Revelation 3:7-13: The Church of Philadelphia- Brotherly Love'
"The Missionary City"

"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":*  "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. Indeed I will make those of 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.  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.  Behold,* I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.  He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'

Introduction:   Philadelphia

Philadelphia (the city) was the only Pergamenian foundation among the Seven Cities. It derived its name from Attalus II, 159–138 B.C., whose truth and loyalty to his brother Eumenes won him the epithet Philadelphus. The district where it was situated, the valley of the Cogamis, a tributary of the Hermus, came into the possession of the Pergamenian King Eumenes at the treaty of 189.
Philadelphia stood about 25 miles south-cast from Sardis, in the plain of Hermus, and about midway between the river of that name and the termination of Mount Tmolus. It was the second city in Lydia, and was built by King Attalus Philadelphus, from whom it received its name. In the year 133 B.C. the place passed, with the country in the vicinity, under the dominion of the Romans. The site is reported by Strabo to be liable to earthquakes, but it continued to be a place of importance down to the Byzantine age; and, of all the towns in Asia Minor, it withstood the Turks the longest. It was taken by Bajazat, 1392 A.D. "It still exists as a Turkish town, under the name of Allah Shehr, 'City of God,' that is, the 'High Town.' It covers a considerable extent of ground, running up the slopes of four hills, or rather of one hill with four flat summits.

Philadelphia was founded more for consolidating and regulating and educating the central regions subject to the Pergamenian kings. The intention of its founder was to make it a centre of the Graeco-Asiatic civilisation and a means of spreading the Greek language and manners in the eastern parts of Lydia and in Phrygia. It was a missionary city from the beginning, founded to promote a certain unity of spirit, customs, and loyalty within the realm, the apostle of Hellenism in an Oriental land. It was a successful teacher. Before A.D. 19 the Lydian tongue had ceased to be spoken in Lydia, and Greek was the only language of the country.

If sufficient information had been preserved about the religion of Thyatira and Philadelphia, it would have been possible to understand and describe the nature of those two Graeco-Asiatic cities and to specify the difference in character between a Seleucid and a Pergamenian foundation. From the religious establishment of each city, it would have been easy to distinguish what elements in each were native Anatolian, what were introduced from Europe, and what were brought in by colonists from Oriental lands, and how these were blended to produce a composite Graeco-Asiatic religion corresponding to the purposes which the new cities were intended to serve. This would be an object-lesson in practical government and religion, for those two cities are types of the fusion of Greek and Asiatic thought and custom, as attempted by the two chief Hellenising kingdoms in the Asiatic continent.
 
    One solitary pillar has been often noticed, as reminding beholders of the remarkable words in the Apocalypse - 'Him that overcometh I will make a pillar in the temple of my God'" The town is the seat of a Greek archbishop, with about twenty inferior clergy. The streets are narrow, and are described as remarkably filthy. The engraving in this volume will give a representation of the town as it now appears.

How Christ Addressed this Church:
Revelation 3:7
"These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and none shall shut, and that shutteth, and none openeth".
    
    This message couldn't have come from anybody but "Jesus Christ", because it is in HIM holiness eternally dwells, originates, and all holiness is derived. Jesus Christ is the fountain of truth; He is God and because of that, even though God made man, he  is not like man, thus cannot lie nor be imposed on; HE is the one from whom all truth proceeds; and whose veracity in his Revelation is unimpeachable.
    
    The "Key" , according to the Bible Explorer Commentary on this church is: the "emblem of authority and knowledge". The key of David is the regal right or authority of David. David could shut or open the kingdom of Israel to whom he pleased. He was not bound to leave the kingdom even to his eldest son. He could choose whom he pleased to succeed him. Both the kingdom of the Gospel, and the kingdom of heaven, are at the disposal of Christ. He can shut against whom he will; he can open to whom he pleases. If he shuts, no man can open; if he opens no man can shut.

     It's important to remember that anything the LORD makes a determination on, HIS principles, preciepts, statues and declarations are final and, irreversible!. This "expression" is an allusion to Isaiah 22:22, where the prophet promises to Eliakim, under the symbol of the key of the house of David, the government of the whole nation; i.e., all the power of the king, to be executed by him as his deputy; but the words, as here applied to Christ, show that everything concerning  Jesus Christ  is absolute.

Christ's Commendations to The Church: " I know your Works"
The writer of the letter is “he that is true”(Christ); and HE revealed to John that the Philadelphian Church "kept my word and did not deny my name,” but confessed the truth, whereas its enemies are they “which say they are Jews, and they are not, but do lie.” The picture of Philadelphia that is given in the letter marks it beyond all others of the Seven as the holy city, which “I have loved,” which kept my word and my injunction of endurance (a commendation twice repeated). This church was rich in two areas of life: Rich in grace toward God (Luke 12:21) and in good deeds (1 Timothy 6:18). 

