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Rev 3:7-13.
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The first key point
here is in the title of Christ. He is
“holy” (meaning separated) and “true” (not so much honest in the Greek as real).
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The big point is
“the key of David.” The significance,
taken from Isaiah 22:22) is that he opens and shuts the door of the Temple
(in this instance, no doubt, the Millenial one). By this passage we see in the symbolism the
effect of Matthew 16:19, the keys of the Kingdom. The church has always understood that she
is the inheritor of the promises to Israel (Galatians 6:16), the Israel of
God. If we make this transmutation
effective here, we find that the Jews of this time will find out -- at the
Return -- that Jesus, the Messiah, loves the church. The door is now open, and no one can shut
it on us.
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This church is well
praised. Despite their little
strength, they have kept the word and not denied the Lord. Our syncopation comes in that there is
nothing negative. Even in this, there
is a warning: “I come quickly.” This is warning to those who are not
faithful, and comfort to those who are.
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The reward is very
significant. They are to be kept from
trial; the Jews will be at their
feet. More than that, they become a
pillar in the temple of the New Jerusalem, and are given the tremendous
privilege of knowing three names (think of it in terms of knowing someone
powerful on a first name basis):
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• The new (and
unknown) name of God. This is said
elsewhere in Revelation to be placed on their foreheads -- just like the mark
of the beast for those who do not overcome.
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• The new (and
unknown) name of the city of God, the New Jerusalem.
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• The new (and
unknown) name of Jesus, the Christ.
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All these “news”
will be shown in good time. The city
of Philadelphia is still in existence, and still has an active Christian
population.
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To the futurists,
this section begins to cause problems.
It is easy enough to identify “hour of trial” in verse 10 as the Great
Tribulation (based upon the futurist theory).
The hard part is the sequence.
Up to now these seven churches have been taken in order. The difficulty, again, is no one wants to
be in Laodicea when the Lord comes.
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