CET: 15 Refuting More Myths in Pre-tribulationism

Chapter 15

Refuting More Myths in Pre-tribulationism

Imminency, the Restrainer, & Rev 3:10

Contents

A) Myth #10: The Rapture will happen at any moment, without any warning signs

B) Myth #11: Unbelievers will be experiencing “peace and safety” before the Church’s Rescue

C) Myth #12: The “Restrainer” of the Antichrist is the Holy Spirit, and His removal refers to the “Rapture” of the Church (2 Thess 2:6-7)

D) Myth #13: Revelation 3:10 is promising the Church’s Rescue before the “tribulation”

Primary Points

• Matthew 24:4-31 and 2 Thess 2:1-4 clearly disprove Pre-tribulationism’s belief in the “imminency” of the Church’s Rescue.
• The NT makes it clear that the early Church was not expecting the Church’s Rescue “at any moment.”
• The beginning of the Endtimes could begin at any time and is therefore “imminent.” But not Christ’s Return and the Church’s Rescue.
• Contrary to Pre-tribulationism, Christ makes it clear that the world will be desperately seeking “peace and safety” before His Return, not experiencing it.
• Contrary to Pre-tribulationism, the “Restrainer” (cf. 2 Thess 2:6-7) is not the Holy Spirit, but probably the Archangel Michael.
• Contrary to Pre-tribulationism, there is not a single promise in Scripture that the Church will be exempted from persecution. This includes Revelation 3:10. On the contrary, the NT promises the Church persecution.
• The Last Generation Church is promised exclusion from the wrath of God, but it has been promised exposure to the wrath of men and the Antichrist.

A) Myth #10: The Rapture will happen at any moment, without any warning signs

Because of the influence of Pre-tribulationism, many believe that the Church’s Rescue (“rapture”) could occur at “any moment,” including today. ^[1] For example, Lahaye writes: “Properly taught, prophecy emphasizes the ‘imminent’ return of Christ—that He could come at any moment.” ^[2] Likewise, the popular Pre-tribulationist Mark Hitchcock writes:

No sign signals the Rapture. Signs are for Christ’s return, not the church’s rapture. The Rapture is an imminent, sign-less event. It’s an event that could occur at any moment without warning. ^[3]

Pre-tribulationism supports this by claiming the Church’s Rescue is the very first event in the Endtimes, occurring before any of the events Christ described in His Endtimes Teaching. In theological discussions this foundational belief of Pre-tribulationism is known as Imminency. When an event is said to be “imminent,” it means there is nothing that needs to take place before that event will occur. In other words it is “signless,” without warning, and it could literally happen at “any moment.”

This foundational teaching of Pre-tribulationism has been thoroughly disproved in previous chapters of Christ’s Endtimes Teaching. Both Jesus and Paul clearly taught that several Endtime events will occur before the Church’s Rescue (cf. Matt 24:4-31; 2 Thess 2:1-4). For example, in Christ’s Endtimes Teaching He gave us many signs of His Return leading right up to its immediate occurrence (see especially Matt 24:29). Only when the Last generation Church sees all these things will they know that Christ’s Return is near, right at the door” (Matt 24:33-34).

In addition, it is clear that the early Church was not expecting the Church’s Rescue “at any moment.” Just a few examples of many will be offered here.

First, Jesus had given them the Great Commission to “go and make disciples of all nations until the very end of the age” (Matt 28:19-20 NIV). Such an endeavor would require a considerable amount of time. It has now required almost 2,000 years and the task Jesus gave the Church is still not complete. The Church’s Rescue could not occur “at any moment” until this task was completed.

The Apostle Peter did not expect the “rapture” to happen at “any moment.” The Lord clearly prophesied to Peter that he would live to be an old man and die in a painful way (cf. John 21:18-19). This did not happen until the mid-60’s A.D. over 30 years after Christ predicted it. It would seem absurd to claim that Peter expected the Church’s Rescue before Christ’s words were fulfilled.

The Apostle Paul never expected the Church’s Rescue to happen at “any moment” and without warning signs. He told the Thessalonians:

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him [the “rapture”] … Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the rebellion occurs and the man of lawlessness is revealed, the man doomed to destruction. (2 Thess 2:1-3)

In light of Paul’s clear instruction to the Thessalonians, no believer should be expecting the Church’s Rescue (the “rapture”) until at least Antichrist’s Claim to be God in a rebuilt temple in Jerusalem.

Accordingly, NT scholar D. A. Carson writes:

On what is the “any second” view of imminency based and how well does it withstand close scrutiny? The truth is that the biblical evidence nowhere clearly endorses the “any second” view and frequently militates against it.

First, all the relevant NT verbs for “looking forward to” or “expecting” or “waiting for” have a semantic range including necessary delay. Secondly, many NT passages also implicitly rule out an “any second” imminency (Matt 24:45-51; 25:5, 19; Luke 19:11-27: John 21:18-19 [cf. 2 Peter 1:14]; Acts 9:15; 22:21; 23:11; 27:24).

Yet the terms “imminent” and “imminency” retain theological usefulness if they focus attention on the eager expectancy of the Lord’s return characteristic of many NT passages, a return that could take place soon, i.e. within a fairly brief period of time, without specifying that the period must be one second or less! This is not so rigid as the “any second” view, and it more fairly represents the exegetical evidence. ^[4]

Indeed, the beginning of the Endtimes could begin at any time and is therefore “imminent.” But not Christ’s Return and the Church’s Rescue.

So what verses does Pre-tribulationism use to support the idea of the “any moment rapture”? Under the subtitle: “The Rapture Could Come At Any Moment” Lahaye writes, “Many of the texts cited above for the Rapture of the Church teach an imminent coming of Christ.” ^[5] On a previous page he lists 26 verses that are labeled “Rapture Passages.” However, most of the passages do not specifically mention the Church’s Rescue at all. For example, 1 Corinthians 1:7 states, Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed. That verse describes Christ’s visible Return, not the “rapture.” Secondly, none of the verses Lahaye cites say anything about an “any moment rapture.”

Next, Lahaye apparently quotes the Scripture that he thinks most clearly supports his view. He writes:

“Take, for example, one of the first teachings of the Rapture in 1 Thessalonians 1:9-10:

…for they themselves report what kind of reception you gave us. They tell how you turned to God from idols to serve the living and true God, and to wait for his Son from heaven, whom he raised from the dead —Jesus, who rescues us from the coming wrath.

