The Message to Philadelphia (2)

Christ's Message

Jesus' message to Philadelphia begins in Revelation 3:7 and continues through verse 13. In the same style as the previous messages, Jesus began by identifying Himself as the author of the message. This time He refers to Himself as “He who is holy, He who is true, 'He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens'” (verse 7).

Just as we use keys and locks today to control access to secured places, keys were used in ancient times to control gates to cities and represented governmental control. The “key of David” is used in this sense in Isaiah 22:20-23 where Eliakim replaces the unfaithful Shebna as secretary of state in Judah. Speaking of this change to Shebna, God said, “I will commit your responsibility into his hand… The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, and no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open” (verses 21-22).

When Jesus described Himself as having this “key of David,” He was saying that He was of David's lineage and that He controls access to the Kingdom of God. Other passages explain that God the Father has given Jesus all power in heaven and earth, including the judgment of mankind (Matthew 28:18; John 5:22, 27; 17:2).

Works and an “Open Door”

In Revelation 3:8, Jesus then explained to Philadelphia that He knew this congregation's works and that He had set before them “an open door.” Jesus Christ, at the end of the first century A.D., almost 70 years after His death and inauguration of the New Covenant, still expected His followers to be doing works (Revelation 2:5, 9, 13, 19, 23, 26; 3:1-2).

Many today, in opposition to Jesus' clear statements, mistakenly believe works are no longer important. While our works cannot save us, Jesus expects us to be doing works in conjunction with the grace He extends to us that makes salvation possible. Grace and works are not opposites; they are compatible concepts that God expects His followers to jointly embrace. In other words, it is grace and works, not grace or  works.

The apostle Paul beautifully combined both concepts in Ephesians 2:8-10 (NIV): “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” God's grace inspires His followers to actively practice His commands.

The “door” Jesus said He had opened for Philadelphia was an opportunity to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Linkage of the term “door” with preaching the gospel occurs in several other New Testament passages. In Colossians 4:3, Paul asked the brethren to pray “for us, that God would open to us a door for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in chains.” In 1 Corinthians 16:8-9, he explained that he would remain in Ephesus until Pentecost because “a great and effective door has opened to me.” In Ephesus, Paul was able to spend three years preaching the gospel—one of the longest time periods he spent in any location (Acts 20:17-31). Similar usage of “door” is found in 2 Corinthians 2:12 and Acts 14:27.

The Expositor's Bible Commentary explains that in the first century, Philadelphia was designated “a mission city for disseminating Greco-Asiatic culture and language in the eastern part of Lydia and in Phrygia. Its success is attested by the fact that the Lydian language ceased to be spoken in Lydia by A.D. 19 and Greek took over (Ramsay, Seven Churches, p. 391).” Just as Philadelphia had successfully accomplished this secular mission, Jesus told the congregation that they now had an opportunity to disseminate the gospel.

To be contd.

God  bless you all.

The Message to Philadelphia/ Remain Faithful

Jesus Christ promises great rewards to those who faithfully persevere.

Jesus Christ's words to the congregation at Philadelphia are an inspiring message of hope and encouragement. It is distinct from the other messages of Revelation 2 and 3 in that to them, Jesus offered no correction, only an admonition to continue what they were already doing. He was intimately aware of their circumstances and promised them great rewards for their faithful perseverance.

Jesus offers the same promises to us today if we also remain faithful until our deaths or His return. To more deeply appreciate this timeless instruction, let's once again begin with some historical background about this city.

Historical Background

Philadelphia sat in an important location. Expositor's Bible Commentary says, “About twenty-five miles southeast of Sardis, along the Hermus River valley, lay the important high plateau city of Philadelphia, modern Alasehir. A main highway that ran through the city connected Smyrna (about a hundred miles due west) to northwest Asia, Phrygia, and the east. Furthermore, the imperial post road of the first century A.D., which came from Rome via Troas, Adramyttium, Pergamum, and Sardis, passed through this valley and Philadelphia on the way to the east. So situated, Philadelphia became a strong fortress city. To the northeast was a great vine-growing district, which, along with textile and leather industries, contributed greatly to the city's prosperity.”

