Join us in this riveting episode as we delve into the profound message to the church at Philadelphia found in Revelation 3, 7-13. Our journey begins with exploring the significant themes of open doors and divine opportunities that Jesus Christ sets before us. Discover how unwavering faithfulness is rewarded by the King of Kings and the essential character traits, control, and challenges presented by the Messiah that guide us in our spiritual walk.
Friends, we are living in a world that really isn’t a friend to God. We’re about ready to get out of here. Can you imagine what’s going to happen when the Christians leave? Jesus Christ will honor us, the Bible says, and they’ll know this beautiful statement that I have loved thee.
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I have loved thee.
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This is Hope for Today with Bible teacher David Hawking. And today we step into the final verses of Jesus’ message to the church at Philadelphia. Revelation 3, 7-13 is a declaration of open doors, unwavering promises, and unbreakable hope, but only for those who hold fast. No compromise, no backing down, just faith. Faithfulness, faithfulness rewarded by the King of Kings himself. So open your Bible to Revelation chapter 3, verses 7 through 13, as David Hawking continues this powerful message called Open Doors. First, we want to point you to the homepage at davidhawking.org, where you’ll find a selection of free booklets that speak directly to the heart. Titles like, Does God Truly Love Me? Revival Now! and Your Quest for God. These booklets, written by our good friend Richard A. Bennett, are rooted in Scripture and available in multiple languages and absolutely free. And friend, by the way, if you need prayer today, well, let us know. We count it a privilege to lift you up before the Lord. And please pray for us too. We’re asking God to continue using this ministry to reach hearts around the world. And if you’d like to give a one-time gift or join us as a monthly partner, you could do that at davidhawking.org or call us at 1-800-75-BIBLE. That’s in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. in Bible by the numbers 24253. And I’ll have our mailing address later in the program. For now, let’s join David for today’s study.
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Our subject is open doors. God opens doors and God shuts doors. And some of us are trying to get through them. Amen? Some of us are trying to knock down the doors God’s already shut. And some of us are scared to death to go through the doors God’s already opened. And if you like to take notes and outline, number one, the person who delivers this message to us. Look at verse 7 and 8 again. Of course, we’re talking Jesus Christ. And there are three things that I would point out to you. One is his character. It says, “…he that is holy and he that is true.” Now, number two, in addition to his character, look at his control. Here is a very, very difficult passage to understand. Look at verse 7. He that hath the key of David, he that openeth and no man shutteth, and shutteth and no man openeth. What I believe here in Revelation chapter 3 that we have is what many have concluded is a missionary challenge to the church, that there’s a world that needs Christ. Philadelphia is to foster the Hellenistic culture in the whole world. God takes that and uses it as an illustration that we also are to see God opening doors as well as shutting them, and we are to see the opportunities that are available to us to promote the message of the coming kingdom of God. The key of David is the Messiah himself. He who has the key of David. He opens and no man shuts. He’s talking about opening a man’s heart so that he can enter the kingdom of God. His character, his control. Third, look at his challenge. Verse 8. The opportunity is now. God says, I set before you an open door. If it was an open door then, is it not an open door now? Is it not an opportunity now? Why are we wasting time? There’s not much time. Three reasons why God put an open door of opportunity in front of these people. One, they were dependent upon the Lord’s strength, and we better be too. We need the strength of the Lord to face what we have to face. And two, they were dedicated to God’s word. And three, they were devoted to the Lord himself. You can’t find anything any more simple than that to describe the kind of people that God wants to use to reach this world. Well, let’s come to chapter 3, verse 9 and 10, the protection which the Lord gives to us. And there are basically two things that are said here. In verse 9, Jesus will honor us in the eyes of unbelievers who have been hostile toward us. And the second thing that is said is that Jesus will keep us from the hour of temptation that’s going to come upon the whole world. What are we saying? We’re saying Jesus has promised to protect us from the great tribulation. We’re going to be removed. We are out of here. We will not be here during the tribulation period. Okay, verse 11. We’ve talked about the person who delivers the message to us, who has the key of David, a great opportunity, the protection the Lord gives to us. Number three, the purpose behind this message that all believers should heed. All of us. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to not just the church in Philadelphia, but to all the churches. Here’s the purpose behind the message. It involves three things. One, it involves the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Look at how it opens in verse 11. Behold, I come quickly. Now, we have noticed that the statement about the Lord’s coming sometimes means to come and remove the influence of the church. It’s a sense of judgment rather than the sense of his true second coming. Just to remind ourselves of this, and you ask, well, how do you know the difference? I’m going to tell you. Look at chapter 2, 5. To the church at Ephesus, he said, Remember and repent and do the first works, or else I’ll come unto thee quickly. Notice it did not say, I will come quickly. He said, I’ll come unto thee quickly. A little difference. And remove thy lampstand. Look at chapter 2, verse 16. Repent, or else I will come unto thee quickly. Again, the word order is very interesting. Apparently he’s going to come to the church and will deal with them. Chapter 3, verse 3, it said the same thing. If therefore thou shall not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shall not know what hour I’ll come upon thee. Language of judgment and warning, not a blessing. Now go to chapter 22, the last chapter of the book, and notice the difference here. In chapter 22, the last chapter of Revelation, verse 7, we read, “…behold, I come quickly.” Not I come unto thee quickly, but I come quickly. Verse 12, Behold, I come quickly, and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. And then verse 20, He who testifieth these things saith, Surely I come quickly. Amen. Even so come, Lord Jesus. Now we dealt with this matter of quickly, the soon or near aspect of the coming of Christ when we opened our study in Revelation. I want to remind you of it. These things must quickly come to pass. The opening of Revelation says. What we believe it means is that when the Lord comes, all of the events that are described in Revelation are going to happen in a relatively short period of time as compared with church history. Church history has gone on now for over 2,000 years. But we’re talking about wrapping everything up pretty fast when the Lord comes. But in relationship to the rapture of the church, can you imagine, behold, I come quickly. In 1 Corinthians 15, 51, and 52, it tells, Behold, I show you a mystery. We shall not all sleep. Not all of us are going to die. But we will all be changed. Even those who are alive and remain, they’ll be changed, transformed in a moment of time. It says, In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, behold, I come quickly. It’s an admonition to all of us to understand that when the Lord comes, there isn’t any time for you to get your act together. There isn’t any time for you to say, you know, I need about three months here to get my house. No, there’s no time. In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, the Lord’s going to come. You know, just out of here. Now back to verse 11 again in chapter 3. We said there are three things involved in the purpose behind this message. One is to remind us of how quick the Lord’s coming will be. And secondly, his challenge is very interesting. Hold fast which thou hast. Hold it fast. Look back at chapter 2, verse 13. I know thy works where thou dwellest, even where Satan’s throne is, and thou holdest fast my name. He’s talking about loyalty to Jesus Christ. Look at verse 25. But that which you have already, hold fast till I come. Chapter 3, verse 3. Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast and repent. Hold fast which thou hast. That’s the challenge to believers. In the light of this message, what’s the purpose behind it? In terms of his coming, remember it’s going to be quick. And are you ready? But secondly, the challenge is to hold fast. Loyalty to our Lord. 1 John 2 deals with that loyalty in a very interesting way. Look please at verse 21. I have not written unto you because you know not the truth, but because you know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ, the Messiah? He is Antichrist that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father. He that confesseth the Son hath the Father also. Let that therefore abide in you which you’ve heard from the beginning. If that which you’ve heard from the beginning shall remain in you, you also shall continue in the Son and in the Father. And this is the promise that he has promised us, even eternal life. These things have I written unto you concerning them that seduce you. But the anointing which you have received of him abideth in you, and you need not that any man teach you. But as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, back to verse 20, the anointing is the Holy Spirit, and is no lie, even as it is taught you, you shall abide in him. And now, little children, abide in him, that when he shall appear, we may have confidence and not be ashamed before him at his coming.” If you know that he is righteous, you know that everyone that doeth righteousness is born of him. He’s talking about loyalty to the Lord. Do you confess that Jesus is the Christ? If you don’t, you’re Antichrist. And he’s telling the Christian, hold fast to my name. The number one denominator, common denominator of all cults is a denial of the deity of Christ. According to the Bible, false teaching on the last time will be characterized by turning the grace of God into lasciviousness and denying the only Lord that bought them. When I heard on television, for myself, a speaker whose program is still on Christian television, say that Jesus is a sinner and needed to be saved, I knew he was not loyal to Jesus Christ. My friends, we may fail in a thousand ways trying to live for the Lord and struggle through this world. But there’s one issue that Jesus does not want you to fail on. Whoever confesses me before men, him will I confess before my Father who is in heaven. The loyalty to the person and character of Jesus Christ. May God help us to understand. This is so important. That’s his challenge to the church. In the times preceding that great tribulation, there’ll be such worldwide deception and apostasy. People will no longer be standing for the deity of Jesus Christ. One fellow said to me not too long ago, we were on a radio talk show, and he said to me, what is really the big deal about proving Jesus is God? Isn’t he the son of God? I mean, what’s the big deal? I’ll tell you what the big deal is. If you do not confess that Jesus is Lord, you’re not saved. Flat out. I don’t hesitate to say it. If you do not believe that Jesus is God in human flesh, you are not a Christian. That’s what it means