We continue looking at the seven messages to the churches of Asia. We now study the last two messages. They are in chapter 3 and are addressed to Philadelphia and

Message to Philadelphia

Rev 3:7-13 See common note

Philadelphia A small farming town on the edge of a fertile valley. There is still a farming town there today. Although just a church in the country, and not a big city church with prestige, the church in Philadelphia was strong. It was one of two churches out of the seven that Jesus did not have something against (the other was Smyrna).

He who... has the key of David Jesus calls himself here "He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens..." (cf Isa 22:22). In the vision of Christ which John saw, Christ said to John, "I have the keys of death and of Hades" (Rev 1:18). This is the same as saying, "I have the key of eternal life".

The "key of David" represents the same thing. Peter, on the day of Pentecost, explained that "David, because he was a prophet, and knew that God had sworn with an oath to seat one of his descendants upon his throne, he looked ahead and spoke of the resurrection of Christ that his soul was not abandoned to Hades, nor did his flesh suffer decay." (Acts 2:22-39).

Only Jesus the King of kings, who now and forevermore sits on David's throne, has the power to give or deny eternal life. When he opens heaven for you, nobody can shut you out. If he shuts you out, nobody can let you in.

I know... The deeds of the church at Philadelphia, although "little" were able to be used by Christ. He opened a door for them to preach the message of eternal life which they themselves had been keeping.

Jews... Synagogue of Satan There was a dispersion of the Jews across the world. In many places, like Smyrna, they opposed and even persecuted Christians. They "say they are Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan". The gospel teaches that a Jew is not a Jew outwardly but inwardly (Rom 2:28-29 Rom 9:6-8). Jews who rejects Christ are not considered by God to be true Jews, but are considered to belong to Satan. Remember that Jesus is a Jew, which adds poignancy to his comment about the Jews in Smyrna.

Perseverance Jesus commends the Philadelphians for persevering, for keeping the word. He says that he will keep them from the hour of testing or temptation. He does not mean that they won't be tested. But he will keep them from being harmed by it, and help them to go on persevering and overcome. How Jesus keeps us from the hour of testing is explained in 1Corinthians 10:13.

Hold fast In the previous verse, Jesus called the gospel "My word of perseverance". The gospel is something to be kept and held fast in perseverance. In the parable of the sower (Luke 8:4-15) describes many in whom the seed of God's word grew for a short while, but did not last. When Jesus says to the Philadelphians, "I am coming quickly", it is not so much a threat to them, as it is to some, but an encouragement. In this case the idea is to hang in there, because it won't be very long. In the previous verse he speaks of "the hour of testing". He is making the same point here as he did to the church in Smyrna (Rev 2:10), when he said the tribulation would last only ten days. He mentioned the crown of life there too, as he does here, to motivate people to persevere.

A pillar in the temple We usually think of "pillars" of the church (Gal 2:9) as those who are strong and help to hold up the church in difficult times. Whilst that is true, Jesus is taking the metaphor further in his promise to make the faithful person a pillar in the temple of God. A pillar holds up the building, therefore it cannot be taken away. It is a permanent part of the building. Thus Jesus says, "I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he will not go out from it any more" (Rev 3:12). This is another picture of the gift of eternal life.

A pillar sometimes has an inscription or an identifying mark chiselled into it by the stonemason. Jesus promises to write upon the pillar (the faithful Christian) the name of God, the name of the new Jerusalem, and Christ’s new name.

New name This is the same new name that was written on the white stone (Rev 2:17). In Isaiah it is called "an everlasting name which shall not be cut off". This is the name which Jesus has (Rev 19:12 Php 2:9). When you want to identify something as belonging to you, you may write your name on it. This is the sense in which Jesus will write the divine name on every faithful Christian. On Judgment Day, Jesus will recognise his own (Jhn 10:14, 27-28).

This mention of the name also relates back to the statement in verse 9, "I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and to know that I have loved you" . Jesus has "the name which is above every name" and at that name "every knee shall bow" (Php 2:9-10). When thinking of the "name" of Jesus in this manner, we have in mind much more than just the name "Jesus" itself. We have in mind his authority, glory, and majesty, and ourselves as his fortunate subjects.

New Jerusalem The seventh of the seven final visions in Revelation is the vision of the heavenly city of God, the new Jerusalem (Rev 21:1 to 22:6). You might like to read an article on "The New Jerusalem" in the Times of Israel lesson entitled The Eternal Kingdom

Message to Laodicea

Rev 3:14-22 See common note

Laodicea A city near Colossae and Hierapolis. It was a centre for fine wool, ointments, banking, among other things. It had a water supply channelled from hot springs. The water arrived lukewarm.

