8. The sufferings and persecutions of the end times (Rev.12-13)

8.1 Various types of trials and sufferings

In response to this, the Bible's primary method for combating suffering is:

• that we first of all deal with our own selfishness, so that we don't purposefully cause suffering to others
• that we additionally take the right attitude to suffering which we meet anyway
• that we also ask God for help to not revenge ourselves, but to forgive those who have caused our suffering

1. The lowest form of trials and suffering is self-inflicted according to the law of sowing and reaping. Even if we pray to God for forgiveness, we are thereby only freed from the guilt of our sin, but not from later reaping the fruit of the evil which we have sown. (Gal. 6:7) Simply put, we will sooner or later be justly punished for the evil we have done against others. But God will help us then to here on earth bear the punishment in a way which contributes to our spiritual growth. Some of Paul's sufferings were undoubtedly of this type.
2. The second type of trials and suffering is not self-inflicted. These come to us from evil people, and from the Devil who wants to try to strike us down. But if we surrender ourselves into God's hands, he can triumph over the evil by causing it all to work for the best for our spiritual development, meaning our sanctification. Even Jesus himself, who never did anything wrong to anyone, and even though he was the Son of God, had to learn a deeper obedience through the sufferings he met. (Heb. 5:8) As the years go by in the School of Life, we grow in our perseverance in trials and in our trust in God's unwavering goodness and faithfulness towards us. (Rom. 5:3) Therefore, Jesus did not abandon his confidence in God, even at the time of his death on the cross when God had to briefly turn away from him when he took our sin on himself.

The following important results are made available to us sinful humans:

• God uses suffering as a furnace to refine gold. When gold melts in the heat of suffering, the dross floats up to the surface where it can be skimmed off. (Is. 48:10; Mal. 3:3) The dross which floats up and becomes visible is the reaction of our fleshly nature, such as anger, hate, revenge, etc. When we confess these as sin and pray to God for forgiveness, he skims off this dross.
• When the surface has become clean, God frees us from the oven when he can see the reflection of his Son shining in our lives. Jesus is our model.

  True sanctification is therefore when we react as Jesus would react if he was in the same situation.

• The various Christ-like characteristics which God can create in our lives through suffering are likened to ornaments of gold, pearls, and precious stones. A true Christian loves Jesus just like a Bride loves her bridegroom. Furthermore, every Bride takes care to be adorned before her wedding. We should also do this before our wedding with Jesus Christ, which occurs after the rapture. Therefore, we need to begin to hold the right attitude to suffering. (Illustration 5.8 and Rev. 21:2ff)
3. The third form of suffering is the highest, and is usually called, "the suffering of Christ." It implies that we are willing to unselfishly suffer spiritual birth pains in order to be able to thereby give birth to new life in others, (exemplified in illustrations 6.2 and 6.4)) Paul was willing to do this in order to be able to help the Galatians when they had been deceived by false teachers into falling away. (Gal. 4:19)
4. Illustrations 6.1 and 6.2, along with the accompanying text, show further that the sufferings we encounter as Christians most often unfortunately come from pseudo-Christians within the formal "Christian circles."

8.2 Rejoice during persecutions, for then your reward will be great.

1. Even in normal times, everyone who wants to whole-heartedly live for God will suffer persecution without any particular reason. This will happen as long as the World is in the power of the Devil, since Christians stand on God's side against the Devil. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus states concerning this: "Blessed are you when men revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven." (Matt. 5:10-11; 2 Tim. 3:12) If we also have the privilege of sharing in Christ's suffering, then we have the right to rejoice even more. (I Pet. 4:13) The early Christians were very clear about these things when they said, "The sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us." (Rom. 8:17-18)
2. In times of severe persecution, even our friends and relatives might betray us so that we are brought before the courts and thrown into prison. But if this happens, then what we are to say in our defense will also be given to us. Foremost, we are likely there in order to witness about our Christian faith to both judges and other prisoners. (Luke 21:14) (Concerning God's promise of protection, you can read point 5.7 above, and in the notes to illustrations 5.5 and 5.6)
   In the foreword, we likened our life on earth to sailing on a stormy sea where we learn to sail towards the goal against the wind. If the storm becomes particularly strong, we might need to lower the anchor until the storm has calmed down.

In such a case, it is important that we have learned:

• to gain strength through prayer: "Is any one among you suffering? Let him pray," (James 5:13)
• so that we can put the anchor of faith in God's presence "behind the curtain." (Heb. 6:19)

The Bible states that this is the only safe place in the universe which is never moved by the storms of time. The heroes of the Bible who overcame everything they met had learned this lesson. The most difficult times of persecution will presumably be in the beginning the reign of Antichrist, just before the rapture. (More on this in later sections.)
3. Many will then remain faithful to Christ, even if it could cost them their lives. Others will unfortunately fall away by denying their faith. Even the disciple Peter did this one time, before he had learned to recognize the weaknesses in his own human nature.

But once Peter repented and received restoration from Jesus and was filled with the Holy Spirit, he became both a humbler and a bolder witness.

8.3 Deliverance from the persecution of the Antichrist

This protection of God, symbolized by his seal, is thought to vary between the following three extremes:

1. Somewhere in a special country or in a remote place, God will prepare a city of refuge for the persecuted. Therefore Jesus exhorts us to pray that if possible we would be able to escape all of this. Those who live and pray will eventually understand in what form the protection comes. (Luke 21:8-36, esp. vs. 36; Rev. 12; and the Prophetic/Technical supplement section 8 on Times of Persecution.)
2. But that we will be able to withstand the trial when we can't flee. If our assignment in the trial should be to witness about the truth and our faith before governors and judges, then God will give us the words to speak. In the best outcome, perhaps even the judges themselves will come to faith. Some, however, will be killed in connection with the trial, but many will fall away from the faith. (See note.)

At the 7th trumpet the desired rescue will finally come, which delivers the bridal church out of the Tribulation and away from the Judgments of Wrath. (Treated in section 12.)