The name Philadelphia came from the founder of the city, “Attalus II (159-138 B.C.), who had been given the epithet 'Philadelphus' (brother lover)” because of his love for his brother ( Expositor's Bible Commentary). But this was not the city's only name.

“Still another name of the city was Decapolis, because it was considered as one of the ten cities of the plain. A third name which it bore during the 1st cent. AD was Neo-kaisaria; it appears upon the coins struck during that period. During the reign of Vespasian, it was called Flavia. Its modern name, Ala-shehir, is considered by some to be a corruption of the Turkish words Allah-shehir, 'the city of God,' but more likely it is a name given it from the reddish color of the soil.

“In addition to all of these names it sometimes bore the title of 'Little Athens' because of the magnificence of the temples and other public buildings which adorned it. Philadelphia quickly became an important and wealthy trade center, for as the coast cities declined, it grew in power, and retained its importance even until late Byzantine times” ( International Standard Bible Encylopaedia, Electronic Database, 1996, article “Philadelphia”).

“According to Strabo, the whole region was earthquake prone (Geography 12.579; 13.628). In A.D. 17 an earthquake that destroyed Sardis and ten other cities also destroyed Philadelphia. Consequently, many people preferred to live in the rural area surrounding the city. The fear of earthquakes caused those who continued to live in the city to leave it at the slightest sign of a tremor.

“After the devastating earthquake, Tiberius came to the peoples' aid and had the city rebuilt. In gratitude the citizens renamed it Neocaesarea ('New Caesar'). Later the name was changed to Flavia (A.D. 70-79), and this, along with Philadelphia, continued to be its name through the second and third centuries A.D…” ( Expositor's Bible Commentary ).

To be contd.

God bless you all.

The Message to Sardis (3)

The Reward for Watching

After giving the instruction to be spiritually alert, Jesus said, “You have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels” (Revelation 3:4-5).

This passage also appears to reflect Christ's intimate knowledge of this first century congregation. Expositor's explains, “While the majority had departed from faithful obedience to Christ, a few at Sardis remained true. Here an allusion to the wool industry at Sardis intensifies the image of soiled and defiled garments. Those with soiled garments were removed from the public lists of citizens in Sardis. In the pagan religions it was forbidden to approach the gods in garments that were soiled or stained (Barclay, Seven Churches , p. 77). Soiling seems to be a symbol for mingling with pagan life and thus defiling the purity of one's relation to Christ.”

Just as clean garments were required for those in Sardis to be included in their local census, clean garments (representing righteous actions, Revelation 19:8) are required of all who will be included in “the Book of Life.”

Paul also likened Christianity to clothing that must be put on when we commit ourselves to God's way of life. We must set our minds “on things above” and “put on the new man” with its accompanying actions (Colossians 3:2, 10). Continuing, he wrote, “Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering” (verse 12).

Jesus Christ's instructions to Sardis are universal instructions for God's people throughout the ages. As the message concludes, “'He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches'” (Revelation 3:6).

On the eve of Armageddon, “the battle of that great day of God Almighty,” Jesus again cautions all, “Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments…” (Revelation 16:14-16). UN


God bless you all.

The Message to Sardis (2)

Christ's Warning

The history of Sardis was a perfect illustration of the timeless message Jesus delivered to His people: “Don't go to sleep. Remain spiritually alert!” Even though the Sardians had enjoyed great success, their failure to remain alert had twice led to military defeat—they were overtaken by surprise attacks. Noting the similarities between this city's history and the congregation's spiritual condition, Jesus said, “You are alive, but you are dead” (Revelation 3:1).

Jesus then warned them and us today to “hold fast and repent” (verse 3) of spiritual drowsiness. And how did Jesus say this should be done? He twice referred to watching—“be watchful” (verse 2) and “if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief” (verse 3).

