1. The letter is addressed to the church in Philadelphia and commends them for having little power yet remaining faithful by keeping Christ's word and not denying his name. 2. Christ promises the church an open door that no one can shut, and that they will be kept from the coming "hour of testing" meant for the whole world. 3. The faithful church is assured of future victory over their enemies and persecution, and promised to be made a pillar in God's temple.

2. ―To the angel of
the church in
Philadelphia
write…‖
The faithful church

3. The Letter to Philadelphia
―And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: He who is holy, who
is true, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, and who
shuts and no one opens, says this: ‗I know your deeds. Behold, I have put
before you an open door which no one can shut, because you have a little
power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My name. ‗Behold, I
will cause those of the synagogue of Satan, who say that they are Jews
and are not, but lie—I will make them come and bow down at your feet, and
make them know that I have loved you. ‗Because you have kept the word
of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour
which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on
the earth. ‗I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will
take your crown. ‗He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of
My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will write on him the
name of My God, and the name of the city of My God, the new
Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God, and My new
name. ‗He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the
churches.‘ " (Revelation 3:7–13)

4. General Background on Philadelphia
• Named for a king of Pergamum, Attalus
Philadelphus, who built it
• Means ―love of brother/sister‖
• Leveled a number of times by
earthquakes, so they had suffered
under natural disasters
• Emperor cult worship began there in the
3rd century A.D.
• Called ―little Athens‖ by the 5th century
because of all the pagan temples
• Called ―Allah shehr‘ today – ―the city of
God‖
• Written to by the martyr Ignatius of
Antioch who spoke of his recent visit
with them and encouraged them in
Christian unity

5. Ignatius‟ Letter to Philadelphia
―Ignatius, who is also Theophorus, to the
church of God the Father and of Jesus
Christ, which is in Philadelphia of Asia,
which hath found mercy and is
firmly established in the concord of God
and rejoiceth in the passion of our Lord
and in His resurrection without wavering,
being fully assured in all mercy; which
church I salute in the blood of Jesus
Christ, that is eternal and abiding joy; more
especially if they be at one with the bishop
and the presbyters who are with him, and
with the deacons that have been appointed
according to the mind of Jesus Christ,
whom after His own will He confirmed and
established by His
Holy Spirit…‖

6. The Description of Christ
―He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David,
who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one
opens, says this" (Revelation 3:7)
1. Christ is holy
2. Christ is true
3. Christ has the keys of David
4. Christ opens/shuts with
authority
All of these have distinctive Old
Testament features

7. The Description of Christ
―He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David,
who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one
opens, says this" (Revelation 3:7)
Holy means to be set apart, to be pure. The Old Testament describes God as the
―Holy One‖ and the same name is used for the Messiah in the New.
Label used for God elsewhere in Revelation: ―and they cried out with a loud voice,
saying, ―How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and
avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?‖ " (Revelation 6:10)

8. ―What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One
of God!‖ " (Mark 1:24)
―The angel answered and said to her, ―The Holy Spirit will come
upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and
for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. "
(Luke 1:35)
―We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy
One of God.‖ (John 6:69)
―But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a
murderer to be granted to you" (Acts 3:14)

9. The Description of Christ
―He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David,
who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one
opens, says this" (Revelation 3:7)
• The Greek term is ―alethinos‖ which is
derived from ―aletheia‖ (truth) and
literally means ‗trustworthy‘, ‗authentic‘.
• We can trust Jesus, believe in what He
says
• In a world filled with deception, errors,
lies, we can trust what Christ tells us
• Jesus said to him, ―I am the way, and the
truth, and the life; no one comes to the
Father but through Me. " (John 14:6)

10. The Description of Christ
―He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David,
who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one
opens, says this" (Revelation 3:7)
• A key symbolizes the means to access
and gain entry to something
• David symbolizes the messianic office
• ―Then I will set the key of the house of
David on his shoulder, When he opens
no one will shut, When he shuts no one
will open. " (Isaiah 22:22) Spoken of
the faithful Eliakim, the prime minister
who controlled access to the king
• Jesus, the Messiah, has the keys to the
kingdom and to death (cf. Rev 1:18) and
determines who enters both.

