The following Scripture was addressed to the next-to-last church age of Philadelphia, “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.

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Rev. 3:10-11).

The church ages which are behind us were all kept from the “hour of temptation”. Now, however, that the end of all things is at hand, the believers are not only hearing the cry, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh …”, but must also endure the “hour of temptation”.

The hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole earth, is not the same as the daily trials, on account of which we pray in the Lord’s prayer, “… And lead us not into temptation …”, instead it signifies the temptation which Satan used to approach even the Redeemer. Whenever the Lord commanded something, it happened accordingly. Just as the Lord God spoke all things into existence by His Almighty Word (Gen. 1; Hebr. 11:3), so did the Lord Jesus during His ministry as Son of man (Jn. 5:19-20): He spoke and it came to pass. He commanded the storm and the waves and they calmed down. He said to the blind, “Receive thy sight!” and he could see. He spoke to the deaf and he could hear.And when He said to the leper, “Be clean!” it happened instantly. In the temptation Satan demanded of Him, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread …” The Lord had been fasting and Satan seized that opportunity to challenge Him.

Everybody knows the answer that our Lord gave, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Then Satan took him into the holy city and sat him on the pinnacle of the temple and said unto him, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up … Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

“ Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.” (Matt. 4:1-11).

The temptation consisted of the enemy challenging our Lord and Saviour with the Word of God, the “It is written”, trying to cause Him to fall. In the Garden of Eden Satan used the same tactic to deceive Eve, who then misled Adam. That was the first great and direct temptation in the beginning in paradise, which led to the fall. Jesus, the second Adam, withstood the temptation and redeemed us out of the fall; He conquered Satan, death, and hell.

In the extraordinary, supernaturally confirmed ministry of Brother Branham some special signs and wonders happened directly by the spoken Word of God. He pronounced what should happen as it was revealed to him by God and it instantly came to pass. Among those extraordinary incidents that he referred to there were three direct miracles of creation. As it was with Brother Branham, the messenger, so shall it be at the end with the Bride Church. She shall have that same ministry, the same absolute, the same authority of God’s Word, in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What happened 2,000 years ago is behind us. Nevertheless, even now the enemy slyly approaches with Scripture, with the statement, “It is written …”, but each time he uses it for a temptation, by taking the Word out of context and adding his own interpretation. Our answer today must be the same as the one of the Redeemer. As our Lord had to face the temptation of Satan, likewise the redeemed now have to face that same temptation and thereby prove their faithfulness to God and His Word.

At first the dragon stands before the woman – the end-time Church from the nations, out of which the man child – the overcomers will be born and then partake in the rapture. After the marriage supper they will return with Christ to reign with Him, the King of kings, for a thousand years on earth (Rev. 5:10; Rev. 20:1-20; a. o.). Scripture tells us that all the inhabitants of the earth will worship the last world ruler and his image – therein lies the temptation – all of them will participate, except those whose names have been written in the Lamb’s book of life since the foundation of the world. Only they will remain steadfast in God’s Word (chapter 13). The decision between Christ and the antichrist, between the original Word and the interpretations must be made.

Many Scriptures could be referred to about this subject, especially from the Book of Daniel and the Revelation. Our present concern is the fact that we can now recognise the fulfilment of Bible prophecies also in the political realm. For us it is the handwriting on the wall, the “menetekel”, the clear language of God. Now, before the Return of Jesus Christ, the entire world looks to one man, because he claims to bear the responsibility for the whole earth. The Lord knows His own, they are in His hand, He will be with them in this hour of temptation until they come from believing to seeing.

The following Scripture was addressed to the next-to-last church age of Philadelphia, “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.

Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.” (Rev. 3:10-11).

The church ages which are behind us were all kept from the “hour of temptation”. Now, however, that the end of all things is at hand, the believers are not only hearing the cry, “Behold, the bridegroom cometh …”, but must also endure the “hour of temptation”.

The hour of temptation, which shall come upon the whole earth, is not the same as the daily trials, on account of which we pray in the Lord’s prayer, “… And lead us not into temptation …”, instead it signifies the temptation which Satan used to approach even the Redeemer. Whenever the Lord commanded something, it happened accordingly. Just as the Lord God spoke all things into existence by His Almighty Word (Gen. 1; Hebr. 11:3), so did the Lord Jesus during His ministry as Son of man (Jn. 5:19-20): He spoke and it came to pass. He commanded the storm and the waves and they calmed down. He said to the blind, “Receive thy sight!” and he could see. He spoke to the deaf and he could hear.  And when He said to the leper, “Be clean!” it happened instantly. In the temptation Satan demanded of Him, “If thou be the Son of God, command that these stones be made bread …” The Lord had been fasting and Satan seized that opportunity to challenge Him.

Everybody knows the answer that our Lord gave, “It is written, Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.”

Then Satan took him into the holy city and sat him on the pinnacle of the temple and said unto him, “If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angels charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up … Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”

“ Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them; And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me. Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve. Then the devil leaveth him, and, behold, angels came and ministered unto him.” (Matt. 4:1-11).

The temptation consisted of the enemy challenging our Lord and Saviour with the Word of God, the “It is written”, trying to cause Him to fall. In the Garden of Eden Satan used the same tactic to deceive Eve, who then misled Adam. That was the first great and direct temptation in the beginning in paradise, which led to the fall. Jesus, the second Adam, withstood the temptation and redeemed us out of the fall; He conquered Satan, death, and hell.

In the extraordinary, supernaturally confirmed ministry of Brother Branham some special signs and wonders happened directly by the spoken Word of God. He pronounced what should happen as it was revealed to him by God and it instantly came to pass. Among those extraordinary incidents that he referred to there were three direct miracles of creation. As it was with Brother Branham, the messenger, so shall it be at the end with the Bride Church. She shall have that same ministry, the same absolute, the same authority of God’s Word, in the power of the Lord Jesus Christ.

What happened 2,000 years ago is behind us. Nevertheless, even now the enemy slyly approaches with Scripture, with the statement, “It is written …”, but each time he uses it for a temptation, by taking the Word out of context and adding his own interpretation. Our answer today must be the same as the one of the Redeemer. As our Lord had to face the temptation of Satan, likewise the redeemed now have to face that same temptation and thereby prove their faithfulness to God and His Word.

At first the dragon stands before the woman – the end-time Church from the nations, out of which the man child – the overcomers will be born and then partake in the rapture. After the marriage supper they will return with Christ to reign with Him, the King of kings, for a thousand years on earth (Rev. 5:10; Rev. 20:1-20; a. o.). Scripture tells us that all the inhabitants of the earth will worship the last world ruler and his image – therein lies the temptation – all of them will participate, except those whose names have been written in the Lamb’s book of life since the foundation of the world. Only they will remain steadfast in God’s Word (chapter 13). The decision between Christ and the antichrist, between the original Word and the interpretations must be made.

Many Scriptures could be referred to about this subject, especially from the Book of Daniel and the Revelation. Our present concern is the fact that we can now recognise the fulfilment of Bible prophecies also in the political realm. For us it is the handwriting on the wall, the “menetekel”, the clear language of God. Now, before the Return of Jesus Christ, the entire world looks to one man, because he claims to bear the responsibility for the whole earth. The Lord knows His own, they are in His hand, He will be with them in this hour of temptation until they come from believing to seeing.