The Synagogue that is faithful to Messiah:"And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things says the One who is holy, He that is true, He that has the key of David, He that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens. I know your works: behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it: for you have a little strength, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold fast to what you have, that no man takes your crown. Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God that is the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches" (Revelation 3:7-13). Philadelphia is a Synagogue (a church) that is faithful to Messiah and the Torah of God. The word Philadelphia, meaning "brotherly love," is found six other times in the New Testament. The word occurs for the seventh and final time in this passage but only here is it used of the city that bears its name. The word Synagogue (synagogue) literally means to be "lead together" (sun, together; ago, lead). The followers of Messiah Yeshua are members of His synagogue. They are an assembly of disciples who are led together in worship and teaching in the Torah of the Messiah through the help of the Holy Spirit who ministers in His name. The word church is "ekklesia." Ekklesia is derived from the Greek word ekleos, meaning to "call out." The Greeks used the term ekklesia (church) to describe those persons who assembled in a free state, those who are called out as a body of free citizens. Both terms apply to the believers of Philadelphia. The Philadelphia believers in Yeshua were led together by the Holy Spirit and they were called out to be citizens of God's kingdom, "liberated" by their saving faith in the Messiah. The city of Philadelphia: The city of Philadelphia had a long history and several times was almost completely destroyed by earthquakes. The land area around Philadelphia was rich in agricultural value but had noticeable tokens of previous volcanic action. Grapes were one of the principal crops and in keeping with this, Dionysus was one of the chief objects of pagan worship. Through the centuries, a nominal Christian testimony continued in this city of Philadelphia and prospered even under Turkish rule. But all nominal Christians left the city for Greece after World War I. The message addressed to the church at Philadelphia has the unusual characteristic of being almost entirely a word of praise. There is not one single word of condemnation in the entire letter to the believers at Philadelphia. The spiritual walk of the Synagogue of Philadelphia was a holy one. As God, the Messiah has the right to call the disciples at Philadelphia to a life of holiness. Therefore, He demands holiness from them. No messianic synagogue or church will experience the sustained joy that intimate fellowship with God brings, until the Messiah becomes the focus of everything that goes on in it. 3:7 "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things says the One who is holy, He that is true, He that has the key of David, He that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens."
Messiah Yeshua is our Holy and Sovereign God: The letter addressed to the angel of the church of Philadelphia is introduced in verse 7 by the description of the Messiah. He is preeminently the holy One and the One who is always true. Such a one is qualified to call His disciples in Philadelphia to a life of faith in Him and a corresponding life of holiness, even as Peter wrote: "But as He that has called you is holy, so you be holy in all manner of conversation" (1 Peter 1:15). Whatever faithfulness and strength the synagogue (church) possesses is directly attributable to the Messiah Yeshua. Any success and power that the church at Philadelphia has is a result of the Messiah's abiding presence. His followers are holy because Yeshua is Holy. The Messiah is the source of all holiness. Rabbi Yeshua's disciples hold to the truth because the Messiah is Truth and He gives the Spirit of Truth in full measure to all His followers. Believers enjoy an open door to service and missions because the Messiah has opened the door to His own life as a means to bring deliverance from sin to the entire world. The followers of Messiah are faithful because the Messiah is always faithful. A synagogue without faith in Yeshua has nothing because the power, strength, holiness, and truth that comes from God must be received through hearing, understanding and obeying the Torah (Teaching) of His Son. The true Synagogue of God is the one that studies the Messiah's Torah. The true disciples of God are those who follow the teaching of Rabbi Yeshua. The true church is composed of people who simply reflect the life of the Messiah. The One who is True: There are two words for truth in Greek. One is alethes and the other is alithinos. The difference between the two terms, although small, is important. Alethes refers to a true statement as opposed to a false statement. For example, "Los Angeles is located in the state of New York" is a false statement. "Los Angeles is located in the state of California" is a true statement. Alethes refers to a true statement but not truth itself.This word alithinos is used in Revelation 3:7. It means "truth itself," truth that is genuine. Here the Messiah is