Revelation 3:8
A. I have set before thee an open door
    Jesus opened to this church an "evangelistic door" to proclaim and diffuse HIS word.; And even though there are many adversaries against the spreading of my Gospel and all seek to prevent it, none of them shall be able to prevent it. This conveys the idea that Christ sets before Philadelphia this effectual door, because she has some little strength: rather, He does so, because she has 'but little strength: This church having been under fierce persecution is consciously weak herself, yet she is the fitter object for God's power to rest on her because she has been made "stronger" in Christ under the power of the Holy Ghost because she is "deviod" of much strength of her own. This means all  evangelistic work that she does and the keeping of all of the statues of Jesus Christ is and was done in Christ through the Holy Spirit  that "Christ may have all the glory, because it all was done in the power of HIS might" and not in the strength of the people so that at any time thy could brag or boast. This opportunity was a special gift and privilege and favour bestowed upon Philadelphia. No commendation of this kind is mentioned for any other city.

B. Thou hast a little strength
 This church possessed very little political authority or influence in the region; yet, Jesus said: "thou hast kept my word- meaning this church both taught and  kept the "true doctrine", never giving in to the many false teachings in the region; and hast not denied my name", by taking shelter and turning  the doctrines steeped in "paganism" when Christianity was fiercely persecuted and their very lives were on the line. 

This church fought the good fight They stayed on the correct course and kept the faith. they didn't fall away from the true faith in Christ. They stood and withstood every trial, temptations and persecutions launched at them by the haters and naysayers. they continued to run the Christian race and looked to Jesus as their author and finisher of their faith. The little strength may refer either to the smallness of the numbers, or to the littleness of their grace. 

        Historically, when Christians were brought before pagan magistrates during  times of persecution, they were required to renounce the name of Christ, and to disown him in a public manner. It is possible that, amidst the persecutions that raged in the early times, the members of the church at Philadelphia surely were summoned to  trials like these, but they had stood the trial firmly. It would seem from the following verse, that the efforts which had been made to induce them to renounce the name of Christ had been made by those who professed to be Jews, though they evinced the spirit of Satan. If so, then the attempt was probably to convince them that Jesus was not the Christ. This attempt would be made in all places where there were Jews.

Christ "3 Promises" to Philadelphia:

Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie.....

1. Behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee.

The first promise to Philadelphia is  "the synagogue of Satan" would not prevail against the faithful in her; and. this churchwhould even win over some of "the synagogue of Satan" to fall on their faces and confess God is in her of a truth. The Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 14:24-25:

"But if an unbeliever or someone who does not understand comes in while everybody is prophesying, he will be convinced by all that he is a sinner and will be judged by all,  and the secrets of his heart will be laid bare. So he will fall down and worship God, exclaiming, "God is really among you!" 
   
         This shows how Christ set before the Church of  Philadelphia an "open door" - some of her greatest adversaries, the Jews, being brought to the obedience of faith. Their worshipping before her feet expresses the converts' willingness to take the lowest place in the Church, paying homage to Christ and honor to those whom once they persecuted, rather than dwell with the ungodly.

Second, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience,
2. 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".

Patience. 'The word of my persevering endurance' is my Gospel word, which teaches it in expectation of my coming (Revelation 1:9). My endurance is the endurance which I require and I practice. Since Christ as our Great High Priest and intercessor now endures, patiently waiting until the usurper be cast out, and all "His enemies be made His footstool." in like manner, His "Philadelphian Church," for the joy before her of sharing His coming kingdom, endures patiently. 

Christ's final message to the Church: According to Barnes Commentary
 
"Behold, I come quickly" : Hold on to the profession of your faith and stand having done all to stand. Keep on the whole armor of God that you will be able to stand
[That no man take thy crown] The crown of life appointed for all who are true believers. The truth which is taught here is, the crown of life will not be taken because of  negligence or unfaithfulness  in duty; that is, we may be deprived of the glory which we might have obtained if we had been faithful to our God and Saviour. We need to be on our constant guard, that, in a world of temptation,where the enemies of truth abound, we may not be robbed of the crown that we might have worn forever.

"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".

I Will make a pillar in the temple of my God
God honors and rewards faithfulness.Christ's promised that the reward this church would receive is "honor". Every member who was victorious in the end would be honored as if he were a pillar or column in the temple of God. Such a pillar or column was partly for ornament, and partly for support; and the idea here is, that in that temple he would contribute to its beauty and the justness of its proportions, and they would see the same time be honored as if he were a pillar which was necessary for the support of the temple. It is not uncommon in the New Testament to represent the church as a temple, and Christians as parts of it.
And he shall go no more out because...

1.  He shall be permanent as a part of that spiritual temple. 
        The main truth here is, that if we reach heaven, our happiness will be secure forever. We shall have the most absolute certainty that the welfare of the soul will no more be perilled; that we shall never be in danger of falling into temptation; that no artful foe shall ever have power to alienate our affections from God; that we shall never die.
Note: Though we may change our place, and may roam from world to world until we shall have surveyed all the wonders of creation, yet we shall never "go out of the temple of God." (John 14:2) doubts at an end. 

