TAKING THE FIRST STEPS TOWARD
UNDERSTANDING THE TRIBULATION
Part I
By
Douglas R. Shearer
Introduction by Doug Krieger:
The Eschatological
Discourse – known as the Olivet Discourse – given by Jesus in Matthew 24-25 is
perhaps the most well read of all prophetical passages of the Bible, but the
least understood! Coupled with these chronological enigmas, “preparation
parables” on readiness and judgment –merit and mercy - as well as the “signs
of the times” are what appears to be overlapping resemblances found in Luke 21
and Matthew 10 – dealing with how God’s people are challenged on how to handle
persecution, tribulation, rejection and a host of other Christian
disciplines…all of the above passages somehow initiate at the commencement of
the Church and continue and intensify through the period known as the
Tribulation and “Great Tribulation.”
The texts written on these topics could fill most home libraries—and large ones at that. My studies on these passages seem endless—and I like most of us, have “seen in part” and therefore, “prophesied in part.” Now, at long last, I am altogether astounded and utterly pleased – yea, to GOD BE THE GLORY – for in these Last Days, as Daniel was promised – “knowledge [of God's purposes as revealed by His prophets] shall be increased and become great” (Daniel 12:4 – Amplified Version)—notwithstanding either the flippant attitude that some manifest toward the prophetic or the ludicrous assumptions espoused by Preterism (Please see “The Last Days of Rick Warren, Tim LaHaye and Hank Hanegraaff”). I am all the more rejoicing that the vessel used by Him to unveil – yes, unravel, these Gordian Knots of prophetic worth to His people, is someone to whom in his unsaved state I shared the gospel of our Savior—and who not only accepted and surrendered his life to Jesus Christ, but since has gone on with our Lord in all fervency of spirit in serving Him for nearly 50 years – one, Douglas R. Shearer.
I am somewhat convinced that my persistence in persuading him concerning the prophetic chronologies as discovered through the glaring verbosities contained on our site, stimulated Doug’s eschatological interests in these heretofore stirring but confusing passages from whence so much controversy has arisen; especially, since Jesus and the synoptic gospels give them such prescient relevance just before the crucifixion. Not only has Doug unlocked their mystery, he has done it resoundingly so to such an extent that I am unequivocally driven to conclude that his insights shall be a marvelous gift to His Church in these End of Days in preparation for the coming of the Lord. Likewise, and not to sound too pedantic, his dissertations, theses and conclusions most certainly magnify a multitude of the writings found on this web site; furthermore, the action corollaries derived therefrom in preparing the Bride of Christ for her Groom’s coming display a remarkable confirmation to what the Lord has already shown to many of us.
It is with much joy, therefore, and wonderment that I so strongly commend the reading of this five-part series over the course of the coming months—you are in for a marvelous treat as Doug unfolds the Master’s eschatological intricacies for us all. May the Lord use the distribution of this material to capture a renewed prophetic vision for the Church at the end of this age – O Lord, prepare our hearts for the “joy that is set before us” – to endure hardship as a good soldier of Jesus Christ – to run the race that is set before us and to win the prize as we press for the “high calling of God in Christ Jesus our Lord!” Maranatha: O Lord, come! AND Anathema Maranatha upon all who love not His appearing!
The Church in America stands on the verge of The Tribulation – with angels peering over the parapets of heaven waiting for the drama to unfold. But the church is asleep; she’s less sensitive to the gathering storm clouds than secular news pundits. May God grant us all the grace to wake up and to pray earnestly for the greatest harvest of souls in history.
Matthew 24:1-2
And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples
Came to him to show him the buildings of the temple.
And Jesus said unto them, See ye not all these things? Verily I say
Unto you, There shall not be left here on stone upon another, that
Shall not be thrown down.
Matthew 24:1-2
Bear in mind here that Jesus has just
pronounced judgment on Jerusalem – back in Matthew 23:37-39…
O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that kills the prophets, and stones them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathered her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Behold, your house is left unto you desolate, for I say unto you, ye shall not see me henceforth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Matthew 23:37-39
Jesus’ prophecy here in Matthew 24 is merely a follow-up on the judgment he pronounced back then. And, indeed, the Temple was destroyed by the Romans under Titus a mere thirty seven years later in 70 AD.
Matthew 24:3a
And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him
privately, saying, Tell us, when shall these things be?
