12“As
for the one who conquers, I will make him a
pillar in the temple of my God; he will be
secure and will go out no more; and I will
write my God’s Name on him, and he will be a
citizen in the city of my God—the New
Jerusalem, coming down from heaven from my
God; and he will have my new Name inscribed
upon him.
13“Let all who can hear listen to what the Spirit is saying to the churches.[1]
|
G. The Message to
Philadelphia: The Church That Is Faithful & Alive, Revelation 3:7–13 |
|
|
1. The
recipients a. The messenger of
the church b. The
Philadelphian church 2. The
speaker: Jesus |
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; |
|
3. The
commendation a. They had made
great use of the open door of evangelism & missions b. They had kept
Christ’s Word c. They had not
denied the Lord’s name |
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. |
|
4. The
two great hopes a. There will be
great vindication: The persecutors of the believers will either be saved or judged
|
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. |
|
b. There will be
great deliverance: From the hour of trial, a period of great tribulation
coming upon the earth |
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. |
|
5. The
counsel: Christ is coming soon; therefore, hold fast |
11 Behold,
I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. |
|
6. The Promise:
To the Overcomers a. Will be Made a Permanent Part of God’s House
b. Will Receive Security c. Will Receive God’s Name, Belonging to Him d. Will Receive the Name, be Made Citizens of,
God’s City e. Will Receive the Lord’s New Name, Known Only
to God |
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.[3] |
10. The Conqueror
(Revelation 3:12)
“Him that overcometh” (Revelation 3:12). Again, as in each of the letters
to the churches, is a message of encouragement to the overcomer—the one who
swims against the current, who overcomes the evil prevalent in his day, who
stands against the evil in his church, who refuses to go along with the evil
crowd. He is the conqueror and will be duly rewarded. The reward in this text
is basically twofold.
• The Pillar for the Conqueror. “Will I make a
pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall
go no more out” (Revelation 3:12).
The figure of the pillar in God’s temple shows at least two things about the
reward for the overcomer. First, power.
“Pillar.”
A pillar holds up part of a building. When we think of a pillar, we think of
strength and of power. God’s people will have power in eternity. They will help
Christ rule in the millennium. Second,
permanence. A pillar in a building is permanent. Heaven is permanent;
earth is temporary. God’s people will be rewarded in heaven where the rewards
are permanent unlike earthly rewards.
• The Prestige for the Conqueror. “I will write
upon him the name of my God … the name of
the city of my God … my new name”
(Revelation 3:12). The names of God and
Christ and the city of God written on the believer makes the overcomer a person
of importance in eternity. The world despises the overcomer, but in eternity
the overcomer will have written on him the important names of eternity, and
they will be written on him by none other than Jesus Christ. All of this will
give the overcomer much prestige/honor, something he did not have on earth.
11. The Charge (Revelation 3:13)
“He that hath an ear, let
him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches” (Revelation 3:13). This charge, which is given to
all the churches, is a charge of stewardship that involves three things.
The Capacity to Hear. “He that hath an
ear.” Use the ability, assets, advantages given you by God to honor
God.
The Character of Hearing. “Let him hear.”
Be attentive, interested, respectful.
The Communication for Hearing. “What the Spirit saith.” “What the Spirit saith” is the Word of God (Ephesians 6:17). Too many use their ears only to hear defiling things.[4]
6 (Re. 3:12–13) Overcomers—Promises: there are the promises to the overcomer. The churches and believers who remain alive and faithful to Christ have five wonderful promises. They shall receive five glorious things.
1. They Will Be Made a Pillar in The Temple of God. This
means that they will become a permanent part of God’s house, of the eternal
worship and service of heaven. And they will be a vital part, a pillar. The
pillar is a symbol of …
• Strength
• Support
• Durability
• Permanence
• Immortality
• A Monument
“Know ye not that ye are the temple of
God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?” (1
Co. 3:16).
“What? know ye not that your body is
the temple of the Holy Ghost, which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are
not your own?” (1 Co. 6:19).
“And what agreement hath the temple of
God with idols? for ye are the temple of the living God; as God hath said, I
will dwell in them, and walk in them; and I will be their God, and they shall
be my people” (2 Co. 6:16).
“And are built upon the foundation of
the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone;
in whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto a holy temple in
the Lord: in whom ye also are builded together for a habitation of God through
the Spirit” (Ep. 2:20–22).
“Ye also, as lively stones, are built
up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices,
acceptable to God by Jesus Christ” (1 Pe. 2:5).
2. They
Will Receive Security; they will never again have to go in
or out of the city in order to be safe. They will be free from this sinful and
corruptible world, free to live in heaven with God the Father and the Lord
Jesus Christ. And they shall be perfected forever and ever.
“I know whom I have believed and am
persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against
that day” (2 Tim. 1:12).
“Henceforth there is laid up for me a
crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at
that day: and not to me only, but unto all of them also that love his appearing”
(2 Tim. 4:8).
“Who are kept by the power of God
through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time” (1 Pe. 1:5).
“Whereby are given unto us exceeding
great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine
nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (2 Pe. 1:4).
