CHAPTER 3

Revelation 3:1 And unto the angel of the church in Sardis write; These things saith he that hath the seven Spirits of God, and the seven stars; I know thy works, that thou hast a name that thou livest, and art dead.

Note that a reference is always made to the Lord Jesus Christ in Chapter One.

Revelation 3:2 Be watchful, and strengthen the things which remain, that are ready to die: for I have not found thy works perfect before God.

Their works were not found perfect because they were not done by faith.

Revelation 3:3 Remember therefore how thou hast received and heard, and hold fast, and repent. If therefore thou shalt not watch, I will come on thee as a thief, and thou shalt not know what hour I will come upon thee.

The Lord tells the angel of the church in Sardis to tell the people to be watchful and to repent of their sins for they knew not the hour He would appear. This is talking about the second coming. Matthew 24:42 Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth com

Revelation 3:4 Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy.

Revelation 3:5 He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.

The ones that overcome and don’t take the mark of the beast will be a special group for they will be dressed in white raiment. Revelation 7 9 After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;

Revelation 3:6 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

The church at Sardis is given a promise, if they would overcome, they would be clothed in white raiment and their names would not be taken out of the book of life. Their salvation depended on what they did. They had to overcome the tribulation period and they had to do it with faith and works. 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Today our salvation does not depend on what we do but on what the Lord Jesus Christ did for us. He died for our sins, He was buried and took out sins away and He rose again the third day for our justification. Romans 4:25 Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.

Revelation 3:7 And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth;

The Lord Jesus Christ is the one that has the key to the house of David. He was promised that his kingdom would never end. 2 Samuel 7:16 And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever. Isaiah 22:22 And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder; so he shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open. He will have the authority to say who enters into the kingdom Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

Revelation 3:8 I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.

There were some that had kept His Word and not denied His name. They had not taken the mark of the beast.

Revelation 3:9 Behold, I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and are not, but do lie; behold, I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. Those that have rejected the Word of God and those that say they are Jews but are not He is going to make of the synagogue of Satan.

Revelation 3:10 Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. The ones that are patience and have not take the mark of the beast will be kept from the hour of temptation.

Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

It will be possible for some to lose their rewards. 2 John 1 8 Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.

Revelation 3:12 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.

The twelve tribes of Israel have their names written on the pillar in the temple. Revelation 21:12 And had a wall great and high, and had twelve gates, and at the gates twelve angels, and names written thereon, which are the names of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel:

Revelation 3:13 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

The church of Philadelphia had only Jewish members and they are given a promise if they would hold fast to what they had, their crown of life would not be taken away. They also had the promise that if they overcame they would be kept from the hour of temptation. God will also take them down into the wildness and take care of them the last three and half years of the tribulation period. Revelation 12 6 And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.

Revelation 3:14 And unto the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write; These things saith the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God;

This is talking about the beginning of the new creation and not that the Lord Jesus Christ was created. He is the one that created all things so how could He be created? Colossians 1:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: Ephesians 3:9 And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ: He was the first born of the new creation. He was the first to be resurrected and never die again and to receive a glorified body.

Revelation 3:15 I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot: I would thou wert cold or hot.

Revelation 3:16 So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spue thee out of my mouth.

The church of the Laodiceans were neither cold nor hot but were lukewarm. The Lord said that He would spue them out of his mouth, Salvation in the tribulation was by faith plus works. The Holy Spirit could also leave them just like it did in the OT under the law. 1 Samuel 16:14 But the Spirit of the LORD departed from Saul, and an evil spirit from the LORD troubled him. In other words, they could lose their salvation if they didn’t overcome and endure unto the end of the tribulation period. The save person in the age of grace is sealed with the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption. They are baptized by the Spirit into the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:13 For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. They are circumcised without hands. Colossians 2:11 In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ:

Revelation 3:17 Because thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing; and knowest not that thou art wretched, and miserable, and poor, and blind, and naked:

Revelation 3:18 I counsel thee to buy of me gold tried in the fire, that thou mayest be rich; and white raiment, that thou mayest be clothed, and that the shame of thy nakedness do not appear; and anoint thine eyes with eyesalve, that thou mayest see.

Revelation 3 19 As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten: be zealous therefore, and repent.

Revelation 3:20 Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.

Revelation 3:21 To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my Father in his throne.

Revelation 3:22 He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

The church of the Laodiceans was rich and need of nothing but they were really wretched and poor. Riches in the tribulation period will be a curse. Remember the rich man that Jesus tells to sell all that he has in order for him to get into the kingdom. Matthew 19:23 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, Verily I say unto you, That a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven. The Lord tells them that He will chasten them if they don’t repent. He is standing at their door and knocking and if they would open the door He would come in to them. He makes them a promise if they overcome the tribulation period, He would grant them a place to sit with Him in His kingdom. He promised the Nation of Israel that they would be a kingdom of priest in the kingdom. Exodus 19:6 And ye shall be unto me a kingdom of priests, and an holy nation. These are the words which thou shalt speak unto the children of Israel. 1 Peter 2:9 But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; The tribulation saints that endure to the end are the chosen generation not the church today.

 ~  ~    ~