"To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
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. 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. 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 upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him 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 him my new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches".
Philadelphia was located 28 miles south east of Sardis on the Cogamus River. The city was named after its founder King Attalus Philedelphos II of Pergamum. The "city of brotherly love" was built out of affection for his brother & predecessor Ecumenes II. Philadelphia was a city known for the spread of the Greek language & culture. The city was regarded as a wealthy trade center: it was located on the main route between the east and the west.
Philadelphia was a blessed congregation. Even though they had little strength, they kept His word, did not deny His name, and endured patiently.
The Dispensational View of
the Letter to Philadelphia
(1750 A.D. to 1900 A.D.)
This church is also called the "Favored Church" or the "Loved Church". because God said that "I have loved you" and gave no reprimands whatsoever to this church. This is the period in Church history that is considered the start of the Missionary Movement around the World. It was the reclaiming of the Imminent Return of Christ, the Pre-Millemmial Coming of Jesus to the Earth and the Rapture of His Bride. This Church is a sort of throwback to the first two churches of Ephesus and Smyrna of the first three centuries. Just as Sardis came out of Thyatira, so Philadelphia comes out of Sardis. As Sardis was dead and cold and aligned with the state, this church is alive, full of love and vitality for God and for people.
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Two Factors that started the Missionary Movement.... |
The Bible was printed in the language of the people, and made available to people to read. Before this, there were few Bibles and the forbade the reading of it by common folk. Because the Spirit of the Lord will make the Word of God alive, when people started reading it, they took it literally, and when it said..."Go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature", people did it.
Because the Word of God was available, the doctrine of the Imminent Return of Christ for His Church (the Rapture), the Second Coming of Christ, the Millennial Reign of Christ, and all the End Times doctrines were revived. These teachings contributed, (as they did in the first 300 years of the Church), to a consecrated, separated and evangelistic church that reaches the whole world. In preparation for and anticipation of the return of the Lord, this church would do what He said to do in the Great Commission... "Go into all the world...."
Personal
Application
Even if we feel we have little strength, we must keep His Word, not deny the name of Jesus and wait patiently for His return.