11. The Description of Christ
―He who is holy, who is true, who has the key of David,
who opens and no one will shut, and who shuts and no one
opens, says this" (Revelation 3:7)
• ―Then I will set the key of the house
of David on his shoulder, When he
opens no one will shut, When he
shuts no one will open. " (Isaiah
22:22) Spoken of the faithful
Eliakim, the prime minister who
controlled access to the king
• No one can overrule Jesus‘ decision
on matters of eternal life and death

12. Philadelphia‟s Destiny
―I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an
open door which no one can shut, because you have a little
power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My
name. " (Revelation 3:8)
• As with the other churches, Christ
tells them He knows their deeds,
which are the evidence of what‘s
inside (i.e. true saving faith)
• Jesus just said that what He opens
and closes no one can change, and
He has placed an open door in front
of them symbolizes access to the
Kingdom of Heaven – something no
one can change

13. Philadelphia‟s Opportunity
―I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an
open door which no one can shut, because you have a little
power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My
name. " (Revelation 3:8)
• It‘s also possible that Jesus is
opening a door of service to the
church
• "A wide door for effective service has
opened to me and there are many
adversaries‖ (1 Cor. 16:9)
• "When I came to Troas for the
gospel of Christ and when a door
was opened to me‖ (2 Cor. 2:12)

14. The Description of the Church
―I know your deeds. Behold, I have put before you an
open door which no one can shut, because you have a little
power, and have kept My word, and have not denied My
name. " (Revelation 3:8)
1. A little power
2. Kept My word
3. Not denied My name

15. “A Little Power”
―On the other hand I am filled with power-With the Spirit
of the LORD‖ (Micah 3:8)
―but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come
upon you‖ (Acts 1:7)

16. “Kept my Word”
―it is not the hearers of the Law who are just before God, but the doers of the Law
will be justified.‖ (Romans 2:13)
―But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude
themselves.‖ (James 1:22)
―Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments of God and
their faith in Jesus.‖ (Revelation 14:12)

17. “Not Denied My Name”
―If we endure, we will also reign with Him; If we deny Him,
He also will deny us"
(2 Timothy 2:12)
―They profess to know God, but by their deeds they deny
Him, being detestable and disobedient and worthless for
any good deed. " (Titus 1:16)
―Whoever denies the Son does not have the Father; the
one who confesses the Son has the Father also. "
(1 John 2:23)

18. The Fake and the True
―Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan,
who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie-I will make
them come and bow down at your feet, and make them
know that I have loved you.‖ (Revelation 3:9)
• When the Jews rejected Jesus as their
Messiah, Judaism literally became as
bad as Satanic worship
• ―For he is not a Jew who is one
outwardly, nor is circumcision that which
is outward in the flesh. But he is a Jew
who is one inwardly; and circumcision is
that which is of the heart, by the Spirit,
not by the letter; and his praise is not
from men, but from God.‖ (Rom. 2:28-
29)

19. The Fake and the True
―Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan,
who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie-I will make
them come and bow down at your feet, and make them
know that I have loved you.‖ (Revelation 3:9)
• Bowing down at someone's feet was the
ancient posture of a humbled, defeated enemy.
• ―Thus says the Lord God, I'll lift up My hand
to the nations, I'll set up My standard to the
peoples, they will bring your sons in their
bosom and your daughters will be carried on
their shoulders. Kings will be your guardians,
princes your nurses and I'll make them bow
down to you with their faces to the earth and
lick the dust of your feet and you'll know I am
the Lord.‖ (Is. 49:23)

