To introduce this topic we want to read from the Bible the following words which refer to the deadly wound given to the beast. We want to notice in particular the declaration made in the moment the beast receives this deadly wound. We read,

"He that leadeth into captivity shall go into captivity: he that killeth with the sword must be killed with the sword. Here is the patience and the faith of the saints." Revelation 13:10.

Another translation, perhaps better, might say,

". . . Here is a call for the patience and the faith of the saints."

Here is a call made to the saints to exercise faith and patience and we ask, `Why is it critical to have the patience of the saints?'

Because in the following verses we have the crisis over the beast, his image and his mark, and when God's people go through this severe trial they are going to need the patience of the saints.

This expression we find twice in the Book of Revelation at very critical junctures. This verse is the first time. It is between the moment when this first sea beast receives its deadly wound in 1798 and before the second beast rises from the earth. In other words, God is saying, the second beast is going to bring you some troubles because he is going to make an image to the first beast. He is going to command everyone to worship this image to the beast and who is not going to worship it will be killed.

There is going to be a crisis for God's people and you are going to need to have the `patience of the saints' during that time period.

The second critical juncture in which this expression is found is Revelation 14 verse 12. This is the conclusion to the third angel's message. This is the message where John by inspiration of God warns everyone about the beast, his image, his mark and the crisis that is going to come upon the face of this world because of these.

Is this represented within the same context as to what we read about in Rev. 13:10?

Yes! In the latter verse, immediately after the beast, we have its image and the mark crisis. In the 3rd angel's message we have the warning about the beast, its image and its mark. What we want to notice and remember is the parallel between Revelation 13 and 14. We find in each of these chapters the same idea.

Let us read the reference in chapter 14.

"Here is the patience of the saints: here are they that keep the commandments of God, and the faith of Jesus." Rev. 14:12.

In other words, `Here is a call for the saints to exercise patience.'

Therefore we see that in both chapters the phrase we study bears a close relationship to the crisis which the people will face over the beast, his image and its mark. It is a crisis which demands for God's people to have, `The patience of the saints.'

To have this patience is critically important for God's people.

What is this patience of the saints?

In the New Testament there are two words used for the word patience. One word is `makrothumeo' (long suffering) and the other is, `hupomeno', (endurance in trial)(James 5:11; Rev. 3:10; Romans 5:3; Hebr. 12:1; Lk. 21:19). This last Greek term is the one we find in Revelation 13 and 14. We also find it in Matthew 24:13:

"But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved. " Mt. 24:13.

That word `hupomone' means constancy, perseverance, endurance in view of tremendous trials, problems and difficulties in the experience of the saints. God is saying there is going to be this crisis in the world, a crisis never before encountered, and God's people need to have this `patience of the saints.' To begin this study we shall first look at a parable of Jesus in the Book of Luke chapter 18. - Let us read this `Parable of the Persistent Widow.' This may be the best illustration given by Jesus on what this type of patience is that we must have in the end time.

The Persistent Widow

"And he spake a parable unto them to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint."

Next Jesus illustrates what he emphasized in verse 1.

"Saying, There was in a city a judge, which feared not God, neither regarded man: . . . Luke 18:2.

In other words, the judge in this city had no particular religious inclinations - and then notice verse 3:

". . . And there was a widow in that city; and she came (she kept coming) unto him, saying, Avenge me of mine adversary. And he would not for a while." Verse 3.

Most interpreters say, that, what this adversary did was, when this woman's husband died, he owed a lot of money to this certain creditor. And the creditor took everything that the widow had and left her homeless in the street. And so this woman, being destitute of any earthly support decided her only hope was to go before the judge and have the judge avenge her, or do her justice against this adversary who has taken everything she had. She had now no children, she had no house, no money, nothing. . . . Her only hope was in the judge.

So notice now in verse 4:

"... but afterward he said within himself . . .?"

That means, the judge thought she is making me tired.

