Why is it so important to firmly plant both feet in God’s Kingdom RIGHT NOW?
Because Revelation 3:10 tells us that Jesus wants to protect His believers from what is coming.
In Revelation chapters 1-3 Jesus (through John) writes seven letters to seven churches. The letters include commendations and warnings to the seven churches at that time, and right now.
Through these letters in Revelation Jesus is protecting us, preparing us, and motivating us to draw near to Him.
Revelation 3:10: “Because you have kept My command to endure, I will also keep you from the hour of testing that is going to come on the whole world, to test those who live on the earth.”
What does that mean?
“Because you have kept My command to endure” = Understand that God’s chosen believers are pilgrims in this world. In our lives here on earth, we are travelers journeying toward His Kingdom because we made the decision to follow Him. Yes, we were physically born into this fallen place, but we are not OF this place. That decision REMOVED us from this evil world (that was deeded over to Satan during the fall) and placed us spiritually inside God’s Kingdom of heaven. We endure this place because we have both feet firmly rooted in heaven. We endure because Jesus died to sustain us. When we die, or are raptured, we will physically experience God’s Kingdom in the physical heaven.
“I will also keep you from the hour” = Jesus then makes a special promise about the hour. Look at ‘hour’ as a measurement of time. Then replace ‘hour’ with ‘time’. Jesus promises to keep His beloved from the time…
“Of testing” = when translating from the Greek text those folks removed the article ‘the’ before the word testing. (That’s why it’s important to have a Greek concordance handy.) Now read the sentence… “I will also keep you from the time of the testing…” The testing Jesus is referring to is the 7.5 years of tribulation and Great Tribulation. Jesus is promising to keep His beloved out of the tribulation. His PROMISE for our endurance.
“that is going to come on the whole world” = the tribulation involves ALL the people dwelling on the earth at that time. Every nation.
“to test those who live on the earth.” = the purpose of the tribulation is to hold each earth dweller accountable—a legal trial—to see who will chose Him during this horrific period, and who will refuse Him. Those who repent and identify themselves as being with Him will be persecuted as never before. Many will perish and become the multitude of saints who stand before His throne asking when He will avenge them with His Second Coming. Those who chose against Him during the tribulation, who choose the world, will go to hell.
Read Revelation 3:10 this way: “Because you have kept My command to endure, I will also keep you from the time of the testing that is going to come on the whole world, to test those who live on the earth.” This is Jesus’ promise to those who have both feet in spiritual heaven. His believers will not remain on earth for the tribulation trial.
God’s chosen believers DO NOT identify with the world, even though right now we live among those who identify with the world—we endure living here with them—but when we have both feet firmly planted with Him WE IDENTIFY WITH GOD’S KINGDOM!
AMEN!