        As soon as we cross the threshold we shall be greeted with the assurance, "he shall go no more out forever." That is to be our eternal abode, and whatever of joy, or felicity, or glory, that bright world can furnish, is to be ours. What a joyous  moment when all the saints of God, emerges from a torrid world of danger and of doubt, to be at eternal rest.  Our  souls shall settle down into the calmness and peace of that state where there is the assurance of God himself that that world of bliss is to be its eternal abode! The honor thus conferred on him "who should overcome" would be as great as if the name of that God whom he served, and whose favor and friendship he enjoyed, were inscribed on him in some conspicuous manner. The meaning is, that he would be known and recognized as belonging to God; the God of the Redeemer himself-indicated by the phrase, "the name of my God."

The New Jerusalem is the city of his habitation. The idea is: that in this world, and in. all worlds wherever he goes and wherever he abides, he will be recognized as belonging to that holy city; as enjoying the rights and immunities of such a citizen..Jerusalem was the place where the temple was reared, and where the worship of God was celebrated. According to the scholars, it came to be synonymous with the church,the dwelling-place of God on earth which cometh down out of heaven from my God. The idea is plain. It is:

(1) that the church is, in accordance with settled Scripture language, represented as a city-the abode of God on earth.

(2) That is, instead of being built here, or having an earthly origin, it has its origin in heaven.

It is as if it had been constructed there, and then sent down to earth ready formed. The type, the form, the whole structure is heavenly. A city will be literally reared for the residence of the saints.  It is, that a great and splendid city, such as that described in Revelation 21, will literally come down from heavens.

Finally
And I will write upon him my new name 
Conclusion:
The reward, therefore, promised here is, that he who, by persevering fidelity, showed that he was a real friend of the Saviour, would be honored with a permanent abode in the holy city of his habitation, In the church redeemed and triumphant he would have a perpetual dwelling; and wherever he should be, there would be given him sure pledges that he belonged to him, and was recognized as a citizen of the heavenly world. To no higher honor could any man aspire; and yet that is an honor to which the most humble and lowly may attain by faith in the Son of God.

Revelation 3:1-7

"And to the angel of the church in Sardis write,

'These things says He who has the seven Spirits of God and the seven stars: "I know your works, that you have a name that you are alive, but you are dead.  Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God. Remember therefore how you have received and heard; hold fast and repent. Therefore if you will not watch, I will come upon you as a thief, and you will not know what hour I will come upon you. You* have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."'

Introduction:
    The Church of Sardis was the "antiphasis" of  the meaning of the name of the City where this church resided.. Sardis meant : Prince of Joy. 

    "Sardis" was the capital of the kingdom of Lydia during the life of the Apostle John. It stood on the northern slope of Mt. Tmolus; its acropolis occupied one of the spurs of the mountain. At the base flowed the river Pactolus which served as a moat, rendering the city practically impregnable. In ancient times Sardis was well fortified and easily defended. It became the capital of the ancient Lydian empire, then passed successively to the Persians, the Greeks, and the Romans during their respective dominance of the ancient world.

    During its days as a Roman city, Sardis became an important Christian center. However, the church at Sardis was evidently affected by the complacency of the city and its reliance on past glory: For this reason this church recieved this rebuke from Christ: "You have a name that you are alive, but you are dead" (Revelation 3:1). Sardis, the dead church,  had the personality of the Pharisees in Jesus days here on earth. On one occasion, Jesus said the  Pharisees' were  like "whitewashed tombs" which...appear beautiful outwardly, but on the  inside were "full of dead men's bones" (Matthew 23:27). Its thriving, healthy appearance throughout the metropolis actually masked an inner spiritual decay.

How Jesus Addressed this Church:
"he that hath the seven Spirits of God -- that is, He who hath all the fulness of the Spirit" (Revelation. 1:4 ; 4:5;. 5:6,) with which compare (Zechariah 3:9; 4:10), proving His Godhead). This attribute implies His infinite power by the Spirit to convict of sin and of a hollow profession.

 In Zechariah 4:10, the prophet Zechariah presents to us "the "eyes" of God. He said: "The eyes of the Lord run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show Himself strong in behalf of those whose heart is perfect toward Him."  This not only reveals this assurance that God's watchful providence is over the whole earth, but God is always look for those who hearts are "perfect" toward HIM!   This means our relationship with God must be more than just a "verbal profession", because just like the Church of Laodecea, there is a "big difference" between how God sees a church and how we profess to be as his church.

His having "the seven stars", or presiding ministers, flows, as a consequence, from His having the seven Spirits, or the fulness of the Holy Spirit. The human ministry is the fruit of Christ's sending down the gifts of the Spirit. Stars imply "brilliancy and glory"; the fulness of the Spirit, and the fulness of brilliant light in Him, form a designed contrast to the formality which He reproves.

