To you who are of the Assembly of Philadelphia

The message for Philadelphia is like Smyrna without a blame. Yehoshua/Jesus mentions only honorable things and encourages them to continue on the same track. The name Philadelphia means ‘brotherly love’. Philadelphia is an Assembly or even an individual where there is love for one another and a love for the brethren. That love comes out of love for Yehoshua and His Word (the Scriptures). At the same time the love for one another forms the right atmosphere where the love for Yehoshua and for His Word can be expressed.

Philadelphia has come forth from Sardis. Those who had a living faith in Messiah in Sardis have moved away from the deadness. Repentance arose as a work of YHVH’s Spirit that totally devoted oneself to Yehovah and His Torah. In the lives of the believers there was a personal, vivid relation with the Messiah. He means everything to them. We see this happening in these last days as faith grows in the "WAY".
Messiah Yehoshua presents Himself to this assembly/church with features which you have not seen in chapter 1. Here He speaks as “He who is holy”, because they have sanctified themselves from evil. This evil is the appearance of life in Sardis. He, Yehoshua also speaks as “who is true”, because this is also fitting to them. They want to walk in sincerity and faithfulness, according to the truth that is in their inner man, that He is searching for and which He sees there.

Psa 51:6  See, You have desired truth in the inward parts, And in the hidden part You make me know wisdom.

He also has “the key of David”. He is the true David:

Isa 22:22  And I shall place the key of the house of Daviḏ on his shoulder. And he shall open, and no one shuts; and shall shut, and no one opens.

And the only One Who has access to and the right to all promises that were made to David. He who has the key, has the power to open and to close.

Job 12:14  When he breaks something down, it can't be rebuilt; when he imprisons someone, he can't be released.

Rev_3:8. Messiah knows their deeds. It is not said which deeds it is about. To the world and to Christianity they will not be impressive deeds, but YHVH knows them and appreciates them. Yehoshua tells them that He has given them “an open door”. The weak remnant receives from Yehoshua an open door, a passable "WAY", which no one can block (Col_4:3; 1Co_16:9). It is a door to the treasury, to the knowledge of YHVH’s Word and its secrets and to the Kingdom of YHVH/God.

Maybe you are in a situation which is comparable to Sardis. There are people around you who call themselves a Christian (followers of Messiah/Christ) but they are that only by name. There is a confession, but there is no WAY of life. If you desire the WAY of life, He will surely open a door for you to a situation in which He and His Word are everything. He will bring you into contact with others who also have that desire. Just ask Him for it and He will show you the WAY. You can find that WAY in His Word which He will open with His key, so that you see His Father's beauty in it and enjoy it.

The Apostle Shaul/Paul tells us about the WAY:
Act 24:14  "But this I do admit to you: I worship the God of our fathers in accordance with the "WAY" (which they call a sect). I continue to believe everything that accords with the Torah and everything written in the Prophets. (The Romans considered Netzarim/the WAY a sect of Judaism)

He knows that you, just like it is said of the assembly of Philadelphia, have “little power”. That means that He knows that you are dependent on Him and you are a Talmidim/Disciple. Philadelphia and each believer and each assembly that wants to be like that – is not noticed by the world. Their and also your strength is in the YHVH and in ‘keeping His Word’. With His Word the Scripture is meant, but then as the Word it is that He has spoken. It gives an enormous spiritual power when you read the Scripture as the words of the Savior Who loves you and Whom you love.

Joh 6:63  It is the Spirit who gives life, the flesh is no help. The words I have spoken to you are Spirit and life.

You cherish that Word because it is about Him and He has spoken it. To you it is about Him, you have Him and that is sufficient to you.

Another appreciation that the Master Yehoshua speaks about is that they have “not denied” His Name. His Name means everything to them. That’s what they hold on to. That’s what you also do, isn’t it? You owe your salvation to His Name

Act 4:11  "This Yehoshua is the stone rejected by you builders which has become the cornerstone. 
Act 4:12  There is salvation in no one else! For there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by whom we must be saved!"

In His Name you may gather with fellow believers as an assembly.

Mat 18:20  For wherever two or three are assembled in my name, I am there with them."

You do not want another name, you reject that, for that would be a denial of His Name.

Joh 5:43  I have come in my Father's name (Yehoshua means: YHVH is salvation), and you don't accept me; if someone else comes in his own name (Roman Jesus), him you will accept.

Rev_3:9. The WAY/remnant was under heavy pressure of the mass of the confessing Christianity. He who did not join the mystery Babylon churches, was presented as a member of a dangerous sect. They the Church, claim “that they are Jews”, and the Church has replaced Yisrael (replacement theology) which means that they present themselves as the true people of God. You may apply this to people who claim with their mouth to be true believers and that they are entitled to everything that God has promised to the true believers of the messianic WAY. Christianity is full of such people. But YHVH calls the nominal confessors “the synagogue of Satan”. When ever He is not the center and His Word the Scripture is not being considered, people become a prey of Satan.

Rev 3:9  Here, I will give you some from the synagogue of the Adversary, those who call themselves Jews but aren't—on the contrary, they are lying—see, I will cause them to come and prostrate themselves at your feet, and they will know that I have loved you.

