Apocalipse 3
Adam Clarke · Citado em PreceptAustin
Apocalipse 3
Clarke adds "“This is the worst of the seven Churches, and yet the most eminent of all the promises are made to it, showing that the worst may repent, finally conquer, and attain even to the highest state of glory.” John
Apocalipse 3
Clarke - Thou hast a name that thou livest: Ye have the reputation of Christians, and consequently of being alive to God, through the quickening influence of the Divine Spirit; but ye are dead — ye have not the life of God in your souls, ye have not walked consistently and steadily before God, and his Spirit has been grieved with you, and he has withdrawn much of his light and power. Physical life and activity do not necessarily imply the presence of spiritual life. Only persons and groups directed by God's Spirit can claim spiritual life. In some respects Sardis is the most difficult church to dissect because we don’t really know what was wrong there. -- Ray Pritchard Ray Pritchard - It is certainly notable what Jesus does not mention: The church does not seem to be suffering persecution. It does not seem to be seriously infected with false doctrine. We find no mention of the mysterious Nicolaitans. There is no hint of sexual immorality in the church. Nor is the church warned about losing its first love. In some respects Sardis is the most difficult church to dissect because we don’t really know what was wrong there. When Jesus speaks to the other churches, he spells out the problem so there can be no confusion. But here we are told simply that at Sardis things looked good on the outside but were dying on the inside. Strange as it may seem, there is something that can be much worse than false doctrine or sexual immorality or trouble in the church: A good reputation that is undeserved. It’s like saying, “We’re in the top 4% of all churches in our denomination.” What does that really mean? What if it means nothing at all? That’s a scary proposition. If you are dying, it would help to know about it. It’s better to know about cancer even though the treatment may be difficult than to live in blissful ignorance until it is too late to do anything about it.....Evidently the Jews and the Romans didn’t bother the church because the church didn’t bother them. It was left alone because it lacked the conviction to stir the waters and make any waves.....How does a situation develop where a church with a good reputation turns out to be spiritually dead? We can list a few indicators: (1) When the past becomes more important than the present. (2) When keeping a good reputation matters more than a bold witness for Christ. (3) When religious ritual becomes an end in itself. (4) When talking about Christ matters more than knowing Christ. (5) When convenience trumps sacrifice. (6) When appearance matters more than reality. (7) When tradition stifles every attempt at innovation. (8) When personal comfort outweighs risky faith. (9) When church activity substitutes for a growing walk with God. What strikes me is that these things are matters of the heart and are thus very hard to spot. A church that is dead will often seem quite alive. No church would advertise itself by saying, “Come worship with us. We ask nothing, demand nothing, dare nothing, and dream nothing.” How had this happened at Sardis? G. Campbell
Apocalipse 3
Clarke - “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. The kingdom of the Gospel, and the kingdom of heaven, are at the disposal of Christ.” Holy (40) hagios = set apart ones, separated ones, sanctified ones, holy ones) is literally a holy one and properly means different, set apart, distinct, holy. It describes one who is set apart for or by God and can be brought near or into God's holy presence. "Its fundamental idea is separation, consecration, devotion to the service of Deity, sharing in God's purity and abstaining from earth's defilement." (Zodhiates) So depending on the context hagios refers to whoever or whatever is set apart (sanctified) for a special purpose. Vine says hagios "is predicated of God (as the absolutely Holy One, in His purity, majesty and glory): of the Father, e.g., Luke 1:49+; John 17:11; 1+ 1Pet. 1:15, 16+; Rev. 4:8+; Revelation 6:10+; of the Son, e.g., Luke 1:35+; Acts 3:14+; Acts 4:27, 30+; 1 John 2:20+; of the Spirit, e.g., Matt. 1:18+ and frequently in all the Gospels, Acts, Romans, 1 and 2 Cor., Eph., 1 Thess.; also in 2 Tim. 1:14+; Tit. 3:5+; 1 Pet. 1:12+; 2 Pet. 1:21+; Jude 20. (b) It is used of men and things in so far as they are devoted to God. Indeed the quality, as attributed to God, is often presented in a way which involves Divine demands upon the conduct of believers. These are called hagioi, saints, i.e., ‘sanctified’ or ‘holy ones.’ This sainthood is not an attainment, it is a state into which God in grace calls men; yet believers are called to sanctify themselves (consistently with their calling, 2 Ti 1:9+), cleansing themselves from all defilement, forsaking sin, living a holy manner of life, 1 Pet. 1:15+; 2 Pet. 3:11+, and experiencing fellowship with God in His holiness. Revelation 20:6+ "Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years." Hagios in the Revelation - Rev. 3:7+; Rev. 4:8+; Rev. 5:8+; Rev. 6:10+; Rev. 8:3+; Rev. 8:4+; Rev. 11:2+; Rev. 11:18+; Rev. 13:7+; Rev. 13:10+; Rev. 14:10+; Rev. 14:12+; Rev. 16:6+; Rev. 17:6+; Rev. 18:20+; Rev. 18:24+; Rev. 19:8+; Rev. 20:6+; Rev. 20:9+; Rev. 21:2+; Rev. 21:10+; Rev. 22:11+; Rev. 22:19+ True (adjective) (228) alethinos from alethes = true, one who cannot lie) is an adjective which pertains to being in accordance with historical fact - genuine, real, true, valid, trustworthy (worthy of confidence, dependable). Alethinos describes that which has not only the name and resemblance, but the real nature corresponding to the name, in every respect corresponding to the idea signified by the name -- thus genuine not spurious, fictitious, counterfeit, imaginary, simulated or pretended. Alethinos (note most of NT uses are by John) - 26v - Lk. 16:11+; Jn. 1:9+; Jn. 4:23+; Jn. 4:37+; Jn. 6:32+; Jn. 7:28+; Jn. 8:16+; Jn. 15:1+; Jn. 17:3+; Jn. 19:35+; 1 Thess. 1:9+; Heb. 8:2+; Heb. 9:24+; Heb. 10:22+; 1 Jn. 2:8+; 1 Jn. 5:20+; Rev. 3:7+; Rev. 3:14+ = The Amen, the faithful and true Witness Rev. 6:10+ = O Lord, holy and true Rev. 15:3+ = Righteous and true are Your ways Rev. 16:7+ = O Lord God, the Almighty, true and righteous are Your judgments Rev. 19:2+ = HIS JUDGMENTS ARE TRUE AND RIGHTEOUS Rev. 19:9+ = “These are true words of God.” Rev. 19:11+ = He who sat on it is called Faithful and True Rev. 21:5+ = “Write, for these words are faithful and true.” Rev. 22:6+ = “These words are faithful and true” Key (2807)(kleis from kleio = to shut) (cp. Latin ‘clavis’=key) is anything used for locking and so refers to a key Figuratively kleis was used as a symbol of authority (Rev 1.18+) or as a symbol of entrance into knowledge, describing the means of acquiring knowledge (Lk 11.52+) BDAG - " ``the notion of Anoubis [Egyptian] as the custodian of the keys of Hades is a standard element in magical charms")." Kleis - 6x/6v - Matt. 16:19+; Lk. 11:52+; Rev. 1:18+; Rev. 3:7+; Rev. 9:1+; Rev. 20:1+ Septuagint - Jdg. 3:25+; 1 Chr. 9:27; Job 31:22; Gilbrant - Classical Greek - Kleis is a noun related to the verb kleiō (2781). It is the common word for “key” in Greek and occurs widely in Greek literature. It is often used for a bar, bolt, catch, or hook. It is also used of keys. It is sometimes used of literal keys, of which there were several kinds in antiquity, but it also occurs frequently as a symbol or metaphor for various kinds of power or authority to open or to close. Various figures in mythology are pictured as holding these keys (cf. Bauer). Septuagint Usage - Kleis is found five times in the Septuagint (Judges 3:25+; 1 Chronicles 9:27; Job 3:22 of the shoulder or shoulder blade [Hebrew shᵉkhem]; Isaiah 22:22; and Bel and the Dragon 12 [Hebrew maphtēach]) with the passages in Judges and 1 Chronicles referring to literal keys. We may take special note of two of these: 1 Chronicles 9:27 describes the use of keys in regard to those Levites who were charged with opening the temple each morning, a practice which may be reflected in the New Testament (Matthew 16:19+; Revelation 3:7,12+). Isaiah 22:22 appears to be a messianic prophecy describing how God will lay the key of the house of David upon the shoulder of Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, “So he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” This image of laying a key on the shoulder may reflect the fact that some keys for ancient buildings were quite large, or that a symbolic key of authority was sometimes carried on the shoulder of an official or authority figure during public ceremonies. New Testament Usage - In the New Testament kleis appears only six times (Matthew 16:19+; Luke 11:52+; Revelation 1:18+; Revelation 3:7+; Revelation 9:1+; and 20:1), and in each case it is symbolic. What these keys symbolize, especially in Matthew 16:19+, has been a subject of much debate (see Bromiley, “Power of the Keys,” International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, 3:11). Luke 11:52+ refers to the key of knowledge, suggesting the grace and power of God in freeing people from the Law and granting access to the truth ultimately found in Jesus Christ. The parallel in Matthew 23:13+ (without the use of “key”) refers specifically to the kingdom of heaven which the scribes and Pharisees did not enter and which they also denied to others by their legalism. Revelation 3:7+ speaks of the Lord as holding the key of David and thus possessing the authority or power to open or to shut without human opposition. This is a parallel to Isaiah 22:22 where the opening and shutting refer to the house of David. In Revelation 3:7-9+ the opening and shutting also appear to refer to the door that can be opened (3:8) to the heavenly temple or sanctuary of God, and to the new Jerusalem (3:12). The Lord is the one who controls access to spiritual or heavenly realities. In Revelation 1:18+; Revelation 9:1+; and 20:1 the keys are associated with the control of hell and death, and the bottomless pit or abyss. This suggests that just as the Lord controls