Where do you find the motivation to endure
anything for Christ’s sake? In Revelation 3:7-13, Jesus encouraged the church at Philadelphia to endure because He
would vindicate their faithfulness. Likewise,
believers should find motivation to endure in the truth that God will be
faithful to vindicate His people. Jesus
will be faithful to those who are faithful to Him. My prayer today is that God would use this
passage to motivate us to patiently endure anything we may face for the sake of
His kingdom.
[7] “And
to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one,
the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who
shuts and no one opens. [8] “‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before
you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little
power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.
[9] Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they
are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before
your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. [10] Because you
have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of
trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.
[11] I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize
your crown. [12] The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the
temple of my God. Never shall he go 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 comes
down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. [13] He who has an
ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’ (Revelation 3:7-13 ESV) Why should we
patiently endure anything for the sake of Christ’s kingdom?
I. We
Endure for Jesus’ Sake Because He is the One True God (7a)
Jesus first describes Himself as the “Holy One” and the “True One” (7a). These descriptions are Old Testament
titles for the God of Israel, particularly from the book of Isaiah. Our
Redeemer—the LORD of hosts is his name—is the Holy One of Israel. (Isaiah 47:4 ESV) This communicates that as the holy and
true One, Jesus is God.
Why is this a significant description for these
believers? A title like this would mean everything to believers who had been
rejected by their community. Since Jesus
is the one true God, His approval is ultimately all that matters. The One making these promises is the One to
whom all their persecutors will one day answer to. That is the same reason why we can endure the
rejection and disapproval of others for Christ’s sake.
II. We
Endure for Jesus’ Sake Because He has Ultimate Authority Over Entrance into
God’s Kingdom (7b, 12)
Jesus also described Himself as the one “who has the key of David” (7b). We’ve already seen in 1:18 that Jesus has the “keys of Death and Hades.” There we said that keys control access. They give someone the authority to admit or exclude.
In this passage, these keys grant Him the ability to open doors that “no one will shut” and shut doors that “no one opens.” Also, this particular reference is an allusion
to Isaiah 22:22, where Shebna is
replaced by Eliakim as the steward over David’s house. There these “keys” also communicate authority.
[15] Thus
says the Lord GOD of hosts, “Come, go to this steward, to Shebna, who is over
the household, and say to him: [16] What have you to do here, and whom
have you here, that you have cut out here a tomb for yourself, you who cut out
a tomb on the height and carve a dwelling for yourself in the rock?
[17] Behold, the LORD will hurl you away violently, O you strong man. He
will seize firm hold on you [18] and whirl you around and around, and
throw you like a ball into a wide land. There you shall die, and there shall be
your glorious chariots, you shame of your master's house. [19] I will
thrust you from your office, and you will be pulled down from your station.
[20] In that day I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,
[21] and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him,
and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the
inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. [22] And I will place on
his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut;
and he shall shut, and none shall open. (Isaiah 22:15-22 ESV)
So “the key
of David” in Isaiah 22 is authority
over David’s house. Here it communicates
Jesus’ authority over the Messianic, or Davidic, kingdom. Actually, I think that Jesus’ having the “key of David” and the “keys of Death and Hades” are flip sides
of the same truth: that Jesus has ultimate authority over entrance into God’s
kingdom.
Because Jesus has this ultimate authority over
entrance into God’s kingdom, He can say to these believers that He has set
before them “an open door, which no one
is able to shut” (8a). This could
mean an open door could refer to a ministry opportunity. Paul speaks of open doors in this way (1 Cor. 6:8-9, Col. 4:3-4). The second and more probable meaning,
however, is that this refers to entrance into God’s kingdom. This would be particularly encouraging for
these believers who had been excluded by local Jews and their pagan community. Local Jews and the rest of their community
may have shut the door on them, but Jesus’ door is wide open.
There are some parts of the world today where being
a disciple of Jesus means extreme
exclusion from several circles that are dear to a person (family, friends,
etc.). Where we live, being excluded for
our faith may not take such drastic forms, but true believers face it
nonetheless. As our culture in America
is becomes more and more worldly by the day, you can count on the reality that
you will be excluded at some point. May
these be encouraging words to you if you have ever found yourself excluded from
familiar circles on account of following Jesus.
Your faith may make you an outsider and an outcast in this world, but as
far as Jesus is concerned, you are an insider and one day the world will
recognize it.
III.We
Endure for Jesus’ Sake Because He Knows the Plight of His People (8-9, 11)
Sometimes hearing Jesus say, “I know your works” can be good news! This church was in such a situation. Jesus says that He knows that they have “but
little power” (8b). This probably
means that this church was small and not very influential, but Jesus reminds
them that He also knows that they have “kept”
(obeyed) His word and have “not denied”
His name. He reminds them that though
they are small and barely hanging on to existence as a church, He knows that they have been faithful to Him. He knows their plight, and He also knows
their of their faithfulness and reminds them that He is pleased with them.