These Thessalonian Christians were not sitting around waiting for the Rapture, they were “serv[ing] the living and true God” in an attitude of expectancy “to wait for his Son.” ^[6]

This is the best argument the pre-eminent teacher of Pre-tribulationism can suggest for an “any moment rapture”? As most of the texts Lahaye cites, this verse does not specifically even mention the Church’s Rescue. The only reason it is implied is because Scripture teaches that Christ’s Return and the Church’s Rescue occur at the same time. But Lahaye and Pre-tribulationists reject this view. Secondly, the fact that these Christians were simply waiting for … Jesus “in an attitude of expectancy” does not at all imply they believed nothing needed to happen before Jesus returned.

In fact, that false belief got the Thessalonians in trouble. In 2 Thessalonians chapter 2 they are described as being fooled that the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him had already come (vs. 1-2). And as pointed out in the next chapter, this is precisely the same deception and confusion that all Pre-tribulationists will be susceptible to in the Endtimes. But as noted above, Paul corrected their error by telling them that day will not come until certain Endtime events occur.

Because the biblical evidence for an “any moment rapture” is lacking, it is common for Pre-tribulationism to make a practical appeal for it. As Knoor puts it: “If we knew what events had to occur before He would return, then we could live carelessly, instead of in eager expectation of His return.” ^[7] On the contrary, you do not need to believe the “rapture” could happen any second, in order to not “live carelessly.” Nor do we need the doctrine of “imminency” to eagerly wait for Christ’s Return. Jesus commanded us to “Watch!” for signs of His Return (Mark 13:37).

Finally, even Pre-tribulationists themselves do not live expecting the “rapture” to occur at any moment. Do any of them regularly wake up every morning believing the “rapture” could happen that very day? This is doubtful. And that is a huge problem for Pre-tribulationism because Jesus said if He comes on a day when you do not expect him and at an hour you are not aware of then He will cut you to pieces and assign you a place with the unbelievers which is Hell (Luke 12:46 NIV; cf. Matt 24:50-51). As demonstrated in an illustration given in chapter 9 (sec. B.1), Pre-tribulationism’s “imminency” places us all in danger of such condemnation because none of us were probably expecting Christ’s Return today or this very hour.

Therefore, the popular view of an “any moment rapture” is not only unbiblical, but impossible. Pre-tribulationists do not think through the ramifications of their false teaching. Of course they deny that the Church’s Rescue occurs at the same time as Christ’s initial and visible appearance as Matthew 24:29-31 clearly teaches. This is why they do not recognize their teaching is unbiblical. But when you understand the biblical sequence of Endtime events, you also understand the impossibility of living with the expectancy that Christ demands, without the occurrence of signs warning us of His Return and the Church’s Rescue.

Harmful myth #10 in Pre-tribulationism is: The Rapture will happen at any moment, without any warning signs. The biblical truth is: Multiple signs will occur before Christ’s Return and the Church’s Rescue so that Christians in the Last Generation Church will not be surprised at all by the day and even the hour these events occur (cf. ch. 9, sec. B).

B) Myth #11: Unbelievers will be experiencing “peace and safety” before the Church’s Rescue

The Pre-tribulationist Mark Hitchcock writes:

A key problem with [the Pre-wrath Rescue position taught in Endtimes Essentials] is that according to 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3 the Day of the Lord comes unexpectedly while people everywhere are saying, “Peace and safety” (NASB). Paul Benware explains:

According to the pre-wrath view, the sixth seal [of Christ’s Wrath] will just have been broken, which will result in earthquakes and great cosmic disturbances that will cause incredible terror to the inhabitants of the earth (Revelation 6:12-17). In fact, more than one-fourth of the world’s population will have been recently destroyed by famines, disease, and widespread warfare on the earth [4^th Seal, Rev 6:8].

It does not seem likely that the people of the world will be saying “Peace and safety” when more than a billion people have recently perished, and incredible cosmic disturbances are taking place. No one will be saying, “Peace and safety,” at that time.

Placing the beginning of the Day of the Lord and therefore the Rapture at that point in the Tribulation doesn’t make sense. ^[8]

Therefore, Pre-tribulationism is claiming that because the world will be experiencing “peace and safety” right up to “the Day of the Lord and therefore the Rapture,” then the “rapture” must occur before all the “bad stuff” happens. This results in Myth #11 of Pre-tribulationism: Unbelievers will be experiencing “peace and safety” before the Church’s Rescue. But such a myth does not fit the biblical data.

The first vital mistake Hitchcock makes is completely ignoring Christ’s Endtimes Teaching as a source for his teaching. Christ clearly taught that The Beginning of Birth Pains and The Greatest Persecution of the Church will occur before Christ’s Return and the Church’s Rescue. If the above authors understood that Christ’s Endtimes Teaching applies to the Church and refers to Christ’s first appearance to Rescue His Church, their argument above would cease to exist.

In addition, Christ said some things in His Endtimes Teaching that argue against the myth that unbelievers will be experiencing “peace and safety” before the Church’s Rescue. Speaking of the Endtimes before His Return and the Church’s Rescue, Jesus said: “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive” (Matt 24:22 NIV). One reason is that the wars, famines, and plagues (Matt 24:6-7; Luke 21:11) of The Beginning of Birth Pains will continue throughout the Endtimes. As we read in Daniel, War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed (9:26). In Luke’s version of Christ’s Endtimes Teaching Jesus predicted before His Return, “On the earth, nations will be in anguish” (21:25 NIV). Contrary to Pre-tribulationism, that is not a world experiencing “peace and safety.”

