Rev
3:7-13 “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. 8
I 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. 9 I
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. 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 on the whole world to test the inhabitants of
the earth.
11 I am
coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your
crown. 12 The
one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God.
Never again will they leave it. I will write on them 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 them my new
name. 13 Whoever
has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
BACKGROUND:
Alaşehir began as perhaps one of the first ancient cities with the name
Philadelphia. It was established in 189 BC by King Eumenes II of Pergamon
(197-160 BC). Eumenes II named the city for the love of his brother, who would
be his successor, Attalus II (159-138 BC), whose loyalty earned him the
nickname, "Philadelphos", literally meaning "one who loves his
brother".
The city is perhaps best known
as the site of one of the seven churches of Asia in the Book of Revelation.
Philadelphia was thirty miles southeast of Sardis on the main trade route from
Smyrna on the coast to the east. As it also lay on the major Roman postal road
it was ideal for commerce and was called “the gateway to the east.” The
religion of Philadelphia was similar to that of several of the cities, a
syncretistic blend of Anatolian and Hellenistic practices. Its patron deity
appropriately was Dionysus, god of wine.
In the 5th century
it was called “Little Athens” due to the many temples and cults. The city
probably was evangelized by disciples of Paul. Philadelphia and Smyrna are the
only two churches with no rebuke and it is interesting that both were under
severe threat from a powerful Jewish presence in the city. This letter to the
church in Philadelphia is all about who Christ is and what he does to his
faithful children who gather in a church to worship and honor him.
The church in Philadelphia sets
forth the characteristics of the missionary church, beginning with the rise of
modern missions under William Carey. It was built in a dangerous volcanic area
located about 28 miles south east of Sardis. It was completely destroyed by an
earthquake in A.D.17 and was completely rebuilt.
Christ revealed himself as
“Holy, Who is true and who has the key of David.” What does this mean? In 2
Kings 19:22, “Who is it you have ridiculed and blasphemed? Against whom have
you raised your voice and lifted your eyes in pride? Against the Holy One of
Israel!” Here we see God referred as “the Holy One of Israel.” He was also
referred as “the true God” unlike the nations around that were worshipping
idols “But the Lord is the true God; he is the living God, the eternal King. When
he is angry, the earth trembles; the nations cannot endure his wrath.” Jeremiah
10:10.
In the NT Jesus refers to the
father as the “only true God” I John 5:20, we read about God being the Father
and true and His son Jesus came into the world and has given us understanding
so that we might know God the father through His son. When Philip asked Jesus
to show him the Father he said if you had seen me you have seen the father.
(John 14:9) On other occasions Jesus made it clear that He and the Father are
one. In other words the attributes that apply to God apply to Jesus as well. In
that sense this title “Holy and true refers to the deity of Christ.
The key of David has a
reference to the messianic kingdom. God had promised to build a “house” or
kingdom for David and establish his son, a reference to Jesus on the throne
forever ( 2 Sam 7:11-16) As we know whoever has a key they can open and close
the doors; likewise Christ is holding the key to his kingdom; so he can open
and close it whenever or to whoever and to whoever He wants to.
The church in Philadelphia is
the second church against whom no accusation is made. The church in Smyrna was afflicted and poor
but rich in spiritual things. In vs 8 , “I
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.”
It is interesting to note how
many times we read the letter “I” I know your deeds; I have placed; I know your
strength; I will make those; I will make them come; I have loved you; I will keep; I am coming; I
will make you a pillar; I will write on them the name of God; I will also write
on them my new name.(11 times) This letter emphatically declares the true
nature of Christ and what He is going to do to the followers of Satan and how
he is going to reward to his faithful remnant of enduring saints in tribulation.
God knows our strength against
opposition, temptation. Both the church in Smyrna and Philadelphia were in the
midst of fierce Jewish opposition and they seemed to be receiving complements
for their perseverance and endurance. On the other hand the church in Sardis
had no persecution, no affliction and no heresy but was dead. In this light
should we pray for opposition to the Church to arise so that the Church would
strengthen spiritually? I don’t think so. What we need is to repent and fall in
love with Jesus again; to love him as he loves us with a steadfast love and to
express that love not through singing and shouting, but obedience to his word.
What does require of is made simple in Micah 6:8, “He has shown you, O mortal,
what is good. And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love
mercy and to walk humbly with your God.”
Vs 9, “I 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.’
The synagogue of Satan was
first mentioned in the letter to Smyrna. This is not say that there was
actually a synagogue of Satan in Smyrna but it does mean that certain Jews in
the synagogue have joined the ranks of Satan and following His ways as they
were influenced by him.. Remember what Jesus told certain Pharisees; “You
belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father's
desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for
there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he
is a liar and the father of lies.” John 8:44. Well Christ has not changed his
stand against those carry out murderous acts and those who becomes compulsive
liars. He won’t hesitate to say to them the same thing he told the Pharisees.
“who claim to be Jews though they are not,
but are liars” According to the New Testament who is the real
Jew? The one who has accepted Jesus as the Messiah right? Apparently in this church there were some
Jews appear not only to have rejected the claims of Jesus but also fiercely
oppose those who proclaim Jesus is the Messiah.
I will
make them acknowledge that I have loved you…See
how much God values His love toward us. He will cause even our enemies to
acknowledge that He loves us! This was what King Daniel must have meant when he
said, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies.” (Psalm
23:5)
What is
the reward to the faithful and obedient servants? Vs 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 on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.”
God honors our faithfulness by saving us in the end. Jesus twice affirms that
those who stand firm to the end will be saved, once in reference to expressed
hatred from others because of our loyalty to Him(Matt 10:22) and the second
time regarding the increase in wickedness and the decrease in love (Matt 24:13)
“I will
also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world
to test the inhabitants of the earth.” First
to keep you from does not necessarily mean removal. Think of the three
friends of Daniel were thrown into the fiery furnace. Daniel was thrown into lion’s
den. They went through the time of testing but did not experience it as other
did. The guards who threw the three into fiery furnace were killed by the fire;
the three were not. The men and their families who had accused Daniel were
eaten by the lions, Daniel was not.
“To
keep from” can involve participation in the trial but deliverance from its
effects. In many places around the world today Christians are experiencing
persecution, and in some cases even death. While others, in the providence of
God, are kept from such. Secondly, “To keep from” can mean removal. Elijah was
kept from the three year drought that came on Israel through God’s provisions
of a brook and a raven, and later by going to Sidon, outside Israel to be fed
by a widow. As to the “hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world
how do we interpret “kept from”? There are two views that of a rapture and that
of no rapture. 1. Some believe that the Church will go through the tribulation
according to (Matt 24:21)
2. Some others believe in pre-tribulation view.
As far as the Philadelphian church was concerned the rapture of the church was
presented to them as an imminent hope. This implies that rapture of the church
before the time of trouble referred to as the great tribulation… This passage
therefore provides some support for the hope that Christ will come for His
Church before the time of trial and trouble described in Revelation 6-to 19. This time of tribulation will overtake the entire world, as
God inflicts His wrath upon unbelieving Gentiles as well as upon
Christ-rejecting Jews. The Philadelphian church is therefore promised
deliverance from the time of trouble which will overtake the world but will not
overtake them. (Walvoord, 1966:87)
