The glorified Jesus Christ, fruit of the kingly line of David by the Holy Spirit, appeared to the elderly apostle John on the island of Patmos around 95 AD. Christ directed John to write to the church of Philadelphia and to six others in Asia Minor, present-day western Turkey.
In His message to the church at Philadelphia, Jesus refers to a “synagogue of Satan” that was persecuting the church because of 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 (both Jesus and John were Jewish), but of a small sub-group which was acting under the influence of Satan. We are told that these individuals will one day see the error of their ways, and will worship the Lord before the feet of the Philadelphian church members.
God uses similar language through the prophet Isaiah to describe how Gentiles, too, will honor the Jews when these come to faith in the true Messiah. This will occur when Jesus returns from heaven to rescue Israel during the great and terrible Day of the Lord, the Great Tribulation of the last days, as foretold by Jesus and many Old Testament prophets. Those who come against Jerusalem in the last days and survive the experience will fall also at the Jews feet.
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 age, both Jews and Gentiles of faith will worship the Lord Jesus together, serving Him as one throughout eternity.
During Jesus’ first coming, around 30 AD, He met His fiercest opposition from 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 and feared losing their position. With a multitude of witnesses, they could not hope to question His countless miracles. Instead, they questioned Jesus’ divine authority and origin, suggesting that the true source of His power came from the evil one. Rejecting Him as Messiah, they sought ways to trap Jesus in His speech in order to justify putting Him to death for blasphemy.
Jesus responded to them, pointing out that they, not He, were the ones doing the works of the evil one.
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 profession in hand, these unbelieving religious leaders soon turned Jesus over to the Romans to be crucified. Christ had testified that He was God, and they would not accept this as true, even though it was absolute truth.
Those persecuting the church of Philadelphia six decades later were doing a similar thing. This, too, was in serious error, and in large part, 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 all people of faith in Jesus will be invited to enter Christ’s eternal kingdom. Here they will bow before Him, each recognizing and honoring the other’s positional standing in Christ. All will have been cleansed and forgiven of their iniquity through faith in Jesus, by His shed blood on the cross and triumphant resurrection from the dead.
Will you be there as well? Do so, through a saving faith in Christ. Invite Jesus into your heart today, while there is yet time. Your life will never be the same.
Reflection
God’s covenant with the people of Israel has not been 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. The Lord will return in glory to put down His enemies and to restore His beloved chosen people to an eternal place of honor alongside His eternal church.
Father God, help me to eliminate any traces of antisemitism in my 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 all honor Christ together one day 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 