saying He is more than one who makes true statements. He is saying, "I am reality." When we are confronted with the Messiah, we are face-to-face with Truth itself, not just true statements. There is no substitute for believing in the Messiah Yeshua. He is the Genuine Reality of God. Rabbi Yeshua is the source and center of all the reality (truth) of God. The faithful church is holy and true because the Messiah is the center of it. As the One who is true, Messiah is the Author of Truth in contrast to all error or false doctrine. In the midst of so much that is false and perverted, Yeshua the Messiah stands alone as the One who is completely true. This aspect of the person of Messiah, linked with His holiness earlier in verse 7, brings out the great truth that right doctrine and right living go together. There can be no holiness without truth. The Key: Messiah is also presented as the One who has the key of David, the One that opens in such a way that no man can shut, and the One who shuts so that no man can open. Here the allusion seems to be to Isaiah 22:22, "The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; So he shall open, and no one shall shut; And he shall shut, and no one shall open." Speaking of Eliakim ("God Raises and Stands Up"), the son of Hilkiah ("Yahweh is My Portion"), it is recorded that "the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open." Eliakim had the key to all the treasures of the king and when he opened the door it was opened and when he closed the door it was closed. Eliakim is a type of the Messiah. As Eliakim had the key to unlock the treasures of the earthly kingdom, so the Messiah has the key that unlocks the treasures of the heavenly Kingdom. When Messiah opens the door, no one else shuts it. When Messiah shuts the door, no one opens it. The Messiah possesses the key to truth, holiness, opportunity, service, testimony, and salvation. No person comes to the heavenly Father but by Him (John. 14:6). The Messiah is the only means available for man to be restored to right fellowship with God. The key is the symbol of God's sovereign authority and divine power. There is no higher rule, authority and power than that which the Messiah possesses. To the synagogue (church) at Philadelphia surrounded by false belief and immorality, the Messiah gives assurance that He has power to open and close according to His sovereign will. 3:8-9 "I know your works: behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it: for you have a little strength, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you."
The Torah that opens the Door to Heaven: The Messiah says to the church at Philadelphia as to the other churches, "I know your works." The entire panorama of testimony and witness in Philadelphia was before the Messiah as He wrote words of commendation for their faithfulness. In keeping with the description He declares to them, "Behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it." In Revelation 5, Messiah did not open a "door" He opened a book. God holds in His hand a book with seven seals. In that book is the unfolding of the terrible times of the Tribulation. The church's access to heaven will result in its being removed from earth and taken up into heaven before the time of Great Tribulation begins. The Generation that will be translated "alive" into heaven: In Genesis we read, "Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him" (5:21-24). Righteous Enoch was translated alive into heaven. He never experienced death. In Hebrews we read: "It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying--suddenly he disappeared because God took him. But before he was taken up, he was approved as pleasing to God" (Hebrews 11:5). Like Enoch (whose name means "Student," "Disciple"), those living at the end of the Church Age will be sincere students of God's Word. They will walk with God in intimate fellowship. They will be approved as pleasing to God. These disciples living at the end of the Church Age will be a perfected generation (the seventh generation of Adam, Man). Seven in the Scriptures is the number of completion and perfection. Like Enoch, this special generation of saved humanity will suddenly disappear because God will take them up alive into heaven. I believe we today are the Generation of Enoch. We are the generation that will like the prophet Enoch be taken up alive (miraculously translated) into heaven to be with our precious Lord Yeshua the Messiah, forever. Presently God's own are being kept through the evil days of the False Teachers (cf. article, "Little Scroll"). We are being preserved in Messiah Yeshua (Christ Jesus) while we complete our mission to evangelize the world. And while we serve Him, He is able to keep us from falling and stumbling. Soon we will complete our purpose for remaining here on earth. Then will come that Great Day, in the twinkling of an eye when we will be glorified. We will be lifted up alive into heaven. There our Lord will present us blameless before the presence and glory of Almighty God. What a day of Exceeding Joy and gladness that will be. On that day the Messiah will present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or blemish of any kind; for from that day on she shall remain holy and blameless forever (Ephesians 5:27).
