“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,” (Revelation 3:10).
One of the seemingly strongest arguments to prove the removal of the church before end times, is this verse of scripture promised to the faithful Philadelphia church. We are told by many teachers today that this “keeping from” the hour of trial is actually a promise to remove or rapture the church before end times hits.
In the original Greek, the words for “keep…from” are “tereo…ek.” Strong’s Concordance translates #5083 “keep” as to watch carefully; to guard; to hold fast. It translates #1537 “from” as from or out of. What Jesus is promising Philadelphia here is to guard or hold her fast from the hour of trial or testing that will be going on in end times.
Is this a promise to remove her? Greek is a very specific language. The word for “remove” is not the same as the word for “guarding or holding fast.” Revelation 3:10 is promising a protection within a sphere of danger. It is not a promise to remove the church.
It may surprise some of you to learn that Jesus actually prayed for this “keeping” of His church before He left earth! In John 17:14-16, Jesus prayed:
“I have given them Your word; and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.
“I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.
“They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world.”
The phrase that Jesus used here “keep…from” is the exact same Greek phrase “tereo…ek” that Jesus used in Revelation 3:10. In other words, what Jesus is praying for and promising His faithful ones is NOT a removal before facing Antichrist and persecution. It IS a promise to guard or hold us fast as His when the world is succumbing to the worship of the man of sin.
It takes a very mature Church to realize that the most important thing with God is that we stand FAITHFUL to Him. Our physical survival is secondary to this. That is why God allows the martyrdom of His people at times. What is really important is that we endure in our faith, that we maintain our witness for Him. It is not whether Laodicea stays safe and comfortable or not.
If this promise of Jesus “to guard or keep” us from the hour of testing seems like a light thing to you, think again. We are not taking seriously enough the warning of the deceptiveness that will take place during end times! In 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12, Paul the apostle warns the church in the strongest language of the deception of end times. Here is what he said:
“The coming of the lawless one is according to the working of Satan…
Have you ever succumbed to Satan’s tricks?
“…with all power, signs, and lying wonders…”
How many Christians expected to be raptured during the phenomenon of the blood moons a few years ago?
“…and with all unrighteous deception among those who perish, because they did not receive the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this reason God will send them strong delusion, that they should believe the lie, that they all may be condemned who did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness.”
How many Christians deliberately turn a blind eye on 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 which plainly describes Jesus’ coming, “our gathering to Him,” and the onset of God’s day of wrath as not happening until well into the 7-year period of end times?
If Christians are not expecting to face the Antichrist, will they even recognize him for who he is until very late? Especially if he appears as a very popular, charismatic world leader, able to bring about a Mideast peace treaty…allowing for Israel to rebuild her temple!?
Here is where the road divides in end time eschatology. The majority of the American church is expecting a quick deliverance before times get really tough. But a remnant of believers see it differently. They are counting the cost even now, of what it will take to stay true to Jesus. I don’t know about you, but Jesus’ assurance that He will “guard” my faith and “hold me fast” from the testing ahead is essential.
preparebridgewelldotcom 