This church founded by Attalus II in 190 BC derived its name from his unusual devotion to his brother.
Revelation 3: 7) "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says this:
1)Jesus is holy, Holy is used 30 times in Isaiah to describe YHWH
Isaiah 6:1-8 NASB
[1] … In the year of King Uzziah's death I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, lofty and exalted, with the train of His robe filling the temple. [2] Seraphim stood above Him, each having six wings: with two he covered his face, and with two he covered his feet, and with two he flew. [3] And one called out to another and said, "Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The whole earth is full of His glory." [4] And the foundations of the thresholds trembled at the voice of him who called out, while the temple was filling with smoke. [5] Then I said, "Woe is me, for I am ruined! Because I am a man of unclean lips, And I live among a people of unclean lips; For my eyes have seen the King, the LORD of hosts." [6] Then one of the seraphim flew to me with a burning coal in his hand, which he had taken from the altar with tongs. [7] He touched my mouth with it and said, "Behold, this has touched your lips; and your iniquity is taken away and your sin is forgiven." [8] Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I. Send me!" …
It is hard to fathom the holiness of Christ, but we need to recognize and acknowledge His holiness. As we earnestly seek to grow in our relationship with Christ may we as Isaiah have a vision of His holiness.
2)Not only His He holy but Christ is true, true as opposed to false and trustworthy.
3) Jesus is sovereign, what He does cannot be thwarted by the devices of man.
8: I know your a deeds Behold, I have put before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
This church had an open door before them.
a) An entrance into the kingdom.
b) An opportunity for service or ministry.
Again the soveriegnity of God.
Three things are mentioned that moved Jesus to place this door before them.
1)They had power. Little is much if God is in it or it has the right motivations and direction.
2) They kept His word. Not enough can be said about the blessing of keeping God's word.
3) They did not deny His name, this could be referring to the persecution related to temple worship. God calls us to be faithful to His name.
Matthew 10:33 NASB
[33] "But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father who is in heaven.
This is one of the hard statements of Christ, one I will not try to explain but encourage you to take at face value. It is a serious thing to deny Christ.
Revelation 3:9 NASB
[9] 'Behold, I will cause 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 that I have loved you.
The Jews, who were God's chosen people that had rejected Christ would acknowledge that this church was loved by God.
Revelation 3:10 NASB
[10] 'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Some scholars believe this refers to the tribulation that will be 7 years before Christ's earthly kingdom is consummated. But I personally believe that based on the context of the letters that it is referring to a testing that would come upon the earth in the current time period.
Revelation 3:11-13 NASB
[11] … I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown.
We should be ready for the return of Christ at all times. We do not need to let the influence of people rob us of our walk with God.
12] 'He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new name. [13] ' He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.' …
Philadelphia was in an earthquake zone. Pillars speaks of stability, the prominent citizens of Philadelphia had their names inscribed on the pillars of the temples in Philadelphia. What a greater honor to be a pillar in the temple of God. This a believe refers to a place of prominence in when this age ends and we are in the new. But while we are in this life, We are being built as a spiritual house,Peter refers to believers as stones.
1 Peter 2:4-6 NASB
[4] And coming to Him as to a living stone which has been rejected by men, but is choice and precious in the sight of God, [5] you also, as living stones, are being built up as a spiritual house for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. [6] For this is contained in Scripture:" BEHOLD, I LAY IN ZION A CHOICE STONE, A PRECIOUS CORNER stone, AND HE WHO BELIEVES IN HIM WILL NOT BE DISAPPOINTED." …
We should realize that as believers we are not just people existing for a few short years and ten passing on but that we are a part of something far greater.
SOURCES: freebiblecommentary.org Dr.Bob Utley
The Macarthur Study Bible
NASB
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