The open door, followed by the book with seven seals: The testimony and witness of the Philadelphia believers is laid out before us by the Messiah. We hear only words of commendation and encouragement from the Messiah as He speaks about the faithfulness of this particular community of believers. The Lord declares to the faithful of Philadelphia, "Behold, I have set before you an open door and no man can shut it.” Later, In Revelation 5, Messiah does not open a "door," He opens a book. At that time, God holds in His hand a book with seven seals. In this special book is the unfolding of the terrible times of the Tribulation. Those who pass through the open door will never experience the horrors of the "open book." The church's access to an open door to heaven will result in our being removed from earth and taken up into heaven "before" the time of Great Tribulation begins (the time of the open book with the seven seals; therefore judgments) . The Enoch generation will be "translated" alive into heaven: In the Torah of God we read, "Enoch lived sixty-five years, and became the father of Methuselah. Then Enoch walked with God three hundred years after he became the father of Methuselah, and he had other sons and daughters. So all the days of Enoch were three hundred and sixty-five years. Enoch walked with God; and he was not, for God took him" (Genesis 5:21-24). Righteous Enoch was translated alive into heaven. Enoch never experienced death. In the Letter to Hebrews we read, "It was by faith that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying--suddenly he disappeared because God took him. But before he was taken up, he was approved as pleasing to God" (Hebrews 11:5). Like Enoch whose name means "Student," we who are living at the End of the Church Age need to become dedicated students of God's Word. Today, in a special way, the Messiah's followers are called to walk with God in intimate fellowship. Believers today should strive to live our lives in a manner that is pleasing to God, who is our Great Rabbi, our Teacher. The seventh generation will be a perfected generation: The disciples who are living at the end of the Church Age will become a seventh generation of Adam; a perfected generation. Seven in the Scriptures is the number of completion and perfection. Like Enoch, this special, destined to be perfected generation of faithful humanity will suddenly disappear (important: keep in mind the faithfulness in view here is one of "trust in God" and not in one's own self). God will take us up alive into heaven. Believers today are members of the Seventh Generation, the Generation of Enoch. I believe we are the generation that will like the prophet Enoch be taken up alive into heaven to be with the Lord forever. Presently the followers of Messiah are being preserved and protected throughout these evil days of false teaching and False Teachers. Therefore, soon the Messiah will return to take His followers out of this earth and into heaven. Soon we will be lifted up into heaven: We are being preserved in Messiah Yeshua until we complete our mission to evangelize the world. While we serve Him, He is able to keep us from falling and stumbling. Soon we will complete our purpose for remaining here on earth. Then will come that Great Day, in the twinkling of an eye when we will be glorified. We will be lifted up into heaven. Then our Lord will present us blameless before the presence and glory of Almighty God. What a day of Exceeding Joy and gladness that will be. On that day the Messiah will present to Himself His church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or blemish of any kind; for from that day on the bride of the Messiah shall remain holy and blameless forever (Ephesians 5:27). The Messiah's Torah opens the Door to Heaven: The door to God and heaven's glory can only be opened by the Messiah. Once the Messiah, at the cross (by the Covenant of Grace), opened the Door to Salvation, there was nothing anyone could do to remove man's open access to God. Satan and all of his angels can't shut the Open Door to God. Gates (doors) in the Scriptures are a symbol of "governance." Walls are a symbol of "sovereignty." No one can elevate himself to such a height of authority that they can breach the wall of God's sovereignty over all creation. Nor can anyone break down the gates of God's governance. When Messiah opens doors, they stay open. Presently the gates to heaven are open. Soon the Messiah will open up the gates of His rule over all the nations of the entire earth. The Messiah's Torah opens the Door to the World: "And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things says the One who is holy, He that is true, He that has the key of David, He that opens, and no man shuts; and shuts, and no man opens. I know your works: behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it: for you have a little strength, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name." Sir