April 30: PROTECTED
“Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth.” Revelation 3:10
The word translated kept/keep has to do with hearing, heeding, and holding. These things are interwoven with honoring, “for those who honor Me I will honor” (1 Samuel 2:30). For millennia, our adversary has worked feverishly to desensitize human discernment between good and evil. How he delights when people practice mind-dulling, body-weakening habits. It began with launching a craftily worded question (Genesis 3:1) about food that would spawn mistrust toward God, insinuating that He was holding something back that would add to human happiness. Then came the blatant lie: “You will not surely die” (v.4) which was his way of misrepresenting God as a liar. To persevere on the side of righteousness can be carried out only by those who totally trust the Lord without reservation. They know that it is impossible for God to lie (Hebrews 6:18). The daily infilling of the Holy Spirit is theirs. God’s people depend entirely upon Him for every need.
Almighty God has always dealt with people in a loving way, patiently guiding, encouraging, warning of danger. He is divinely capable of dealing corporately, for the gospel message of salvation is for everyone; and individually, as the souls of those whose hearts are loyal to Him are under divine protection. Obedience to the word of God is a precious sign of absolute trust in Him. And having been perfected, He became the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. (Hebrews 5:9)
“I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world” is a trustworthy promise for the faithful. The judgments of God against His enemies are detailed in chapter 16 of Revelation. These seven plagues (15:8) will be poured out before Jesus returns. When the plagues fell upon Egypt, God’s people were unharmed by them (see Exodus 9:26; 10:23; 12:23). Be aware that the phrase those who dwell on the earth is a repeated reference to those who have stubbornly rejected God’s offer of salvation (6:10; 8:13; 11:10; 13:8,14; 14:6; 17:8). Their minds are occupied with the earthly as their first priority. The eyes of the Lord perceive a contrast with those people living on the earth who lay claim to citizenship in heaven (Philippians 3:20).
The whole of Psalm 91 is a series of magnificent and trustworthy promises from our Savior. Here is how it closes:
“Because he has set his love upon Me, therefore I will deliver him; I will set him on high, because he has known My name. He shall call upon Me, and I will answer him; I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him and honor him. With long life I will satisfy him, And show him My salvation.” Psalm 91:14-16