“To the angel of the Church of Philadelphia write: These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David.  What he opens, no one can shut; and what he shuts, no one can open.  I know your deeds.  See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut.  I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name” (Rev 3:7-8).

Throughout the Bible there are many scriptures which describe Christians in the Great Tribulation.  Pre, partial and mid-Tribulation theorists don’t debate this point.  But they believe the righteous Christians are taken away, leaving the undeserving to participate in God’s wrath. 

Much of the confusion about who gets raptured and when the rapture takes place is because people do not understand what is happening to the Church of Philadelphia.  When you examine the scriptures, it appears that people are taken off the earth at different times: We have the saints being gathered at the last trumpet, and we have something going on with the Church of Philadelphia.

In Revelation 2-3 seven churches are examined.  They represent different aspects of the Christian Church and Christian peoples.  Each church is examined; each type of Christian is examined.  Jesus tells what he sees in each of them and how they need to act and respond before the end times come and during the end times.  

Of the seven, the Church of Philadelphia has a special status.  These phrases describe the Church of Philadelphia: Little strength, kept his word, did not deny his name, and endured patiently.  Certainly this speaks of duress.

What kind of duress would tempt people to stop the pain and torment by denying Christ’s name?  What kind of duress leaves people with little strength, just hoping for the pain to end - enduring?  What kind of duress can be stopped, if they deny Christ’s name?  Persecution.

The members of the Church of Philadelphia, at the cost of their lives, have kept the word of Jesus Christ and have not denied his name.  They have kept his word, enduring, waiting patiently on the promises, persecuted and with little strength.  I believe these church members are the persecuted church worldwide: The Christians currently, this day, being persecuted in all countries for their faith in Jesus Christ.  

Of the seven churches, the Church of Philadelphia is the only church said to have “little strength.”  So Jesus gives this church a special promise; a promise he does not give the other churches - a chance to avoid more suffering in the future.  They will not have to suffer further in the trial and testing that is going to come upon the whole world.  They have already been tested and found true: No further testing is necessary.  

“Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth”  (Rev 3:10).  Literally, this phrase is, “…I also will keep you out of the hour of trial about to come on all inhabitants, to try the ones dwelling on the earth.” 

The Greek word, Τηρησω1 (tereso) means “keep” and is followed by ek,2 which means “out of.”  The Philadelphia Church will be kept out of the trials befalling the earth.  Jesus says, “I have seen your deeds.  See, I have placed before you an open door than no one can shut” (Rev 3:8).  Does this represent a special door to heaven? 

THE PHILADELPHIA DOOR

The Philadelphia Door is not the same gathering/rapture Paul is speaking of in 1 Corinthians 15:51.  This is a special event only for members of the Philadelphia Church.

How does this door work?   How can these Christians be kept out of the coming trials on the earth? 

I believe the members of the Philadelphia Church, who choose to pass through the Door, will be taken completely off the earth.  The Philadelphia Door will be opened for them alone, so they will not suffer further during this particular time.  The fact that it is a door implies that the members of the Philadelphia Church will have the option of passing through it or not.  

They will have two options: They can choose to pass through the Door or stay on the earth during the coming trials.  Some members will choose the Door and disappear at once.  Others will decide to stay and witness and minister to their family, village, and friends, in hopes of leading them to salvation in Jesus Christ.

When will the Philadelphia Door be opened?

God’s wrath is poured out in the last half of the Tribulation, so I believe the Door will be opened when the beast is given power over the saints to harm them at the beginning of the last three and a half years.  “He was given power to make war against the saints and to conquer them” (Rev 13:7).

A time will come when the Door will be revealed to these people, probably in a dream and perhaps at different times depending on their individual circumstances.  We don’t know what the timing will be.  It might be opened once, for all members, for an undetermined amount of time and then closed; or it might be left open, so they can pass through whenever they are ready. 

I believe it will be opened once and the people will have one opportunity to pass through.  I believe they will briefly enter a room where time will have no meaning: For them time will stop.  After a very short time in the room, perhaps just a few moments, they will come out just in time to participate in the rapture.

The Prophet Isaiah has a special message for the Church of Philadelphia: “Come, my people, enter your chambers, and shut your doors behind you; hide yourselves for a little while until the wrath is past” (Isa 26:20). 

For church members not being persecuted for their faith to claim membership in the Church of Philadelphia is arrogant presumption.  If you are not sure what church you really belong to, prayerfully search the scriptures and ask God to reveal your membership to you.  Then heed the message Jesus has left there for you.