THE fifth mention of this time of sorrow is found in Rev. 3:1010Because 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. (Revelation 3:10). It comes in the midst of the Lord’s addresses to the Seven Churches in Asia. In them the Lord is looking at the general external Church, in its place of responsibility on earth—not as the true body of Christ, in heaven. Here in his exhortations and promises to the overcomer in such a solemn scene, He 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.” Here the breadth and extent of the time of sorrow takes in a wider scope than the passages we have mentioned, which had the Jews for their sphere. “All the world” is here embraced in the solemn “hour” as the extent of its outpouring; “those that dwell on the earth,” are the class to whom its judgment applies, those who have sunk from the true profession of Christianity into the place of Cain, whose religious “way” denied his ruin, and whose “world” denied God’s sentence of “vagabond.” It is the place where he “built a city,” and became a respectable man of the world, with commerce, arts and manufactures to occupy and entertain him, and to embellish the scene in which he was, and God was not! Thus began the “world”—the moral scene of man’s departure from God. Its end is described in its religious phase, at that moment when “Babylon” like a “millstone,” will be crushed by God’s hand forever, and the “artificers” and “craftsmen” of Cain’s city, and his “harpers” and “pipers,” are found in her at the end; coupled not only with “the blood of righteous Abel,” but all the righteous blood that has been shed on the earth! See Rev. 18:21-2421And a mighty angel took up a stone like a great millstone, and cast it into the sea, saying, Thus with violence shall that great city Babylon be thrown down, and shall be found no more at all. 22And the voice of harpers, and musicians, and of pipers, and trumpeters, shall be heard no more at all in thee; and no craftsman, of whatsoever craft he be, shall be found any more in thee; and the sound of a millstone shall be heard no more at all in thee; 23And the light of a candle shall shine no more at all in thee; and the voice of the bridegroom and of the bride shall be heard no more at all in thee: for thy merchants were the great men of the earth; for by thy sorceries were all nations deceived. 24And in her was found the blood of prophets, and of saints, and of all that were slain upon the earth. (Revelation 18:21‑24). Well may God say, “Woe unto them, for they have gone in the way of Cain” (Jude 22Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied. (Jude 2)).
The Lord here (Rev. 3:1010Because 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. (Revelation 3:10)) speaks to His own, who have kept the word of His patience, while evil was in power. “Thou hast a little strength; thou hast kept my word, and hast not denied my name.” Then He adds this precious promise to the faithful, that He would keep them from the hour of temptation or trial, which should not only embrace Israel as the former passages show us, but which would sweep like a mighty torrent over all the world, to try them that have their portion here. Thus the time of sorrow and judgment, kept in store for this world when God’s long-suffering is exhausted and the day of salvation is past, will embrace in its extent the whole world.
Woe to them who have added field to field, and house to house, at that day! Woe to those who have settled here on their lees, and yet professed to be “strangers and pilgrims” here! Woe to those who have found their rest where Jesus had not where to lay His head, and yet who profess to follow Him; who call themselves by His worthy name!
How blessed for those who have followed Him, will he the moment that ushers in that overflowing scourge. To such He says, “Behold, I come quickly; hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” Even with such the tendency is to let slip the truth in power; not to hold it with God in the face of all. He marks this tendency, and hence the exhortation.
Thus we have, 1St, The Church exempted from the tribulation. 2nd, The tribulation going to sweep the whole world over. 3rd, The exhortation to the faithful in view of His speedy return.
The last passage, the sixth, is found in Rev. 7— “And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, sir, thou knowest. And he said unto me, These are they which came out of the great tribulation (ἐκ τῆς θλίψσεως τῆς μεγάλης), and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb” (vv. 13, 14).
This chapter is a parenthesis between the sixth and. seventh seals, as if God had drawn aside the curtain, in the course of His judgment, to let us see that “in the midst of judgment he remembers mercy.” We find three distinct companies before us in this Scripture. A complete number (144,000) out of the tribes of Israel, marked with the seal of God on their foreheads for preservation for the millennial earth when the wave of judgment shall have passed; then we have an innumerable company of Gentiles who are also seen (anticipatively) as having come out of this time of great tribulation for their place around Israel in the kingdom; then the heavenly saints looking down from on high on all, and explaining to the weeping prophet (as conversant with the mind of our Lord while judgments are passing, and prophetically knowing “things to come “) who these great multitudes are. Thus the “Jew, the Gentile, and the, Church of God” are before us.
Remark too, that the prophet had been caught up to heaven, (ch. 4:1), and all, these panoramas pass before him while there. Also notice that this chapter treats of those seen on earth. (See vv. 1, 2, &c.) Verse 9 might at a glance lead us to suppose that the great multitude is seen in heaven; but a closer examination shows that such is not the case. We find that they are seen as “before the throne.” The throne had been set in heaven (ch. 4.) to judge the earth. The earth is before it, and all therein. Angels and elders and living creatures are “round about the throne,” in heaven, (v. 11) as they were seen in ch. iv. 4, and ch. v. 11, and still remain there. By noting the difference of the “round about,” with the “before,” when marking the place of those spoken of, the difference will be seen as most striking and conclusive.
What a comfort it is to think that, when the pall of judgment winds its mighty folds around and over once enlightened Christendom, the veil of idolatry is withdrawn at the same moment of judgment, and by it, from the face of the nations hitherto sunk in idolatry. Thus the bringing this “great multitude which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues, is accomplished.” Those thus preserved are saved for the blessings of the kingdom under Christ, to serve Him day and night in His temple (v. 15), of which there is none in heaven. How clearly, then, does the chapter point to an earthly scene. They shall hunger no more, neither thirst; nor shall the sun light on them, nor any heat. But the Lamb, from His place “in the midst of the throne,” shall lead them unto fountains of waters, and the days of their sorrow are ended.