The Meaning of “Watch”

The Greek word gregoreo, translated “watchful” and “watch” in these two verses, “is used (a) of 'keeping awake,'… (b) of 'spiritual alertness'” ( Vine's Expository Dictionary of Biblical Words, 1985, article “Watch (noun and verb), Watchers, Watchful, Watchings”). This word thus combines the sense of being physically awake with spiritual discernment. It is a spiritual condition of readiness and being alert. Those who do not maintain this approach will be surprised by Christ's return. Just as a thief is able to steal from unsuspecting victims, Christ's second coming will surprise those who are not spiritually alert (verse 3).

Earlier in His earthly ministry, Jesus addressed this concept via several parables. After listing some of the signs of His return (Matthew 24:3-31), He likened these to the signs of a fig tree identifying the season of the year. When leaves began to appear, everyone knew summer was near. His point in relation to His return was: “So you also, when you see all these things, know that it is near—at the doors!” (verse 33).

Jesus then explained that His return would surprise many people just as the Flood had done in Noah's day (verses 36-41). His advice? “Watch therefore, for you do not know what hour your Lord is coming. But know this, that if the master of the house had known what hour the thief would come, he would have watched and not allowed his house to be broken into. Therefore you also be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect” (verses 42-44).

The parable about 10 virgins also illustrates this important principle (Matthew 25:1-13). Five were wise and five were foolish. All went out to meet Christ, the bridegroom, but only five had the foresight to take sufficient oil for their lamps. Because Jesus was delayed, “they all slumbered and slept” (verse 5). When the announcement came of His coming, the foolish had to go buy oil for their lamps and only the wise who had made ample preparations were admitted to the wedding supper.

Jesus' moral to the story? “Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming” (verse 13).

Like the parable of the 10 virgins, the message to Sardis shows the importance of spiritual preparedness. If we go to sleep spiritually, become lackadaisical or lose our zeal for God's way of life, we must repent and become spiritually alert once again.

Christ's instructions to Sardis emphasize this lesson. Some of the members in Sardis had become lethargic—lacking a spiritual focus—and Jesus warned them to “be watchful” so they would be prepared for His return (verse 2).

To be contd.


God bless you all.

The Message to Sardis : Remain Spiritually Alert

Christ warns all of us of spiritual drowsiness and emphasizes the need to be vigilant and watchful.

Jesus Christ's fifth message to the churches of Revelation 2 and 3 was poignantly illustrated by first-century Sardis. This city had been one of the foremost cities of Asia Minor a few centuries earlier, but now it was in obvious decline. While the previously mentioned cities of the area were bustling with growth and activity (Pergamum as the capital city of Asia Minor, Ephesus as the largest city, Thyatira with its famous manufacturing center and Smyrna with its magnificent natural harbor and trade), Sardis was a relatively quiet city only able to reminisce upon past glory.

“Sardis was situated on the east bank of the Pactolus River about 80 kilometers (50 miles) east of Smyrna; it occupied a rocky spur of Mount Tmolus and a valley at the foot of this mountain. In ancient times Sardis was well fortified and easily defended. It became the capital of the ancient Lydian empire, then passed successively to the Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans during their respective dominance of the ancient world…

“The most impressive building of ancient Sardis must have been its magnificent Temple of Artemis, built in the fourth century B.C. The temple was 100 meters (327 feet) long and 50 meters (163 feet) wide and had 78 Ionic columns, each 17.7 meters (58 feet) high. Some of these columns remain standing until this day” ( Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary, 1986, article “Sardis”).

Another source adds, “This important city was…located on important commercial routes running E and W through the rich kingdom of Lydia, of which it was the capital. It was also made wealthy by textile manufacturing and jewelry making. Here are said to have been minted the first coins under the opulent Croesus” ( New Unger's Bible Dictionary, 1988, article “Sardis”).

