Letters to the Churches

THE REVELATION OF JESUS CHRIST
A WEDNESDAY NIGHT BOOK STUDY
EDGEMONT BIBLE CHURCH
FALL 2009- SPRING 2010
DECEMBER 02, 2009
LETTERS TO THE CHURCHES - Part 7

I. AUDIENCE IDENTITY - The Angel of the Church at PHILADELPHIA
A. The City - Founded sometime after 189 BC by either King Eumenes or his brother, Attalus II, of Pergamum. Attalus II became its king and his loyalty to his brother earned him the title of "Philadelphus", "brother lover", and the city retained that name as its own. Though a very defensible location, it was not built as a military outpost but as a center for promoting and spreading Hellenistic culture and language to the surrounding regions of Lydia and Phyrgia. The effort was successful enough that by 19 AD the Lydian language had been replaced with Greek. As we have seen previously, a massive earthquake with an epicenter near Philadelphia, in 17 AD destroyed Sardis and 10 other cities in the area. Because Philadelphia was near the epicenter it suffered a number of aftershocks intimidating many of the residents to live outside the city for a lengthy period of time. As Tiberius had helped a number of other cities he also assisted Philadelphia in rebuilding and a monument to him was built in Rome by the cities he had helped. Philadelphia even changed its name to Neocaesarea. It also established the cult of Germanicus, the adopted son and heir of Tiberius Later when the Flavian family became the ruling family of Rome, it changed its name to Flavia and retained both this name and the name of Philadelphia through the second and third centuries. Its volcanic, fertile soil made this location perfect for vineyards. As a result it appears its patron god was Dionysus, the god of wine, agriculture and the theatre. "He" was known for producing ritual madness from intoxicants. The city also profited from being at the junction of several important trade routes. MacArthur, John, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary, Revelation 1-11, Moody Press, 1999, pp.120-121; Thomas, Robert, An Exegetical Commentarv. Revelation 1-7, Barker, Kenneth, general editor, Moody Press, 1992, pp.270-272.

B. The Church - It is not known how this church was planted but it is assumed it may have been a part of the "overflow" ministry of the church in Ephesus. The early church father, Ignatius, passed through here on his way to martyrdom in Rome. Before his martyrdom he wrote a letter to this church. Some of the Christian brethren from Philadelphia were martyred with Polycarp in Smyrna. This church lasted for centuries standing firm even after the region was overrun by Muslims when it finally died out in the mid-fourteenth century. MacArthur, John, The MacArthur New Testament Commentary. Revelation 1-11, Moody Press, 1999, p.120

II. SPEAKER'S IDENTITY AND AUTHORITY TO SPEAK - The One who is holy, who is True, who has the key of David, who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens. See also Isaiah 22:22
A. Holy - the One truly set apart for one purpose alone - Messiah
B. True - The One who is genuine, authentic and real.
C. The Key of David - The key to the house of David's treasury and office found in the city of David, the New Jerusalem. He is the King God had promised to the house of David. And He alone owns and operates that key. He is the inheritor of the kingdom that this key opens. Only those coming through Him will enter the kingdom. With this key He is sovereign in those who enter and those who do not. By type, God had given the high priest and prime minister, Eliakim, the key to the treasury of the house of David and the only access to the king. All usurpers and wannabes need not apply!
D. Who opens and no one shuts - What Christ has opened to someone is opened for them and no declaration by any other can close that door. Whom Christ invites to the kingdom cannot be controlled by anyone else.
E. Who shuts and no one opens - By the same way, whomever Christ disallows entrance will be in no way able to enter in. No pronouncement by any ecclesiastical body can put those whom Christ has disallowed into the kingdom.

III. MESSAGE
A. His commendation - Found in verses 8 and 10 and is different from what has been said to the other churches.
...1. You have a little strength - this probably refers to their small numbers. Philadelphia was more than likely a small church made up primarily of the lower classes (see 1 Cor 1:26-29; Js 2:5). It would be easy to feel overwhelmed in such a prosperous gateway town as Philadelphia was. They had little physical, financial, political or social strength as the way of the world goes. But He saw in them His own strength that cared little for the strength viewed by man. (Jer 9:23-24)
...2. You have kept my word - Not only had they preserved the written
documents of the Word of God but they had also kept it in their hearts and been obedient to it.
... 3. You have not denied my name - In an age in which the Romans had
persecuted Christians for their denial of the deity of the emperor, these believers are commended for not denying the name of Jesus as Lord, Christ, Messiah, King and Savior. They had held fast to who He is and what He did.
...4. You have persevered - in the middle of the toughest times they had continued as a church and as individuals to keep faith in the Lord Jesus Christ most likely in peril of their own lives. History shows this church persevered through to the mid-fourteenth century.

