B. Characteristics of Jesus that Pertain to Philadelphia
1. Holy and True. Jesus identifies himself as the one who is holy and true. In Rev. 1:5 He is described as "the faithful witness." The church needs to know that what Jesus says is true. He is faithful to His promises. Their continuing faithfulness will not be ignored or in vain. They can depend on Jesus. He says that He is the one "who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens." In Rev. 1:18 Jesus says that He was dead but is now alive. The reason He is alive is that He has the keys of Hades and Death. Hades is the unseen state of those who are dead as they await the resurrection (see Appendix A). This is the ultimate example of His having the power to open doors. He opened the doors of Death and Hades and came forth from the grave alive after His death.
2. The Possessor of the Keys. Jesus has the keys. Keys are used to open and shut, to lock and unlock. The keys described in chapter 1 are to be used to open Death and Hades. Another key that He possesses is called the "key of David"; that is, the authority of the King of Israel to open and shut: "He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens." Acts 2:30 tells us that Christ was raised to sit on David's throne. This He did when He ascended to heaven. He Himself is the David prophesied in the Old Testament prophets. The next verse shows us how he uses the statement about the key in this letter.
C. Jesus Provides for Philadelphia
1. Jesus Knows Their Works. This is the same thing He said to all seven churches. There is no hiding from His eyes. Then He said, "I have set before you an open door; and no one can shut it." Jesus used "the key of David" to open a door for them because they had a little strength, had kept His word, and had not denied His name.
2. A Door of Opportunity. Jesus opened a door of opportunity to influence the false Jews. They were pronounced false not because they were not born of the proper Jewish parents, or because they had not been circumcised in their flesh, but because they had rejected Christ. In verse 9 Jesus says, "Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie-indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you." How far did this door of opportunity reach? These Jews were to come and worship before the feet of the Christians and would understand that the Son of God loved these Christians whom they had previously despised and persecuted. That is, they would worship God in the presence of the Christians. Jesus would hardly cause the Jews to worship the Christians. The expression before the feet of often referred to the position of a disciple or student before his teacher. When one is instructed or led by another, it is said that the he sat at the feet of the teacher or leader.
Jesus also called the Jews in Smyrna false Jews in Rev. 2:9: "I know the blasphemy of those who say they are Jews and are not; but are a synagogue of Satan." There is no indication that these Jews in Smyrna were to be influenced for good as they were in Philadelphia. In both places they are called a synagogue of Satan. Because they rejected Christ and persecuted His church they were worshiping Satan and doing His work. Christ denied they were Jews. In Rom. 2:28-29 Paul wrote, "For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God."
The test of being a true Jew was circumcision of the heart, in the Spirit, not literally circumcision in the flesh. The Jews, both in Smyrna and Philadelphia, had failed this test. In Rom. 11:1-5 Paul speaks of a remnant of the Jews who had not been cast off. These are the ones who, like Paul, had believed in the Son of God and had accepted Him as Lord, being justified by faith. Paul goes on in verses 16-24 to liken Israel to a tame olive tree. The Jews are the branches. The unbelieving Jews are cut off of the tree and are replaced by believing Gentiles, branches from the wild olive tree that are grafted in. So Gentiles who had not been circumcised in the flesh, but were circumcised in the heart, became a part of Israel as God had intended it. Paul writes in Col. 2:11-12, "In Him you were also circumcised with the circumcision made without hands by putting off the body of the sins of the flesh, by the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, in which you also were raised with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead."
Those who were broken off the tree of Israel were no longer Jews in God's sight, while He sees all true Christians, both Jew and Gentile, as true Jews-a part of His true Israel. This is why Jesus could say that those in the Jewish synagogue in these two cities lied when they said they were Jews. But here is a note of hope in Philadelphia. These Jews were to be brought to worship God and understand that the Christians are God's people. Did some or all of them become Christians? Let us hope so. After all, Paul did say in Rom. 11:23, "And they also, if they do not continue in unbelief, will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again." (For a fuller study of God's Israel, go to Appendix D.)
3. Kept from Persecution. Christians in Philadelphia were to be kept from the severe persecution that was coming upon the church throughout the world. Jesus tells them, "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth." The church in Smyrna was not kept from that tribulation. Fox's Book of Martyrs tells us that it was the Jews in Smyrna who accused Christians to the Roman inquisitors, and helped in burning them at the stake. Perhaps, then, the change of heart of the Jews in Philadelphia helped to ward off the persecution. For whatever reason, the persecution did not come upon them. Why? Jesus said it was because they had kept His command to remain faithful. They kept on persevering in their faith and in their service to the Lord Jesus.
It may be that Jesus wanted to spare them further suffering because they only had a little strength. Perhaps it would have been more than the church there could bear. Maybe they would have gone out of existence. Jesus did not want their lampstand to be removed. He is able to preserve His own people. He is able to protect the weak. He is faithful and true, and can be trusted to keep His word. Some strong churches, like the church at Smyrna, could be a powerful testimony to the people of that city by undergoing persecution and death while remaining faithful to Christ. This, apparently, was not the case in Philadelphia. As a result they were not called to suffer the severity of the persecution.