“It was moreover one of the oldest and most important cities of Asia Minor, and until 549 B.C., the capital of the kingdom of Lydia. It stood on the northern slope of Mt. Tmolus; its acropolis occupied one of the spurs of the mountain. At the base flowed the river Pactolus which served as a moat, rendering the city practically impregnable. Through the failure to watch, however, the acropolis had been successfully scaled in 549 B.C. by a Median soldier, and in 218 by a Cretan (compare Revelation 3:2-3)…

“The ancient city was noted for its fruits and wool, and for its temple of the goddess Cybele, whose worship resembled that of Diana of Ephesus. Its wealth was also partly due to the gold which was found in the sand of the river Pactolus, and it was here that gold and silver coins were first struck. During the Roman period its coins formed a beautiful series, and are found in abundance by the peasants who till the surrounding fields.

“The ruins of the buildings which stood at the base of the hill have now been nearly buried by the dirt washed down from above. The hill upon which the acropolis stood measures 950 ft. high: the triple walls still surround it. The more imposing of the ruins are on the lower slope of the hill, and among them the temple of Cybele is the most interesting, yet only two of its many stone columns are still standing” ( International Standard Bible Encylopaedia, Electronic Database, 1996, article “Sardis”).

“Only twice in the history of Sardis was its fortress ever captured, though attacks on it were frequent. When Cyrus attacked it in the sixth century B.C., a shrewd Persian soldier observed a Sardian descending the southern winding path to retrieve his fallen helmet. Unknown to the soldier, the Persians followed his path back up to the summit and captured the whole city, taking them quite by surprise. There was a similar occurrence when Antiochus attacked Sardis about two hundred years later…Sardis retained its wealth into the first two centuries of the Christian Era. But its political brilliance as the capital city of Asia for Persia lay in the past” ( Expositor's Bible Commentary of the New Testament ).

There is an ominous lesson to the history of Sardis: Even though it once had great prosperity, it now lies desolate. It did not endure. Its citizens lacked the foresight to look ahead and preserve their future. At the end of the first century, this city was a sad contrast between past splendor and present decay.

To be contd.

God Bless you all.

Message to Pergamos and Thyatira (5)

Fear

Occasionally the people of God find themselves compromising because of fear. A couple of examples from the lives of Abraham and his son, Isaac, vividly illustrate this problem.

Before Abram's and Sarai's names were changed to Abraham and Sarah, they went to Egypt because of a severe famine (Genesis 12:10). While there, Abraham asked his wife to say that she was his sister because he was afraid someone might kill him in order to have his wife (verses 11-13). In time, Pharaoh took Sarai into his house with the likely intent of making her his wife (verses 14-16). When this occurred, “the Lord plagued Pharaoh and his house with great plagues because of Sarai, Abram's wife” (verse 17). Eventually, Pharoah learned Sarai was Abram's wife and returned her to him (verses 18-20).

Years later, Abraham told the same story to Abimelech, king of Gerar (Genesis 20:1-2). Again, God delivered Abraham and Sarah, but this time, Abimelech asked Abraham why he had said Sarah was his sister (verses 3-10). Abraham then explained: “Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife. But indeed she is truly my sister. She is the daughter of my father, but not the daughter of my mother; and she became my wife. And it came to pass, when God caused me to wander from my father's house, that I said to her, 'This is your kindness that you should do for me: in every place, wherever we go, say of me, “He is my brother”'” (verses 11-13).

Even though God had previously shown Abraham and Sarah that He would protect them, fear caused Abraham to once again employ his half-truth that Sarah was his sister. Sadly, Abraham's example also influenced Isaac. When Isaac faced a similar situation with his wife, Rebekah, he used the same explanation as his father (Genesis 26:6-11). In Isaac's case, however, it wasn't even a half-truth. It was a lie—a completely untrue statement motivated by fear.

In Revelation 21:8, Jesus Christ warns us that “the cowardly [“fearful,” KJV], unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.” Whether motivated by fear or not, liars will not be in the Kingdom, nor will the sexually immoral. Compromising God's instructions is not the path to eternal life.

