Should you choose to accept it here this morning is to leave here encouraged, perhaps the most encouraged you have ever been in your entire life. Are you guys ready for that here this morning? I want to invite you to open your Bible and turn with me to Revelation, chapter 3, verses 7 to 13. And out of the seven letters that Jesus writes to these seven churches, this is by far and away the most encouraging letter. And if you've been reading through Revelation or coming to the services on the weekends or Tuesday nights this summer, you know the Book of Revelation could be very intense. I mean, there are descriptions of intense judgment coming upon planet earth. Even what Jesus says to the churches. Five of these churches, he calls them to repentance. He's telling people they're not even alive. They are dead. So, there are many intense things, but this passage stands out as one where the people are commended for what they're doing in the church, and Jesus says these promises to these people that are so encouraging. And I want you to look at it with me here. In fact, I want to invite you to stand up for the public reading of Scripture. So, I'm going to read for us Revelation 3:7-13. And I want to encourage you to give this your full and undivided attention, because this is what Jesus said to a specific church, but it will encourage all of us here together as his church this morning. So please follow along as I read Revelation 3:7-13.
“And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write: ‘The words of the holy one, the true one, who has the key of David, who opens and no one will shut, who shuts and no one opens. ‘I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, which no one is able to shut. I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie—behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you. Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. The one who conquers, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God. Never shall he go out of it, and I will write on him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which comes down from my God out of heaven, and my own new name. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.’”
That's the reading of God's Word. Please go ahead and have your seat. And at the beginning of all of these seven letters, Jesus always introduces himself in a way that's kind of going to set the tone for the rest of what he has to say to the church. Look back at verse 7. Look how Jesus introduces himself here. It's always “The words of,” and here he says that he's the Holy One. Here he says that he's the true one. So, Jesus, we know that he is unique. He is set apart as the Son of God for his perfect righteousness. There's no one like him. And we also know that Jesus is faithful and true. He actually says, He is the WAY, the TRUTH and the LIFE. He is the way to get to the Father. And so, we have some idea of what it means that he's holy or true. But do you notice what Jesus says there? Who has the key of David? He's saying, I'm the keeper of the key. Why would he bring that up? I don't know if you maybe, even when we've studied Revelation so far this summer, you may have never really thought about, what does it mean that Jesus has the key of David. And he's saying that this key has some kind of authority to it, some kind of power to it, because with this key, when he opens something, no one can shut it, and when he shut something, no one can open it, because he's got the key of David.
Now this is our sixth out of these seven letters. We'll conclude with the last one about the lukewarm church next week. But if you've been here for the first five, you know that a lot of times when Jesus introduces himself to the church, he's referring to something back from Revelation 1. But when he says the key of David, that's the first time David has been brought up in the book of Revelation. And in fact, David's going to come up two more times.
Go over to Revelation 5, and let me just show you the other times where David gets mentioned in Revelation. And this is the scene in the heavenly throne room where there's this scroll. But no one is found worthy to open the scroll. And John, who's having this heavenly vision, he starts weeping like, why is no one able to open the scroll? And then it says, In Revelation 5:5, “And one of the elders said to me, ‘Weep no more; behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has conquered, so that he can open the scroll and its seven seals.’” So if you know, going all the way back to King David of Israel, whose father was Jesse, and there are these prophecies about the “stump of Jesse,” “the root of David,” and maybe you've even known the prophecies about the branch. But there's going to come one in the kingly line of David, one down that family tree, and it's saying he's the one. He goes even further back than just the King David. It goes all the way back to the tribe of Judah, all the way back to the to the twelve tribes in Genesis. So, wow, there's one who is worthy to open the scroll, and he's associated with David, is what it says. He has conquered. He can open the scroll. And its seven seals go all the way to the end of the book, to Revelation 22 where Jesus says, three times, “I am coming soon.” How does the book end? How does the Bible end? “Jesus is coming soon.”
If you weren't here on Tuesday night, Pastor Josh gave a whole message, a whole teaching on what it means that Jesus is coming soon? From this chapter, you may want to go back and look at that message about the Wind of Revelation, the soon, because what it means is that it could happen at any moment. There's an immediacy, there's a quickness or a speed to it like nothing else needs to happen for Jesus to come back. He's happening soon, like it's about to happen. It could happen at any moment. And so, he explained that. And in the midst of all of that, “I'm coming soon.” And people are saying, come look at Revelation 22:16. “I, Jesus, have sent my angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the root and the descendant of David, the bright morning star.” Hey, I'm the one who goes back all the way to the beginning, to before David, and I'm also the descendant of David. I'm like the bright morning star. I'm like the king coming in all of his glory. So, there's something that you're supposed to know about David that Jesus is associating himself with. Jesus wants the church to know, I've got the key of David. Now he's actually quoting, when he says he's got the key of David, he's quoting a prophecy in the book of Isaiah, Isaiah 22:22. So, everybody, grab your Bible, and we're going to need to go back to some prophecy here that Jesus is referring to. In Isaiah 22:22 there's going to be this prophecy made about this guy, Eliakim, who's going to be a character here in the book of Isaiah, if you're familiar with this prophecy. But the line that Jesus quotes when he says, “I've got the key of David, and what I open, no one can shut, and what I shut no one can open.” Well, he's quoting. Look at it here with me in this prophecy. You can see there in Isaiah 22:20 he's got a servant, Eliakim, the son of Hilkiah, and he's going to clothe him and give him authority, and he's going to be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem in the house of Judah. Now look at verse 22 “And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open and none shall shut, and he shall shut and none shall open.” So, this key speaks of an ultimate authority. Whoever holds this key is the keeper of the kingdom. Whoever holds this key, they get to decide if the door is open to you and you're welcome in, or if the door is closed to you and you're not welcome in. And whatever the person who holds the key decides, that's how it goes. If they open the door, no one else is able to shut the door. And so, this is the key of David.
