""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
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Identity of Jesus
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""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:" - Revelation 3:7
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Holy – qadowsh(hbr.)/hagios(grk.) - separate, sacred, set apart, pure. Coming from a root that means awesome/terrible (inspiring awe, reverence, and/or fear) and typically describes things set apart for religious purposes.
"The angel of the LORD appeared to [Moses] in a blazing fire from the midst of a bush; and he looked, and behold, the bush was burning with fire, yet the bush was not consumed. So Moses said, "I must turn aside now and see this marvelous sight, why the bush is not burned up." When the LORD saw that he turned aside to look, God called to him from the midst of the bush and said, "Moses, Moses!" And [Moses] said, "Here I am." Then He said, "Do not come near here; remove your sandals from your feet, for the place on which you are standing is holy ground." He said also, "I am the God of your father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob." Then Moses hid his face, for he was afraid to look at God." - Exodus 3:2-6
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He is pure (not compromised).
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He is awesomely terrible (inspires awe, fear and wonder).
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He is devoted (set apart) to God.
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True – emet(hbr.)/alethinos(grk.) - true, trustworthy, faithful, reliable, sincere, genuine. Not just having the semblance, but something that corresponds in every way to the nature signified by it's name. Something that does not deviate in any way from its nature/core.
"The law of the LORD is perfect, restoring the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.
The precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true; they are righteous altogether.
They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.
Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;
In keeping them there is great reward.
Who can discern his errors?
Acquit me of hidden faults.
Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;
Let them not rule over me;
Then I will be blameless,
And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my rock and my Redeemer." - Psalm 19:7-14-
David says that God's judgments are desirable because they reveal God's character and righteousness which allows him to grow closer and to refine his own character by submitting to the instruction of God.
"As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him." - 1 John 2:27
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Like David, John advocates that that the church not be distracted by the hypocritical games of false teachers, but that they pay attention to the instructions of God through the Holy Spirit that teaches them all things and is completely true/trustworthy/genuine in it's conviction and in it's encouragment and results in their ABIDING.
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Key of David
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The slave left in charge of the Master's house.
"Thus says the Lord GOD [LORD] of hosts, "Come, go to this steward,
To Shebna, who is in charge of the royal household,
'What right do you have here?
And whom do you have here?
That you have hewn a tomb for yourself here,
You who hew a tomb on the height,
You who carve a resting place for yourself in the rock?
'Behold, the LORD is about to hurl you headlong, O man.
And He is about to grasp you firmly
And roll you tightly like a ball,
To be cast into a vast country;
There you will die
And there your splendid chariots will be,
You shame of your master's house.'
"I will depose you from your office,
And I will pull you down from your station.
"Then it will come about in that day,
That I will summon My servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah,
And I will clothe him with your tunic
And tie your sash securely about him.
I will entrust him with your authority,
And he will become a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah.
"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 22:15-22-
Shebna, the master of the king's household, is using his position for his own ego and making a name for himself, the most obvious example of which is the glorification of his own tomb (indicating how much God loves him and his reception by God into the life to come). However, God hates him and promises a swift destruction on an appointed day to come.
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Eliakim, a true servant of God, will instead be clothed in all the garments of leadership and will become the new authority to the people, posessing the “key of David” that Shebna doesn't seem to have. This key seems to have true authority, actually opening and shutting, unlike the “human manipulation key” that Shebna is using.
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The only religious authority.
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The Key to the line of David was to walk truthfully/faithfully with God, as David succinctly communicated to his son, Solomon, when he exhorted him to build the temple.
""As for you, my son Solomon, know(yada) the God of your father, and serve Him with a whole heart and a willing soul; for the LORD searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts. If you seek Him, He will let you find Him; but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever." - 1 Chronicles 28:9
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The descendents of David are recorded in Chronicles and in Kings based on whether or not they walked truthfully/faithfully with God and all their stories revolve around this theme.
"In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, "Thus says the LORD, 'Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.'" Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, "Remember now, O LORD, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart and have done what is good in Your sight." And Hezekiah wept bitterly. Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, "Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, 'Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, "I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. "I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant David's sake."'"" - 2 Kings 20:1-6
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Oracles, Seers, A Cloud of Futures, and the God Willing to Change His Mind.