 Antidotes

One of the great antidotes to fear is the love of God. As the apostle John explains, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). When we deeply commit ourselves to God and love Him more than anything else, God will help us have the courage we need to serve Him without compromise.

And finally, there is the other great remedy to compromise that Jesus spoke of in His message to Pergamos and Thyatira. To those who had entered the dangerous waters of compromise, He simply said, “repent” (verses 16, 21). If we discover that we have compromised God's instructions, we must also change.

When King David acknowledged his adultery with Bathsheba and murder of Uriah, he deeply repented before God (Psalms 51:1-12). We can do the same. Remember God's eternal message to His people: don't compromise His instructions. UN

God bless yu all.

Message to Pergamos and Thyatira (4)

Jezebel

This notorious woman of the Old Testament was the Canaanite wife of Israel's King Ahab. She had not only led Ahab to worship Baal, but through her husband had promulgated her teachings of idolatry and witchcraft throughout all Israel (1 Kings 16:31-34; 2 Kings 9:22).

In addressing the church at Thyatira, Jesus used this same name to refer to a contemporary woman apparently following the example of this Old Testament queen. As the International Standard Bible Encylopaedia explains, “In Revelation 2:20, we read of Iezabel [sic], 'the woman Jezebel, who calleth herself a prophetess'… as Moffat ( Expositor's Greek Testament ) aptly renders, 'that Jezebel of a woman alleging herself a prophetess.'

“Some members of the church at Thyatira 'under the sway of an influential woman refused to separate from the local guilds where moral interests, though not ostensibly defied, were often seriously compromised… Her lax principles or tendencies made for a connection with foreign and compromising associations which evidently exerted a dangerous influence upon some weaker Christians in the city.' Her followers 'prided themselves upon their enlightened liberalism (verse 24)'” (Electronic Database, 1996, Biblesoft, “Jezebel”).

Just how did this woman beguile or seduce (Revelation 2:20) some Christians at Thyatira to commit sexual immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols? A number of biblical resources suggest that this first-century Jezebel's teaching was similar to that of the Balaamites and Nicolaitans. Yet hers may have centered upon knowing “the depths of Satan” (verse 24).

The Expositor's Bible Commentary says, “But could she lure Christians by using such a term? The reasoning of some in the early church (the Nicolaitans) might have gone something like this: The only effective way to confront Satan was to enter into his strongholds; the real nature of sin could only be learned by experience, and therefore only those who had really experienced sin could truly appreciate grace. So by experiencing the depths of paganism ('the deep secrets of Satan'), one would better be equipped to serve Christ, or be an example of freedom to his brothers (cf. 1 Corinthians 8:9-11). Thus the sin of Jezebel was deadly serious because of the depths of its deception. Only a few perceived where the teaching was leading.”

Nicolaitans

Though little is known about this group, it seems to have embraced the same compromising approach as the Balaamites and followers of Jezebel. While the Ephesians recognized the Nicolaitan error (Revelation 2:6), apparently some in Pergamos and Thyatira were deceived by it.

Nelson's Illustrated Bible Dictionary says the Nicolaitans were “an early Christian heretical sect made up of followers of Nicolas, who was possibly the deacon of Acts 6:5. The group is mentioned explicitly only in Revelation 2:6, 14-15, where it is equated with a group holding 'the doctrine of Balaam,' who taught Israel 'to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality.'

“Balaam probably was responsible for the cohabitation of the men of Israel with the women of Moab (Numbers 25:1-2; 31:16). Therefore, the error of this group was moral rather than doctrinal. If the 'Jezebel' of Revelation 2:20-23 was a teacher of this sect, as many believe, their sexual laxity was indeed strong. Most likely, they were a group of anti-law practitioners who supported a freedom that became self-indulgence. It may have been the same heresy condemned in 2 Peter 2:15 and Jude 11. Some early church leaders believed the Nicolaitans later became a gnostic sect” (Electronic database, 1986, Thomas Nelson Publishers, “Nicolaitans”).

To be contd.

God bless you all.