PREPARATION FOR THE THIRD SEASON FEASTS: THE CONGREGATION OF PHILADELPHIA (Revelation 3:12-13)

Elul 19 (1 September 2026)

The KING is in the FIELD! AWAKEN the BELIEVERS!

CONGREGATION SIX: PHILADELPHIA (Revelation 3:12-13)

THE BELIEVERS IN PHILADELPHIA ARE PROMISED BY MESSIAH YESHUA THE FOLLOWING REWARDS:

1. He will make him (the person) who wins the victory (who overcomes) a PILLAR in the TEMPLE of HIS GOD THE FATHER, and he will never leave it.

Messiah Yeshua appropriately uses this language indicating that they will be unshakable (steadfast, immovable) pillars because Philadelphia frequently experienced earthquakes which had shaken down buildings in their city. Furthermore, they faced immense difficulties maintaining their faith in an unbelieving society. They found their strength in relying on GOD’s power rather than their own in KEEPING their FAITH STRONG. They were looking forward to heaven where no such instability will exist and furthermore, they themselves, who proved to be FAITHFULL and ENDURE in difficult circumstances STANDING LIKE PILLARS, will be PILLARS in the TEMPLE of GOD the FATHER.

We see this term also used in Jeremiah 1:17-18 when Jeremiah is caught up between the mission God gave him and the anger of the religious and political leaders and then YHVH tells him:  “But you, DRESS FOR ACTION; stand up and tell them everything I order you to say. When you confront them, don’t break down; or I will break you down in front of them! For today, you see I have made you into a FORTIFIED CITY, A PILLAR OF IRON, a WALL OF BRONZE against the whole land (creating a picture of immovability, steadfastness) – against the kings of Judah, against its princes, against its priests and the people of the land. They will FIGHT against you, but they will NOT overcome you, FOR I AM WITH YOU, says YHVH, to RESCUE you.”

We therefore clearly see the spiritual symbolism of a PILLAR as someone who STANDS STEADFAST IN YHVH in their FAITHFULNESS to GOD, just like the Philadelphia believers did!

And in Galatians 2:9 we see this description used by Paul when he described James, Peter and John as: “the ACKNOWLEDGED PILLARS of the COMMUNITY (of believers).” People who were known to STAND STEADFAST in their FAITHFULNESS to GOD the FATHER and MESSIAH YEHSUA.

And MESSIAH YEHSUA further says:

2. Also, He will WRITE on him (the overcomer) the NAME of MY GOD, THE FATHER and the NAME of GOD’ THE FATHER’s CITY, THE NEW JERUSALEM, coming down out of heaven from GOD THE FATHER, and HIS (MESSIAH YESHUA’s) NEW NAME.

We read in Revelation 14:1, telling us the 144,000, 12,000 of every tribe of the twelve tribes of ISRAEL (considered as the FIRSTFRUITS ransomed from humanity), are standing with the Lamb (Messiah Yeshua) on Mount Zion, and HIS NAME and HIS FATHER’s NAME were WRITTEN on their FOREHEADS. (Also read Revelation 7:1-8).

And after the GREAT WHITE THRONE JUDGEMENT where all people will be resurrected and those whose NAMES are FOUND in the LAMB’s BOOK of LIFE going into ETERNAL LIFE, we read about the NEW HEAVEN and EARTH and the NEW JERUSALEM and in Revelation 22:3b-4 we read: “The THRONE of GOD (the Father) and of the LAMB (Messiah Yeshua) will be in the city (the New Jerusalem); and HIS servants (the OVRCOMERS) will WORSHIP HIM; they will SEE HIS FACE, and HIS NAME will be on their foreheads.”

Just as discussed in Messiah Yeshua’s message to the CONGREGATION of PERGAMOS where a WHITE STONE, on which is WRITTEN a NEW NAME that nobody knows except the one RECEIVING it, was promised to the OVERCOMERS. We now see that MESSIAH YEHSUA’s NEW NAME will be written on the OVERCOMERS of PHILADELPHA. And it is confirmed in Revelation 19:12 in the vision of MESSIAH YESHUA, who is the FIRST FRUIT of those who BELONGS to HIM and will be made alive as we read in 1^st Corinthians 15:20-23, that HE will have a “…NAME WRITTEN which no one knew but HIMSELF, during HIS SECOND COMING.

The PROMISE of RECEIVING the NAME of GOD the FATHER, the NAME of the NEW JERUSALEM and the NEW NAME OF MESSIAH YEHSUA relates to being in COVENANT with HIM, like a HUSBAND who will GIVE his LAST NAME to his BRIDE on their WEDDING DAY, uniting them as a FAMILY UNIT where children born from this union will also receive their father’s last NAME.

