The description shows Jesus’ deity

“He who is holy”; “true”; “has the key of David” (key – authority)

The key of David is an explanation of what is seen back in Revelation 1:18 (Jesus has the keys of death and hades)

Comes from Isaiah 22:20-22

The key of David: Describing Eliakim who was the keeper of the keys of the treasury of the house of David (Jesus is to God’s Kingdom what Eliakim was to David’s (Jesus has authority to determine who enters Kingdom)

“He who opens and no one will shut; shuts and no one opens” (Doors = entrance into Kingdom (opportunity to spread Gospel)

Most likely founded during Paul’s ministry at Ephesus (Acts 19:10)

Church history tells us that the church began when a group of Jews that put their faith in Christ were kicked out of the synagogue

The city achieved its name from nickname of Attalus II (Philadelphus, which means “brother lover”) due to loyalty to his brother, Eumenes

In AD 17 a powerful earthquake hit with multiple aftershocks which left psychological scars (Many remained outside the city, living in huts)

I know your deeds (know = full and complete knowledge)

Finding nothing in their deeds that caused Him concern, the Lord moved on to commend the Christians at Philadelphia

You have little power (Not strong in numbers or wealth)

They kept His Word ( their obedience)

They did not deny His name (their faithfulness)

They kept the word of His perseverance

Because of their faithfulness, the Lord made them some promises

He put before them an open door which no one could shut (opportunities to share the Gospel -1 Cor 16:8-9; 2 Cor 2:12)

Cause those of the synagogue of Satan to bow at their feet

Unbelieving Jews hostile to believers (mentioned in Rev 2:9)

Jews racially, ceremonially, culturally, not spiritually

Bowing = submission (in the end, the church wins!)

He will keep them from the hour of testing

The testing is future (about to come)

The testing is for a definite limited time (hour of testing)

The testing is world-wide (come upon the whole world)

The purpose is to test those who dwell on the earth (unbelievers; Likely a reference to the coming tribulation

Much debate over the phrase “kept from” (tereo ek)

#1 = “preservation in the midst of and emergence from” (indicate they go through part or all of the tribulation)

#2 = “continuous existence outside of the subject” (indicate they do not go through the tribulation at all)

The meaning of the preposition (“ek” versus “en”)

“en” = through (through the time of testing)

“ek” = from or away from (from the time of testing)

Hold fast (They are commanded to remain loyal to use these open doors; There is a purpose now given to the command to “hold fast”)

So that no one will take your crown = You can’t lose salvation but you can lose reward; if we don’t act on opportunities, He will use another

I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God and he will not go out from it anymore (Pillar represents stability - They will have an eternal place; They will not go out from it anymore - a reference due to their continued dread due to the earthquakes and aftershocks)

I will write on him the name of My God (this depicts ownership)

and the name of the city of My God - New Jerusalem (depicts citizenship)