To get a sense of the context of this verse, let’s read Revelation 3:7-13, “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write; These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth; I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name. 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. Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God: and I will write upon him my new name. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.”

In Revelation 2-3, we have seven letters that the Apostle John wrote to the seven churches in Asia, or Asia Minor. The churches he wrote to were the churches in Ephesus, Smyrna, Pergamos, Thyatira, Sardis, Philadelphia, and Laodicea. If you look at these on a map, you will see that theses seven cities form a circle. Not only was there a message for each one of these different churches, there are applications in each one for us today, and there is an application of applying each letter to a different time period in Church history.

In each of these letters to the churches, the Lord COMMENDS them for something, except for the church of Laodicea. In each of these letters, the Lord CONDEMNS them for something, except for the churches in Smyrna and Philadelphia. In each church, the Lord presents Himself in one of His characteristics that particularly fits in with his letter. In the letter to Philadelphia, the Lord introduces Himself as “he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.” The Lord Jesus is the “holy one of Israel.” He is the “true God.” He is the “true King.” He acts with authority, opening and shutting at His own discretion and the world is powerless to prevent His will from being accomplished. He has exclusive rule and absolute control.

Now let’s look at the verse in question. Revelation 3:8, “I know thy works: behold, I have set before thee an open door, and no man can shut it: for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” Philadelphia means ‘brotherly love’ and these saints acted devotedly in showing love to the brethren. Although they had ‘little strength’, particularly as to political influence, they were faithful to keep God’s Word and not deny His name. These men spread the Word of God and upheld the name of Christ in the midst of great persecution. Because of that faithfulness, the One who “openeth, and no man shutteth” set before these faithful believers an open door of opportunity. What a privilege! What an opportunity. Because of their faithfulness, the Lord blessed them with the opportunity to obey the word that He spoke in Mark 16:15, “…Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.” Even today, when we bear the marks of the Philadelphians, when we love our brothers and sisters in Christ, when we are faithful to His Word and loyal to His name, the Lord will provide us with blessed opportunities to serve Him. What a privilege it is to be a servant of the Lord.   (158.1)