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. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. 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. In this passage, Jesus quotes Isaiah 22:22, confirming that He is the Messiah. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant. As it was prophesied in Luke 1:32, “The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David.” Jesus will rule from New Jerusalem, which we will talk about more later in Revelation. Anyway, Jesus holds the keys of death and Hades and the key of David. He opened a door for the Philadelphian Christians to have fellowship with Him. They received His love and had stood firm in the face of persecution. Nothing can separate them, or us, from God. [Romans 8:38-39]
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. The Philadelphian Christians were being persecuted by a group of unbelieving Jews, just like the Christians at Smyrna. Yet, Jesus promised that this group would recognize how much God loved the Christians at Philadelphia.
Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. Jesus promised to keep them from the Day of the Lord. This hour of trial will come upon the inhabitants of the earth, the wicked, but those who are in Christ will never suffer God’s wrath. [1 Thessalonians 5:9] Of course, Jesus is coming soon, so the message is clear: Stand firm in faith!
The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches. 1 Peter 2:5-9 describes how we are already being built into a temple to be a holy priesthood. We are kings and priests. [Revelation 1:6] Likewise, God’s name and the New Jerusalem will be written on us. Revelation 22:4 indicates they’ll be written on our foreheads. Jesus will also write His new name on us. Of course, Jesus will still be called Messiah, Son of God and all of His other cool names. He’s just going to add one more to the mix.