William Ramsay explains the reference to the door as arising from the geographical situation of the city of Philadelphia. Sir Ramsay states, "The situation of the city fully explains this saying. Philadelphia lay at the upper extremity of a long valley, which opens back from the sea. After passing Philadelphia the road along this valley ascends to the Phrygian land and the great Central Plateau, the main mass of Asia Minor. This road was the one which led from the harbor of Smyrna to the northeastern parts of Asia Minor and the East in general, the one rival to the great route connecting Ephesus with the East and the greatest Asian trade-route of Medieval times." Philadelphia, therefore, was the keeper of the Gateway to the World. The existence of the Philadelphian church was divinely ordained by God and the effectiveness of its testimony was assured by God's grace, power and sovereignty. It is significant that the testimony of this church continued throughout the centuries in evident fulfillment of God's gracious and generous promise that they should have an Open Door to the Entire World. Messiah commends the synagogue with a little strength: The Messiah commends the synagogue at Philadelphia with the words, "For you have a little strength, and have kept my word, and have not denied my name." Some have interpreted the expression little strength as a word of rebuke rather than commendation. This expression certainly does fall short of a full commendation. However, it is evident that the central meaning of the message is that the Lord recognizes in the Philadelphian church a significant degree of spiritual power that has come from God. It is this little strength that assures the disciples at Philadelphia a guaranteed continuance of their testimony through the open door which God has set before them. These members of Messiah's Synagogue are commended for having kept God's Word. These messianic disciples guarded and kept the truth of God as it was originally committed to them. The members of the church of Philadelphia did not depart from the faith. They held to the system of doctrine which had personally been given to them by the Messiah and His first chosen disciples, the apostles. Added to this commendable quality the church at Philadelphia also manifested a loyalty to the "name of the Messiah" and had been unwavering in their public confession of Him. In recognition of this fact the Messiah affirms, you "have not denied my name." As a result of their faithful witness, Messiah promises his followers that their adversaries, described as the Synagogue of Satan, will be forced to acknowledge that the members of the Philadelphian church are God's true servants. Replacement Theology: Nowhere in the gospels does the Messiah or His apostles refer to their Jewish brothers as being "non-Jews." Jews are free to claim the privilege of being so named, as Jews, as a "right of physical birth." When the Messiah says there are persons "who say they are Jews and are not," He is principally referring to the Gentile "Gnostic heretics." These False Teachers taught both Jew and Gentile alike that "all" of God’s physical and spiritual promises belonged exclusively to them. The lie of salvation through self-enlightenment: Gnosticism is not a monotheistic religion by any stretch of the imagination. It falsely teaches that salvation comes solely through self-enlightenment. Therefore, practically speaking, there could be as many gods as there are "enlightened" people. Gnosticism teaches that self-transcendence and power can be attained through the aquisition of divine knowledge. The false promise of self-divinity: Gnosticism asserts that one can attain divine enlightenment by zealously engaging in a regimine of special spiritual exercises. Through this attainment of special knowledge (gnosis), a person can ascend to a state of god consciousness. The myth of transcendent consciousness empowers the Gnostic believer to believe he is ultimately capable of exercising his will over anything and everything in creation. Synagogue of Satan: The Messiah identified any movement that supplants the authority of God's elect nation of Israel and His elect messianic church as being a "synagogue of Satan." Today, in the Western societies, the closest thing we have to ancient Gnostic teaching is in "New Age" thinking. The New Age movement promises ascendancy into god-like status through searching for and finding "divinity within one's self." Since this movement is satanically inspired, it is elitist and is known to zealously persecute Jews and biblically based Christians. The New Age practitioners stereotype Christians as being ignorant and destructive forces in the world today. Most religions today are inspired to not only persecute the Jewish people but to hate them. Synagogue of Hatred: Today, in the Middle East, the closest thing we have to a religion that supplants the authority of God's