10Because 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.11Behold, I come quickly: hold thatfast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.12Him 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 mynew name.13He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.
We find the Philadelphia has kept Gods commandment and He is pleased. Here we are finding there is a reward for the loyalty. To those who have kept God's word, the Lord pledges to keep us from the "hour of temptation." This means we will not be here on this Earth to go through the tribulation ahead. Keep in mind that there are persons here who say they are Christians and still refuse to do away with their worldly ways, and therefor really belong to this world. Remember Matthew 6:21, 21For where your treasure is, therewill your heart be also.
Following this, there is a warning to hold fast to what we have that our crown is not taken. It is to those that are in and of Christ that is being spoken to here. At the Lord's return, we will be at the judgement seat and rewarded for our service with a crown. He is not talking about holding on to salvation, that is secure in God and cannot be lost. However, if we do not remain faithful, our crown may be lost. Lost by not following what Christ has called us to do. If you will continually refuse to do what Christ has put on your heart, you will be replaced by someone else and the crown lost. The Bible shows several circumstances of this occurring. See Genesis with Esau and Jacob, where Ruben loses his place to Judah, and in 1 Samuel where Shebna lost to Eliakim. In addition there is Isaih with Joab and Abiathar lost to Benaiah and Zadok, plus more in the Bible. One of the biggest lost is in Romans 11:11, where the Jews lost their place to the Gentiles. Take care that you do not lose your crown.
Verse 12 speaks of being a pillar. The pillar has the attached meaning of being great support for the Temple of God. Biblical examples of pillars of the church are Peter, James and John in the early Jerusalem church and Abraham had stated that the Jewish Rabbis were the pillar of the world. To "go out no more" would speak of security. Remember we are reading a letter to Philadelphia at a time were there was recurring earthquakes and tremors. Many citizens had fled to open country and life was very uncertain for them. An additional meaning of "go out no more" is suggested as the possibility of a fixed moral character. It is in reference to the fact that we all fail, we are tempted, and fall short. But, for those who are faithful, they will become a pillar, fixed in the Temple of God where the temptation is no more. Life of untroubled goodness!
To overcome and be made a pillar with a new name, to dwell in our Father's house, and to have the name of God written upon us is heavenly promises which we can only try imagine. The image we try to comprehend will fall very short of what it will be like to have the security, fellowship, intimacy, and stability in heaven eternal with the Lord. AMEN!
One more letter for the next blog! On to Laodicea! Hope to see you there!
Blessings on all,
Calabash!
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