Matthew 24:3a
The Olivet Discourse: Its Relevance for the Church
Mark’s Gospel identifies the specific disciples who have sought out Jesus here in verses 1-3 – Peter, James, John, and Andrew, his closest disciples…
And as he sat upon the Mount of Olives over against the temple, Peter and James and John and Andrew asked him privately,
Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign when all these things shall be fulfilled?
Matthew 24:3a
No doubt, the disciples, a bit stunned by Jesus’ prediction of the Temple’s impending destruction, want to pursue the matter further. And what follows is the Olivet Discourse – a passage of scripture that has fostered endless debate – much of it revolving around its relevance for the church and the church age.
Pretribulationists insist that the Olivet Discourse describes events that have no bearing on the church or the church age. Why? Because those events, taken together, comprise The Tribulation; and the church, so they assure us, will have been raptured before that takes place. But that’s a hard pill to swallow. Why? Because of the obvious: here in Matthew 24, Jesus is speaking to his disciples – indeed, his closest disciples – soon to be commissioned the founding apostles of the church. Isn’t it reasonable to assume, therefore, that the Olivet Discourse is freighted with staggering significance for the church? Would Jesus – with just a few short hours left to be with his disciples – spend it on a teaching that has no bearing whatsoever on the church or the church age? No bearing whatsoever on the prodigious responsibilities they’re about to shoulder? How, then, do pretribulationists make their case?
The Disciples: What They Represent
Pretribulationists go out of their way
to underscore what’s patently obvious: that here in Matthew 24 the church is
yet to be established. From that, they make an unwarranted “jump”: that
because the Church Age hasn’t formally begun, the disciples here in Matthew 24
aren’t representative of the church, but of Jewish believers left behind after
the rapture of the church. But, then, does that mean the truths of John 17
aren’t meant for the church either? After all, John 17 and Matthew 24 both
record events that took place during the last week of Jesus’ ministry – at
least two months before the Day of Pentecost. If in John 17 Jesus is preparing
the disciples for the task of shepherding the church, what possible justification
is there for suggesting that he isn’t pursuing the same goal in Matthew 24?
Let’s be clear: there is a sharply defined, transparently obvious boundary separating the Mosaic Order from neither the Church Age – nor the Church Age from the Millennial Kingdom. Indeed, a good case can be made that the transition to the Church Age was underway from the very inception of Jesus’ ministry; and that Jesus began preparing his disciples immediately for the responsibilities they would be shouldering then. Examples abound:
· Jesus announces the “new birth” to Nicodemus – a truth that’s clearly linked to the long prophesized New Covenant announced by both Jeremiah and Ezekiel – John Chapter 3.
· Jesus declares that he fulfills the prophecy of Isaiah 61 – that in Him a new age is dawning – Luke Chapter 4.
· Jesus tells John’s disciples that the Mosaic Order is being superseded – that new wine requires new wineskins – Mark Chapter 2.
· Jesus tells his disciples that John’s ministry closes out the Mosaic Order – Matthew Chapter 11.
…all events that took place early during Jesus’ Galilean ministry – long before he began his final ministry in Judea and Jerusalem.
The Narrowing Focus of Jesus’ Ministry
Finally, in Matthew 16, the church itself is revealed to the disciples – and quite explicitly so - though, of course, its exact nature and characteristics remained obscure.
And Simon Peter answered and said, You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.
And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed are you, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood has not revealed this unto you, but my Father who is in heaven.
And I say also unto you, That you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.
And I will give unto you the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shall bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever you shall loosed on earth shall be loosed in heaven.
Matthew 16:16-19
No expositor that I’m aware of doubts that from this point on, Jesus began to narrow the focus of his teaching ministry to the one goal of preparing his disciples to shepherd the church: that fewer and fewer matters extraneous to that one goal were allowed to intrude. And that makes it all the more unlikely that at the very close of his ministry, when we might justifiably expect him to be focused almost exclusively on the task of training his disciples to shepherd the church, Jesus would divert so much of his attention to a matter totally unrelated to that task – two whole chapters of recorded instruction – including the follow-up parables from Matthew 24:32 through to the end of Matthew 25.
