Revelation 3:7-13 To the Church in Philadelphia/ Greg Bahnsen (Part 15 of 63)

O Lord my God, when I in awesome one do consider all the world's high hands have made provided for our every need. We thank you especially that you provided the need salvation in Jesus Christ. We would pray that our Savior would be upheld and glorified in our lesson this morning that we might focus on him and his requirements for our lives. We pray Father, that all that we do and say would be glorifying to thee and advancing your kingdom. For it's in Jesus name we pray. Amen. Let's turn to Revelation, the third chapter. And this morning I'd like to take for our subject the letter to the church in Philadelphia that begins in verse seven of chapter three. 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 none shall shut, and that shutteth and none openeth. I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee a door opened which none can shut, that thou hast a little power and didst keep my word and didst not deny my name. Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan of them that say they are Jews and they 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 because thou didst keep the word of my patience. I will also keep thee from the hour of trial, that hour which is to come upon the whole world to try them that dwell upon the earth. I come quickly. Hold fast that which thou hast, that no one take thy crown. He that overcometh I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go out thence no more. And I will write upon him the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God in mine own new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith to the churches. Here we come to the sixth of the seven letters to the churches in Asia Minor. And I was explaining just a moment ago that I don't have any delusions this morning. I've ridden myself of those and I'm not even going to try to cover the remaining two letters. There's just too much in both of them to do that. So we'll just focus on the church in Philadelphia this morning. And then there will be a six or seven week gap in this particular series on eschatology in the book of Revelation while I'm in California taking care of some business and having a little vacation. And Jim Jordan has consented to take over while I'm gone and to present a lengthy discussion of the Olivet discourse. He had started that with you a few weeks ago, and I've asked him to continue it. And so I encourage you to keep coming. That's a crucial and hotly disputed passage among the three different schools of eschatology. And even within particular schools of eschatology, there are differences of opinion as to how it should be interpreted. And so I think you'll find that fascinating and very profitable as well. So, anyway, today the church in Philadelphia will be studied, and when I return, we'll finish the last church in Laodicea and then get into the prophetic portion of the Book of Revelation, which, of course, is where most of the controversy is. And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia, to the pastor of the church in Philadelphia. Philadelphia was known in the ancient world as the gateway to the east because of it being at the junction of the approaches to Mysia, Lydia and Phrygia. The three major areas of Asia Minor have as a junction to them Philadelphia, the city of Philadelphia, which was founded approximately 140 years before the birth of Christ by a man of the name Attalus II. Now, because of Attalus II's loyalty to his brother, the city was called Philadelphia. Now, those of you who have studied Greek can figure out what Philadelphia means. Philosophy, of course, which means love or loyalty, and otophos, which means brother. So here we have love to the brother or loyalty to the brother, Attalus ii, Philadelphia. He was originally from Pergamum, and he founded the city of Philadelphia as a center for promoting Hellenism. Now, that's important. In fact, I think we've seen in virtually every letter, if not in fact every letter, that the history of the city itself is in some way important to the message that Christ gives to the Christians in the city. Now, there's going to be a very important missionary theme to be found in this letter to the church in Philadelphia. And this was as a city founded as a missionary center for Hellenism. Now, Philadelphia prospered due to its strategic position, and it prospered especially because of the grape growing industry that was to be found there religiously. It was the center for the worship of Dionysius. Dionysius, of course, God of debauchery and festivity. And it's quite a degenerate religious cult that was to be found there. And Dionysius had temples for the other gods, subordinate gods in the City as well. Apparently volcanic activity had brought hot springs and earthquakes to the area. Very commonly, the ground around Philadelphia rumbled because of the the bubbling hot springs that were under the city. And in 17 BC, 17 years before the birth of Christ, an earthquake brought extensive damage to the city. It was so violent and it called for a rebuilding of a major portion of the city by imperial assistance. And so here's another city that's very much dependent upon Rome for its livelihood and for its continuing well being. So much for the city itself. The church in Philadelphia is our interest this morning. Verse 8 tells us, I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee a door opened which none can shut. But thou hast a little power, and didst keep my word, and didst not deny my name. The church in Philadelphia apparently was a very good quality, but a very small church. It has very little power. It's an insignificant force culturally, economically and all the rest. It's a small church, but a church of good quality. You'll notice that there is no heresy to be mentioned with reference to the church in Philadelphia. And even more importantly, in light of the previous five letters, no factions in the church. It's a united church, if we can read that from Silence. A united church and a church that's not torn by heretical divisions especially doesn't seem to be misled by false teaching. And a number of parallels can be drawn between the the church in Philadelphia and the church in Smyrna, which we have studied previously. First of all, there is no blame for the church in Smyrna and there's no blame for the church in Philadelphia, only praise for both of them. Both of them, it turns out, had