Revelation 3:9

Revelation 3:9

Rev 3:9 - I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars  

A synagogue of Satan is also referred to in the letter to Smyrna (2:9), the Jews follow Satan, whose name means slanderer, in slandering God's people, from bible we know that, when Jesus time and early churches were troubled the Christ believers, clearly the Jews in particular were troubling these early churches as Acts demonstrates, Acts 13:45, 14:2, 17:5, 18:6, 25:7.

Acts 13:45 But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and began to contradict what was spoken by Paul, reviling him.

Acts 17:5 But the Jews were jealous, and taking some wicked men of the rabble, they formed a mob, set the city in an uproar, and attacked the house of Jason, seeking to bring them out to the crowd.

Rev 3:9 …I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you.

Jesus will show to these Jews that He loves the church very much. Then they will come. They will fall down at the feet of the Christians. They will know that they were wrong. They will repent of the trouble that they caused. They will believe that Jesus is the Christ of the Jews.

There are a number of OT references to God vindicating his people in front of their enemies (Isa 45:14, 49:23, 60:14).

Isa 45:14 Thus says Yahweh: The peasants of Egypt, the traders of Ethiopia and the tall men of Seba will pass near you in chains, and bow down facing you. In worship they will say, "Surely God is with you. There is no one else, there is no other god."

Isa 49:23 Kings will be your foster fathers, their queens your nursing mothers. They will bow down before you with their faces to the ground; they will lick the dust of your feet. Then you will know that I am Yahweh and that those who hope in me will not be put to shame.

Isa 49:14 The sons of those who oppressed you will come bending low;

all who despised you will fall before your feet. They will call you the City

of Yahweh, Zion of the Holy One of Israel.

Rev 3:9 - acknowledge that I have loved you

   This wonderful fact of Christ's love for us is central to our faith, (Isa 43:4, 3:19, Eph 5:2).

Isaiah 43:4 Because you are precious in my eyes, and honored, and I love you, I give men in return for you, peoples in exchange for your life.

Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

These Jews considered themselves and themselves only to be God’s people and therefore loved by God, they despised the Philadelphians who they considered to be Gentiles and therefore out of Gods covenants. Jesus is saying that he will vindicate his elect and demonstrate to these slanderers who are really his beloved people. Note that Philadelphia in Greek means brotherly love, Jesus will demonstrate who are really his brothers. The word for Jesus’ love here is agapao that refers to a self-giving love Jesus has for his people, which he demonstrated by dying for them.