The Church Exposed:
    The Church of Sardis was a "formalistic" church. She had a "name," that is, a "reputation". Sardis was famed among the churches for "spiritual vitality"; yet God, our divine "Heart-searcher", who "seeth not as man seeth", pronounces her "spiritually" dead.     The church had become accustomed to a formal or rituialistic form of worship. The worship services were full of form and fashion. The church was best described as "having a form of worship, but denying the power of God" in their worship services.  This church became ripe for reformation.

Sardis represented the time in history when the church was going through a barrage of false teachings, tyranny and other claims of the Papal church. The church' time period historically  extended from 1520 AD. to about 1750 AD. covering a time period of 230 years. 

    It was during the latter 15th century that the Papal church faced the oppositions of a series of "Reformers" who finally openly protested against the papalcy concerning  the many false teachings (the teaching of indulgences for one) that literally was choking the enthusiam out of the  church. One of the most prominent reformers of that time perios was Martin Luther who wrote his 95 thesis and literally nailing them on the door of the Catholic church, in Whittenberg, Germany fiercly criticizng the Papacy and its doctrinal teachings. The reformers like Luther sought to move the church toward religious reform ,however in became more of a struggle for political liberty.

Christ's Instructions to the Church:
Revelation 3:2-3
1. "Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die, for I have not found your works perfect before God.* 
    
    By the labors of the apostles, and by the Holy Spirit; or to the ardor and love with which they embraced it; or to the greatness of the favors and privileges conferred on them; or to their own understanding of what the gospel required, when they were converted. There was something marked and unusual in the way in which they had been led to embrace the gospel, and that it was highly proper in these circumstances to look back to the days when they gave themselves to Christ. 

Note:  It is wise for Christians to look back in history and remember the "day of their conversion" as well as their views and feelings when they gave their hearts to the Lord, and compare those views with their present condition, especially if their conversion was marked by anything unusual.

2, And hold fast
(1) Hold fast the truths which thou didst then receive;
(2) hold fast what remains of true religion among you.
3 And repent That is, Repent in regard to all that in which you have departed from your views and feelings when you embraced the gospel.

What Sardis is to "remember" is, not how joyfully she had received originally the Gospel message, but how the precious deposit was committed to her originally, so that she could not say, she had not "received and heard" it.

Christ's Final Words to this Church
 A. Watch because....
[If therefore thou shalt not watch] It was always a possibility that they would not regard or take the warning seriously; It was also possible that that they would presume that they would be safe if they refused to give heed to it, or, that by mere inattention and indifference they might suffer the warning to pass by unheeded. Similar results have been so common in the world as to make such a supposition not improbable, and to make proper, in other cases as well as that, the solemn threatening that he would come suddenly upon them.

B. "I will come on thee as a thief", that is in a sudden and unexpected manner.  And ye shall not know what hour I will come upon thee You shall not know beforehand; you shall have no warning of my immediate approach. This is often the way in which God comes to people in his heavy judgments. Long beforehand, he admonishes and warns us us, indeed, of what must be the consequences of a course of sin, and warns us to turn from it; (2 Chronicles 7:14), but when sinners defiantly refuse to take heed to and obeys HIS stern warning, choosing still to walk in the way of evil, God will come suddenly, and cut them down swiftly!

Note: Every man who is warned of the "active" evil of his course in life, and who refuses to or neglects to repent, has every reason to believe (whether they coose to believe it or not) that God will come suddenly in his wrath, and call them out and makes them give an account of all of their wrongdoing, Prov 29:1.

Christ" Message" to the "Undefiled Church Members
"You* have a few names even in Sardis who have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with Me in white, for they are worthy. He who overcomes shall be clothed in white garments, and I will not blot out his name from the Book of Life; but I will confess his name before My Father and before His angels. "He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches."' 

These persons names are written in the book of life and they are  known by the Lord as His own. They had the privlege  of being called living saints . The  Lord does not overlook "real saints" that live and worship in the midst of unreal professing saints. They had not defiled their garments -- that is,, "the garments of their Christian profession," sealed in water baptism  whereas the candidates for baptism used in the ancient Church are to be arrayed in white. This means they will be a part of the spotlessness of the Church when she shall be presented to Christ; Sardis is not to take her Christian profession lightly and defile herself in the flesh or spirit, but to "keep her garments." because "no defilement shall enter the heavenly city.

Note: It's not that any keep themselves here wholly free from defilement; but, as compared with hollow professors, the godly keep themselves unspotted from the world; and when they do contract it, they wash it away, so as to have their "robes white in the blood of the Lamb" they shall walk with me in white -- The promised reward accords with the character of those to be rewarded: keeping their garments undefiled and white through the blood of the Lamb now, they shall walk with Him in while hereafter.

"Walk" implies spiritual life, for only the living walk; also liberty, for it is only the free who walk at large. "The grace and dignity of flowing long garments is seen to best advantage when the person "walks": so the graces of the saint's manifested character shall appear fully when he shall serve the Lord perfectly hereafter" (Revelation. 22:3).

