To start with, one common phrase is repeated to all seven of the churches in Revelation chapters two and three. It is important that we look at all seven variances of the phrase �he that overcometh.�
#1, Ephesus, Rev.2: 7b) �to him that overcometh will I give to eat of the tree of life, which is in the midst of the paradise of G-d.�
#2, Smyrna, Rev.2: 11b) �He that overcometh shall not be hurt of the second death.�
#3, Pergamos, Rev.2: 17b) �To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone, and in the stone a new name written, which no man knoweth, saving he that receive it.�
Meaning: He that is starved, and disapproved of for my names sake, I will feed him of the hidden manna, and give him the white stone (of approval), and a new name.
#4, Thyatira, Rev.2: 26) �And he that overcometh, and keepeth my works unto
the end, to him will I give power over the nations.�
#5, Sardis, Rev.3: 5) �He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment: and I will not blot his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my father, and before his angels.�
#6, Philadelphia, Rev.3: 12) �Him that overcometh, will I make a pillar in the temple of my G-d, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my G-d, and the name of the city of my G-d, new Jerusalem, which commeth down out of heaven from my G-d: and I will write upon him my new name.�
#7, Laodicia, Rev.3: 21) �to him that overcometh will I grant to sit with me in my throne, even as I also overcame, and am set down with my father in his throne.�
Now it is fair to say that all seven of these variances apply to all seven churches. And to overcome means in the seventh variation, to overcome as Yeshua did! So all of the churches (G-d�s people, Jews and Gentiles alike,) must overcome before receiving their rewards. How did Christ overcome? Yeshua the Messiah overcame the evil one, and sin, by his death! We are called to follow him in death, particularly in these last days! And just so we don�t misunderstand or forget this fact, it is re-affirmed in Rev.12: 10-11,
v.10) �And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our G-d, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down which accused them before our G-d day and night.
v.11) And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony: and they loved not their lives unto the death.�
This is how we overcome! By the blood of Christ covering our sins, by our testimony, and with our lives! This includes the church of Philadelphia. Let us now look at the verses that the modern shepherds use to claim that they preside over the church of Philadelphia. And let us see if the church of Philadelphia will be raptured before the great Day of the L-rd.
Rev.3: 10) �Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I will also keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.� How will this church keep the word of his patience? What does Christ mean when he says �the word of my patience.� Rev.13: 10 has the clue, patience being the key.
Rev.13: 10) �He that leadeth into captivity, shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword, must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and faith of the saints.� We are not to fight back when it comes to our testimony or faith! We are to be like lambs to the slaughter! We are required to give our testimony to a dying world, and we are not to resist those who would kill us for it. This is the patience and faith of the saints. The church of Philadelphia will either die before the great temptation comes upon the world, or they will not be fooled by the great temptation! From what the rest of scripture says about the rapture, this is the only possibility!
Now we come to the meat of the word of G-d! The sound doctrine, weaned from the milk, drawn from the breasts! Who is the church of Philadelphia?
Notice Rev. 3:9, spoken to this church, �Behold I will make them of the synagogue of Satan, which say they are Jews, and 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.� Why would Yeshua say this to a Gentile church? Could it be that Philadelphia is the messianic Jewish church of Israel in the last days? Didn�t Yeshua say he would make the Philadelphians pillars in the temple of G-d? What else does he tell this church? Yeshua tells them in verse seven that he has the key of David, a reference that has much more meaning to messianic Jews than to any Gentile. Now Yeshua says in verse eight that they have �a little strength,� this is also true of the messianic church in Israel that worships Christ. They are small in number compared to the unbelieving Jews, and are shunned by their own people. BUT GUESS WHAT MESSIANIC CHURCH; G-D HAS NOW PUT BEFORE YOU AN OPEN DOOR, WHICH NO MAN CAN SHUT! Who better to be pillars in the temple of G-d than the Jews! The trained servants in his temple and tabernacle from Aaron to 70 AD!
Finally Yeshau says, �I will write upon him the name of my G-d,� this we see happen in Rev.7.