20. The Promise
"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I
also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which
is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who
dwell on the earth." (Revelation 3:10)
• True believers persevere. Whereas false
believers fall away, true Christians
persevere until the end
• The believers of Philadelphia had past all
the tests to demonstrate their true faith –
they had the Holy Spirit, they kept
Christ‘s word, and they had not denied
His name
• Because of their faithfulness, there were
no further tests they needed to endure

21. The Promise
James 1:12

22. The Promise – Kept from the „Hour of Testing‟
"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I
also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which
is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who
dwell on the earth." (Revelation 3:10)
• Some say that this hour of testing would
be some sort of natural disaster for those
back in the first century, but most
commentators believe this refers to a
future event
• All faithful churches like the Philadelphia
church will be kept from some sort of
global event (‗upon the whole world‘)

23. ―What business do we have with each other, Jesus of Nazareth?
Have You come to destroy us? I know who You are—the Holy One
of God!‖ " (Mark 1:24)
―The angel answered and said to her, ―The Holy Spirit will come
upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; and
for that reason the holy Child shall be called the Son of God. "
(Luke 1:35)
―We have believed and have come to know that You are the Holy
One of God.‖ (John 6:69)
―But you disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked for a
murderer to be granted to you" (Acts 3:14)

24. The Promise – Kept from the „Hour of Testing‟
"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I
also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which
is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who
dwell on the earth." (Revelation 3:10)
• This test appears to be for unbelievers
based on how the phrase ―those who dwell
on the earth‖ is used throughout the rest
of the book of Revelation
• The test is future as the promise is ―I
WILL keep you…‖
• This test appears to be the 70th week of
Daniel, the last 7 years of God‘s
timetable laid out in Daniel chapter 9

25. The Church is gone, but some are saved
―When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the
altar the souls of those who had been slain because of the
word of God, and because of the testimony which they had
maintained; and they cried out with a loud voice, saying,
"How long , O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from
judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the
earth ?‖ And there was given to each of them a white robe ;
and they were told that they should rest for a little while
longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their
brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would
be completed also.‖
(Revelation 6:9-11)

26. The Church is gone, but some are saved
―After these things I looked, and behold, a great multitude which no one could
count, from every nation and all tribes and peoples and tongues, standing before the
throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, and palm branches were in their
hands ; and they cry out with a loud voice, saying, " Salvation to our God who sits
on the throne, and to the Lamb." And all the angels were standing around the
throne and around the elders and the four living creatures ; and they fell on their
faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, " Amen, blessing and glory and
wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might, be to our God forever
and ever. Amen." Then one of the elders answered, saying to me, "These who are
clothed in the white robes, who are they, and where have they come from?" I said to
him, "My lord, you know." And he said to me, "These are the ones who come out of
the great tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the
blood of the Lamb. "For this reason, they are before the throne of God ; and they
serve Him day and night in His temple ; and He who sits on the throne will spread
His tabernacle over them. "They will hunger no longer, nor thirst anymore ; nor will
the sun beat down on them, nor any heat ; for the Lamb in the center of the throne
will be their shepherd, and will guide them to springs of the water of life ; and God
will wipe every tear from their eyes.‖‖
(Revelation 7:9-17)

27. The Promise – Kept from the „Hour of Testing‟
"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I
also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which
is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who
dwell on the earth." (Revelation 3:10)
• Some try and say the church will go through
the hour of testing: ―I will also keep you
within the hour of testing.‖ The verb tereo
which means to keep or guard is followed by
a little preposition ek. Ek means ‗out of‘.
There is a word for in, en, there is a word for
through, dia. Jesus didn't use en, He didn't
say, "I'll keep you in it." He didn't use dia,
"I'll keep you through it." He used ek, "I'll
keep you out of it."

28. ―Now My soul has become troubled ; and what shall
I say, ' Father, save Me from this hour '? But for this
purpose I came to this hour.‖
(John 12:27)
Jesus uses the same Greek preposition ek that is
used in Revelation 3:10 that says the faithful church
will be kept out of the hour of testing.

