Patmos

Philadelphia: • Notable Information About Philadelphia ✴ Known for it’s adherence to and propagation of Hellenistic thought. Sometimes referred to as “Little Athens.”✴ Located on the main route of the Imperial Post to the East. Known as the gateway or door to the east.✴ Founded on geological fault line. Prone to Earthquakes and volcanic eruption.✴ Close proximity to Catacecaumene, volcanic burnt land, which separated the provinces of Lydia and Phrygia.✴ Volcanic soil was conducive to growing grapes

Philadelphia: • Address - “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:”•Identification - “These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”✴ Holy - Set apart, different - He didn’t achieve a standard of holiness He is the standard.✴ True - The one, true God. He is authentic, not manufactured. He is the original, not a copy.

Philadelphia: •Identification - “These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.”✴ Who holds the key of David (Isaiah 22:20-22)✴ Eliakim is summoned by God to replace Shebna, as the palace steward or administrator for Hezekiah. Everything and everybody that got to the king came through him.✴ Jesus alone is the one who opens and shuts doors

Philadelphia: • Account: “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”✴ An Open Door - ✴ Access to God through Jesus (contrasted against a closed door to the synagog from the Jews)✴ An opportunity to be witnesses to others

Philadelphia: • Account: “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”✴ An Open Door -✴ Little Strength -✴ Small in Number✴ Little influence or significance

Philadelphia: • Account: “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.”✴ An Open Door -✴ Little Strength -✴ Kept my word - No compromise✴ Not denied my name - Faithful witness

Philadelphia: • Assessment: “I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars - I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.”✴Synagogue of Satan - (Smyrna 2:9)✴Not Jews - Rejected Jesus, New Israel✴Liars - Fabricated stories to bring persecution on Christians

Philadelphia: • Assessment: “I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars - I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.”✴Fall down at your feet, I have loved you - ?

Philadelphia: • Assessment: “I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars - I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth.”✴“Since” - cause and effect clause - “I will”✴Endure patiently - Faithful Witness✴Keep you from the hour of trial

1. Pre-Trib Rapture, Mid-Trib Rapture2. Shield them from intensity, or serious effects of the tribulation3. Protect spiritually from any threats posed to their faith by the coming tribulation.

Philadelphia: •Exhortation: “I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. ”✴ I am coming soon- Encouragement, Watchfulness, ✴ Hold on to what you have - Resist the draw of compromise✴ no one will take your crown - The victors crown

Philadelphia: •Promise: “The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.”✴ Pillar in the Temple of my God ✴Ancient cities often honored great leaders by erecting pillars with their names inscribed on them✴In the Temple of my God refers to their place of acceptance in the true temple, no court of gentiles

✴ Never again will they leave it - Reference to the seismic activity of the area

Philadelphia: •Promise: “The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.”✴Naming shows exercise of authority and claim of possession ✴Name of God - as their possession✴ Name of the city of my God - as their citizenship✴ My new name - as a sign of personal relationship

Philadelphia: •Call: “Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”