rollinTHUNDER
Member
Revelation 3:10-11 (KJV) – "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. 11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown."
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Ah yes, the topic most scholars tend to neglect or avoid when writing about their rapture theories. Though, many pre-tribulation scholars try to use Rev. 3:10 and a couple other scriptures to prove that the Church won’t be here for any of the final seven years of this age. Although, the scriptures they use do not indicate when the rapture occurs in relation to the final seven years. As a former pre-tribber, myself, I know their theory is based on mostly assumptions derived from misconceptions. But I’m very surprised that no one, it seems, in any rapture theory, ever discusses what the hour of temptation is, nor when they believe it will occur, or even how long it will last. In fact, I may be mistaken, but I can’t recall any other scholar discussing these things very much at all, other than maybe skimming the surface.
.
This is not a subject that one can just open up to a certain book and chapter in the Bible and simply read all about it. No, to get a good understanding of the hour of temptation, we must gather facts that have been scattered randomly throughout God’s Word. The Bible contains many mysteries and it’s up to us to learn how to connect the dots. Jigsaw puzzles have many pieces. To complete them, you must keep fitting the pieces together until all of the holes are filled and you can see the big picture. Biblical prophecy mysteries are very similar to jigsaw puzzles. However, before we can start putting the puzzle together, we often have to search to find the pieces first, which can sometimes take years, depending on how great the mystery is.
.
God has promised to reward those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6). So those who are knowledgeable in God’s Word often know where many of the pieces are and they are usually quicker to find them as well. But just like any other puzzle, once all of the pieces are finally found, then care must be taken to fit them together properly, so we can see the big picture. If the pieces are not put into the proper places, the picture will not be very clear. And if we don’t have all of the pieces, the holes will be our clue that we need to keep searching. So without any further ado, I believe I have found all of the pieces to solve this mystery. So let’s put this puzzle together.
.
After reading the passage above, two questions immediately come to mind. First, what exactly is the hour? And second, what is this coming temptation or trial? Some translations may say hour of trial or time of testing instead. But since these terms are used interchangeably, I’m going use “hour of trial” for the remainder of this thread to keep it shorter, and to cut down on confusion. An hour can have two different meanings. It can be either a literal measurement of sixty (60) minutes, which is the most common usage; or it can also be a brief period or short span of time. Then there’s the trial, which is said to be a time of testing for all the inhabitants of the earth, with the exception, of course, of those who will be kept from this hour.
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If those who are kept from the hour of trial are raptured-out beforehand, as I believe those who are ready will be, then it seems logical that those who are left will be the one’s who will enter into the hour of trial, to be tested. Now, if the people who missed the rapture enter into the hour of trial to be tested, what will they be tested for? It seems the only logical thing that the remaining inhabitants of the earth would be tested for, after missing the rapture, would be whether or not they will take the mark of the beast. If this is so, I believe this time of testing is what God will use to judge them, to determine who will become martyrs, and who will remain on the earth in their mortal bodies during the millennium (sheep); and then lastly, to judge the enemies of God (goats/unbelievers) who will be destroyed for taking the mark of the beast.
.
Revelation 13:16-17 (KJV) – "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."
.
Revelation 14:9-13 (KJV) – “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” 12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
.
Only four types of people will remain (after) the rapture, the martyrs who will refuse the mark of the beast, Jews or Israelites, and the sheep and goats from the nations that will be judged when Christ returns to judge the nations. If everyone, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave are forced to take the mark of the beast in order to buy and sell, this will undoubtedly become a monumental task that will require a global government. No wonder the beast has ten horns, as the horns represent ten kings. I believe it’s highly likely the world will be divided up into ten regions at the time of the end. Then the ten kings will be empowered to implement and enforce the forbidden mark of the beast.
.
Revelation 17:12-13 (KJV) – "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. (13) These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast."
.
So it appears that the hour of trial that will come upon all of the inhabitants of the earth is very likely to be the same hour the ten kings will finally appear on the world stage. But you would have a very hard time trying to convince me that they could pull this off, I mean, beheading millions of martyrs in just sixty (60) minutes. I would imagine that it would take at least several days to track down, gather, detain and behead the millions of believers who will reject the mark of the beast. For this reason, I don’t think it would even be remotely possible to accomplish this evil deed in a literal 60-minute hour, but it will likely end up being a very brief and brutal time period in the scope of the history of the world.
.
