“I Also Will Keep You From the Hour of Trial”

Will the Church of Philadelphia be raptured? This argument comes from the second half of Revelation 3:10.

Revelation 3:7-13 (NKJV)
7 “And to the angel of the church in Philadelphia write,
‘These things says He who is holy, He who is true, “He who has the key of David, He who opens and no one shuts, and shuts and no one opens”: 8 “I know your works. See, I have set before you an open door, and no one can shut it; for you have a little strength, have kept My word, and have not denied My name. 9 Indeed I will make those of the synagogue of Satan, who say they are Jews and are not, but lie—indeed I will make them come and worship before your feet, and to know that I have loved you. 10 Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth. 11 Behold, I am coming quickly! Hold fast what you have, that no one may take your crown. 12 He who overcomes, I will make him a pillar in the temple of My God, and he shall go out no more. I will write on him the name of My God and the name of the city of My God, the New Jerusalem, which comes down out of heaven from My God. And I will write on him My new name.
13 “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” ’

“I also will keep you from the hour of trial.”

Can “I will keep you from the hour of trial” really mean they’re to be caught up before the Tribulation?

Perhaps it’s speaking of people whom the Lord allows to die before the Tribulation begins.

Isaiah 57:1-2 (NKJV)
57 The righteous perishes,
And no man takes it to heart;
Merciful men are taken away,
While no one considers
That the righteous is taken away from evil.
2 He shall enter into peace;
They shall rest in their beds,
Each one walking in his uprightness.

Old Testament examples of this principle are found in Abijah the son of Jeroboam (1 Ki 14:1-18), and the repentant Ahab (1 Ki 21:28-29).

It could also refer to a spiritual keeping—people who keep the faith. This is how Jesus used it when He prayed for His disciples right before His crucifixion:

John 17:15 (NKJV)
15 I do not pray that You should take them out of the world, but that You should keep them from the evil one.

Daniel 12 refers to a time of great trouble for the nation of Israel (Dn 12:1), and the holy people (Dn 12:7). Dn 12:1 speaks of deliverance, and Dn 12:2 is about the resurrection, but the resurrection [of believers] is actually after the time is done (Dn 12:9-13). The implication is that the deliverance is at the end, with the resurrection.

Revelation 14:9-13 is a contrast between those who don’t keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus (or never did), and those who do:

Revelation 14:9-13 (NKJV)
9 Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image, and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, 10 he himself shall also drink of the wine of the wrath of God, which is poured out full strength into the cup of His indignation. He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. 11 And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the mark of his name.”
12 Here is the patience of the saints; here are those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.
13 Then I heard a voice from heaven saying to me, “Write: ‘Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord from now on.’ ”
“Yes,” says the Spirit, “that they may rest from their labors, and their works follow them.”

Not every faithful believer will die, of course—the Scriptures are clear some disciples will remain alive until the coming of the Lord (1 Th 4:15-17, 1 Cor 15:51, Mt 24:22, 31). Verse 12 to me stands out as a contrast, particularly, “those who keep the commandments of God and the faith of Jesus.” I can imagine people receiving the mark, telling themselves, “I worship God in my heart, not the beast.”

Could Revelation 3:10 refer to a pre-Tribulation gathering?

Such a thing is certainly not explicitly taught there.

One passage often promoted as a pre-Tribulation rapture is 1 Thessalonians 4:15-17.

1 Thessalonians 4:15-17 (NKJV)
15 For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep. 16 For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of an archangel, and with the trumpet of God. And the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord. 18 Therefore comfort one another with these words.

There are two groups of believers here—those who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, and those who are asleep (physically dead). The resurrection occurs first. Then those who are alive and remain will be caught up together with [the resurrected believers] in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. The context of the first resurrection (Rv 20:1-6) is after the Tribulation, thus the gathering of 1 Thessalonians 4:17 is also after the Tribulation.

The Bible is true, and God doesn’t contradict Himself, therefore Revelation 3:10 cannot refer to a pre-Tribulation rapture.