The Power of Patient Endurance

The Power of Patient Endurance

The book of Revelation has a central theme: Patient Endurance.

Most of the chapters in the book talked about the events that had already taken place in the first century. The context was meant for the believers in those days. However, depending on your eschatological views, it might also be a double-fold prophecy, of which I am also not certain, though I have studied various views.

Some believe that there would be another great tribulation (though Matthew 24 was already fulfilled in context during AD70s). I'm not exactly sure if there would be, but I am open and will stay prepared if it really comes.

Another school of thought believes that the Christians will be taken out (rapture) before the tribulation comes. This is something that I least agree with, because it is not in line with the whole nature and character of God found in the Person of Jesus. To 'skip' trials pretty compromise the power of God, the dominion of Christ and the patient endurance that has been re-iterated in the book of Revelation.

The book of Revelation is not about the Great Escape. It is about the Great Resilience. The reason why some believe about rapture is as follows: 

Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, 𝐈 𝐰𝐢𝐥𝐥 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥 that is coming on the whole world, to try those who dwell on the earth. I am coming soon. Hold fast what you have, so that no one may seize your crown. - Rev 3:10-11

Well, a word without a context becomes a pretext for a proof-text. Nowhere in the New Testament talks about God preventing you from experiencing trials. So the explicit should always interpret the implicit.

The word 'keep' in the Greek also means 'preserve, watch over, guard.' So an English translation is not always good.

The word 'from' in the Greek is G1537, which is the same word used for John 17:15.

Jesus said, "I do not ask that you take them out of the world, but that you keep them 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 the evil one." - Jn 17:15

Jesus did not expect His disciples to be taken out from any trial or tribulation, but that they be preserved from the evil one even as they were experiencing the trials.

The word 'trial' in Rev 3:10-11 can also mean 'temptation.' We can read the passage like this, 'Because you have kept my word about patient endurance, I will preserve you from the hour of temptation/trial.'

Faith is simply about keeping His word. When we keep His Word, His Word upholds and preserves our lives (Ps 119:50, 116). His Word sets us free (Jn 8:32).

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐚𝐢𝐭𝐡. - 1 John 5:4

In Christ, we are meant to be over-comers. How? By faith in Him. By keeping His Word. By patient endurance.

When the tribulation comes, we are not here waiting for the Great Rapture. We are to step into the Great Resilience. Only those who have been keeping His Word on patient endurance will be preserved from the evil one.

We are not waiting to be taken out by God. Only the devil wants to take you out. We are to hold fast to the Word on patient endurance.

"The one who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God." - Rev 3:12

You can't overcome, if you are taken out (rapture) by God before you face the fight. That's not dominion. That's not what Christ came to put and live in you, the Hope of glory.

P.S: Many of the early commentaries shared similar notes, that this passage does not refer to rapture or escaping from trials.

Barnes' commentary said, "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."