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PHILADELPHIAN CHURCH AGE

6^th Age Revelation 3:7-13
Began around 1750 and lasted until 1906
Messenger or star was John Wesley
Age of “Brotherly Love”, the great “missionary” age and the “open door” age.

CITY OF PHILADELPHIA

75 Miles southeast of Sardis
2^nd Largest city in Lydia, built on several hills in a famous wine-growing district.
Populated by Jews, Christians of Jewish origin and converts from heathenism.
City still exists to this day as the Turkish city of Alasehir or City of God.
Bacchus was the ruler
This age was characterized by a coin bearing the likeness of Bacchus on one side and a priestess named Baccante on the other. Money ruled.

JOHN WESLEY

Born in Epworth, England on June 17, 1703
One of 19 children born to Samuel and Susanna Wesley
His father was a chaplain in the Church of England
John was a brilliant scholar, molded by his mother’s exemplary life.
While he was in school at Orford, he and his brother Charles became part of a group who were spiritually exercised to worship on the basis of experimentally living the truth rather than making doctrine their standard. The drew up a spiritual guide of works, such as giving to the poor, visiting the sick and the imprisoned, for this they were called Methodist.
John and his brother Charles went to America (Georgia) as missionaries to the Indians. During his voyage he met the Moravians. He was deeply impressed by their meekness, peace and courage in all circumstances. His labors in Georgia were a failure. He returned to England crying, “I went to America to convert the Indians but, Oh! Who shall convert me?
Peter Boehler led John Wesley to salvation. His brother Charles soon followed.
His old friend George Whitefield invites John to preach to thousands in a field. After much doubt, John began seeing the success of preaching outside of a building and turned wholehearted to such preaching.
He slept no more than 6 hours per day, arose in time to start preaching at 5:00 am. He preached up to 4 times in a single day. In a year he would average over 800 sermons.
He averaged traveling over 4500 miles per year (on a horse).
In his lifetime he preached over 40,000 sermons.
Many of his meetings saw the manifestation of spiritual gifts.
His brother Charles wrote hundreds of hymns in his lifetime.
John Wesley died at the age of 88 in February 1791.

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Revelation 3:7
He that is holy, He that is true – showing His Diety again.
Hath the key of David, He that openeth and no man shutteth, shutteth and no man openeth.
Isaiah 22:22 – “Shoulder”
Isaiah 9:6 – A wedding ceremony of the East. When the bride has been committed to the groom, she takes off her veil and places it on the grooms shoulder – signifying she is under his dominion and has transferred all rights to him. The key of David – God foreknew who would be his bride. He chose her and paid the price for her. Jesus with this key will bring in the millennium.

Verse 8 – Set before thee an open door, no man can shut it.
Thou hast a little strength, kept my word and hast not denied my name.
Open door – Christ “I AM the Way” – great missionary age.
II Corinthians 2:12 Mark 16:15-20 – Door open to minister around the world.
Door of the sheepfold.
Open door back to the original age of Pentecost.
Hast a little strength, kept my word.
Strength coming back through open door to original signs and WORD.
The preaching of the WORD was never stronger.
Verse 9 – I will make them of the synagogue of Satan
Satan’ Seat – church and state marriage – denominations springing up everywhere.
Say they are Jews, but lie. They say they are of God, when they are not, therefore they lie.
I will make them come and worship before thy feet, to know that I have loved thee. I Corinthians 6:2, we will judge the earth.
Verse 10 Thou hast kept the word of MY patience, I will keep thee from the hour of temptation.
Hebrews 6:13-15 – patiently endured after he got the promise.
Jesus Christ promises to keep us from the hour of temptation just like the temptation in EDEN. The Mark of the beast.
Verse 11 – I come quickly; hold fast that no man take thy crown.
Hold fast – overcome, persevere, put on whole armor of God.
Let no man steal your blessing.
Verse 12 – He that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of God, the Temple of God is now His church by the Holy Spirit within us.
A pillar – a part of the foundation, Ephesians 2:19-22
Jesus is giving us the Revelation of the Word and of Himself.
Will write upon him the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God.
What is name of God? – Lord Jesus Christ.
Name of the City – NEW JERUSALEM, Revelation 21: 1-4
Will write my new name – no one knows, only the spirit will reveal it.