Some suggest that later in Christ’s Endtimes Teaching He taught the world would be experiencing peace and prosperity right before His Return. There we read:

As it was in the days of Noah, so it will be at the coming of the Son of Man. For in the days before the flood, people were eating and drinking, marrying, and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark; and they knew nothing about what would happen until the flood came and took them all away. That is how it will be at the coming of the Son of Man… men will be in the field … women will be grinding with a hand mill (Matt 24:37-41 NIV)

Jesus said right up to the coming of the Son of Man people will be eating and drinking and marrying and working. Most scholars understand rightly that Jesus is simply describing ordinary and even essential human practices for living. Therefore, the NLT over-translates when it suggests Jesus said: “the people were enjoying banquets and parties.” ^[9] No, Jesus simply said they were eating and drinking as normal activities of life. The context of Christ’s statement was His desire to communicate the unbelieving world will be surprised by Christ’s Return. ^[10] His prediction that they will be continuing normal human activities illustrates this. It does not suggest a period of peace and prosperity. Carson puts it well when he writes regarding the Endtimes: “Despite the distress, persecutions, and upheavals (vv. 4-28), life will go on: people will eat, drink, and marry.” ^[11]

Now we have a biblical context to properly interpret 1 Thessalonians 5:3. The Apostle Paul predicted concerning the Endtimes: While people are saying [legōsin, “utter in words” ^[12]], “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly, as labor pains on a pregnant woman, and they will not escape (1 Thess 5:3 NIV). Green helpfully explains what the peace and safety referred to:

The word peace described a political reality that was both the absence of war and a social concord that consisted of a guarantee of tranquility that brought joy and prosperity to a people. The public and political safety (asphaleia) was the condition of those who were saved from any kind of harm and the security and stability under which people could live. ^[13]

Is this what the world will be experiencing at the time of Christ’s Return and the Church’s Rescue? Not at all. Instead of “the absence of war,” War will continue until the end (Dan 9:26). Will people be “saved from any kind of harm” during that time? No. Jesus said, “If those days had not been cut short, no one would survive” (v. 22).

Therefore, it becomes obvious that Pre-tribulationism is misinterpreting the Apostle in 1 Thessalonians 5:3. It is not that people will be saying, “Peace and safety,” because they will be experiencing and enjoying these things. On the contrary, the people of the world will be desperately begging, asking, and seeking for “Peace and safety” because they will not be experiencing it. Or as the NASB has it, they will be saying, “Peace and safety!” Perhaps the exclamation point was intended to reflect their desperation.

But the people of the world will not get the “Peace and safety!” they seek. Instead, destruction will come on them suddenly with Christ’s Return and the beginning of Christ’s Wrath. ^[14]

It is true that the Antichrist will probably accomplish some level of peace in this world, particularly during his initial Rise to power. This is probably portrayed in the First Seal of Preparation (cf. Rev 6:1-2). However, this temporary peace is shattered by the breaking of the Second Seal of war (cf. Rev 6:3-4). Accordingly, the Scriptures shared above indicate the Antichrist will never be able to completely accomplish peace and prosperity in this world. Only the Return of Jesus Christ will truly accomplish this.

Myth #11 of Pre-tribulationism is that unbelievers will be experiencing “peace and safety” before the Church’s Rescue. The truth is that on the earth, nations will be in anguish and begging for “peace and safety.”

C) Myth #12: The “Restrainer” of the Antichrist is the Holy Spirit, and His removal refers to the “Rapture” of the Church (2 Thess 2:6-7)

The Apostle Paul told the Thessalonians that at some point in the Endtimes the Antichrist, will oppose and will exalt himself over everything that is called God or is worshiped, so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God (2 Thess 2:4). Why hasn’t this occurred yet? The Apostle went on to write:

And you know what restrains him now, so that in his time he will be revealed. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only he who now restrains will do so until he is taken out of the way. (2 Thess 2:6-7 NASB)

The Apostle is describing something or someone who currently restrains the Antichrist from committing the abomination of desolation (Matt 24:15; cf. Dan 9:27). Thus, we refer to this entity as the “Restrainer.” Pre-tribulationism insists the “Restrainer” is the Holy Spirit. Then it further claims that the removal of the Holy Spirit is somehow a reference to the “rapture” before the Antichrist emerges in the world. For example, the Pre-tribulationist Warren Wiersbe writes on the passage quoted above:

Many Bible students identify this restrainer as the Holy Spirit of God… When the church is raptured, the Holy Spirit will not be taken out of the world (otherwise nobody could be saved during the tribulation), but He will be taken out of the midst [of the Church] to allow Satan and his forces to go to work. ^[15]

Even if the Restrainer is the Holy Spirit, interpreting His being taken out of the way (2 Thess 2:7) as the “rapture” is an unwarranted conclusion. Still, Pre-tribulationism’s interpretation of this passage is a very popular argument for it.

Many scholars state that it is rather impossible to determine who the Restrainer is. The claim is that the Thessalonians had information that is not available to us, but was so commonly understood that the Apostle did not explain further. Contrary to this common belief, the Prophet Daniel probably identified the Restrainer for us, and the Apostle was simply pointing to this.

As explained previously, Daniel 12:1-2 is describing The Greatest Persecution (cf. ch. 7, sec. C.2). But it also describes something occurring immediately before The Greatest Persecution. In a suggested translation, the Angel tells Daniel:

“In the endtimes, the Archangel Michael, the great military commander who protects the sons of your people, will stop protecting them. Then the saints will experience the anguish of being attacked by an enemy. That anguish will be greater than any that has happened since nations have existed.” (Dan 12:1 ^[16])

In the endtimes (At that time NIV) refers to the Endtime events described in the previous verses in Daniel chapter 11. These predict activities of the Antichrist at the time of the end (11:40). ^[17] The anguish of being attacked by an enemy translates the Hebrew word tsarah which can mean, “the anguish of a people besieged by an enemy.” ^[18] During the time of Antichrist’s activities, the Archangel Michael … will stop protecting … the saints from being persecuted. The Hebrew word here is āmad which basically means “to stand’.” ^[19] However, BDB lists 12 times in the OT where āmad means: “stand still, stop, cease moving.” Examples include the following:

On the day the LORD gave the Amorites over to Israel, Joshua said to the LORD in the presence of Israel: “Sun, stand still [damam, “cease”] over Gibeon, and you, moon, over the Valley of Aijalon.” So the sun stood still [damam, “cease”], and the moon stopped [āmad, “cease moving”], till the nation avenged itself on its enemies, as it is written in the Book of Jashar. The sun stopped [āmad, “cease moving”] in the middle of the sky and delayed going down about a full day. (Josh 10:12-13 NIV)

So Joab blew the trumpet, and all the troops came to a halt [āmad]; they no longer pursued Israel, nor did they fight anymore. (2 Sam 2:28 NIV)

Then the oil stopped [āmad] flowing. (2 Kgs 4:6 NIV)

We see that āmad can mean to stop something. In 2 Samuel 2:28 it referred to David’s men ceasing to chase their enemy and fight anymore. This seems to be the meaning of āmad in Daniel 12:1. The Archangel Michael will stop doing something in the realm of spiritual warfare. He will stop protecting … the saints from the anguish of being attacked by an enemy.