There are many similarities between the church at
Philadelphia and the church at Smyrna.
Neither church is rebuked for anything.
Both churches experienced persecution from local Jews. Smyrna was a poor church that God called rich
(2:9). Philadelphia seems to be a weak church that God calls strong.
How comforting is it to know that Jesus knows our
plight? When we have been faithful to
Him and no one else seems to care, there doesn’t seem to be any reward for that
faithfulness in sight, and it doesn’t seem to be making any difference
whatsoever, we must remember that Jesus knows both our plight and our
faithfulness. Also, we must remember
that Jesus is more concerned with our faithfulness
than our apparent success.
IV. We
Endure for Jesus’ Sake Because He Will Vindicate the Suffering of His People (9-10, 12)
There are three promises given to these believers
that assure them that God will vindicate their faithfulness in suffering. They are first promised recognition of their identity by their enemies (9). Like the church at Smyrna, the church a
Philadelphia had been persecuted by “those
of the synagogue of Satan who say they are Jews and are not.” Remember that these were local Jews who
called themselves the people of God and yet in persecuting the church were actually
aligning themselves with Satan (see Romans 2:28-29). Jesus says that He will make them “come and bow down” before them so that
they will know that who Jesus really loves.
They will be made to acknowledge who the true people of God are. This is an allusion to Isaiah 60:14: The sons of
those who afflicted you shall come bending low to you, and all who despised you
shall bow down at your feet; they shall call you the City of the LORD, the Zion
of the Holy One of Israel. Ironically,
this prophecy was about how Gentile nations would bow before the Israelites
and worship the God of Israel. Here it
is being fulfilled in the Gentile church,
which has become true Israel through
their faith in Christ.
They are also promised protection from the wrath to come (10). He says that because they have “kept His word,” that He will “keep them from the hour of trial that is
coming on the whole world to try those who dwell on the earth.” The “hour
of trial” refers to the coming time of tribulation when God will pour out
His wrath upon “those who dwell on the
earth” (a phrase designating rebellious humanity throughout
Revelation). There are two major
interpretations of what it means to be kept “from
the hour of trial.” The first is
that God’s people will be removed from
the hour of trial to come.
Grammatically, that is a valid interpretation. The second interpretation is not that God’s
people will be removed from the hour
of trial but that they will be protected
through it from the wrath of God.
The reason I believe it means protection and not removal is because that is how this promise
seems to play itself out in the book of Revelation. In Revelation, God doesn’t remove His people
from the tribulation that is spoken of, but He does protect them through it. One example is Revelation 9:4: They were
told not to harm the grass of the earth or any green plant or any tree, but
only those people who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. Another reason I don’t think this means
removal is because of the seven churches, this is the only one promised
this. If it means removal, why aren’t
any of the other faithful believers going to be removed? Why is Smyrna not going to be removed? One more reason I take this to mean
protection and not removal is because the other place in the New Testament
where this Greek phrase appears, it means protection and not removal. I do
not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the
evil one. (John 17:15 ESV) What
seems to be happening in Revelation is that God’s people are shielded from the
wrath that He pours out upon rebellious humanity, but do suffer at the hands of
Satan’s kingdom as witnesses and in being martyred accomplish their greatest
victory.
The third promise given to these believers is that
of immovable citizenship in God’s future
kingdom (12). Jesus promises that
those who conquer and finish the race will be made “pillars” with God’s, New Jerusalem’s, and Jesus’ new name written
on them and that they will “never…go out
of it.” Interestingly enough,
Philadelphia suffered a massive earthquake in A.D. 17 in which it is reported
that only the pillars of buildings were left standing. If that situation is plays any role in this
promise, what an encouragement! God will
not allow them to be shaken! The three
names possibly communicate Whom they belong to, where their citizenship
belongs, and Whom they are united with.
Ultimately, they communicate that Jesus’ faithful followers will be
assured an immovable place in His
kingdom. Jesus wants His faithful church
to know that they have a place in His kingdom that cannot be taken away. They may have been barred from the Synagogue,
but they have a place in God’s temple that cannot be taken away.
What does God’s vindication of His people teach
us? One thing it teaches us is that God’s
universe is ultimately fair in the end.
Every wrong committed against God’s people will be made right. There will be a payday someday! It also teaches us that anything we face for
the sake of Christ’s kingdom is worth it!
Our persecutors will be dealt with and our faithfulness will be
rewarded. This is why we must heed the
counsel given to these believers. We
must “hold fast” and finish the race so that “no on may seize our crown” (11). Brothers and sisters, Jesus calls His
followers to finish the race. Christianity is a race that we must
finish, because only those who finish get crowns. It is a race in which the finish line makes
every leg of the race worth it. What are you facing today? Be encouraged that Jesus’ knows your plight
and will see you through. How do I know
He will? I know He will because of the
words of Paul in Romans 8:32: He who did not spare his own Son but
gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all
things?
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