In other words, there is a delay in this story. The judge delays to answer the pleas of the widow. And that, even though the widow kept coming and kept coming continuously to plead her case, she had this enduring, this active patience to plead her case. To mind come true oriental stories or events where such treatment occurred. And so, the judge put her off. He delayed listening to her case. After a while we read,

"And he would not for a while: but afterward he said within himself, Though I fear not God, nor regard man; Yet because this widow troubleth me, I will avenge her, lest by her continual coming she weary me."

So we ask the question, `To which period of human history does this parable particularly apply?

Studying this parable, we should have no doubt that this story applies to all of human history ... we are supposed to watch and pray ... however, it also has a special application to those who live at the very end of time, immediately before the Second Coming of Jesus.

You may ask, `How can we know that?'

There are 2 or 3 reasons:

If you look at what comes before this parable - Jesus has been talking about the days of Noah and the days of Lot as being symbolic to what is going to happen in connection with the Second Coming of Jesus. And if you look at the conclusion of the parable, (v.8)

The parable ends with the question: `Nevertheless when the Son of man comes, shall he find faith on the earth?'

So, in between these two references to the end of the earth (Noah & Lot) and the question `shall he find faith on earth', we have this parable of Jesus.

Let us read the comment of Ellen White, who caught this point. She said this:

" Christ had been speaking of the period just before His second coming, and of the perils through which His followers must pass. With special reference to that time He related the parable "to this end, that men ought always to pray, and not to faint." {COL 164.1}

In other words, this parable has a special meaning for those who live immediately before the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

However, we realize that parables use symbols and so we have to interpret these symbols. That we want to do now.

We have the following symbols:

1. We have a judge.
2. We have a widow.
3. We have an adversary.
4. We have a delay.

We shall discover now how the Bible itself explains the symbols of this parable.

Let us first talk about the adversary, the `antidikos' - the one who is against justice. We read the following in the Bible,

"Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour." 1.Peter 5:8.

Who then is the adversary in this parable?

Obviously, the adversary is Satan.

But who is represented by the judge?

Jesus himself explains who the judge is. We read,

"And the Lord said, Hear what the unjust judge saith. And shall not God avenge his own elect?" Luke 18:6,7a.

So, who is represented by the judge?

It is God who avenges his own elect. Therefore the judge represents God.

But you say, `Hold it. It says the judge did not fear God and did not respect man - so how could this judge represent God?'

We learn therefore, that Jesus makes here a comparison by contrast. That means, If this judge answers finally after a delay the plea of the widow, to get her off his back, `How much more will God answer our pleas - even though He delays but not because He wants to get us off His back but because He loves us.

In other words, `How much more will God do this for us, not because He wants to get rid of us, but because He loves us.

It is a comparison by way of contrast. It is clear in the parable that the judge represents God.

The question is now, `Who does the widow represent?'

We know already that in parables and Bible prophecy a woman represents the church. As we saw, a pure woman represents a pure church and an adulteress woman represents a fallen church.

So we ask, `What would a widow woman represent?' She must represent a church because she is a woman. But . . . in what condition is the church found? It is a church which does not have anything. She seems to have been completely forsaken. She has lost everything. And who has taken everything from her? The adversary.

So, this must represent the church in a stage of its history where those who are faithful to God have lost every earthly support.

How can we say that fore sure? Why is this not just speculation?

Well, Jesus himself said what this woman represents. Notice verse 7 again.

"And shall not God avenge his own elect . . ." Lk. 18:7

What does the widow woman represent? - - She represents the `elect.'

So we ask next, `At what time in history are these elect alive?'

To answer that question lets us read in Matthew chapter 24:

"For then shall be great tribulation, such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be. And except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved: but for the elect's sake those days shall be shortened." Mt. 24:22.

So, according to Jesus, these elect live at the very end of time.

Will the elect be going through a time of tribulation? - Yes or No?

Is it the greatest tribulation this world has ever seen? - Yes or No?

Yes! Will God's people lose everything? Will the beast and the image to the beast, imposing the mark of the beast, take everything from God's people?

Absolutely, yes!