Pretribulationalists divide the New Testament into a patchwork of distinct and mutually exclusive ages called dispensations. Ordinarily, the total number of dispensations is put at seven: 1. Innocence; 2. Conscience; 3. Human Government; 4. Promise; 5. Law; 6. Grace; and, finally, 7. the Millennial Kingdom – with an eighth dispensation sometimes tacked on at the end, the Eternal Order. For interpretational purposes every passage of scripture is slipped into one of these dispensations. However, only four are used in the interpretation of New Testament passages:
1. the Mosaic Order – the dispensation extending from Moses to christ – into which, for example, they “fit” the ministry of John the Baptist;
2. the Church Age – the dispensation extending from Christ to the Millennial Kingdom – into which, for example, they “fit” John 17;
3. the Millennial Kingdom – the dispensation extending from the Second Coming to the Eternal Order – in which, for example, they “fit” the “Sermon on the Mount;” and, finally;
4. the Eternal Order – the dispensation extending beyond the Millennial Kingdom into eternity – into which, for example, they “fit” Revelation 21 and 22.
It’s a schema that a good many pantribulationist has no real quarrel with – some of whom whole-heartedly support it. Their quarrel is not with dispensationalism as such but with the special “waiver” that’s accorded The Tribulation:
· it’s not “fitted” into any of the “normal” dispensations;
· instead, a special niche is carved out for it – a niche that’s sandwiched between the Church Age and the Millennial Kingdom – and stands apart from both.
Where does the Tribulation Fit?
And the reason is not hard to chase down…
· Obviously, the events of Matthew 24 do not “fit” the Millennial Kingdom – except, perhaps, at its close – a thousand years following the 2nd Coming – and then only superficially.
· And, just as obviously, if The Tribulation is included in the Church Age and is made its culmination, then the rapture must take place after The Tribulation, not before it.
There it is: without that special niche, pretribulationists would find themselves “behind the eight ball.” It certainly looks a bit suspicious – as if it has been expressly devised to facilitate an interpretation that favors their bias.
Good to Know, but Not Relevant
For pretribulationists, therefore, Matthew 24 is relegated to the status of “good to know, but not really relevant” – at least not for the church. It amounts to little more than a palliative Jesus uses to ameliorate his disciples’ curiosity.
Matthew 24:3b
…and what shall be the sign of your coming, and of the end of the world?
A Schematic Analysis of Matthew 24:3-7
Discourse on Signs
It’s important to note that the disciples are asking Jesus about signs – the signs heralding the end of the age and the establishment of the kingdom. And a good deal of what follows consists of a description of those signs – a plethora of signs. It’s this very fact that the parable of the fig tree is all about beginning with verse 32 (see volume II).
The phrase “end of the world” is better translated “end of the age.” It’s not the end of the world (αιον – age) that the disciples are inquiring about, but the end of the age – meaning, no doubt, the end of the then current era of Roman bondage and the beginning of the long promised Davidic kingdom – and, with it, Israel’s predominance among the nations.
Matthew 24:4-6
And Jesus answered and said unto them, Take heed that no man deceive you. For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many. And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars: see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Matthew 24:4-6
Pseudo Signs
Here in Matthew’s account – though not in either Mark’s account or Luke’s – Jesus ignores the disciples’ curiosity concerning the destruction of the temple – and plunges into an answer that focuses on The Tribulation and the Second Coming. Several features here need to be carefully noted:
· First, there’s the list of specific events found in verses 4-6 – including deception, wars, and rumors of wars;
· second, there’s the phrase “the end is not yet” found in verse 6; and, finally,
· there’s the phrase “these things must come to pass” also found in verse 6.
The list found in verses 4-6 is not meant to be all-inclusive; it’s a synecdoche – a figure of speech that uses part of a whole to stand for the whole. Verse 6…
And ye shall hear of wars and rumors of wars; see that ye be not troubled: for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet.
Matt. 24:6
…tells us that the list is meant to include events that arise from “run of the mill” sinfulness and are, therefore, unavoidable features of every era of human history, no exceptions. That’s what Jesus means when he says, “these things must come to pass.” They’re inevitable! But because they’re so common they can’t be considered, in and of themselves, precursors of the “End.”
Matthew 24:7-8
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places. All these are the beginning of sorrows (“οδιν” – birth pangs) Matthew 24:7-8
Genuine Signs
Verses 4-6 comprise a single unit of thought – what’s called a periscope. More specifically, verse 4 is a verbal clause – warning the disciples not to be deceived – and verses 5 and 6 are adverbial clauses modifying verse 4 – explaining what to watch out for and how to avoid deception. But that’s not the direct answer the disciples are looking for. Clearly, then, verses 4-6 are parenthetical to the passage as a whole. The answer the disciples are looking for begins with verse 7 – which is itself an adverbial clause that takes us back to verse 3…
…Tell us, when shall these things be? And what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?