Now, do you know who David is? This is why I'm inviting everybody here to read through Samuel with us this summer. And we just started reading 2 Samuel. Okay? And in fact, I'm going to encourage you, if you haven't started joining us in 2 Samuel, maybe you could rethink that, because when Jesus is talking to a church, he's saying, hey, I want you to know I've got the key of who? David. So, there's something that happened with David that even every Christian today is supposed to know about. Turn with me to 2 Samuel 7. Okay, so all these references, all these prophecies, even they go back to this specific thing that happened when David became the king. Now, David was anointed king by Samuel, but Saul was still the king. And so, if you read through 1 Samuel with us, there's a long time between when David is anointed, and he doesn't actually become the king until Saul dies at the end of 1 Samuel. And then, David becomes king of half the kingdom. And then seven and a half years later, he becomes the king of all of Israel. And he ends up establishing his kingdom in this city called Jerusalem that you might have heard of. And then, here in chapter 7 of 2 Samuel, and we're going to read this together this week.
In fact, there's a handout there in your bulletin, everybody, if you want to pull that out and look at it, and it's for you to take notes on the sermon if you want to. But if you flip it over, you can see that we make videos to go along with what we're reading on our YouTube channel, Scripture of the Day. You can see there the chapters we're going to be reading this week. We'll be reading 2 Samuel 7. We'll be dropping a video this Tuesday to try to explain what happens in this chapter, because it is this chapter that Jesus is still referring to in the book of Revelation. And what happens in 2 Samuel 7 is David, now he's got a house as a king in a city, Jerusalem, he's king over all of God's people of Israel. And David, as a man after God's own heart, he has this really interesting idea. Hey, if I have a house, why doesn't God have a house? I want to build God a temple. And Nathan, the prophet, who's hanging out with David, he's like, that sounds like a good idea. You should run with that. Go with that. Do what's in your heart. But then God speaks through Nathan the prophet, and God says, David, here's how I want you to think about that. And pick it up with me in 2 Samuel 7:11, where it says, “Moreover,” right there in the middle of the verse. Now, there's a lot more to this covenant that God's going to make with David here, that we'll talk about in the video on Tuesday, but this is the part that I want you to see for our sermon. Why is Jesus saying the Key of David? Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. Here's David thinking I’ll make God a house. Now God wants to say to David, no, no, I'm the one making you a house, David. “When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body. And I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him. As I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you, and your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever, in accordance with all these words and in accordance with all this vision.” Nathan spoke to David. Let me ask you guys a question here this morning. If God says that he's going to establish the house of David and the throne of David forever, is that something that still applies today? What do you guys think? Does God know how long forever is? Okay? So, if God says that the house of David will be established as an everlasting kingdom, and now Jesus says, I've got the key of David, what is Jesus claiming? Jesus is claiming that he is the keeper of the kingdom.
So, if you are taking notes, let's get that down. Who are “The words of?” “Jesus is the keeper of the kingdom.” That's what he's saying. Jesus decides in this everlasting kingdom where someone in the line of David will sit on the throne and reign forever. Jesus is claiming that ultimate authority, and that Jesus there, he gets to welcome anyone into the kingdom he wants, or he will deny access to the kingdom of those who are not found worthy. Jesus holds the key of David. Jesus has that ultimate authority to enter people into the kingdom, the everlasting kingdom.
So go back to Revelation 3, and now with that understanding of the Davidic Covenant, a house and a throne that will be forever, and here's Jesus saying, I've got that key, look what he says to this church. And this is the sixth time now that we've done this. And you’ve got to just keep in mind, as we're going through the book of Revelation, it's not like each church just got the letter that was written to them. Each church got the whole book. So, by the time we get to the church in Philadelphia, here's now to the angel in Philadelphia, right? They've already heard the five previous churches, and they're like, I can't believe God, Jesus just said that about Ephesus. Wow. Look at these intense things. It sounds like those people are about to die. It sounds like these people need to repent, and these people need to repent. And Jesus just said that the church in Sardis is dead. And now he's got something to say to Philadelphia. And you might be like bracing yourself, whoa, what is Jesus about to say about me right now? And here's what Jesus says in Revelation 3:8, “I know your works, behold.” And he says “behold” a lot because he wants them to see something, something he wants to reveal to them. “Behold, I have set before you an open door which no one is able to shut.” That must have been the most encouraging thing these people had ever heard. They're like bracing themselves, like, what is he going to say about us? And he says, let me tell you what you guys have. You guys have an open door into the everlasting kingdom of heaven. It's like the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The kingdom of heaven is near. The kingdom of heaven, it's like coming. And like there's a door, and you’ve already been entered in. I've already opened the door for you, and no one can shut the door. Wow. Before he even says anything about this church and what they're doing, he wants them to know they've got access. Yeah, the door is narrow, but it's open to them. Wow, that's a really encouraging way to start this. It's almost like before he even gets to what they are doing, Jesus wants to make sure they know what he's doing. And then he says, “I know that you have but little power, and yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Now what does that mean that this church had little power? Some people think it means maybe they were few in number. Some people think it means maybe they didn't have a lot of financial resources, or maybe not a lot of influence there in the city of Philadelphia. But even though from the world's perspective, they might have seemed like they had a little power. Here's what Jesus knew, these people were keeping his Word, and these people were not denying his name. And so here he is. I know your works. You're keeping what I'm telling you to do. And so, he goes on to say here in Revelation 3:9, “Behold,” second thing he wants to show them, “Behold, I will make those of the synagogue of Satan who say that they are Jews and are not, but lie. Behold, I will make them come and bow down before your feet, and they will learn that I have loved you.”