Well - just in case anyone still wonders about this, notice the following Bible text,

"Then if any man shall say unto you, Lo, here is Christ, or there; believe it not. For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall show great signs and wonders; - by the way, does the second beast of Revelation cause great signs and wonders? (Rev. 13:13) the very same expression? - insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." Mt. 24:23,24.

When do these elect live?

In the midst of the tribulation at the very end of time!

That is what the parable of this widow represents.

What will be the only hope of God's people? - - The only hope of God's people will be found in the judge!

And who is that judge?

That judge is God!

But now we must ask this lingering question - Are God's people delivered immediately? -- When they cry out to God?

No!! - -

Is a period of time going to pass during which they keep coming and coming in prayer and is there going to be a delay?

There is going to be a delay! - What will God's people do? - Are they going to say, `O, well, I give up. It just takes too long. I kept coming and coming. Nobody is listening. So, why even bother. - Is that what they are going to say?

No! - - This widow says, `I am going to go to this judge till my dying day.' - She is not going to give up!

And that is what God's people are going to do during that time of trouble such as never was before - they continue coming to God time and again, time and again, during this crisis and they have lost everything - they have no earthly support, yet they continue coming to God and they will say, `God, deliver us from the hand of our adversary.'

Notice Luke chapter 21 and how it describes this period of time. It uses even the very same word for `patience' that we found earlier:

"But before all these, they shall lay their hands on you, and persecute you, delivering you up to the synagogues, and into prisons, being brought before kings and rulers for my name's sake.
And it shall turn to you for a testimony. ... (in other words you will be able to witness)
Settle it therefore in your hearts, not to meditate before what ye shall answer:
For I will give you a mouth and wisdom, which all your adversaries shall not be able to gainsay nor resist.
And ye shall be betrayed both by parents, and brethren, and kinsfolks, and friends (lose every earthly support); and some of you shall they cause to be put to death. And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake.
But there shall not an hair of your head perish.
In your patience possess ye your souls." Lk. 21:12-19.

What will God's people need during this time of trouble when the whole world is rising up against them? They will need `huponome', `the patience of the saints.' - Because the beast, the image and the mark are coming and God's people have to face that - but there will be a delay.

Notice what we find in Isaiah 54 which describes this delay in the period of time when God's wrath is poured out at the end of time:

"For the Lord hath called thee as a woman forsaken and grieved in spirit, and a wife of youth, when thou wast refused, saith thy God. For a small moment have I forsaken thee; but with great mercies will I gather thee. In a little wrath I hid my face from thee for a moment; but with everlasting kindness will I have mercy on thee, saith the Lord thy Redeemer." Isaiah 54:6-8.

The woman is the church, God's faithful people. Theye appear to have been forsaken for a little while. Just like Jesus felt so alone (Matth. 27:46; Psalm 22:1,2), so God's people will feel alone for a little while but God has not forsaken them, for eventually he will deliver them from their adversary. That is why we must have the patience of Jesus, and the assurance follows, `with great mercies, plural, will I gather thee.'

The wrath of God is not aimed at the widow. God is pouring out his wrath and, for a little moment, this widow has apparently been forsaken. But not for long. - - And then we read,

"For the mountains shall depart, and the hills be removed; but my kindness shall not depart from thee, neither shall the covenant of my peace be removed, saith the Lord that hath mercy on thee." Isa. 54:10; Rev. 6:14.

The wrath is not for the widow woman according to this verse. It appears God has forsaken his people for just a little while, but God has not forsaken them, for eventually he will deliver them from their adversary.

The Time of Jacob's Trouble

We recall that Jacob lied to his father and deceived him. He ended up going to Laban who was a conniving, Satan like figure. - Actually he was a worse deceiver than Jacob. - And so Jacob ends up in Laban's house because of his sin.

After 20 years he decides to go back to Canaan and on his way he receives a note which says, Esau, who has vowed to kill him, is coming with 400 armed men to kill him and his family.

Is this similar to what is going to happen to God's people at the end of time?