Conclusion:
No  man or woman can presume (play dumb);  who has been warned of his guilt and danger can feel that he is for one moment safe. Contrary to whatever Satan will tell any sinner  who practices witchcraft, orcery, divination or any sin of the like through the act of disobedience,  forbidden by God and written as a warning in Scripture, God will swiftly bring all of your works into account.

No one can have any basis of calculation that he will be spared; no one can flatter himself with any probable anticipation that he will have time to repent when God comes to take him away. Benevolence has done its appropriate work in warning him-how can the Great Judge of all be to blame, if he comes then, and suddenly cuts the sinner off?

2 Kings 6:14-18
Therefore he sent horses and chariots and a great army there, and they came by night and surrounded the city. And when the servant of the man of God arose early and went out, there was an army, surrounding the city with horses and chariots. And his servant said to him, "Alas, my master! What shall we do?" So he answered, "Do not fear, for those who are with us are more than those who are with them."  And Elisha prayed, and said, "Lord , I pray, open his eyes that he may see." Then the Lord opened the eyes of the young man, and he saw. And behold, the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. So when the Syrians came down to him, Elisha prayed to the Lord , and said, "Strike this people, I pray, with blindness." And He struck them with blindness according to the word of Elisha.
Introduction:
Benhadad, the king of Syria discovers that his most secret invasion plans to invade and conquer Israel are somehow divulged to his enemy in some mysterious way. Syria and Israel in the text have been locking horns in a waged war against each other and this passage of scripture picks up a conversation where the king is in his bed-chamber conducting a secret war strategy and in a counsel with his trusted servants.

In chapter 6, we hear the king said to his servants: “in such and such place, I will place my command post, because it’s determined that such a place is the best place to make inroads in Israel, and it serves as the best place to spring   our greatest surprise ambush and they would be least able to offer resistance,
But notice… while this strategy session is going on with the king, Elisha, the man of God blows up the king’s plan and sends a message to the king of Israel warning him not to take his army to the place where Benhadad plans to camp. You can hear Elisha saying to the king of Israel: "He setting up an ambush to trap you!  Don’t get caught in the trap. The king of Israel responded and heeded the advice of the man of God and saved himself not once but twice!
With his plans crushed once again, the king of Syria became angry. He coundn't understand why every time he dashed across the border to invade and set up an ambush in an undefended place that Israel had beat him top the spot and had enough troops to beat back the ambush. Look at him!  He’s troubled and so confused to such an extent, that he makes the scathing accusation that there is treachery in his army ranks and he believes that someone in his army has breached national security and is leaking military secrets to the enemy.

The king said: I got a question….. which one of us is for the king of Israel? One of his trusted servants said to the king ;  Nobody your majesty. The problem is not with our army, the problem is Elisha, that prophet in Israel tells the King Of Israel the very words you spoke in your bedchamber ……

Notice the significance of what the servant said…that prophet, that preacher told the king everything, What the king didn’t know was  God was protecting and defending  Israel and he use the prophet who stood as God’s liaison had the ear of the king every time there was danger either near or in the camp… and every time the king took heed to what the man of God said both the king and the nation was spared… this lets us know 2 important things about the kind of relationship God want to have with his servants and with his people:

First, God is a fierce protector of everybody who he says are his. Now, this does not mean that we will not go through test, trials, persecutions and tribulation, …but it does mean that even in the midst of all this, ….we still can be of good cheer because Jesus said “I have overcome the world”. It means… that God has an all seeing eye… so much so that he keeps us all from dangers we see… and all of the dangers that we don’t see….It means that we are more than conquerors through HIM (Jesus Christ) who loves each and every one of us…

God loved Israel. They were his formed and chosen people. All throughout their history, He sent prophets, judges, seers, signs and miracles to let them know that He was their God and they were his people… Here, in this text…he uses a prophet and a diplomat in Elisha… to keep them several steps ahead of the whim of their enemy… And what he did for the children of Israel back then… he will do the same for us now! And the key here to their protection is first… he had the attention of the prophet and second… he had the ear of the king.

Can I park here for a moment? When the preacher preaches the word of God the right way… and the people of God take heed to that preached word….signs and wonders…miracles and deliverance can happen in a moment and a twinkling of an eye to everyone that will believe……When God is the joy and the strength of your life…He will move all pain, misery and strife…. He promised to keep you…..never to leave you and he has never, never come short of His Word….When God has the undivided attention of any of his servants;  Whenever that servant fasts and pray …and stays in the narrow way…I tell you… God will give you insight that goes way beyond your eyesight. …God will put substance  in your hope to match your faith…and give evidence of things you can see because you hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness..…

According to your faith…God will show you the unseen evidence that can’t be seen by the naked eye…God will let you see what even you enemies attempting to do and hear what the enemy said about you. God will warn you ahead of time when the enemy is lurking around you poising himself to launch a sneak attack against you….God is omnipotent and never changing…. God is not limited or blocked from secret rendezvous or meetings. God is omniscient…He hears what you say and knows what you think….He is omnipresent. He’s everywhere at the same time that means Ain’t no mountain high enough,, ,ain’t no valley low enough…Ain’t no river wise enough or any underground cave deep or dark enough to keep God from you…. And then…..