We have, then, the great tribulation mentioned in six distinct passages, while it is referred to, in general, in Scripture at large. The first four, viz., Jer. 30:77Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (Jeremiah 30:7); Dan. 12:11And at that time shall Michael stand up, the great prince which standeth for the children of thy people: and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book. (Daniel 12:1); Matt. 24:2121For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. (Matthew 24:21); and Mark 13:1919For in those days shall be affliction, such as was not from the beginning of the creation which God created unto this time, neither shall be. (Mark 13:19), all referring only to the Jews. The fifth, Rev. 3:1010Because 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. (Revelation 3:10), widening in extent to “all the world,” and having in view those who have professed Christianity, and have “gone in the way of Cain.” The sixth, Rev. 7:13,1413And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? 14And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:13‑14), embracing the Jew and Gentile (the Church of God being in heavenly glory, and cognizant of the mind of God) the saved out of it being brought before us in the thousands of Israel preserved for the earth in the midst of judgment, and the innumerable multitude of Gentiles. But not one who had professed His name as a Christian is found among them. For such there is nothing left but “strong delusion, that all might be damned”! And this because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2 Thess. 2:10, 1210And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. (2 Thessalonians 2:10)
12That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. (2 Thessalonians 2:12).)
How such a consideration should urge us to seek for souls as long as the day of grace remains, especially amongst those who profess that they know Him, but in works deny Him-even the professing Christian. (See Titus 1:1616They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate. (Titus 1:16).)
Walking On The Sea. Matthew 14:28-3128And Peter answered him and said, Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water. 29And he said, Come. And when Peter was come down out of the ship, he walked on the water, to go to Jesus. 30But when he saw the wind boisterous, he was afraid; and beginning to sink, he cried, saying, Lord, save me. 31And immediately Jesus stretched forth his hand, and caught him, and said unto him, O thou of little faith, wherefore didst thou doubt? (Matthew 14:28‑31).
“Could Peter have walked on a smooth sea better than on a rough one? Our wisdom is to know that we can do nothing without Jesus; with Him, everything that is according to His will”—as a dear servant of Christ has written somewhere. And how much there is in the reflection, for if Peter was any more afraid when the wind became “boisterous” than he was before, is it not clear that, at least for the moment, he forgot by whose power it was that he had been enabled to walk on the water at all? Had he remembered how completely dependent he was on the Lord for the taking a single step there, he would not have dreaded a rough wave being too much for Peter. He would have said, never mind how rough it is, it shall be as a solid rock under my feet, while my Master walks upon it, and calls me to meet Him. He rules the raging of the sea; when the waves thereof arise He stilleth them; and if He now sees fit to let them toss and roar without stilling them, He can as easily hold up my goings on a rough sea as on a smooth one, therefore will I not fear!
Dear fellow-pilgrim, have not you and I often felt as if we were “beginning to sink,” as some great billow of trouble threatened us, and might break over our head? And if, when crying out with fear, we have found the Lord who loves us close at hand; and He has graciously and “immediately stretched forth His hand and caught” us, yet, has He not seen our “little faith,” and been grieved by our doubting His sufficiency, or His love? And did not our dread of the rough sea betray our having forgotten on the smooth one, whose power alone it was that sustained us there? When all seems calm and bright we “think we stand.” We have forgotten the word about going “from strength to strength,” and imagine we have got a start, some stock of strength that will carry us through. Alas, for the slowness of our hearts in learning the lessons of true and simple dependence upon God, whose “right hand upholdeth” us! (Compare Psa. 63:88My soul followeth hard after thee: thy right hand upholdeth me. (Psalm 63:8), and 89:13.) But the Lord, who loves to possess all the confidence of our souls, will have us to realize our constant dependence on Him. “Without me, ye can do nothing,” whether in fruit-bearing, or trial-bearing, or prosperity-bearing. If I know, in a divine way, either “how to be abased,” or “how to abound,” it is only because I have learned His sufficiency “who strengtheneth me,” and in Him I have “strength for all things.” (Phil. 4:1313I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. (Philippians 4:13).) Not a single step could we take aright without Him, be the path rough or smooth. Our natural life is sustained only by Him, for “in him we live and move and have our being.” And surely it is not less true that it is of His grace only that our spiritual life is sustained. If, according to His abundant mercy, He has begotten us again, as according to His foreknowledge He has chosen us, it is by the power of God that we are kept, through faith, unto the salvation about to be revealed, Without this power, what little difficulty could we overcome? But for His armor used in dependence on Him, as expressed by “praying always with all prayer,” how could we stand for even a moment in conflict with our wily foe! But if the strength of the Lord is made perfect in weakness, and it is “in the power of his might” that we are strong, is not that invincible? What adversary dare measure swords with one wielding the “sword of the Spirit,” in the Spirit’s power; or what boisterous wind of trouble can disturb the “perfect peace” of one whose mind is simply “stayed on thee.” If it is Himself who has said, “Come,” setting us in the path of going forth to meet the Bridegroom, and Himself who comes to meet and welcome us at the end of this walking by faith, not by sight; is He not worthy to be trusted for each particular step of the way? He may let us pass “through the waters,” but they will not overflow us, as they did Him. (Is. 69:1, 2). Moreover, in passing through them He will be with us, and when we have passed through then we shall be with Him. Then let us neither forget our dependence on Him, to be upheld on a smooth sea; nor distrust His power and grace, for us and with us on a rough one! W. T.