“And this is the promise that he hath
promised us, even eternal life” (1 Jn. 2:25).
“Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy, to the only wise God our Saviour, be glory and majesty, dominion and power, both now and ever” (Jude 24–25).
3. They
Will Receive God’s Name. This is a symbol of possession and of
belonging. The believer will belong to God in an absolute and perfect sense.
Others can lay claim to our lives while upon this earth. They can lay claim
upon our time and energy, and some can even enslave us. But not in heaven. The
name of God will be written upon us, and we will be marked forever as belonging
to God. We will belong to Him totally and absolutely. Neither man nor Satan
will ever again be able to touch or mark us.
“Even unto them will I give in mine
house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of
daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off” (Is. 56:5).
“And the Gentiles shall see thy
righteousness, and all kings thy glory: and thou shalt be called by a new name,
which the mouth of the Lord shall
name” (Is. 62:2).
“And ye [the rebellious people] shall
leave your name for a curse unto my chosen: for the Lord god
shall slay thee and call his servants by
another name” (Is. 65:15).
“And when he had found him, he brought
him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled
themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were
called Christians first in Antioch” (Ac. 11:26).
“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” (Re. 3:12).
4. They
Will Receive the Name of The City of God, The New Jerusalem. They
will become the citizens of the new Jerusalem, of the capital of the new
heavens and earth.
“But Jerusalem which is above is free,
which is the mother of us all” (Ga. 4:26).
“For our conversation [citizenship] is
in heaven; from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ” (Ph. 3:20).
“But ye are come unto mount Sion, and
unto the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to an innumerable
company of angels” (He. 12:22).
“But the day of the Lord will come as a
thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great
noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the
works that are therein shall be burned up. Seeing then that all these things
shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy
conversation and godliness, looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day
of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements
shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look
for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness” (2 Pe. 3:10–13).
“And I saw a new heaven and a new
earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was
no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God
out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great
voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he
will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be
with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes;
and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall
there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat
upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, write
for these words are true and faithful” (Re. 21:1–5).
5. They
Will Receive the Lord’s New Name. What will this new name be? No
one knows but God Himself, and He has not yet revealed it.
“His eyes were as a flame of fire, and
on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but
he himself” (Re. 19:12).
This
much we know when Christ comes in all His majesty and glory and conquers
all, we shall be marked as His servants and share in His glorious triumph. He
will gain the victory for us, the victory over all enemies including the most
terrible enemy of all—death and hell.
“And the God of peace shall bruise
Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you”
(Ro. 16:20).
“To him
that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and
am set down with my Father in his throne” (Re.
3:21).
“And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away” (Re. 21:4).[5]
“All
who are victorious will become pillars in the Temple of my God, and they will never have to leave it. And I will write my God’s name on them, and they will be citizens in the city of my God—the new Jerusalem that comes down from heaven from my God.
And they will have my new name inscribed upon them.” 3:12 NLT.
The
believers who
are victorious and remain faithful to the end receive the promise to
become
pillars in the Temple of my God. The word “pillars” symbolizes permanence and stability.
Philadelphia was constantly threatened by earthquakes. Often experiencing
tremors, the people would evacuate the city and stay in temporary dwellings in
the rural areas. Sometimes the pillars would be the only part of a building
left standing after an earthquake. This permanence is further stressed in the
next phrase, “they will never have to leave it.”
Christ also gives these
victorious believers three further promises:
1. He will write … God’s name on
them.
2. They will be citizens in … the new Jerusalem.
3. They will have Christ’s new name inscribed upon them.
This “new name” of Christ has not been revealed, but those who
are victorious and persevere will have this new name inscribed upon them. For
more on the new Jerusalem, see Re. 21:2.
This threefold promise pictures believers belonging to God, having citizenship in heaven, and having a special relationship with Christ. The new Jerusalem is the future dwelling of the people of God (Re. 21:2). They will be citizens in God’s future kingdom. Everything will be new, pure, and secure.
“Anyone who is willing to hear should listen to the Spirit
and understand what the Spirit is saying to the churches.” 3:13 NLT.
This closing is the same as for
the letters to the other churches: all should listen to the Spirit and understand
what is being said.[6]
Revelation 3:12-13 As for The One Who Conquers, I Will Make Him a Pillar in The Temple of My God
Pics Provided by Bing Coolest 4K HD Scenery Pics of All Time
[1] Taylor, Kenneth Nathaniel. 1997. The Living Bible, Paraphrased. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House.
[2] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation. The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership Ministries Worldwide.
[3] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation.
The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership
Ministries Worldwide.
[4] Butler, John G. 2010. Analytical Bible
Expositor: Revelation. Clinton, IA: LBC Publications.
[5] Leadership Ministries Worldwide. 1996. Revelation.
The Preacher’s Outline & Sermon Bible. Chattanooga, TN: Leadership
Ministries Worldwide.
[6] Barton, Bruce B. 2000. Revelation. Edited by Grant R. Osborne. Life Application Bible Commentary. Wheaton, IL: Tyndale House Publishers.
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