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| Earl Gillespie Religious Writer, Author, Lecturer |
THE SPIRIT’S MESSAGE TO PHILADELPHIA
Revelation 3:7-13
Each congregation exhibits its own set of characteristics, but within these seven assemblies are common virtues and problems that Christians in all generations should either emulate or avoid. These messages to the seven churches makes it clear that some congregations and individual member of the church were developing serious spiritual deficiencies, some even allowing Satan to lead them away from their calling. Christ clearly distinguishes the spiritual works of those acceptable to Him from the works of those flirting with the "depth of Satan" Revelation 2:24).
This lesson also brings to light the deadly sins of selective reading the scripture for the purpose of making a point. We should be careful not to misinterpret, mis-locate or misapply the word of God. The context must always be recognized and the interpretation must be based upon who is talking, who is being spoken to and what is being talked about. It is called rightly dividing the word of truth. Satan masterminded and manipulated an apostate religion that began to masquerade as Christianity as far back as the days of the apostles. The message to the seven churches seems to imply that this counterfeit Christianity would be one of Satan's main instruments of deception until the end of time.
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast 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 thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh 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 cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
This lesson also brings to light the deadly sins of selective reading the scripture for the purpose of making a point. We should be careful not to misinterpret, mis-locate or misapply the word of God. The context must always be recognized and the interpretation must be based upon who is talking, who is being spoken to and what is being talked about. It is called rightly dividing the word of truth. Satan masterminded and manipulated an apostate religion that began to masquerade as Christianity as far back as the days of the apostles. The message to the seven churches seems to imply that this counterfeit Christianity would be one of Satan's main instruments of deception until the end of time.
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast 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 thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh 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 cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
The message to the church at Philadelphia is a message to the True Church in the group of seven churches. If we slowly read the text the, visualizing the symbols and signification the message become very clear. This church has many "true" believers among its many members. The city of Philadelphia was twenty-five miles south of Sardis. It was named for its founder, Attalus Philadelphus, who was king of Pergamos. Today the city is named Allah Shehr, meaning “City of God,” and is populated largely by Greeks. The remains of early Christian influences can be seen today in this city more than in any of the other cities in Asia where the seven churches were located. The ruins of twenty-five churches can be found there, and marble pillars - the remains of great churches - can be plainly seen. No doubt these marble columns are the remains of the pillars that were there even in John’s day or shortly thereafter. The city of Philadelphia continued longer than any of the other cities named by John, and was the last Christian city to surrender to the Turks. The name “Philadelphia” means brotherly love. Brotherly love is a distinct characteristic of the household of God (Ephesians 2:19). Jesus said, “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one for another” (John 13:35).
Verse 7: “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.” The Messenger to the church in Philadelphia identifies Himself by saying, “These things saith He that is Holy, He that is True.” These are divine attributes. Read Hosea 11:9, Jeremiah 10:10, Revelation 4:8, I Thessalonians 1:9, Isaiah 6:3, I John 5:20. God is delivering the message to the church of brotherly love. The Messenger is further identified by the words, “He that hath the key of David.” Jesus is the One who has the key of David (Isaiah 22:22). Jesus is also the One who holds the keys of hell and of death (Revelation 1:18). Jesus gave to Peter the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Matthew 16:19 And I will give unto thee (Peter) the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Many ministers will misinterpret this scripture to mean that they now have the keys to the Kingdom. This conclusion is reached through selective reading. Let's read the verse above that one, Matthew 16:18-19 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Peter used those keys to open the Kingdom of Heaven to the Jews on the Day of Pentecost (Acts 2). He again used the keys to open the door of salvation by grace to the Gentiles, in the house of Cornelius (Acts 10). Peter left these doors open and the keys of the Kingdom are not mentioned again. Since the door of the Kingdom has not been closed, it does not need to be opened in these modern days by a pope, a priest, a bishop, a preacher nor an evangelist or pastor.
Verse 8: “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” This discourse began with those profound words, "I know' signify that the speaker knows everything that there is to know about the church. The One delivering the message to the church in Philadelphia is the One who opens - and no man shuts; shuts - and no man opens. This is the door of service, not of salvation. “Behold, I have set before you an open door.” Read Acts 14:27, I Corinthians 16:9, II Corinthians 2:12. Jesus has the key that opens the door of service. Who would dare question His authority to open that door - or to close it? His authority is final and irresistible. The door of service was open to the church in Philadelphia because the assembly there had (1) kept His Word, and (2) had not denied His name. The church in Sardis walked hand in hand with (Satan) the world, and therefore God had no other alternative but that Sardis must suffer the judgment of God. God cannot condone sin. Whatsoever is sown by a man, a family, a church or a nation, that shall they also reap. “The world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth forever” (I John 2:15- 17). The future of the saints at Philadelphia was bright because they kept His Word and confessed His name. They did not deny (confessed and repented) the Lord before a wicked and perverse generation. No man can shut the door which is open to those who honor the Word of God and the precious name of Jesus. Many times in the New Testament, the Spirit opened and closed doors to the apostles. One such case is found in Acts 16:6-7. The Holy Spirit definitely shut the door to certain cities, forbidding the apostles to preach there. When the blind man was brought to Jesus in the city of Bethsaida, He took him outside the city, opened his blind eyes and then instructed him to go home. He commanded him not to return to the city, nor tell any person in the city who had opened his eyes. “And He sent him away to his house, saying, Neither go into the town, nor tell it to any in the town” (Mark 8:26). Read verses 22 through 26 to get the complete story. God commands certain men to go to certain places and carry on certain ministries, but He also commands some ministers NOT to go to certain cities and peoples. It is God who opens and closes the door of service.
