Philadelphia #4 The Synagogue of Satan?

As we dive into Rev 3:9 we have seen that the Church at Philadelphia purposely placed themselves in a position where the Lord could access them and vice versa.  This being the case, the Lord was able to have them where he wanted them, yielded, obedient and predisposed to walking well in faith and repentance.  Now we explore Jesus' rebuke of those who 'say they are Jews but are not.'

Rev 3:9

Those who belong to the 'synagogue of Satan' also got a mention in Rev 2:9 so clearly these people were not on Jesus' good list. There are several resources to try to explain who these people were but the root of the problem may spring from spring from the Galatian controversy.  In Galatians and Acts 15 we see Paul correcting the error that required Gentile Christians to bear the outward marks of the Jew with circumcision etc.  In Hebrews 6 we find the author speaking into the problem of Christians redefining repentance.  They were returning to animal sacrifice in the temple to cover their sins. Animal sacrifice only ever spoke of the coming Messiah and His atoning sacrifice once and for all.

Hebrews 6 warns those doing this that if they redefine repentance then they cannot actually repent. Also they have not understood the atonement if they need to kill an animal.  Also they are dependant on the Temple, the Temple that Jesus said will be destroyed by the Romans.   If God allows the Temple to be destroyed, how can any aspect of Old Testament practice be relevant?  So we have Jews who want to practice Old Testament practice (without a Temple!) and Gentiles who want to also practice Old Testament practices because they don't understand the significance of Messiah and what led up to Him coming.  So general confusion over the place of the Law has been around since the beginning of Christianity.  With the people Jesus is referring to, we have a problem that may suggest it is not just confusion or erroneous teaching that is occurring.

Jesus tell us that these false Jews 'do lie.' It appears that they know exactly what they are doing in taking on the identity of the Jews.  There is a problematic stance in the church called Replacement Theology.'  This is the erroneous view that the church replaces Israel.  God never covenanted with the Church, the church is grafted into the New Covenant God made with Israel.  So many Gentile Christians say they are now Jews because they have replaced them as God's chosen people.  In doing this it has implications on the Jews. For centuries the Jews have been on the receiving end of hatred and murder because the church has not aided them as God's chosen people.  This passiveness aids Satan to unleash on the Jews.  Jesus tells us that this is a lie on purpose.  'Replacement' churches often have a less than watertight hermeneutic.  They probably haven't got to the end of Romans to have Paul assure us that the Jews have a future as God's chosen people.

Because they think they are replacing the Jews they think they are God's chosen people (but a bit more chosen than you).  So if you are not part of their hive you are an outsider and not really very chosen. Ipso facto... 'God doesn't love you as much as he loves us.'  Jesus tells us that he will have these people fall down at your feet and acknowledge that 'I have loved you.'  This is Jesus saying that when the Millennial Kingdom comes the Christians who thought that they had exclusive rights to chosen-ness  will fall down to worship Jesus ranked lower than Philadelphia.  The 'Philadelphia' Christians who looked insignificant, weak, pathetic and small by the 'Mega-church' standards will receive a greater reward when all believers receive rewards for what they had done.

The Roman Catholics and protestants persecuted those who wanted to meet in homes outside the system.  They murdered entire movements and anyone not being of the same thinking were martyred.  Today we don't see the same intensity of persecution for not being dyed in the same ideology but today social martyrdom is very prevalent.  Nowadays swords would have you imprisoned but not acknowledging you as a part of the church and disregarding your life in Christ is common in the scramble to be significant.    

If it turns out my best guess is wrong, then to aim for 'Philadelphia' is something we can do now. Anyone who wants to be diligent over God's word will find very quickly that the Jews are central to the prophetic clock.   There is no real personal application in Rev 3:9 as it deals with Jesus actions against a specific group.  I'm glad Jesus says he will deal with the Christians who persecute those who want to be simple and unassuming about church.  It means I can be at peace with my detractors.

Gary Ward