Jesus is Holy and True – Revelation 3:7-13

Revelation 3:7: “And to the messenger 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.”

The name Philadelphia means brotherly love. Jesus had nothing to say against Philadelphia. In fact, He promised to make those who were of Satan to bow down at their feet and acknowledge that He loved them.

Have you ever met someone who hates Christians? Once, after I meekly mentioned the Name of Jesus to a man, he began to rant and rave about all the atrocities “Christians” had committed. I listened to him until he was done speaking. Then, the Holy Spirit led me to say, “I don’t know about all those people you spoke of, but I know Jesus has me in your country helping orphans, loving and serving your people. Jesus has not led me to intentionally hurt anyone.” After that, he parted ways with me and said no more. When a man threw his worse self at me, the Holy Spirit led me to express brotherly love. Love is stronger than hatred. Light overcomes darkness.

In Revelation 3:7, Jesus refers to Himself as holy and true. In John 14:6, Jesus told His disciples that He is the truth. In Revelation 6:10, heavenly martyrs address Jesus as “Lord, holy and true.”

In 1 John 5:20, John wrote, “We know that the Son of God has come and has given us an understanding, that we may know Him who is true; and we are in Him who is true, in His Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God and eternal life.” When we listen to Jesus, we listen to the holy One who only speaks truth.

The devil, on the other hand, is a scammer. He scammed Adam and Eve out of paradise. In Genesis 3:3-4, Eve spoke the truth when she told the serpent, “We may eat the fruit of the trees of the garden, but of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat it, nor shall you touch it, lest you die.’” The devil lied when he said, “You will not surely die.” Sadly, both Adam and Eve listened to the devil and lost their purity and happiness.

In John 10:10, in reference to the devil, Jesus said, “The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly.”

In 2 Corinthians 11:14, Paul warned us that “Satan himself transforms himself into an angel of light.” We must beware of imposters.

In John 5:43, Jesus said, “I have come in My Father’s Name, and you do not receive Me. If another comes in his own name, him you will receive.” In Matthew 24:5, Jesus said, “Many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many.”

In 1 Kings 13:11-32, a young prophet who spoke God’s truth to a king in one moment, was deceived by an old prophet in the next. The old prophet said to him, “I too am a prophet as you are, and an angel spoke to me by the Word of the Lord, saying, ‘Bring him back with you to your house, that he may eat bread and drink water.’ (He was lying to him.)” The young prophet listened to the old prophet and ended up being killed by a lion.

In Luke 8:15, Jesus that the seed (His Word) that “fell on the good ground are those who, having heard the Word with a noble and good heart, keep it and bear fruit with patience.” Jesus taught us to be deeply rooted not shallow in God’s Word.

In Revelation 3:7, Jesus has the key of David. This is a reference to Isaiah 22:22, where Yahweh said to His prophet about Messiah, “The key of the house of David, I will lay on his shoulder. So He shall open, and no one shall shut, and He shall shut, and no one shall open.”

In Matthew 16:19, Jesus told His disciples, “I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.”

In Matthew 12:29, Jesus speaks of binding a strong man and plundering his goods in connection with setting people free from demonic bondages. In Matthew 8:16, Jesus casted “out the spirits with a word” that is evil spirits. In Matthew 10:1, Jesus “called His twelve disciples to Him, He gave them power over unclean spirits, to cast them out. In Matthew 10:8, He commanded them “to cast them out.” In Luke 10:17, Jesus had 70 disciples return to Him with joy, saying, “Lord, even the demons are subject to us in Your Name.” Acts 16:18 and 19:11-15 indicate that Paul casted demons out of people in the Name of Jesus.

The Name of Jesus is the Name above all names. In His Name doors open and shut.

But not just anyone should use Name of Jesus to cast out demons. In Acts 19:11-15, when the sons of Sceva attempted to use the Name of Jesus as an incantation to cast out a demon, “The evil spirit answered and said, ‘Jesus I know, and Paul I know; but who are you?’ Then the man in whom the evil spirit was leaped on them, overpowered them, and prevailed against them, so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded.” We must be anointed and led by the Spirit of Christ to overcome the works of the evil one.

Revelation 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.”

In Acts 14:27, Paul and Barnabas reported to their home base that the Lord had “opened a door of faith to the Gentiles.” This is the type of door that Jesus opens for those who love Him and love His Word... a door to lead people to faith in Him. Praise the Lord!

