By F. D. Adkins
This week, my Bible study in the Book of Revelation was on Jesus’s message to the church in Philadelphia. Because I want to understand Jesus’s message, I have read verses 3:7-13 numerous times to myself and even aloud so I could hear the words. I hope that after you read my thoughts and reflections, you will comment and share your thoughts and reflections on these verses with me as we seek to gain a complete understanding of God’s Word.
Jesus opens in verse seven by identifying Himself. “… 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” (Revelation 3:7 KJV). In these words, I hear Jesus telling me that He is in control. What He opens, no one else has the power to close, and what He closes no one else has the power to open. (I find enormous comfort in that.)
Moving on, one important thing I noted in this study was that not only did Jesus begin his message to the church in Philadelphia on a positive note as He did to the past churches, but He had only good things to say to them. In verse 8, Jesus says, “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 hast not denied my name” (KJV). The church in Philadelphia has adhered to the Word of God and has held to the name of Jesus. He says they have a little strength, and He has put an open door in front of them. So, they have strength and opportunity.
The thing about an open door is a person still has to walk through it. One could be offered a tremendous job opportunity, but it is only an offer until one takes that step of faith and accepts it. God parted the sea for Moses and the children of Israel, but they had to take those steps of faith and walk through it. I have to admit that I struggle with this. I am a creature of habit. I get caught up in a routine, and sometimes I resist change. Maybe that is why some doors are abruptly closed… to wake me up and make me pay attention to the new open door.
As I pointed out before, Jesus had no negative comments for the church in Philadelphia. He is pleased with them. In verse 10, He says, “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” (Revelation 3:10 KJV). Does this verse refer to the Rapture? Based on the next verse, I believe it does. In verse 11, Jesus states, “Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown” (KJV). Combining these two verses together, I think since He is speaking of His return, He is coming to take them home, and they will not be here for the tribulation.
And now to end on an even higher note…. Not only will they be kept from ‘the hour of temptation’, but they will be identified as belonging to God. He says, “…and I will write upon him the name of my God…” (Revelation 3:12 KJV).
Final notes:
- Jesus only had positive things to say to the church in Philadelphia.
- Because they were sincere in their faith, they would not face ‘the hour of temptation’ that the rest of the world would have to endure.
- He would put His name upon them clearly showing they belonged to Him.
