“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.”
Jesus now turns to a promise for those who persevere under trial.
Because you have kept My command to persevere
We can translate the above phrase “the word of My patient perseverance.” This translation would make this phrase refer to New Testament teaching to endure a contrary world similar to Christ’s perseverance with contrary people (2 Th 3:5; He 12:3). The Philadelphia church was faithful to the Word when they faced trial. They kept the Word of perseverance that constituted Jesus’ perseverance. This perseverance amid trials serves Jesus. They did not fall to the seduction of immoral pagan worship.
The word “persevere” means to endure under. The church at Philadelphia, like their Lord, hung in there. They kept Christ’s command to stay under pressure. They did not cave to temptations and pressures around them. This condition makes the promise of this verse valid. They were people of brave perseverance, the ability to remain faithful to the Word under oppressive pressure. That perseverance came from the Word. These people clung faithfully to the Word that deals with Christ (1 Co 1:23). They never denied His name.
I also will keep you from the hour of trial
The “hour of trial” is the trial of tribulation (chapters 6-19). There is one word in Greek for the English words “keep” and “from.” It is a compound word composed of both terms: keep and out of. The word “from” (literally, out of) indicates that this church will not even enter the tribulation period. This is a guarding from rather than a guarding through. Those in the tribulation will clearly go through this time of trouble (Re 7:4). By inference, God must have been raptured the church before the hour of trial. The point of the tribulation is to get the attention of Israel that Jesus is the Messiah.
God not only keeps this church from trial but from a worldwide “hour of trial.” Not only does not deliver us from trial, but He delivers us from a specific time of trial. We call this the Tribulation period. This is a time of unprecedented worldwide trial in the world (Da 12:1; Je 30:7; Mt 24:21; 1 Th 1:9,10; 5:9,10). Jesus promises to save the church from this time of trouble.
which shall come upon the whole world
The words “shall come” signify both intention and necessity and, therefore, the certainty of what will occur. This is a word of purpose, certainty, compulsion, or necessity. The Greek word gives the idea of occurring at a point of time in the future that is subsequent to another event and closely related to it. We can translate the word “to be about to, to be inevitable, with respect to future developments – “must be, has to be.” God is speaking of something inevitable in the future. God is about to do something. God is forming a design for the world.
Note that the words “whole world” indicate the scope of this tribulation. It is a worldwide tribulation.
to test those who dwell on the earth
There is a coming time of war, inflation, famine, and plague. Jesus will express His righteous indignation. Fortunately, the rapture of the institutional church will precede these events.
PRINCIPLE:
Christians will not go through the tribulation.
APPLICATION:
Suppose a football coach tells the quarterback that he will take him from the game; that is different from telling him that he will keep him from the game. Keeping us from the tribulation is the idea in our passage. The church will never enter the tribulation. We will be held from this period of unprecedented apostasy and the greatest period of horror the world has ever known.
The presence of the Holy Spirit will be removed from the earth during the tribulation (2 Th 2:1-12). He is the one restraining the world from being worse than it is. Once the Father removes Him, then all evil will break loose. Ecumenical religion will come to the fore. The world will destroy itself through religion in seven years. Religion tends to destroy human freedoms. Religion is the root of evil in the world today as well.
Randall, the best majority text translation is The New King James Version. Most scholars assert that the English standard Version is the best translation today.
Thanks, in Christ Randall
Revelation 3-10 was only addressed to one church out of 7. All 7 churches were of “born again Christians”. How can you say this promise applies to “all” Christians?
Albert, the messages to the churches were not only written for the churches of the first century but for the church for all ages. The same could be said for the epistles to the Ephesians, Colossians, Thessalonians, etc. where written for all believers.
Not ALL Christians are promised to escape the Tribulation. The Rapture is a reward for those who have remained wise and faithful (obedient). The Rapture is not for the foolish virgin, the lukewarm, the unfaithful servant, or the evil servant which are all born again believers. Messiah promised to Rapture only those who have KEPT His word and those who have not defiled their garments of salvation. If a believer fails to abide (keep the commandments) in Messiah then they will be ashamed before Him at His appearing.
Kay, thanks for your post. There is no biblical basis for a partial Rapture. The foolish virgins has to do with the Second Coming, not the Rapture. See my studies on Matthew 25.
When “The presence of the Holy Spirit will be removed from the earth during the tribulation” will the 144,000 (and anyone else) still receive the Holy Spirit when they accept Christ during the Tribulation?
