Philadelphia

In this study, the following are to be considered:

The significance of the name of the city p.1

The importance of the historical and geographical status of the city p.1

The Key of Dawid p. 2

The Nail p.3

The synagogue of haSatan p.5

The Name p.8

References and credits p.10

Philadelphia – The Missionary Assembly

Rev. 3:7-13

It is generally considered that the message to each assembly has a typical prophetic word for the time of writing and a future fulfilment. In these letters to the assemblies, Yochanan addresses the immediate situation but also the assemblies are characteristic of each type of assembly throughout the Church Age.

Each future assembly would have a particular problem highlighted in the letter, but there are all aspects of the letter apparent in varying degrees at all Church Periods.

Philadelphia was typical of the assemblies from 1735 C.E to 1900 C.E. (Larkin p. 26). This period typifies the revival church after the near-fatal Sardis Period of the Reformation. This is the period of the great missionaries George Whitefield, John Wesley, Charles G. Finney and D. L. Moody (Larkin p. 26).

Rev. 3:7 – The Greeting

“To the angel of the assembly in Philadelphia write: ‘He who is Set Apart, He who is true, He who has the key of Dawid, He who opens and no one can shut, and who shuts and no one opens, says these things:”

The city

Name: Philadelphia means the one who loves his brother. This name was to change several times over the centuries. The name from ancient times showed the continual civic characteristic for the well-being not only of its citizens but also for the surrounding areas (Henry p. 1385).

Geographical status: Philadelphia was built on several hills by the slopes of Mount Tmolus and close to the River Cogamus (Fairbairn p.230). It is on the edge of the Katakeaumene – Burned Land. This is a volcanic plain with rich, fertile soil. However, this volcanic region was highly susceptible to major earthquakes and constant earth tremors.

It was built on the borders at the junction of the provinces of Mysia, Lydia and Phrygia.

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Commercial status: The city was located on the main Roman post road from the port of Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Phrygia and onto eastern Asia. The post and military road was kept in good repair and relatively free from bandits, thus becoming a great commercial highway.

The fertile soil was ideal for the growing of vines for wine production.

Political status: Of no particular importance other than being a major city on the Roman post road into eastern Asia. Although it was a border town, it did not hold a garrison of Roman soldiers.

Religious status: Of no particular importance but was the last city of the region to fall to Islam.

Population: Originally Macedonian but there were several large transportations of exiled people from Babylonia and Mesopotamia. These included a large Hellenized Jewish community.

Due to the continual volcanic activity, many people lived outside of the city or moved to and fro from the danger of the city to the relative safety of the open fields.

Scripture: Not mentioned outside of this passage.

The Messiah

(i) His nature: He who is set apart, separated from all others. This was an attribute of Yahuah, “Ah sinful nation, A people loaded with iniquity, A seed of evil-doers, Children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken Yahuah. They have despised the Set Apart One of Yisra’el. They are estranged and backward.” (Isa. 1:4).

His character: He who is true. ἀληθινός #G228 alethinos that which is real or genuine, “This is eternal life, that they should know you, the only true `Eloakh, and Him whom you sent, Yahusha the Messiah.” (John 17:3). All the shadowy types in the Tanakh find their anti-type in the reality of the Messiah, “which are a shadow of the things to come; but the body is Messiah’s.” (Col. 2:17).

(ii) His authority: He has the Key of Dawid, the symbol of government.

The Key of Dawid

Elyakim was given the Key as a sign of His Yahuah-given temporary authority to rule the kingdom on behalf of Yahuah, “It shall happen in that day, that I will call my servant Elyakim the son of Hilkiyah: The key of the house of Dawid will I lay on his shoulder; and he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” (Isa. 22:20, 22). This gave the holder complete authority as to whom may come into the royal court and into the presence of the king. This sign of authority was openly carried on the shoulder due to its large and cumbersome nature (Thomas p.376).