In 1 Corinthians 16:9, Paul wrote, “A great and effective door has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” Just because Jesus opens the door for us to serve Him, it does not mean that all will be smooth sailing for us. We will likely encounter opposition as we share His Word.

However, Jesus gave to us this promise in John 8:51, “Most assuredly, I say to you, if anyone keeps My word he shall never see death.” Even if our earthly body is killed, our soul will be with the Lord.

Revelation 3:9: “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.”

The Lord helped Job, Daniel, and Esther overcome plots against them as they abided in Him.

In Isaiah 43:4, the Lord says to us, “Since you were precious in My sight, you have been honored, and I have loved you, therefore I will give men for you, and people for your life.” Some people, like the synagogue of Satan in Philadelphia, will seek to sabotage our work and destroy our credibility, but the Lord is our defender. He turns around evil for our good and for His glory.

In Isaiah 49:23, the Lord says, “Kings shall be your foster fathers, and their queens your nursing mothers. They shall bow down to you with their faces to the earth, and lick up the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord, for they shall not be ashamed who wait for Me.”

In Psalm 86:9, David wrote, “All nations whom You have made shall come and worship before You, O Lord, and shall glorify Your Name.” What we really want is for nations to worship Jesus.

Revelation 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.”

Most Bible scholars see “the hour of trial” as the Great Tribulation. This “test” phrase is used nine times in the Book of Revelation. In 2 Peter 2:9, Peter wrote, “The Lord knows how to deliver the godly out of temptations and to reserve the unjust under punishment for the day of judgment.”

The test is a refining process to remove that which diminishes value so that only that which is of value remains. The people of Philadelphia had already been tested by those of the synagogue of Satan. After the test, all that remained in them was a desire to profess the Name of Jesus.

Revelation 3:11: “Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.”

Jesus also promises to come quickly in Revelation 22:7, 12, 20. In Revelation 22:7, He adds, “Blessed is he who keeps the words of the prophecy of this book.” In Revelation 22:12, He adds, “My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.”

Jesus said to “hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown.” In 1 Corinthians 9:25, Paul wrote, “Everyone who competes for the prize is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a perishable crown, but we for an imperishable crown.” In 2 Timothy 2:5, Paul wrote, “If anyone competes in athletics, he is not crowned unless he competes according to the rules.”

Paul knew that the Lord would crown him after he finished his race. In 2 Timothy 4:8, he wrote, “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

In 1 Thessalonians 2:19, Paul described our crowns. He wrote, “For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Is it not even you in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at His coming?” The souls that we influence into the Lord’s presence are the crowns which cause us to rejoice.

What did the twenty-four elders before the throne of God do with their crowns? They cast them down before Him who sits on the throne. Jesus Christ deserves all the glory!

Revelation 3:12: “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.’”

Pillars hold up rooftops. They strengthen a building. They don’t let things fall down upon us.

In Jeremiah 1:18-19, the Lord said to Jeremiah, “For behold, I have made you this day a fortified city and an iron pillar, and bronze walls against the whole land—against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests, and against the people of the land. They will fight against you, but they shall not prevail against you. For I am with you, says the Lord, to deliver you.”

Spiritually speaking, a pillar is someone who stands up for the Lord and His Word and does not compromise with compromisers of the Word.

In 1 Timothy 3:15, Paul said to Timothy, “I write so that you may know how you ought to conduct yourself in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth.” The Church stands for the truth in a world full of lies.

In Galatians 2:9, James, Cephas, and John were noted as pillars among the early Christians.

Jesus promises to write on such “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.” In Ezekiel 48:35, the name of the Lord’s city is “THE LORD IS THERE.” In Revelation 21:3, God and people dwell together in harmony. There is no greater identity or belonging than to be with God forever and for Him to want to be with you.

Revelation 7:15 speaks of people being before the throne of God. Revelation 14:1 speaks of believers having the Father’s Name written on their foreheads.

Revelation 3:13: “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

In Acts 13:1-2, certain prophets and teachers ministered to the Lord and fasted, and as they did, the Holy Spirit said, “Now separate to Me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Let us listen to what the Spirit is saying to us because He is telling us the way to go, and where He leads, He will anoint us to bring glory to God, which will bring joy to our hearts.