3:7-13

NT

Revelation 3:7-13

esv

Jesus Is Sovereign over Eternal Life

“And to the angel

Destination

of the church

Descriptive

in Philadelphia

Locative

write:

‘The words

Content #1

of the holy one,

Producer

the true one,

who has the key

of David,

Possessive

who opens

and no one will shut,

Negative

who shuts

and no one opens.

Jesus Blesses the Faithful with Eternal Life, Ministry Empowerment, and Spiritual Protection

“‘I know your works.

Content #2a

Behold, I have set ... an open door,

Content #2b

before you

which no one is able

to shut.

Content

I know

Content #3

that you have but little power,

Concessive

and yet you have kept my word

Content #1

and have not denied my name.

Content #2

Behold, I will make those

Explanation

of the synagogue

Source

of Satan

who say

that they are Jews

and are not,

but lie—

behold, I will make them come

Result #1

and bow down

before your feet,

and they will learn

Accompaniment

that I have loved you.

Because you have kept my word

Ground

about patient endurance,

Reference

I will keep you

Result #2

from the hour

Separation

of trial

Content or Descriptive

that is coming

on the whole world,

to try those who dwell

Purpose

on the earth.

Jesus Exhorts the Faithful to Persevere to Eternal Life

I am coming soon.

Hold fast

Content #4

what you have,

so that no one may seize your crown.

Jesus Promises Eternal Enjoyment of God's Presence to Those Who Persevere

The one who conquers,

I will make him a pillar

Content #5

in the temple

of my God.

Never shall he go

Result #1

out of it,

and I will write ... the name

Result #2a

on him

of my God,

and the name

Result #2b

of the city

of my God,

the new Jerusalem,

which comes down

from my God

out of heaven,

and my own new name.

Result #2c

He

who has an ear,

let him hear

Content #6

what the Spirit says

to the churches.’