to be a Christian. If he’s not God, then he can’t save you and me in the 20th century of our sins, I’ll tell you that. Who can forgive sins but God only? The Bible says God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself. 1 John 5.20 says Christ is the true God and eternal life. The issue of living forever with God in heaven is related to what we believe about his son, Jesus Christ. Hold fast, the Bible says. We said there were three things there, not only his coming and his challenge, but look at the consequence. Revelation 3, verse 11, that no man take thy crown. You say, well, then it’s just a matter of a believer not being faithful to the Lord and losing some of the crowns he was going to give, rewarding him for his work. No, this crown, we’re talking eternal life. We’re talking life. eternal consequence. You say, how do you know that? Well, let’s look at the context. Go to chapter 2, verse 10. To the church at Smyrna, fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer. Behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that you may be tried, and you shall have tribulation ten days. Be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of what? Life. Be faithful unto death, and I’ll give you a crown of life. The crown of everlasting life. We’re not talking here about rewarding you for your works. We’re talking here about having salvation, eternal life. And that’s the issue here. Very important. Hold fast that no man take thy crown. If you deny the deity of Jesus Christ, you will not experience eternal life. It’s as simple as that. Verse 12, the final thing we want to notice is the promise to overcomers. And this has been true all the way through the book, these seven letters to the churches. There’s been a promise to overcomers. And I’ll put that in two categories, and I’ll name them, and then we’ll talk about them. What he’s promising here is one, strong security, and two, special identity. Let’s take a look at strong security. To those who overcome, to the ones who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, he said, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out. By the way, in Greek, it’s a double negative. I know in English they teach you don’t put double negatives together, like no, not, ever. But in Greek, it’s for emphasis, the double negative, and he shall never, never more be out. It’s a tremendous promise. I’ll make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Yet Revelation 21, 22 says there is no temple there. We don’t need a temple because the Lord God and the Lamb are the temple. We don’t need it. But this is a wonderful promise to us. It’s a metaphor. It’s probably taken off of the history behind the church at Philadelphia. I mentioned it earlier that Strabo had said they were like a strong pillar. But he said, I’ll make you a pillar in the temple of my God. Where God dwells, you will be there. And to say you’re a pillar means you’re there to stay. It’s a statement of security. It’s like Psalm 23. And I shall dwell in the house of the Lord. What? forever. It’s like Romans 8, 38 and 39. I’m persuaded that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other created thing shall be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord. Isn’t that great? Nothing can separate you. You’ll be a pillar in the house of my God. Praise the Lord. Strong security. But notice the special identity. Look at Revelation 14, verse 1. Wow. Wow. Look at chapter 19. When the Lord returns at the end of the tribulation, this is great. His eyes were like a frame of fire, on his head were many crowns, and he had a name written that no man knew but he himself. He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood, and his name is called the Word of God. I’ll write on him the name of my God, the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, and my new name. Look at verse 16. He hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, King of kings and Lord of lords. Chapter 22, verse 4. And they shall see his face, talking about the believers in the new Jerusalem, they shall see his face and his name shall be in their foreheads. So which is it? Will it be the word of God? Will it be king of kings and lord of lords? You know what I wrote down? I said it’s going to say I belong to him, whatever the name is. Special identity, I’m going to write on him my new name. And the Bible says in heaven, on our foreheads will be his name written. What is that all about? All of that is dealing with your assurance and your relationship to God. The songwriter put it beautifully when he said, Jesus, my Lord, will love me forever. From him no power of evil can sever. The chorus says, now I belong to Jesus, and Jesus belongs to me. Not for time alone, but for all eternity. You’re going to have the name of the Lord written on you. Isn’t that great? It’s already there. You just can’t see it. God has brought you to himself and you belong to him. You have no reason to be afraid. Father, thank you for your wonderful word and the encouragement it is to our hearts. And we realize we’re living on the brink of these events and revelation. It won’t be long now. Soon and very soon the Savior is going to come. And Father, our hearts go out to those in the audience who are not really sure of their own relationship to you. They’re not sure they’ve ever made a personal commitment to that name that is above every name. You tell us that one day all will bow to that name, all will confess it. Even unbelievers will acknowledge it one day in front of the judgment of God. But Lord, we know if we’ll do that now, if we’ll make that commitment now, we’ll be with you forever. And I pray, Lord, that you will move by your Holy Spirit over this audience that many of us will turn to the Lord now before it’s too late. Thank you, Lord, for the wonderful encouragement we have that we belong to you. Your name is on us. And our names are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. We thank you in Jesus’ name. Amen. Amen.