אֶלְיָקִים #H471 elyakim el-ya-keem a compound form of אֵל #H410 el ail godand קוּם #H6965

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qum koom to (be) raise up. “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be on his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, Mighty `El, Everlasting Father, Prince of Shalom.” (Isa. 9:6). This is the prophet who declared that the Messiah would be called עִמָּנוּאֵל #H6005 Immanu`el, i-man-oo-ail with us is `El (Isa. 7:14).

“I will fasten Him as a nail in a sure place; and He shall be for a throne of glory to His Father’s house. In that day, says Yahuah Tz`vaot, shall the Nail that was fastened in a sure place give way; and it shall be hewn down, and fall; and the burden that was on it shall be cut off; for Yahuah has spoken it.” (Isa. 22. 23, 25). The Master Yahusha was both Immanu`el, “‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, And shall bring forth a Son. They shall call His name Immanu`el;’ Which is, being interpreted, ‘with us is `El.’” (Matt.1:23)and the Nail, “After the sixty-two weeks the Anointed One (HaMashiyach) shall be cut off, and shall have nothing: and the people of the prince who shall come shall destroy the city and the sanctuary; and the end of it shall be with a flood, and even to the end shall be war; desolations are determined.” (Dan. 9:6). The sure place Yerushalyim and the sanctuary were both destroyed after The Messiah’s death.

The Nail

יָתֵד #H3489 yated ya-thay-d tent peg, stake, nail. This can be seen as a description of the Messiah.

(i) “All the instruments of the tent in all its service, and all the pegs of it, and all the pegs of the court, shall be of bronze.” (Exod. 27:19). The construction of Yahuah’s dwelling-place, the earthly tabernacle was literally held together by these pegs. So is the spiritual tabernacle held secure by the Messiah, “Do you not know that you are a temple of Yahuah, and that Yahuah’s Ruach lives in you?” (1 Cor. 3:16).

(ii) “Now will I arise, says Yahuah; now will I lift up myself; now will I be exalted…Your eyes shall see the King in His beauty: they shall see a land that reaches afar… Look on Tziyon, the city of our solemnities: your eyes shall see Yerushalayim a quiet habitation, a tent that shall not be removed, the stakes (יָתֵד yated) whereof shall never be plucked up, neither shall any of the cords of it be broken.” (Isa. 33:10, 17, 20). There will come a time in the not to distant future when Yahuah’s long-sufferance has reached its limit. Yahuah `Elohiym shall return to Earth as the Messiah Yahusha bringing temporal judgement upon all its inhabitants that have not received His salvation through the Messiah Yahusha. After this the Millennial Kingdom shall be ushered in and the Messiah will rule immovable from Tziyon.

The Messiah now holds this Key permanently after been given the authority by Yahuah, “Yahusha came to them and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to me in heaven and on earth.” (Matt. 28:18). He alone has the authority to admit people into the Kingdom of Yahuah, “Yahusha said to him, ‘I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’” (John 14:6).

קֹדֶשׁ #H6944 koh-desh sanctuary. While this is the translation commonly used for this verse, the usual translation is set apart. By the death of the Nail and a person’s declaration of Him as their Master, “that if you will confess with your mouth the Master Yahusha, and believe

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in your heart that Yahuah raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” (Rom. 10:9); “They overcame it because of the Lamb’s blood, and because of the word of their testimony. They did not love their life, even to death.” (Rev. 12:11), that which separated a person from a thrice Set Apart Yahuah was destroyed.

Rev. 3:8 – The Commendation

“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 did not deny my name.

The open door that no man can shut is a symbol of:

(i) The Messiah opening:

(a) the door of opportunity to proclaim the Good News. Philadelphia was known for its Hellenizing outreach to the surrounding areas. The assembly at

Philadelphia were now called to reach the surrounding cities because of the opportunity given by the Messiah ((1)Barclay p.163). As the assembly was faithful in the work given to them by the Messiah, their reward was still more work (Matt. 25:14-30).

(b) the door to:

(1) the Church Temporal by laying down the conditions of entrance with Him. This door was opened by the Messiah during His earthly ministry.