And so, we've heard about this idea of the synagogue of Satan, where the Jews would gather together. And we know from the book of Acts, when we know how this worked in the first century, that the Jews often persecuted the Christians because the Jews thought that they were the people of God, and they were offended by this idea of Gentiles, or other nations, being able to be the people of God as well. So, they didn't like that message of the way of Jesus. And so, the Jews often came against the Christians. And so, here are people thinking they're right with God because they're physical descendants of Abraham, but here's Jesus saying, yeah, they think they're descendants of Abraham, but they're really not, because they don't have the faith that Abraham had. And I know that those people are against you. Guess what's going to happen? They're going to come as your enemies down the street. They're going to come and bow down at your feet. And here's what all the people who are against you are going to know about you, that I love you.
I mean, can you imagine hearing Jesus say that to you? Like, I know you've got some people out there and they say hurtful things to you, and they look down on you. Guess what? All those people, they're going to know how much I love you. Like, yeah, I see the opposition to you guys. Don't worry about them. They're going to come and bow down at your feet. So, you've got an open door into the kingdom, and your enemies are going to see who you really are. Now, when Jesus says this again, he's quoting from the prophet Isaiah. And in this idea that your enemies will come and bow down at your feet, this is something that God wanted his people to know. Look at Isaiah 60:14. We'll throw it up here on the screen. This is one of the verses that Jesus is quoting. “The sons of those who afflicted you shall come bending low to you, and all who despised you shall bow down at your feet. They shall call you the city of the Lord, the Zion of the Holy One of Israel.” So, this is fascinating, because the prophecy is originally to the Jewish people, as all the other nations came against them. Someday, there's a prophecy to the people of Israel. Someday, you're going to have a victory, and the other nations are going to bow down to you, and they're going to know you're God's people.
Well, now Jesus is taking that prophecy, and he's saying to his Church of people in Philadelphia, you have the Jews who think those prophecies are all just about them. Well, they're going to come and they're going to bow down, and they're going to acknowledge that you are my people, and I have loved you. The Jews are going to have to change their mind. They're going to have to realize it's not just about them. It's about you guys being my people, as well. Now he goes on to say this, like in Isaiah 49:23 he says, “Kings shall be your foster fathers and their queens your nursing mothers. With their faces to the ground, they shall bow down to you and lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am the Lord. Those who wait for me shall not be put to shame.” Hey, when your enemies at the end of it all, when your enemies are bowing down, that's going to be because I'm your God, and if you keep trusting in me, you will not be put to shame in the end. How about what he says here in Isaiah 45:14? Another place where this idea is brought up in this prophecy. “Thus says the Lord,” thus says Yahweh here “Thus says the Lord: ‘The wealth of Egypt and the merchandise of Cush, and the Sabeans, men of stature, shall come over to you and be yours; they shall follow you; they shall come over in chains and bow down to you. They will plead with you, saying: ‘Surely God is in you, and there is no other, no god besides him.’”
All these people who didn't believe in God are going to come and see who the people of God really were, and they're going to bow down, not just before God, but before his people. And so, this is awesome. I mean, hey, the kingdom is coming, and you have an open door. Yeah, I know you've got enemies, but they're going to bow down to you and they're going to know that I love you.
Is anybody getting encouraged yet? Is it starting to feel nice? Well, wait, do you see what he says in verse 10? Look what he says in Revelation 3:10. Even your enemies are going to know how much I love you. Yeah, I like this letter. Well, then he says this, “Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will keep you from the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth.” Now, a key word in this verse is this Greek word “téreó,” if you want to write that word down, because it's used two times in this verse. It's really the key word, I would say, of this entire letter, because he already said, “You have kept my word.” Now he's saying, “Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will now keep you.” So, he's flipping the script here. He's like, Yeah, you guys have been keeping my word to persevere, to endure to the end. Well, because you've been keeping what I told you to do, now let me tell you what I'm going to keep you from. Okay? So, this word is a very common word. I think it's an important word in New Testament Greek.
And next, you could write down Matthew 28:20. We could go right to the Great Commission, where Jesus says, “Go and make disciples of all nations.” We're going to baptize them. We're going to have baptisms here next weekend. I'm excited about it. “Baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And then he says, teaching them to observe, or you could translate it, teaching them to keep all that I have commanded you. So, Jesus has given his disciples commands that he wants us to keep. In fact, Jesus says it this way in John 14:15. “If you love me, you will” what, everybody? You will “keep my commandments.” And so, that's the same idea. And so, here's maybe what these people are doing. They're thinking, oh, I’ve got to keep going, even though it's hard. Oh, I’ve got to keep trusting Jesus, even though these enemies are coming against us. Well, Jesus told me to do this, so by faith, I'm going to keep doing it. And they're like, man, I'm going to keep the commands of Jesus. And now Jesus is like, hey, that whole time you were obeying me, that whole time you were observing what I commanded, the whole time that you were keeping my Word, let me actually tell you what I'm doing. I'm keeping you and let me tell you what I'm going to keep you from. See, Jesus wants to make it clear, yeah, you need to keep what I commanded, but I will keep you.
