SUBJECT:  Revelation 3:10 and the Rapture

QUESTION:  Doesn’t this verse show that the rapture is a true doctrine?

ANSWER:

No, it does not.

Revelation 3:10
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.

One scripture does not a doctrine make.  It is always hard to believe in a doctrine based on a personal or organizational interpretation of a single verse here and another one there.  God saying that He will keep one from the hour of testing does not a rapture make.  God kept Israel from the plagues against the people of Egypt.  He did not take them to heaven or a place of safety.

If this were a rapture proving scripture, why make it a message to just one of 7 churches.  A rapture, if true would be a major element of end time prophecy and would have to be stated in a much clearer way.  It would be stated in something clearer than, "I will keep you from the hour of temptation."  This could just as easily be stating that we will not be subject to the plagues and warfare that surely will be present.  It could just as easily be stating that He will protect us in place.  This is our belief.

Notice the commentary:

Rev 3:10
[I also will keep thee] That is, I will so keep you that you shall not sink under the trials which will prove a severe temptation to many. This does not mean that they would be actually kept from calamity of all kinds, but that they would be kept from the temptation of apostasy in calamity. He would give them grace to bear up under trials with a Christian spirit, and in such a manner that their salvation should not be endangered. ~from Barnes' Notes

Mr. Armstrong has a booklet, "Is the Next Prophetic Event the Rapture of the Saints?"  It is posted at:

http://www.garnertedarmstrong.org/pubs/Rapture.htm
 

Notice what it says in its opening words...

"Christ told John to write, concerning the church in Philadelphia, in about A.D. 92, "Because thou hast kept the word of my patience, I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation ["trial," margin], which shall come upon all the world, to try them that dwell upon the earth" (Revelation 3:10). To many, this is confirmation of the "rapture of the saints." To some, this scripture indicates that God will whisk away His people to a desert wilderness, perhaps to Petra, in the Jordanian desert east of the Dead Sea, where they will sit out the "Great Tribulation," or the time of "trial," to come upon the earth.

Are God's people going to be taken to heaven, or up into the clouds, or to Petra, so as to escape the Tribulation? In this booklet, we shall see the answers clearly from the pages of your Bible."

Mr. Armstrong takes Revelation 3:10 on, right from the start.  He goes on in the booklet to show how Revelation 3:10 has nothing to say about a rapture.

---end---

In another booklet, "Who, What is the 'Beast' of Revelation" (http://www.garnertedarmstrong.org/pubs/WhoTheBeast.htm), Mr. Armstrong states:

"There are many more events which are to occur, including the protection of some of God's people who will not be called upon to give their last testimony through martyrdom. Jesus plainly said, "But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake ... and ye shall be betrayed both by parent, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends; and SOME OF YOU shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake. But there shall not an hair of your head perish" (Luke 21:12-18).

According to Matthew's Gospel, Jesus said, "All these are the beginning of sorrows [great tribulation], then shall they deliver YOU up to be afflicted, and shall kill you: and ye shall be hated of all nations for my name's sake..." (Matthew 24:8,9).

Yet, to some few of God's people, there is strong implication that protection will be offered!

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

Yet, God plainly says, "And he [the "spokesman" of the BEAST] opened his mouth in blasphemy against God, to blaspheme His name and His tabernacle, and them that dwell in heaven.

"And it was given unto him to make war with the saints, and TO OVERCOME THEM..." (Revelation 13:6,7).

Also, God says, "And the dragon was wroth with the woman and went to make war with the remnant of her seed [the last, end-time generation of God's people] which KEEP THE COMMANDMENTS OF GOD, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ! (Revelation 12:17). Daniel's prophecy says, "I beheld, and the same horn [the "little horn," representing the papacy, which overthrew three of the preceding Roman governments!] made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; UNTIL the Ancient of Days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the Most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom" (Daniel 7:21,22)."

---end quote---

Note:  It seems clear, by other verses that some firstfruits will be subject to death during the Great Tribulation.  If some are protect and other killed, what will be the difference?  Who are the martyrs, who die for Christ and are resurrected first at His return?  Will it be the weakest of those in the Salvation Process (still in; still qualified) or will it be those who are spiritually the strongest?  Quite a dilemma:  Does one hope to be protected or to excel in the Salvation Process and to be spiritually strong?

AGAIN, I ASK THE QUESTION

Neither the rapture nor being protected from the hour of temptation are Salvation subjects.  Clearly in Revelation 3:10, He is talking to firstfruits---those with the Holy Spirit.  Clearly, the passage shows WHY He is keeping them from the hour of temptation.  It has to do with their personal perseverance IN the Salvation Process.  These people He is talking about are qualified!!

Verse 8: I know thy works.
Verse 8: Thou has kept my word.
Verse 8: Thou has not denied my name.
Verse 10: Because thou hast kept the word of my patience.

After the promise of verse 10 to keep them from the hour of temptation, He goes on...

Verse 11: Hold that fast which thou hast.
Verse 11: Let no on take thy crown (Salvation).
Verse 12: Him that overcometh (a chief element in the Salvation Process) will I make a pillar in the temple.
Verse 13: He that hath an ear, let him hear what the Spirit saith unto the churches.

It seems clear that long before we nail down being kept from an hour of temptation, we have to see who qualifies for such protection.  Millions believe in some sort of rapture that will never come.  Most of those who believe in this false doctrine are NOT doing those things we see listed above.  How do we know this?  It is simple:  Many different and opposing religions believe in such rapture and many of these believe that they need do NOTHING to qualify for such a protection.  It apparently does not matter that they have mutually exclusive doctrines, beliefs, attitudes (toward the other), missions and works.

James 1:22
But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.

The "bad news", if you will is that not too many people are going to be protected in the Great Tribulation.  The verse (Rev 3:10) DOES say "upon all the world".  Sounds like a majority to me.  The good news is that ultimately EVERY PERSON WHO HAS EVER LIVED WILL HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO KNOW ALL TRUTH, HAVE ACCESS TO THE HOLY SPIRIT AND ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD WITH ETERNAL LIFE.  This has always been the plan of God.  It is a pretty good plan.

  
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