If you had paid a visit to the church in Philadelphia you might not have been all that impressed with what you saw. It appears that the congregation was quite small and somewhat struggling (verse 8) and certainly they knew considerable opposition from the Jews of the city (verse 9). However they were a faithful peo­ple who despite all the difficulties were faithfully serving the Lord in trying circum­stances (verse 8).

Mind you, it’s very unlikely that you’d have gone to Philadelphia at all. Similar to modern day Christchurch it was a city which had been damaged on a number of occasions by earthquakes. Indeed the earthquake of AD 17 was so severe that the Emperor Tiberius had given the city five years of relief from taxes to help them rebuild. Philadelphia was located about twenty kilometres east of Ephesus and was situated in an area of fertile volcanic soil – excellent for vineyards.

As we consider the way in which the Lord Jesus Christ addresses this church we will especially take note of the building terminology which the Saviour uses as he brings what is essentially a word of commendation and encouragement to a struggling people.

A Key⤒🔗

In verse 7 Jesus describes Himself as the ‘One who has the key of David’. This term is taken from Isaiah 22:19-22 where we are told that Eliakim the steward has authority to control entry to the king’s household. So Jesus is the One who has authority in terms of admission into the kingdom of God. Indeed there is no other way of entrance into God’s kingdom apart from faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Whilst this is obvious to those of us who are Christians and who are seeking to lead our lives according to the teaching of Scripture such a statement seriously irritates modern man. Surrounded, as we are, by those who believe that all roads lead to heaven and all that matters to God is that you are sincere about your creed or belief, we need to stress the exclusiveness of our Christian faith and of our Saviour.

A Door←⤒🔗

In verse 8 the Saviour reminds them that he has “set before them an open door and no one can shut it”. Various opinions exist as to how we are to understand this “open door” but the most likely interpretation is to see it as being similar to the open door of which Paul speaks in 1 Corinthians 16:8-9 and 2 Corinthians 2:12 that is, an open door of Gospel opportunity. Even though they were weak and struggling the believers in the congregation of Philadelphia were not to neglect their evangelistic responsibilities. They were to grasp the opportunities before them for ‘gossiping the Gospel’ and for making known the good news that “Jesus saves” to those around them.

Sometimes within our churches we are too prone to throw ‘pity parties’. We can’t be doing much evangelism we argue, because the cause is weak and all our en­ergy and strength needs to be channelled into ‘keeping the existing work going’. But evangelism is not an optional extra for the church of Christ. Weakness and smallness are not legitimate excuses for our failure to reach out with the Gospel. Jesus has commanded us to go (Matt 28:18-20) and he expects us to make use of the open door He has set before us.

A Building←⤒🔗

In verse 12 Jesus speaks about “a pillar in the temple of My God”. He’s not speaking here about a physical structure as such but rather he is depicting and setting before his readers something of the glory and stability of the New Jerusa­lem – heaven itself. Indeed the picture that Jesus gives to them here is not of the intermediate state but rather the finality and absolute security of the new heavens and the new earth (Rev 21). His essential message to the Philadelphians is ‘keep going, don’t give up. I’m with you and look – perfection and glory lies ahead.’ You will be there with me in this glorious place “safe and secure from all alarms”.

However before they enter into this new earth certain things had to happen.

“The hour of trial”←↰⤒🔗

This hour of trial that is spoken about in verse 10 could simply be a reference to a time of persecution that was being experienced not just by the Philadelphians but by other churches in Asia Minor. However it may also be an allusion to the great hour of trail that will be experienced by the people of God prior to Christ’s return. This great tribulation according to Matthew 24 will be a time of unprecedented affliction for Christians when the Antichrist and all his hellish emissaries will throw everything they can against the Church.

“I am coming soon”←↰⤒🔗

Following on from the hour of trial there will be the Second Advent itself – Jesus will return. It is interesting to note that in verse 11 Jesus describes this event as happening soon. To us 2000 years might seem like a long time but not to God.

“Your enemies will fall down before you”←↰⤒🔗

When Jesus returns one of the great things that he will do is vindicate his own people in the presence of their enemies. He reminds the Philadelphians of this in verse 9. Now they are experiencing great trial at the hands of persecuting Jews but on the great day of Christ’s return these enemies will fall down before them and they will come to see, sadly too late, that Jesus and His cause has triumphed.

So stand up those who think the Bible isn’t relevant today. Here is a word that is for us at the present time most encouraging and helpful. The cause is weak, the enemies are many and often we are cast down. But many are the opportunities that the Saviour has given to us to share the Gospel. Let’s grasp them. Let’s keep working faithfully until he comes. Then we’ll enter in to the glory of the new heav­ens and the new earth. Then we’ll be in a place of safety and security for ever.

Press on until that day.