Does Revelation 3:10 Actually Teach a Pre-Tribulation Rapture?

Revelation 3:10 is frequently cited as a proof text for the pre-tribulation rapture. Is that right?

Revelation 3:10 says: “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.”

The promise in Revelation 3:10 was specifically given to the church in Philadelphia. Consider that even if this was a promise to spare the church in Philadelphia from the great tribulation, many other Christians, even among those addressed in Revelation chapters 2 and 3, were not qualified for it anyways. Note the promise’s condition “Because thou hast kept the word of my patience…” This is referring to what had been said of the Philadelphians a few verses back in Revelation 3:8 “for thou hast a little strength, and hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.”

The implicit concept in the pre-tribulation rapture belief that Jesus would not require His people to endure great tribulation for His name is an incredibly destructive and widespread lie. Jesus has not promised an easy life for anyone on earth- especially not those who side with Him (see John 16:33). The Bible guarantees tribulation in the world for the true people of Christ and speaks of the need to endure tribulation faithfully in order to continue in His grace and be prepared to meet Him (see Acts 14:21-22).

Whether the Philadelphians were promised to be delivered from facing a trial coming upon all the earth or whether they were being promised special protection as they went through it, either way the promise they were given cannot be used as a guarantee that Jesus always makes sure that Christians don’t have to go through great tribulation. Everything that Jesus told the Philadelphians in Revelation chapter 3 demonstrates that they had obviously already undergone much tribulation. Those of the Church in Smyrna had also just been told that they would have to face severe tribulation in Revelation 2:8-11. Smyrna was also the only church besides Philadelphia of the seven churches in Asia which was not rebuked at all.

When 1 Thessalonians 4:17 speaks about those in Christ being caught up in the clouds to meet Him in the air when He returns, it does not say that this will happen before a period of great tribulation. There is no warrant to claim that anyone who is alive when the great tribulation period is about to begin will be raptured at that point.

Though 1 Thessalonians 5:9 does prove that the Bible teaches Lordship salvation, it does not prove that believers in Jesus Christ won’t be stringently tested and face great tribulation in the world. True believers in Christ being on earth during the great tribulation period does not mean that they would be facing the wrath of God as they remained faithful to Him. 1 Thessalonians as a whole shows how the Thessalonian Christians were undergoing much tribulation already through the persecutions and overall affliction which they were suffering. It is also seen in 1 Thessalonians that a truly converted Christian can fall away from Christ. That is something which the vast majority of believers in the pre-tribulation rapture vehemently deny. Yet it is a reality that the Apostle Paul accounted for.

1 Thessalonians 3:1-5: “Wherefore when we could no longer forbear, we thought it good to be left at Athens alone; And sent Timotheus, our brother, and minister of God, and our fellowlaborer in the gospel of Christ, to establish you, and to comfort you concerning your faith: That no man should be moved by these afflictions: for yourselves know that we are appointed thereunto. For verily, when we were with you, we told you before that we should suffer tribulation; even as it came to pass, and ye know. For this cause, when I could no longer forbear, I sent to know your faith, lest by some means the tempter have tempted you, and our labor be in vain.”

The Apostle Paul directly said that Christians are appointed to afflictions. The same Greek word which is used for “afflictions” in 1 Thessalonians 3:3 is also translated as “tribulation” in Revelation and many other places in the New Testament. Paul had witnessed the conversion of the Thessalonian Christians. He was concerned about them falling away as a result of the increased temptations involved in the tribulation which they were facing. The pre-tribulation rapture believers don’t have this mindset at all. Yet they still quote from Paul to try to prove their doctrine. Likewise, they try to use Revelation 3:10 to try to prove the pre-tribulation rapture- even though its surrounding counsel actually teaches the very opposite of what they teach. Those who believe that Jesus’ personal righteousness is imputed to a believer in Jesus and that truly converted believers in Jesus can never fall away from Him to damnation don’t believe what He told the Church at Sardis right before He addressed the Church at Philadelphia.

Revelation 3:4-5: “Thou hast a few names even in Sardis which have not defiled their garments; and they shall walk with me in white: for they are worthy. He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.”

Just because siding with Christ and doing what is right in His eyes might be as hard as ever for everyone on earth at some point in the future does not mean that it is not very hard still to one degree or another for everyone now. Those who don’t see Christianity as tribulation now could not be walking in a living faith in Christ like they ought to be. The same self-denial and patience which would be required to not take the Mark of the Beast and not otherwise live in sin during the tribulation period is required now in order to not give into covetousness, to not partake in any form of idolatry, to not be involved in lying, to not be sexually immoral, and to keep what God’s Word instructs in any and every way.

Revelation 9:20-21: “And the rest of the men which were not killed by these plagues yet repented not of the works of their hands, that they should not worship devils, and idols of gold, and silver, and brass, and stone, and of wood: which neither can see, nor hear, nor walk: Neither repented they of their murders, nor of their sorceries, nor of their fornication, nor of their thefts.”

Revelation 14:9-12: “And the third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, If any man worship the beast and his image, and receive his mark in his forehead, or in his hand, The same shall drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out without mixture into the cup of his indignation; and he shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb: And the smoke of their torment ascendeth up for ever and ever: and they have no rest day nor night, who worship the beast and his image, and whosoever receiveth the mark of his name. Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus.”

God’s true people are those who keep His commandments by faith in hope of His mercy which has been offered in Jesus Christ. That was so in the past, that is so now, and that will continue to be the case.

Moreover, consider that not even one member of any of the seven churches of Asia had to go through the great tribulation at the end of time. All the members of these churches are dead since everyone alive during the first century died long ago. There have indeed been many hours of temptation which have come on all the world already. The particular hour of temptation which was to come on all the world, referred to in Revelation 3:10, obviously could not be a reference to the great tribulation at the very end of the age anyways. To say otherwise is to essentially claim that Jesus’ promise to the Philadelphians was completely pointless in regard to those whom it was given to in its most immediate context.