We've been talking about the rapture. One of the great promises of the church's rapture is given to us by the Lord, Himself, when He spoke to the Apostle John concerning the seven churches. He said something very significant to the church at Philadelphia, in Revelation 3:10, "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."
This message represents Christ's very own words. It transcends that little church there in Asia because that church has long been extinct, and the hour "Which shall come upon the whole world" has not yet taken place.
It doesn't really matter, in context with this verse, whether you believe the seven churches represent seven types of churches, or whether you believe each church represents seven time periods. What is important to us in this text is what is being said. I would like you to go back and read that scripture verse again and again so that you're familiar with it.
Now, the first part of the verse, "because you have kept My (Jesus) command to persevere", this is obviously speaking of Believers so we have a handle on that part of the verse. But in the next phrase the Master Himself says, "I (Jesus) also will keep you (the believer) from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world.' I embolden the word 'from' because that word literally means 'out of.' What Jesus is saying to John as he wrote this verse is "I will keep you 'out of ' the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world." That word is derived from the Greek word "ek", and is a very ordinary word. It is used over 800 times in the New Testament. Every time it is used, it is translated 'out of.' It is always used to mean 'out of'. (The only place it is used in another word form is Galatians 3:8.)
Revelation 3:10 teaches us that the faithful church-which will not deny His name, but will practice good works, evangelism, and missions-will be kept 'out of' the hour of trial (the Great Tribulation) that will test and try the whole earth. Everybody realizes that becoming a Christian does not save them from the ordinary tribulations that plague this world and those of us who dwell on it. History is filled with suffering saints and martyrs. Trials are not an option to this life, they are a standard part of existing in this fallen world. But Jesus tells us that the great tribulation is not a standard trial but would be a very specific judgment of God. Jesus said, "for then there will be great tribulation, such as has not been since the beginning of the world until this time, no, nor ever shall be. And unless those days were shortened, no flesh would be saved; but for the elect's sake those days will be shortened" (Matt 24:21-22).
Someone will say, "But Pastor, the church doesn't deserve to be saved from the wrath that will try and test the whole world". I have only one answer and it is supported throughout the Bible; none of us, not one of us, deserves the deliverance from the hour of wrath that Jesus is speaking of. But God deals with us on the basis of grace when we turn to Him in faith. The church today, with all its carnality, worldliness, and sin, doesn't deserve to escape from the Tribulation; but typical of His sovereign grace, God will save us from the wrath to come, not because we deserve it but because of His great mercy.
Think about it. Did Israel deserve to be saved over the Egyptians who were drowned? Not much later in the trip they acted so badly that God had to destroy some of them like the Egyptians. Did we deserve Jesus to lay His life on the cross in our place? Do we as American's deserve the great benefits of this wonderful country when in Africa, Syria, or Egypt our brothers and sisters in Christ are being tortured and dying for their faith? Do we deserve the Holy Spirit, or heaven? I think not.
Why, if we went on the merit of deserving something, we would be bankrupt of many things. It is because of the grace of God that we have so much that we don't deserve, and that includes escape from the great wrath to come.
(Another scripture concerning Revelation and the rapture of the saints)
Some commentators have affirmed that the way in which Christ will protect believers from the coming tribulation of 3:10 is by physically “rapturing” them from earth into heaven. This is primarily argued on the basis that this view best accords with the most logical and literal force of τηρέω ἐκ (“keep from”). However, Gundry has shown the improbability of this understanding by demonstrating parallels between Rev. 3:10 and John 17:15, which is the only other NT occurrence of τηρέω with ἐκ: there Christ prays, “I ask not that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them from (τηρήσῃς αὐτοὺς ἐκ) the evil one.” Thus Jesus denies a physical removal from tribulation and affirms a spiritual protection from the devil (τηρέω [“to keep”] with ἀπό [“from”] in Prov. 7:5 and Jas. 1:27 has the same idea of protection from evil for those living in the midst of evil).217
ReplyDeleteOther parallels could be mentioned in support of Gundry’s argument: (1) John 16:33, like Revelation 2–3, uses the “overcoming” (νικάω) theme ironically. Even though believers will experience “tribulation” in the world, they will have “peace” in Christ because he “has overcome the world” (cf. Rev. 3:10, 12a). (2) John 17 also speaks of Christ spiritually protecting or “keeping” his followers because “they have kept your word” (cf. John 17:6, 11–12; Rev. 3:8–10). Furthermore, it is unlikely that Rev. 3:10 is referring to a protection of believers’ physical lives, since the preceding letters have focused only on spiritual perseverance, even at the cost of one’s physical life (e.g., 2:8–11; 2:13). If 3:10 is referring to a promise of physical preservation before the final
Beale, G. K. (1999). The book of Revelation : A commentary on the Greek text (290). Grand Rapids, Mich.; Carlisle, Cumbria: W.B. Eerdmans; Paternoster Press."