It reminds and assures us that as BELIEVERS we RECEIVE a NEW IDENTITY, we are no longer defined by our past but are TRANSFOMED in MESSIAH YEHSUA into a NEW PERSON, HAVING a HEAVENLY FATHER and BELONGING to a HEAVENLY FAMILY living in a HEAVENLY CITY, our ultimate destiny and home where we will enjoy ETERNAL LIFE in the PRESENCE, LOVE and PEACE of our HEAVENLY FATHER and our MESSIAH YESHUA.

These are all indications that the Philadelphia-type believer is part of the FAITHFUL BRIDE of MESSIAH YESHUA. We read in Revelation 19:6b-9 “YHVH, God of heaven’s armies, has begun HIS REIGN (this is a reference to Messiah Yeshua, reigning as King of the Thousand Year Kingdom of Peace). Let us rejoice and be glad! Let us give Him glory! For the time has come for the WEDDING of the LAMB, and HIS BRIDE has prepared herself – FINE LINEN, bright and clean has been given her to wear. (Fine Linen means the RIGHTEOUS DEEDS of God’s people). The angel said to me (John), Write: How blessed are THOSE who have been INVITED to the WEDDING FEAST of the LAMB (a depiction of FEAST SEVEN of YHVH: THE FEAST OF TABERNACKLES)!”

And we then read in Revelation 20:11-15, after the THROUSAND YEAR REIGN of PEACE of MESSIAH YEHSUA, the WHITE THRONE JUDGMENT will take place before eternity will begin (this is a depiction of the EIGHT DAY of the FEAST of TABERNACKLES), all evil will be destroyed in the LAKE of FIRE, including death and Sheol/ Hades (the place of the unsaved death) and all THOSE WHO’s NAMES are WRITTEN in the LAMB’s BOOK of LIFE will enter into ETENITY.  And we then read in Revelation 21:1-3 “Then I (John) saw a NEW HEAVEN and a NEW EARTH, for the old heaven and the old earth had passed away, and the sea was no longer there. Also I the HOLY CITY, NEW JERUSALEM, coming down out of heaven from GOD (the Father), prepared like a BRIDE beautifully DRESSED for her husband (remember the city is dressed with the righteous deeds of the faithful believers as we read in Revelation 19:8). I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, See! God’s Sh’kinah (His DIVINE PRESENCE/ HIS MANIFEST GLORY/ HIS VISIBLE MAGNIFICENT SPLENDOR) is with mankind, and HE will LIVE (tabernacle) with them. They will be HIS PEOPLE, and HE HIMSELF, GOD-with-them (meaning Immanuel a term used to describing Messiah Yeshua in Isaiah 7:14 and Matthew 1:23, HE), will be their GOD.”

The Complete Jewish Study Bible Explains: The sinless conditions of the Garden of Eden will therefore be RESTORED. It is the time when “the creation” which “has been groaning as with pains of childbirth” will be “set free from its bondage to decay.” It will enjoy the freedom accompanying the glory that God the Father’s children will have” Read Romans 8:19-23. Thus fulfilling Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter 65:17-18 “For look! I create NEW HEAVENS and a NEW EARTH. Past things will not be remembered, they will no more come to mind. So be glad and REJOICE FOREVER in what I AM CREATING; for look! I am making JERUSALEM a JOY, and her PEOPLE a DELIGHT.”

THE BELIEVERS IN PHILADELPHIA SHOULD MAKE SURE:

They HEAR and LISTEN to the VOICE of the HOLY SPIRIT in this message to them.

SOUL SEARCHING

1. Am I aspiring to receive, as a FAITHFUL PERSEVERING BELIEVER, the glorious heavenly reward of being found to be an overcomer, being made a PILLAR in the TEMPLE of GOD our FATHER and receiving HIS NAME, MESSIAH YESHUA’S NEW NAME and THE NAME OF THE NEW JERUSALEM, confirming I BELONG TO HIM and are part of HIS HEAVENLY FAMILY, living in HIS PRESENCE FOREVER?

2. Does this motivate me to PURSUE HOLINESS and RIGHTEOUSNESS, walking CLOSELY to YHVH my GOD, engaging in PRAYER and storing up HIS WORD in my heart each day and remaining STEADFAST in spite of the sinful world persecuting and mocking my faith in HIM?

REPENTANCE, RESTORATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT

• During our time on earth and the TRIALS we face, we can be ENCOURAGED by viewing the pressure and persecution as CHALLENGES to PROOF our FAITHFULNESS and STEADFASTNESS and to GROW STRONGER SPIRITUALLY.

• We are ASSURED that God our FATHER is aware of our struggles, and HE will REWARD us for our FAITFULNESS. Through our MESSIAH YEHSUA and the HOLY SPIRIT we are also STRENGHTENED to STAND FIRM, like PILLARS of FAITH, encouraging and strengthening fellow believers through our TESTIMONIES of being OVERCOMERS.