To the Church in Philadelphia

"Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth" (Rev. 3:10).

The church in Philadelphia received no rebuke from Christ. Instead they were commended and given a promise because they had been willing to endure patiently. The promise was, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come upon the whole world to test those who live on the earth. This is an explicit promise that the Philadelphia church will not endure the hour of trial which is unfolded, beginning in Rev. 6:1-17. Christ was saying that the Philadelphia church would not enter the future time of trouble; He could not have stated it more explicitly. If Christ had meant to say that they would be preserved through a time of trouble, or would be taken out from within the Tribulation, a different verb and a different preposition would have been required.

Because...

ὅτι

hoti

hot'-ee

Neuter of which some as conjugation; demonstrative that (sometimes redundant); causatively because: - as concerning that, as though, because (that), for (that), how (that), (in) that, though, why.

thou hast kept...

τηρέω

tēreō

tay-reh'-o

From τηρός teros (a watch; perhaps akin to be a spectator of); to guard (from loss or injury, properly by keeping the eye upon; and thus differing from to watch, which is properly to prevent escaping; and from custody, which implies a fortress or full military lines of apparatus), that is, to note (a prophecy; figuratively to fulfill a command); by implication to detain (in custody; figuratively to maintain); by extension to withhold (for personal ends; figuratively to keep unmarried): - hold fast, keep (-er), (ob-, pre-, re) serve, watch.

the...

ὁ, ἡ, τό

ho hē to

ho, hay, to

The masculine, feminine (second) and neuter (third) forms, in all their inflections; the definite article; the (sometimes to be supplied, at others omitted, in English idiom): - the, this, that, one, he, she, it, etc.

word...

λόγος

logos

log'-os

From lay forth; something said (including the thought); by implication a topic (subject of discourse), also reasoning (the mental faculty) or motive; by extension a computation; specifically (with the article in John) the Divine Expression (that is, Christ): - account, cause, communication, X concerning, doctrine, fame, X have to do, intent, matter, mouth, preaching, question, reason, + reckon, remove, say (-ing), shew, X speaker, speech, talk, thing, + none of these things move me, tidings, treatise, utterance, word, work.

of my...

μοῦ

mou

moo

The simpler from of of me; of me: - I, me, mine (own), my.

patience,...

ὑπομονή

hupomonē

hoop-om-on-ay'

From to stay under; cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy: - enduring, patience, patient continuance (waiting).

The doctrine that has caused you so much persecution.

I (Christ Jesus)also...

κἀγώ, κἀμοί, κἀμέ

kagō kamoi kame

kag-o', kam-oy', kam-eh'

So also the dative (second form) and accusative (third form); from having a copulative and I, me; and (or also, even, etc.) I, (to) me: - (and, even, even so, so) I (also, in like wise), both me, me also.

Though scholars have attempted to avoid this conclusion in order to affirm post-tribulation-ism, the combination of the verb “keep” (tērein) with the preposition “from” (ek) is in sharp contrast to the meaning of keeping the church “through” (dia), a preposition which is not used here.

will keep... see thou hast kept above.

thee...

σέ

se

seh

Accusative singular of thou; thee: - thee, thou, X thy house.

from...

ἐκ, ἐξ

ek ex

ek, ex

A primary preposition denoting origin (the point whence motion or action proceeds), from, out (of place, time or cause; literally or figuratively; direct or remote): - after, among, X are, at betwixt (-yond), by (the means of), exceedingly, (+ abundantly above), for (-th), from (among, forth, up), + grudgingly, + heartily, X heavenly, X hereby, + very highly, in, . . . ly, (because, by reason) of, off (from), on, out among (from, of), over, since, X thenceforth, through, X unto, X vehemently, with (-out). Often used in composition, with the same general import; often of

completion.

the... see above.

The expression “the hour of trial” (a time period) makes it clear that they would be kept out of that period. It is difficult to see how Christ could have made this promise to this local church if it were God’s intention for the entire church to go through the Tribulation that will come on the entire world.

hour...

ὥρα

hōra

ho'-rah

Apparently a primary word; an “hour” (literally or figuratively): - day, hour, instant, season, X short, [even-] tide, (high) time.

of temptation,...

πειρασμός

peirasmos

pi-ras-mos'

From to test; a putting to proof (by experiment [of good], experience [of evil], solicitation, discipline or provocation); by implication adversity: - temptation, X try.

This verse presents a promise that Christ will rapture genuine believers out of the world before the Tribulation period begins. The “hour of temptation” is the period of worldwide testing the Greek word peirasmos, which has not yet occurred (compare Dan. 12:1; Mat. 24:21, 29). Christ promises to keep them “from” (Greek ek, “out of”), the period of the Tribulation. That is, they will not even enter into this period of history. The Tribulation is for the purpose of trying or judging “them that dwell upon the earth”, those who are connected to the earth and its system. Believers are not even included in this term (compare Phil. 3:18-20; 1 Peter 2:11; Rev. 6:10; 11:10; 13:8, 12, 14; 17:8).

