The glorified Jesus appeared to the apostle John, also a Jew, on the island of Patmos in John’s elder years. Christ directed John to write to the church of Philadelphia as well as six others in Asia Minor, now present-day Turkey.
In His message to the church at Philadelphia, Jesus refers to a “synagogue of Satan” which was persecuting them despite their faithfulness to Him.
9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. Revelation 3:9 (NKJV)
As can be seen, this was not a condemnation of the Jewish faith, but to a subset of persecusors. In fact, God uses similar language through the prophet Isaiah to describe how the church will one day honor the Jews in the Millenium, after these have been rescued by, and come to faith in, their Messiah, Jesus Christ. This will occur after the great and terrible Day of the Lord, the Great Tribulation of the last days, as foretold by many Old Testament prophets.
14 Also the sons of those who afflicted you
Shall come bowing to you,
And all those who despised you shall fall prostrate at the soles of your feet;
And they shall call you The City of the Lord,
Zion of the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 60:14 (NKJV)
In the coming Millenium, Jews and Gentiles of faith will worship the Lord together, prostrate before each other’s feet.
During Jesus’ time of His first coming, around 30 AD, He met His fiercest opposition among those who might also be called a synagogue of Satan – the Pharisees. These religious leaders often sought to kill Him because they were jealous of the crowds’ favor and attention. So, they sought ways to trap Jesus in His speech, and be justified in putting Him to death for blasphemy.
Jesus responded to them:
37 “I know that you are Abraham’s descendants, but you seek to kill Me, because My word has no place in you. 38 I speak what I have seen with My Father, and you do what you have seen with your father.”
39 They answered and said to Him, “Abraham is our father.”
Jesus said to them, “If you were Abraham’s children, you would do the works of Abraham. 40 But now you seek to kill Me, a Man who has told you the truth which I heard from God. Abraham did not do this. 41 You do the deeds of your father.”
Then they said to Him, “We were not born of fornication; we have one Father—God.”
. 44 You are of your father the devil, and the desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. John 8:37-41,44 (NKJV)
Then, the Pharisees heard Jesus refer to Himself in a way that clearly proclaimed His divinity, using the very name God revealed to Moses, I AM.
52 Then the Jews said to Him, “Now we know that You have a demon! Abraham is dead, and the prophets; and You say, ‘If anyone keeps My word he shall never taste death.’ 53 Are You greater than our father Abraham, who is dead? And the prophets are dead. Who do You make Yourself out to be?”
54 Jesus answered, “If I honor Myself, My honor is nothing. It is My Father who honors Me, of whom you say that He is your God. 55 Yet you have not known Him, but I know Him. And if I say, ‘I do not know Him,’ I shall be a liar like you; but I do know Him and keep His word. 56 Your father Abraham rejoiced to see My day, and he saw it and was glad.”
57 Then the Jews said to Him, “You are not yet fifty years old, and have You seen Abraham?”
58 Jesus said to them, “Most assuredly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.”
59 Then they took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by. John 8:52-59 (NKJV)
With this in hand, the unbelieving religious leaders soon turned Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified. He testified that He was God, and they would not accept Him as divine.
Those persecuting the church of Philadelphia around 95 AD were doing a similar thing. But this, too, was in error, and in large part, it will one day be rectified. As Robert Thomas puts it, the persecutors “scoffed at the claim of the Philadelphian Christians that they were objects of the true God’s love, but that will change when Israel repents. (They) will acknowledge their mistake in denying Christians a place in the kingdom.”
There will come a time when both Jews and Gentiles of faith will have fully repented and will together be invited to enter Christ’s eternal kingdom. Here they will bow to Him before each other, recognizing and honoring each other’s positional standing in Him. Both will have been cleansed and forgiven of all their iniquity by faith in Christ, through His blood shed on the cross and triumphant resurrection from the dead.
Will you be there along with them? I plan to be. Do so though a saving faith in Christ. Invite Him into your heart today while there is yet time, before the opportunity slips away.
Reflection
God’s covenant with the people of Israel was not revoked. After Daniel’s 70th week, as described in the Book of Revelation and by multiple Old Testament prophets, a large remnant of Israel will be saved by the grace of Jesus. He will return in glory to put down their enemies and restore them to an eternal place of honor as His chosen people.
Father God, help me to eliminate any traces of antisemitism in my own life today. You chose them for eternity – they are a people treasured in Your heart and the apple of Your eye. Our own salvation rests on Jesus, the fruit of Abraham in the line of King David. We will honor Christ together as we worship in Your kingdom. We ask this in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Have a blessed and beautiful day in the Lord today.
Times and Seasons - The Book of Revelation FOR TODAY 