B. His charge or criticism - No real criticism is offered to this church but they are charged to hold fast what they had and not let it go.

C. His declaration and promises
... 1. I have set before you an open door - in light of Him being the One who holds the key of David, this is to let them know that their place in the coming messianic kingdom was being held by Him. No one could shut them out of it. Regardless of how powerless they felt in light of their small numbers, the Lord Jesus, King of the coming kingdom saw them as a valued part of His Kingdom. Some have held this is an evangelistic opportunity for them but that does not make sense in the passage itself where He is commending them fortheir good work. He is seeking to reassure them that in light of their small number to influence the community, because they had
persevered in this location, He was holding their place. They should have no fear to continue what they have been doing in reaching Philadelphia with the gospel of the kingdom.
...2. Though no historical evidence is now available to show a large Jewish presence in Philadelphia, the Lord Jesus notes the presence of a synagogue there. It too may have been small since it only took 20 Jewish males to have a synagogue. He labels it a "synagogue of Satan" made up of those who say they are Jews but are not. This group must have been trying to close the door to the kingdom to the gentiles, telling them they had to become Jews first. Note that Jesus acknowledges the spiritual warfare going on. Behind these Jewish people was Satan goading them into bigotry by disbelieving what God had said about Christ, the Spirit, the promises of God, the kingdom and the entrance of the gentiles into it by faith in Christ. This is demonic wisdom not wisdom from God. A Jew is not a Jew simply because he is born one or made one by circumcision; true Jews are Jews inwardly (Rom 2:28-29).
... 3. The Lord Jesus will make those of this synagogue of Satan come and worship before their feet. Note: this is not worship of the believers in Philadelphia but the worship of Jesus at the feet of the believers of Philadelphia. In other words, He would cause the believers to triumph over these liars and they would get to see it in the end of all things.
...4. He was going to keep them from the hour of trial which was to come
upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on earth. This we believe is the Tribulation. This is the time of trouble such as has never been on earth before. It will be a time of God's wrath, Satan's wrath, bloodshed, death, disease, demonic involvement like never before, famine, cosmic cataclysm etc. culminating in the second coming of the Lord Jesus Christ. He said of that time that if it had not been cut short even the elect would have perished. His promise to them was that for their perseverance (steadfast faith which is a sign of saving faith) they would be totally delivered from this period. This we believe is the purpose of the pre-tribulation rapture.
...5. He assures them to be alert for He is coming quickly! How quick is
quickly? This is at the heart of the preterist/millennial argument. Was Jesus lying to the Philadelphians? Was He coming quickly? It has been 2000 years now since that time. We are faced with only two options: He has come (preterist position) and we have misunderstood what Jesus said about the fantastic human, demonic and cosmic changes that will accompany that or He has not come (premillenial position) and we do not understand His terms of time.
...6. He charges them to hold fast what they have and no one will take their crown from them. This deals with the believer's gain for enduring in the struggle in this world. James had told us in verse 12 in the first chapter of his epistle: Blessed is the man who endures temptation; for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life which the Lord has promised to those who love Him. (NKJV) Endurance promises the reward of a crown which no one can take from him!

APPLICATIONS:
What have we learned from the letters to the churches thus far?
...... Ephesus - Be cautious, do the work of discernment but keep your love for the Lord red hot
......Smyrna - Suffering will come from Satan and his crew but do not fear suffering for He has greater for us than this
......Pergamos - Do not allow compromise with anything into your church, especially those who would ensnare you with idolatrous celebrations and sexual immorality and those who would steal your liberty (freedom with personal responsibility) and your position as priests.
......Thyatira - Retain order in your church; do not allow women who declare themselves to be prophetesses to:{have a podium and influence believers to immoral and idolatrous behavior. Allow no one to have a podium who will lead you into sexual immorality and compromise. Avoid the fascination with the occult.
......Sardis - Be watchful, hold that which is true, do not waver with the culture, keep every living thing sustained and empowered, and keep yourself pure.

IV. PROMISE TO THOSE WHO OVERCOME - The one overcoming will be made a pillar in the temple of God and he will go out no more. This is a millennial promise as to the permanence of everlasting life in a perfect harmonious worship relationship with God. He will have the name of God written on him. (Rev 14:1) He will also have written on him the name of the heavenly God-owned and God-built city, the New Jerusalem (Heb 11:10). He will also have the new name of the Lord Jesus Christ (Rev 19:16; 19:11-13; Rev 22:3-4).

V. CALL TO THOSE WHO ARE WILLING TO LISTEN