elect nation of Israel and His elect messianic church is the nation of Islam (Islam is a political entity, as well as a religious entity). Many Islamic groups have made public pronouncements that Jew hating is a virtue and that it is their hope that they can destroy every last Jew on the earth; so that the Jewish race will be completely annihilated (cf. our article, "Messiah in Purim"). These groups delusionally claim that God's promises to Abraham are not to be passed on to the world through the descendents of Isaac. Rather, God's elect nation is the nation of Islam. God's governance, therefore, is be established through the descendents of Ishmael; not Isaac and Jacob. This kind of delusional rewriting of God's Torah and insane hatred of God's elect nation and people is demonic. The Messiah promised that one day these delusional adherents of false religions will be required to confess the singular divinity of Yahweh, the One True God, and confess that the followers of Messiah are the true inheritors of God's promises and blessings; and not the world's False Teachers. Role of the church in the messianic age: In the Millennial Kingdom, it will be exactly as God promised in His Word, the small church remnant (at that time glorified and acting as God's international ambassadors) and the little nation of Israel will jointly serve God together in an "exalted status" (after Messiah returns and takes control of the governance of the world). Persecution and suffering: Followers of the Messiah Yeshua today who are experiencing affliction and persecution may be assured that no matter how violent and aggressive the efforts of the modern world might be, to "discredit and hinder" the work of God, in the end there will be victory for the cause of Messiah. "Behold, I come quickly: hold fast to what you have, that no man takes your crown." God blesses those who persevere under trial. Those followers of Messiah who steadfastly endure trials, who refuse to renounce their faith, and who hold fast to their testimony and privileged fellowship with God will receive a victor's crown. The Victor's Crown: The victor's crown refers to the Crown of Life. This is the stephanos crown, not the kingly crown (James 1:12; Revelation 2:10). The "stephanos" crown is a crown of victory. In Greek and Roman times this crown was woven out of myrtle, olive leaves or flowers. The stephanos crown is assigned and worn: *For military valor; *For civic worth; *For festal gladness; *For athletic excellence.
This crown represents the ruling life of the Messiah (also cf. 1 Thessalonians 2:19; 2 Timothy 4:8; 1 Peter 5:4): *A crown of life; *A crown of relational joy; *A crown of righteousness; *A crown of unfading glory.
The person who is steadfast and infused with the love of the Messiah is one who perseveres under trial. The violent overthrow of our self-life: Trials, testing and perseverance are a "normal" part of the mature believer's life. No person attains true spiritual maturity without first painfully experiencing the violent overthrow of his or her own conscious "self-life" (cf. our article, "Heart of David"). This deposed self-life must be replaced with the righteous life of the Messiah Yeshua. When the righteous life of the "Messiah rules" over the mature believer's intellect, will, emotions, behavior and relational life, then an invisible crown abides over him. Thereafter, the mature believer remains "under the crown;" under the Lordship of the Messiah in his or her everyday existence. At that defining moment, the mature believer is no longer "flesh dominant" (self-life dominant; carnal), he or she consciously and behaviorally lives daily as a new creation (is routinely ruled over by the life of the Messiah). Perseverance must finish its work: Those who have received the crown of life are mature and complete. Such persons are fully developed in every part of their being. Among the mature trials can patiently be faced with purposefulness and joy. Faith leads the mature believer to assign a triumphant meaning to everything. This is so because even in suffering the believer is brought to intimacy with the Suffering Servant, the Lamb of God. People have to live with the meanings they assign to their lives. Messiah assigns only a triumphant, positive meaning to everything. Ultimately, through God's own Beloved Son, all the forces of evil and death will be completely conquered. All those who die to their self-life will be rewarded with the resurrection power of the Messiah's Life; not just in the future but in the present. The Messiah's self-life triumphs over everything. Holding on to God: When we "embrace" the Messiah's life (the life of the Holy Spirit) we are flooded with His love, joy and peace. In the story of the prophet Habakkuk, we learn about "holding on to God." Like many who suffer in the world today, the prophet sought to understand the mystery of why God allows the wicked to persecute the