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Keys to Revelation – Chapter 3
AUTHOR: Capoccia, Tony
PUBLISHED ON: May 12, 2003
DOC SOURCE: CCN
PUBLISHED IN: Bible Studies

                        Keys to Revelation – Chapter 3

Taken from the HOLY BIBLE: NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION (C) 1978 by the New
York International Bible Society, used by permission of Zondervan Bible
Publishers.

          BIBLE TEXT                                  COMMENTARY

REV 3:1  “To the angel of the            [angel] – messenger, pastor
church in Sardis write: These are
the words of him who holds the            [seven spirits] – Term for the Holy
seven spirits of God and the seven        Spirit (ISA 11:2-3). Jesus gives the
stars. I know your deeds; you have        Holy Spirit to those who believe,
a reputation of being alive, but          repent, and humbly submit to Him.
you are dead.                           
                                          [seven stars] – The pastors of the
                                          seven churches. Jesus has total con-
                                          trol over the church, the pastor,
                                          and Christians for their blessing
                                          and discipline.   

                                          [alive..but dead] – They appear as
                                          a “right on” Christian Church on the
                                          outside, but inside they are dead!

REV 3:2  Wake up! Strengthen what        [Wake up] – A warning from Jesus to
remains and is about to die, for I        to “fan into flame” the little spark
have not found your deeds complete        that is left.  The church is dying
in the sight of my God.                  spiritually because the majority of
                                          its members are not saved.

REV 3:3  Remember, therefore, what        [Remember..obey..repent] – They are
you have received and heard; obey        to remember the Gospel message that
it, and repent. But if you do not        was preached and repent and obey it.
wake up, I will come like a thief,        [come like thief] – Suddenly He will
and you will not know at what time        bring judgment on the church and re-
I will come to you.                      move the remaining light.

REV 3:4  Yet you have a few people        [few] – There is a minority of saved
in Sardis who have not soiled their      persons in the church, not many, but
clothes. They will walk with me,          some.
dressed in white, for they are           
worthy.                                  [dressed in white] – REV 19:8 “Fine
                                          linen, bright and clean, was given
                                          her {Christians} to wear. (Fine 
                                          linen stands for the righteous acts
                                          of the saints {after salvation}.”

                                          [worthy] – Because we were bought at
                                          a great price…the Blood of God!

REV 3:5  He who overcomes will,          [overcomes] – (1JN 5:5) Those who
like them, be dressed in white. I        by Faith, and Repentance come to
will never blot out his name from        Christ in humble submission.
the book of life, but will               
acknowledge his name before my            [book of life] – Literal book or
Father and his angels.                    record in Heaven that has the names
                                          of the redeemed.  Evidence that once
                                          saved (overcomer), always saved.   
                                          REV 20:15  If anyone’s name was not
                                          found written in the book of life, 
                                          he was thrown into the lake of fire.

REV 3:6  He who has an ear, let him      See REV 2:7 Comments
hear what the Spirit says to the
churches. 

REV 3:7  “To the angel of the            [angel] – messenger, pastor
church in Philadelphia write: These     
are the words of him who is holy          [key of David] –  ISA 22:22 King 
and true, who holds the key of            determines who will be allowed in 
David. What he opens no one can          the Kingdom and who will be shut 
shut, and what he shuts no one can        out.  Jesus opens the doors of   
open.                                    salvation for His Elect, but shuts
                                          out the Non-Elect for their willful
                                          rejection of His mercy and grace. 

REV 3:8  I know your deeds. See, I        [open door] – Jesus has opened the
have placed before you an open door      door of ministry to this church,
that no one can shut. I know that        which means that they will have many
you have little strength, yet you        opportunities to “bring in” God’s
have kept my word and have not            Elect.
denied my name.                         
                                          [little strength] – Possibly a small
                                          church without social prominence and
                                          at the poverty level. But they were
                                          “big” in Spiritual strength.

REV 3:9  I will make those who are        [synagogue of Satan] – The false
of the synagogue of Satan, who            religion of Judaism.  The true Jew
claim to be Jews though they are          is one who truly acknowledges the
not, but are liars–I will make          Messiah Jesus Christ.
them come and fall down at your feet     
and acknowledge that I have loved        [come and fall] – Ironic that those
you.                                      who had the truth (Jews) and would 
                                          not acknowledge that God also loved
                                          the Gentiles, will someday come in 
                                          humility and acknowledge that God 
                                          loved others besides the Jews.     

REV 3:10  Since you have kept my          [endure patiently] – Something all
command to endure patiently, I will      Christians will do because of the
also keep you from the hour of            gift of faith within us.
trial that is going to come upon         
the whole world to test those who        [hour of trial] – Short time of   
live on the earth.                        suffering for the earth.  The seven
                                          years of the Tribulation Period as 
                                          compared to the time man has been on
                                          the earth.                         

