The first thing, beloved brethren, to be carefully noted in meditating on the epistle to Philadelphia, is the character in which Christ presents Himself. This is the key to our understanding it. “These things saith he that is holy, he that is true.” Everything in the assembly of God should answer to this standard. This is what we find in Philadelphia. We are all too prone to be content with what suits ourselves, and to shrink from the pain and trouble of discipline. Whereas, we ought to think only of what is due to the character of Christ. “These things saith he that is holy, he that is true.” Holiness and truth should be the great pillars of the Church’s practice. Is it holy —is it true? should be our constant inquiry. The Spirit of God, who abides with the Church forever, is called both the Holy Spirit, and the Spirit of truth; and this agrees with the whole analogy of Scripture, as we saw in a previous lecture. You will remember when we were speaking on the peace offering, which typifies the communion of saints, that it was provided by a statute forever, that only the children of the priest that were clean should eat of the sacrifice. “Every one that is clean in thy house shall eat of it.” And, again, as the Psalmist says, “Holiness becometh thine house, Ο Lord, forever.” Whatever we may say or do, this is the unchanged and unchangeable characteristic of the dwelling place of God. Oh! that the beauties of holiness may ever shine brightly in this corner of His temple!
But not only does Christ reveal Himself in His personal glory to these faithful ones, but also in His divine power and authority. “These things saith he that.......... hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.” He thus suits Himself to their condition and need. How blessed it is, beloved brethren, thus to know the Lord in His moral glory and almighty power. It draws out the heart to Him in truest worship. He has the key of David, according to the ancient prophecy. “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.” (Isa. 22:22.) Thus all the treasures — all the resources of the royal house of David, are under His hand,, and at His disposal. May we ever be kept close to Him who has the key!
How sweetly all this reminds us of His own lowly path of love, when it was said, “To him the porter openeth.” The enemy sought to shut Him out everywhere — from the great inn of this world to the end of His path, when He suffered outside the gates of Jerusalem. But God opened the door to Him, and He found His way to the poor, and the most hidden, of the flock. What can be more blessed than to have Him for our pattern in our pilgrim path? May we think more of this, and seek to be more conformed to Him!
“I know thy works,” He says, but He does not say what they are. Enough for our hearts that He knows all about us. “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.”
What quietness of mind this truth should give to those, who go about preaching His word. “Behold I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it.” A key is the symbol of power and authority. There is no good in running before the one who has the key; to go in or out, we must wait until He come. The blessed Lord presents Himself to His dear Philadelphians in this character of power and authority, because of their weakness. “For thou hast a little strength.” They had no outward power, like Sardis; but they did not need it, when He was so near them with the key. What a beautiful combination we have here! “For thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”
These three things, beloved friends, open a wide and rich field for contemplation; but at present, we can only draw your attention to them. He who would know the mind of the Lord as to His assembly, should examine them carefully. The Philadelphians were without influence, or note, or power in the world; but they had what is far, far better. They were in fellowship with Him who carries the key that opens every door of service and every treasure of blessing. And they kept close to His word, and did not deny His name. The word of the Lord is our only security and authority at all times, but especially in an evil time; and the name of the Lord is our only true center of gathering, bond of union, and power in worship and discipline; and the Holy Spirit, present with us, is our only strength in the midst of such outward weakness. “For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.”
But that which gives a peculiar charm to the position of the saints in Philadelphia, is, that they are like what Christ was Himself when here on earth. He never had influence or power in this world, but He could say, “Thy law is within my heart,” and His first care was the glory of His Father’s name. And what, we would ask, in all Christendom, could please the heart of Christ, like seeing the reflection of Himself, as the rejected Man, in His people? Nothing; no, nothing! Would to God it were more true, and more manifest. His experience in that mysterious path of love will be remembered with praise and thanksgiving forever. He will never grow weary of singing with His saints in heaven, the song of His lonely sorrow on earth. “ He hath not despised nor abhorred the affliction of the afflicted, neither hath he hid his face from him; but when he cried unto him, he heard.” Oh! with what rapture this song will be sung in heaven when Christ in Person leads it! The thought of it makes us long for that day of glory. But till then, may we be found walking in His steps, and not ashamed of His rejection.
As Christ Himself was despised, and never understood when in this world, so a remnant (as are all true Philadelphians), must expect to be despised. It was so of old when those who returned from the captivity were rebuilding the walls of Jerusalem. “Even that which they build,” said Tobiah, “ if a fox go up, he shall even break down their stone wall.” But Jehovah was a wall of fire around His feeble remnant, and they had nothing to fear from their enemies.
“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.” This is a remarkable word, beloved brethren; but the Lord hath spoken it. The haughty formalists of Sardis shall yet bow in homage at the feet of the now-despised Philadelphian, and confess that he is loved and honored by the Lord.