Ah yes, the topic most scholars tend to neglect or avoid when writing about their rapture theories. Though, many pre-tribulation scholars try to use Rev. 3:10 and a couple other scriptures to prove that the Church won’t be here for any of the final seven years of this age. Although, the scriptures they use do not indicate when the rapture occurs in relation to the final seven years. As a former pre-tribber, myself, I know their theory is based on mostly assumptions derived from misconceptions. But I’m very surprised that no one, it seems, in any rapture theory, ever discusses what the hour of temptation is, nor when they believe it will occur, or even how long it will last. In fact, I may be mistaken, but I can’t recall any other scholar discussing these things very much at all, other than maybe skimming the surface.
.
This is not a subject that one can just open up to a certain book and chapter in the Bible and simply read all about it. No, to get a good understanding of the hour of temptation, we must gather facts that have been scattered randomly throughout God’s Word. The Bible contains many mysteries and it’s up to us to learn how to connect the dots. Jigsaw puzzles have many pieces. To complete them, you must keep fitting the pieces together until all of the holes are filled and you can see the big picture. Biblical prophecy mysteries are very similar to jigsaw puzzles. However, before we can start putting the puzzle together, we often have to search to find the pieces first, which can sometimes take years, depending on how great the mystery is.
.
God has promised to reward those who diligently seek Him (Heb. 11:6). So those who are knowledgeable in God’s Word often know where many of the pieces are and they are usually quicker to find them as well. But just like any other puzzle, once all of the pieces are finally found, then care must be taken to fit them together properly, so we can see the big picture. If the pieces are not put into the proper places, the picture will not be very clear. And if we don’t have all of the pieces, the holes will be our clue that we need to keep searching. So without any further ado, I believe I have found all of the pieces to solve this mystery. So let’s put this puzzle together.
.
After reading the passage above, two questions immediately come to mind. First, what exactly is the hour? And second, what is this coming temptation or trial? Some translations may say hour of trial or time of testing instead. But since these terms are used interchangeably, I’m going use “hour of trial” for the remainder of this thread to keep it shorter, and to cut down on confusion. An hour can have two different meanings. It can be either a literal measurement of sixty (60) minutes, which is the most common usage; or it can also be a brief period or short span of time. Then there’s the trial, which is said to be a time of testing for all the inhabitants of the earth, with the exception, of course, of those who will be kept from this hour.
.
If those who are kept from the hour of trial are raptured-out beforehand, as I believe those who are ready will be, then it seems logical that those who are left will be the one’s who will enter into the hour of trial, to be tested. Now, if the people who missed the rapture enter into the hour of trial to be tested, what will they be tested for? It seems the only logical thing that the remaining inhabitants of the earth would be tested for, after missing the rapture, would be whether or not they will take the mark of the beast. If this is so, I believe this time of testing is what God will use to judge them, to determine who will become martyrs, and who will remain on the earth in their mortal bodies during the millennium (sheep); and then lastly, to judge the enemies of God (goats/unbelievers) who will be destroyed for taking the mark of the beast.
.
Revelation 13:16-17 (KJV) – "And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: 17 And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name."
.
Revelation 14:9-13 (KJV) – “Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.” 12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus. 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’” “Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”
.
Only four types of people will remain (after) the rapture, the martyrs who will refuse the mark of the beast, Jews or Israelites, and the sheep and goats from the nations that will be judged when Christ returns to judge the nations. If everyone, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave are forced to take the mark of the beast in order to buy and sell, this will undoubtedly become a monumental task that will require a global government. No wonder the beast has ten horns, as the horns represent ten kings. I believe it’s highly likely the world will be divided up into ten regions at the time of the end. Then the ten kings will be empowered to implement and enforce the forbidden mark of the beast.
.
Revelation 17:12-13 (KJV) – "And the ten horns which thou sawest are ten kings, which have received no kingdom as yet; but receive power as kings one hour with the beast. (13) These have one mind, and shall give their power and strength unto the beast."
.
So it appears that the hour of trial that will come upon all of the inhabitants of the earth is very likely to be the same hour the ten kings will finally appear on the world stage. But you would have a very hard time trying to convince me that they could pull this off, I mean, beheading millions of martyrs in just sixty (60) minutes. I would imagine that it would take at least several days to track down, gather, detain and behead the millions of believers who will reject the mark of the beast. For this reason, I don’t think it would even be remotely possible to accomplish this evil deed in a literal 60-minute hour, but it will likely end up being a very brief and brutal time period in the scope of the history of the world.