So, let's get this down for point number one. This is the big takeaway from this letter: “Jesus is your keeper,” everybody. Jesus is your keeper. Yes, he wants you to keep his commands, but he's the one the whole time that you're living for Jesus the whole time that you're seeking to trust and obey. Jesus is the one who's actually keeping you, and he wants to make a specific promise of what he's going to keep these people from, what he's going to keep his people from. But Jesus is your keeper. See, and that's how he wants it to be. Because even when Jesus says that we should go to all the nations to make disciples, and we want to see people get saved, and we want to see them die with Christ to sin and rise with Christ to a new life. And that's why we baptize them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And then we want to teach people like we're teaching here today. We want to teach you to obey everything that Christ commanded. But then what does Jesus say at the end of the Great Commission? And he says, and “lo, I am with you.” What everybody always sees Jesus is. Yeah, he's got something for you to do, but he wants you to know I'll be with you. I'll be keeping you. I'll be there the whole time. How about if you love me, you will keep my commandments.
He says that three times in John 14. He's making it very clear, Jesus is defining the relationship. If you're going to have a relationship with Jesus, he's going to be your Lord, you're going to be his servant, and that means you're going to do what he tells you. You're going to, if you really do love Jesus, you're going to keep what he says. But what does Jesus go on to say there in John 14, and guess what? “My father and I, we will come to you, and we will make our home with you.” It's not like you've got to keep it all by yourself. No, we'll be there. We'll be there living with you. We'll put the power of our spirit inside of you to cause you to walk in our ways and to make you careful to obey our commands. No, see, when you're keeping his commands, Jesus is the one keeping you. That's what he wants you to know.
This is something God has always wanted his people to know. Go back to Psalm 121. Let's make sure we all have this idea clear here in our minds, that the Lord is our keeper. The reason I'm standing before you speaking this morning, the reason that you're here listening this morning and hearing God's Word, is because God has kept us to this very moment in space and time. And they had a song about this here in Psalm 121. And these are the songs that the Jews would sing as they would celebrate the feasts three times a year. All the men would go up to Jerusalem. And you always go up to Jerusalem, no matter if you're coming from the north, south, east, or west, because Jerusalem is that city on a hill. It's a city up on a series of mounts, really. And so, as they would go up to Jerusalem, they would sing these songs. And they would sing this in Psalm 121. “I lift up my eyes to the hills. From where does my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. He will not let your foot be moved; he who keeps you will not slumber. Behold, he who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord is your keeper; the Lord is your shade on your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord will keep you from all evil; he will keep your life. The Lord will keep your going out and your coming in from this time forth and forevermore.” Can I get an amen from anybody on that? Right?
I mean, I don't know if God's ever blessed you with a baby being born in your household, a precious little one that you want to keep safe at all costs. And you'll stay up all night with this precious little one, whatever it takes. And when you put them in their crib or their basket, and you're just so careful, just wanting to watch over them, wanting to keep them safe. And, and I remember looking at my precious kids that God blessed me and my wife with thinking, man, I'll do anything to keep this kid safe. I'll do anything for this child. I want to keep this child right here with me. And then, you know what happens to new parents? Right? Does anybody want to chime in on this? We get exhausted. Does anybody know what it's like? Do you know what it's like when you try to stay up all night, 24/7 with this baby that just has endless needs. And you are getting very tired, right? And man, what an amazing thing to think about. The one who keeps me alive, the one who keeps watch over my soul, he never slumbers. He never sleeps, he never gets tired, he never grows weary. No, from this time forth and forevermore, whether I'm going out or whether I'm coming in, the Lord is my keeper. That's what an amazing encouragement to know that God is going to keep us. Yeah, he wants us to keep his commands, but he's the one keeping us.
Now, go back to Revelation, chapter 3, because there's something specific here that Jesus promises, he's going to keep them. You’ve been keeping my word, and so I'm going to keep you. And this is a future tense, I will keep you here, he says. And he says, It's “téreó ek.” So, I'm going to keep you from, or I'm going to keep you out of, and specifically here in Revelation 3:10. And this is, by far, the most famous verse from this letter. In fact, there are a lot of people who debate about what this verse is saying, but Jesus says, I will keep you from, or out of, this hour of trial that is coming on the whole world. So, there's some time coming that Jesus is going to keep his people out of that time. That's the promise he makes here to this church. So, in the Greek it's “téreó ek.” So, I will keep you out of, or from, now.
This phrase is also used by Jesus in John 17:15. So, let's turn over there, and let's see the one other time this same exact phrase is used, when Jesus is praying to the Father here in John 17. And so, this is the end of the Last Supper, where Jesus has given his instructions to the disciples about how they should keep his commands. But now he's praying to the Father, and one of the things he prays to the Father is, Father, will you keep my people? I've kept them while I was here, but now I'm going to go be with you, Father in heaven. So, I'm asking you to keep them. And I want you to see the prayer that Jesus prays, so that we will be kept, so that these disciples will be kept. Let's start in verse 12, and kind of get the full context here. He says, “While I was with them, I kept them in your name.” So, I've been keeping them while I'm here with all of them which you have given me. “I have guarded them, and not one of them has been lost, except the son of destruction, that the Scripture might be fulfilled. That's a reference to Judas, who betrays Jesus. “But now I am coming to you and these things I speak in the world, that they may have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth. Your word is truth. As you sent me into the world, so I have sent them into the world.” So, you can see there in verse 15, he's very clear about what he's doing. I'm not asking that you would take them out of the world, but that you would keep them from what? The evil one. Who is the evil one, everybody? Who are we talking about here? We're talking about Satan. We're talking about the devil. Okay, make sure when you spell “evil,” spell it with a “D,” because there's actually the devil out there, and he is instigating evil all over our planet.