suffered at the hands of the Jews and were also being persecuted by the Romans. And so they were suffering both from Jewish persecution and from Roman opposition. Both of them are assured that this opposition has what behind it? What is informing and empowering this opposition? Satan. It's satanically inspired opposition in both cases. And both are given a common promise. Of what? Looking at both those letters, what is common to the promise given to both of these churches? Not a rhetorical question. There's a name and a crown associated with both. That's right. Now notice the interesting pattern then, as we've read these letters. The pattern of the seven churches. Churches 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 and 7. Put them on a number line so you, you can Visualize this from 1 to 7. Notice this. The churches 1 and 7, Laodicea, which most of us know about, because you hear a lot of sermons about Laodicea, in its deplorable state of affairs, churches one and seven are in very grave danger, so grave that Christ is threatening to spew it out of its mouth and to take away the candlestand. Very grave danger. Now, if you look at 2 and 6, come inward. Now, churches 2 and 6 are in excellent shape. The two exterior churches, very bad churches, the two inside very good churches, excellent churches, and then churches 3, 4 and 5 are neither very good nor very bad. They're both mediocre churches. If you were to take the whole of what is said by way of praise and blame, both of them. It's rather interesting that there is that symmetry to it. The middle churches are mediocre. Then you have two very good churches and two very bad churches. Working from the middle out from church history, just this one note I think is of interest to you. The city of Philadelphia still sported a Christian church. In fact, the city was a Christian stronghold for the most part in the 14th century AD and withstood, unlike many other Christian cities, with several attempted sieges by the Turks and apparently successfully. Well, let's move on. We know a little bit about the history of the city and the history of the church and the condition of the church. This is what Christ wants to say to this kind of a church. These things saith he that is holy, he that is true. Christ's designation is a fascinating one. Here he describes himself as holy. Let's see a couple of Old Testament parallels to this. Isaiah 40:25. To whom then will ye liken me that I should be equal? Saith the Holy One. That's a designation for God Almighty. Who's the holy one? Habakkuk3 3. God came from Teman, and the Holy One from Mount Paran. His glory covered the heavens, and the earth was full, full of his praise. His glory covered the heavens, the earth was full of his praise. This Holy one in Revelation 6. Well, excuse me, let's look at John 14:6 before we look at the passage in revelation in John 14:6, the common, well known passage, Jesus says, I am the way, the truth, the life. Jesus in Revelation chapter three said, I am the one who is holy. I'm the one who is set apart, who is sanctified, who is consecrated to God's service. I am holy, undefiled, and I am the truth, I am true. Now in chapter six of Revelation, verse 10, this is what I was looking at a moment ago. Chapter 6, verse 10. And we read this. They cried with a great voice, saying, how long, O Master the holy and true. Dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth? You see, it's being applied to God the Father here, the Master, the One who is to avenge the blood of the saints, Christ's sheep on earth. And he is designated here in summary fashion as the One who is holy and the One who is true. And Jesus takes that designation for himself. And I bring that out, not because this is new to you, but we need to constantly be reminded how the authors of the New Testament are applying divine designations to Christ and don't find it at all incongruous that Jesus should be given the same designations as God the Father. While Jesus was indeed subordinate to the will of the Father as he came to earth to fulfill the plan for our salvation, nevertheless, in his own person, in terms of his own relationship to the other two members of the Trinity, they are all equal in their majesty. There is an equal ultimacy to their eternality. And he is on the same plane in terms of his ontological or metaphysical status, on the same plane with God the Father. Jesus says that he is holy, that he is true, and then he goes on, you see, this one who is set apart, completely undefiled, this one who is completely voracious and who is the very standard of truth in his own person. He says that he is not only holy and true, but that he hath the key of David so that he opens and none can shut. And shuts so that none can open. He has the key of David. That's a fascinating metaphor. The key of David. Well, first of all, why the Key of David? We'll talk about the key key here in a second. But why of David? What's being referred to here? What promise was given to David? Well, you might think back to the Davidic covenant of the Old Testament. What was specifically revealed to David? What specific promise was made to David that God had not made explicitly to any other recipient of one of these major covenants of the Old Testament, what was new to the Davidic covenant? That's right. That his seed would be established upon the throne forever, the promise of an eternal kingdom, an indestructible kingdom, and that his seed would occupy the throne of that kingdom. So here you have the notion of a large house that's being ruled over a kingdom that that is the domain for the Messiah. Jesus says, I have the key of David, okay? It's the Davidic promise that's in mind. And what is being referred to, especially in this metaphor, is the key of David, that is the highest power and the highest authority in the kingdom of David, which is to say the kingdom of God. Notice the allusion here to Matthew 16, verse 19. Jesus having addressed Peter as the. As the rock upon which he will build the church, so that the gates of hell shall not prevail against it, it goes on to say, and I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven. So what's the significance of the keys of the kingdom of heaven? Jesus explains it. And whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven. There's a great deal of authority and power that goes with such keys, because that's the very thing that makes a good number of people so prone to the independent