At the Persian court the king's most trusted favourites were given the privilege of walking in the royal gardens with the king and were called "The Companions of the Garden." It was not merely the tendency of individuals. Read full chapter. That night he led a party of Persian troops up by the fault in the rock. When the prodigal son returns, it is the best robe that is put upon him ( Luke 15:22). The Apocalypse looks on things after the Holy Ghost had taken His place in the Christian and in the church on earth above all, after the Son had appeared, manifested God the Father, and accomplished redemption here below. I may be a fool, and an old-fashioned bigot, but I am not a turncoat, and I cannot quit the word of the Lord. Christ is revealed now, not only in the all-discerning power of moral judgment, but also judicially prepared to act against evil "His feet like fine brass." Sardis was still a wealthy city. . The discipline of God is not something which we should resent, but something for which we should be devoutly thankful. In the old story of the kings, Abijah alone of all the sons of Jeroboam was spared because in him was found some good thing toward the Lord God of Israel ( 1 Kings 14:13). One can understand their passing through the scene of his power, but to be dwelling there is significant. I believe that that open door will be open to us until the Lord comes. This is the Lord's complaint against them. There may be something of two meanings here. I do not of course affirm this; but naturally as the apostles were departing to be with the Lord, Satan would endeavour to furnish instruments nothing loth to claim succession. I also will keep thee - That is, I will so keep you that you shall not sink under the trials which will prove a severe temptation to many. The Pastoral Epistles describe those who had drifted away from the true faith by saying that they had a form of godliness but denied its power ( 2 Timothy 3:5). The Risen Christ advises Laodicea to buy gold refined in the fire. THE LETTER TO LAODICEA ( Revelation 3:14-22 ). The state of things might be ever so ruined; it might be even gross and false (as much was in several); but still there was an ecclesiastical profession if only for His judgment, which we do not find afterRevelation 4:1-11; Revelation 4:1-11. Like an Israelite? Those who keep the gospel in a time of peace shall be kept by Christ in an hour of temptation. Behold, I will make them come and kneel before your feet, and they will know that I have loved you. When a bushel is full of wheat the good corn keeps the chaff out of the measure. Thirdly, This will, by the grace of Christ, soften the hearts of their enemies, and make them desirous to be admitted into communion with them. Studying the book of Revelation 3; shows a significant summary of the history, time and relevant details according to the bible's acts based onBenson Joseph - Bible Commentary and reading parallely the bible's version New American Standard Bible 1995 with Strong Numbers. There is a divine link in the sense as there was in the Spirit's mind an undistinguished reference; but then the Apocalypse gives it an incomparably larger range, and a more profound character. Behold, I will cast her into a bed, and those that commit adultery with her into great tribulation, except they repent of their deeds. This is exactly what is not true of Philadelphia, which is rather formed after a rejected Christ. Once it was a question of not denying His faith, as was found in Pergamos; but here it is Himself personally. This is a very significant circumstance, more particularly as in the epistles, which contemplate the Christian company or a family or a friend, the one aim and effort is to place the children of God in immediate communion through Christ with Himself: an inspired apostle writes it no doubt, and the various members of God's family, as well as the servants of the Lord, are owned in their place. There shall come a day when it will be found that the minorities have generally saved both the world and the church. The seven stars are angels of the seven churches: and the seven lampstands are seven churches.". Nor is it confined to prophecy, for the same force holds good wherever symbol is employed. And I don't feel that I have this great obligation to share the Gospel to the Jews. When man thus regulated after the Jewish pattern, the whole beauty and aim of the church of God was ruined in principle. Assemblies that worship God in spirit and in truth are the Israel of God; 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. In the temptation you will fall, for indeed you are fallen already. We all know of what small account He was on earth; and so it is with Philadelphia. One says to me, "Are you not perplexed about the prevalence of modern thought the new phase of divinity that has come up of late, and the general progress that is being made towards a new theology? Wealth can do much but there are things that it can never do. 