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David was a man who constantly forgot who he was, but who always ran straight to God when he realized it, and there was one key to his life, that one thing...
"One thing I have asked from the LORD, that I shall seek:
That I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life,
To behold the beauty of the LORD
And to meditate in His temple. - Psalm 27:4-
David's ultimate desire is to dwell with God and to never leave the Presence.
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Identity of Philadelphia.
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"'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
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An open door – free access to God/ intimacy.
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John signifies this “open door” as access to spiritual realms and revelation of Christ.
"After these things I looked, and behold, a door standing open in heaven, and the first voice which I had heard, like the sound of a trumpet speaking with me, said, "Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after these things." Immediately I was in the Spirit; and behold, a throne was standing in heaven, and One sitting on the throne." - Revelation 4:1-2
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In a visionary experience Zechariah perceived the same access to the heavenly realm during a courtroom scene where Joshua, the high priest at the time, was being brought into the heavenly courts.
"And the angel of the LORD admonished Joshua, saying, "Thus says the LORD of hosts, 'If you will walk in My ways and if you will perform My service, then you will also govern My house and also have charge of My courts, and I will grant you free access among these who are standing here." - Zechariah 3:6-7
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A little power.
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One of the constant themes throughout Jesus' teaching was His insistence that people would be judged/rewarded according to what they did with what they had.
""He who is faithful in a very little thing is faithful also in much; and he who is unrighteous in a very little thing is unrighteous also in much." - Luke 16:10
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One of the most clear depictions of Jesus view of life and judgment revolves around the handling of power.
""For [the Kingdom of God] is just like a man about to go on a journey, who called his own slaves and entrusted his possessions to them. "To one he gave five talents, to another, two, and to another, one, each according to his own ability; and he went on his journey. "Immediately the one who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and gained five more talents. "In the same manner the one who had received the two talents gained two more. "But he who received the one talent went away, and dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money. "Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. "The one who had received the five talents came up and brought five more talents, saying, 'Master, you entrusted five talents to me. See, I have gained five more talents.' "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' "Also the one who had received the two talents came up and said, 'Master, you entrusted two talents to me. See, I have gained two more talents.' "His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful slave. You were faithful with a few things, I will put you in charge of many things; enter into the joy of your master.' "And the one also who had received the one talent came up and said, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow and gathering where you scattered no seed. 'And I was afraid, and went away and hid your talent in the ground. See, you have what is yours.' "But his master answered and said to him, 'You wicked, lazy slave, you knew that I reap where I did not sow and gather where I scattered no seed? 'Then you ought to have put my money in the bank, and on my arrival I would have received my money back with interest. 'Therefore take away the talent from him, and give it to the one who has the ten talents.' "For to everyone who has, more shall be given, and he will have an abundance; but from the one who does not have, even what he does have shall be taken away. "Throw out the worthless slave into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth." - Matthew 25:14-30
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To put it simply, whatever exists in this life will be multiplied in the resurrection, be it worthy or worthless.
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As it is recorded in Luke,
""[The Master] said to [the worthless slave], 'By your own words I will judge you, you worthless slave. Did you know that I am an exacting man, taking up what I did not lay down and reaping what I did not sow?" - Luke 19:22
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indicating, once more, that,
""For in the way you judge, you will be judged; and by your standard of measure, it will be measured to you." - Matthew 7:2
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Kept My word.
""Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. "If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. "These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. "This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. "Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. "You are My friends if you do what I command you." - John 15:9-14
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Jesus loved us with His whole heart, on our worst day, by the power of the Holy Spirit, in complete reliance upon the wisdom revealed to Him by the Father.
"Therefore Jesus answered and was saying to them, "Truly, truly, I say to you, the Son can do nothing of Himself, unless it is something He sees the Father doing; for whatever the Father does, these things the Son also does in like manner." - John 5:19
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Not denied My Name.
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Not merely willing to be numbered as followers of Christ, but also their insistence upon following His lead instead of the more expedient modes of survival/belonging/compromise.
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Their context was to live under the power of a false church.
"'Behold, I will cause those of the synagogue of Satan [the accuser], 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
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Once again we see a clear disparity between man-made traditions that vie for power (sling accusations) and those who are truly followers of Jesus (the beloved).