righteous. The Hebrew root meaning of the prophet Chabaqquq's name is "Embrace" ("chabaq"). It is the "suffering prophet" who teaches us, "the just shall live by faith" (Habakkuk 2:4). Believers are called to embrace, hold on to God continuously; especially when we encouter perilous and difficult times. Only the mature believer comes to enjoy a full life of intimacy with God; a life that embraces suffering and sacrifice; as well as blessing and affluence. Living the Spirit-filled life requires believers endure suffering in times of growth inducing trials; as well as embrace gratitude in times of prosperity. There is no other way available for the believer to grow up into full maturity, other than respectful submission to God's loving-discipline; both in times of suffering (sacrifice) and times of material blessing (thanksgiving). The opportunity: The Messiah has graciously opened many doors for humanity. Sadly, few persons have ever gone through them. Even many of the Messiah's own followers sit around, indifferent to the limitless opportunities God's grace has set before them. Soft and indifferent, blinded by selfishness, money, immorality, materialism, and self-satisfaction many of Messiah's followers are not even grateful that the door to fellowship with God is wide-open. Today's believers appear more motivated to constantly possess the things of the world than to daily embrace intimate fellowship with Almighty God. There is a solution for the church's spiritual malaise: teaching, correction, training in righteousness, and rebuke. God will do whatever He must, so that His people will fulfill His godly purposes for them. God does not punish His people but He does discipline them. Only God's fiery tests and ordeals assure His children that they will not waste this good life He has given them (cf. the article, "Lot and the City of Fire"). The doors are fast closing: Soon the Messiah will take His bride the church out of the earth, into heaven, and then the man of lawlessness will rise up to usher in the time of Great Tribulation. In the meanwhile, it is imperative that believers, who may be few in number (likely less than ten percent of the Earth's populace), understand that they possess great power. When the church is true to God's Word there is nothing in heaven and earth that can prevail against them. Today, however, we see faithful obedience to God's Word fading fast. Contemporary society’s rejection of God’s Word: Antitheistic secular philosophers, narcissistic economists, New Age teachers, transgender sex activists, entertainment gurus, and other cultural elites are replacing the Word of God with their own doctrinal systems. Modern Man, on the whole proudly claims God and His Word are a myth. The Philadelphia believers are commended for keeping God's Word. God's Torah is what makes the church faithful. God's Name and Word represent the only "structural reality" of sufficient power and strength to withstand all the combined forces of evil. All of the church's strength comes from its abiding in Messiah's teaching (His Word) and trusting in the power of His name. The power of the name of the Mashiach Yeshua (Jesus Christ) is "unlimited." The church in Philadelphia didn't deny His Name or His Word. This is clearly why it remained an overcoming church. Removal of the church from the time of God’s judgment: Messiah won't come to the church at Philadelphia in judgment. There is no judgment for the true Messiah-honoring church. There is no condemnation or judgment for those who put their faith in the Messiah who is Faithful and True to keep all His promises (Romans 8:1). The Messiah Yeshua will not apply His judgmental character to the church of Philadelphia: "Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold fast to what you have, that no man takes your crown" (Revelation 3:10-11). Promise of deliverance from the hour of trial: One of the outstanding compliments given to the Philadelphian church is contained in verse 10. Because of their faithfulness, the messianic believers in Philadelphia are promised that they will be kept from the hour of trial which will come upon the earth as a divine judgment. It should be noted that this deliverance is not only from trial but from the period of time in which the trial exists, the hour of temptation. Many have observed also that the preposition from (Greek, ek) is best understood as "out of" rather than simply "from." In view of the context of the book of Revelation as it subsequently unfolds the horrors of this great tribulation period, it is evident that the promise here to the followers of Messiah at the church of Philadelphia is one of deliverance from this special time of trouble: "I will keep you from the hour of temptation that shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Such a promise of deliverance to the messianic believers (of the last days) would be impossible if there were not to be a Rapture of the