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 . We just went through one, the celebration of Christmas on December 25th. It is all a mistake, therefore, to suppose that this is a singular distinction, It amounts to this that the Lord will hold, after all, to His own truth, spite of unfaithfulness. It is rather to be imputed to the encroaching spirit of infidelity, where there is not also a truckling to superstition. Men who deserve praise can bear it, and some of them even need it. God freely acknowledges that life today is full of mysteries; but it will not always be so. There were, I doubt not, some saints true to His name, though it was not the time when they were led or forced into the position of a remnant. They who are faithful will share in that whiteness of light which is the garment of God himself. He stands at the door of the human heart and knocks. About; Guide; API; Contact; Login | Join. In the writing to the angel of the church in Smyrna, a totally different state of things meets us. This is a strange title and may go back to either of two origins. "Behold," says the Risen Christ, "I am standing at the door and knocking." And I am persuaded there is no place which is more likely to generate neutrality than a sound and true position, if there be not self-judgment maintained and godly sincerity. I am at this pass, I can sooner die than yield the gospel. We speak then of what Christ has put us in, not about nature and its wishes and feelings. I shall put it home to you, dear friends, again. At the same time it is manifestly He who is God and Father instructing, comforting, and admonishing His own. In the gospel it is said, God gives Him to have life in Himself. Daniel sees the "Ancient of days" in one way, and the Son of man in quite another. This is of so much the greater emphasis, as it is apparently designed in an express manner to counteract the tendency (but too common spite of it) to treat the Apocalypse as if it were of doubtful value and of precarious authority. Revelation 3:10, KJV: 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. In principle it is true of all that are really faithful, but there may be Christians, as we know there are, involved in one or other of the various states which have been described, and which apparently go on to the close. "Blessed is he that readeth, and they that hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written therein.". Faith is the Koh-i-noor among jewels, the queen of the virtues. We have seen how for years Philadelphia was terrorized by recurring earthquakes of the earth and how, when such times came, its citizens fled into the open country to escape and, when the tremors ended, came uncertainly back. It has been said that Sardis stood like some gigantic watch-tower, guarding the Hermus valley. Hold fast God's word and never mind what comes of it for the moment; God's seed may not grow in a day, but it will grow. If we do not provoke Christ to shut this door against us, men cannot do it. This gospel should be carefully kept by all that enjoy it; they must keep up to the faith, and practice, and worship prescribed in the gospel. The wealth of Sardis was legendary. A pillar of the Church is a great and honoured support. It means that He wants to become one with you. You have been a receiver yourself until now, and that is well and good; but, now that you have become filled, overflow to others, and let them receive of your joy. 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. "And I will give him the morning star." So thoroughly does the Lord adhere to topics of the largest and most common import in the letter to the angel of the assembly in Ephesus. It was a greater proof of fidelity when all was out of course to stand faithful than to be faithful when all things were regular. If the thought of the age happens to be right, well and good; but it is not upon temporary opinion that we rest. But in the meantime I share the truth of God with those that accept, with those that believe. Here again we have a present imperative indicating continuous action. The address to Sardis also, although allusive to that of Ephesus, is nevertheless no less clearly meant to stand contrasted with it. In the time of Vespasian Philadelphia was in gratitude to change its name again to Flavia, for Flavius was the Emperor's family name. Then John describes himself in a manner adapted to the testimony he is called to render. John says, "And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. If I must be the last of the Puritans, I will not be ashamed of it. Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me." It is expressly so taught in John's own gospel. God never abandons his search for the faithful few and they are never lost to his sight in the mass of the wicked. . Mark 14:35). I cannot but think that this state of things is referred to here: "Thou holdest fast my name, and hast not denied my faith, even in those days wherein Antipas was my faithful martyr, who was slain among you, where Satan dwelleth." (b) He must be absolutely honest, so that he repeats with accuracy that which he has heard and seen. We long to know Your truth. When he came to Troas, a door was opened to him by the Lord ( 2 Corinthians 2:12). The man who is faithful to his pledge will, beyond a doubt, some day hear God say: "Well done!". Do not imagine that there is anything like arbitrary innovation in this. That is the way in which the Church at Laodicea affected the Risen Christ. Every word of Christ's presentation of Himself differs from the view of Him given inRevelation 1:1-20; Revelation 1:1-20. Christ does not break in; he must be invited in. It is very possible, when the epistles were sent out in the days of John, that no particular emphasis would be laid on "the things that are;" but inasmuch as these things have been going on from that day to the present, we can see the immense force such a phrase thereby acquires. Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased in goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked: I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire." Because you say, I am rich and I have acquired riches, and I need nothing, and are quite unaware that it is you who are the wretched and the pitiable one, the poor and the blind and the naked one, I advise you to buy from me gold that has been refined by fire that you may be rich, white raiment that you may be clothed and that the shame of your nakedness may not be openly displayed, and eye-salve to anoint your eyes, that you may see. Scripture does not reveal Jesus Christs new name elsewhere. Do you not in this merely sink to the world's level? I will make him who overcomes a pillar in the temple of my God and he will go out no more; and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, of the new Jerusalem, which is coming down from heaven from my God, and my new name. You have a little strength.We are not very strong. (ii) It was a great centre of clothing manufacture. The way and manner in which he performs these acts, and that is absolute sovereignty, independent upon the will of men, and irresistible by the power of men: He openeth, and no man shutteth; he shutteth, and no man openeth; he works to will and to do, and, when he works, none can hinder. In the ancient world a king kept a register of his citizens. 1. I hope for that day. my beloved is knocking. John 1:51; John 3:3; John 3:5; John 3:11). It is a question of faith in God. But habitually God's messengers were sent to Israel, even when prophets were raised up. 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; this hour seems to refer not to any of the vials which will be poured out on the antichristian states, but to some affliction and distress which will befall the reformed churches, and will light upon the outward court worshippers among them It seems to be the last struggle of the beast of Rome, and to denote some violent and sharp persecution, such as what Daniel mentions, that never was before nor since; but it will be but short, but one hour, the twenty fourth part of a prophetical day or year, perhaps about a fortnight; yet it will be very extensive; it will reach all the world, the whole Roman empire, and all that dwell upon the earth, that are called by the name of Christians, and will try them, whether they are so or not; Christ will now have his fan in his hand, and purge his floor of all his formal professors and hypocrites; and it will be known who are his true churches, and pure members; and these he will keep close to himself, and preserve safe amidst all the distress and confusion the world will be in. Paul said, "You are not in darkness that that day should overtake you as a thief. I am looking forward to the Lord confessing my name before His Father. But it was not as a garrison town that Philadelphia was founded, for there was little danger there. That is a door which no man can ever shut and it is one which Jesus opened when he assured men of the seeking love of God the Father. Revelation 10:1 I saw (1) another strong angel coming down out of heaven, (2) clothed with a cloud; and the rainbow was upon his head, and his face was like the sun, and his feet like pillars of fire; 1. Sardis, The Faithful Few ( Revelation 3:1-6 Continued). (b) The main theme of Revelation concerns the overthrow of the Roman persecutors, and this "overthrow" actually took place with the conversion of the Emperor Constantine in A.D. 312-313. No doubt, morally speaking, He must needs execute judgment; but John could not lose sight of His divine glory, even where the subject is judgment, and the kingdom everywhere prominent. Why, there are great folk among us that never care to believe according to God's word at all. It vanished from history under Persian rule for two centuries. John then, as it is said, "testified the word of God, and the testimony of Jesus Christ." "But to you I say, the rest (or remnant) in Thyatira." 1:18), they will belong permanently to God, to the heavenly city and to their Saviour (12-13). Revelation 3:3 So remember what you have received and heard; and keep it, and repent. Let us give honour to whom honour is due, and encourage those who are aiming to do right. I dare say that some of us remember when people used to fly to Canada in order to escape "the great tribulation" which they expected to fall on the empire of the beast. So solemnly then does this language suppose that the assembly at Sardis have passed out of the practical attitude of waiting for the Lord as a loved object. It was precisely because the church was faithful in time of trial that Christ in turn will be faithful to them. Verse 2: And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and hisleft footon the earth, It was adapted by the church. Login Register. Indeed the same remark will be found true of all the use that is made of Old Testament citations and allusions in the Apocalypse. (a) He must have seen with his own eyes that of which he tells. He takes notice and keeps account, how long he has preserved their spiritual liberties and privileges for them. This promise is a reversal of all that the Jews had expected; they had expected that all nations would kneel before them; but the day was to come when they with all nations would kneel before Christ. We have a little strength. Spiritually speaking, the Risen Christ declares that there was not a more poverty-stricken community. In short He is carefully regarded as man on earth, as the sent One who lives on account of the Father in the gospel as a man on earth, in the revelation as a man most truly wherever He may be seen, whether in heaven or on earth. He forbade any Sardian to possess a weapon of war. If we have but little strength, we mean to let the times and the spirits go where they like, we shall keep to the Holy Spirit and to his eternal teachings. (ii) It is used as a comfort to the oppressed. "And he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John.". For in Him was life: yea, He was that eternal life which was with the Father before the worlds were. See the notes on Luke 2:1. Though others fall, you shall not; though you may be afflicted with others, yet you shall have grace to sustain you. Obedience, fidelity, and a free confession of the name of Christ, are the fruits of true grace, and are pleasing to Christ as such. It