Revelations 3:7-13
“To the angel of the church in Philadelphia write:
These are the words of him who is holy and true, who holds the key of David. What he opens no one can shut, and what he shuts no one can open. I know your deeds. See, I have placed before you an open door that no one can shut. I know that you have little strength, yet you have kept my word and have not denied my name. I will make those who are of the synagogue of Satan, who claim to be Jews though they are not, but are liars—I will make them come and fall down at your feet and acknowledge that I have loved you. Since you have kept my command to endure patiently, I will also keep you from the hour of trial that is going to come on the whole world to test the inhabitants of the earth. I am coming soon. Hold on to what you have, so that no one will take your crown. The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.
Throughout religious history, people have tormented those whom God loves. However, God has always made it known whom He loves and whom He judges. Here are just a few examples:
Noah
God loved Noah, but the people of that generation tormented him. As a result, God judged them accordingly and told only Noah how to prepare for and survive the flood. After 40 days of rain, everyone but Noah’s family had died. God made that generation as well as future generations realize about His love for Noah.
Joshua
God let both the Israelites who followed Joshua as well as the 31 tribes in Canaan know that He loved Joshua. This was because Joshua kept God’s Word, “Be extremely bold and courageous.” With that one message, he conquered the land of Canaan.
Joseph
God let Joseph’s father—Jacob—and all his brothers who hated him know that He loved Joseph to the extreme. Even though Joseph was put in prison unjustly and suffered as a result, by appointing him as prime minister, God let all the citizens of Egypt know that Joseph was God’s beloved one. Even the Pharaoh realized this and acknowledged it.
Know how great it is that God, the Holy Spirit, and the Lord love you!
People think that they are loved by God only when they live comfortable lives, free of any difficulties. But God loves His beloved ones even more during times of tribulation and persecution. You must do things according to the thoughts of God, the Holy Spirit, and the Lord in order to realize properly and overcome all kinds of hardships.
Even if everyone in the time period receives judgment, the ones whom God loves receive blessings instead. Noah gained the land of that time period following the judgment, and this was also the case for Lot. Additionally, all the people who had tormented them were gone.
Realize whom God loves
In order to make people realize whom God and the Holy Spirit love, God and the Holy Spirit do not let Their beloved ones go through great difficulties. Instead, They let those who torment Their beloved ones go through diseases, difficulties, and suffering so that people will realize on their own whom God loves.
If people fail to accept it when God reveals who His beloved ones are, then they will continue to be judged and may even be killed. God makes them suffer in various ways from diseases, hardships, or economical failure. Just as God carried out the ten plagues against the Egyptians who were tormenting His beloved Israelites, He works in the same way in this time period.
