A study in the book of Revelation.
As we continue discussing the church at Philadelphia we see that in the first century it was persecuted by those who called themselves Jews but were of the synagogue of Satan according to Jesus. Jesus is saying that all Jews who persecuted this church will someday acknowledge that Jesus favors and loves His Church. This favor consists in two things: Christ would make this church’s enemies subject to her. In Luke 20:43, he said ‘till I make your enemies your footstool. Secondly, the greatest honor and happiness any church can enjoy consist in the peculiar love and favor of Christ. God’s favor to his people is given in such a manner that their very enemies shall see it and be forced to acknowledge it. Another instance of favor that Christ promises to this church is persevering grace in the most trying times The enemies of the Philadelphia church are described as having lied in pretending to be the only and peculiar people of God but were really the synagogue of Satan. Assemblies that worship God in spirit and in truth is the Israel of God; assemblies that either worship false gods, or the true God in a false manner, are the synagogues of Satan: though they may profess to be the only people of God, their profession is a lie. We see the same term that was written to the Church at Smyrna. Although this is a different church dispensation or period, and the tactics of Satan are varied, but in both the opposition to God and His people is termed a “synagogue of Satan.” The company seems more formed and consolidated at the Philadelphian period of the Church; hence, “the synagogue of Satan.” Those here referred to are necessarily of Jewish nationality, but just as the Jews claimed to be God’s people on earth, and that to the exclusion of all others, so here a traditional, successional Church order and position are assumed.