Matt. 24:3
In short, starting here in verse 7 we have a description of events that do indeed herald the approach of The Tribulation, though not its actual start.
Notice how in verse 7 Jesus switches terms on us: from “wars and rumors of wars” to “nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom.” Dr. Arnold Fruchtenbaum points out that the phrase “nation shall rise against nation and kingdom against kingdom” is an idiom used by Jewish rabbis to designate total conflict within whatever geographic area the context delimits; for example, in Isaiah 19:1-4…
The Burden of Egypt, Behold, the Lord rides upon a swift cloud, and shall come into Egypt: and the idols of Egypt shall be moved at his presence, and the heart of Egypt shall melt in the midst of it.
And I will set the Egyptians against the Egyptians: and they shall fight every one against his brother, and every one against his neighbor; city against city, and kingdom against kingdom.
And the spirit of Egypt shall fail in the midst thereof; and I will destroy the counsel thereof: and they shall seek to the idols, and to the charmers, and to them that have familiar spirits, and to he wizards.
And the Egyptians will I give over into the hand of a cruel lord; and a fierce king shall rule over them, saith the Lord, the Lord of Hosts.
Isaiah 19:1-4
What we have here is Egypt embroiled in total warfare – in short, a civil war encompassing the whole nation. Likewise, in 2 Chronicles 15:1-7 we have the entire Middle East embroiled in total war…
And the Spirit of God came upon Azariah the son of Oded:
And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin; The Lord is with you, while ye be with him; and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you.
Now for a long season Israel has been without the true God, and without a teaching priest, and without law.
But when they in their trouble did turn unto the Lord God of Israel, and sought him, he was found of them.
And in those times there was no peace to him that went out, nor to him that came in, but great vexations were upon all the inhabitants of the countries.
And they were broken in pieces, nation against nation, and city against city: for God did vex them with all adversity.
Be ye strong therefore, and let not your hands be weak: for your work shall be rewarded.
2 Chronicles 15:1-7
World Wars I and II
Because the events of
verse 7 are clearly world-wide in scope, Jesus is speaking here of military
conflict engulfing the entire world. He’s saying, in short, that global
warfare will herald the approach of The Tribulation. Dr. Fruchtenbaum rightly
points out that World Wars I and II – actually one war separated by just twenty
years – are the first two wars in history that perfectly fit Jesus’ prophecy;
that, therefore, they are obvious harbingers of The Tribulation.
In all probability, however, World Wars I and II are only the first shots across the bow – with World War I the alarm bell signaling the beginning of the “Birth Pangs” mentioned in verse 8. It’s quite likely that there will be further catastrophes leading up to The Tribulation. That’s because verse 7 is not describing a series of unrelated events, but a “perfect storm” of calamities – all converging at a single point in time.
What Jesus has in mind when he says “famines”…
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
Matt. 24:7
…is very telling – and portends that “perfect storm.” He obviously doesn’t mean a few isolated instances of famine – the likes of which have plagued every era of human history. He dealt with that kind of famine in verses 4-6. Once again, the geographic area delimited by the context here in verse 7 is the entire world; therefore, what Jesus is pointing to is a worldwide food shortage affecting not just a handful of undeveloped countries in the Third World, but fast developing countries in Asia and parts of the Middle East, and even fully developed countries in the West. From that, several inferences can be drawn: worldwide food shortages of the severity and scope suggested here in verse 7 can only be the result of a single cause: a collapse or partial collapse of the existing world economic order with its convoluted network of interlocking central banks and international monetary agencies – a collapse so severe that all attempts to mitigate the spreading famine will fall woefully short of the mark. No specific grounds for the collapse are indicated – though it’s clear that food-shortages always follow in the wake of wide-ranging wars and, of course, natural disasters, which, not surprisingly, are also prophesied in verse 7.
And never too far behind
war, natural disasters, and famine is pestilence – a good example of which was
the flu epidemic that ravaged the whole earth at the end of World War I and, of
course, the food shortages and famine that followed on the heels of World War I
– with estimates of the death toll ranging from 50 million to as high as 100
million – 675,000 deaths in the US alone.