Rev.7: 3-4)
3) �Saying, hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our G-d in their foreheads.�
4) �And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred forty four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.�
Now the 144,000 of the twelve tribes of the children of Israel are related to the messianic Jews, and might be considered the first-fruits of this church. As this work is being written, I believe they are being �sealed� before our very eyes; yet nobody seems to realize it! We are told more about these first-fruits in Rev. 14:
Revelation 14:1-5
1 �And I looked, and, lo, a Lamb stood on the mount Sion, and with him an hundred forty and four thousand, having his Father's name written in their foreheads.
2 And I heard a voice from heaven, as the voice of many waters, and as the voice of a great thunder: and I heard the voice of harpers harping with their harps:
3 And they sung as it were a new song before the throne, and before the four beasts, and the elders: and no man could learn that song but the hundred and forty and four thousand, which were redeemed from the earth.
4 These are they which were not defiled with women; for they are virgins. These are they which follow the Lamb whithersoever he goeth. These were redeemed from among men, being the firstfruits unto G-d and to the Lamb.
5 And in their mouth was found no guile: for they are without fault before the throne of G-d.�
Have you figured it out yet, who are these first-fruits unto G-d and to the Lamb? First of all they are seen on mount Zion with the Lamb and are redeemed from the earth or �the land,� so they must be Jews of the twelve tribes then. They are also said to be redeemed from among men, so they are men. The next clue is that they are virgins, does this mean literally? The next clue answers this question, they are not defiled with women. Which group of men is not defiled with women?
Remember what Yeshua said about our thoughts? Whosoever looks upon a woman with lust has committed adultery already in his heart. This would mean that these men have not even looked at women in a lustful manner, or this lust would have defiled them! So then, they are virgins who have not even lusted after a woman. What is the next clue? In their mouth was found no guile, for they are without fault before the throne of G-d. This can be said of believers because of the blood of Christ covering us, but I think there is more to it in this passage.
There is only one literal interpretation for this passage, have you figured it out yet? I will now give you some of my own clues as to who I believe they are. Some of them are burned alive and suffer great pain in death before they meet Yeshua. Some of them lay in hospitals for days writhing in agony before they meet Yeshua, their bodies torn with limbs missing, and the pain of shrapnel wounds from nail bombs. They live in constant fear yet none have reached G-d�s �age of accountability� yet. They wait at bus stops in the morning to go to school in Tell Aviv, Haifa, and Jerusalem, not knowing if they will live or die on their way to school! They are young virgin boys in Israel, who are not defiled with women, and there is found no guile in their mouths. They will follow the Lamb wheresoever he goes for they are the first-fruits of the twelve tribes, and they are now being �sealed� before our very eyes, G-d have mercy on our souls for allowing this to happen. When we read Revelation 7:4 again the word �children� is probably literally the children of the twelve tribes:
4) �And I heard the number of them which were sealed: and there were sealed an hundred forty four thousand of all the tribes of the children of Israel.�
Now back to the church of Philadelphia, this is the open door. The messianic church will experience a great revival! I believe the messianic movement is the church of Philadelphia. They have a little strength. We hear of evangelists that claim over hundreds of thousands came to know the L-rd in their campaigns in places like Africa. But how many of these �Christian� evangelists can say that they have ever led one Jewish person to the L-rd? G-d is about to do a great work!
The time has come for some messianic Jews here in America to �Aliyah� back to their homeland, Israel, where G-d will use them in a mighty way. What I say here is very serious, if you are a messianic Jew and G-d has put a willingness in your heart to go to Israel then you must go now! Let there be no more delay, G-d will soon awaken his chosen people, Israel.
What then, does this tell us about the modern shepherds, who claim that they preside over the church of Philadelphia? They actually preside over the other last day�s church, Laodicia! They are neither hot nor cold! They are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked! It is in truth that Yeshua said to them;
Rev.3: 18,) �I counsel thee to by of me gold tried in the fire.� What does �gold tried in the fire� represent? It represents persecution! (The lamp stand in the temple was made of �hammered� gold!) This is the unpersecuted, fat, lazy church! They are told to use eye-salve because they do not see the truth! And I say to them now, Feed the flock! Feed the flock of the slaughter! Prepare us for what is to come!