Peace and grace in the love of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Revelation 3:7-13 is about the church in Philadelphia.
Revelation 3:7
3:7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:
There are three appearances of Jesus as follows.
ad. 3. Jesus appears as He who has the key of David.
The physical key of David is the key of the kingdom of Israel held by King David. It is given only to one who is worthy to receive it, that is Solomon.
The spiritual key of David is the key of the kingdom of Heaven held by Jesus. It is given only to one who is worthy to receive it.
Revelation 3:8-10
3:8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
3:9 Indeed I will make thoseof the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
3:10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Jesus appears as He who has the key of David to do three great things as follows.
ad. a. The key of David opens the door that no one can shut.
The key of David is obtained within the shepherding. A pastor must be shepherded, and all of us must be, too. The task of a pastor is feeding the sheep. The task of the sheep is eating the shepherding Word.
The key of David means as follows.
Revelation 3:8
3:8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
The condition of the church in Philadelphia is as the one of David. They have a little strength, but they are obedient and faithful, so God chooses them from many congregations to hold the key of David.
In the last days, we will face closed door that cannot be opened by smartness, richness, et cetera, except by the key of David.
Exodus 14:1-4
14:1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
14:2 “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea.
14:3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They arebewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.’
14:4 Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I amthe Lord.” And they did so.
The condition of the Israelites was facing the closed door. They faced the sea in front, Pharaoh and all his army behind, and the wilderness on their left and right. The power of the Israelites was small compared to what they face, so there was no hope and they had to die.
Exodus 14:10
14:10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.
The Israelites were very afraid and cried out to the Lord. They were in panic. Thus, the condition of their heart appears clearly, that is being doubtful, unbelieving, and disobedient. It really harms the condition of the Israelites.
There are four conditions of the Israelites that harm themselves as follows.
But God does not leave the Israelites. He opens the door for them with the key of David, that is through the revelation of the Word.
God blesses us.
Revelation 3:7-13 is about the church in Philadelphia.
Revelation 3:7
3:7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”:
There are three appearances of Jesus as follows.
- Jesus appears as He who is true to call and justify the congregation.
- Jesus appears as He who is holy to choose and sanctify the congregation.
- Jesus appears as He who has the key of David.
ad. 3. Jesus appears as He who has the key of David.
The physical key of David is the key of the kingdom of Israel held by King David. It is given only to one who is worthy to receive it, that is Solomon.
The spiritual key of David is the key of the kingdom of Heaven held by Jesus. It is given only to one who is worthy to receive it.
Revelation 3:8-10
3:8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
3:9 Indeed I will make thoseof the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you.
3:10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.
Jesus appears as He who has the key of David to do three great things as follows.
- To open the door that no one can shut.
- To give us victory over the synagogue of Satan.
- To keep us from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world.
ad. a. The key of David opens the door that no one can shut.
The key of David is obtained within the shepherding. A pastor must be shepherded, and all of us must be, too. The task of a pastor is feeding the sheep. The task of the sheep is eating the shepherding Word.
The key of David means as follows.
- Obedience.
Acts 13:22
13:22 And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the sonof Jesse, a man after My ownheart, who will do all My will.’ - Faithfulness in the ministry given by God.
Psalm 23:6
23:6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me All the days of my life; And I will dwell in the house of the Lord Forever.
Revelation 3:8
3:8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.
The condition of the church in Philadelphia is as the one of David. They have a little strength, but they are obedient and faithful, so God chooses them from many congregations to hold the key of David.
In the last days, we will face closed door that cannot be opened by smartness, richness, et cetera, except by the key of David.
Exodus 14:1-4
14:1 Now the Lord spoke to Moses, saying:
14:2 “Speak to the children of Israel, that they turn and camp before Pi Hahiroth, between Migdol and the sea, opposite Baal Zephon; you shall camp before it by the sea.
14:3 For Pharaoh will say of the children of Israel, ‘They arebewildered by the land; the wilderness has closed them in.’
14:4 Then I will harden Pharaoh’s heart, so that he will pursue them; and I will gain honor over Pharaoh and over all his army, that the Egyptians may know that I amthe Lord.” And they did so.
The condition of the Israelites was facing the closed door. They faced the sea in front, Pharaoh and all his army behind, and the wilderness on their left and right. The power of the Israelites was small compared to what they face, so there was no hope and they had to die.
Exodus 14:10
14:10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.
