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PHILADELPHIA
7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; 8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. 10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 12 Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. 13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
Rev 3:7-13 (KJV)
Philadelphia (Greek Philadelphos, "one who loves his brother") stood on a low, broad, easily defended hill at the foot of Mount Tmolus (Bozdag today), commanding the extensive and fertile plain of the Hermus River (modern Gediz). About 73 miles east of Smyrna, 28 miles southwest of Sardis and 47 miles northwest of Laodicea, it was established by King Attalus II Philadelphus ("brotherly love") of Pergamum in 189 BC who was known for his devotion to his brother and successor, Attalus II (159-138 BC). Thus his name was perpetuated by the city.
History And Culture
Philadelphia was Located at an important road junction. Both the Royal Road between Smyrna and the East and the road southeast from Pergamum to Attalia on the Mediterranean coast passed through it. All east-west and north-south trade in the province of Asia passed through Philadelphia. Its position made it an outpost of Hellenism, founded to spread Greek language and culture in Lydia and Phrygia. Lacking an heir, Attalus III Philometer, the last of the Attalid kings, willed his kingdom, including Philadelphia, to his Roman allies upon his death in 133 BC. In 129 BC Rome established the province of Asia by combining Ionia and the former Kingdom of Pergamum.
Like other towns in the region, Philadelphia prospered through agriculture. The soil was suited to growing grapes. Wine was an important product, thus the city was a center of worship of Dionysus, god of wine and fertility. The flocks that grazed in the area supplied wool and hides for textiles and leather production. Philadelphia was easily defended but the surrounding district was disastrously earthquake prone. A massive earthquake in 17 AD completely ruined the city; the citizens lived in fear of aftershocks for years afterward
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There is not much to see from the early city. The site is now covered by modern Alasehir ("city of Allah" or God). The only extant remains are the old acropolis, ruins of a 7th century AD church, an unexcavated theater, and a length of the city walls and gate from the Byzantine era.
View of modern Alasehir, successor to ancient Philadelphia.
Broken section of the Byzantine-era city walls, composed of rough stone blocks of coarse workmanship, recalling Strabo's reference to the ancient city's untrustworthy walls.
Unexcavated theater on the northern foot of the acropolis of the ancient city.
Tucked into a quaint neighborhood in the modern Alasehir is a city block, enclosed by a wall, containing the large piers of a Byzantine basilica, the church of St. John (c. 600 AD).
Scattered around the church site are small stone sarcophagi, headstones with Christian and Arabic inscriptions and other remains.
Low dark hill in the center is the area of the ancient city, at the foot of Bozdag (Mount Tmolus in antiquity).
The Church At Philadelphia
And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write;
The church that kept the faith
Up to this point phrases from the vision of chapter 1 were used to identify the speaker. Apparently, there was no suitable expression to introduce a key point to the Philadelphians. The letter to the church in Philadelphia begins with Christ identifying himself as "holy and true" (3:7). The Holy One is a common Old Testament title for God (Isaiah 40:25; 43:15). He is also true in the sense that he is faithful and trustworthy. God can always be counted on to keep his promises (Titus 1:2).
Key of David (3:7-8)
Christ also identified himself as one "who holds the key of David" (3:7). He opens the door and no person can shut it. This metaphor tells us Christ has complete control over his church.
Jesus has complete authority in and over the church. He opens a door of opportunity to His churches; He opens a door of utterance to His ministers; He opens a door of entrance; He opens the heart; He opens a door of admission into the visible church; laying down the terms of communion, according to the terms of salvation fixed by Him.
He shuts the door when He pleases. He shuts the door of opportunity and leaves sinners shut up in the hardness of their hearts. And He shuts the door of heaven against the foolish virgins who have slept away their day of grace., and against the workers of iniquity regardless of how vain and confident they may be.
The way and manner He performs these acts are independent upon the will of man and are irresistible by the power of men.
Synagogue of Satan (3:9)
Assemblies that either worship false gods, or the true God in a false manner, are the synagogues of satan.
Though they may profess to be the only people of God, their profession is a lie. They will not succeed in paying a religious honor to the church or it's ministries but they will worship at the feet of Jesus.
They shall be convinced that they have been in the wrong.
when the church is in line with Jesus and it's motives are right, even it's enemies will see it and be forced to acknowledge it.
Jesus' Promise To Philadelphia
Christ promised the faithful in Philadelphia that he would make them pillars in God’s temple (3:12). And, they would never again leave his presence. This is another symbol of assurance that the members would gain eternal admission into the kingdom of God.
Christ also promised to write three names on the believer – the name of God, the name of the New Jerusalem, and Christ’s new name (3:12). Ancient pillars had the names of people they honored inscribed on them. The metaphor means to say that God will honor and bless his people. But in what way?
First, the believer will have God’s name. In the Old Testament, the Lord told the priests to pronounce specific blessings on Israel, which concluded with this thought: "So they will put my name on the Israelites, and I will bless them" (Numbers 6:27).
Second, to be named with the city of God – the New Jerusalem – is a symbolic way of saying that the believer has citizenship in God’s spiritual commonwealth (Galatians 4:26; Philippians 3:20; Hebrews 12:22). Third, the believer is to have Christ’s own newname. Perhaps this refers to a future full revelation of Christ’s being, which cannot be grasped until the believer is glorified (1 John 3:2).