29. The Promise – Kept from the „Hour of Testing‟
"Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I
also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which
is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who
dwell on the earth." (Revelation 3:10)
• ―about to come upon the whole world‖
communicates a sense of immanence; that it
is near
• ―You too be patient ; strengthen your
hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near.‖
(James 5:8)
• ―Do this, knowing the time, that it is already
the hour for you to awaken from sleep ; for
now salvation is nearer to us than when we
believed. The night is almost gone, and the
day is near.‖ (Rom. 13:11-12)

30. Another Promise and Command
―I am coming quickly ; hold fast what you have, so that no
one will take your crown.‖ (Revelation 3:11)
• Which coming is Jesus speaking
about? Since there is no
condemnation for this church, it
appears He is talking about His
second coming.
• The word ‗quickly‘ is ‗tachys‘, which
means suddenly or at a rapid rate.
• This is a reference to the immanence
of Christ‘s coming; it could happen at
any time.

31. Another Promise and Command
―I am coming quickly ; hold fast what you have, so that no
one will take your crown.‖ (Revelation 3:11)
• What does ―what you have‖ refer to? It
refers back to what He commended
them for having: power, obedience, and
faithfulness to Christ.
• The only crown that can be lost for a
believer is a crown of rewards.
• ―If any man‘s work is burned up, he will
suffer loss; but he himself will be saved,
yet so as through fire." (1 Corinthians
3:15) .

32. The Last Promise
―He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of
My God, and he will not go out from it anymore; and I will
write on him the name of My God, and the name of the
city of My God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down
out of heaven from My God, and My new name. "
(Revelation 3:12)

33. “A Pillar in the Temple of My God…”
• A pillar represents stability,
permanence, and immovability. Faithful
believers will be a permanent fixture in
God‘s New Jerusalem.
• The temple is God Himself: ―I saw no
temple in it [the new Jerusalem], for
the Lord God the Almighty and the
Lamb are its temple. " (Revelation
21:22)
• The only thing left standing in
Philadelphian earthquakes were pillars;
because of their faithfulness in trials,
these (and all believers) are left
standing as well.

34. “Write on Him the name of My God…”
• Three things written on the believer: (1) the name of
God; (2) the name of the new Jerusalem; (3) Christ‘s
new name
• Writing you name on something indicates ownership of
that particular thing.

35. The new Jerusalem
"And I saw the holy city, new
Jerusalem, coming down out of
heaven from God, made ready as
a bride adorned for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the
throne, saying, ―Behold, the
tabernacle of God is among men,
and He will dwell among them, and
they shall be His people, and
God Himself will be among them,"
(Revelation 21:2-3)

36. “My new Name”
• ―His eyes are a flame of fire,
and on His head are many
diadems; and He has a name
written on Him which no one
knows except Himself. "
(Revelation 19:12)
• At present incommunicable and
only known to God: to be
hereafter revealed and made the
believer‘s own in union with God
in Christ. Christ‘s name written
on him denotes he shall be
wholly Christ‘s.

37. The Repeated command to Hear
―He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to
the churches.‖ (Revelation 3:13)
This phrase is repeated each time in Christ‘s
address to the seven churches of Revelation. In
the gospels (it is never used in John), it is
always used to highlight radical truths, great
principles, and promises.
Note that Jesus says it is the Spirit speaking
to the churches, even though He is the actual
one talking: ―All Scripture is inspired by God
and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for
correction, for training in righteousness‖
(2 Timothy 3:16)

38. Conclusions
• This church represents that faithful church / set of believers
who keep Christ‘s word and don‘t deny Him in the world
• Their reward (and ours) is to be granted eternal life, kept
from the tribulation that is going to come upon the whole
world, and be visibly praised even by Christ‘s enemies
• All true believers are unshakable because they are kept by
God‘s power in faith

39. ―To the angel of
the church in
Philadelphia
write…‖
The faithful church