As an encouragement Yehoshua promised them that He will make sure that the false confessors will acknowledge that He has loved this weak remnant. He will once and for all justify the faithful believers toward the false Christians, the nominal confessors. He will unmask all who have unjustly adorned themselves with His Name. The false confessors will be forced to acknowledge that the believers despised by them were loved by the Master Yehoshua.

Rev 3:10  Because you did obey my message about persevering, I will keep you from the time of trial coming upon the whole world to put the people living on earth to the test.

The Messiah has more to encourage them. He honors them ‘for keeping His command to persevere’. By this the Master means that He had said to be coming soon. He perseveringly looks forward to the marriage of His bride. This word has found resonance in their hearts: they also look forward to Him. That implies that He still does not reign. He is still patiently waiting for His kingdom and we ought to do that too.

2Th 3:5  May the Lord direct your hearts into God's love and the perseverance which the Messiah gives.

Because they are looking forward to His coming with such a perseverance, the Lord makes the promise to them that He will make sure that they will not be harmed by the judgments that soon will strike the earth. The second part of ‘the hour of testing’ is the period of the great tribulation (Mat_24:21; Jer_30:7; Jer_30:11; 2Th_2:9-10). The area upon which this trial will come is “the whole world”. The people who will be struck by it, are called, “those who dwell on the earth”. Those are the earth’s inhabitants, the people who consider the earth to be their home and who have permanently settled themselves there as their definite residence. YHVH/God and His rights and eternity lie totally outside their field of vision (Psa_17:14).

Rev_3:11. As an extra encouragement the Lord promises to come quickly. He also exhorts them to hold fast what they have. What they have is not much. Still this call is necessary for them not to lose what they have: a fervent/burning love for the Messiah and for one another. If they let go of that they will become lukewarm like Laodicea.

Rev 3:16  So, because you are lukewarm, neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of my mouth!

Rev 3:11  I am coming soon; hold on to what you have, so that no one will take away your crown.

We shall see that in the next and final message. For you it is also important to take this call to heart. Make sure that you will not lose your burning love for the Messiah! For there is a “crown” attached to your attachment to the Messiah and your affection for Him. The crown is the publicly visible appreciation of the Messiah for your love for Him. He will adorn and honor you with that.

Rev_3:12. Although the church in Philadelphia is not to be blamed for anything and there is also no call for repentance to be heard, there is still mention of an overcomer. Overcomers are they who not only have left Sardis and have become Philadelphia, but who also hold on to that with their whole heart. The next message shows that it is possible that the fervent/burning love for Yehoshua HaMashiach may cool off.
He who overcomes will be made by the Messiah “a pillar in the temple of My YHVH/God”. This is in great contrast to the place that they had on earth. There they were of no account and they were even portrayed to be annoying because they seemed to be blocking the growth of the Christian church. However, in the resurrection they will appear to be pillars on which YHVH’s house is resting (cf. Gal_2:9). A pillar is a symbol of strength. Those who have shown much spiritual power precisely in their weakness will be pillars to eternity. There will absolutely be no mention of a collapse or failure.

It is the overcomers in Philadelphia who make YHVH’s house a spiritual house. In that house spiritual sacrifices are brought and Yehovah the Father is being worshipped by His sons. That is the place where priests draw near to YHVH and know what He is worthy of. Those who do that today will be allowed to do a special service there in the resurrection.
But the promise for the overcomer goes still further. Adonai Yehoshua will write on him “the name of the city of My YHVH/God”. On earth the believer in Philadelphia had no continuing city, but he was seeking the city to come.

Heb 13:14  For we have no permanent city here; on the contrary, we seek the one to come. 
Heb 13:15  Through him, therefore, let us offer God a sacrifice of praise continually. For this is the natural product of lips that acknowledge his name.

To that he will eternally be related and that will also be visible. That city is “the new Yerusalem”. At the end of this book of Revelation you see that this new Yerusalem “which comes down out of heaven from My YHVH/God” (Rev_21:2), but here this scene is already presented in prospect to the overcomer.
Finally the Messiah says that He also will write “My new name” on the overcomer. That is the Name which He has now in glory (Rev_19:12; Php_2:9; Heb_1:4).
Are these things not an exhortation for you too not to focus on the earthly things, but to look forward to the heavenly things? Will you not relate yourself with any religious system on earth, out of love for the Messiah Yehoshua, but with the city which is in heaven, and will be on earth? Then you will soon be rewarded by the Messiah in a very personal way. You can derive that from the five times that He repeats the word ‘My’. Four times he emphasizes His very own personal relationship with YHVH and one time His very personal relationship with each believer who is an overcomer in Philadelphia (cf. Joh_20:17; Heb_2:11-13).

Rev 3:13  Those who have ears, let them hear what the Spirit is saying to the Messianic communities."

It may be the case that in the ‘Philadelphia’ where you perhaps are, it is to fear that the fervent/burning love is gradually disappearing. Then for you it is important to having an ear to hear. Therefore at the end of this message the question is very personally addressed to you: ‘Do you have an ear to hear what the Spirit says to the Messianic communities?’

Now read Revelation 3:7-13 again.

Reflection: What effort do you have to make to hold fast what you have?

By Francisco Arbas