access to the heavenly or eternal sanctuary, so too it is the Lord and His angels who control death and hell. Much attention has been given to Jesus’ words to Peter in Matthew 16:19+: “And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Several observations are necessary. It seems clear that the Church or the kingdom of heaven is a basic concern and that the role of the keys in binding or loosing is something that affects the Church. But are the keys given only to Peter since “thee” and “thou” are singular? While the Roman Catholic Church has generally insisted that Peter alone is to be understood, others have said that Peter represents all of those who are involved in opening the kingdom of heaven by evangelism (Matthew 28:19+f.). Jesus was addressing Peter only in this verse because only Peter had made the great confession. It should be remembered, however, that Jesus told all the disciples the same thing after the Resurrection (John 20:23+). “Handing over the keys implies appointment to full authority” (Jeremias, “kleis,” Kittel, 3:750). Ultimately it is the Lord who really provides access to the heavenly realm and sanctuary (in Revelation 3:7+). God’s house or church or temple is built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets with Jesus Christ being the Chief Cornerstone (Ephesians 2:19+). As the keys of Revelation 1:18+; Revelation 9:1+; and 20:1 are associated with the power or authority to control death and hell, so too here the Lord is really the one who will not allow the gates of hell to prevail against the Church. The keys may be symbolic of anything—evangelism, the Word of God, doctrine or teaching, prayer, faith, etc.—which provides access to the power of God which alone subdues or controls the forces of evil. At the same time such keys prevent hell from overwhelming the Church. The language of binding and loosing is well known in Jewish literature (see especially John Lightfoot, A Commentary on the New Testament from the Talmud and Hebraica, 2:236ff.). That which is bound or loosed is “whatsoever,” i.e., impersonal. Matthew 18:18+ and John 20:23+ suggest that it is sin which may be in focus, although some would prefer legalism as the focus, especially in view of Paul’s frequent concern for freedom from the Law (cf. especially Romans 3:19+ff.; 7:4ff.; and Galatians 5:1+ff.). Above all, the verse is not so much a matter of chronology but of compatibility and cooperation between the work of the Church on earth and heavenly power and authority. The Lord will reject anyone who rejects the message that the disciples bring. If anyone believes, his sins will be forgiven. (Complete Biblical Library) Shut (Close) (2808) kleio literally means to shut or close (like shutting the door of your prayer room so that you pray in secret - Mt 6:6+, the door has already been shut = Lk 11:7+, after the resurrection the disciples were together and the doors were shut… for fear of the Jews = Jn 20:19, 26+). Figuratively to shut the windows of heaven means to have no rain (Lk 4:25+, Rev 11:6+). In Mt 23:13+ kleio is used metaphorically of the Scribes and Pharisees shutting off the kingdom of heaven from men. In the parable of the 10 virgins (Mt 25:1-12+) the foolish virgins were shut out of the wedding feast (Mt 25:10+) because the Lord did not know them (Mt 25:11+, cp Mt 7:21-23+). Kleio is used figuratively in 1Jn 3:17+ to describe the shutting of one's heart to the obvious needs of their brethren. Kleio is used of Jesus who "shuts and no one opens." (Rev 3:7+) In Rev 3:8+ Jesus tells the church at Philadelphia "I have put before you an open door which no one can shut." In Rev 20:3+ Satan is shut in the abyss for one thousand years. In Rev 21:25+ the gates of the city of the New Jerusalem shall never be closed. The first use of kleio in the Septuagint describes God closing the door of the ark = "And those that entered, male and female of all flesh, entered as God had commanded him; and the LORD closed [it] behind him." (Ge 7:16+). Kleio - 16x/15v - close(1), closed(1), closes(1), locked(1), shut(11), shuts(1). Matt. 6:6+; Matt. 23:13+; Matt. 25:10+; Lk. 4:25+; Lk. 11:7+; Jn. 20:19+; Jn. 20:26+; Acts 5:23+; Acts 21:30+; 1 Jn. 3:17+; Rev. 3:7+; Rev. 3:8+; Rev. 11:6+; Rev. 20:3+; Rev. 21:25+ The Church That Honors Jesus (Revelation 3:7-13) - Danny Akin I. Christ is characterized by His awesomeness. Revelation 3:7+ 1. Our Lord is a God of purity. 2. Our Lord is a God of reliability. 3. Our Lord is a God of authority. 