It is very similar.

We find that at the end of time, the powers on earth are going to enforce a sentence of death against all those who do not worship the image to the beast.

Daniel 11, `the king of the north' is the same as the little horn, the same as the beast, the same as the man of sin, the same as the harlot - it says, the king of the north is going to destroy many, but at that time Michael is going to stand up. - And it says,

". . . and there shall be a time of trouble, such as never was since there was a nation even to that same time: and at that time thy people shall be delivered, every one that shall be found written in the book." Daniel 12:1.

... and they must have been written in that book in the previous judgment before that point.

. . . And so Jacob hears that his brother is coming and so he goes off by himself and pours out his soul to God.

You see, after he committed his sins, he had never assurance of forgiveness for 20 years after he committed them. Has anyone reading this here had such an experience? Don't be discouraged!

He wants to have the assurance of God's blessing. - And as he prays, the Bible says, he suddenly saw someone he thought was Esau and so he starts wrestling with this being and they wrestle all night . . .

. . . and when it is morning, Jacob discovers, that the being he is struggling with is not a human being . . . He was the angel of the covenant - Jesus Christ - who is called the angel of the Lord or Michael the Ark-angel in the Old Testament. He realizes this and it is starting to dawn and the angel says to Jacob, `Let me go. It is dawning.' And Jacob says, `I will not let you go, unless you bless me.' Gen. 32.

And the Bible says, and the angel of the Lord blessed Jacob there. That is the kind of persevering faith that God's people will need in the trials that are coming. In spite of the enemy coming against God's people on a world wide scale, they hang on to dear Jesus for life, and they cry to Jesus, we need to have the certainty of the forgiveness of our sins, we need to have absolute certainty that everything we have done has been cleansed from the sanctuary - we crave your blessing and we will not release you unless you bless us.

That is the patience of the saints. That is the tremendous perseverance and endurance of the saints in the midst of the worst crisis in the history of the world.

The Story of Job

The crisis that God's people are going to go through is also represented by the story of Job. - And we find out that the same word for patience we have been talking about is also used to describe the patience of Job? - - Let us read it.

"Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy." James 5:11.

What does `endurance' mean? - It means that someone is able to participate in a long race without fainting or falling.

So we ask,

Did Job lose everything he had? His possesions, servants, children, health, friends and his wife . . .?

Yes! - She becomes an instrument of Satan, because she says, `Curse God and die!'

Job lost everything just like the woman in the parable. So his friends also become his accusers.

Who took everything from Job? The adversary, like the adversary in the parable of Jesus - he is Satan - has taken everything from Job.

And what does Job do? - He cries out to God for justice. He takes 36 chapters to cry out to God for justice. - He says, `Why is this happening to me. Lord, speak, intervene. All he hears is deafening silence.

Is God putting him off? Is there a delay here?

Yes, there is a delay. Does Job give up?

No! He keeps on coming like the widow.

He says, `Though he slay me, yet will I trust in Him!'

He keeps on excercising enduring, patient faith.

Job says, `I know that my redeemer liveth!' He says, `And even though I do not understand why I have to endure this, I have patient faith.' We find here in James this same word for `patience' which we know from Revelation 13:10 and 14:12.

But there is a delay.

Does God answer Job at the end of the story?

Does God restore what he had and more - after his crisis - which was caused by the adversary? - - Yes, and yes.

In the story of Job, what happened to the adversary? In Job chapter 41 we read of the adversary, called Leviathan. When we read it carefully we notice Leviathan is a symbol of Satan. He is the originator of all the trouble. What is going to happen to Leviathan?

Let's read about it in the Bible,

"In that day the Lord with his sore and great and strong sword shall punish leviathan the piercing serpent, even leviathan that crooked serpent; and he shall slay the dragon that is in the sea." Isaiah 27:1.

So God will destroy `Leviathan', Satan.

But Job experienced a delay.

Did Job give up? No! because Job was a man of faith.

The Three Young Men in the Fiery Furnace

Their experience is also symbolic of the end time. Why?