(2) the Church Triumphant by laying down His life as the condition of entrance with Him. This door was opened at the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:3-6; Rev. 13:8). This door He closes to all who reject Him and His atonement (Henry p. 1385).

(ii) The Messiah Himself. He refers to Himself as the Door through whom everyone who enters the Kingdom of Yahuah must pass, “Yahusha therefore said to them again, ‘Most assuredly, I tell you, I am the sheep’s door…I am the door. If anyone enters in by me, he will be saved, and will go in and go out, and will find pasture.’” (John 10:7, 9).

(iii) Entering into the heavenly Throne Room. All Believers have access to the Father through the Son by prayer. It is only by the shed Blood of the Lamb/Messiah that we have full access into the presence of Ha`Elyon, “Having therefore, brothers, boldness to enter into the set apart place by the blood of Yahusha, by the way which He dedicated for us, a new and living way, through the veil, that is to say, His flesh;” (Heb. 10:19-22).

Little power

μικρὰν #G3398e mi-krarn – (comparatively) little + δύναμιν #G1411e doo-na-min – power of numbers. The little strength of the Believers in the assembly is due to their small numbers.

The full force of this verse is not apparent until it is read in the Greek: you have a little power, and yet you have kept my word. The Messiah is saying that in spite of all the persecution, trials, workload and powerful enemies, the Believers have carried on His work obediently of witnessing of the Messiah. The Messiah can and does use what little Believers have to offer,

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“He has said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore I will rather glory in my weaknesses, that the power of the Messiah may rest on me’”. (2 Cor. 12:9, 10).

Rev. 3:9, 10 – The Promise (1)

“Behold, I give of the synagogue of haSatan, of those who say they are Yehudim, 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.”

The synagogue of haSatan

Roth identifies this synagogue as an evil place wherein the ruling Jewish orthodox authorities sought to destroy all Believers who preached the Messiah Yahusha and taught of Him from Torah (AENT p.672 #10). “Immediately in the synagogues he proclaimed the Messiah, that He is the Son of Yahuah. All who heard him were amazed, and said, ‘Is this not he who in Yerushalayim made havoc of those who called on this name? And he had come here intending to bring them bound before the Chief Priest!’ But Sha’ul increased more in strength, and confounded the Yehudim who lived at Dammesek, proving that this is the Messiah. When many days were fulfilled, the Yehudim conspired together to kill Him,” (Acts 9:21-23). “I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women. As also the Chief Priest and all the council of the Sanhedrin testify, from whom also I received letters to the brothers, and travelled to Dammesek to bring them also who were there to Yerushalayim in bonds to be punished.” (Acts 22:4, 5). Ever since the death of Stephen, “He kneeled down, and cried with a loud voice, ‘Master, do not hold this sin against them!’ When he had said this, he fell asleep.” (Acts 7:60), the Sanhedrin was determined to eradicate any ‘heresy’ concerning the ‘blasphemer’, Yahusha the Nazarene, and went to great lengths to accomplish this task.

Those who say that they are of Yahuah’s people but lie are said to be of the assembly of haSatan. They are those:

(i) who profess to worship Yahuah but:

(a) really follow false gods;

(b) do so in a false manner, “Yahuah is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” (John 4:24); “For we are the circumcision, who worship Yahuah in the Spirit, and rejoice in Messiah Yahusha, and have no confidence in the flesh;” (Phil. 3:3). Philadelphia was the home of a large Hellenistic Yehudim community whose ancestors came from Bavel and Mesopotamia. They proclaim their Yehudim ancestory but promote the Greek pagan culture ((5)Fairbairn p. 231).