4. Our Lord is a God of sovereignty. II. The Church is commended for its actions. Revelation 3:8-10+ 1. The Church’s energy should focus on God’s direction. (Revelation 3:8+) 2. The Church’s enemies will fall by God’s decision. (Revelation 3:9+) 3. The Church’s endurance will foster God’s deliverance. (Revelation 3:10+) III. The Church is challenged in its attainments. Revelation 3:11-13+ 1. We are challenged to hopeful perseverance. (Revelation 3:11+) 2. We are challenged by heavenly permanence. (Revelation 3:12+) 3. We are challenged with honored acceptance. (Revelation 3:12+) 4. We are challenged through heavenly correspondence. (Revelation 3:13+) QUESTION - What is the Key of David? ANSWER - The Key of David is a term found in Revelation and Isaiah. A key indicates control or authority; therefore, having the Key of David would give one control of David’s domain, i.e., Jerusalem, the City of David, and the kingdom of Israel. The fact that, in Revelation 3:7+, Jesus holds this key shows that He is the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant, the ruler of the New Jerusalem, and the Lord of the kingdom of heaven. However, the passage in Revelation has been used inappropriately by a number of cults that ultimately descend from the Christian Identity Movement via Armstrongism. The Philadelphia Church of God, a splinter group from the Worldwide Church of God, produces a television program called Key of David. Scriptural Usage The Key of David is most directly referenced in Revelation 3:7+, “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: these are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David.” The Old Testament reference is Isaiah 22:22. There, the prophet tells the palace secretary Shebna that he will be replaced by Eliakim, for God “will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David” (Isaiah 22:22). The one who holds the keys has the authority. Thus, the “key of David” implies control of David’s domain, which was promised to the Messiah in both the Old and New Testaments (Isaiah 9:7+; Luke 1:32+). Cultic Usage The television show called Key of David is hosted by Gerald Flurry, the author of a book of the same name. Flurry is founder and pastor of the Philadelphia Church of God. His interpretations of Scripture include the twisting of many biblical prophecies and a reading of many other passages as being secretly prophetic. Flurry has a special interest in Revelation 3:7-13+, the letter to the church at Philadelphia (the ancient city located in modern-day Turkey). Flurry claims that the “key of David” held by Christ is “the profound understanding he wants all of us to have” (Key of David, p. 10), which will lead to special “positions of authority” (p. 11) in the New Jerusalem. Flurry claims that the letter is a vision of what Christians of our time are to do, but that “only a small percentage” (p. 8) will understand this great vision, qualify to receive the special authority, and share the throne of David with Jesus. Another major component of Flurry’s beliefs is the claim that Great Britain and the United States of America (meaning their Caucasian, Anglo-Saxon citizens) are descended from the “lost” tribes of Israel. As Israelites (he says), we are uniquely qualified to hold authority in the Kingdom and create the spiritual Israel. This belief in Anglo-Israelism has no basis in fact. Conclusion Paul told Timothy to avoid “myths and endless genealogies. These promote controversies rather than God’s work—which is by faith” (1 Timothy 1:4+). There is no “special knowledge” beyond the gospel itself that will aid salvation. Any claim beyond faith in the work of Jesus tears out the heart of the good news: that the just will live by faith (Romans 1:17+). There is no great vision, special knowledge, or Jewish lineage needed, only faith in Christ. GotQuestions.org KEYS - Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Keys as actual physical objects appear only rarely in Scripture, yet metaphorically they form an important connecting motif that runs between the OT and NT. As a motif, keys have long been recognized as symbols of power and authority, yet the image has more subtle overtones as well. Keys symbolize power because they are given to those who are judged trustworthy, and a key (even in ancient times) is a relatively small thing compared to that which it opens. Thus it suggests something of power, mystery and exclusivity. In the OT keys belong to the steward of the house, the trusted servant, the one that the master has chosen to care for the household affairs. In Isaiah the prophet foresees a day when the false steward will be removed and a true steward will be entrusted with the care of Jerusalem. The image used by Isaiah is striking, for he says, “I will place on his shoulder the key to the house of David” (Is 22:22 NIV). Evidence suggests that the long and heavy keys of those days were customarily carried on one’s shoulder. In addition to the obvious suggestion of authority given to the new steward, the passage also suggests that the keys are images of trust and responsibility. For the one who gives the keys, they are symbols of trust and belief in the character of the steward. For the one who receives the keys, they are symbols of responsibility. The Gospel records include two significant uses of the key image that build on the OT suggestions. In Luke 11:52+ the lawyers are accused of not fulfilling their offices of trust and responsibility. Jesus says that they took away “the key of knowledge” (NRSV), so that they not only refused to enter into knowledge themselves, but they actually prevented others from entering as well. The key controls access. The lawyers should have used their offices to gain knowledge and to