church, or if the Rapture was to be delayed until the end of the tribulation (prior to the Messiah's second coming and the establishment of His kingdom on earth). This passage supports the hope that Messiah will come for His church before the time of trial and trouble described as being the time of Jacob's Trouble or the Great Tribulation. This time of tribulation will overtake the entire world, as God inflicts His wrath upon unbelieving Gentiles as well as upon those Jews who reject the Messiah. The Philadelphian church is therefore promised deliverance from the time of trouble that will overtake the world but will not overtake them. The Rapture will come suddenly: Those believers who are living just before the Rapture are encouraged to bear your present suffering patiently and to continue faithfully bearing witness to the name and testimony of the Messiah Yeshua. The Lord's coming for His followers will come suddenly without announcement. In view of this expectation, today's believers are to hold fast to their testimony of the Messiah in order to be rewarded at His coming. The biblical term "quickly" is to be understood as something that is sudden and unexpected. Therefore, the coming of Messiah for His bride the church is portrayed here and elsewhere as an event that the world as a whole will not be prepared for. The church, however, will be prepared. I believe today's church is now being prepared for Messiah's return for His bride. This generation of the church is rapidly becoming the "Synagogue of Messiah." We are the church of Philadelphia that will study and apply God's Word. We are the generation that will not deny His Name. We are the church of brotherly love that will submit to God's loving discipline, learn to obey Him and overcome the world. The door is open and no one can shut it. "Him that overcomes will I make a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more: and I will write upon him the name of My God, and the name of the city of My God that is the new Jerusalem that comes down out of heaven from My God: and I will write upon him My new name. He that has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says unto the churches" (Revelation 3:12-13). Messiah's invitation and promised reward: To the believers of Philadelphia the promise is given that salvation and blessing and eternity will come to be their portion. They are promised they will be given a victor's crown if they are faithful and they are promised they will become a pillar in the temple of God. This is a figure of speech. The entire heavenly city is considered a temple. In keeping with the symbolism, the Philadelphian believers will be permanent like a permanent undergirding column in the temple and speaking prophetically, they will stand when all else has fallen. This had special significance to those who were in Philadelphia because of their historic experiences with earthquakes that frequently had ruined their buildings and left only the pillars standing. No earthquake can ever destroy the Synagogue of Messiah. For this synagogue is constructed out of God's Word. Those who assemble in faith before the feet of Rabbi Yeshua are protected and preserved through the unlimited power and under the divine authority of God's indestructible, eternal Word. The believers of the Philadelphian church are assured of continued intimacy with God throughout eternity because of their faith in the unshakable Word of Messiah who by His grace is the One who enables them to overcome the world. Furthermore, the Messiah promises, “He shall go out no more.” This means that the messianic believers will no longer be exposed to the temptations and trials of this present life. They will enjoy permanent residency in the very presence of God. In addition to this promise Messiah gives them a threefold assurance that they will be eternally identified with God: One, they will be given the name of God; Two, they will be given the name of the city of God, the New Jerusalem; Three, they will be given a new name belonging to Messiah.
The expression New Jerusalem is a reference to the future eternal city described later in the Book of Revelation. The New Jerusalem will be just as literal as the new heaven and the new earth. The believers of Philadelphia are given an invitation to hear what the Spirit says to the churches. The "challenge" to all who hear today is to receive Messiah Yeshua as Savior and, having received Him, to bear faithful witness to Him as Lord. This will confirm your salvation and your possession of eternal life with God. The next prophetic event on God's calendar: Once the Messiah ascended into heaven and sent the Gift of the Holy Spirit to indwell the church, the next event on His prophetic calendar became His return for the Rapture of His bride the church. We do not know exactly what day or year that will be. However, we do know it is to be the next prophetic event. And it is very near. |
Teaching 