“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 all the earth.” Many good men have said, that the Church shall pass through the great tribulation. But, if I rightly understand this verse, Christ says, No. He does not say, “I also will keep thee when thou passest through it” — but, “I also will keep thee from it.” He will take her up to be with Himself in heavenly glory. The rapture of the saints will take place before that dreadful hour. Why honest and diligent students of Scripture should have made such a mistake, is hard to say; unless it be that they do not see the distinction, which Scripture makes between the Jewish remnant and the Church of God. If such think that our Lord is speaking about the Church in the twenty-fourth of Matthew, then the mistake could be accounted for, though we might wonder how anyone could discover the Church there. At all events, He says plainly enough to the Church here, “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.” Nothing, we think, could be more distinct or conclusive. He does not even say, “I will keep thee from the temptation;” but from the “hour” — the time — the period, when it shall prevail in its many forms. And the word “ temptation” being used here, may include the time of the “strong delusion,” which we believe shall immediately precede, what may be called more strictly, the great tribulation. In Matt. 24 it is spoken of as a tribulation without parallel and as in connection with the Jews. Again, in Rev. 7, there is the “great tribulation” in connection with the Gentiles. But in the passage before us, the language is wider far. “I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation which shall come on all the world, to try them that dwell on the earth.” It seems to me, beloved brethren, that the heart must be perverse indeed, that refuses to receive such plain statements — such thoughtful! tender, loving promises. The Lord, I have no doubt, will maintain the testimony of Philadelphia, as to Himself, down to the eve of that awful time; but from the delusions and seductions, as well as persecutions of all kinds, in a word, from the hour of temptation “which shall come upon all the world,” He will keep the Bride of His love. Blessed be His great and holy Name! May we firmly believe, and hold fast by His word, whatever men may say.
“Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. He threatens to come on Sardis as a thief — He comes to Philadelphia with a crown. And He comes with it Himself. “I will keep thee.” “I” — “thee.” The coming of our Lord in grace to take us to Himself, before the hour of temptation, is the true hope and crown of the Church which is His body and bride.
“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.” Those who have taken the place of weakness here, but of holy firmness against evil, shall be made pillars there. And because they denied not His name here, He will write His own new name upon them there. The scene which He here opens up to the overcomers is glory —the New Jerusalem — that which will follow His coming for them. And, oh! you with pencil in hand may doubly underline that precious little word, “My” — that blessed connecting link. “My word,” “My name,” “My patience,” “My God,” and “My new name.” Who would not desire above all earthly honors, privileges, or advantages, to be in the position of the Philadelphians and waiting for the Lord from heaven!
Laodicea. The lateness of the hour, beloved brethren, will not allow me to say much on the state of things in! Laodicea. But important as it is in its own place, I confess to a willingness to be brief. The eye, naturally, turns away from a picture so painful, after dwelling so long on one so beautiful. The Lord does not appear before us here as in Philadelphia. There, it was Himself in the beauties and attractions of His Person morally, and with the key of power waiting to serve them. Here, He presents Himself as “The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of the creation of God.” This sounds like the doom of Christendom: her end — her awful end — has come! Where the light has been greatest, the judgment will be heaviest. He comes Himself, as the faithful witness, to take her place. She has completely failed, and long been unfaithful, but He will verify the whole truth of God, and take the place that is His in the new creation.
Indifference to truth, latitudinarianism, was the sin of Laodicea — is the sin of the “last days.” It is nauseous to Christ, and will bring His final judgment on the professing Church. “I know thy works, that thou art neither cold nor hot; I would thou wert cold or hot. So then because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will spew thee out of my mouth.” These are strange words for the lips of Jesus, and strong words for Him to use about that which still calls itself by His name. But indifference to truth, after it has been known, is unbearable to Him. They are not ignorant. There is heat and cold — truth and error, in Laodicean lukewarmness. They profess to be rich in truth and in all spiritual things. “Thou sayest, I am rich, and increased with goods, and have need of nothing.” There may be a measure of zeal for spiritual things — a certain warmth and ardor for such things as the circulation of the Scriptures, missions, and the like; and also a certain measure of truth known, such as the Philadelphians teach and practice, and which is so far liked; but when they see where the truth will lead to, if faithfully carried out, they hesitate, draw back, sink into a cold indifference, and become lukewarm. “Thou art neither cold nor hot.” Christ can endure it no longer. Christendom must be cast out. But He cannot cast out any that have come to Him, and still in grace He lingers. The door is open for repentance.
“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 eye-salve, that thou mayest see.” The righteousness of God, and the practical righteousness of saints, are both unknown, notwithstanding their great pretensions. And what fills up the dark picture — while they think and speak as if they had the light of God, they are blind. But still His love lingers about the door. Alas! He is outside. But while a sheep or a lamb is inside, the Shepherd waits outside. He will not go away and leave them there.
“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. To him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am sat down with my Father in his throne.” What a fearful state things must have come to! Christ outside the door of His own house! But He perseveres, blessed be His name, though His head be filled with dew, and His locks with the drops of the night! He knocks again; the slumbering one awakes; the knock is heard; the door is opened; the sheep know His voice; He gathers them out; they are caught up to His throne! And now, the corrupt mass of Christendom is spued out of His mouth. The awful judgments of the earth immediately follow. The day of Jacob’s trouble has come. But the Church, the Bride, is with her Lord.
A door is open in heaven: even now we can look in and see, in vision, the elders around the throne. Thunderings, lightnings, and voices proceed from where they are, but they are in a state of perfect, blessed repose. We see them crowned, enthroned, worshipping. But not a seal is yet opened, not a trumpet blown, not a vial poured out. The proper action of the book, strictly speaking, begins with the sixth chapter.
May the Lord enable us, beloved brethren, to keep the word of His patience, and to hold fast that which we have, that no man take our crown.
(Continued from page 219)