The Church at Philadelphia

Background:

This church is representative of the great missionary movement of history as the Lord Jesus built His Church, the Household of God which the gates of Hell could not prevail against. So the time period would be from around 1648A.D. without being pedantic over dates, but we can certainly see the outline as once the doctrine was right our Lord moved as salvation belongs to our God. The name Philadelphia means ‘brotherly love’ which is lacking in many instances as we live in this last age of Laodicea before our Lord returns.

Key Verses: Revelation 3:7-13.

Verse 7 gives us a description of our Lord from Revelation 1:18 where He is pictured as the One with all authority and power, who opens or closes doors. Our Lord Jesus taught, ‘ that which is not planted of My Father will be uprooted’. So men or women may want to build but they can end up building in vain if it is not of the Lord – see Psalm 127:1.

Commendation

– This is found in verse 8 where they made use of the open door given to them by Christ. For 200 years missionaries went out to all the world and planted churches. They had a little power as they were not always supported, they were weak but strong in the Lord, they worked with little but sometimes much. Anyone studying this period will read of great exploits and men of God who were fearless and anointed as evangelists and pastors who saw real revival.

Condemnation

– there is none. This is the type of church our Lord loves – Revelation 3:9.
Our Lord also speaks of those in this verse who think they are Jews and are not, they are either deceived or they lie. This is seen in the Mormons who claim to be the priesthood. We also have the J.W’s who see some of their number as the 144,000 sealed Jews of the 12 Tribes from Revelation chapter 7.

Exhortation

– This is in verse 11 and is simply for them to continue as they were doing well.
In verse 13 we once again see the exhortation and command to have listening ears as to what the Spirit is saying unto the churches.

Promise

– They are promised three things in verses 10 to 12.
1) Verse 10 – they will be kept from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (The word all is inclusive as being the entire world in the end times Tribulation period).
2) Verse 11 – a crown for holding fast in being an overcomer.
3) Verse 12 – as overcomers they will be as pillars in the Temple of God, straight and true, supportive, steadfast as rock. They will have the name of the city of God – the new Jerusalem with the Lord’s new name upon themselves. Come Lord.

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