It is always puzzling to me that men will blind themselves to Scripture’s teachings , because of their biases.  

One well known doctrinal position in our time when teaching on the possibility of the Church experiencing the coming Great Tribulation, will immediately take us to the church of Philadelphia and the promise to be kept from the hour of testing for the whole world.  This to them is the only message given the church concerning great Tribulation. And that is a bad thing, because even though it is a promise; still it is not the only promise, and its hour is not defined.  So is “the hour” what they say that it is?  I think not, but why do think not?  Good question.  So let’s consider, what the hour cannot be. We actually know what it is not, because Jesus tells us what we will not be kept from as His churches.  Listen carefully to His words to Thyatira:

Revelation 2:20  ‘But I have [this] against you, that you tolerate the woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophetess, and she teaches and leads My bond-servants astray so that they commit [acts of] immorality and eat things sacrificed to idols.  21  ‘I gave her time to repent, and she does not want to repent of her immorality.  22  ‘Behold, I will throw her on a bed [of sickness,] and those who commit adultery with her into great tribulation, unless they repent of her deeds.  23  ‘And I will kill her children with pestilence, and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts; and I will give to each one of you according to your deeds. (NASB1995)

Let’s consider what Jesus has told the churches here.  There is moral sin in the church camp. Much like there is today.  We have churches supporting and even embracing abortion; child sex changes; and political parties, who stand opposed to Christ’s teachings.  I included this last item, because Jezebel was a political figure in her day. Here she has led astray Jesus’ bond servants (not all, but some).  And the political system of our day will be punished, and so will unrepentant bond servants according to what Jesus says here.   

But there is more.  For Jesus says: “and all the churches will know that I am He who searches the minds and hearts”.  What is the thing that is presented here by Jesus as being the tool for teaching the “churches” this knowledge?  It is the “great tribulation”.  

Now what exactly is that telling us?  Jesus is God, He knows the end from the beginning.  He knew that I would be writing this post before the creation of the world. He placed this wording here for His reasons. Yes, I believe that the Church as part of these churches will see great Tribulation, and yes that is why I am pointing these verses out to you, but I did not put these verses here, Jesus had John do that. 

So you might say, “this does not prove that the Church will see great Tribulation. This is written to the churches”.  And I would ask you: if these churches are still in existence and learning during the great Tribulation; then the bride has not yet made herself ready.  For these churches will cease to be at the Rapture.  The Church is still on earth within these churches, and she is still making herself ready.  For she is still among these seven churches learning, and great tribulation seems to be the vehicle used, at least in part, for that purpose. 

It is not, in fact, until after the great Tribulation that we hear that “the bride has made herself ready”. 

So answer me this. Is the hour that Philadelphia is promised to escape the great Tribulation?  Just where do you find that teaching in Scripture?  And why are Jesus words to the churches of Thyatira not included in this discussion?

Also see the following post to understand why the bond servants are likely used in this message by our Lord:

https://raptureonline.blog/2026/07/10/the-bride-is-present-in-the-tribulation-as-proven-in-the-presence-of-the-bond-servant/