The persecution was to test or try the saints of God. Smyrna was told they would he tried or tested. Perhaps Philadelphia had already proved itself and didn't need to be tested further. They had kept Jesus' command to persevere. They had continued faithfully through the taunts, opposition, and resistance of the Jews. They had remained faithful through whatever persecution had already come upon them. Maybe this is why they were left with only a little strength. Jesus honored their perseverance and faith, and promised to keep them from further trials.
4. Jesus is Coming. Jesus said, "Behold, l am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown." He wanted them to know that they would not have to struggle forever. He was going to come soon. Of course, that was 2000 years ago and He still has not come. Maybe we should look at it from God's eyes. In 2 Pet. 3:8 Peter said, "...with the Lord one day is as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day." So from that perspective it has only been a couple of days since Jesus told the Philadelphians that He was corning quickly. The point is, He wants them to keep on holding fast so that nobody will take away their crown of life.
2 John 1:8 says, "Look to yourselves, that we do not lose those things we have worked for, but that we may receive a full reward." 2 Pet. 1:10-11 puts it this way: "Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble; for so an entrance will be supplied to you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ."
Also in Gal. 6:9 Paul says, "And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart."
Christ did not want them to lose their inheritance after having held on so far. He did not want them to lose heart and give up. He had opened the door for them, and no one could close it. He did not want them to miss out on anything that God had in store for them. For them, overcoming means holding fast until He comes.
D. Rewards for Those Who Overcome
1. A Pillar in God's Temple. For the one who overcomes he has some exciting rewards. First, Jesus will make him a pillar in the temple of God. The temple is a figure of the church according to Eph. 2:19-22 and 1 Cor. 3:16-17. Peter says Christians are living stones built into this house of God
(1 Pet. 2:5). A pillar in the temple in Jerusalem was a thing of beauty, as well as a means of supporting the temple. In Gal. 2:9 Paul refers to James, Cephas (Peter) and John as pillars. He was referring to their important position in the church in Jerusalem. It would be quite an honor to be made a pillar in God's heavenly temple. There will never be any danger of being cast out of that place of safety and security. They will never have to go out any more.
2. Three Names Written on Them. Jesus is going to write three names on the one who overcomes: 1) the name of God; 2) the name of God's city, the New Jerusalem; and 3) Jesus' own new name. What is Jesus' new name? I don't know what that name is, and neither does anyone else except Jesus and the Father. His own new name written on those who overcome indicates that they will be His own people throughout eternity.
The name of God's city is written on those who overcome. This is the New Jerusalem which comes down from heaven to the new heaven and new earth in Rev. 21:2. In Heb. 12:22-24 this city is called Mount Zion (the site of Jerusalem), and the heavenly Jerusalem. It is composed of a multitude of angels as well as the church of the firstborn ones who are enrolled in heaven. Jesus and His redeeming blood are there also. In an allegory which Paul gives in Gal. 4:26 He tells us, "...the Jerusalem above is free, which is the mother of us all." This city in the new heaven and new earth not only belongs to the redeemed, it is composed of the redeemed. It is a figure of God's people, His redeemed church. They will live with God, Christ, and His holy angels in this new heaven and new earth throughout eternity. Most cities have their own name written on them somewhere, if only on the city limits sign. God will write on the saints the name of the New Jerusalem because they are that holy city.
The name of God, written on those who overcome, indicates that they belong to God. What is that name? God has many names, but there is one in particular by which He wants to be known. It is the name He revealed to Moses at the burning bush. It is Yahweh-the self-existing and eternally existing one. He is the one true and living God.
When David thought of the overwhelming greatness of God, he said in Psalm 8:4, "What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?" It is an overwhelming thing to consider that we, the creatures of God, can be adopted into the family of God, be sons of God, brothers of His only begotten Son, joint heirs with Him. This is what it will mean to have the name of God written on those who overcome.
E. This Letter Written to You also
Jesus concludes the letter in the same way He ends all the others. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches." I would count it an honor to be a member of a church like the one in Philadelphia. Maybe you are a member of a church like this. If so, this letter is for you. You need to listen to the advice to hold fast what you have so that you will not lose your crown. Then you can look forward to all the wonderful things promised to the Philadelphians. In this life you will have an open door of influence to others in your community, even those who resist and oppose the church. You will receive the providential care and protection of Christ from the tribulation that comes upon Christians. In the life to come you will be an important pillar in God's temple and have God's name, the name of the Heavenly City, and the new name of Jesus written on you. Then you will know the importance of that name and understand its meaning. You will be safe and protected, never again to be subjected to the trials of this life. What a glorious future! May it be so for all those who belong to Him. Amen.
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