Revelation 3:3:7-13 And to the angel of the Church in Philadelphia, write:
These things says he who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no man will shut, and shuts and no man opens. I know your works. Behold, I have set before you a door which stands open and which no man shuts, because you have a little strength and because you have kept my word, and have not denied my name. Behold, I will give you those who belong to the synagogue of Satan, who call themselves Jews and who are not, but who lie. Behold, I will make them come and kneel before your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. Because you have kept my command to endure, I, too, will keep you safe from the hour of testing, which is to come upon the whole inhabited world, to test those who dwell upon the earth. I am coming quickly. Hold on to what you have, that no one may take your crown.
I will make him who overcomes a pillar in the temple of my God and he will go out no more; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, of the new Jerusalem, which is coming down from heaven from my God, and my new name. Let him who has an ear hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.
The ancient city of Philadelphia was strategically located on one of the main Roman roads used by the Imperial Postal Service. While Philadelphia was in an ideal spot for spreading culture, language, and the Gospel, its location also was precarious! The city was located close to an earthquake fault and an ancient volcano. In AD 17 there was a catastrophic earthquake that destroyed Smyrna and heavily damaged Philadelphia. The after shocks went on for a long time, forcing people to live in the open for fear of being trapped in collapsed buildings. When Tiberius Caesar helped rebuild the city, the city changed its name to “Neocaesaria,” Latin for “the new city of Caesar.” Later on, Vespasian Flavius, another Caesar, also helped the city and the city changed its name again to “Flavia” as a sign of gratitude. Despite these official name changes, the city remained known to most people as “Philadelphia.”
“Because you have kept my command to endure, I, too, will keep you safe from the hour of testing, which is to come upon the whole inhabited world, to test those who dwell upon the earth.” We don’t know exactly what happened, but at some point, Christians in Philadelphia had faced severe testing and had acquitted themselves honorably. It’s quite possible that these tests might have come from the degenerate nature of Greek or Roman culture. It’s also possible that believers in Philadelphia had faced challenges similar to those in other cities dominated by Imperial Rome. Perhaps Christian tradesmen and artisans had suffered because they refused to acknowledge Caesar as a god. At any rate, these men and women had persevered and had emerged spiritually victorious. And Jesus was making them a fantastic promise: they were not going to suffer in the future as others would.
Had the Christians in Philadelphia prayed for deliverance? No. Oswald Chambers says in his “My Utmost for His Highest” November 11th reading that “If God has made your cup sweet, drink it with grace; or even if He has made it bitter, drink it in communion with Him. In the providential will of God means a hard and difficult time for you, go through it. But never decide the place of your own martyrdom, as if to say, “I will only go to there but no farther.” Had believers in Philadelphia shrunk back in fear, Jesus would never have commended them.
Most of us live in obscurity. No matter what challenges we might face, the world at large is unlikely to hear of us. But we should take heart from these passages. Jesus is praising the believers in Philadelphia for persevering. If we are faithful, we too will know His favor and approval. What was this hour of testing? It might have been the over-running of the Roman Empire by the barbarians; at any rate, Jesus was assuring believers of His protection.
“Hold on to what you have, that no one may take your crown.” The annals of Christianity are littered with stories of those who began ministry magnificently, only to fail later on. We must never become complacent; we should always be growing in our faith and not moving backwards. In Ghana it is very common to see lorry drivers who have adjusted their rear view mirrors so that they can admire themselves as they drive. Unfortunately, these adjustments render them blind to what is happening in the traffic around them! We need to keep our eyes on Jesus and not on our own accomplishments!
“I will make him who overcomes a pillar in the temple of my God and he will go out no more…” William Barclay says in his Commentary: “In the cities of Asia Minor, and in Philadelphia, when a priest died after a lifetime of faithfulness, men honored him, by erecting a new pillar in the temple in which he had served and by inscribing his name and the name of his father upon it. This then would describe the lasting honor which Christ pays to his faithful ones.” If we continue to be faithful, we will serve as spiritual pillars of the church, supporting and upholding the teaching of the Gospel and encouraging other believers.
“and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, of the new Jerusalem, which is coming down from heaven from my God, and my new name.” When slaves became part of a household, they were branded so that all would know they belonged to that household. In several different parts of the Old Testament, God speaks of placing His mark on the Children of Israel, so that everyone would know that these people belonged to the One True Living God. (Numbers 6:22-27)
What is the “new name” that is mentioned? Remember, Philadelphia actually had two new names, in addition to the original one. We do not know. But God, who dwells in unapproachable light, will someday bring a new heaven and a new earth. Why not a heavenly language with names that are beyond our understanding at this point? 1 Corinthians 13:9-10 tells us that “our knowledge is imperfect and our prophecy is imperfect, but when the perfect comes, the imperfect will pass away.”
“Let him who has an ear hear what the Spirit is saying to the Churches.” Jesus wants believers to know that these messages are for all believers throughout the ages. It is as if the Holy Spirit is grabbing us by the ear and screaming, “LISTEN UP!!!” If we are wise, we will listen!
PRAYER: Father God, help us to truly hear your messages to us and to take them to heart! Help us to be faithful so that we will be pillars in your temple and so that we will never be forced to surrender our crowns to anyone else. In the mighty and precious Name of King Jesus. Amen.
Burunche's Blog 
Leave a comment