Revelation Chapter Three, Satan's Synagogue In Philadelphia

Revelation 3:9 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.

It would seem that the Philadelphian church was contending with the same synagogue that persecuted Smyrna. The pair of churches have two things in common. First, the Lord has nothing negative or detracting to comment regarding their corporate worship and evangelization.

Two, both churches are being harassed by what Jesus refers to as the synagogue of Satan, see Revelation 2:9. The two churches amidst the seven that are the most spiritually rich are being actively persecuted. This demonstrates that Satan’s targets are Christians who walk close to the Lord. He hates God, and he hates those who love God and place the interests of God before their own, permitting their lives to be transformed into useful vessels for God’s work, see 2 Timothy 2:20, 21. Paul writes to Timothy about two types of vessels in the Master’s house. Vessels for honor, and ones for dishonor. The honored vessels are the ones Satan is interested in breaking. Like an earthly king proclaiming his opulence with golden cups at a banquet, so the Lord reveals His glory through the earthen vessels (us) that yield to His Holy Spirit.

The vessels for dishonor, while saved, are not a threat to Satan’s machinations, and can even be wielded by him against their own Master if they have gone wayward enough. If this sounds odd, think about Saul, the first king of Israel. Before David God chose Saul and the Holy Spirit came upon him; and for a time, Saul reigned well and wisely. But carnality seeped in. He doubted, feared the opinions of the people, and envied David. In the end, he was killed on the battlefield for his disobedience, 1 Samuel 31:4-6. Yet the prophet Samuel, whom God permitted to come back to reprimand Saul one final time, told the despairing king this, “Moreover the Lord will also deliver Israel with you into the hand of the Philistines. And tomorrow you and your sons will be with me,” 1 Samuel 28:19. The Lord chastens every son He receives, Hebrews 12:6, 7. Saul was chastened unto death for his infidelity to Yahweh. But that did not mean he was unsaved, or lost his salvation. No, Samuel’s parting words were meant to give Saul a hope that while death was coming, so too was the peace of being where Samuel was, in Paradise awaiting the Messiah.

Spirit-led Christians, obedient to the Lord, were a threat to Satan and his kingdom. Smyrna, and now Philadelphia, suffered under the hand of unbelieving Jews that rejected the gospel and persecuted Christians unto death, see Acts 8:1, 26:9, 10, etc. Now remember, the first century church was entirely, and for a while afterward, primarily Jewish. The apostles, the one hundred and twenty disciples, et al., were Jewish. This verse (and Revelation 2:9) is not a condemnation of Jewry; the Jews are still God’s chosen people on earth, and Israel–not “Palastine”--is their God-given land. But the Jewish people that resisted the message of the gospel became vehement, ardent enemies of the cross, blinded by the god of this world, 2 Corinthians 4:3, 4. In this regard only are these Jewish religious devotees considered a synagogue of Satan. Not active, outright Satan worshipers, but through their rejection of the Jewish Messiah have inadvertently and blindly elected to side with the enemy, taken captive to do his bidding. And his bidding is hostile and malicious.

We may know that when these specific Jewish men come to worship before the feet of the Philadelphian church at the judgment, they are not worshiping the believers; they are worshiping the God they rejected in front of the men who represented Him and His interests on earth. All believers are created beings, and worship belongs to God alone. Once more, the angel John attempts to worship sets the record straight on the matter. “See that you do not do that. For I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of those who keep the words of this book. Worship God,” Revelation 22:9. The angel makes several key points. One: he is no more elevated than John. John is his equal in servitude, as well as the OT prophets and the Christians of his time that kept the words of Scripture, specifically referring to Revelation, see Revelation 1:3. There is equality among God’s servants, and only He is worthy of worship because He is Creator of the universe and Redeemer of humanity.