And so presently, let's get this down. Under your point number one, you've got two dashes. In the “Present: He is keeping you from the evil one.” That's the prayer here between the Father and the Son. They're going to be in the world, but they're not going to be of the world. And because they're going to be in the world, the world being a system of evil, led by Satan and the rest of the demons, well, because they're going to be in the world, you need to keep them from the evil one. The evil one is like a lion prowling around, looking for souls to devour. And here's Jesus praying for his disciples that they will be kept from the evil one. The evil one will not be able to get them because Jesus is keeping them. In fact, you could write down Luke 22 where he talks to Peter, and he says, “Satan wants to sift you, Peter, but I've prayed for you.” Hey, I'm keeping you, Peter. Satan's coming after you, but I am your keeper. Now look at this verse. Luke 22:15, because a lot of people, they refer to this verse as similar to Revelation, 3:10. Notice what Jesus says. He says what I don't ask, and then what I do ask. “I do not ask that you take them out of the world.” So, he wants us to stay here in the world, but that you keep them from the evil one. That's his request there when he's praying on the night before he dies, almost two thousand years ago.
Now, I just want to draw to everybody's attention. Why would you say I don't need to take, I don't ask that you take them out of the world, unless taking them out of the world is actually a real option that's on the table. Why would you say, don't take them out of the world, unless that's in the realm of the possible scenario of what could take place. So, with that thought, go back to Revelation 3:10 because, even though he uses the same phrase, I will keep you out of or I will keep you from here, he doesn't say, I'm going to keep you from the evil one. Here, he says, I'm going to keep you from the hour. It's very important if you're taking notes, circle, underline the hour, the time, the season, the day. What he is keeping us from is a time that is coming, a time of tribulation. It's a time of trial on the whole world. So, notice very clearly here he's not just keeping us from the tribulation that is coming, he's actually keeping us from the entire time, or the hour, of the tribulation that is coming. And this is where a lot of people get confused, and this is where the debates begin. Oh, I think we're going to go through the time of tribulation. He's just going to keep us out of the tribulation. It doesn't say he's going to keep us out of the tribulation. It says he's going to keep us out of the whole hour of the tribulation.
Okay, so let's get that down for the “Future promise.” Here, the future promise is, “He will keep you from the whole time of tribulation.” It's really an amazing thing. You're going to get taken out before a time comes. He's going to keep you from that time. Okay, and that's how it's been referred to in so many passages. It's been referred to, primarily in the prophets, as “The day of the Lord,” a time where God will judge the planet. God will pour out his wrath for all of the sin that has been stored up, and literally, bowls of wrath will be poured out upon this planet. There is a time, and if you studied it, we know a lot about the tribulation. It's a seven-year time period that is coming, and there's this guy, the Antichrist. There's going to be an abomination of desolation. In fact, if you start in Revelation 6, and you go to Revelation 19, you can read through what's going to happen over those seven years. It's horrific. It's terrible. You don't want to be here. You don't want anybody you know to be here when God judges planet Earth. And so, what an amazing promise that Jesus gives to this church who is keeping his word. I will keep you from the whole time of tribulation, from the whole day of the Lord, from the hour of trial that is coming. I will keep you from that time, is what Jesus says.
Now go back to John 12:27. Let's go see another way that Jesus now uses this word “hour,” because this is the key word that a lot of people overlook. Oh yeah, he's going to keep us from the tribulation. No, no, it says he's going to keep us from the hour. And Jesus. He used that word in a similar way back in John chapter 12, where he knew he was going to die soon, and the Greeks come to see him. So, even the other nations are starting to come and see Jesus. And he knows he's going to be lifted up and he's going to die on behalf of all the nations. And he knows that his time, or his hour, is near. Maybe you can remember Pastor Josh even preached on this, “The Secret of Life Is Death” from John 12. Well, after that, look at verse John 12:27, because here's what Jesus says in his honesty and his openness. He says, “Now is my soul troubled.” Wow. What a burden to bear our sins! Well, what a heavy thing for Jesus to do, to take God's judgment that I deserve. But Jesus is getting it instead of me. And so, Jesus, he's troubled about this. He says, “Now is my soul troubled? And what shall I say? Father, save me from this hour? But for this purpose I have come to this hour, Father, glorify your name. Then a voice came from heaven. I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” So, notice Jesus. He says, should I pray, save me from this hour? Now what would that mean? If Jesus was saved from the hour, then we would think he wouldn't even die. He wouldn't even have been on the cross if he didn't go through the whole time. But Jesus keeps saying, my time has not yet come, but now he's saying the time has come, and this hour is actually the reason I came. And so, Jesus went through his hour of judgment on the cross so that he could promise to you that you won't have to go through the hour of judgment that is coming upon the world. So Jesus didn't say, save me from this hour. He went through the hour. But now he shows up and he says, I will keep you from the hour. Wow. What encouragement that is. When God judges planet Earth, you're not going to be here. I'm not going to be here. That's what he's saying to his people here in the church in Philadelphia. Jesus is making a promise for the future that when the hour of trial comes, his people will be kept out of that hour.