Lori, good to hear from you. Here is Walvoord’s response to your question: ”
Much of the revelation concerning the ministry of the Holy Spirit to those saved in the tribulation is based on inference, but a continued ministry of the Holy Spirit to believers in this period, though somewhat restricted, is evident. There is some evidence that believers may be indwelt by the Spirit during the tribulation as, according to Ezekiel 36:27, they will be indwelt before they enter the millennium. Against this, however, is the revelation of 2 Thessalonians 2:7, that the one restraining the world from sin, i.e., the Holy Spirit, will be “taken out of the way” during the tribulation. Unrestrained evil characterizes the tribulation, though the lack of restraint is not total (cf. Rev. 7:3; 12:6, 14–16). It has been assumed by some that the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the saints in itself contributes to the restraint of sin, and that it, therefore, is taken away. The tribulation period, also, seems to revert back to Old Testament conditions in several ways; and in the Old Testament period, saints were never permanently indwelt except in isolated instances, though a number of instances of the filling of the Spirit and of empowering for service are found. Taking all the factors into consideration, there is no conclusive argument against the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in believers in the tribulation. If believers are indwelt during the tribulation, it also would follow that they are sealed by the Spirit, the seal being His own presence in them.
Whether or not the Spirit permanently indwells the believers of this period, it is clear that some believers are filled with the Spirit and empowered to witness. This is evident, first, from the fact that there will be world-wide preaching of the gospel of the kingdom during the tribulation (Mt. 24:14). The power to bear witness has ever been a result of the ministry of the Holy Spirit, and is related to the filling of the Spirit, which may be temporary, not necessarily to His indwelling, which by nature is permanent. The spiritual victory achieved by the martyrs to the faith could hardly be accomplished apart from the spiritual enablement of the Holy Spirit. The general phenomena of the tribulation make any any sort of spiritual achievement unthinkable apart from the power of God. While, therefore, we do not have extended Scripture references on the doctrine, it is, nevertheless, sustained by every approach to the subject.
3. The Work of the Holy Spirit in the Tribulation Limited
The characteristics of the tribulation period are not conducive to an unlimited manifestation of the Spirit’s ministries. In contrast to the age of grace which precedes and the millennium which follows, the tribulation is a period of unprecedented sin and rebellion against God. While salvation is possible for those who believe, we must conclude that the saved will be in much greater minority than at present. False doctrine will reach new heights of deception. Apostasy will reach its acme. The restraining work of the Holy Spirit will be almost totally removed (2 Thess. 2:7).
A notable lack in the ministries of the Holy Spirit is the work of the Spirit in baptism. It is highly significant that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is always regarded in Scripture as future until the day of Pentecost when the believers were baptized by the Spirit; that the baptism of the Holy Spirit is never found after the rapture of the church either in the tribulation period or in the millennium. We search the prophetic Scriptures in vain for any reference to baptism of the Spirit except in regard to the Church, the body of Christ (1 Cor. 12:13). While, therefore, the Spirit continues a ministry in the world in the tribulation, there is no longer a corporate body of believers knit into one living organism. There is rather a return to national distinctions and fulfillment of national promises in preparation for the millennium.”
Walvoord, J. F. (1942). The Eschatology of the Holy Spirit. Bibliotheca Sacra, 99, 422–424.
Sir, I wanted to see more a clear sermon on Tribulation, Second coming. Help me to get it. Thanks.
I mean the complete one along with a chart if you can provide. I need it. Thank you Sir.
Obed, Note these 3 studies:
https://versebyversecommentary.com/articles/doctrine/7-future-judgments/
https://versebyversecommentary.com/articles/doctrine/rapture-and-second-coming/distinctions-between-rapture-and-second-coming/
https://versebyversecommentary.com/articles/doctrine/rapture-and-second-coming/rapture-vs-the-second-coming/
If rapture is pre trib then who is being talked about in latter passages of revelation of those being martyrs?
Ron, a great number of people will become believers during the tribulation (Rev 7:9, 14).
We have to have a mind sex to endure into the end. Revelation 7:14.
Revelation 6:9-11.
All of Jesus disciples died a horrible death John the Baptist was beheaded.
Please research it and you will see some was boiled in oil, some crucified upside down, etc .
So I don’t why we think we won’t have to go through anything. John 15:20.
2Timothy 2:3*
Carolyn, I am aware of how many died in church history. However, you missed my point, this passage refers to the idea that the church will not go through the Tribulation, the seven years before the Second Coming of Christ. The idea here is that the church will be Raptured before the Tribulation begins. You are correct that Christians need to learn how to persevere in tribulations.
Great learning here in this discussion
COVID unleashed is a plague and tested people on earth to see who could be easily willing to believe lies and someday take the mark of beast. Recall when you couldn’t eat at a restaurant, get medical care, visit elderly or travel without SHOWING your covid mark, aka vaccine card? All of this is prepping world, paving way for antichrist. Jesus is Lord.