form of church government or the congregational form of church government. It's just because there is such power in the leadership of the church, and it's so easy to abuse it that people get very much frightened of that. And indeed, in history, we have seen abuses of the keys of the kingdom. And the keys of the kingdom aren't really being used as the keys of the kingdom when they're abused. But the point is that that prerogative leads to presumption and therefore a number of abuses. But the point is simply the significance of the key here for our lesson. The key stands for the one who has highest power and authority in that position, because he's the one who opens the door and closes the door to those who would enter and exit. Jesus says, I have the key, key of the kingdom of David. I have the highest power and authority in God's kingdom after his resurrection. Of course, Jesus said that all power and authority, or all powerful authority, however you want to translate it, in heaven and on earth belong to him. And so we have the illusion also continued, or it's carried out further. He has the key of the kingdom of David so that he opens and none can shut, and he shuts and none can open. Not only is it the highest authority, but it's a very powerful authority Jesus has, because while in earthly affairs, you might imagine, for instance, our church door back here being locked so that nobody could enter, and yet people could enter. I mean, if they were violent enough or clever enough, they could still get in. And if we were trying to lock you all in here this morning, you might all find a way out, even though the doors were locked. But Jesus says, when I lock the door, no one enters, and when I open it, no, nobody can close those doors. He not only has the authority to do these things, he has the power to enforce what he says is going to be done. This opening and no man can shut is parallel to what we read in Job, the 12th chapter, verse 14. Let's turn back to the Old Testament. In fact, we're going to be studying in the Old Testament here for a few minutes. And so let's look at job 12, and then we'll turn to Isaiah to find the actual allusion. But Job 12 at verse 14 should be read first. Here's Job answering, speaking of God, who has counsel and understanding. Behold, he breaks down, and it cannot be built again. He shutteth up a man, and there can be no opening. See, this is the very power of Almighty God, the Creator, the one to whom Job must give answer eventually. It's the Sovereign One of heaven and earth, the one who does according to his will. And no man can challenge him, saying, what do you think you're doing? And no man can stay his hand and stay his arm from accomplishing his ends. And that is expressed in Job here, in the illusion of opening and shutting, so that no man can undo that. Jesus again is being given the designation of the sovereign Jehovah of the Old Testament, the Holy, the True, the one who opens and shuts so that no man can undo his work. Of course, this is Job's fourth speech, and in it he is affirming the power and the sovereignty of God. Jesus then acts firmly. He acts truly. He acts in a holy fashion, and he acts without any fear of interference, as though he will not accomplish what he wants to do. He does whatever he wills to do. Christ is finally the one who gives and who withholds admission to the kingdom of David, which is later to be called the New Jerusalem, which is in fact the kingdom of God for all eternity. Jesus is the one who stands at the door and decides when the door shall be open and when it shall be shut. And that's why I said a few moments ago that people abused the powers of the key of the kingdom of heaven, because the church often thinks that it in its own right, and it per se, can operate the keys of the kingdom. Jesus is the only one who in the final sense and ultimately has that prerogative. So we understand the designation of Jesus. He is holy, he is true. He has sovereign power to open and to shut. But now I would like to look at Isaiah, the 22nd chapter, because it's from Isaiah 22 that this whole illusion has been built up. Jesus is the one who has the key of the kingdom of David. And let's read Isaiah 20:22, 15:22. I don't want to suggest that nobody here would know this story. I trust we've all been reading through our Bibles and we've come across it, but it's very easy to forget how much. John especially. But of course, any godly Jew and the authors of the New Testament were steeped in the literature of the Old Testament and how easily the allusions and the metaphors and the types of the Old Testament, the symbols of the Old Testament, will come to their mind when they're thinking of how to express themselves. And this is a very important story in the Old Testament. We find in Isaiah 22. And it's just for want of a knowledge of the Old Testament that the New Testament glory, I think, has failed to be discerned by many interpreters of the book of Revelation. And you'll see why I say that in a few moments. Isaiah 22, beginning at verse 50, 15, reading to verse 22. Thus saith the Lord, Jehovah of hosts. Go get thee unto this treasurer, even unto Shebnath, who is over the house, and say, what doest thou here? And whom hast thou here that thou hast hewed thee out here? A sepulchre hewing him out, A sepulchre on high graving a habitation for himself, the rock. Behold, Jehovah, like a strong man, will hurl thee away violently. Yea, he will wrap thee up closely. He will surely wind thee round and round and toss thee like a ball into a large country. There shalt thou die, and there shall be the chariots of thy glory, the shame of the Lord's house. And I will thrust thee from thine office, and from thy station shalt thou be pulled down. And it shall come to pass in that day that I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him with thy robe and strengthen him with thy girdle, and I will commit thy government into his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And the key of the house of David will I lay on his shoulder. And he shall open, and none shall shut. And he shall shut, and none shall open. Quite obviously, John is just quoting that verse when he describes Jesus Christ. Now, what's the significance of attributing this verse spoken to Eliakim the son of Hilkiah in the Old Testament? Well, what have we read of before we get to this promised lie to him. Shebna is going to be treated by God in a very judgmental way. And in