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Well, that’s David Hawking, and this is Hope for Today. And by the way, if you’re new to the Christian faith, or if you’d like to know more about what it means to have a relationship with Jesus Christ, well, we’d love to send you two free resources. First, a little booklet by David called What is Christianity? And the second is a Bible study by mail, Both of these are absolutely free if you’re not yet a Christian or if you’re new to the Christian faith. Call us at 1-800-75-BIBLE in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada, and we’ll send them your way. And just before David returns, you know, if you’ve been noticing how things in this world have taken what seems a profoundly corrupt turn for the worse, listen, you’re not alone, dear friend. Right now, Matt and I want to quickly tell you about a powerful study tool that will show you what the Bible has to say about what’s behind the obvious ramp up on the debauchery scale, you might say.
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Matt? Proverbs 1434 wisely enlightens us. Righteousness exalteth a nation, but sin is a reproach to any people. 1 Timothy 1.8 adds, but we know that the law is good if a man use it lawfully. We need a moral and spiritual revival in the US, Canada, and more today, Jim. Well, this month we’re featuring your dad’s book, Whatever Happened to Morality?
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The Future Survival of America. Mm-hmm. Whatever happened to morality?
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What does your dad tackle inside this book? Well, we start with the right to life. Okay. You know, how did our respect for life erode and what does God’s word say on the topic? Wow. The sanctity of marriage. Does scripture require that marriage is only between a man and woman? The value of children? How have modern societies sought to abandon but also corrupt kids? And restrict the role of parents. Right. Yeah. And a big one, pornography. The rapid proliferation of this scourge and its devastation. homosexuality, is it a genetic result, sexual disease and human survival, the death penalty, is this biblical?
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Alcohol and drug abuse, Las Vegas and lotteries, all on the increase. And God’s word has warnings and wisdom for us. And then the last topic there. Religion and politics. Should they be kept apart? And certainly with today’s moral decay, is it too late for America?
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Yeah, and how do we stay focused and hopeful?
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Well, this month we have your dad’s book, Whatever Happened to Morality? It’s our way to say thanks for your most generous donation of $20 or more. With your contribution, you become a part of hope for today’s ministry.
SPEAKER 01 :
Yes, pray first and give as God moves your heart.
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To get your copy of David Hawking’s book, Whatever Happened to Morality, just call us at 800-75-BIBLE in the U.S. or 888-75-BIBLE in Canada. You can also order online at davidhawking.org. And if God is putting it on your heart to support Hope for Today’s ministry financially, listen, we are grateful. Your gifts make you a collaborator with us in bringing God’s Word, the Bible, to listeners around the world and without compromise. To donate, call us or visit davidhawking.org. If you prefer to write, our address in the U.S., Hope for Today, Box 3927. Tustin, California, 92781. In Canada, write to Hope for Today, Box 15011, RPO, Seven Oaks, Abbotsford, BC, V2S 8P1. Let’s get back to David.
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We’ve been teaching the book of Revelation, and we’re at Revelation 3, verse 10. And God says, because you kept the word of my patience, so they had that for themselves. That was a blessing. I will keep you from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Well, that’s referring to the great tribulation. Is this a promise? It certainly is. I will keep thee from. The word from is the Greek word out of, ek. It’s a removal. It’s not talking about just protecting them during the time of the tribulation. It’s a removal. This is a rapture passage, and I hope you’re ready to meet the Lord. It’s time to turn our hearts toward Him. Very soon now, He’s going to come in an hour that you think not. The Bible says, the Son of Man cometh. He told us to watch. And be ready because we don’t know the hour or the day when He’s coming. We basically don’t know anything. But we are to be ready. And I guess that’s what I want to say to all of you. Are you ready for the coming of the Lord? He says in verse 11, Behold, I come quickly. Wow. Wow. and challenges us to overcome all the problems that are there. Well, plan to be with us for each of our studies. God bless you.
SPEAKER 02 :
Well, next time on Hope for Today, our study moves into Revelation chapter 3, verses 14 to 22, where Jesus delivers a stinging wake-up call to the church at Laodicea. Don’t miss this final message in our look at the seven churches of Revelation. And we hope you’ll join us right here on Hope for Today.
Join us in this riveting episode as we delve into the profound message to the church at Philadelphia found in Revelation 3, 7-13. Our journey begins with exploring the significant themes of open doors and divine opportunities that Jesus Christ sets before us. Discover how unwavering faithfulness is rewarded by the King of Kings and the essential character traits, control, and challenges presented by the Messiah that guide us in our spiritual walk.