unlock that knowledge for others; they were stewards of the truth. Because they did not fulfill their duties, however, it is implied that the key has been taken away. The most famous of the key images in the Scriptures is the account of Jesus’ empowering of Peter with the keys to the kingdom (Mt 16:13–20+). This passage once again builds on the twin themes of trust and authority. Peter’s confession of Christ’s identity forms the immediate circumstance for Jesus’ granting of the keys to him. Because Peter understands who Jesus is, at least in part, he is to be trusted. Like the key of knowledge, Peter is to use the keys to bind and to loose. Peter, however, is responsible not only for the earthly actions of the kingdom but for the heavenly as well, since the keys in this passage seem to connect the earthly and the heavenly in one operation. In the Revelation the image of the keys reappears. Here again the emphasis is on power and authority but also on trust and responsibility. The words of Isaiah concerning the true steward are quoted by the vision of Christ in Revelation 3:7+: “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: These are the words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens” (NRSV). The passage from Isaiah has been transformed from a future possibility to a present reality; Christ has become the steward that can be trusted. Yet the author of the Revelation carefully identifies the keys to which the Christ is referring. These are apparently not the same metaphorical keys given to Peter in the Gospels. Whereas Peter’s keys were identified as the keys of the kingdom, the glorified Christ carries “the keys of Death and of Hades” (Rev 1:18+ NRSV). Later in the Revelation, keys are used to open the bottomless pit to release the judgment of God. If keys are read as part of an image pattern extending through both Testaments, it might be suggested that the responsibility of opening the kingdom of heaven has been given to the church. Human beings have been entrusted with the authority to set people free with the knowledge of the gospel. The final power of judgment, however, still rests in the hands of the glorified Christ, who will come with final power and authority. See also AUTHORITY DOOR - Dictionary of Biblical Imagery Doors and doorways are places of transition. We move through them to the outside or into another room to greet new people; we close doors and find quiet and solitude. The door is an important symbol for the biblical writers. The doorway, gate, portal or entryway is often associated with entrance into areas of great spiritual significance. The various courts in the temple area were marked by walls and portals, and the Holy of Holies in the temple was sealed off for all but one day of the year (see Sacred Space). Then the high priest, after appropriate ceremonies, would enter to represent the people before God. The biblical writers use this almost primal association of doors and religious boundaries, but more often the imagery of door is connected quite closely to its literal work of opening and closing (see SHUT, CLOSE) and of hiding and revealing. The door is one of the most significant parts of a house, and at times biblical writers use it as a synecdoche for an entire house (see HOME, HOUSE). In the well-ordered, God-fearing Hebrew home, doors were to bear words testifying to God’s truth (Deut 6:9+). This figurative language speaks of a house oriented around God’s law. The Closed Door Hides. The closed door literally keeps those outside from seeing and hearing what is going on inside (1 King 14:6). The closed door hides the activities of the prostitute, but the open door where she sits seeking to entice men is mysteriously inviting (Prov 9:14). Job implies that to violate a shut door by eavesdropping or loitering would be an action worthy of divine punishment. In his own defense he claims that he has not “lurked at my neighbor’s door” (Job 31:9 NIV). Jesus uses this image, with a hyperbolic edge, when he calls for people not to pray like the hypocrites who make showy public prayers, “But when you pray, go into your room, close the door and pray to your Father, who is unseen. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you” (Mt 6:6+ NIV). Privacy would be a scarce commodity in first-century Palestine. Many of the houses would only have had one interior door, and that was for a storage closet. The Closed Door Excludes. Just as the drawn curtain and closed door of the temple excluded unauthorized persons from the sacred spaces, so doors in everyday life exclude one. After the brutal rape of Tamar by Amnon, he ordered her put out and the door bolted behind her (2 Sam 13:17, 18+). The brutality of the rape is reprehensible, but for Tamar this act of exclusion is utterly devastating. The image of the closed door that will not yield to knocking is used by Jesus. A time will come when those who have rejected him will be excluded from the festivities by a closed door that will not be opened (Mt 25:10+; Lk 13:25+; Rev. 3:7+). The Door as Spiritual Entryway. Jesus refers to himself as “the door” (Jn 10:9+). In