In I Corinthians 16:9 the Holy Spirit opened a great door to a mighty preacher, the Apostle Paul. The true ministers of today would be much better off if they would commit their ways unto the Lord and ask Him to open doors, instead of attempting to open them through political schemes and religious string-pulling. Some ministers go to certain denominational schools so they will be sure to be called into a pastorate when they obtain their degree. Others attend certain churches for the purpose of being recognized. You may rest assured that God Almighty does not call a surplus of preachers. (that does not mean every preacher is called) Whom God calls, God ordains, and whom God calls and ordains, God also provides with a pulpit (That does not mean every pulpit is in a church "building"). “As many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14). If we are led of the Spirit, we will be led in the right path, to the right city, to the right pulpit - and, as in the case of Philip, to the right person. Philip left a great revival, and followed the Spirit to the chariot of one man who needed the Lord - and what a victory he won. Reflect on that.
Philadelphia is the second of the seven churches without reproof or rebuke. Smyrna is the other church not rebuked or reproved by the Spirit. Smyrna was the suffering church, the persecuted church, the church that underwent a blood bath. Philadelphia, the weak but faithful church, is not rebuked, but on the contrary is commended because she kept the Word and did not deny the name that is above every name. The period represented by the church at Philadelphia covers approximately from 1750 through the period just after World War II. However, the church at Philadelphia and the Laodicean church will coexist until the True Church is caught out and the lukewarm church is spewed out. When I say these two churches will coexist, I do not mean in the spiritual aspect. I mean insofar as both remaining on the earth.
That door was open a few years ago; now it is closed. And as the end approaches we will see more and more closed doors. God could have kept them open - but He permitted them to be closed because of the unfaithfulness of believers. The church in America spends millions for movies, cosmetics, cigarettes, soft drinks, televisions and automobiles - and sends the leftover pennies to missions! The church leaders are lifted up in pride and glorified as the gospel is changed to reflect the desire of the flesh. God pity America when this country stands before God! “To whom much is given, of the same shall much be required.”
There was a “little strength” left, there were a “few names” left, and through the little strength and the few names, great battles of righteousness were won by men of God who wielded the sharp two-edged sword of the Word without fear or favor, the Holy Spirit honoring their faithfulness, using these men and a few others like them to turn millions’ to the Lord Jesus, thus bringing into being the church at Philadelphia - the church of brotherly love, the church that kept the Word and confessed the Name in which salvation is found - the only name through which sinners can be saved (Acts 4:12).
There was a “little strength” left, there were a “few names” left, and through the little strength and the few names, great battles of righteousness were won by men of God who wielded the sharp two-edged sword of the Word without fear or favor, the Holy Spirit honoring their faithfulness, using these men and a few others like them to turn millions’ to the Lord Jesus, thus bringing into being the church at Philadelphia - the church of brotherly love, the church that kept the Word and confessed the Name in which salvation is found - the only name through which sinners can be saved (Acts 4:12).
Verse 9: “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 thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.” We meet with the same party here as in the address to Smyrna. The character of opposition may not be the same in both of the church periods, for Satan has various methods of attacks, but in both the opposition is termed the “synagogue of Satan.” Those referred to are not necessarily of Jewish nationality, but just as the "Jews" claim to be God’s chosen people here on earth and that to the exclusion of all others on earth, so here we have a church order which assumes the same position. But remember nothing misses the all-seeing eyes of Jesus, who has eyes like “flames of fire.” The Son of God assures the true believers that He will set them straight; so He exposes the true character of these people and declares them to be “the synagogue of Satan.” The I know concept of Jesus message make it clear that He knows that there are those who claim to be the children of God but are not. When Jesus was here on earth, He looked at a group of His own people and said, “Ye are of your father, the devil!” (John 8:44). You note that from the time He walked on earth until He stood in the midst of the seven golden candlesticks delivering the message as John penned it down, He did not change His message. God’s minister does not change his Gospel, he does not change his message. The reason is clear: The Gospel never changes. “Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today, and forever” (Hebrews 13:8) - and, Jesus's word is the Gospel. Jesus assures the true believers in Philadelphia that He will make the pretenders, the counterfeit church members, those who profess but do not possess, to come and worship at the feet of the true Church. God is jealous for the Church. The Church is the Bride of Christ. He purchased it with His own blood (Acts 20:28), and those who counterfeit the true Church will pay for their deadly evil.
Continued next week
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