REV 3:11  I am coming soon. Hold on      [Hold on] – Don’t give up and turn
to what you have, so that no one          back to your old way of life.  The
will take your crown.                    true believer will “Hold on” because
                                          of the Holy Spirit within them who
                                          seals us till the end.

                                          [crown] –  2TI 4:8 “The Crown of
                                          Righteousness” given to all the
                                          Christians who finish the race,
                                          which will be every true believer!

REV 3:12  Him who overcomes I will        [overcomes] – See REV 2:7 Comments.
make a pillar in the temple of my        [pillar] – The temple is the Lord
God. Never again will he leave it.        God Almighty and the Lamb Jesus
I will write on him the name of my        Christ (REV 21:22).  A pillar is
God and the name of the city of my        a permanent part of the structure
God, the new Jerusalem, which is          so we are again promised Eternal
coming down out of heaven from my        Security in God.
God; and I will also write on him       
my new name.                              [names of God, city, new name of
                                          Jesus] – We only know in part and
                                          see through a dark glass, but some-
                                          day we will know the complete names
                                          of our God, City, and Our Savior.

                                          [write] – Either on our skin or
                                          clothes we will proudly and joyfully
                                          wear the Names of Grace.

REV 3:13  He who has an ear, let          See REV 2:7 Comments.
him hear what the Spirit says to
the churches. 

REV 3:14  “To the angel of the            [angel] – messenger, pastor
church in Laodicea write: These are
the words of the Amen, the faithful
and true witness, the ruler of
God’s creation. 

REV 3:15  I know your deeds, that        [cold nor hot] – A cold drink on a
you are neither cold nor hot. I          hot day refreshes.  Likewise, a hot
wish you were either one or the          drink on a cold day satisfies.
other!                                 

REV 3:16  So, because you are            [lukewarm] – A lukewarm drink is
lukewarm–neither hot nor cold–I        worthless on either a hot or cold
am about to spit you out of my            day.  Likewise, those who are
mouth.                                    indifferent to the things of God
                                          give evidence of their lost state.

REV 3:17  You say, ‘I am rich; I          [I am rich] – This is a wealthy
have acquired wealth and do not          church who cares more for outward
need a thing.’ But you do not            appearances than for the condition
realize that you are wretched,            of the soul.
pitiful, poor, blind and naked.         
                                          [blind and naked] – Blind to the
                                          gospel and without the fine linen
                                          from God (acts of righteousness).

REV 3:18  I counsel you to buy from      [buy..gold] – Instead of buying gold
me gold refined in the fire, so you      rings and watches, buy the true gold
can become rich; and white clothes        from Christ (The law from your mouth
to wear, so you can cover your            is more precious to me than thousands
shameful nakedness; and salve to          of pieces of silver or gold.
put on your eyes, so you can see.        PSA 119:72)

                                          [white clothes..salve] – Ability to
                                          see the truth and have the Faith,
                                          to Repent and Submit to Christ then
                                          bearing fruit by doing righteous
                                          acts (REV 19:8).

REV 3:19  Those whom I love I            A warning to the church that does
rebuke and discipline. So be              not feel that they have a problem
earnest, and repent.                      and sense no needs.  If they were
                                          truly God’s children then they would
                                          feel the discipline of God.  The
                                          lack of discipline means they are
                                          not the loved children of the Father
                                          and are in great need of repentance.

REV 3:20  Here I am! I stand at the      Jesus calls all mankind to come to
door and knock. If anyone hears my        Him, but only those who have been
voice and opens the door, I will          elected before the foundation of the
come in and eat with him, and he          earth can hear His voice.  The Non-
with me.                                  Elect are deaf to the Word of God
                                          because of their willful sin.  When
                                          a person hears the “Knocking” of the
                                          Savior then the Spirit will enable
                                          them to get up and submit to Christ
                                          in an intimate relationship.

REV 3:21  To him who overcomes, I        [overcomes] – See REV 2:7 Comments.
will give the right to sit with me        [sit with me] – Reference to REV
on my throne, just as I overcame          20:6 where the Christian is promised
and sat down with my Father on his        the privilege of reigning with Christ
throne.                                  for the 1,000 year Millennium.

REV 3:22  He who has an ear, let          See REV 2:7 Comments.
him hear what the Spirit says to
the churches.” 

Tony Capoccia
BIBLE BULLETIN BOARD
Box 130
Shreveport, LA 71110
Modem (318) 949-1456
300/1200/2400/9600 Baud

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