Trials, tribulations, and temptations come to all. It seems the group here mentioned, have been tested and found to stand in their temptation. There is a time of testing, and a time of victory, or defeat. Jesus was tempted forty days and nights and came out victorious. When trials come, we can do one of two things. We can stand against the temptation and experience victory, or we can take the easy way out and succumb to temptation and fall to defeat. If you are a Christian and if the temptation wins, then you will go through this particular temptation over and over until you stand against it and Overcome it.

It appears that this group mentioned here has stood against these temptations, so their promise from Jesus is that they will not be required to go through the great temptation. There is a time specified of God when the temptations, tribulations, and trials will be so great that it will be next to impossible to stand. An hour with God can be any specific time. God's time and our time is not the same. This hour mentioned here certainly does not mean sixty minutes, but a period of time, the Tribulation. There will be seven years of tribulation at the end of the Gentile age. The last three and a half years of this will actually be the wrath of God. God has promised the believers in the Lord Jesus Christ that we will be saved from the wrath to come.

Rev. 7:9 "After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindred's, and people, and tongues, stood before the throne, and before the Lamb, clothed with white robes, and palms in their hands;"

Rev. 7:13-14 "And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, what are these which are arrayed in white robes? And whence came they?" "And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, these are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."

You see, these are believers in Jesus the Christ (the saved), who have been brought out (saved in), great tribulation.

Mat. 24 describes the severity of this great tribulation.

Mat. 24:21-22 "For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be." "And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened."

This is the hour of temptation, this Scripture (in Revelation 3:10), is speaking of. The believers in Jesus during the tribulation will be taken out just before the temptation begins. They will not be tried beyond what they can endure but tried no less that is why they are called the tribulation martyrs.

which shall...

μέλλω

mellō

mel'-lo

A strengthened form of to be of interest to (through the idea of expectation); to intend, that is, be about to be, do, or suffer something (of persons or things, especially events; in the sense of purpose, duty, necessity, probability, possibility, or hesitation): - about, after that, be (almost), (that which is, things, + which was for) to come, intend, was to (be), mean, mind, be at the point, (be) ready, + return, shall (begin), (which, that) should (after, afterwards, hereafter) tarry, which was for, will, would, be yet.

come...

ἔρχομαι

erchomai

er'-khom-ahee

Middle voice of a primary verb (used only in the present and imperfect tenses, the others being supplied by a kindred [middle voice] word, ἐλεύθομαι eleuthomai or ἔλθω elthō; which do not otherwise occur); to come or go (in a great variety of applications, literally and figuratively): - accompany, appear, bring, come enter, fall out, go, grow, X light, X next, pass, resort, be set.

upon...

ἐπί

epi

ep-ee'

A primary preposition properly meaning superimposition (of time, place, order, etc.), as a relation of distribution [with the genitive case], that is, over, upon, etc.; of rest (with the dative case) at, on, etc.; of direction (with the accusative case) towards, upon, etc.: - about (the times), above, after, against, among, as long as (touching), at, beside, X have charge of, (be-, [where-]) fore, in (a place, as much as, the time of, -to), (because) of, (up-) on (behalf of) over, (by, for) the space of, through (-out), (un-) to (-ward), with. In compounds it retains essentially the same import, at, upon, etc. (literally or figuratively).

all...

ὅλος

holos

hol'-os

A primary word; “whole” or “all”, that is, complete (in extent, amount, time or degree), especially (neuter) as noun or adverb: - all, altogether, every whit, + throughout, whole.

the... see above.

world,...

οἰκουμένη

oikoumenē

oy-kou-men'-ay

Feminine participle present passive of to occupy a house that is (as noun, by implication of soil); land, that is, the (terrene part of the) globe; specifically the Roman empire: - earth, world.

to try...

πειράζω

peirazō

pi-rad'-zo

From a test; to test (objectively), that is, endeavor, scrutinize, entice, discipline: - assay, examine, go about, prove, tempt (-er), try.

them... see the above.

that dwell...

κατοικέω

katoikeō

kat-oy-keh'-o

From down and to occupy a house that is; to house permanently, that is, reside (literally or figuratively): - dwell (-er), inhabitant (-ter).

upon... see above.

the... see above.

earth...

γῆ

gē

ghay

Contracted from a primary word; soil; by extension a region, or the solid part or the whole of the terrene globe (including the occupants in each application): - country, earth (-ly), ground, land, world.

Even though the church at Philadelphia would go to glory via death long before the time of trouble would come, if the church here is taken to be typical of the body of Christ standing true to the faith, the promise seems to go beyond the Philadelphia church to all those who are believers in Christ (cf. Walvoord, Revelation, pp. 86-8).