REVELATION 3:7-13: PHILADELPHIA

Two of the seven churches listed in Revelation did not receive criticism from the Lord: Smyrna and Philadelphia. The Church at Smyrna was faithful, even in the face of severe persecution, and was praised. The Church at Philadelphia was recognized for its love for the lost souls of the world.

"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; 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. 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. 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. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. 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. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches" (Rev. 3:7-13).

It is to the Church of Philadelphia that the Lord promises to remove them from the earth [the Rapture of the Church - Jn. 14:1-3; 1 Cor. 15:51-52; 1 Thes. 4:13-18] prior to the "hour of temptation" [the Tribulation, Daniel's Seventieth Week, the Time of Jacob's Trouble - Matt. 24:21; Dan. 9:24-27; Jer. 30:7]. It is my understanding that the Church of Philadelphia and the Church of Laodicea co-exist in time. I came to this conclusion based upon four of the seven parables of Matthew 13 (wheat/tares, mustard seed, leaven, and the fishes). All picture good and evil co-existing within the Church. About the Church of Philadelphia, Larkin wrote:

"It had a "little strength." It was like a person coming back to life who was still very weak. It was the "dead" Sardis Church "revived, " and Revivals have been characteristic of the Philadelphia Period. These Revivals began with George Whitefield in A. D. 1739, followed by John Wesley, Charles G. Finney and D. L. Moody. (He) had set before it an "open door," that no "man" could shut. Note that this promise was made by Him, who "hath the 'Key of David,' He that 'openeth' and no man shutteth; and 'shutteth' and no man openeth." As the Church at Philadelphia is still in existence (written in 1920), and while it suffered more or less under the "Ten Persecutions" of the "Smyrna Period," it has never yet suffered in a persecution that was world-wide. This "hour of temptation" then must be still future and refers doubtless to the "Great Tribulation" that is to come upon the "whole world," just before the return of the Lord to set up His Millennial Kingdom, and as the promise is that the "Philadelphia Church" shall not pass through the Tribulation.

While Larkin believed the "Philadelphia Period" covers the time between A. D. 1750 and A. D. 1900, I would suggest it is from A. D. 1750 until the Rapture. It consists of genuine, born again believers, whereas the next church consists of believers in name only.