The Amen Jesus calls himself here "the Amen, the faithful and true Witness...". The word "Amen" is a Hebrew word meaning "true". In this title of Christ, the use of "Amen" simply reinforces the verity of the testimony of Christ, "the faithful and true witness" (cf Rev 1:2,9).

Beginning of the creation Jesus again refers to himself as "the beginning". As we have seen, he is "the Alpha and the Omega, the first and the last, the beginning and the end" (Rev 22:13).

By calling himself "the beginning of the creation of God", Jesus does not mean that he is the first being ever created by God. He is the beginning "and the end", the first "and the last". So what Jesus means is that he is the source or origin of all creation (Jhn 1:1-3 Col 2:16-18 Rev 1:5).

By becoming a human being, however, the eternal Son of God became part of the very creation of which he himself was the origin. And by rising from the dead and ascending to the right hand of God, he is the "firstborn of all creation" (Acts 26:23 Rom 8:29 1Co 15:20-23 Col 1:15). His title, "the beginning of the creation of God", carries this idea as well. He is the beginning not only of the present creation, but of the eternal and glorious new heavens and new earth to come (Rev 21:1-7).

I know... Jesus assessed the Laodiceans by their deeds, and found that they were lukewarm, "Neither cold nor hot".

...out of my mouth Jesus threatens to spit these Laodicean Christians out of his mouth, to reject and repudiate them. This develops that part of the vision in which John saw a sharp two-edged sword coming out of the mouth of Christ, and this sword was the word of God and the testimony of Jesus (Rev 1:9,16). So when Jesus threatens to spit the Laodiceans out of his mouth, he emphasises their failure to abide by, and be zealous of, his word.

rich... poor The Laodiceans thought they were rich, however Jesus tells them they are miserably poor. There are two ways this could have happened.

Buy of me... Jesus has described the Laodiceans as "poor and blind and naked" (verse 17). So he tells them to buy from him...

Love... discipline The reproof of Christ may seem harsh, however he assures us that his discipline comes from love as all necessary discipline does.

Be zealous Jesus here clarifies the nature of the lukewarmness for which he has criticised the Laodiceans. They lacked zeal. Jesus sees this as a sin, because he tells them to repent. We cannot be regarded as righteous unless we have a passion and enthusiasm for Christ and his gospel. Heaven is not for the half hearted.

I stand at the door... Jesus closes his messages to the seven churches with a lovely invitation. And yet he also seeks an invitation. He has the power to "open the door" himself. After all, he has the keys and what he opens none can shut (Rev 3:7). Instead he stands at the door and knocks.

Jesus invites, encourages, disciplines, instructs, and says, "I advise you..." (verse 18). But he does not force himself on us. He gently knocks and calls, and waits for us to open the door to him. Only then will he come in (cf Jhn 14:23).

I will dine...; Christians love to eat together, and often do, because sharing a meal and sitting at table together is a symbol of fellowship. In the words "I will dine with him and he with me" we feel the lovely friendship that Jesus offers us. How could anybody refuse such a friend as this?

My throne There is a wonderful contrast between the promise in this verse, and Jesus's request in verse 20 for us to open the door to him. When he knocks, if we let him in, not only will he come in to dine with us in the humble abode where we are, but one day he will return the favour, and take us into his own palace, where nothing will be shut to us. He will even let us sit with him on his throne. Christ dining with us now, and we sitting with him on his throne then, are symbols of the indwelling of the Holy Spirit now and the glories to come of which it is a pledge and foretaste (Eph 1:13-14 2Co 1:22).

THE FIRST VISION ENDS

As Jesus closes his final message in this first vision (Rev 3:20-22), he anticipates the next vision which John is about to see, a vision in which John is carried up in spirit into the throne room of heaven. One day all faithful Christians will be granted that ultimate privelege, not merely in a passing vision, but in reality and for all eternity.

Jesus gently reminds us, finally, of his supreme power and glory. "I also overcame and sat down with my Father in his throne".

Here at the end of the first vision, there is also a reminder of the chain that we observed at the beginning. The vision came from God through Christ, through and angel, to John and through him to us. The testimony which this vision brings results in power and glory for all who will hear it. Just as the message comes from God through Christ to us, so does the power and the glory in which we will be priveleged to share, when we take our reserved place among the glorious throng who praise him in his very presence.

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