Now go back to Revelation 3:10 and let me just bring you into the debate that goes on all the time about this verse. Because some people will say, see, this is a proof text for the Rapture. And then other people will say, I don't see the Rapture in that verse. I don't think these people in Philadelphia were caught up into the clouds. So, if you don't know what the Rapture is, it's just a word that gets used. It comes from the Latin raptura. It gets used about 1 Thessalonians, chapter 4, where it talks about believers being caught up to meet the Lord in the clouds. And then there's also this idea in 1 Corinthians 15, that we're not all going to die, but we will all be changed in a moment, in a twinkling of an eye. So, there's this idea that Jesus is going to come and get his people, and those who are dead will rise from the dead, but those who are still alive, they won't die and then go to be with Jesus. They'll just be caught up into the clouds, or they'll just be changed in a moment. And then, we'll always get to be with the Lord. And so, some people are like, see, this verse is about the Rapture, and other people are like, no, this verse is not about the Rapture. And that's the beginning of a good argument, right there, because both sides think that they are right. And here's what we need a lot more of in Christianity, we need less proof text, and we need more proving the text. The truth about this text is, it doesn't describe how Jesus is going to keep us. It just makes the promise that Jesus is going to keep us. Other passages might describe how it's going to happen. It doesn't describe the Rapture here. It just says that when the time comes, that judgment comes from God to Earth, I will keep you out of that time. That's the promise from Jesus, and everybody needs to understand what he's saying right here. Okay? Don't get caught up in debates. Don't get caught up in sides. Prove what the text is saying. What does this mean that Jesus said to these people, you guys are keeping what I told you to do. So, I want to make a promise that I'm going to keep you. He's not telling them, hey, you've been keeping my word. Brace yourselves, everybody, because you're going to have to keep my word in the worst possible time in planet Earth history, where they behead Christians. And even if I keep you alive in it, you're going to watch everybody else die. Good luck with that. That's not what he's saying here. He's saying, when that day comes, I'll keep you out of it. That's a precious promise to these people, and somebody's going to object, and they're going to say, oh, well, that's just a promise made to that church. Well, yes, it is made to this church, and it's based on them keeping his Word, and it is a promise that Jesus is going to keep those particular believers in that church.
But have you been paying attention to how these letters work? All of the letters, they work the way that most prophecy in the Bible works, where they have an immediate application to the people who got the prophecy in its original context, and prophecy often has also a long-term application that applies to other people, to everybody. That's how all of these letters have been. Yes, he's saying this to a specific church, and his promise is that he's going to keep them, but the promise that he's going to keep them also applies to all of those who would keep his Word. That's how these letters have been working for weeks. If you've been coming to church, go back to last week's letter to the church in Sardis. Look what he said in verse Revelation 3:3. Remember, in the middle of verse 3, he said, “If you will not wake up, I will come like a,” what does he say there, everybody? How is Jesus coming? He's coming like what, everybody? Thief. Okay, so does that mean on the church in Sardis, who thought they were alive, but they were dead, and he gave him a wakeup call. If they don't wake up, is Jesus going to come and judge them? Yes. Is Jesus still coming like a thief in the night upon the whole world at some point in the future? Yes. So yes, it works for that specific church. It also works as a principle for all people to consider.
Go back to the church before that, in Thyatira. Remember Jezebel and how Jesus was going to give her a severe judgment? Look what he says in the middle of verse 23 and all the churches, not even just the seven churches, all the churches, “will know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to you, each of you according to your works. Yeah, I'm going to judge Jezebel in this church. And I want all the churches to know, hey, if you're doing evil deeds, you will be judged according to what you have done. And if you're one of my people, you will be rewarded according to the good works you do. And some of you, I will give of my authority, and you will reign with me. That applied right here to Thyatira, and it applies to Jesus's people throughout history. Look at what it says in Pergamum. Remember how he introduced himself in Pergamum? This is chapter 2, verse 12, where he said that “The words of him who has the sharp, two-edged sword.” Remember this powerful picture of the sword coming out of Jesus's mouth. And look what he says in verse 16. “Therefore repent. If not, I will come to you soon. I will come to you at any moment, and I will war against them with the sword of my mouth.” Was that true for those people there in Pergamum? Yes. Were they going to get judged by Jesus coming soon to them? Is Jesus still coming back, and is he still going to have a sword coming out of his mouth and when he breathes, are his enemies going to fall down because Jesus is going to come in judgment?
See, this is how these letters work. It's true for those people that Jesus is going to keep these precious people that he loves, but the principle applies to all of the people of Jesus. Jesus did not endure your judgment on the cross, so you would have to endure judgment here on planet earth. No, we should be ready for Jesus to come, and Jesus is coming any moment, and he will deliver us from the wrath that is coming. And that's good news. And you should be encouraged that there is a great and terrible day of judgment coming upon this planet, and you will be kept out of it. That's what Jesus wants these people to know. And not enough of us are thinking about this. Not enough of us are taking this joy that Jesus gives. I mean, here's how I want you to walk around this week. I want you to walk around like there's an open door in front of you. I want you to walk around like your enemies are going to bow down at your feet. And know that Jesus loves you. I want you to walk around like, hey, you think the world's bad now? Just wait till you see what's going to happen in the hour of trial. And guess what? You'll be kept out of it.
