Another Promise and Command

―I am coming quickly ; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.‖ (Revelation 3:11)

• What does ―what you have‖ refer to? It refers back to what He commended them for having: power, obedience, and faithfulness to Christ.

• The only crown that can be lost for a believer is a crown of rewards.

• ―If any man‘s work is burned up, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3:15) .

The Last Promise

―He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and 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 My new name. " (Revelation 3:12)

“A Pillar in the Temple of My God…”

• A pillar represents stability, permanence, and immovability. Faithful believers will be a permanent fixture in God‘s New Jerusalem.

• The temple is God Himself: ―I saw no temple in it [the new Jerusalem], for the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. " (Revelation 21:22)

• The only thing left standing in Philadelphian earthquakes were pillars; because of their faithfulness in trials, these (and all believers) are left standing as well.

“Write on Him the name of My God…”

• Three things written on the believer: (1) the name of God; (2) the name of the new Jerusalem; (3) Christ‘s new name

• Writing you name on something indicates ownership of that particular thing.

The new Jerusalem

"And I saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of

heaven from God, made ready as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the

throne, saying, ―Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and

they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them,"

(Revelation 21:2-3)

“My new Name”

• ―His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. " (Revelation 19:12)

• At present incommunicable and only known to God: to be hereafter revealed and made the believer‘s own in union with God in Christ. Christ‘s name written on him denotes he shall be wholly Christ‘s.

The Repeated command to Hear

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

This phrase is repeated each time in Christ‘s address to the seven churches of Revelation. In

the gospels (it is never used in John), it is always used to highlight radical truths, great

principles, and promises.

Note that Jesus says it is the Spirit speaking to the churches, even though He is the actual one talking: ―All Scripture is inspired by God

and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness‖

(2 Timothy 3:16)

Conclusions

• This church represents that faithful church / set of believers who keep Christ‘s word and don‘t deny Him in the world

• Their reward (and ours) is to be granted eternal life, kept from the tribulation that is going to come upon the whole world, and be visibly praised even by Christ‘s enemies

• All true believers are unshakable because they are kept by God‘s power in faith

―To the angel of the church in Philadelphia

write…‖

The faithful church