(i) who call themselves Yehudim but the Pharisaic Yehudim who look upon themselves as spiritually superior. As they are of Abraham’s physical seed and their mechanical obedience to the Law of Moshe and the traditions of their fathers, they consider themselves as Yahuah’s people, “Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and do not begin to say among yourselves, ‘We have Abraham for our father;’ for I tell you that Yahuah is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones!” (Luke 3:8);

(ii) who call themselves ‘Christian’ who likewise consider themselves as spiritually

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superior because of their mechanical obedience to the creeds, doctrines and traditions of the Church Fathers and think that they are saved from the wrath to come, “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Master, Master’ will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven; but he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.” (Matt. 7:21-23).

Both the Pharisaic Yehudim and the supercilious ‘Christians’ that have persecuted Yahuah’s remnant will have to come before Believers, not to worship, but to repent. “The sons of those who afflicted you shall come bending to you; and all those who despised you shall bow themselves down at the soles of your feet; and they shall call you The city of Yahuah, The Tziyon of the Set Apart One of Yisra’el. (Isa. 60:14 cf Rev. 21:2).

Those of the synagogue of haSatan will want to know in truth, the Risen Messiah when persecution or trials beset them. They can only look upon the true Believers and the peace they possess even under persecution. They will know that the blessings of the Messiah are solely due to the love the Messiah has for His followers.

The Throne of haSatan could also be a reference to this centre of Caesar worship where Jews and Believers were forced to deny Yahuah as the one true `Elohiym. The refusal to make the oath would incur retribution and persecution.

When the Persians conquered Mesopotamia in 539 B.C.E. under Cyrus the Great (famousdaily.com), there was a distribution of captives from that area to other parts of the Persian Empire (cf Ezra 1:1-11) including Asia Minor. From Bavel via Pergamos and Asia Minor, the religious cults of the sun and haSatan worship expanded into Rome by 133 B.C.E. (kotipetripaavola.com).

“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.”

The Messiah assures Believers that a time of persecution will soon come upon the world. When the trials beset the Believers, they are called to remember how the Master endured. He serves:

(i) as the perfect example of endurance “And being found in human form, He humbled himself, becoming obedient to death, yes, the death of the cross.” (Phil. 2:8);

(ii) to inspire, not only to endure, but to push onto greater things, “Therefore let us also, seeing we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, lay aside every weight and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, looking to Yahusha, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of Yahuah.” (Heb. 12:1, 2);

(iii) as a guarantee that the Messiah is with the Believers through the trials, “Be strong and of good courage, do not be afraid, nor be scared of them: for Yahuah your `Elohiym, He it is who does go with you; He will not fail you, nor forsake you.” (Deut. 31:6).

Throughout the Third Century C.E. several Roman Emperors caused severe trials to befall Believers. However, it was the Emperor Diocletian in 303 C.E. that a systemised persecution arose (britannica.com/biography/Diocletian). The imperial edicts of 303 and 304 C.E.

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stripped Believers of all citizenship and consequential rights, rights to worship, hold public office and have any form of business. This originally was to be carried out without bloodshed, but quickly degenerated into violence in order to enforce the new laws. The Messiah would have known this and encouraged Believers to stand firm in the face of the coming persecution and of Ya`akob’s Trouble (cf Rev. 17:6). Adolf Hitler was to copy these edicts against Jews in the early part of 1930s.

Rev. 3:11 – The Warning

“I am coming quickly! Hold firmly that which you have, so that no one takes your crown.”

The Messiah’s return is imminent.

(i) This is used to warn:

(a) those who fail to continually look to His return, “the master of that servant will come in a day when he does not know it,” (Matt. 24:50).

(b) those who do not believe or want to believe that there is an `Elohiym and judgement awaits them after death, “who will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” (1 Pt. 4:5);

“Therefore do not be anxious for tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Each day’s own evil is sufficient.” (Matt. 6:34).

To all of these, the Messiah’s return will be like a lion falling upon its prey, “and to give relief to you that are afflicted with us, when the Master Yahusha is revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, giving vengeance to those who do not know

`Yahuah, and to those who do not obey the Good News of our Master Yahusha, who will pay the penalty: eternal destruction from the face of the Master and from the glory of His might,” (2 Thess. 1:7-9).

