Bible Study Book Availability Update 12/2/2024

 

MESSAGE TO THE CHURCH IN PHILADELPHIA Revelation 3:7-13

When we think of Philadelphia, we think of the Liberty Bell And The Declaration Of Independence. The bell in the picture isn’t the Liberty Bell. It’s the bell from the ferry that used to cross the river in my home town.

Revelation 3:7 Amplified Bible

7 “And to the angel (divine messenger) of the church in [a]Philadelphia write:

“These are the words of the Holy One, the True One, He who has the key [to the house] of David, He who opens and no one will [be able to] shut, and He who shuts and no one opens:

Jesus describes Himself as the Holy One, the True One, who has the key. What He opens no one can shut, and what He shuts, no one can open. That sounds simple enough, but let’s think about it for a minute. He is loving and He is Judge. He is sovereign and He allows us to choose to accept or reject Him. He is merciful and He is just. He is meek and He is powerful. Open. Closed. When we accept His gift of Salvation, our door is open to a relationship with Him and for His Spirit to work in us. We have an open door to pray with confidence that He will hear. We have an open door for Him to fulfill His purposes in and through us. The devil will try to tempt us, distract us, confuse us, but our salvation is secure because Jesus opened the door. Satan can’t close it. Doctrinally, we call that the security of the believer.  When He gives us a purpose and a ministry, that door is open for us to yield to Him and obey Him. Continuing with what He spoke to the church in Philadelphia, He talks about the open door He has provided for them, and encourages them in their obedience and faithfulness.

Revelation 3:8 Amplified Bible

8 ‘I know your deeds. See, I have set before you an open door which no one is able to shut, for you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not renounced or denied My name.

I was a little confused by the phrase “you have a little power” so I looked at a few different translations. The New International Version says, “ I know that you have little strength”. I’m not sure which is more accurate, but I can understand the concept from the NIV that we need to acknowledge our powerlessness to do anything in our own strength, and our dependence on God to fill us with His power as we are faithful and obedient to Him.  That concept seems to agree with His words that they have kept His word (obedience) and have not denied His Name (faith and commitment.) 

Revelation 3:9-10 Amplified Bible

9 Take note, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet and make them know [without any doubt] that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept the word of My endurance [My command to persevere], I will keep you [safe] from the hour of trial, that hour which is about to come on the whole [inhabited] world, to test those who live on the earth. 

These are the words I long for Jesus to say to me, that He has loved me because I have kept His word, His command to persevere, that He will keep me safe from the trials that the world is about to experience. Don’t those words touch your heart? “I loved you. You have kept My Word and persevered.” Wow! Not only is He affirming His love for them, He also tells them that He will make it clear to those of the synagogue of Satan that He loves them. Even further, He will make the false teachers (those who claim to be Jews but are not) bow down at their feet. You and I may or may not have experienced direct contact with false teachers and idolaters. If you read anything or watch any videos by theologically sound preachers and scholars, you know that they experience angry comments and even are periodically blocked on social media. I may have experienced a few angry looks, but so far no blocking of my posts. But Jesus knows when these things happen, and we can be assured that when we are faithful to Him, we will ultimately see Him in victory over sin and death, and that those who have rejected Him will bow before Him, but it will be too late. 

Revelation 3:11-12 Amplified Bible

11 I am coming quickly. Hold tight what you have, so that no one will take your crown [by leading you to renounce the faith]. 12 He who overcomes [the world through believing that Jesus is the Son of God], I will make him a [d]pillar in the temple of My God; he will most certainly never be put out of it, and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which descends out of heaven from My God, and My [own] new name. 

Hold tight. Don’t let anyone force you to renounce your faith. Sadly, there have been times in my life, not that I have renounced my faith, but that I have been quiet when I should have been bold. I imagine that you have also experienced this type of failure and sin. When I was in graduate school (the first time-long story) I had professors who were openly immoral and who professed new age doctrine. There were times when I was silent when I could have spoken Truth. He spoke to the church at Philadelphia the same that He spoke earlier, that the only way to overcome is by faith in Him as the Son of God, Savior and Lord. We will have a new name, and a new city. While I think I understand what scripture says about the new Jerusalem, I won’t share it with you because, as I said earlier, I know just enough to know that I don’t know enough to discuss eschatology.

Revelation 3:13 Amplified Bible

13 He who has an ear, let him hear and heed what the Spirit says to the churches.’

Jesus spoke these words to the other churches, but we would be remiss to skip over them because they are so important. We must listen and respond to what the Spirit speaks to us through Bible study, prayer and wise counsel. Hear. Heed. Listen. Obey.