In Revelation 3:7-13, Jesus sends a message to the church in Philadelphia. He does three specific things in the message; He reminds them of His sovereignty, He acknowledges their perseverance and He promises them His protection. In their weakness, they have held onto their faith and lived faithful to His name, even while facing great opposition. Because of this, Jesus says, “I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” What does this mean? Is this a specific promise, an end time principle, or a little of both? What, if anything, does this verse say about the timing of Christ’s return? Tonight, we will talk about the character of Philadelphia, and for the first time in our look at Revelation, the timing of Christ’s return.