fact, this is interesting language. God says, I'm going to roll you up into a ball and throw you into a far country. You know, we often think of a ball as something to play with, but God doesn't mean he's just going to bounce this guy around and play around. God says, this is going. I'm going to close you up T and that's going to be your downfall. That's going to be the end of you. You'll go away into captivity. Shebna, I'm casting you from your office. That's because of his pride and because Shebna had made a false alliance with the Egyptians after 719 in hopes of defending the city of Jerusalem. And so Eliakim is going to inherit the office of Shebna. Eliakim. Does anybody know what his name means? This is interesting in light of how complicated and intricate the imagery is here for the designation of Jesus Christ. Eliakim means God will establish. God will establish. Behind the work of Eliakim stands the work of the sovereign God, who will make it stand firm. He will establish. Eliakim now is made prefect over the palace of the king Hezekiah in the place of Shebna, the treasurer. It's interesting how he is said here in Isaiah to be over the house he actually governs in the name of the king. Joseph himself was said in the Old Testament to be over the house of Pharaoh. And so Eliakim will be over the house of Hezekiah. He will be over the king's place. And I have some allusions here that are important. Look at John 14, keeping your hand there in Isaiah 22, John 14, 2, Eliakim shall be over the house. And Jesus says, in my Father's house are many mansions. If it were not so, I would have told you, for I go to prepare a place for you. First. Timothy 3:3:15. Paul says, but if I tarry long, that thou mayest know how men ought to behave themselves in the house of God, which is the church of the living God, the pillar and ground of the truth. And then finally Hebrews 3316. Hebrews 31 6. Again the imagery of a house for the kingdom of God, wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling. Consider the apostle and high priest of our confession, Jesus, who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also was Moses in all his house. For he hath been counted worthy of More glory than Moses by so much as he that built the house hath more honor than the house. For every house is builded by someone. But he that built all things is God. And Moses indeed was faithful in all his house as a servant for a testimony of those things which were afterward to be spoken. But Christ as a son over his house. Whose house are we if we hold fast our boldness and glorying of our hope firm unto the end? See, God's kingdom is throughout the Scripture understood by this imagery of a house. The church is the house of God, the pillar and ground of the truth. So Moses was faithful in God's house. Jesus is the Son of God in the house of God, and we are his house. If we continue faithful to the end, Jesus promises that when we will eternally be with God, it will will be understood that he has gone to prepare a place for us. In God's house there will be many mansions. Some people think Jesus goes to build the house. Jesus goes to build the mansions within the house, you see, which is the kingdom of God. Eliakim in Isaiah 22 then is to be over the house. Clearly that designation gives the right for the New Testament writers to understand Eliakim as a type of Jesus Christ who will be over the house of God, the household of God. And Eliakim is not only over the house, but he's called my servant. If nothing else means that he is a genuine, true minister of the Lord God Almighty, my servant. But what's significant about Eliakim being called my servant in the prophecy of Isaiah? Can anybody remind me of why my servant is so important in Isaiah's prophecy? Who is the center figure in Isaiah's prophecy? What's he called? The servant of the Lord. That's right. God's righteous servant who will come and present his life. A ransom for many. Eliakim. Then my servant is a type of Jesus Christ over the household of God. And in verses 22 and 23, notice the power and change surety with which Eliakim was established. And the key of the house of David will I lay upon his shoulder. And he shall open, and none shall shut. He shall shut, and none shall open. And I will fasten him as a nail in a sure place. And he shall be for a throne of glory to his Father's house established with surety. And he receives this authority from God himself. Jesus in Matthew 28, remember, had said, all power and authority in heaven and in earth is mine. Now to Eliakim, God says that the key of the house of David will be laid on his shoulder in Isaiah's prophecy. Where does this language of laying something upon one's shoulder come from? We have to turn back, you see, from chapter 22 to chapter 9, verses 6 and 7. Again, it's a governmental image, An image of authority. For unto us a child is born, and unto us a son is given. And the government shall be upon his shoulder. And his name shall be called, Called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Now notice verse seven. This is crucial. Of the increase of his government and of peace. There shall be no end upon the throne of David and upon his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from henceforth, even forever. And the zeal of Jehovah of hosts will perform it. Now, if you're not post millennialist, I'd say you've come to the end of your line when you get to this verse. The government is on his shoulder. And of the increase of that government, the increase of that reign, and the increase of peace, there shall be no end. You say, well, of course. That's what we hope for. That's what we pray for. Know the Z. Jehovah of hosts will accomplish it. You see, you can't say that. It's just a hope, it's just a prayer. There's going to be no end to that increase. It's going to be established. It's going to be upheld with justice and righteousness forever. Now, why have we been emphasizing Eliakim? God will establish that he is set as a sure nail in the wall, that Jesus Christ has all power and authority in heaven and earth, that he can open the door and none will shut it. Because the government, the key of the house of David, is on his shoulder. And he'll see to it that he accomplishes all of God's bidding to bring the earth under his dominion. His control over the royal kingdom of David then is a strong control. And it is without opposition. Now, that much is said to Eliakim, but no man qualifies. The