Little Apocalypse
Once again, however, none of the calamities mentioned in verse 7 – world conflict, famine, disease, and natural disasters – are part of The Tribulation itself; they’re part of the many events leading up to The Tribulation – a complex of events that verse 8 tells us in the “beginning of sorrows” – a time the rabbis often called the “Birth Pangs of the Messiah.”
All these are the beginning of sorrows (“οδιν” – birth pangs) Matt. 24:8
The similar calamities delineated in Revelation Chapter 6, on the other hand, arise within The Tribulation – and are instigated by the horsemen of the second, third, and fourth seals. They are not, therefore, what Jesus has in mind here in verse 7. What we have, then, are two series of almost identical events: one occurring before The Tribulation, the “Birth Pangs of the Messiah,” and the other occurring during The Tribulation. The one occurring before The Tribulation, a kind of “Little Apocalypse,” is less severe and less far-reaching – and serves as a preview of what’s fast approaching, the “Big Apocalypse” of Revelation 6:3-8.
Matthew 24:9-13
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.
And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another.
And then many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many.
And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold.
But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. Matthew 24:9-13
Matthew 24:9-13 and Luke 21:12-19 Two Separate Events
The description of events here in Matthew 24:9-13 bears a close resemblance to Luke 21:12-19…
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 it shall turn to you for a testimony.
Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, 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 thee shall not an hair of your head perish.
In your patience possess ye your souls.
Luke 21:12-19
However, the timing of the two events is markedly different. In Matthew’s account, the persecution begins after the “Birth Pangs of the Messiah.”
For nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom: and there shall be famines, and pestilences, and earthquakes, in divers places.
All these are the beginning of sorrows.
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 24:7-9
In Luke’s account, however, the persecution begins before the “Birth Pangs of the Messiah.”
Then said he unto them, nation shall rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom:
And great earthquakes shall be in divers places, and famines, and pestilences; and fearful sights and great signs shall there be from heaven.
And 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. Luke 21:10-12
Clearly, Luke’s account describes events that will bear upon the disciples at the beginning of the church age not long after the Day of Pentecost; whereas Matthew’s account describes events that will bear upon believers at the close of the church age – during The Tribulation. In short, though the accounts are similar, two events, not one, are being described – and only Matthew’s is linked to The Tribulation at the close of the church age.
Luke’s Account of God’s Protection – an Interpretive Model
Nevertheless, because Luke’s account reveals the kind of protection God afforded believers undergoing persecution at the beginning of the church age, it may well spell out the kind of protection God will afford believers undergoing persecution at the close of the church age just before and during The Tribulation. In short, what we may have in Luke is an interpretive model that casts light on the meaning of persecution throughout the New Testament – including Matthew 24. It behooves us, therefore, to look more closely at what Jesus tells us in Luke’s account.
…ye shall be betrayed both by parents, 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 a hair of your head perish.
Luke 21:16-18
Look closely at what Jesus is saying here: “you will be hated, betrayed, and persecuted – and some of you will even be put death; nevertheless, not a hair on your head will be lost.” Think about it: the early disciples are being promised protection, but it’s a protection that does not spare them from death. What we have here is either…
· on the one hand, a non sequitur – meaning “a conclusion that doesn’t follow from a given premise” – a “contradiction in terms,” or,
· on the other hand, God’s notion of deliverance doesn’t always line up with ours – meaning it does not necessarily include rescue from death.
And since we know it can’t be the one, a non sequitur, it must be the other: God’s notion of deliverance is a bit different from ours.
And why should that surprise us? Psalm 37 assures us that God always delivers his people from affliction – those who call on his name and trust in his goodness…
Many are the afflictions of the righteous: but the Lord delivers him out of them all.
Psalm 34:19
No exceptions! Clearly, however, that deliverance does not spare God’s people from undergoing tribulation or even death. In fact, we’re told quite explicitly to expect suffering, persecution, and even death.
Yes, and all who will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffering persecution.
2 Tim. 3:12
Not only that, but we’re also told it’s a privilege to suffer for Christ…
For unto you it is given in the behalf of Christ, not only to believe on him, but also to suffer for his sake…
Phil. 1:29
…that God rejoices over those who undergo death on his behalf…
Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.
Psa. 116:15
Bearing on Revelation 3:10
Does that mean, then, that Revelation 3:10…
Because you have kept the word of my patience, I also will keep you from the hour of trial, which shall come upon all the world, to try them who dwell upon the earth.