the context this certainly refers to being a door for the sheep and hence the gate or entryway to salvation. When the risen Christ stands at the door and knocks-“Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me” (Rev 3:20+ NIV)—the door symbolizes the need for a decision and the potential exclusion of Christ. The door imagery is also used to give a word of comfort to beleaguered Christians when Christ declares, “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Rev 3:8+ NIV). Paul used the metaphor of God’s opening the “door of faith” (Acts 14:27+) as showing the exclusive way of faith as the portal through which people enter the kingdom of God. The Door as Opportunities for the Gospel. Paul uses door imagery three times to figuratively describe opportunities provided for the spread of the gospel. This imagery contains the idea that the open door makes possible that which a closed door would not. These references hearken back to Hosea 2:15, which speaks in salvific terms of a “door of hope” that the Lord will provide. Paul writes that “a great door for effective work has opened to me” (1 Cor 16:9+ NIV). When he visited Troas, Paul found that “the Lord had opened a door for me”; later he prayed that “God may open a door for our message” (Col 4:3+). In all of these references door speaks figuratively about an opportunity to spread the gospel. Key Events at Doors. We can note, finally, some famous moments in the Bible in which the crucial event happens at a door. The list includes the monster sin either couching (RSV) or crouching (NIV) or lurking (NRSV) at the door of Cain’s heart (Gen 4:7+), the closed door of the ark that signals safety for Noah and his family (Gen 6:16+; Genesis 7:16+), the door of Lot’s house that foils the would-be rapists (Gen 19:10+), the blood-signed doorposts of the Israelites on the evening of the Passover (Ex 12:22–23+), the locked doors of Eglon’s chamber that enable Ehud to make his get-away after the assassination (Judg 3:23–25+), the “ancient doors” that are commanded to be lifted up so the King of glory may come in (Ps 24:7, 9) and the door of every individual’s soul at which Jesus stands and knocks, ready to enter and sup (Rev 3:20+). See also OPEN, OPENING; SHUT, CLOSE - Dictionary of Biblical Imagery In the Bible, to shut or close is primarily to exercise power. Although God has the ultimate authority to shut and close things, human beings in their exercise of free will are also said to shut out the word of God from their own understanding. Thus shutting or closing is chiefly the site of a battle between divine and human wills. At a literal level the imagery of shutting chiefly pictures the act of protecting something inside an enclosure from an outside threat. Thus God shuts the door of the ark (Gen 6:16+), Lot shuts the door of his house when the men of Sodom threaten to seize his angelic visitors (Gen 19:10+), and people threatened by invasion shut themselves in their houses for protection (Is 24:10; Isaiah 26:20). In addition to domestic scenes of shutting the doors of houses, the imagery appears in military situations, where people in besieged towns shut the door or gate of a tower or city wall (Josh 6:1+; Judg 9:51+). Even if there is no physical door or gate to shut, exclusion from a community is pictured by the imagery of being shut out, as Miriam is shut out of the camp during her period of leprosy (Num 12:14–15+). The imagery of shutting is ambivalent in these contexts. While shutting brings safety to those behind the closed door or gate, the outside threat also makes the people inside prisoners to their own house or refuge. Accordingly, for a gate to be no longer shut assumes overtones of a glorious liberation. In the millennial kingdom, Isaiah predicts, “your gates shall always be open; day and night they shall not be shut, so that nations shall bring you their wealth” (Is 60:11 NRSV). Revelation has a similar prediction, declaring of New Jerusalem, “Its gates will never be shut by day-and there will be no night there” (Rev 21:25+ NRSV). The primary use of shutting or closing is seen in God’s sovereign and ultimate authority to shut or close what he wishes. When God speaks to the church in Philadelphia, he describes himself as “the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens” (Rev 3:7+ NRSV). Such ultimate authority is seen in several places throughout the Bible. God uses this power in giving power to rulers on the earth, as when he declares that he will open doors for Cyrus’s conquest of the known world, so that “the gates shall not be closed” (Is 45:1 NRSV). God’s sovereignty in closing and shutting also appears in his protection of his people. When creating the world, God “shut in the sea with doors” to keep them from overwhelming the earth (Job 38:8 NRSV). He delivered Daniel from being devoured in the lions’ den by sending his angel to “shut the lions’ mouths” (Dan 6:22+ NRSV). In the OT, God is also viewed as protecting his people by preventing what was hurting them from closing in upon them. The psalmist begs God not to let “the Pit close its mouth over me” and to prevent his