seekeroftruth
Well-Known Member
Revelation 3:7 “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.
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Here's a link to the commentary I read. I left out more commentary. Please go to the link and read the rest for yourself.
Philadelphia: The name means brotherly love, and this city was the youngest of the seven cities, and was originally founded as a missionary outpost for Hellenism, the culture of ancient Greece.
“The original purpose behind this key city was to make it a center for spreading Greek language, culture and manners throughout the Asian provinces.” (Hocking)
Philadelphia: This was a prosperous city. “Philadelphia commanded one of the greatest highways in the world, the highway which led from Europe to the East. Philadelphia was the gateway from one continent to another.” (Barclay)
Philadelphia: This city was also known for beautiful buildings (it was called the “little Athens”) and her earthquakes, which required frequent evacuations.
“To walk through its temple-scattered streets was to be reminded of Athens, the center of worship of the Olympian gods.” (Barclay)
He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens: Jesus showed He is also the keeper of the keys and doors. In this quotation from Isaiah 22:20-23, Jesus expressed His power and authority, especially to admit and exclude.
And no one can shut it: The emphasis is on unhindered openness. There is nothing that can keep them from their access to this door. Since Jesus is He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens (Revelation 3:7), He had the authority to keep this door open for the Christians in Philadelphia.
For you have a little strength: The term a little strength does not imply weakness, but real strength. They were weak enough to be strong in the Lord. We can be “too strong” or “too big” or too sure of ourselves for God to really use us. The church in Philadelphia had the poverty of spirit to know they really needed God’s strength.
Have kept My word, and have not denied My name: The church in Philadelphia was faithful to Jesus and His word. The idea behind have not denied My name is not only that they expressed their allegiance to Jesus, but that they lived in a way that was faithful to the name and character of Jesus.
I will make those of the synagogue of Satan: Apparently, the Christians in Philadelphia were persecuted by Jewish people (the synagogue). However, these persecuting Jews were Jews in name only (who say they are Jews and are not, but lie). In fact, they had no spiritual connection to Abraham or to the people of faith.
I will make them come and worship before your feet: In this, Jesus promised that He would vindicate His people and make sure that their persecutors recognized they were wrong, and that Jesus and His followers were right. The idea is of vindication before self-righteous “spiritual” persecutors. God promised that the church in Philadelphia would be vindicated before their persecutors.
I will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world: Jesus also promised them protection from the hour of trial coming on the whole world.
Most Bible scholars see this hour of trial as a prophetic reference to the Messianic woes, the Great Tribulation, which precede Jesus’ earthly kingdom. Jesus promised to keep these Christians from that hour of trial.
To test those who dwell on the earth: The test is directed against those who dwell on the earth. This phrase is used nine times in the Book of Revelation, and it speaks of those who are not saved in Jesus. Revelation 17:8 makes the term synonymous with the lost: And those who dwell on the earth will marvel, whose names are not written in the Book of Life from the foundation of the world. This test is for unbelievers, not Christians.
Those who dwell on the earth “refers not to believers but to unbelievers who are objects of God’s wrath” throughout Revelation. (Johnson)
Keep you from the hour of trial: Does this imply an escape before the Great Tribulation, or does it promise protection in it? Each side believes this passage easily supports their position.
Behold, I am coming quickly: First, the church at Philadelphia must remember that Jesus is coming quickly, and they must prepare for His coming.
He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar: Overcomers were told that they would be as a pillar in the temple of My God. Pillars were pictures of strength, stability, and dignified beauty.
I will write on him the name of My God… I will write on him My new name: The overcomer also received many names — of God, the New Jerusalem, and the new name of Jesus. These names are marks of identification because they show who we belong to. They are marks of intimacy, because they show we are privileged to know Him in ways others are not.
He who has an ear, let him hear: We all want to hear the praise and encouragement Jesus gave to the church at Philadelphia. If we will be like this church, we must stay on their foundation, which was Jesus’ name and Jesus’ word. We must also depend on their source of strength which was Jesus, not themselves.
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I see three topics in the letter to the church at Philidelphia.
First of all, Jesus didn't really have anything bad to say about them. They were, according to the commentary, a Missionary Group living in a nice friendly town. They weren't respected at all. The town was built to be a mission for the Greeks.
That should make the evangelists pretty happy. Jesus does like the Missions.
The second topic is "the hour of trial". It says to me, in verse 10, that I won't see the worst of the End Times Prophecy.
It says to me, in verse 10, that Jesus controls who comes and goes. It says to me, those of us who have accepted Jesus as our Messiah, will be gone when the worst of the worst happens in End Times. I am so thankful for that promise.
I've read this Book a couple of times. There will be an earthquake. It should be an earth-breaker! People will hide in caves! I'm not sure if I want to survive past that catastrophic event here on earth. If I do have to endure the quake, well I hope He lets me leave before all the other crap happens. Blowhards making life miserable for others is everywhere now. Can you imagine how much hot air will be blasted from the politicians who survive? I bet they will take full credit for the lives of everyone who survives the earthquakes.
Has anyone else been watching the ring of fire? No, I don't mean a movie or a TV show this time. I'm watching Mt. Hood, Mt. Spur, Mt St. Helens and Mt. Ranier puffing up. Volcanos in the Philippians are heating up. Hawaii is building new land constantly but now it seems to be working even harder to push the magma into the Pacific. This is a prediction that will show itself before it explodes. I've also been watching the steam vents in the Grand Canyon. There's a caldera in the Grand Canyon that is bubbling with Magma trying to escape.
When we survive that, worse things follow. All the braggadocio of the politicians won't change the chaos Jesus says we'll avoid. I'm tired of braggadocio, but it will be nothing big in the events that are supposed to follow the Earthquake! I hope I'm right and verse 10 means I will not have to withstand all the beasts and bugs and braggadocio.
The third topic I see is "a new name".
The Pharisees and the Sadducees had a problem with Jesus' name. He didn't have a clean connection back to Abraham. The Jews only counted men... and the Census had to show how this man came from that man who came from that man and so on and so forth until they got back to Abraham, proving they were a real Jew. Jesus didn't have a father's name on His birth certificate. It was left blank or "unknown" was scribbled. Jesus was called a bastard by the Pharisees and the Sadducees.
As for the "fake Jews" in verse 9, Jesus seems to say that just because a name on a piece of paper [or papyrus or whatever] seems to trace your ancestry back to Abraham, it doesn't make you a true Jew. Only those Jews who accept Jesus as their Personal Savior, The Messiah, are really part of the family that dates back to when God made a promise to Abraham.
I wonder, was Jesus being sarcastic again when He dictated this letter to John? Was He saying "I'll give you a name! God is the name! Children of God is the name! Scribble that on your census!"?
So those evangelists who kept the Gospel clean, and survived the ridicule of their neighbors, would escape the catastrophic events of "End Times", and they would be given their adoption papers.
Apparently, Philadelphia must have been a friendly mission based on the true Gospel, where people were kind to one another.
IMHO.... if we can stay on Mission, spreading the pure Gospel, and treating others as we would like to be treated, we will escape the worst of the Tribulation and we will get a new name!
Right now... with the earthquakes and volcanic action already perking up.... Escape is a good thing to look forward to!
Jesus will decide who will survive. Jesus holds the keys.
Jesus will decide who will survive.
