To the Church in Philadelphia
"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 8I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. 9I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars--I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. 10Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. 11I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. 12Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name. 13He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. (NIV)
1. DESTINATION
Philadelphia was about thirty miles southeast of Sardis. It was destroyed in A.D. 17 by the same earthquake that toppled Sardis. Tiberius Caesar, the great builder of cities, reestablished it. Philadelphia was at the center of a great vineyard district and had a thriving business in wine. Because of this, Bacchus, the god of wine, had many devotees there. Quite naturally, drunkenness was a chronic social problem in the district.
The very large Jewish population in Philadelphia was apparently responsible for some of the persecution of Christians. The Jews were no strangers to this persecution; Roman laws were hard on them as well as is was on the Christians.
2. DESCRIPTION OF CHRIST
To this missionary-minded church, Jesus presents Himself as the One who opens the doors of evangelistic opportunity where and when He chooses. No mere man can OPEN a door of witness or SHUT one except by the will of the Father. This is a stirring illustration of the sovereignty of God. If every missionary really believed this truth about Jesus, there would be fewer heartsick and frustrated missionaries, Preachers, and evangelists!
When Jesus says that He possesses the "key of David," it is a reminder to the Jews in Philadelphia that the Davidic Covenant--which promised eternal blessing through David's greater Son, the Messiah ? will be fulfilled in Jesus Himself.
The startling statement that the Jews will come and worship at the feet of Christians means that the foes of Jesus will one day acknowledge the Christian's Lord as the true God.
3. COMMENDATION
Jesus praises the Philadelphians for their "work" which was obviously evangelism. He sets before them an open door for witness which no one can shut. Paul used this same symbol for evangelistic outreach when he said:
1 Corinthians 16:9 because a great door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many who oppose me. (NIV)
Christ had promised to open doors as these believers sought to reach the lost world with His message of salvation. They were smart enough to realize that they had only "a little strength," and so they relied on Christ to open the way. He faithfully does just that for those who trust Him. But when there is HUMAN maneuvering to do GOD'S work, things never work out right! We see this example exemplified in the Jim Baker/Jimmy Swaggart episodes.
4. REBUKE
There is no hint here of any rebuke to this church!
It is important for us to see the characteristics that made this church so highly approved by the Lord.
5. EXHORTATION
Jesus admonition is a simple encouragement to hold fast what the believers have learned and experienced in their walk with Him. He tells them they are doing just great, and to keep up the good work!
6. PROMISE
Most of this letter is composed of promises.
Someone has counted over seven thousand promises in the BIBLE which God has made concerning His children and their welfare. Several very important ones are in this letter.
The first one is the "open door of opportunity" for believers to reach out to the unbelieving world. You will notice that it doesn't say only CERTAIN people are supposed to go through that door and witness. The door is open for EVERY child of God who will simply walk through it.
Often we think about witnessing to someone we know. We think he couldn't possible be open to the gospel. But the next time an opportunity comes along to speak to someone about Christ, we need to remind ourselves of the door which Christ says HE has opened to their minds! THEY must open the door of their hearts, but He will open the door to their minds.
The greatest promise given to any of the seven churches is in this letter. Jesus promises that these Philadelphian believers will not go through the time of testing which is coming upon the whole world:
Revelation 3:10 Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. (NIV)
If there were no other verse in Scripture telling of the translation, the rapture of believers and the church, this one verse aught to make a believer out of you. The scope of this promise goes far beyond the little church in the ancient city of Philadelphia. There are several reasons for this.
- (1). This promise speaks of a specific time or hour when the whole world will be in turmoil. A crisis of this kind has never faced the whole world at one time since this promise was given. Our world has been wrapped up in much turmoil since the writing of this letter. There have been rumors and rumors of wars. But never, since the beginning of history has the WHOLE WORLD been faced with such dangerous repercussion that seem to be emanating from the Middle East as it is today, November 14, 1990.
- (2). This promise is unique because the believers who constitute the "Philadelphia ? type" church are promised they will be "kept out of the hour of trial." Note they are not told they will be safeguarded IN the trial but that they will be kept OUT OF IT ALTOGETHER. Most everyone that was living during any resemblance of the recent past revival age has gone on to be with the Lord. Moody, Billy Sunday, the Wesleys, etc.--all have gone on to their reward. Very little of anything even similar to what was experienced in their day is happening today.
- (3). A third reason for wider application of this promise is that the global judgment is to test "those who dwell upon the earth." This is a very specialized designation in the Book of Revelation. Listen to the Apostle John's description of these people in Chapter 13, verse 8:
Revelation 6:10 They called out in a loud voice, "How long, Sovereign Lord, holy and true, until you judge the inhabitants of the earth and avenge our blood?" 8:13 As I watched, I heard an eagle that was flying in midair call out in a loud voice: "Woe! Woe! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the trumpet blasts about to be sounded by the other three angels!" 11:10 The inhabitants of the earth will gloat over them and will celebrate by sending each other gifts, because these two prophets had tormented those who live on the earth. 17:8 The beast, which you saw, once was, now is not, and will come up out of the Abyss and go to his destruction. The inhabitants of the earth whose names have not been written in the book of life from the creation of the world will be astonished when they see the beast, because he once was, now is not, and yet will come. (NIV)
These people are unquestionably men and women who have rejected Jesus Christ as Lord of their lives. It believe this is a clear and tremendously comforting promise to true believers in Christ that He will snatch them out of the world before unleashing the global judgments which are discussed in depth in Chapters 6 through 19.
7. PROPHETIC APPLICATION - A.D. 1750-1925
(Jesus' parallel, Matthew 13:45-46, The Pearl of Great Price!)
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man, seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it. (KJB)
NOTE: We live in a time when Nations are wealthy. Medicine looks only toward more and more advancements, agriculture is appreciating advancements in production, entertainment seems to offer no limits to the obtaining of wealth (i.e., the out of touch with reality concerning dollar amounts some foot-ball, basket-ball and other sports figures obtain) Our nation, as well as our denomination, churches and people are apathetic about prayer, BIBLE reading and church attendance. People in general, especially in comparison with our parents, are wealthy. We see continual losses of freedom in lieu of other peoples demands for THEIR RIGHTS.
During the years of 1750 through 1925 was a time of great missionary endeavors of the church. Believers awakened to the millions who had never heard the name of Jesus, and many missionary movements were began during this period. The China Inland Mission, The Student Volunteer Movement, The Salvation Army--These are typical of the sacrificial enterprises reaching a vast cross-section of un-evangelized peoples.
During this period the Church sensed its need for spiritual revival when God sent men like Wesley, Whitfield, Edwards, Finney, Spurgeon, and Moody (to again, name just a few) across England and America.
Revivals swept across the English-speaking countries and out of this great spiritual awakening rose many universities and churches dedicated to Christ.
Unfortunately, missionary zeal began to wane after World War I, and though some evangelistic movements continued to flourish, many of the schools and churches that arose during this era have long since abandoned their Christian heritage. The Philadelphia type of church is still present in the world and it will be here until the Rapture, but it is not the dominant force in the professing Christian church of today. I could wish that it were!
CONTINUE> ~ Church 7 Laodicea
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