The Israelites were very afraid and cried out to the Lord. They were in panic. Thus, the condition of their heart appears clearly, that is being doubtful, unbelieving, and disobedient. It really harms the condition of the Israelites.
There are four conditions of the Israelites that harm themselves as follows.
- Looking behind.
Exodus 14:10
14:10 And when Pharaoh drew near, the children of Israel lifted their eyes, and behold, the Egyptians marched after them. So they were very afraid, and the children of Israel cried out to the Lord.
It means as follows:- Returning to old life, being bound by sin up to its peak.
- Following God by aiming for physical need and richness.
- Being bound by the flesh, loving something more than God.
Matthew 10:37
10:37 He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.
The consequence is being unable to love God and only seeing the revival of Pharaoh from behind that looks dreadful. The conditions are not experiencing peace, being weary and bearing heavy burden, as well as being unfaithful and unrighteous.
- Returning to old life, being bound by sin up to its peak.
- Remembering the graves in Egypt.
Exodus 14:11
14:11 Then they said to Moses, “Because there wereno graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?
It means valuing the pleasures from the world more than spiritual matters. The consequence is dying spiritually and being destroyed forever. The grave refers to the prolongation of the death, for example the cinema, discotheque, et cetera. It kills the spiritual life up to the perdition forever. The grave also refers to the ministry that does not prioritize the Word of God, but physical prosperity and entertainment. The youth must be careful if the ministry is dry and the spirituality is dead, since it equals to burying the future. One will be useless and become burden to the parent. - Being happier to become slaves.
Exodus 14:12
14:12 Isthis not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have beenbetter for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”
It means being happier to become the servant of sin than the servant of God. It equals to being unfaithful in ministering Him, even unwilling to minister Him. The consequence is suffering.
We are not being suffered or slaved by God when we minister Him. However, He gives us the beautiful tunic. Our life has not become beautiful yet before receiving the beautiful tunic from God. - Being desperate and disappointed, leaving God and the true teaching Word.
Exodus 14:11-12
14:11 Then they said to Moses, “Because there wereno graves in Egypt, have you taken us away to die in the wilderness? Why have you so dealt with us, to bring us up out of Egypt?
14:12 Isthis not the word that we told you in Egypt, saying, ‘Let us alone that we may serve the Egyptians’? For it would have beenbetter for us to serve the Egyptians than that we should die in the wilderness.”
It means being separated from God, dying spiritually, until being destroyed and separated from God forever.
But God does not leave the Israelites. He opens the door for them with the key of David, that is through the revelation of the Word.
- They must go forward entering the sea.
Exodus 14:15
14:15 And the Lord said to Moses, “Why do you cry to Me? Tell the children of Israel to go forward.
It means as follows.- The true water baptism.
1 Corinthians 10:2
10:2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea,
1 Peter 3:20-21
3:20 who formerly were disobedient, when once the Divine longsuffering waited in the days of Noah, while theark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water.
3:21 There is also an antitype which now saves us—baptism (not the removal of the filth of the flesh, but the answer of a good conscience toward God), through the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
The result of the true water baptism is a new life that has good conscience, that is an obedient and faithful heart. During the days of Noah, only eight people (four couples of marriage) were saved. It means husband and wife must be in one true water baptism. - We must be faithful and fervent in spirit in the ministry, although it is a suffering for the flesh, and whatever the obstacles we must face.
If we go forward, God will act. One who retreats will be destroyed by Pharaoh.
- The true water baptism.
- Lifting up the rod and stretching out our hands.
Exodus 14:16,21
14:16 But lift up your rod, and stretch out your hand over the sea and divide it. And the children of Israel shall go on dry groundthrough the midst of the sea.
14:21 Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea; and the Lord caused the sea to go backby a strong east wind all that night, and made the sea into dry land,and the waters were divided.
Our attitude is we must be obedient until the flesh does not sound anymore.
Being faithful and obedient equals to stretching out our hands to God. Thus, He will also stretch out His good and merciful hands (the key of David) in the form of Holy Spirit to open the closed doors.
The result is Holy Spirit is able to care our physical and spiritual life miraculously. Spiritually, we can live in righteousness and holiness in the midst of the peak of sins in the last days. Holy Spirit is also able to give way out from every impossible problem. Holy Spirit gives beautiful and successful future. Holy Spirit also uses us in the revival of Holy Spirit in the last days, that is the building of the perfect body of Christ. When Jesus comes a second time, we will be renewed to become as perfect as Him and the door of Heaven is opened for us.
God blesses us.