Second, God wants you to know that our enemies are HIS enemies. Whenever an enemy, demonic or domestic fight against you, attacks you, slanders you, injures you, or say all manner of evil against you. Whatever they do to you, they also do it to God …Jesus said: whatever you do to the least of these my brethren, you also do it unto me. Since we must see life from God’s eyes, let me say this too: despite all this… God, even now in HIS grace is  showing mercy and loving restraint not just toward us, but toward our enemy too ….He lets it rain on the just as well as the unjust…

A WARNING to ALL of the ENEMIES OF GOD AND THE SAINTS:
GRACE is not forever… It’s for a limited time only….God is longsuffering…but God does have a cut-off date for evil too….Look around at all the evil things that are going on and go back to what Jesus said would be going on in the end times ….Jesus said thing would get worse and worse…iniquity will abound….people would turn  and practice root working and witchcraft…thinking that this would give them control over their destiny and over other people…I telling you that YOUR cut-off date is right around the corner…

Let me tell you something else!
When it comes to many grotest  and blasphemous things demonic people say about you …and about HIM… It’s a good thing God got a “thick skin” …but notice….no matter what they say… it doesn’t change who he is… because in the end…. He’s is still God… and you want to know something else…nothing they say… changes what he’s going to do will do to them in response to what they say as well as what they do…if they refuse to humble themselves, pray, seek his face…and turn from their wicked ways….
And for those of us who’s skin has gotten a little thin…because of the fierce persecutions that come your way …I come by to tell you today this war that we are in ..is Spiritual, Psychological and Physical war…Beloved, think it not strange whwn fiery trials come to try you as if some strange thing has happened to you…

In this warfare of life, a whole lot negative and grotest will be said constantly about you directly and indirectly by the Devil. The devil will unload his arsenal of gross and vile slanderous saying in a machine-gun like fashion in an blatant effort to mess you up so bad in the head that if you don’t ask God to quicken your spirit and thicken your skin, you will knuckle under the pressure and become suicidal because the devil got you convinced that your life ain’t worth the living  and make you think that you are better off dead than alive. That’s a lie from the pit of hell…

Because God lives, you can face tomorrow…Because Jesus lives..all of your sorrows can be gone Because he lives you really knows who holds your future … and this life is worth the living just because he lives…

God knows all about our enemies. He knows how they think. He knows what they say behind our backs. He knows every evil plan they have for us. He watches them  they as they move under the cloak of darkness in the booth, in the back, down the alley… down-lowing and low-lowing,

The Bible said some of them lay in wait, at night.. always; slipping. sliding, peeping and hiding , plotting and planning, scamming and flim-flaming;  always looking for any opportunity to do the devil’s bidding to ambush us and catch us unawares, stealing, killing, drive- by shooting, dope peddling, car-jacking, breaking and entering, prostituting, and numbers running..Yes God know about all of our enemies….But God will make all of your enemies your footstool…God will, if you let him cut off your enemies…and sometimes, if your enemies let him…God will convert your enemies….

Well, the king of Syria, learning that Elisha the prophet told the king of Israel of his plans, sent a detachment of spies to find him so he could take him….the spies left the king and found out that Elisha was living in Dothan, a place that was about 15 miles from Samaria. The bible said the king of Syria sent a great host and they were under orders to bring him back to Syria dead or alive. 

Question:    Why did this king go to such great length to send 50,000 armed men after one man of God?

One Possibility....
Evidently for some reason, they thought Elisha would be in hiding .. but when you check the record of how Elisha operated. They would soon discover that Elisha was not hard to find…What do you mean preacher…Well….If the king had asked Naaman about Elisha …Naaman would have told him : King, there’s no need to send a whole lot of men because Elisha doesn’t live in any strong-hold, nor does he have any bodyguards with any guards, nor had any such great interest in the people that he needed to fear dealing with drama from a crowd.

Another Possibility...
Maybe he heard when Elijah was still alive, Syria sent 1 captain and 50 men to arrest the man of God but when they got there …fire came down from heaven and consumed the 50 men, so this king  decided to send 50,000 men after Elisha and Just that quick he wasn’t thinking because if Elisha could tell the king of Israel about  war plans that were hatched from a bed room meeting what makes him think that Elisha would not know that they were coming after him…

The Theory of why a Nation was conquered
Whenever a kingdom was captured and defeated, it was said in theory…the reason it happened was… the  god of the captors was stronger than the god of the captive…That theory applied to every nation but the nation of Israel…. Whenever Israel was held captive ….it happened because of their disobedience and God… chose the nation that put Israel in captivity…but whenever Israel fought a war in obedience… they were victorious every time… over all of her enemies… that’s because…it was God …that gave them the victory…  and

One other thing… that the king forgot… the warning …that came from Yahweh …. not to  his anointed…  IT WAS DANGEROUS FOR ANYBODY TO HARM A PROPHET OF GOD 
I must sound a warning to everybody who fights against God…against his preachers…his servants that fight against God, his people, his prophet…his program…you don’t… know  what you do…..

