Philadelphia: The Open Door
We move to the sixth stage which is called Philadelphia:
“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;” Rev 3:7
The seeker just about gave up in Sardis, or maybe he did for a period of time, but, like the prodigal son, he roused himself and returned to the house of his father and once again enjoys communion.
Philadelphia comes from the Greek PHILADELPHOS which means “brotherly love” or “one who loves his brother.” This is a stage where the seeker rises above self-pity and learns to see the glass half full rather than half empty. He smells the roses, basks in the love of God and shares brotherhood and love with all who will receive.
After he weathers the dark night of the soul and finds himself still standing in the strength of the God Within he again hears the voice. It tells him that the inner Christ “is holy” and “true.” What’s the significance of this? It is very significant. Before this stage on the path the seeker doubted the voice from time to time. “Is it really the voice of God (holy) and can I depend upon it? (true)” is a phrase that came to him repeatedly in Sardis and almost paralyzed him.
Finally, when he communes in the true spirit of love, he senses from the core of his being that the voice is indeed good and holy, as well as true and dependable. As he reflects back he realizes that it has never let him down. He knows now that there have been times he substituted his own desire and lower self for the voice; but now that the communion is more consistent, he realizes the difference between the two and just how reliable the inner Christ is.
Next, from within, he hears the Master say that he has “the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.”
What is the Key of David?
It is obvious when we realize that King David had the key to Jerusalem, the holy city of the Jews. He could open the door of the city to admittance or he could close it and refuse entry.
There is also a Key of David to the kingdom, or city of God within the soul. The Inner Christ can open the door and the pilgrim can bask in his presence and no person from the outside can interfere or stop the process. The door can also be shut on another person who is not yet ready for full communion. If he has to spend some more time in the dark night, no one can open the door until the needed lessons are learned. Sooner or later the seeker becomes ready and the inner Master turns on the light and dispels the night.
“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.” Rev 3:8
The seeker who has entered through the gates of Philadelphia has learned the lessons of unselfish love and finds an open door set before him. In the past, it seemed more like a swinging door to which the entrance was somewhat random, but not this time. This time the door is so powerfully open that “no man can shut it.” At long last he can look within at will and consistently commune with the inner God and receive answers and guidance.
The reasons he is able to do this are three:
(1) He has “a little strength.” Strength comes from the Greek word DUNAMIS, which more literally means “inherent power.”
The seeker may think he is powerful from time to time and may receive significant praise from his associates, but the inner voice puts him in his place. He has some power, but just a “little” in comparison to a Master or what he will possess as he progresses further. Fortunately, at this point, he is not misusing his power and it is assisting him in standing and focusing in the light and love of God.
(2) He has “kept my word.”
His right use of power was to listen to the inner voice and take it seriously. He listens and follows that which he receives to the best of his ability.
(3) He has “not denied my name.”
A name signifies a purpose. When the seeker obtains an open door to the inner world he discovers a great purpose of which he is to be a part. To detour from that purpose is to deny the name of the God Within. After his dark night the seeker has learned to stay on course and thus honors the name or purpose of God.
The Great Temptation
“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.” Rev 3:9
We discussed earlier about those who say they are Jews, apostles, etc., but are not.
An interesting new statement is made, however. These people who are of the “synagogue of Satan” shall worship at the feet of the pilgrim who passes through Philadelphia. How could this be when these are the same people who persecuted the saints and lead the people astray?
The answer is quite simple. When the seeker in Philadelphia is alive the false teachers will indeed persecute him and fight against him with all their power. However, when his work is done he will die and then be reborn in a future age along with many of the false teachers who were his enemies. In this future life the work in which the seeker participated has become recognized as a great work and he and his co-workers as wonderful servants of humanity.
Now here is where it gets interesting. Those who previously were enemies of the work now embrace it and start leading the parade, extolling its virtues and give praise, to the point of worship, toward the founding leaders.
For example, many of those who persecuted Jesus and early Christians are now incarnated as Christians themselves in this age and idolize the early saints. Some even pray to them.
Many who fought against the Founding Fathers of the United States and supported King George are born again and cannot say enough good things about the Constitution and Thomas Jefferson and the gang.
Many who despised Abraham Lincoln and others who struggled to free the slaves are now attempting to lead the parade in bringing more rights to African Americans.
In the new cycle the false teachers wind up worshipping at the feet of those from Philadelphia that they persecuted in the past.
Does this mean they have reformed and are now the good guys? Not necessarily. Some of them do make some progress, but most of them are still caught in the false authority trap and are drawn to the now established work to become adored leaders themselves. When a new work that brings additional positive change is created that shakes their belief system they will feel threatened and repeat the cycle until their lesson is learned.
This makes for an embarrassing life review after death for these folks when they see that they worshipped at the feet of ones they hated so much in the past and probably would hate in the present. When the feelings from both lives unite in them after death it brings a painful realization. Most hope within themselves they will not repeat such a mistake, but they usually do. As human beings most of us have to learn the hard way, but sooner or later the lesson is absorbed.
“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.” Rev 3:10
Because the seeker has endured with patience, done all in his power to follow the inner voice and keep his mind focused in the light he receives a reward. He will be kept “from the hour of temptation.”
Why will he be kept from this great temptation? The simple answer is that the channel of communication is now an open door and so clear that the inner voice will successfully guide him in the right direction. All he has to do is listen, register and follow.
The next question to ask is, what is this temptation that is so great that it is to “come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth.”
Some students think it will come in the form of a great antichrist worse than Hitler, but those who look to the future where only a small portion of humanity will be tested are looking the wrong direction. This temptation is always with us and it comes upon the world again and again to test us.
This temptation comes to us in forms that are very deceptive to all except those who have solidified communion with the inner voice.
Every great work undergoes tremendous corruption within several generations after the founders leave. That which was pure and good often becomes corrupt and run by power hungry individuals. When seekers are reborn and encounter the systems that they helped to create, they are tempted to merge with them and obey the false teachers who are now in control. Almost all will yield to the temptation to accept false authority. The exception are those who have established inner communion, as has the seeker in Philadelphia, Only the inner voice saves him from this captivity.
Here’s how the situation plays out. The seeker helps establish a great work, such as Christianity. Much of his work becomes corrupt. He is reborn and attracted again to the work that seems familiar to him. He is told by the leaders that he must follow or be damned, but that which he is told to follow does not seem right. He checks with the inner voice and the truth is confirmed. He then leaves the corrupt organization and seeks again to promote a work which will truly serve humanity. He is therefore saved from the hour of temptation that comes upon all.
The real power behind whatever success I have now was something I found within myself – something that’s in all of us, I think, a little piece of God just waiting to be discovered. Tina Turner
Feb 3, 2007
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