Revelation Study Series 7 - God's Mysterious Plan Fulfilled Series

Revelation Study Series 7 - God's Mysterious Plan Fulfilled

11.21.21

Message…

Revelation 3:7-13

7 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia.

This is the message from the One who is holy and true,

the One who has the key of David.

What He opens, no one can close;

and what He closes, no one can open:

8 “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed My Word and did not deny Me.

9 Look, I will force those who belong to satan’s synagogue—those liars who say they are Jews but are not—to come and bow down at your feet. They will acknowledge that you are the ones I love.

10 “Because you have obeyed My command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.

11 I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.

12 All who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of My God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write on them the name of My God, and they will be citizens in the city of My God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from My God. And I will also write on them My new name.

13 “Anyone with ears to hear must listen to the Spirit and understand what He is saying to the churches.

Philadelphia was a small city. It as well as the rest of the seven churches is located in Turkey. Its name means “brotherly love”.

Philadelphia was nestled in a large valley between several hills. It served as a fortress city to keep invading armies at bay before reaching the larger cities such as Ephesus, Smyrna and Pergamum.

The people were not wealthy. They were simple, hard working. The soil was fertile. It was well suited for grape growing, thus wine making.

The false god, Bachhus (the wine god) as we have mentioned before was worshipped there as well as others.

His mythical image was even imprinted upon their money.

Philadelphia suffered many earthquakes, and frequent tremors. Many of its citizens lived outside the city.

Revelation 3:7

7 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the One who is holy and true,...

Though Jesus walked among us, He was also separated from us, in that He was holy and He is true!

John 6:33 The true bread of God is the One who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world.”

There is only One who can fill your spiritual hunger. He is the only One who can quench your spiritual thirst and give you life everlasting!

Revelation 3:7

7 “Write this letter to the angel of the church in Philadelphia. This is the message from the One who is holy and true, the One who has the key of David....

This “key of David” speaks of Christ’s authority. (Whoever has the keys is truly in charge/control.)

Jesus has the keys! He holds the keys to the entrance into His kingdom! He alone holds the keys, the One who is holy, the One who is true…

He holds the keys because He is our Creator. He is the owner of the keys!

He rightfully holds the keys in His nail-scarred hands because He purchased them with His shed blood on the cross…

Vs. 7 goes on to say... “...What He opens, no one can close; and what He closes, no one can open:”

John 15:5b “...apart from Me you can do nothing.”

God opens doors! God shuts doors! It is all by God’s power not man’s!

Even more important is the fact that satan can’t open the door, and satan can’t shut the door.

Man doesn’t have the keys. satan doesn’t have the keys. Jesus alone with all authority and power holds the keys!

Revelation 3:8

8 “I know all the things you do, and I have opened a door for you that no one can close. You have little strength, yet you obeyed My word and did not deny Me.

“You have little strength”...

The church in Philadelphia was small (contrasted to last week where the church in Sardis was large...everyone knew of that church...that church had a name but, remember the Lord said it was dead...spiritually dead...no power.)

This church in Philadelphia was small. It had a little strength. It probably had little in terms of talent, ability, resources, or money…

If you would have passed by it, you probably would have said, “Well, that’s a nice little church!”