These are precious promises that Jesus is making to the church in Philadelphia. And here's what he says. Look, go back to Revelation 3 with me, and look at verse 11, because notice how he says this, “I'm going to keep you from the hour of trial.” And there's so much more I could say about that the hour of trial. And where is this hour coming? It's coming on the whole world. Okay? So, notice that doesn't sound like it's just an hour of trial coming at a specific place, or it's an hour of trial coming on every place, right? And notice who it says the hour of trial is coming upon. Those who dwell on the Earth. Now, if you could track that phrase throughout the book of Revelation, you would see that those who dwell on the Earth are those who are going to be judged. Those are not the people of Jesus. They are not the ones written in the Lamb's book of life. In fact, I can't help myself.
We’ve got to look at a few of the passages. Go to Revelation 8:13. All right? Yes, we're going to fit it in space and time. Go to chapter 8, verse 13, everybody. Okay? Because there's “an eagle crying out with a loud voice.” And I've seen a lot of eagles fly here in the good old USA, but I have not heard one of them cry out with a loud voice as it flew directly overhead. This is Revelation 8:13, woe, woe, woe. Now, that's not W, H, O, A; that's not like whoa, whoa, whoa, slow your roll, bro. Whoa, whoa, whoa, hold your horses. This is judgment, judgment, judgment. Can you imagine if the birds were flying over us crying out, Judgment is coming upon us? Woe, woe, woe to those who dwell on the Earth. Judgment is coming to those who dwell on the Earth. You don't want to be here for it. You don't want to be one of these people who dwell on the Earth.
Go over to Revelation 11:10. There are going to be two witnesses that come from heaven during the tribulation, and they're going to testify about God, and the world is going to hate these two witnesses. And then the two witnesses are going to die, and they're going to leave their dead bodies out, and they're going to have a happy holidays that witnesses are dead days. They're going to declare it a holiday, and they're going to… Look what it says here in Revelation 11:10, “When these two witnesses die, those who dwell on the earth.” So, these are the people that the hour of trial is coming, to judge those who dwell on the earth. They will rejoice over these two dead witnesses. They will make merry and exchange presents, because these two prophets had been a torment to those who dwell on the earth. So, in Revelation 3:10, when it says that an hour of trial is coming and it's coming to try, to test, to judge those who dwell on the Earth. Those who dwell on the Earth is a category of people you desperately and definitely do not want to be in that category of people, because those are the people who go on the ride from Revelation 6 to Revelation 19. And all the judgment of the Almighty God falls down upon them, and they're against God.
Go over to Revelation 13:8. It might be on the same page, or maybe you’ve got to turn one page. Look what happens here. It says, “All who dwell on earth will worship it.” What are we talking about here? Well, look back at verse 5, “And the Beast,” there's going to be this beast “who was given a mouth, uttering haughty and blasphemous words, and it was allowed to exercise authority for forty-two months. Forty-two months. How long is that? That's three and a half years. Three and a half years, this beast is going to be opening up his mouth and saying things against God and the people who dwell on the Earth. Verse 8. What are they going to do with the beast when he's saying blasphemous things? “All who dwell on the earth will” what everybody? “They will worship it.” Okay? So those who dwell on the Earth, they will see the rise of the Antichrist, and they will think the Antichrist is somebody worth worshiping. That doesn't describe Christian people that so really, when you start thinking through, well, we're going to go through the tribulation. If you've ever heard somebody say that.
Go back to Revelation, chapter 3 with me right now, and let's try to see if that is even a possible interpretation of this verse, “Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I'm going to keep you from,” or keep you out of “the hour of trial that is coming on the whole world.” Like, when that hour of trial comes, I'm going to keep you out of it. That's the promise Jesus is making, because that hour is to try those who dwell on the Earth. And then Jesus says in Revelation 3:11, something very important for you to hear, for you to believe, for you to live. “I am coming.” And when does he say he's coming, everybody? At any moment. If you and I are watching wrath come from the sky, if we're watching the beast rise and people worship him, if we're watching him commit the abomination of desolation in the temple. If we're around when the beast seems to die and then resurrects, and people are like, we love the beast. We're going to worship the beast. If we're watching all of that happen, how could Jesus come soon, when we're going to be like, this guy is the Antichrist? We're going to know he's coming the way that he comes soon, the way that he comes at any moment. The way he comes suddenly, surprisingly quickly, speedily, is how he comes, and he gets us out of here before the rise of the Antichrist. That's how that makes sense. How could you say, I'm going to keep you out of the hour of trial, and then tell us what's going to happen in the hour of trial, and then say I am coming soon. We're not going to be here, everybody. And that's good news. That's good news that you should walk around encouraged that my keeper is going to keep me out of the Day of Judgment, and I want to be ready for him. Oh, Maranatha, Lord Jesus come and get me. I'm ready. I'm ready for whatever you have for me. “I am coming soon,” he says, hold fast what you have. Hang on. You guys are already keeping my Word. Hang on. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown.
And “The one who conquers,” I will make him “A pillar in the temple of my God.” Never, never shall he go out of it. Okay. Now, some people, when you get into this conversation about what's going to happen in the future – eschatology, the study of the last things – some people, they're like, well, I don't think there's a place for Israel in the future. I think the time of Israel is over. I think it's all about the church now, and they kind of just replace Israel with the Church of Jesus. They don't have a future for Israel and the church. It's all now on the church. Well, if you're one, somebody who believes it's all about the church, now this is a very peculiar letter that Jesus is writing to the church in Philadelphia. If there's no Israel, why does he begin with the key of David? If there's no future for Israel, remember the house and the throne that will last forever? And there's no future for Israel? Why is he quoting so many prophecies from Isaiah that are originally about Israel? And why is he saying that we when we get to be in the place of God, and we get to experience the presence of God, and we get to share in the glory of God, why is he saying that we're going to go to God's temple, and we'll be pillars in the temple? Why is he using all of this Israel-language if it's no more about Israel? Why is the city that we're going to spend eternity in coming down out of the new heavens and the new Earth? And if you want to learn more about this city, I'll be your tour guide this Tuesday night, at 630. We'll take you all around the New Jerusalem, and we're going to talk about why God wants us to be there. Why is it called the New Jerusalem? If God's just done with Israel, who he promised would have a house and a throne forever, now I believe in a future for the nation of Israel, and I believe in a future for the church. And I believe that Jesus is saying, when you get into God's presence, you will never go out of it.