is "the revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him." In entering Gods kingdom, Jews must follow the way of these Gentiles, not Gentiles follow the way of the Jews (8-9).When God judges the ungodly, Christ will protect those who have remained loyal to him. Here we have to remark that Christ is seen in a judicial point of view. Churches with few men of learning or eloquence in them may yet be greatly approved of the Lord, who cares more for grace than learning, more for faith than talent. Now, why should God's word be kept in this way? The Risen Christ tells them that he is coming quickly. (iii) Jesus Christ will write upon the faithful Christian the name of his God. If it was bright, the assembly would be elevated morally thereby. "Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman (perhaps 'thy wife') Jezebel." What is still more in John the significant point, they lost all the truth of a real life given to us in Christ. Thus whether it be the depraving of souls or the forming sects after an earthly mould among those who were heavenly according to Paul, or whether it be the taking them away from the life of Christ, and from walking as He walked and simply putting them under Jewish ordinances, the Fathers, I fear, as a class, fully earned the awful distinction here assigned by the Lord. Is not this exactly what Romanism does? "Behold, I come quickly!" This is exactly as we would have it. It would rather seem from this that the affliction was some form of persecution as adapted to test the fidelity of those who were affected by it. Go out of the place saying, "I believe it." Amen is the word which is often put at the end of a solemn statement in order to guarantee its truth. The following example shows the process from tribulation to patience: I do not believe it. At one time that temple was the social, administrative and commercial centre of the whole area. There is another warning here. (ii) Swete thinks that the white garments stand for the profession a man made at baptism; and that the phrase described the man who had not broken his baptismal vows. In the beginning was the Word, that the word was with God, all things were made by Him. "And from the seven Spirits which are before his throne." Under John's leadership, Grace Community Church's two morning worship services fill the 3,500-seat auditorium to capacity. "In him," says Paul, "all things were created" ( Colossians 1:15; Colossians 1:18). Getting back to who it is promised to be kept from the Great Tribulation, let us now look at the context and audience of Revelation 3:10. It is the great promise of the Risen Christ that he has set before the Christians of Philadelphia an open door which no man can ever shut. Outskirts Press helps authors develop and publish high-quality books by offering exceptional design, printing, publishing, distribution, and book marketing services. This figures prominently in the theories of millennialists, who take the passage as emphasizing that Christians shall be delivered from not through the great trial, "implying the rapture of the church before the time referred to as "the great tribulation. At the same time there is the most careful guard against the supposition that he was not in the full enjoyment of his own place in Christ. And to the angel of the church in Sardis write: (1) he who has the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars, says this: I know your deeds, that you have a (2) name that you are alive, but you are dead. Would God not keep them from the hour of testing? REV 3:10 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. (ii) He is the witness on whom we can rely and who is true. The reference of the voice behind is exclusively to the seven churches. But it assumes a somewhat different shape when it becomes a question of assemblies which had not been, so far as we know, sending messengers at all. Sardis, The Threefold Promise ( Revelation 3:1-6 Continued). They had little strength, but they kept God's word, and they did not deny his name. So says he "To the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace be unto you, and peace, from him which is, and which was, and which is to come." This marks particularly the change in the chapter, and especially in the part before us. This cannot refer to the bloody persecutions under the Roman emperors, for from those the church at Philadelphia was not preserved. PHILADELPHIA--The church with opportunity. The Sardians had forgotten their lesson. As the King James Version has it, "I will come in and sup with him." THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE TRIBULATION THE CHURCH WILL EXPERIENCE, AND THE GREAT TRIBULATION. (iii) It has been suggested that the door is the door to the Messianic community. For every one that is in the first resurrection is destined to reign with Christ, as even will the Jewish sufferers, earlier or later, under the antichrist. I do not doubt that all this is symbolically expressed. I say not this of you all, but only of confirmed and faithful ones. It is the great fact, in contrast with the inspired epistle, that you find even among the ante-Nicene Fathers. There is a doctrine known as the manifested sons of God that advocates the super sainthood. In entering God's kingdom, Jews must follow the way of these Gentiles, not Gentiles follow the way of the Jews (8- 9). That is a work that God is going to do in bringing the knowledge to these people. And Jesus is always wanting to eat supper with people. ", It often happens that, when a great earthquake comes, people meet it with courage and self-possession, but ever. James spoke with respect and admiration of the man who kept himself "unstained from the world" ( James 1:27).

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