What does the text in Daniel say will be the result? Then the saints will experience … anguish that will be greater than any that has happened since nations have existed. Of course, this is exactly the language used by Christ to describe The Greatest Persecution that will occur after the Antichrist is indwelled by Satan and Claims to be God (cf. Matt 24:15, 21). So, Daniel 12:1 is predicting that the Archangel Michael … will stop protecting … the saints and then they will experience the anguish of being attacked by an enemy which will be The Greatest Persecution.

Who is this enemy that the Archangel Michael is currently restraining from attacking God’s people? Satan. Remarkably, Revelation 12 describes in greater detail what is happening at this time. This passage is describing what will happen in the spiritual realm just before Satan incarnates the Antichrist and begins The Greatest Persecution:

Then war broke out in heaven. Michael and his angels fought against the dragon [Satan], and the dragon and his angels fought back. But he was not strong enough, and they lost their place in heaven. The great dragon [Satan] was hurled down [to Earth]—that ancient serpent called the devil, or Satan, who leads the whole world astray. He was hurled to the earth, and his angels with him…

Woe to the earth and the sea because the devil has gone down to you! [to indwell the Antichrist and begin The Greatest Persecution]. He is filled with fury because he knows that his time is short.”

When the dragon saw that he had been hurled to the earth, he pursued the woman [Israel] who had given birth to the male child [Christ]. The woman was given the two wings of a great eagle, so that she might fly to the place prepared for her in the wilderness, where she would be taken care of for a time, times and half a time [1,260 days, cf. v. 6], out of the serpent’s reach…

Then the dragon was enraged at the woman and went off to wage war against the rest of her offspring [Christians in the Church]—those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus [during The Greatest Persecution]. (Rev 12:7-9, 12-14, 17 NIV)

There are a lot of things being described here that will be explained elsewhere. ^[20] There it will be argued that this passage is describing Satan’s incarnation of the Antichrist at the time of the “abomination of desolation” just prior to beginning The Greatest Persecution.

The point that is important to notice here is that, at some point during the Endtimes, the Archangel Michael will cast Satan … to the earth where he will begin to persecute those who keep God’s commands and hold fast their testimony about Jesus, which will be The Greatest Persecution of both Israel and the Church. In other words, the Archangel Michael stops protecting God’s people and allows Satan to come to Earth, indwell the Antichrist, proclaim himself to be God in a rebuilt Jewish temple, and begin The Greatest Persecution.

It should not surprise us that the Archangel Michael is described as restraining Satan from initiating the abomination that causes desolation and that leads to The Greatest Persecution of God’s people (Matt 24:15-21). Earlier in Daniel an Angel tells the Prophet that Michael, one of the chief princes had helped him defeat a powerful demonic being named the prince of the Persian kingdom, and that later Michael would help him defeat another demonic being named the prince of Greece. These demonic beings are so powerful that the Angel says there is no one who stands firmly with me against these forces except Michael your prince (Dan 10:21 NASB). Perhaps this is because no one else in the angelic realm can (cf. Dan 10:12-13,20-21; 11:1).

Likewise, Michael is clearly described in the NT as the spiritual being that is in direct confrontation with Satan. In Jude 1:9 we read that the archangel Michael … was disputing with the devil about the body of Moses (NIV). Likewise, based on Michael’s activity in Revelation 12, it is likely that he is the Angel that binds Satan during the Millennium (cf. Rev 20:1-3).

Therefore, a reasonable reading of 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 would be:

And you know what is holding him [Antichrist/Satan] back, for he can be revealed only when his time comes. For this lawlessness is already at work secretly, and it will remain secret until the one who is holding it back [the Archangel Michael] steps out of the way. Then the man of lawlessness will be revealed. (2 Thess 2:6-8 NLT)

The biblical evidence from Daniel chapter 12, Jude 1:9, and Revelation 12 all point to the Archangel Michael being “the Restrainer” that Paul predicted would keep the Antichrist from taking his seat in the temple of God and displaying himself as being God and beginning The Greatest Persecution.

Myth #12 in Pre-tribulationism is that the “Restrainer” of the Antichrist in 2 Thessalonians 2:6-7 is the Holy Spirit, and His removal refers to the “Rapture” of the Church. The truth is that Daniel told us the Archangel Michael would be restraining the powers of evil from starting The Greatest Persecution which will be immediately preceded by Antichrist’s Claim to be God that Paul said the “Restrainer” was prohibiting. The Archangel Michael is the best biblical candidate to be the “Restrainer.” ^[21]

D) Myth #13: Revelation 3:10 is promising the Church’s Rescue before the “tribulation”

In Revelation 3:10 Jesus says to the church in Philadelphia (v. 7):

“Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world to test those who belong to this world.” (NLT)

Understandably, Pre-tribulationism has been especially interested in a verse that is telling Christians that Christ will protect them from a great time of suffering in the Endtimes. Osborne comments: “This is one of the more commented verses in Revelation, especially since it is the most important single passage in the book for the dispensational [Pre-tribulational] position.” ^[22] Accordingly, the Pre-tribulationist MacArthur writes of Revelation 3:10:

Jesus’ promise to the church at Philadelphia is more than a promise to that local body of believers and more than a promise to keep them from ordinary testing. That “hour of testing” will “come upon the whole world,” and it will test all those “who dwell upon the earth.” The Lord promises that the whole church, those who “have kept the word of My perseverance,” will be kept from the perils and agonies of the Tribulation (Rev. 3:10). ^[23]

Thus, for Pre-tribulationism, Revelation 3:10 is a promise that the Church’s Rescue will occur before “the Tribulation.”