have that said to him per se. Eliah comes, stand as the type of Jesus Christ. That's why it's so very significant. You see, it's the only place in the New Testament where that typology, which should have been clear to the readers of the Isaiah prophecy, that typology is finally picked up. It's not incidental. John makes real and intentional use of that. He's going to teach that Jesus is going to give a door of missionary activity opened up Wide through this very small church in Philadelphia. And that little small church is going to say, right, I mean, look at our little power. And we're supposed to what, conquer the earth? And Jesus reminds them, I'm the one who has the key of David. I'm the one who opens, and no one can shut. And with the background of the Isaiah prophecy in mind, I think you can see the real significance of that in the promise that's implicit in it. But let's continue on now in Revelation 3 with this. So much for the city and the church that is in the city, and the designation of Jesus. Verse 8 says, I know thy works. And this is, of course, the standard introduction for the praise that Jesus has for the church. And in this case, the praise that Jesus has for the church is associated with promises to the church in verse nine. So let's read verses eight and nine. Now, I know thy works. Behold, I have set before thee a door opened which none can shut. I know thy works, that thou hast a little power, but did keep my word and did not deny my name. Behold, I give of the synagogue of Satan of them that say they are Jews and they are not, but do lie. Behold, I will make them to come to worship before thy feet and to know that I have loved thee. You have a little power, Jesus says, and yet you have kept my word. You did not deny my name. Churches are not just whistling in the dark when they encourage their people that for whatever their numerical strength, God honors their fidelity and God honors the way that they hold up in the face of persecution, and they do not give up the fight. Jesus, by his own words says, I know that you're small. I know you're really insignificant. You're of little power, but in God's sight you have great power. Because notice, in the face of opposition, you don't capitulate. You don't fold up, you don't fall back. You don't deny my name. They did not embrace heretical teaching. They have been small, but they were orthodox. Nor did they weaken and capitulate in the face of persecution. They didn't deny his word. They didn't deny his name either. And they did that with what in the eyes of the world was little strength. And so Jesus gives them a promise. He offers this. An open door set before the church so that no man will be able to shut it. Now, what does that open, open door refer to? We know that the fact that no man can shut it is a reference to the sovereign power of the one who makes the Promise to see to it that it is accomplished. But that open door is a common phrase in the Book of Acts and throughout the New Testament for a door of missionary opportunity. Let's see a few examples of that in the book of Acts. Well, one in Acts anyway, Acts 14:27. And when they were come and had gathered the church together, they rehearsed all things that God had done with them and that he had opened a door of faith unto the Gentiles, God had opened a door of faith unto the nations, unto the Gentiles, this door of missionary opportunity. And they were rehearsing the faithfulness, the fidelity of God in the past, power of God in doing just that. Turn to Paul's Corinthian Epistles, 1 Corinthians 16:9. There Paul says, well, verse 8 to give you the context, but I will tarry at Ephesus until Pentecost, for a great door and effectual is opened unto me. And there are many adversaries. Paul says there are many adversaries, for God has opened a great door, which means an effectual door for his ministry. 2nd Corinthians 2:12. He says, now when I come to Troas for the Gospel of Christ, and when a door was opened unto me in the Lord, I had no relief from my spirit. And he goes on to explain why. But Paul understands his coming. And the Lord opening up a ministry to to him is an opening of the door. All right. So Jesus says to this church in Philadelphia, I know you have little strength, but you're faithful. You don't deny my name, you don't deny my word. I've opened a door to you that no man will shut. So at this little piddly church, this little small church, a great missionary for us. I mean, don't you have to, you know, you need really a drive in church, don't you? I mean, you need just to draw in the flocks of people. I mean, you need a building that's a whole city, city block before you can have that kind of power, right? Wrong. Jesus says, you're a little church, but I'm opening a door. And when Jesus opens the door, you see, it doesn't make any difference how many people are in the parking lot when Jesus opens the door. And no man can shut it. A great opening to a missionary enterprise is before them. So the promise is that this church is going to be made powerful. The one who has the key of David's kingdom on his shoulders, so that there'll be an increase of that government and peace and the Lord will establish that forever. That church under his leadership is going to prosper, is going to draw people to it, and we're going to see the nations converted. Well, you want an example of that? Jesus continues. He goes, well, let me illustrate what this door of missionary enterprise is going to be for you. Behold, verse 9, or by illustration. Verse 9 says, I give of the synagogue of Satan of them that say they are Jews and they 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. And you mustn't think that the open door means an open door to the Jews. Jesus, that word behold is an interesting one. It's used in a lot of different syntactical ways. I dare say here Jesus is saying, so wide is this door of missionary activity going to be to you that even the Jews. He goes, I open this door so that no man can shut. Behold, the Jews will come. Those ones who say they are God's people but lie. Those who are really satanic and are opposing you even they will come and do what? They're going to sit down in the pew next to you and say, you know, you were right all along and we worship the living and true God. Of course that would eventually be the case, but look at the imagery. Not just they're going to come to church with you, but they're going to bow at your feet and they're going