Jack and all:
Our pilgrimage in Asia Minor has now reached a city with some very friendly Christian brothers: THE CHURCH AT PHILADELPHIA
Review
So far, we have studied five of the 7 churches of Chapters 2 and 3 in the Revelation of Jesus Christ. As we have said, there is a threefold purpose in the writing of the seven letters.
First, John is writing to seven local congregations in order to meet the needs of these individual assemblies. This is the contemporaneous meaning. These seven messages applied uniquely to the seven churches, but also to the many other churches in existence at the time of his writing, about 95 AD. There were actual circumstances addressed by the letters.
Secondly, the seven churches represent a chronological history of the church throughout the church age from Pentecost to the present, written before it occurred. It is a prophetic revelation, just as the other two sections of the Revelation are. We have listed the following church periods thusfar as:
1. The Apostolic Age (Ephesians Pentecost to 100 AD)
2. The Martyrd Church (Smyrna 100 AD to 313 AD)
3. The State Church (Pergamus 313 AD to 590 AD)
4. The Church State or Dark Age (Thyatira 590 AD to 1517 AD)
5. The Protestant or Reformed Church (Sardis 1517 AD to 1800 AD)
The last two are:
6. The Revived Church of Philadelphia (1800 AD to the Rapture)
7. The Apostate Church of Laodicaea (the Rapture to the Second Coming or Great Day of Yahweh)
Thirdly, these letters reveal the various kinds of individuals and assemblies that exist in every age. Joseph Seiss, a prominent theologian wrote the following:
"The seven Churches represent seven varieties of Christians, both true and false. Every professor of Christianity is either an Ephesian in his religious qualilties, a Smyrnaote, a Pergamite, a Thyatiran, A Sardian, a Philadelphian, or a Laodicean. It is of these seven sorts that the whole church is made up.... Every community of Christian professors has some of all the varied classes which make up Christendom at large....There are Protestant Papists, and Papistical Protestants; sectarian anti-sectarians, and partyists who are not schismatics; holy ones in the midst of abounding defection and apostasy, and unholy ones in the midst of the most earnest and active faith; light in dark places, and darkness in the midst of light. I thus find the seven Churches in every Church, giving to those letters a directness of application to ourselves and to professing Christians of every age, of the utmost solemnity and importance."
G. H. Pember says:
"When taken together, they ( the 7 churches) exhibit every phase of Christian society which would ever be found in the various parts of Christendom, and so enabled the Lord to give comfort, advice, exhortation, warning, and threatening, from which something could be found to suit any possible circumstance of His people till the end of the age."
Therefore, we need to examine these three levels of meaning in regard to each church, the contemporaneous, the historical, and the present-day evidences of these churches. In addition, it is interesting to see the prophetic nature of these scriptures and how the Lord used even the very names of the cities involved to typify or underscore his message. Also, how the geography of that particular place brings added meaning to our understanding of each church.
The Church at Philadelphia
The church in Philadelphia represents the revived church, dating approximately from the beginning of the 19th century (1800) to the rapture. This is the church that has turned back to the Word of God. Today, the city of Philadelphia is a rather prosperous little Turkish town. It is located in a very beautiful valley that is inland about 150 miles from the coast. The valley is very wide and runs north and south, and the Cogamis River of that valley is a tributary of the Hermus River. The city was built on four or five hills in this picturesque valley. Philadelphia is in an area that is subject to frequent and severe earthquakes. The large population that was in this area in earlier times left primarily because of the earthquakes and, of course, because of wars. When Tamerlane and the other great pagan leaders came out of the East, it was a time when all that were left were slaughtered. Therefore, no descendants of the original population are there. However, this city has had a continuous habitation from it's very beginning in Greek times.
The city was an outlier of Greek civilization in Eastern Lydia, an area in which the Greeks considered heathen and pagan. The Greek word for the area was barbarian. In fact, anyone who was not a Greek was considered a barbarian. The Lydian language was spoken there at first, but by the time of the apostles, the Greek language had taken over, and it was a typical Greek colony state. It was called "little Athens" because of the fact that it was in this area and yet was truly Greek. It was a fortress city used to delay the enemy who would come in to destroy the greater cities like Ephesus, Smyrna, and Pergamum, the three largest cities. Fortress cities had garrisons stationed there to either stop or delay the enemy as he marched toward the Agaean Coast. Philadelphia is in a region of great erosion. The soil is alluvial, but very fertile. Laurel trees and many flowers grow here. This is wine country and large grape vineyards cover the hills.
The city did not get its name, as you might think, from the Bible. Actually, the city got its name because of the love that Attalus II had for his brother Eumenes who was king of Pergamum. Attalus had a great love and loyalty for his brother, and because of that it is called the "city of brotherly love". In AD 17, a great earthquake struck this city and totally destroyed it. The same earthquake totally destroyed Sardis and many other Lydian cities throughout the area. Tiberius, the emperor at the time, allocated a million dollars for the rebuilding of these cities, and they were then restored. (A million dollars in those days was a lot of money.)
This is the one church, besides Smyrna, for which the Lord had no word of condemnation. Why? Because it had returned to the Word of God. Sometimes we can grow weary of hearing the emphasis placed upon reading the Word. Well, just remember that it is this emphasis that commends this church to the Lord. It is interesting concerning the two churches which He did not rebuke that the places are still in existence, although the churches themselves have disappeared. However, in Philadelphia there is something quite interesting. First, there are the remains of a Byzantine church, which reveals that Christianity was active here up until the 12th or 13th century. The people who are caretakers of that area today are Christians. The remains of the Byzantine church are still there, but that is not the pillar mentioned in verse 12 of Chapter 3. The Seljuk Turks destroyed all vestiges of the earlier church and Greek amphitheatre to cover up their slaughter of the Christians in Philadelphia. Today, the Turkish government would rather you forget about there ever being a Christian church at Philadelphia.