Once again, the fundamental mistake MacArthur and other Pre-tribulationists make is distorting what “the Tribulation” means. This was thoroughly discussed earlier (ch. 3, sec. E). Both the Greek word used in Christ’s Endtimes Teaching (thlipsis), and the English word “tribulation” often used to translate it, specifically mean “persecution,” not suffering in general, or the wrath of God. But Pre-tribulationism uses the term “tribulation” to refer to the entire period of the Endtimes, including The Beginning of Birth Pains, The Greatest Persecution, and Christ’s Wrath. But it is vital to distinguish between the persecution that the Last Generation Church will experience, from Christ’s Wrath that the Church will be rescued from. The biblical sequence of Endtime events demonstrated in previous chapters makes this clear.

In Revelation 3:10, Christ is promising to protect these Christians from something that is going to come upon the whole world in the Endtimes. What is it? Pre-tribulationism claims it will be The Beginning of Birth Pains and The Greatest Persecution of the Antichrist. However, there are several clear arguments against this.

First, the previous chapters of Christ Endtimes Teaching have clearly demonstrated the biblical sequence of Endtime events. In Matthew 24:29-31 Jesus clearly taught that it will only be “immediately after the tribulation [thlipsis, The Greatest Persecution, cf. vs. 9, 21] of those days that He will send forth His angels with A GREAT TRUMPET and THEY WILL GATHER TOGETHER His  elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other” (NASB).

Secondly, Pre-tribulationism claims that Jesus is promising the Church will be rescued from The Greatest Persecution in Revelation 3:10. But neither Jesus, nor the Apostles, ever promised that. Paul wrote: In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted (2 Tim 3:12 NIV).

Pre-tribulationism claims that the Church will be rescued from the Endtime “tribulation” before entering the Kingdom of God. But Paul and Barnabas told early Christians: “Through many tribulations [thlipseōn] we must enter the kingdom of God” (Acts 14:22 NASB).

Pre-tribulationism claims the Church is destined to be rescued from the Endtime “tribulation.” But Paul told the Thessalonian Christians:

We sent Timothy, our brother and God’s coworker in the gospel of Christ, to strengthen and encourage you concerning your faith, so that no one will be shaken by these persecutions [thlipsesen]. For you yourselves know that we are appointed to this [i.e. persecution]. In fact, when we were with you, we told you previously that we were going to suffer persecution [thlibesthai], and as you know, it happened. (1 Thess 3:2-4 CSB; cf. NRSV; NKJV has tribulation in v. 4)

Pre-tribulationism claims the Church cannot experience the Antichrist. But Jesus told God’s elect people (eklektous, Matt 24:22) that they would see standing in the holy place ‘the abomination that causes desolation,’ spoken of through the prophet Daniel (Matt 24:15 NIV). Which is why Paul wrote:

Concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our being gathered to him [and Rescued]… Don’t let anyone deceive you in any way, for that day will not come until the … man of lawlessness [Antichrist] is revealed … so that he sets himself up in God’s temple, proclaiming himself to be God (2 Thess 2:1, 3-4 NIV).

Contrary to Pre-tribulationism, everything Jesus described in the “great tribulation” are things the Church is promised to experience before Christ’s Return or the Church’s Rescue.

Accordingly, instead of promising any of the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 exemption from persecution, He repeatedly promised them the opposite. He promised them hardships (2:2-3); afflictions, suffering, persecution … even to the point of death (2:9-10). This included three churches that were “persevering” in their faith, just like the church in Philadelphia (cf. 2:2, 13, 19; 3:8, 10). ^[24] In fact, Christ had only praise for the church in Smyrna and yet promised them you will suffer persecution (Rev 2:8, 10).

There is no biblical support for claiming that Revelation 3:10 is promising the Last Generation Church protection from “tribulation,” suffering, or persecution. So what was Christ promising to protect these Christians from?

First, note that the promise in Revelation 3:10 applies to all Christians in the Last Generation Church. It concerns the great time of testing that will come upon the whole world (NLT) in the Endtimes. In addition, the Bible clearly teaches that all Christians will obey Christ’s command to persevere. To fail to do so is to be exposed as a fake Christian. As explained elsewhere, no Christian in the Endtimes will lose their salvation, but all will be victorious in their faith. ^[25]

So again, what was Christ promising to protect these Christians from? We may be helped in answering that question by considering a suggested translation of Revelation 3:10:

“Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of temptation to sin [peirasmou] that will come upon the unbelievers in the whole world to tempt [peirasai] those who belong to this world.”

This suggested translation is based on the NLT. There are two differences. First, the translation of the noun peirasmou and its related verb peirasai in the Greek text. These Greek words can either mean: 1) an attempt to learn the nature or character of something, test, trial; or 2) an attempt to make one do something wrong, temptation, enticement. ^[26] The fact that these words can be translated as the latter is reflected in the marginal note of the NASB which offers the option of “temptation” and “tempt” in Revelation 3:10.

Temptation to sin fits the context of Revelation 3:10 best. Why? Because the Endtime event Christ is speaking of will come upon the whole world to afflict those who belong to this world” (NLT). The NASB refers to these people as “those who dwell on the earth.” This phrase is used 10 other times in Revelation and “always refers to unbelievers, the enemies of God” ^[27] and never includes believers (cf. Rev 6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 12:12; 13:8, 12, 14; 14:6; 17:2, 8). Accordingly, there is a second change in the suggested translation from the NLT. It is accurate to state the event will come upon the unbelievers in the whole world.

Therefore, what makes more sense? That God intends to “test” unbelievers in the Endtimes to “attempt to learn their nature or character”? Or to punish unbelievers in the Endtimes by allowing them to be “tempted” into greater sin and judgment? God will have no purpose to “test” the character of unbelievers in the Endtimes. Revelation teaches they will be completely wicked and unrepentant (cf. Rev 9:20-21; 13:8, 16-17; 16:8-11). In fact, their depravity will be the very reason that God will allow them to be tempted into greater sin and punishment. Therefore, the suggested translation of Revelation 3:10 is: “Because you have obeyed my command to persevere, I will protect you from the great time of temptation to sin that will come upon the unbelievers of the whole world to tempt those who belong to this world.”