to confess that for all of their satanic opposition, God has loved you. Even the Jews. Why even the Jews? Because there are two major enemies of God's people in the Book of Revelation, the Jews and the Romans, especially apostate Judaism as it was persecuting the church of Jesus Christ. And then of course, decadent Rome, the Roman Empire, even the Jews will come and be submissive to the church and will know and acknowledge Christ's love for his church. I suppose I can't say that much about the conversion of the Jews without at least reminding you of what we read in Romans the 11th chapter. Let's turn there momentarily. Romans 11 and I'll just read selective verses. First of all, 11 and 12 of chapter 11 here Paul says, I say, then did they stumble that they might fall, God forbid, but by their fall, salvation has come unto the Gentiles to provoke them to jealousy. Now, if their fall is the riches of the world, that is the Gentile world, and their loss is the the riches of the Gentiles, how much more their fullness. Paul says, now what will be the Effect when the Jews are converted. I mean, if, when the Jews are apostate, the world is blessed, what's going to happen when the Jews come in their fullness to Jesus Christ? And then verses. Well, verse 15. For if the casting away of them is the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be? And what's the only appropriate imagery? I mean, after the world's been reconciled to God because of the Jews being cast out, when the Jews are brought back in, what will be the effect on the world? Well, virtual life from the dead. It's going to be a resurrection of righteousness and peace in the earth. Verses 23 and 24. Go on. And they also, if they continue not in their unbelief, shall be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. For if thou wast cross, cut out of that which is by nature a wild olive tree, and was grafted contrary to thy nature, into a good olive tree, how much more shall these which are the natural branches be grafted into their own olive tree? Paul is arguing here that, look, if wild olive branches are capable of being used by the sovereign God to be grafted into his pure tree, how much more those cut off limbs, how much more? If in the lesser, in the greater case, how much more the lesser here can the Jews be brought back in? They certainly can. Verses 25, 27. For I would not, brothers, have you ignorant of this mystery, lest ye be wise in your own conceits, the conceits of what the Gentile heart says. When I look at those terrible Jews, don't be ignorant, don't be wise in your own conceits, that a hardening in heart hath befallen Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles be come in. And in that way all Israel shall be saved. Even as it stands written, there shall come out of Zion the deliverer. He shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob. And this is my covenant unto them when I take away their sins. Even the Jews are going to come and worship at your feet and say, Christ has loved the church. That's how wide open is the door for the missionary proclamation of the Gospel. That is how Jesus will exercise his increasing government over the earth. Now, we've already discussed in the past, and so I want to take to much of our fast, leaving time to remind you that the Jews are described here as those who say they are Jews and they are not. This is a very difficult thing, I think, for a dispensationalist to deal with the essence, the hard core of dispensational theology is the distinction between. Between Israel and the church, the distinction between the Jews nationally understood, and the church of Jesus Christ. Now, dispensationalists will often have read to him portions out of Galatians, the third chapter. Let's look at that real quick. Galatians 3. 7. Paul says, know therefore, that they that are of faith the same are sons of Abraham. And look at Galatians 6:16. And as many as shall walk by this rule, peace be upon them, and mercy even upon the Israel of God. This is a benediction upon the Galatian Church, and it's called the Israel of God, the sons of Abraham, the seed which inherits the promise. Now, you read that to a dispensationalist, well, not just any, but I mean a sophisticated and polemic dispensationalist, and he'll say, well, yeah, that's true. Metaphorically, that's true. Christians in a spiritual sense are sons of Abraham. And of course, we aren't claiming that we are, in a literal, biological sense, sons of Abraham, that somebody who was born into some family out of another nation of the earth will in some miraculous way have his lineage completely changed so that somehow he can be linked back into the fatherhood of Abraham in a biological way. We aren't claiming that, but the dispensationalist says, that's all Paul's doing. He's only speaking metaphorically and not denying the other. And so we must understand there are two senses of being a Jew, a Jew who is an inheritor of the promises, one literal physical, which must mean the land, the millennium, and all the kingdom, blessings, and then spiritual salvation and that which is offered in Jesus Christ. Well, the difficulty with that is what we read in the Book of Revelation. Paul says that we who are Christians are sons of Abraham. We are the Israel of God. We inherit the promises. And in the Book of Revelation, we find out that those who claim to be Jews are not. They are not Jews. Is that a denial of their biological lineage to Abraham? No, but they aren't inheritors of the promise in any sense. There is no special place for Israel in God's sight any longer. The Jews have been cast off. Now, of course, we've just read they're going to be grafted back in and there will be a special place in the sense that there's going to be converted in mass. But that's not unique. For after all, the world has been converted in mass. When the Jews work in jealousy upon the world and then come into the kingdom. And then of course that brings life from the dead even to the world. That is even further blessing. So it's not unique blessing for the Jews, it's even the Jews will come in. So let's remember as we're talking to dispensationalists that while we hold to a unique, I mean to a special place for. For Israel in the future, it's special by comparison to Israel's history, not special by comparison to the Gentile world. The Jews have no special place in God's plans, no unique place any longer. For they claim to be Jews, but they are not. Yes.