IN CLOSING:
The Syrian army came by night… and surrounded Dothan, where Elisha lived…  Elisha had a young servant …who was an early riser… The bible said…he happened… to be wide awake… when the army came…The bible said… the servant went outside… and when he got outside ….he look around… and he saw…that the whole city …was surrounded …by Syrian horses and chariots…when he saw this he ran straight to Elisha and I heard him say Elisha the whole city is surrounded….what are we going to do?

ELISHA'S RESPONSE:
I heard Elisha say…Don’t be afraid ….for they that are with us are more than they that be with them….Ands at that moment Elisha looked up toward heaven and then he prayed: Lord…I pray to you… that you open his eyes that he may see….the bible said that God opened the young man’s eyes and when he looked up at the mountain he saw another army behind the Syrian army…He saw horses and chariots of fire….ain’t  God alright…This is why …we must see life from God’s eyes….Maybe this is why King David said: I will lift my eyes to the hills from whence cometh my help my help…my help…my help comes from the Lord

 CONCLUSION:

If God be for you….who can really be against you…In order to see your life from God’s eye, you got to open you life to God and let God show you what really is going on….

Revelation 2:18-29
"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write:These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze.  I know your deeds, your love and faith, your service and perseverance, and that you are now doing more than you did at first. Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols.  I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds.  Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan's so-called deep secrets (I will not impose any other burden on you): Only hold on to what you have until I come. To him who overcomes and does my will to the end, I will give authority over the nations— 'He will rule them with an iron scepter; he will dash them to pieces like pottery'just as I have received authority from my Father.  I will also give him the morning star. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.   (NIV)

THYATIRA
was a city on the Lycus, founded by Seleucus Nicator, lay to the left of the road from Pergamos to Sardis, 27 miles from the latter city, and on the very confines of Mysia and Ionia, so as to be sometimes reckoned within the one and sometimes within the other. Dyeing apparently formed an important part of the industrial activity of Thyatira, as it did of that of Colossae and Laodicea. It is first mentioned in connection with Lydia, "a seller of purple." Acts 16:14. 
        One of the Seven Churches of Asia was established here. Rev 2:18-29. The principal deity of the city was Apollo; but there was another superstition, of an extremely curious nature which seems to have been brought thither by some of the corrupted Jews of the dispersed tribes. A fane stood outside the walls, dedicated to Sambatha — the name of the sibyl who is sometimes called Chaldean, sometimes Jewish, sometimes Persian — in the midst of an enclosure designated "the Chaldaeans' court." This seems to lend an illustration to the obscure passage in Rev 2:20,21, which some interpret of the wife of the bishop. Now there is evidence to show that in Thyatira there was a great amalgamation of races. If the sibyl Sambatha was in reality a Jewess, lending her aid to the amalgamation of different religions, and not discountenanced by the authorities of the Judeo-Christian Church at Thyatira, both the censure and its qualification become easy of explanation.
Christ Commendations to this Church

Christ commends Thyatira's works, charity, service, faith, and patience. Thyatira's "last works were more than the first," realizing 1 Thessalonians 4:1, told them in instead of retrograding from "first love and first works" as Ephesus (Rev 2:4-5); the converse of Matt 12:45; 2 Peter 2:20. The Aposltle Paul relayed God's message to them in the 4th Chapter as he wrote the closing part of his Epistle to them: "Finally, brothers, we instructed you how to live in order to please God, as in fact you are living. Now we ask you and urge you in the Lord Jesus to do this more and more.  For you know what instructions we gave you by the authority of the Lord Jesus. It is God's will that you should be sanctified: that you should avoid sexual immorality; that each of you should learn to control his own body in a way that is holy and honorable,  not in passionate lust like the heathen, who do not know God; and that in this matter no one should wrong his brother or take advantage of him. The Lord will punish men for all such sins, as we have already told you and warned you. For God did not call us to be impure, but to live a holy life. Therefore, he who rejects this instruction does not reject man but God, who gives you his Holy Spirit". 
They not only retained what they had received at first, but grew in grace, and in the knowledge and love of Jesus Christ. This is a rare thing in most Christian churches: they generally lose the power of religion, and rest in the forms of worship; and it requires a powerful revival to bring them to such a state that their last works shall be more than their first.