(i) This is used to comfort the oppressed:

(a) in that all the suffering will be for a short time;

(b) will be vindicated, “Yahuah, how long will the wicked, How long will the wicked triumph?” (Psa. 94:3); “You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Master is at hand,” (James 5:8).

When the citizens of the Roman Empire turned away from their gods to the one, true `Elohiym, they threw away their idols in the anticipation of the Messiah’s imminent return (Thomas Vol. I p. 384). This brought down severe retribution from the civil and military authorities and from family and work members.

Those who do not endure, their crowns will be taken from them, This is not a loss of salvation, but a loss of heavenly reward. Their crowns will be given to others found to be more worthy (Gen. 49: 4, 8; 1 Sam. 16: 1, 13; Isa. 22:15-25; 1 Kgs. 2:25; Acts 1:25) ((1)Barclay p.168).

στέφανος #G4735 ste-fa-nos crown – givenas a prize or reward, “Do you not know that those who run in a race all run, but one receives the prize? Run like that, that you may win. Every man who strives in the games exercises self-control in all things. Now they do it

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to receive a corruptible crown, but we an incorruptible.” (1 Cor. 9:24, 25). It is used here as a metaphor of eternal blessing given as a prize to genuine servants of Yahuah. “Blessed is the man who endures temptation, for when he has been approved, he will receive the crown of life, which the Master promised to those who love him.” (James 1:12).

“Be faithful to death, and I will give you the crown of life.” (Rev. 2:10). “Around the throne were twenty-four thrones. On the thrones were twenty-four elders sitting, dressed in white garments, with crowns of gold on their heads.” (Rev. 4:4).

It is always used of conquerors but never of kings. The stephanos was used in the Greek games as wreaths or garlands of earthly produce that quickly lost their beauty and freshness. These were usually made of woven oak, of ivy, of myrtle, of olive, or of flowers. This reference to idolatrous culture was alien to the Jewish people.

However, in Jewish culture, the stephanos is the emblem of highest joy, gladness, glory and morality and pre-nuptial anticipation of the betrothed couple (Edersheim). “They braided a crown (ste-fe-nos) of thorns and put it on his head… saying, ‘Hail, King of the Yehudim!’”

(Matt. 27:29). This woven crown was made as a token of mockery by the Romans. However, from the Jewish paradigm it signified the highest joy and nuptial bliss. The Master suffered the pain of the thorns knowing that He was about to achieve His highest joy (His ultimate obedience to the Father) and pre-nuptial anticipation (preparing for His bride).

Rev. 3:12, 13 – The Promise (2)

“He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my `Eloakh, and he will go out from there no more. I will write on him the name of my `Eloakh, and the name of the city of my `Eloakh, the new Yerushalem, which comes down out of heaven from my `Eloakh, and my own new name.”

The Believer will be made:

(i) a pillar in Yahuah’s temple. That is, by their faith and conduct the remnant will be made a support and example to all who follow on, “and when they perceived the grace that was given to me, Ya`akob and Kefa and Yochanan, they who were reputed to be pillars, gave to me and Bar-Nabba the right hand of fellowship, that we should go to the Gentiles, and they to the circumcision.” (Gal. 2:9);

(ii) secure. Residents of Philadelphia were constantly living in fear of earthquakes, having to go out into the fields for safety during a tremor. Those in the Messiah need not to fear for their lives both temporal and eternal. They will be given a shalom above all understanding, “Shalom I leave with you. My shalom I give to you; not as the world gives, give I to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, neither let it be fearful.” (John 14:27).

The Name

(i) The name of Yahuah:

(a) The cities of the promise of Asia erected a column in the temple upon which was inscribed the name of a lond-standing, faithful priest along with his father’s name;

(b) Slaves were branded with the initials of their owner/master;

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(c) The name of Yahuah was put upon the children of Y`isra`el (type of the spiritual Believers) by using the Aharonic Blessing (Num. 6:22-27) as opposed to the House of Ya`akov (carnal-minded).