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The identity of Jesus as the only religious authority becomes very important when your church (society/family/source of belonging) has disowned you.
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Jesus has no contention with Philadelphia, in fact, He will contend for them.
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"'Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing/tempting, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test/tempt those who dwell on the earth." - Revelation 3:10
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Kept the faith.
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“My perseverance”
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Their hope is not in their own perseverance, but in His.
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"nevertheless knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the Law but through faith in THE FAITH OF Christ Jesus, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we may be justified by faith in THE FAITH OF Christ and not by the works of the Law; since by the works of the Law no flesh will be justified." - Galatians 2:16
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“I will keep you”
Not a freedom from storms, but a freedom from compromise in the midst of them.
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""I do not ask You to take them [the beloved] out of the world, but to keep them from the evil one." - John 17:15
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Jesus, after revealing Himself to His friends over the Passover, said,
""These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."" - John 16:33
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So... what's your heart in?
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Philadelphia's call to action.
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Hang in there, little buddy!
"'I am coming quickly; hold fast what you have, so that no one will take your crown." - Revelation 3:11
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The Dude Church Abides...
"Therefore, brethren, since we have confidence to enter the holy place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way which He inaugurated for us through the veil, that is, His flesh, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere/true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful;" - Hebrews 10:19-23
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Confidence – parrhesia(grk.) - freedom in speaking, unreservedness in speech, boldness, speaking plainly or openly. From roots that mean to speak + everything. To pour forth the totality.
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Sincere – from Proto-Indo-European roots (*sem= one; as one, together with) + (*ker=to grow)
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A heart that is growing united/together with His.
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"As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him." - 1 John 2:27 NASB
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“take your crown”
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NOT the helmet of salvation
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The authority/administration/rulership you have in Christ.
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Indicating that, though they are disowned by those who “say that they are [religious authorities]” they are the true religious authorities because they are the ones who “have kept the word of [Jesus] perseverance”.
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The rewards to those who overcome.
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"'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
The inked-up, everlasting, living temple of the LORD.
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Foundations of the living temple.
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Fully identified with all aspects of God.
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The name of My God – the Father
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That aspect of God which presides as Father over all.
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At the culmination of the ages, Christ will bring everything together in Himself and then present a fully-healed world to the Father.
"For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, then comes the end, when [Christ] hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when [Christ] has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For [Christ] must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet." - 1 Corinthians 15:22-25
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Any rule/authority/power that is not IN Christ will cease to exist.
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Philadelphia, however, will have the Name of the Father, and be a part of the authority of the Father and of Christ that is given over to the Father.
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The name of the city of My God – The New Jerusalem/Bride of Christ (those alive in the Holy Spirit).
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That aspect of God which lives in the people of God: the Holy Spirit.
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At the culmination of the ages, heaven and earth are remade and there is no more “temple” because heaven and earth are fully united with no more veil. The imagery is an allegory communicating that this city is made up of the people of God.
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth; for the first heaven and the first earth passed away, and there is no longer any sea. 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 he carried me away in the Spirit to a great and high mountain, and showed me the holy city, Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, having the glory of God. Her brilliance was like a very costly stone, as a stone of crystal-clear jasper. It had a great and high wall, with twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels; and names were written on them, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the sons of Israel. There were three gates on the east and three gates on the north and three gates on the south and three gates on the west. And the wall of the city had twelve foundation stones, and on them were the twelve names of the twelve apostles of the Lamb." - Revelation 21:1-2, 10-14
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The foundations of this city are inscribed with the names of the faithful.
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Philadelphia will be a part of these foundational elements of the world to come.
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My new name – The full revelation of Christ.
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That aspect of God who personally identifies with His creation through complete unification with it, particularly with humans, as the keepers and image-bearers.
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Though progressively revealed throughout history, at the culmination of the ages Christ is fully-revealed as the Firstborn, the Faithful, and the Ruler of all creation.
"And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 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. He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God." - Revelation 19:11-13
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This is the other reference in scripture to the “new name” of Jesus.
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Philadelphia, by overcoming, will not only learn the secret of this “new name”, but will have it written upon themselves!
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