Cattle now graze on grassy plains once traversed by streets and thronged
with the inhabitants of this superb metropolis.

7. 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;

8. 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.

9. 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.

10. 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.

11. Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that
no man take thy crown.

12. Him that overcometh will I make a pillar in the temple of my
God, and he shall go no more out: and I will write upon him the
name of my God, and the name of the city of my God, which is new
Jerusalem, which cometh down out of heaven from my God, and I
will write upon him my new name.

13. He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto
the churches.

Philadelphia was once a large and powerful city, and it continued thus
until later times. Prior to the time the Revelation was written, it had
suffered severely from repeated earthquakes, which caused it to be
almost deserted by its inhabitants. Subsequently, however, it recovered
and became a prosperous, influential city.

The character Christ assumes toward this church is that of the Holy and
True--one who will justly reward them for their patience and
perseverance--and by virtue of his possessing the key of David (a symbol
of power and authority), he is able to place before them an open door
which no man can shut.

The character of this church is wholly unlike that of the preceding. In
that, there was nothing to commend, but much to condemn; whereas to
this, all is admonition, encouragement, and promise, because they had
"kept the word of his patience" and had not denied his name. Christ knew
their works and that they were worthy of approval. They still possessed
"a little strength"