Christ's Indictment against Thyatira
Revelation 2:20
"Notwithstanding I have a few things against thee, because thou sufferest that woman Jezebel, which calleth herself a prophetess, to teach and to seduce my servants to commit fornication, and to eat things sacrificed unto idols".
    We do not know who this Jezebel was, yet from the allusion we may take it for granted she was a woman of power and influence in Thyatira, who corrupted the true religion, and harassed the followers of God in that city, as the "other Jezebel" did in Israel.
    The intimation here is that this Jezebel may have been the "wife" of the Bishop of the church, and he acted criminally in God's eyes because he was failing as the pastor of the church by allowing her to teach and seduce God's servants. She called herself a "prophetess", a "teacher"; and her crime was she taught the Christians that "fornication, and eating things offered to idols, were matters of indifference", and thus they were seduced from the truth. But it is probable that by "fornication" here is meant "idolatry" which most often is its meaning accorsing to the Scriptures. Could it be that it is too gross to suppose that the wife of the Bishop of this church could literally teach fornication withion the ranks? apparently this is the indictment handed down to theis church by God. The messenger ("angel") or "Bishop" of this church, , tolerated this: He had the authority (power) to have cast her and the guilty people out of the church, or, as his wife, he could nhave and should have restrained her; but he did not do it,  thus she had ample opportunity to seduce the faithful. .
The "presiding angel" (pastor) should have exercised his authority over the prophetess or prophets so-called, who seduced many into the libertinism of the BALAAMITES and NICOLAITANS  of Thyatira's more powerful neighbour Pergamos (Rev 2:6,14,16). The Lord encourages the faithful section at Thyatira. "Unto you  the rest in Thyatira I say,"I will put upon you none other burden (save abstinence from and protestation against these abominations": this the seducers regarded as an intolerable burden, see Matt 11:30); but that which ye have hold fast until I come." A shrine outside Thyatira walls was sacred to the sibyl Sambatha, a Jewess or Chaldaean, in an enclosure called "the Chaldaean court."

Christ tells The Apostle John:

"I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling.  So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways.  just as I have received authority from my Father.  I will also give him the morning star.  He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches". 
That is, God will  destroy her offspring and memory, ruin her idolatry and fornication.. Jezebel's two sons, being both kings were both slain; and after that, all the seventy sons of Ahab; (2 Kings 10:1;) in all which the hand of God was very visible. In the same manner God predicts the destruction of the heretics and heresies referred to; see verse 16.
 
It should seem by the expression," I am he which searcheth the reins and the hearts", that any heretics that lurked around would have sowed their false doctrines secretly. But notice here that our Saviour tells them that it was in vain, because he had power to bring their deeds to light, and possessed "divine power" to search into the wills and affections of all men; and hereby he would show both them and us that he is, according to his title, "The Son of God"; and has the ability to view and expose their wicked actions.actions like a "consuming fire", searching into everything, and burnning up the chaff that  cannot stand his "fiery trying"; so  such an extent that the "depths of Satan",  shall not avail nothing to anyone who think by their secret craft can undermine the Christian religion; Christ will not only bring all wicked schemes to light. but he will also bring confusion and baffle all their evil intentions. (Revelation 17:9). 

Final Commendation:
Revelation 2:23
"I will put upon you none other burden upon those who have not known or learned "Satan's dark secrets".
This commendation was given to those members who remained sound in true Christian doctrine. and constituted  the "sound" part of the church. There was no need   for Christ to give them any new "exhortation" or charges.  they didn't require no new advice but simply to continue to persevere . (Romans 15:14-15).

The expression of "burden" is taken from the history of Ahab,( 2 Kings 9:25): The Lord laid the same burden on him. "Burden" a word often used by the prophets to signify a prophecy that threatened heavy and severe things to be suffered. (Isaiah 13:1, and Num 4:19).
It is worthy to remark that the "Gnostics" called their doctrine "the depths of God", and the "depths of Bythos", intimating that they contained the most profound secrets of divine wisdom. Christ here calls them the "depths of Satan", being master pieces of his subtlety. Perhaps they thought them to be of God, while all the time they were deceived by the Devil. 

He shall rule them with a rod of iron] He shall restrain vice by the strictest administration of justice; and those who finally despise the word and rebel shall be broken and destroyed, so as never more to be able to make head against the truth. This seems to refer to the pagan world; and perhaps Constantine the Great may be intended, who, when he overcame Licinius, became the instrument in God's hand of destroying idolatry over the whole Roman empire; and it was so effectually broken as to be ever after like the fragments of an earthen vessel, of no use in themselves, and incapable of being ever united to any good purpose.

[And I will give him the morning star.] He shall have the brightest and most glorious empire, next to that of Christ himself. And it is certain that the Roman empire under Constantine the Great was the brightest emblem of the latter day glory which has ever yet been exhibited to the world. It is well known that sun, moon, and stars are emblems, in prophetic language, of empires, kingdoms, and states. And as the morning star is that which immediately precedes the rising of the sun, it probably here intends an empire which should usher in the universal sway of the kingdom of Christ.

[He that hath an ear] Let every Christian pay the strictest regard to these predictions of Christ; and let them have a suitable influence on his heart and life.