See, somebody came up to me after the sermon last night, and they were like, “Wow. So, you're telling me Jesus already knows I'm going to be there? He already knows the door is open. He already sees the enemies at my feet. He already sees me like in the presence of God.” And I'm like, “No, no, no, no, my friend. It's not that Jesus can just see it. Jesus is the one who decrees it. Jesus is the one who has the authority to make it happen. And what Jesus is saying is that, if he's going to put you in the presence of God, there is no possible force, person, or anything out there that can remove you from the presence of God. If he's opening a door, no one can shut it. If he's putting you in God's presence, you'll never go out of it. If Jesus is your keeper, and he holds you in his hand, there is no one who is able to snatch you out of his hand. It's not that Jesus just sees how the story is going to end. Jesus makes the story happen. Jesus has all power and all authority. Jesus is the keeper of the key. And Jesus is preparing a place for you. And if he says there's a place for you, no one can say there's not a place for you, including you. That's the authority that Jesus has.
So, let's get this down “To the one who conquers,” “Jesus is keeping your place in God's presence.” You will be a pillar in the temple. You will be in the city of the New Jerusalem. God will put his name on you. Jesus has a new name that he's going to put on you, which is, like they own you, like you're a part of God and Jesus and what they're doing. Let me just tell you that there is a kingdom coming. Jesus is the keeper of the kingdom, and you have an open door. And when that kingdom comes, you will enter into that kingdom. And because Jesus has opened the door for you, there is no possible scenario where you don't end up in the kingdom, in the very presence of God, worshiping him forever.
See, when I used to watch TV shows or movies when I was growing up back in the day, we're talking about the 1980s if you can remember back to that time, maybe the early 90s. I used to really get nervous watching shows. I don't know if anybody else was like this, because I didn't know what was going to happen. And so, things would happen, and I would go from sitting on the couch to hiding behind the couch. Can anybody relate to this? Or is this just me? Right? There would be times where I would announce to my entire family, I have to go use the bathroom right now. And then I would go hide in the bathroom because I couldn't… and we weren't watching horror movies at my house. I mean, I'm talking about basic plots. Everybody like you just made me like this character. Don't ruin it for me. What's going to happen to this person? I just want to remember the part that I like. I don't want to see them fall apart. I don't want the conflict. Are they going to die at the end of this movie? Because I saw Old Yeller, and that dog died, and it was really hard, and so I don't want to see what's going to happen. Get me out of here, and you guys, let me just tell you that some of us as Christians, that's how we're living. Like, I can't handle the suspense. Like, what's going to happen? Like, I feel like the future is uncertain. Brothers and sisters, in the Lord Jesus Christ, he is the keeper of the key. Your future could not be more certain. He has opened a door. I want you to live like somebody. Even though you haven't seen the end of the movie, yet you have faith in how the story ends. Want you to live like somebody who's invincible because the one who has the key has said you get to enter in, and he has promised you victory. He has promised you love. And when the great and terrible, horrific ending comes, you're not going to be here. Instead, you're going to be in a place of glory, owned by God, with God's name all over you, marked and sealed as one of God's people, one of Jesus' saved ones, one of those who get to enter his kingdom forevermore. Let's pray about this.
Father in heaven. I just pray that you could open our eyes to see what Jesus is saying to these people, so we could leave here encouraged. Father, there's been a call to repent that one with a sword is coming out of his mouth, or one who searches the hearts and minds with his eyes of fire, or one who comes like a thief to judge according to what we have done. But this letter, Father, is different than the other ones we've been studying. This letter, it promises to those who are keeping the words of Jesus that he will keep them from the hour of trial that is coming. And so, Father, I pray that people would leave here today like they're walking through an open door, that people would leave here today so confident that you love us, that even our enemies will know that you love us. That when I think, man, this world's really getting bad and this world's got a lot of wrath being stored up. And, man, I don't want to be around here when God judges this place. Father, let me hear Jesus say, hey, because you've kept my word, I will keep you out of that hour of trial that's coming to those who dwell on the Earth. Father, I pray that we would be a people who are ready for Jesus to come, that we would say in our hearts here today, Maranatha, oh Lord come. We want to be with you. We want to be pillars in the temple of our God. We want to see God and all of his glory. We want to bow down and worship. We want to take these crowns that we're going to get and cast them before your feet. So, Father, I pray that until that day when Jesus keeps this promise to keep us. I pray that you would hold us fast, and that everybody here who believes in Jesus, that we would have the confidence that you will be our keeper. And that the devil, though he may try, the evil one, he can't snatch us out of your hand. The world and no matter how much they may hate us, they can't snatch us out of your hand. Even myself, with all of my doubt and my falling short, I can't get out of your hand because, Father, it's you and your Son, Jesus, and you will hold us fast. You will keep us from this time forth and forevermore. Please encourage us with these words. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.