6 □ The Church at Philadelphia... is the Missionary church...
◇ Brief historical background...
▪︎ Philadelphia means... "brotherly love."
▪︎ The church in Philadelphia represents what could be called the Revived church, dating approximately from the beginning of the nineteenth century to the Rapture.
▪︎ This church returned to the Word of God.
▪︎ Philadelphia is located in a very beautiful valley that is inland about 125–150 miles from the coast.
▪︎ The city was built on four or five hills.
▪︎ Philadelphia is subject to earthquakes.
▪︎ Today no descendants of the original population are there. The great population that was in that area left primarily because of earthquakes and warfare.
▪︎ Great pagan leaders came out of the East and slaughtered those that were left.
▪︎ The city has had continuous habitation from its very beginning.
▪︎ The Lydian language was spoken first in Philadelphia.
▪︎ By the time of the apostles, the Greek language had taken over. It was a typical Greek colony.
▪︎ This was the outpost of Greek culture... and was called a "little Athens".
▪︎ It was a fortress city used to waylay the enemy.
▪︎ The soil was alluvial and very fertile.
▪︎ It was celebrated for its excellent wine.
▪︎ Philadelphia gained its name because of the love that Attalus II had for his brother Eumenes who was king of Pergamum. Attalus had a great love and loyalty for his brother, and consequently it is called "the city of brotherly love."
▪︎ In A.D. 17 a great earthquake struck this city and totally destroyed it.
▪︎ The Lord had no word of condemnation for Philadelphia.
▪︎ In it are the remains of a Byzantine church, which reveals that Christianity was active there up until the twelfth or thirteenth century.
▪︎ Philadelphia is the place where the Christians and Saracens fought during the Crusades.
▪︎ 1922 Turkey and Greece fought in Philadelphia.
▪︎ Christians today in Philadelphia are severely persecuted.
▪︎ This church was in a very strategic area to be a missionary church, and that is actually what it was.
■ Christ's letter to the Church...
☆ Revelation 3:7-13...
"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things says He that is holy, He that is true, He that has the key of David, He that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens;
I know your works: behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it: for you have a little strength, and have kept My word, and have not denied My Name.
Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
Because you have kept the word of My patience, I also will keep you from the hour of adversity (The Great Tribulation), which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.
Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which you have, that no man take your crown.
Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name.
He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches."
• "These things says He that is holy"... Jesus reminds the Church that He is Holy.
He was holy at His birth (☆ Luke 1:35)...
Holy at His death (☆ Acts 2:27)... and...
He is Holy in His priestly office (☆ Hebrews 7:26).
• "He that is true..." Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life. True means genuineness, perfect and complete.
• "He that has the key of David..."
This spoken of in ☆ Isaiah 22:22.
A key in Hebrew is used figuratively of power and authority. This speaks of Jesus's legal claim to the Universe. He is in and has total control. Jesus will sit on the throne of David in the Millennium. Today He is Sovereign and sits on the right hand of God interceding on our behalf.
• "He that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens..." Again, this speaks of Jesus's total control in the Church... of which He is the Head.
The Godhead is sovereign!
Interestingly the Lord opened the heart of Lydia, a seller of purple, and "she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul."
• The Church at Philadelphia was true to the Word of God. It is representative of all the churches (regardless of denominational label) world wide that still remain true to the Word of God...
• Jesus commends this church in 7 things...
1. "I know your works..." Jesus is looking for fruit... looking for works in the believers. Works as a result of faith. They go hand in hand.
2. "Behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it..."... the open door of opportunity for witnessing and proclaiming the Word of God.
3. "... for you have a little strength..." this was a humble group of believers which did not have impressive buildings, numbers or programs. They were in complete touch with the Lord, His strength and His Word.
4. "... and have kept My word..."... this church believed in the authority of and Holy Spirit inspired Word of God. His Word changes not. His Word is powerful.
They knew this and kept His Word.
5. "... and have not denied My Name"... this group remained true to Him by proclaiming Jesus as the Son of God, as being Immanuel (God with us) and His substitutionary death for sinners. Some have called this the Bible church, others the Revived church and others again the Missionary church. This church lasted longer than any of the other churches. It is believed that Christianity reached India because of this church.
6. "Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie... behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you."... Jesus says here that He will make the enemies of the Church of Philadelphia (those who say they are Jews but really aren't) to know that He loves this Church.
7. "you have kept the word of My patience..." The Philadelphian church kept the Word of God patiently... waiting patiently for the coming of Christ for His own... His Bride the Church.
Only in the last two hundred years or so, has the doctrine of the second coming (eschatology) been revived in interest. God is still patient with a world that has largely rejected Him. "He is not willing that any should perish..."
• "I also will keep you from the hour of adversity... to try them that dwell upon the earth."
Jesus's word of encouragement here, is the promise that this church, His Church, will not go through the Great Tribulation. The Church is to be removed from the world... it is to be Raptured... "the harpazo." ☆ 1 Thessalonians 4:13-18.
This is its comfort and hope... ☆ Titus 2:13.
The Church is not anticipating the Great Tribulation with all its terrible judgements. Instead it (the Bride) is waiting and looking for Christ the Bridegroom to come.
Remember "God has not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ."
The wrath of God is upon them that have rejected Him.
• "Behold, I come quickly"... this phrase does not mean Christ comes soon as in timewise... but rather, when He does come, He comes suddenly... He comes when they know not. Jesus's coming is imminent... it will happen with absolute certainty!
His true Church is not a particular denomination(s)... it is that large group of believers that are scattered throughout the world.
• "... hold that fast which you have, that no man take your crown"... the Church is exhorted to hold on tenaciously what they have... what they believe... the Word of God. Let no one rob you of the crown of life.
"Hold fast... hold fast!" He says.
• "That no man take your crown..."
What crown is that? The crown of life. Can we be robbed of our eternal salvation? Through negligence... yes we can!
• "Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, which is new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name."
A pillar is a solid, immovable column of stone in a building. A pillar supports... it holds up. To be called a pillar in the church is a compliment... an honour. Jesus says that the overcomer, He will make a pillar in the temple of God.
The overcomer shall not be moved... never!
"... he shall go out no more"... we will at long last have a fixed abode in Heaven... no more will we be regarded as pilgrims... this speaks of security.
Another honour bestowed upon the the overcomer... Jesus will write upon him (us) the name of God and the name of the city of God (the new Jerusalem).
[My thought? One of the names of God is Jehovah tsidkenu... my righteousness. That's what I reckon it will be... we will have Christ's righteousness... we will be the righteousness of Christ.]
Wow... a new name?
Jesus also said that He will write upon us [His new name]... reiterating our special relationship with Jesus. When Jesus comes again as described in chapter 19 of Revelation... He has 3 names... the Word of God (Who He alone is), King of kings and LORD of lords (Who He alone is).
He is also called Faithful and True... and, I like to think that is His new name that He will write on us...
Really... I should not speculate as to what those new names will be...
But whatever they are... they will be very special and we will be eternally His. They will be better than our earthly names, our social security number, licence number or our passport details.
• "He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches."
Again Jesus says... hear you the Spirit of God. We must have our ears like a TV receiver dish, directed towards and tuned in to Him. Listen very carefully or else we will miss what He is trying to say to us. The Spirit of God knows the heart, mind and will of the Father. If we hear Him and obey Him we cannot go wrong.