Once again I'm going to break ranks -- not a lot, just a little. Here's why:

The other night I was speaking on Bible prophecy before a Wednesday night church service. It was made up mostly of elderly people who didn't have access to the Internet. First, I asked them how many had read -- or remembered -- Hal Lindsey's 1970 best-seller, The Late Great Planet Earth. Most everybody in the church raised their hand. Then I asked how many thought the Antichrist might be alive on earth today. Once again, most everybody raised their hand. Then I asked, when the end times begin to happen, how many think they will happen exactly as the popular view teaches. This time, not one person raised their hand.

I went on telling about all the events that have happened in Europe in the last few years that haven't been reported. They were shocked and amazed. After all, why haven't they been told about these events? They wanted to know more. I was invited to come back to teach a series on Bible prophecy.

Friends, that's the way it is all across America today. So many of God's people are hungry for this information, and no one is giving it to them. They know they are nearing the last hour -- they can sense it in their spirit and catch glimpses in the news, but they're not being told the significant facts.

Who are these elderly people I'm talking about? Think about it. They are different from their fellow Christians in Europe. In fact, if you read my last commentary, you may recall how one of the Vatican's leading Cardinals is not only admitting the Catholic Church has lost the battle for the soul of Europe, but the Vatican appears to be pleading for help from other continents Read about it here. In other words, the Vatican is asking these same American Christians now for help. So, who are these elderly Christians in America who were able to do what their peers in other nations failed to do?

This is my opinion: They are the modern-day church of  Philadelphia. They are those who have never given up believing in end-times Bible prophecies, even though their younger pastors and teachers may not even teach it anymore.

For the most part, these surviving prophecy believers in America still live under the shadow of dispensationalism. Not realizing strict dispensationalism has died a natural death -- and that's one reason their pastors no longer teach it -- these believers continue to struggle to solve an end-times puzzle with pieces that don't quite fit. In the mean time, any other model of interpretation they naturally eye with suspicion -- even those that may work.

Nevertheless, these are what I believe remain of the church of Philadelphia in these last days. And, it was to these believers our Lord said:

Because you have kept the word of My perseverance, I also will keep you from the hour of testing, that hour which is about to come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth (Revelation 3:10 New America Standard Bible). 

Is our Lord talking here about the rapture of the church? How could He be? There were seven churches in Asia. The church He gave this promise to was only one of them. This being the case, how could this be referring to the rapture where all believers will be included? It is my opinion, in this passage, Jesus was promising this special church a sheltering and not a removal.

Here's what I think possible: Jesus is telling this church He will somehow keep them from what will be happening in the rest of the world. He will keep them from that terrible hour of testing that is referred to later in Revelation chapter 17. Here we read:

The ten horns which you saw are ten kings who have not yet received a kingdom, but they receive authority as kings with the beast for one hour. These have one purpose, and they give their power and authority to the beast. These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful (Revelation 17:12-14).

I will, Lord willing, be going back to these wonderful, elderly believers in America who have never given up on Bible prophecy. I will be telling them about all the things I've been reporting here at FulfilledProphecy -- things they've been longing to hear, but haven't. 

I'll again be speaking to the church of Philadelphia.