Revelation 3:8

“I know your works.  See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name.

·        Jesus has the ability to see everything about our life.  He sees the full truth about us.  He is fully attentive to His people.  The essence of the fear of God grows in us as we grow in the awareness that God sees everything about us continually.

·        Jesus set before the saints at Philadelphia the invitation to governmental positions of honor in His eternal government (Millennium then the Eternal State) related to their obedience in this age. He also offered them open doors in the spirit that give them access to the revelation of God’s heart.

Deuteronomy 32:30 How could one chase a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, unless their Rock had sold them, and the LORD had shut them up?

Psalm 77:9 Has God forgotten to be gracious?  Has He in anger shut up His tender mercies?

Revelation 3:7

“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write, ‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens.

·        Jesus invited the faithful in the Church of Philadelphia to have positions of honor in His eternal government over the earth related to their obedience in this age.

·        Rev. 3:7-13 is based on the prophecy that Isaiah gave about Shebna, King Hezekiah's chief leader being removed from his government position to be replaced by Eliakim (Isa 22:15-25). God promised to place on Eliakim’s shoulder the “key to the house of David” so he could open and shut the doors of the royal resources to release God’s will in the kingdom of Israel.

 Isaiah 22:22 The key of the house of David I will lay on his shoulder; so he shall open, an no one shall shut; and he shall shut, and no one shall open.

Job 12:14  If He breaks a thing down, it cannot be rebuilt, if He imprisons a man, there can be no release.

Revelation 3:6

“He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

·        It is a proverbial expression, implying that the highest attention should be given to what was spoken  (Barnes)

·        anything serious, and of great importance, was delivered; and which required attention, and was not easily understood:  (Gills)

·        The demand for universal attention (MH)

Isaiah 48:16  “Come near to Me, hear this:  I have not spoken in secret from the beginning; from the time that it was, I was there.  And now the Lord GOD and His Spirit have sent Me.”

 

Zechariah 7:12  “Yes, they made their hearts like flint, refusing to hear the law and the words which the LORD of hosts had sent by His Spirit through the former prophets.  Thus great wrath came from the LORD of hosts.