Philadelphia is the place where Christian and Saracen fought during the Crusades, and in 1922 Turkey and Greece fought against one another here. What Christians remain today worship in secret, for they are severely persecuted.
This church in early times was strategically situated to be a missionary church, and that is what it was. Here is what the Lord says about this church:
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith He that is holy, He that is true, He that hath the key of David, He that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth (Rev 3:7)
In each of these passages from the Revelation, the Lord always draws something from that vision of Himself as the glorified Christ, our great High Priest. Here, He reminds us that He is holy. He was holy at His birth, He was holy at His death, and He is holy today in His present priestly office. (see Luke 1:35, Act 2:27, Heb 7:26).
He is True:
John 14:6 tells us "I am the way, the truth, and the life". True means genuine, and perfect and complete. Jesus is the true bread that came down from heaven (John 6:32-35)
He has the Key of David:
This key speaks of His regal claims as the Ruler of the universe. The Lord shall give to him the throne of his father, David, and He shall rule over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end (Luke 1:32,33). In the millenium, Jesus will sit upon the throne of David. Today, He sits at the right hand of the Father, waiting for His enemies to be made His footstool.
He that Openeth and No Man Shutteth; and Shutteth and No Man Openeth:
Jesus is in control. What a comfort to know this. When Jesus opens a door, it is OPEN. There are times that `national doors' are opened, as in Eastern Europe this last decade. These doors are also CLOSED by Him. There is a time and a season. There will come a time when `no man can work.'
I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and has not denied my name (Rev 3:8)
This church, true to the Word of God, is not a protestant church, or a Roman church, it is any church that keeps true to His Word. The Lord commends the church in 7 ways:
1. "I know thy works." The Lord looks for fruit; works of believers. (Eph 2:8-10) Saving faith produces works.
2. "Behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it." When Jesus opens a door, he opens one. It was this local church of Asia Minor that sent missionaries as far afield as India.
The America Church has had an important part to play in that we have supported the missionary outreach of this missionary church. Today, look at the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe, how they were opened dramatically. Look at Albania, a completely closed society until a few years ago when the Gospel resulted in 1/2 of the population accepting Christ as Lord. I believe that our nation will again be used to reach the lost, and on a scale not previously seen. As Coach McCartney said at the PK Assembly, "America's greatest days are still before it."
The lord opens smaller doors as well. The door of the heart of your friend or co-worker. If He opens a door, He intends for you to move in because He will open the door of opportunity for witnessing and for proclaiming the Word of God. Both must work together.
3. "For thou has a little strength (dunamin)." The Greek word from which we get dynamite. He is saying that you have the power to get the job done that lies before you.
4. "And hast kept my word." In a day when denial of scriptures was going on, this church held fast to the whole Word of God. It believed in the inspiration of the Holy Spirit.
5. "And hast not denied my name." In a day when the deity of Christ is questioned, the Philadelphian church stands true to the divinity of Christ, the God-man, His sinless birth and life, substitutionary death for sinners, and his glorious resurrection from the dead
6. "Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee." The Lord Jesus says here that He will make the enemies of the Philadelphian church to know that He loves this church. People of the world will see that we are different from them, and they will become jealous for what we have in the Lord. We have a joy that sustains us, even in the worst of times. It can be the best of times for the Christian even during the worst of times for the world. It was interesting to me how hollow the NOW arguments sounded during the PK Assembly. Our message struck a pleasing chord in the hearts of many men and WOMEN.
7. The following is the 7th commendation:
"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth (Rev 3:10)"
The church that has kept the Word in patience means the church that has waited patiently for it's fulfillment. It's fulfillment is found in the coming of Christ for His own (11 Thess 3:5) During recent years, there has been a great deepening of understanding concerning end times scripture. He in turn will keep us from the day of temptation that is coming upon the earth. This is the Great Tribulation period. It is worldwide. We will be taken completely out of this world before the wrath of God falls upon it. This is the church that will be raptured, and we see it flowering today.
"Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown." (Rev 3:11.)
The meaning of quickly is not soon, but suddenly. He will come very suddenly, at a time that they know not. We are told to look for the blessed hope of his return, not toward the time of tribulation (Titus 2:13). We may experience difficult times as we approach that Day, but no believer will experience His wrath.
"Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is New Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God; and I will write upon him my new name. (Rev 3:12)
I personally believe in a literal interpretation of this event. A great new city will descend to the earth. You think MIR is impressive, wait until you see what God is going to put in orbit around this ole' earth.
He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches." (Rev 3:13)
And now the sixth parable from Matthew 13:
The Parable of the Pearl of Great Price
Again, the kingdom of heaven is like unto a merchant man seeking goodly pearls: Who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had, and bought it.
How many times have we read of missionaries and pastors that have given their all in total committment to the Great Commission. The motivation for their dedication is found in their deep compassion for mankind and concern for the lost. This is where we discover the true meaning of brotherly love. This is the Missionary Church, and the Church of the Rapture. When this church discovers the pearl of perfection in Christ Jesus, it sells out completely to Him. It cherishes a love relationship with the Lord and with His great creation, mankind. This is (we are) the spotless bride of Christ.
Marinatha,
Lee |