phrasing

Notes

Head: Focus: The focus of this section is the life of the mind . We want to think accurately according to the truth of God’s Word we’ve phrased. Questions: How should I think differently about God/myself/others because of what I’ve just phrased? What doctrines are taught in this passage? What specific contribution to those doctrines does this passage make? What other Scripture texts add to the truths taught in this passage? v. 7: Jesus is "holy" and "true." These two descriptions of Jesus as “he that is holy” and “he that is true” don’t come directly from the vision in 1:9-20, which is unusual. But in verse 5 of chapter 1, Jesus is called “the faithful witness” – that is, He testifies the truth . Who Jesus is and what He says faithfully and accurately reveals the person of God in His holiness and truth. v. 7: Notice the threefold description of what "the holy one" and "the true one" does . First, he "has the key of David." This description comes from the vision of Jesus in 1:18. But this key is different from those “of Death and Hades,” and is called instead “the key of David .” That refers to Isaiah 22:22. I n Isaiah 22, Isaiah is making a series of dark, disturbing predictions about Israel’s future, because they distanced themselves from God and trusted in their own strength (see v. 8-11), and refused to repent of their rebellion (v. 12-13); therefore, they would be exiled (v. 14). In verses 20-25, the Lord promises blessing upon a man named Eliakim, who was in charge of King Hezekiah’s household (see 37:2), but also warns of judgment. Here God promises to make Eliakim in charge of access to the king . If he said, “Come in,” and pulled out the key that unlocked the door to the throne room, you could come in. But if he locked the door and said, “You cannot enter,” nothing could be done – you could not enter. His decision was final . Now, verses 24-25 warn that Eliakim will fail ; the weight of “ all the glory of his father’s house” would prove to be too much for him (v. 24). Perhaps he would fall into sin, unfaithfulness, or corruption, and he would be “removed” from his office (v. 25). But who is Jesus, in whom this prophecy of having the key of David finds its full and complete fulfillment? He is “holy” and “true”! He will never fail! And what does that mean? It reveals our unchangeable and irreversible security! v. 8: What is this "open door" W here does this door lead to? If the Philadelphians step through this doorway, where will they be ? Well, what door did we just see “the key of David” opened, in the hand of Jesus? To eternal life ! This “open door” has to do first of all with the certainty of their salvation. But I think there’s a second , subordinate meaning of this open door. In several places in the New Testament, the term “open door” refers to an opportunity to bear “witness” to the gospel. See 1 Cor 16:9 and Col 4:3. v. 9-10: Jesus makes two promises because of the Philadelphians' faithful endurance (v. 8f-i). The first promise is of a mass conversion of Jewish people. What is this “synagogue of Satan”? This is clearly a reference to unbelieving Jews in the city. Christ further describes them as people who “ say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie.” Not that they were lying about their ethnicity – but when they said, “We are God’s chosen people,” they were lying ! Because they also said, as unbelievers and persecutors, that Jesus was a fake, and so his so-called "people" were also fakes. But that was a lie ! Jesus is the true Israel, and all who follow Him are the new Israel in him . See Rom 9:6 and Rom 2:28-29. The second promise is a little trickier - what does it mean to be kept " from the hour of trial"? There are two realities to help us interpret this: First , the only other place in the New Testament where the same Greek construction underlying “keep … from” is in John 17:15 – and that helps us understand what it means here . There, Jesus is praying for His disciples, and he says, “ I pray not that thou shouldest take them out of the world, but that thou shouldest keep them from the evil” – that is, from the evil one , Satan. What is Jesus praying? He isn’t asking the Father to remove His disciples from the world, from danger, but that he would protect His disciples while they remained in the world . So back in Revelation 3:10 , Jesus isn’t saying, “I will rapture you out of the world”; rather, he is saying, “I will protect you while you remain in the world .” And secondly , the “hour of temptation” that was going to come upon the entire “world” could refer to the future Great Tribulation period, or simply to any time of persecution. For “world” doesn’t necessarily mean the entire globe, as it is used several times in the New Testament to speak of just some of the people in the Roman Empire. So I don’t this is talking about a literal rapture of the church in the end times Great Tribulation, but of a spiritual protection of God’s people in a specific historic time of tribulation – perhaps even the general tribulation that has lasted throughout church history, and will last until Jesus returns! v. 11: What does it mean to have your crown taken? I think the context makes it clear: this is speaking of eternal life , not merely rewards given to Christians. If anyone in the church loses their grip on Jesus , if anyone chooses to bow down before idols, or to return to the safety of the synagogue, they will lose their crown . In other words, they will go to Hell . v. 12: Philadelphia was prone to earthquakes. Thus this big promise in verse 12 would have been wonderfully reassuring! There are three promises that combine here to make one glorious promise. Remember, these promises are not literal ; God isn't going to tattoo a name on us. And the first promise is not that overcomers will be literally transformed into marble pillars! Rather, the point of it is seen in the next phrase, that overcomers will "never ... go out of it. Not that there will be a literal temple in eternity, for in the New Jerusalem, John said that he didn't see any temple there (Rev 21:22). S ince the whole point of a temple was having access to God’s presence , that means that believers will permanently and forever enjoy the presence of God, in whose presence is fullness of joy ! For the second promise, see Isaiah 62:2. W onder of wonders! – this promise is fulfilled not in all of ethnic Israel but in Christ , the true Israel, and all who believe in Him and are thus brought into union with Him! Heart: Focus: The focus of this section is the life of the emotions . We want to feel accurately according to the truth of God’s Word we’ve phrased. Questions: How should I feel differently about God/myself/etc. because of what I’ve just phrased? What emotions are expressed in this passage? What emotions does this passage exhort me to feel? v. 8: We should rejoice in Jesus' promise of an open door! Jesus isn’t a steward who gives access to an earthly king, but the only means of accessing God's presence, who is the holy, pure, awesome king of the universe! When Jesus says, “You can enter God’s presence; you can experience the fullness of joy that is in His presence; you can be accepted as his child, have a permanent place in Heaven,” it happens . He will never fail, and be replaced by someone who changes the rules of access into God’s presence ! See Heb 10:20. But, on the other hand, when Jesus says, “You may not enter Heaven; depart from me , you who practice sin and iniquity ,” His sentence is final . The only way to enter Heaven is through faith alone in Christ alone . He is “the way, and the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). So turn from self-righteousness, from pride, from immorality, and come to Jesus for life and forgiveness. v. 12: We should rejoice in Jesus' promise of eternal security! Are you looking forward to perfect fellowship with Christ, or do you love the things of earth too much? Do you understand your intimate identification with Christ, and is he your hope? Hands: Focus: The focus of this section is the life of the will . We want to act accurately according to the truth of God’s Word we’ve phrased. Questions: How should I act differently because of what I’ve just phrased? What motivations does this passage give for acting differently? What sins do I need to repent of and put off? What good works do I need to put on? I think that Phil 2:16 is a perfect application to this entire passage. The verb translated “holding fast” can mean one of two things : to hold tightly to something, or to hold something out to someone, to extend it. I think that we don’t have to choose here! And this is exactly what Jesus is telling us to do in the letter to the Philadelphian church. First , you need to cling to “the word of life” – the gospel of your salvation, the message of salvation in Jesus. Because you will suffer ; you will be despised because you’re a Christian; you will have problems and trials and physical and emotional pain; therefore , you need to remember that the one who is Holy and True died for your sins, rose again for your justification, and will never let go of you, will never stop working all things for your good. The gospel is your life , Christian – no-one can pluck you out of the Father’s hand, Jesus said in John 10. Make this your foundation , your joy , your strong castle to flee to in times of trouble. Even now, by faith, you can taste the joy of ultimate security in Christ if you hold tightly to the gospel! And secondly , you need to use whatever “open door” God has given you to hold forth that word of life to lost people. The door of the kingdom is still open to all who will believe. That door is open for you , believer, but it is also open for other people to enter in. So don’t be selfish and self-contained; rather, because of your security and the promise of eternal life, “ be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain" (1 Cor 15:58). No action of love shown to others, of sharing the gospel, of praying for a lost family member, is in vain . God sees and hears and is able to do exceeding abundant above all that we ask or think. Jesus is sovereign and in control, ready to save all who will believe; so serve God in his power, looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of your faith – the holy and true one, holding the keys of life and death, giving you opportunities to serve and grace to serve him.

notes