enemies from closing in on him (Ps 69:15 NRSV; 88:17). Here shutting is an image of protection or deliverance. But the same imagery can imply judgment, as shutting becomes withholding. God is capable of preventing childbearing, as seen when he “closed fast all the wombs of the house of Abimelech” because the already-married Sarah was living in Abimelech’s house as his wife (Gen 20:18+ NRSV). Similarly, God closed Hannah’s womb until she was able to bear Samuel (1 Sam 1:5+). He also “shut up the heavens” to prevent rain when his people had disobeyed. He promised to do this in Deuteronomy 11:17+, and he actually did so many times throughout the OT in response to Israel’s unfaithfulness. Finally, God ultimately is able to shut people in as a means of punishment for their deeds. When Korah, Dathan and Abiram rebelled against Moses and Aaron, God caused the earth to close over their families and bring them directly to Sheol (Num 16:33+). When Job was suffering and felt that God was against him, he moaned, “God has put me in the wrong, and closed his net around me” (Job 19:6 NRSV). Isaiah prophesies that in the end times God will shut up all the kings of the earth for punishment (Is 24:22). Finally, Jesus warned people to repent before God closes the doors of heaven and it is too late for them to be saved (Mt 25:10+; Lk 13:25+). The imagery of shutting is also given a human application when people are pictured as closing themselves to God. On an external, literal level, Ahaz shut up the doors of the temple when instituting idol worship (2 Chron 28:24+). Psalm 17:10 speaks of evil persons who “close their hearts to pity” (NRSV), and Proverbs warns that those who “close [their] ear to the cry of the poor” will receive no mercy themselves (Prov 21:13 NRSV). More important, God condemns his people, saying, “This people’s heart has grown dull, and their ears are hard of hearing, and they have shut their eyes,” thus refusing to hear and see and “understand with their heart” that God could heal them of their sins (Mt 13:15+ NRSV, quoting Is 6:10+). Yet even in human stubbornness God is sovereign. Not only does he know what these people have done in secret-what they have whispered behind closed doors-but he also takes part in closing their minds to understanding him (Job 17:4; Mt 6:6+; Lk 13:25+). He declares in Isaiah that because people have not heeded him, he will close their eyes that they may not understand him (Is 29:10; Isaiah 44:18+). His sovereignty can also work in the reverse direction. In Revelation, God declares to the church in Philadelphia that because they have remained faithful, he has “set before [them] an open door, which no one is able to shut” (Rev 3:8+ NRSV). This open door is an invitation into heaven. Thus even though people have the free will to ignore God, God is ultimately sovereign even in their denial of him. FACTS ABOUT PHILADELPHIA Philadelphia (modern day Alaşehir translates as "multicolored town,") was the youngest of all the seven cities located in Lydia about twenty-five miles southeast of Sardis.. It was founded by colonists from Pergamum under the reign of Eumenes II. Eumenes II named the city for the love of his brother, who would be his successor, Attalus II (159–138 BC), whose loyalty earned him the nickname, "Philadelphos", literally meaning "one who loves his brother". A small theatre, located at the northern edge of Toptepe Hill, is all that remains of Roman Philadelphia. The city was located on an important trade route situated where the borders of Mysia, Lydia and Phrygia met. But it was not as a garrison town that Philadelphia was founded, for there was little danger there. It was founded with the deliberate intention that it might be a means of spreading Greek culture and language to Lydia and Phrygia and so well did it do its work that by AD 19 the Lydians had forgotten their own language and were all but Greeks The road ascending from the Hermus Valley, about 500 feet above sea level, to the main plateau about 1,500 feet higher also served as the imperial postal road during the first century A.D. Communications from Rome moved to Troas, whence they continued overland to Pergamum, Sardis, and then to Philadelphia and on to the east. Philadelphia was thus a stage on the main line of Imperial communication. The city was not without its pagan religions, its major deity being Dionysus (Bachus), the god of wine, in honor of the prolific vineyards which grew on the rich volcanic soil. Archaeology has yielded no evidence of a Jewish synagogue in the city, but the message itself indicates there must have been one (cf. Rev. 3:9+) Philadelphia was situated in a strategic place on the main route of the Imperial Post from Rome to the East, and thus was called “the Gateway to the East.” It was also called “little Athens” because of the many temples in the city. The church was certainly located in a place of tremendous opportunity. (Wiersbe) Philadelphia commanded one of the greatest highways in the world, the highway which led from Europe to the East (merging trade routes leading to Mysia, Lydia, and Phrygia). Philadelphia was the gateway from one continent to another. (Barclay) Philadelphia was originally founded as a missionary outpost for Hellenism, the culture of ancient Greece.