Israel as a whole. I've seen in the last and upper way of an anytime you mention Israel in the context of salvation that is there of the last, it would be a scripture that's preventing such All Israel will be saved. If these be spiritually, it's all 10,000 Jews who are.

No, I don't think that's exegetically warranted. In fact, I think it's incredible and context because. Well, for two reasons. One, Paul introduces this whole discussion by means of his zeal for his brethren after the flesh. It's Israel after the flesh that worries him. And the question is, is God not true to his promise? Now, if Paul is only interested in Israel in that spiritual sense, then he's introduced it all wrong. Because what he wants to prove is God has not been unfaithful to his promise because. Because not all Israel is Israel. True Israel among Israel has been saved and God intends to even bring all of Israel and all Israel shall be saved eventually. I mean in this metaphorical and hyperbolic sense that God is going to bring widespread salvation to the Jews, not in contrast to the Gentiles, but just because he's done it to the Gentiles. So in the first thing we have to remember how Paul introduces the discussion. It's his brothers after the flesh that he's concerned about and the fidelity of God's promise to them. And then secondly, he is contrasting Israel in that very passage we're reading to what has happened to the Gentile world. Now, if Israel there means all of God's elect, regardless of their national origin, then what can Gentile mean by comparison? Well, it has to mean unbelievers. But when the fullness of the Gentiles has come in, just won't fit.

Uses the organic scripture and an organic sense how you see all of God's people as being liquid up in both as elect and reprobate.

I know what you mean, but I'm not sure that I agree.

If you view God's people, what is Israel as having when you say Israel, than you have within Israel. Of course, those who are circumcised are those who are not.

Right? Right. But Jerry, the question is, who are the Gentiles? By contrast, the Gentiles are those who have been brought into the tree, into Israel.

He was talking about there was a tree. The people of God in those answers were the tree.

Yeah, I agree that the wild branches are grafted into the genuine tree and then those that were branches by nature will be regrafted in. But the contrast still is there between the Gentiles and Israel. When Paul says that Israel will look upon God's blessings upon the Gentiles and will be provoked to jealousy. Now, organic view of Scripture or not, the fact is that those who are provoked to jealousy are not believers. Israel there cannot mean the church. Moreover, the Gentiles who are being blessed cannot be unbelievers because they're the ones who are coming in fullness to the gospel. Granted, the image is right. Gentiles and Jews both into the same root, into the same tree. That's very organic. But when Paul's talking about blessings upon the Gentile world, blessing upon Israel, the contrast has got to be ethnic, can't be in any other sense, because it just won't fit. Israel is provoked to jealousy, which is to say, if you hold to the spiritual approach to that, that the church of Jesus Christ is provoked to jealousy for what God is doing upon the earth. Unbelievers. And so they're led to move into what God has done to the unbelievers, that is the Gentiles. That's just wrong. God has done something for the Gentiles which Israel is going to long after. And then Israel will be grafted back into the tree too. And so I believe in organic approach. But the organic approach cannot do desperate to the exegetical realities of the passage. The passage does not allow for the contrast to be all Israel being saved, meaning all the elect, all the church of Jesus Christ. It's all Israel in the literal sense of all the Jews. And that causes problems. Do I mean each and every individual Jew in that day will be saved? Well, I don't think that's what you're forced to believe, but it would be better to believe that than to change the imagery all around so that you can't make sense of the passage as a whole. I think that's hyperbole. Just as when we read in the Book of revelation, chapter 19, that every opposition to Jesus Christ will be vanquished by the preaching of the Gospel. I think that's going to be generally true. I don't believe it's going to be literally true. I think there are going to be unbelievers, the wheat and the tare together through the end till the harvest. But the fact remains that God speaks with such glowing terms as to what he's going to do. All Israel shall be saved. And what we're reading of in Revelation 3, which is really the point of referring to Romans, is that Christ is opening such a door of missionary proclamation to the church, even a church with such little power, that even the Jews will come. That doesn't mean even the believers will come. Of course, we know the only ones who do come are believers. But that's not the point. You can't say, look, even the Jews are going to come and worship at your feet. The ones who come and worship at the feet are those who previously are known as satanically inspired. Even that group are going to have to admit that Jesus has done something for the church. Now, the Jewish persecutors are imposters who really comprise, not Israel in the blessed sense of Israel, but really comprise the synagogue of Satan. Now, that is, we're going to run out of time if I spend time, too much, much time here. But it's a serious lesson that we almost learned, that good intentions do not make you God's people. You see here, they thought they were Israel. They stood in the line of promise. They had all the good intentions in the world. What right have these Christians to be making these claims? And they claim to be God's people. And you