REVELATION 3.7 “To the angel of the assembly in Philadelphia write: “He who is holy, he who is true, he who has the key of David, he who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says these things: 3.8 “I know your works (behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one can shut), that you have a little power, and kept my word, and didn’t deny my name.
3.9 Behold, I give some of the synagogue of Satan, of those
who say they are Jews, and they are not, but lie. Behold, I will make them to
come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 3.10
Because you kept my command to endure, I also will keep you from the hour of
testing, which is to come on the whole world, to test those who dwell on the
earth.
3.11 I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have,
so that no one takes your crown. 3.12 He who overcomes, I will make him a
pillar in the temple of my God, and he will go out from there no more. 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 own new name.
3.13 He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit
says to the assemblies. -WEB Bible.
God is pleased with the Philadelphia church because
they have been faithful to Jesus and have honored his name, in spite of the
troubles they have endured. God gives them a very remarkable promise: that he
will keep (or protect) them from the hour of trial that will come on the
whole world. This promise is for those who remain steadfast in power (prayer),
in keeping God’s word (the Bible) and have not denied his name (witnessing.)
How do we deny the name of Jesus? I have noticed that
the name of Jesus is a litmus test for Christians. Do you know what a litmus
test is? In science, it is a test for acidity or alkalinity. But in common use,
the phrase “litmus test” describes a single indicator that reveals the true thoughts or
attitudes of a person.
When I mention the name of Jesus to people, I get one
of two reactions. Some people are happy to talk about Jesus. But others try to
change the subject, and if I persist in talking about Jesus, they just stay
silent and don’t encourage the conversation. If I suggest doing a Bible study
together, they emphatically say no. If I recommend reading the story of Jesus
in the New Testament, they make excuses.
Although many people will tell me they’re Christians, or
they’re “OK with the Big Guy Upstairs”, the fact is they want nothing
whatsoever to do with the name of Jesus. And according to the advice given to
the Church in Philadelphia, ONLY those who love the name of Jesus will have his
protection in the last days!
The name of Jesus should be a frequent part of our
conversations. Perhaps the world doesn’t want to hear about Jesus, but to go
silent is to deny his name, and we can’t do that.
It was because the Philadelphia church had been faithful to
Jesus that they were generously commended by him. Jesus encouraged them to
“hold firmly” to their commitment. The church at Philadelphia earned praise
from Jesus for being steadfast in their faith, despite their circumstances. He
urged them to carry on with the same strength and fervor.
How encouraging it must have been for the Philadelphia
church to get this message, which was sent to them by Jesus himself!
IMAGE CREDIT: The Douce Apocalypse is one of several richly
illustrated manuscripts of the Apocalypse made in England in the thirteenth
century (Wikimedia Commons.)