Revelation 3:10
…is not, after all, a promise that the church will be spared from undergoing The Tribulation? The word translated “keep” in the phrase “I also will keep you from the hour of trial” is the Greek word “τηρεω.” It’s used several other times in the Book of Revelation – always with the meaning “hold fast.”
Blessed is he who reads, and they who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep (τηρεω – hold fast) those things which are written therein: for the time is at hand.
Rev. 1:3
And the dragon was wroth with the woman, and went to make war with the remnant of her seed, which keep (τηρεω – hold fast) the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev. 12:17
Here is the patience of the saints: here are they who keep τηρεω – hold fast) the commandments of God, and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.
Rev. 14:12
Then saith he unto me, See you do it not: for I am your fellow servant, and of your brethren the prophets, and of them who keep (τηρεω – hold fast) the sayings of this book: worship God.
Rev. 22:9
Pretribulationists, however, insist that its basic meaning here in Revelation 3:10, especially when combined with the preposition “from” (“τηρεσω εκ”), is “remove,” not “hold fast;” that, in short, Jesus is promising the church she will escape the Tribulation. Postribulationists, on the other hand, insist that the meaning of “keep” in Revelation 3:10 is no different from its use in Revelation 1:3, 12:17, 14:12, and 22:9; that, in short, God is promising the church she will be “held fast” – meaning drawn up close to God and endued with grace while undergoing The Tribulation.
What’s ordinarily lost sight of – not just by pretribulationists but by postribulationists as well – is the figure of speech John employs in Revelation 3:10 – a classic figure of speech called an anaphora – a rhetorical device that repeats the same word or phrase at the beginning of two or more successive clauses. The meaning of the repeated word in each of the clauses is the meaning given to it in the first clause. Why its significance is overlooked here in Revelation 3:10 is puzzling in light of its frequent use throughout both the Old and New Testaments. For example, from the Old Testament…
For the children of Israel shall abide many days
· without a king, and
· without a prince, and
· without a sacrifice, and
· without an image, and
· without an ephod, and
· without teraphim:
Afterward shall the children of Israel return, and seek the Lord their God, and David their king; and shall fear the Lord and his goodness in the latter days.
Hosea 3:4-5
The meaning of the repeated word “without” is the meaning it’s given in the first clause, “without a king.”
The word of the Lord which came unto Zephaniah te son of Cushi, the son of Gedaliah, the son of Amariah, the son of Hizkiah, in the days of Josiah the son of Amon, king of Judah.
· I will utterly consume all things from all the land, saith he Lord.
· I will consume man and beast;
· I will consume the fowls of the heaven, and the fishes of the sea, and the stumblingblocks with the wicked;
and I will cut off man from off the land, saith the Lord.
Zephaniah 1:1-3
Again, the meaning of the repeated word “consume” is the meaning it’s given in the first clause, “I will utterly consume all things from off the land.”
And in the New Testament we have countless examples as well…
All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any.
I Cor. 6:12
But I would have you know, that the head of every man is Christ; and the head of the woman is the man; and the head of Christ is God.
I Cor. 11:3
Beware of dogs, beware of evil works, beware of the concision.
Phil. 3:2
…ending with perhaps the best known anaphora in the New Testament – the Beatitudes…
· Blessed are the poor in spirit…
· Blessed are those who mourn…
· Blessed are the meek…
· Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness…
· Blessed are the merciful…
· Blessed are the pure in heart…
· Blessed are the peacemakers…
· Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake…
· Blessed are you when men shall revile you…for my names’ sake…
In each case, the meaning of the repeated word “blessed” is the meaning given to it in the first clause, “Blessed are the poor in spirit.”
Therefore, the meaning of the word “keep” (“τηρεσω”) in the clause “I also will keep you from the hour of trial” is its meaning in the clause “Because you have kept the word of my patience.” And there’s no doubt whatsoever that its meaning there is “hold fast,” not “remove.” To me, that settles the issue. Jesus is not promising the church she will be rescued from The Tribulation; he’s only promising her that she will be “held fast” while undergoing it; that, in short, God will draw her up close to himself in an especially intimate way – providing her with whatever grace she needs to endure it.
To be continued…If you wish to make contact with Douglas R. Shearer – you may contact him at: shearer@newhope.to (Note: Doug is a retired pastor after nearly 30 years in serving at New Hope Christian Fellowship here in Sacramento, California, and continues to labor in the Lord through radio broadcasts and other ministry outlets – he was graduated from the University of California in Political Science.)