and I claim to be God's people. And we may intend to be God's people, and we may have a zeal which you would think would be a mark of God's people. But if it's not a zeal after genuine godliness, it's not a zeal according to the word of God. And if our intentions are not followed by in fact, being in the way of faith, then we are a synagogue of Satan. Now, Christ is going to destroy Satan's house. And we mustn't overlook that imagery. We don't have time to read on it. But In Matthew the 12th chapter, Jesus says to the Pharisees, and if I by the finger of God cast out demons, then is the kingdom of God upon you. And how is it possible that this should happen unless I have first bound the strongman. And then I will destroy his house. What's interesting about that is that Jesus, you see, has the key of David. He rules over David's house, and he's destroying Satan's house. In John the 12th chapter, Jesus says, and I, if I be lifted up, will draw all men to myself. And at that time, you see, the Prince of this world will be cast out. Jesus has already bound Satan. He has cast him out. His power is spent. Sure, he walks around as a roaring lion. He's trying to destroy our faith. He's active in the world, but Jesus controls that. You see, the nations can't help but be converted if the church is faithful to the word given to them to proclaim. Now, this idea of the Jews becoming submissive to the church is interesting in light of Isaiah chapter 60 and in closing, I would like to look at that. Isaiah 60 and just selected verses again. First of all, verses 1, 2 and 3 arise, shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of Jehovah is risen upon thee. For, behold, darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the peoples. But Jehovah will arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee, and nations shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising. Verse 5. Then thou shalt see and be radiant, and thy heart shall thrill and be enlarged, because the abundance of the sea shall be turned into thee. The wealth of the nations shall come unto thee. Verses 10 to 14 then finally. And foreigners shall build up thy walls, and their kings shall minister unto thee. For in my wrath I see smote thee. But in my favor have I had mercy on thee. Thy gates also shall be opened continually. Interesting image, isn't it? Your gates shall be opened continually. They shall not be shut day nor night, that men may bring into thee the wealth of the nations and their kings led captive for that nation and kingdom that shall not serve thee shall perish. Yea, those nations shall be utterly wasted. The glory of Lebanon shall come unto the thee, the fir tree, the pine and the box tree together to beautify the place of my sanctuary. And I will make the place of my feet glorious. And the sons of them that afflicted thee shall come bending unto thee. And all they that despise thee shall bow themselves down at the soles of thy feet, and they shall call thee the city of Jehovah, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel. And I suppose we'd better come back next week and read up on this and finish out the allusions. But just this, in closing, according to Isaiah's prophecy. The Jews expected that the Gentiles would eventually submit to them. It was a common Jewish expectation that God was going to humble the nations as they came to Israel. And the wealth of the nations would pour into Israel, in fact so much wealth that they'd have to keep the gates open day and night that all this would be poured into them and the kings of the nations would be led captive into Israel and Israel would dominate over the Gentiles, so that all the nations would bow at Israel's feet and say, you are the Holy One of Israel, the Holy One of Jehovah. Jewish expectation that the Gentiles would eventually submit to them is fulfilled in the New Testament. Notice with the proper understanding that God's kingdom would finally have the outsiders be poured into it and submit to it God's kingdom. And ironically, as the Jews expected the Gentiles to submit to them. John tells us it's in fact by ethnic origin the Jews who will come and bow down their feet to God's true Israel, the Church of Jesus Christ, even the Gentile Church of Jesus Christ and profess that Jesus has loved the church. This is one of the most powerful letters of the seven that we have read. For what it says about Jesus establishing in the power of David's kingdom, this open door for missionary advance. So that you see there's going to be this widespread conversion, the power of the nations, the wealth of the nations and even the kingdom. The kings of the nations are going to come and bow before the Church. Have you faith that God can do that? Have you faith that God intends to do it? Now remember the name of Eliakim. God will establish. Let's pray. O Lord God, we thank you for the glorious promises of your word. And we are humbled, Lord, that with those promises we see that it's by your grace and your grace alone that we are partakers of such blessings. Lord, make us mindful, lest we become arrogant, lest we become become conceited, lest we think that somehow we are better than Israel and we have been blessed for something inherent in ourselves. Make us ever mindful, Lord, that we are saved by your sovereign grace. That it's only because of the mercies of Jesus Christ, our Savior and his love for his sheep that we've been called into your kingdom. And make us mindful, Father, that we indeed are of little power. The Father makes us faithful too. That that little power in the eyes of the world is something great before thee and that you do intend to take that little power and convert the world nations. Hasten that day, Lord, when the kingdoms of this world are indeed the kingdom of our Lord and of his Christ. In Jesus name we pray.

Amen.