This translation helps us to avoid another possible mistake in interpreting this text. The common translation of trial (NIV, ESV) suggests Christ is promising exemption or rescue from suffering in the Endtimes. Obviously, Pre-tribulationism uses this idea to claim Revelation 3:10 is a promise to be exempted from the suffering of The Greatest Persecution. But for the reasons shared above, this is not biblical because the NT promises the Church persecution. Therefore, if trial in terms of suffering is meant here, then it would be referring to being protected from Christ’s Endtime Wrath. This would agree with other promises in Scripture (cf. 1 Thess 1:10; cf. 5:9; Rom 5:9; Col 3:6). But for additional reasons shared above, temptation to sin seems to be the best meaning of this text.

Therefore, it seems that Christ was promising to protect these Christians from the great time of temptation to sin that will come upon the unbelievers of the whole world to tempt those who belong to this world.

So what is this referring to? It is not referring to the suffering of The Greatest Persecution, ^[28] but to the temptation to sin during The Greatest Persecution. The great time of temptation to sin that will come upon the unbelievers of the whole world to tempt those who belong to this world seems to be referring to the temptations of the Antichrist to deceive the whole world into the great sin of worshipping him. This great time of temptation to sin in the Endtimes is described elsewhere by Paul when he writes:

The coming of the lawless one [Antichrist] will be in accordance with how Satan works. He will use all sorts of displays of power through signs and wonders that serve the lie, and all the ways that wickedness deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. (2 Thess 2:9-12 NIV)

Revelation 13 explains that this powerful delusion sent by God will include Antichrist’s Resurrection which will successfully tempt the entire pagan world to worship him and accept his mark (cf. Rev 13:1-17). It will be impossible for the pagan world to resist the temptation to this great sin, and it will result in their extraordinary and eternal punishment (cf. Rev 14:9-12). As Paul explained, God’s purpose in all this temptation and supernatural deception will be so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness in the Endtimes.

Through the temptations of the Antichrist, God will be exercising what Paul described in Romans 1. There he describes the unbelieving world as those who did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, so God gave them over to a depraved mind, so that they do what ought not to be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness (vs. 28-29). Therefore, such people are simply “given over” by God to their depravity and deception, all leading to their punishment.

This seems to be the Endtime temptation that Jesus was promising to protect Endtime Christians from. By the power of the Spirit, every Christian will obey Christ’s command to persevere, will not worship the Antichrist or take his mark, and therefore, will not be condemned with the pagan world. ^[29]

What Jesus is promising all Christians in His promise to the church in Philadelphia is what He prayed for on Earth. He said, “My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from [tērēsēs ek] the evil one” (John 17:15 NIV). One will notice that the Greek here is practically identical to the promise in Revelation 3:10 to protect from (tērēsō ek). It will not be Christ’s will to take the Church out of the world during the deceptions and temptations the Antichrist will unleash during The Greatest Persecution. Rather, for His glory, all believers in the Last Generation Church will be “overcomers” and resist all temptations of the Antichrist.

Myth #13 in Pre-tribulationism is that Revelation 3:10 is promising the Church will be “raptured” before The Greatest Persecution. The truth is that Jesus clearly taught the Last Generation Church would experience The Greatest Persecution. Therefore, it seems Revelation 3:10 is a promise to protect Christians from the great time of temptation … that will tempt those who belong to this world to worship the Antichrist.

1. Erickson points out that Amillennialism has also contributed to the great error of “imminency”:

   The Amillennialist believes in the imminence of Christ’s second coming. While this term has many different shades of meaning, it does mean, in general, that the Lord could return virtually at any time… Thus with no major events of long duration yet to be fulfilled [according to Amillennialism], the Lord could come at any time. It should be noted, however, that while this tenet is shared by Amillennialists and premillennialists, it does not produce the same mood or tone in the typical amillennialist that it often does in the premillennialist. [The Amillennialist] has noticeably less preoccupation with the details and sequence of the last things and less curiosity about “signs of the times.” (Guide, 75) ↑

2. Lahaye & Jenkins, 6. ↑
3. Hitchcock, End, 109. While Pre-tribulationism claims the “rapture” is signless, a Preterist like France is so committed to seeing everything in Matt 24:4-26 as only applying to the destruction of the Jerusalem temple in A.D. 70 that he claims regarding the visible coming of Christ described in vs. 27, 29-30:

   [It] will carry no prior warning. So the disciples’ request for a ‘sign’ for his parousia was misguided; unlike the messianic pretenders, with their offer of ‘signs’ [cf. v. 24], the Son of Man will give no warning sign of his parousia (918).

   As a result, he falls into the Pre-tribulational false teaching about the supposed “imminency” of the Rapture. ↑

4. Carson, Matt, at ch. 24. Likewise, Piper writes:

   I do think the answer to the question, Does the New Testament teach that Jesus may come at any moment? is no. The reason is that the New Testament teaches that there are events yet to happen before he comes. I will try to show what those are. And I also will try to show that this does not diminish the urgency of the commands to watch and be awake and alert and ready for his coming. In fact, I will argue that we have no warrant to be sure that his coming is ever more than a few years away. (203) ↑

5. Lahaye, 106. ↑
6. Ibid. ↑
7. Knoor, 147. ↑
8. Hitchcock, End, 142-3. ↑
9. The NLT unfortunately over-translates when it renders 1 Thess 5:3 as: When people are saying, “Everything is peaceful and secure,” then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman’s labor pains begin. On the contrary, the more literal Greek text is reflected in the NASB which says, they are saying, “Peace and safety!” Therefore, Paul’s meaning is much less clear than the NLT makes it. ↑
10. France best points out Jesus’ desire to illustrate the world’s surprise at Christ’s Return (940). ↑
11. Carson, Matt, 571. ↑
12. BDAG #1. ↑
13. Green, at 1 Thess 5:3. ↑
14. Ignoring the biblical context that Christ gave us in His Endtimes Teaching, many scholars suggest the people will be saying, “Peace and safety” (1 Thess 5:3) because they will be experiencing it. Green writes: “the apostle replies that in a time of political tranquility and social prosperity destruction will come on them suddenly” (at 1 Thess 5:3). Wanamaker claims people will be essentially saying “everything [is] fine” (180). Morris says, “people [will be] in [a] fancied security” (96). Bruce is not helpful here. Still, for reasons given in this section, these interpretations would seem to be wrong. ↑
15. Wiersbe at 2 Thess 2:1. ↑
16. For an explanation of the suggested translation of Dan 12:1 see ch. 7, sec. C.1 and endnote there. ↑
17. Walvoord agrees with the context of Daniel 12 and writes: “The opening phrase of chapter 12, and at that time, makes clear that this passage is talking about the same period of time as the previous context, that is ‘the time of the end’ (11:40).” (Dan 282; see Young, 255; Wallace 191; Hill, loc. 6767 for agreement). ↑
18. TWOT, 779; cf. Gen 32:7; Judg 2:15; 10:9. ↑
19. TWOT, 673. ↑
20. For more on Rev ch. 12 see appropriate chapter in book #3: The Greatest Persecution. ↑
21. As noted, Wiersbe, a Pre-tribulationist, supports the view that the “Restrainer” in 2 Thess 2:6-7 is the Holy Spirit. He writes:

    The restrainer is a person who is today “in the midst,” but will one day be “taken out of the midst.” Many Bible students identify this restrainer as the Holy Spirit of God. Certainly, He is “in the midst” of God’s program today, working through the church to accomplish God’s purposes. When the church is raptured, the Holy Spirit will not be taken out of the world (otherwise nobody could be saved during the tribulation), but He will be taken out of the midst to allow Satan and his forces to go to work. The Holy Spirit will certainly be present on the Earth during the day of the Lord, but He will not be restraining the forces of evil as He is today. (2 Thess 2:1)

    Apparently, the idea here is that the Holy Spirit is “in the midst” of the Church and will be removed. But no versions translate it that way, including the more literal NASB. The Greek more likely means, “something taken from the middle” or between, which can certainly refer to Michael being removed from between Satan and God’s people.

    Accordingly, Green remarks on 2 Thess 2:7:

    The verse in no way indicates that the Holy Spirit or the church will in some way be taken out of the world. This is hardly an adequate foundation for the commonly held teaching that the rapture of the church will happen sometime before the antichrist is revealed!

    MacArthur being a Pre-tribulationist is understandably opposed to the view that Michael is the “Restrainer.” His reason? MacArthur claims: “Michael does not have the power to restrain Satan (Jude 9)” (MNTC, Thess, 277). Regardless of his interpretation of Jude 1:9, the Archangel is clearly portrayed as having the power to throw Satan out of Heaven in Revelation 12.

    Another reason that some reject the claim that the “Restrainer” is the Archangel Michael is that a neuter pronoun (what NASB) is used in v. 6. However, neuter pronouns are used elsewhere in the NT to refer to Angels. In Hebrews we read, Are not all angels ministering spirits [pneumata, in the neuter gender] sent to serve those who will inherit salvation? (1:14 NIV). This is also true in the case of an evil angel or demon (cf. the use of it 7 times in Matthew 12:43-45).

    Nevertheless, in 2 Thess 2:7 Paul does refer to the “Restrainer” with a masculine pronoun. Therefore, the Archangel Michael can be a thing/being that Paul could refer to with both a neuter and masculine pronoun. Admittedly, the same is true of the Holy Spirit in the NT. Therefore, Walvoord is wrong to state, regarding his view that the “Restrainer” is the Holy Spirit, “this is the only view that adequately explains the change in gender in verses 6-7” (Thess, loc. 2096). On the contrary, the Archangel Michael does the same.

    Stott quotes Augustine to say regarding Paul’s reference to the “Restrainer,” “I frankly confess I do not know what he means.” Stott himself believes it is referring to government and does not even mention Michael (BST, Thess). Stott’s view is the most common traditional view (cf. Tertullian, Chrysostom, Bruce, 173, Morris, 131.) However, this ignores the fact that the “Restrainer” is referred to in the masculine sense in v. 7 meaning it is a person or being, not a government.

    Others suggest the “Restrainer” is the Gospel, but Green and Wanamaker (250-51) rather clearly refute this view.

    Perhaps the most common view among modern scholars is that the “Restrainer” is actually “lawlessness” or ultimately Satan himself (Green, Wanamaker). Wanamaker suggests “the decisive issue” is explaining Paul’s reference to the “Restrainer with both a neuter and masculine participles.” Wanamaker’s solution? “[T]ake katechōn [“restrain”] as meaning “to hold sway,” “to rule,” or “to prevail” and this refers to “lawlessness” (253). But BDAG reveals the faulty grammar here in that the meanings Wanamaker wants to give to katechōn do not exist in ancient Greek or the NT. By far the most common meaning was to “restrain” as it is translated in all versions. Other meanings include “to keep in one’s possession” (BDAG #3). But this does not mean what Wanamaker wants it to mean, such as “to rule.”

    Unfortunately, none of these scholars even mention the biblical data pointing to the Archangel Michael being the “Restrainer.” Nor do they recognize that he is a biblical explanation for “the decisive issue” of Paul using both neuter and masculine Greek to refer to him. This is definitely a much better solution than distorting the Greek to actually make Paul say the “Restrainer” is supporting the Antichrist, instead of stopping him. Again, the context clearly tells us that is not what Paul meant. ↑

22. Osborne, 192.

    
    ↑

23. 
    MacArthur, MNTC, Matt 24. Walvoord, as expected, interprets Rev 3:10 from a Pre-tribulationist view like MacArthur and writes: “The expression seems as strong as possible that the Philadelphian church would be delivered from this period, which is the great tribulation, Daniel’s seventieth week (cf. Dan. 9:25–27)” (loc. 1318). Thomas agrees (469ff).

    Osborne has a Post-tribulational interpretation of Rev 3:10, claiming it refers to “protection” from Endtime events including “the trumpets” punishments during Christ’s Wrath (193-4). For reasons shared in chapter 11, sec. D.2 this is unbiblical.

    Mounce seems to at least partially support the view argued in this chapter:

    The hour of trial is that period of testing and tribulation that precedes the establishment of the eternal kingdom. It is mentioned in such passages as Daniel 12:2, Mark 13:19, and 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. It is the three and a half years of rule by Antichrist in Revelation 13:5-10… The hour of trial is directed toward the entire non-Christian world, but the believer will be kept from it, not by some previous appearance of Christ to remove the church bodily from the world, but by the spiritual protection he provides against the forces of evil. (103) ↑

24. Pre-tribulationists claim the Philadelphian church is the only one promised protection in the Endtimes. But there is no evidence of this. Why was the Philadelphian church promised protection? Jesus said it was Because you have obeyed my command to persevere (3:10). But such praise was not unique to this church. As noted here, Christ praised 3 other churches for the same thing (cf. 2:2, 13, 19; 3:8, 10).