(i) The name of the New Yerushalayim: “It shall be eighteen thousand reeds round about: and the name of the city from that day shall be, Yahuah is there” (יְהוָ֥ה שָֽׁמָּה Yahuah sammah sharm-ah) (Eze. 48:35)”. “I saw the set apart city, New Yerushalem, coming down out of heaven from Yahuah, made ready like a bride adorned for her Husband.” (Rev. 21.2). This city will be known as the Lamb’s Bride because of the covenant promises (Chartrand p. 137). This denotes the rights, privileges and duties of citizenship. These citizens will never be separated from the presence of Yahuah, “Surely goodness and lovingkindness shall follow me all the days of my life, And I shall dwell in Yahuah’s house forever. (Psa. 23:6).

(iii) The name of the Messiah, “His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many crowns. He has names written and a name written which no one knows but He Himself.” (Rev. 19:12).

(iv) On every Believer’s forehead will be:

(a) written the name of Yahuah, “I saw, and behold, the Lamb standing on Mount Tziyon, and with Him a number, one hundred forty-four thousand, having His name, and the name of His Father, written on their foreheads.” (Rev.14:1);

(b) written the (new) name of the Messiah, “They will see His face, and His name will be on their foreheads.” (Rev. 22:4);

(c) the Seal of Yahuah, “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which remains to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give to you. For `Eloakh the Father has sealed him.” (John 6:27); “They were told that they should not hurt the grass of the earth, neither any green thing, neither any tree, but only those people who do not have `Eloakh’s seal on their foreheads.” (Rev. 9:24) that is, His Spirit, “in whom you also, having heard the word of the truth, the Good News of your salvation, in whom, having also believed, you were sealed with the Ruach HaQodesh of promise,.” (Eph. 1:13).

Ears

ἀκούω akoo-oh #G191– means not only to hear but to consider, understand and to act upon what has been said and is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew שָׁמַע shar-mer #H8085.

Him: this personalises all the letters. The Messiah addresses the warnings and promises of this and all the other letters to each and every Believer throughout the ages;

Assemblies: this generalises all the letters. The Messiah addresses the warnings and promises to each and every Assembly throughout the ages.

The promise is given to those who endure to the bitter end.

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There will be a more severe judgement against those who have heard the Word of Yahuah and reject it than to those who have not heard. “That servant, who knew his master’s will, and did not prepare, nor do what he wanted, will be beaten with many stripes, but he who did not know, and did things worthy of stripes, will be beaten with few stripes. To whoever much is given, of him will much be required; and to whom much was entrusted, of him more will be asked.” (Luke 12:47, 48).

Yahuah bless you and keep you,

Yahuah make His face to shine upon you and be gracious unto you,

Yahuah lift up His face toward you and give you peace.

All glory be to Yahuah,

Ameyn.

References and Credits

In using these references, it is in no way agreeing to or condoning the theological viewpoint of the authors.

(1)Barclay Rev. W. (1960) The Revelation of John Vol.I, St. Andrew Press, Edinburgh.

Chartrand P. (2015) The Sign Of Ezekiel – A warning for today, Razzberry Press, Arroyo Grande, CA.

Edersheim A. (1994) Sketches of Jewish Social Life, Hendrickson, Peabody, Mass.

(5)Fairbairn Rev. P. The Imperial Bible-Dictionary, Vol. V, Blackie & Son, London.

Henry. Rev. M. (1828) An Exposition of the Old and the New Testament, Vol. III,

J.R. & C. Childs, London.

Larkin C. (1919) The Book of Revelation, Moyer & Lotter, Philadelphia, PA.

Strong J. (1994) Strong’s New Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible, World Bible Publishers Inc., Madison.

Strong J. (1996) The New Strong’s Complete Dictionary of Bible Words, Thomas Nelson, Nashville.

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https:/blueletterbible.org

https://britannica.com/biography/diocletian

HNV The Hebrew Names Version is based off the World English Bible, an update of the

American Standard Version of 1901. This version of the Bible is in the public domain.

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