“The original purpose behind this key city was to make it a center for spreading Greek language, culture and manners throughout the Asian provinces.” (Hocking) Ramsay adds, “The intention of its founder was to make it a centre of the Graeco-Asiatic civilization 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 AD 19 the Lydian tongue had ceased to be spoken in Lydia, and Greek was the only language of the country” (Ramsay, The Letters to the Seven Churches of Asia). “Philadelphia had been built with the deliberate intention that it might become a missionary city. Beyond Philadelphia lay the wilds of Phrygia and the barbarous tribes; and it was intended that the function of Philadelphia should be to spread the Greek language, the Greek way of life, the Greek civilization, throughout the regions beyond.” (Barclay) The primary purpose for the city’s establishment was consolidating, regulating, and educating the central regions that were subject to the Pergamenian kings. These rulers wanted Philadelphia to be a hub of Graeco-Asiatic civilization so as to spread the Greek language and manners in the eastern parts of Lydia and in Phrygia. It thus had a missionary function from the outset as an apostle of Hellenism in an Oriental land. Like Sardis, Philadelphia was destroyed by the great earthquake of A.D. 17 (see AD 17 Lydia earthquake), and even though it was rebuilt with generous aid from Tiberius people often lived outside the city in the open for protection. In Philadelphia, the tremors went on for years; Strabo describes it as a ‘city full of earthquakes’. For centuries, it was a free Greek Christian city amid people from a very different culture. It was the last bastion of Asian Christianity. It was not until midway through the fourteenth century that it fell; and to this day there is a Christian bishop and 1,000 Christians in it. With the exception of Smyrna, the other churches are in ruins; but Christian testimony continues in the city in this present century. Through the centuries, a nominal Christian testimony continued in this city of Philadelphia and prospered even under Turkish rule. But all nominal Christians left the city for Greece after World War I. (Walvoord) Sources: William Barclay, Wikipedia, R L Thomas, William Ramsay, et al QUESTION - What was Jesus’ message to the church in Philadelphia in Revelation? ANSWER - Revelation 3:7-13+ records Christ’s message to the sixth of the seven churches addressed in Revelation 2–3. The Philadelphian church is the recipient of this letter. Philadelphia was a city in Asia Minor (modern-day Turkey) on the Imperial Post Road, an important trade route. The message is from the Lord Jesus Christ through an angel or “messenger” (likely a reference to the pastor): “To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write . . .” (Revelation 3:7+). This was not John’s personal message to these believers; it was a message from the Lord, who identifies Himself as “him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open.” This description of Jesus emphasizes His holiness, His sovereignty, and His authority. The reference to the key of David is an allusion to the Messianic prophecy of Isaiah 22:22. Jesus is the one who opens and shuts, and no one can say Him nay. Jesus affirms the church’s positive actions: “I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Revelation 3:8+). The church of Philadelphia was weak in some respects, yet they had remained faithful in the face of trial. Because of this, the Lord promises them an “open door” of blessing. Jesus’ letter then condemns the enemies of the Philadelphian believers: “I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you” (Revelation 3:9+). Those who persecuted the believers (the persecutors were religious hypocrites in this case) would one day realize Christ loves His children. The church of Philadelphia would be victorious over its enemies. Jesus encourages the Philadelphian believers regarding His future coming: “Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown” (Revelation 3:10-11+). The church’s faithful endurance would serve as a blessing. Jesus would take them to be with Him before the coming tribulation (1 Thessalonians 4:13-18+). He also exhorts them to remain faithful, because this would lead to rewards in the afterlife. Based on this and other passages, many Bible interpreters conclude that the rapture is an event distinct from the second coming of Christ. The fact that the Philadelphians are promised to be preserved from the time of the tribulation corresponds with the pretribulational view of the rapture. Jesus provides a final promise to the believers in Philadelphia and to all believers: “Him who overcomes I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will he leave it. I will write on him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down from out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on him my new name” (Revelation 3:12+). Professor Thomas