    Therefore, why, according to Pre-tribulationism, was the church in Philadelphia alone promised protection? First, this is a faulty premise. It is best to understand this promise would be extended to all the churches who were persevering. Why? Because perseverance is the proof of saving faith and real Christians. All Christians are promised protection in the Endtimes.

    Rejecting this biblical view, Pre-tribulationism has developed a complicated and obscure view of Church history to support their claim that the Philadelphian church was somehow unique. The theory is that each of the seven local churches Christ spoke to in the first century, actually represent different eras or time periods of the Church throughout history.

    Tim Lahaye has presented one of the clearest descriptions of this interpretation of these churches. For example, he claims the church in Thyatira represents the Roman Catholic Church starting about A. D. 600. He further claims that the Sardis church represents the Protestant Reformation starting about the year 1520 (Lahaye, 24). Using such a scheme, he then concludes that the Philadelphia church began about 1750 A.D. and will continue until the “rapture.” Therefore, Revelation 3:10 written to this local church is a promise from God that the universal church on Earth at the time of the “rapture” will experience that promise.

    Obviously, there are several problems with this. First, Pre-tribulationism claims to be a defender of interpreting Scripture “in its most natural, normal, customary (i.e., literal or face value) sense” (Van Kampen, 6). But they have abandoned that rule in their effort to make Revelation 3:10 fit their theories (and desires!) on the Endtimes.

    Secondly, a common sense and unbiased reading of Revelation 2-3, and a knowledge of various periods of Church history, disprove the theory. These Scriptures do not describe the attributes of specific periods of Church history. Nor can periods of Church history be so clearly defined. For example, the Roman Catholic Church has remained a powerful influence in this world, even since the Protestant Reformation.

    Thirdly, there is no indication whatsoever that Jesus intended His words to these local churches to be predictions about the future of the universal Church.

    Fourth, the theory only reflects an Evangelical and western view of Church history. Its omission of massive Christian movements in Pentecostalism/Charismaticism, Greek and Russian Orthodoxy, and revivals in Africa, Asia, and South America, make it a very questionable biblical prophecy about Church history. Accordingly, as Osborne concludes: “Even dispensational [Pre-tribulational] scholars like Thomas (see his excellent discussion, 1992:511-15) opt for the view that the letters address historical situations in Asia Minor, not periods of church history” (105).

    Finally, Pre-tribulationism forgets that this interpretation of Revelation 2-3 violates its claim that the NT taught from the very beginning that the “rapture” could occur at “any moment.” At least according to Lahaye, regardless of what other Scripture taught, the “rapture” could not have occurred at least until 1750. In conclusion, the necessary Pre-tribulation scheme to explain why the church in Philadelphia was given a unique promise of escaping the Greatest Persecution has no truth to it. ↑

25. For more on the biblical promise that all Christians in the Last Generation Church will persevere in their saving faith see the appropriate chapter in the section on “Promises” in the book, The Greatest Persecution available online at www.trainingtimothys.com ↑
26. BDAG. For Rev 3:10 BDAG oddly places the noun peirasmou under the definition of: “an attempt to make one do something wrong, temptation;” but places the verb peirasai under “to endeavor to discover the nature or character of something by testing.” First, this is inconsistent. Surely the noun and verb in the same verse have the same general meaning. Secondly, defining the verb here as “testing” ignores the arguments in this section of Christ’s Endtimes Teaching. ↑
27. Osborne, 193. ↑
28. Admittedly, the peirazō word group is used to refer to testing by suffering in Rev 2:10 where we read: Do not be afraid of what you are about to suffer. I tell you, the devil will put some of you in prison to test [peirasthēte] you, and you will suffer persecution for ten days. Here “testing” refers to suffering at the hands of the devil. Therefore, this same meaning could be applied to Rev 3:10 to suggest the peirazō word group is being used there to refer to suffering as well. But this would not be a reference to The Greatest Persecution as claimed by Pre-tribulationists. The “testing” or “tempting” described in Rev 3:10 is experienced by only unbelievers. The Greatest Persecution will not be a time of suffering for them. ↑
29. Previously it was stated regarding Rev 3:10:

    
    Post-tribulationism has invested a lot in trying to prove that I will protect you from (tērēsō ek) actually means, “I will protect you while you remain in.” This supposedly supports the claim that the Church will be protected on Earth during Christ’s Wrath. Not surprisingly, Pre-tribulationism has made just as much effort to argue that tērēsō ek means “to rescue from.” This supposedly supports its claim that Revelation 3:10 promises the Church’s Rescue before any Endtime events, including The Greatest Persecution.

    This debate illustrates an important truth in biblical interpretation. When a significant number of equally skilled and respected Greek scholars disagree over the precise meaning of the grammar of a Greek word or phrase, then very little, if even any, weight should be given to the issue in terms of correctly interpreting the text. Other considerations become decisive, such as the immediate context, and the broader context of the teaching of Scripture as a whole. (ch. 11, sec. D)

    For a good discussion of the complicated issues regarding the precise grammar of tērēsō ek in Rev 3:10 see Thomas (470ff). As noted above, the decisive factor is the broader context of the teaching of Scripture. It has been argued in this section that Rev 3:10 is a promise to protect Endtime Christians from the temptations of the Antichrist to take his mark during The Greatest Persecution, and which will result in the condemnation of the entire pagan world. Therefore, the meaning of tērēsō ek in Rev 3:10 would seem to be “protect or preserve while remaining in.”

    Therefore, it is also suggested that the NLT protect you from (cf. CEV) is a helpful translation. Likewise, the GNT has keep you safe from. This seems better than the more obscure and common translation of keep you from (NIV, NASB, ESV, NRSV, NET, CSB, NCV, KJV, NKJV). Still, contrary to Pre-tribulationism, this author is not aware of any modern English versions of the Bible that translate tērēsō ek in Rev 3:10 as anything like “rescue you out of.” ↑