Wearing Out the Saints

We live in trying times. Rarely can we pick up a newspaper, logon to the Internet, or tune in the evening news and find some piece of good news. The economy is down; the homosexual lobbyists are howling at a high pitch; and contentious politicians are constantly vilifying their opponents and lying. Then, there is the fear of war, terrorist attacks, and disease epidemics. The constant barrage of bad news can wear us all down. Sadly, the bad news we see today is child’s play compared to what is on the horizon. The Bible tells us that there is coming a time when the saints of the Most High will be worn out.

Daniel 7:25

He [referring to the little horn associated with the fourth beast] shall speak pompous words against the Most High,

Shall persecute^* [literally wear out] the saints of the Most High,

And shall intend to change times and law.

Then the saints shall be given into his hand

For a time and times and half a time.

The NKJV of the Bible says the saints of the Most High will face a time of persecution from the little horn at the time of the end. Most translations use the literal meaning, “wear out.” According to the Brown-Driver-Briggs Hebrew Lexicon, the Hebrew word (1080 in Strong’s Concordance) means to “wear away, out… [and is] figurative for harass continually….” Strong’s Concordance points out that this wearing out refers to mental affliction.

Have you ever been harassed? Have you ever been besieged by constant and persistent threats and demands? Living under the threat of abuse or something bad happening will literally wear a person out. A few verses earlier, Daniel recorded this statement:

Daniel 7:21-22

²¹ "I was watching; and the same horn was making war against the saints, and prevailing against them, ²² until the Ancient of Days came, and a judgment was made in favor of the saints of the Most High, and the time came for the saints to possess the kingdom.

When will these events occur? Are there other scriptures that help clarify our understanding of this time when the saints are worn out?

Though we may feel worn out right now by life’s events, we have to admit that the Church of God has not really faced severe persecution for a long time. The language of verse 21 indicates that the horn – which represents the great false religious power behind the end time resurrection of the Holy Roman Empire – will make war against the saints until the coming of the Ancient of Days. The severe persecution will last for 3½ years and will end when Christ returns and the saints possess the Kingdom.

Daniel wrote further about this time in Daniel 12.

Daniel 12:7

Then I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the river, when he held up his right hand and his left hand to heaven, and swore by Him who lives forever, that it shall be for a time, times, and half a time; and when the power of the holy people has been completely shattered [dashed to pieces, destroyed], all these things shall be finished.

During this three and a half year period, the power of the people of God will be completely destroyed and then it will all be over. In the New Testament, Jesus Christ told the disciples that there would come a time when true believers would be hated for their beliefs.

Matthew 10:22-23

22 And you will be hated by all for My name's sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in this city, flee to another. …before the Son of Man comes.

A time is coming when members of the Church of God will be hated, literally detested, pursued and persecuted. The word for “hate” in this verse is not referring to just your regular everyday hatred. Church members will be looked upon with extreme and intense dislike and hostility. People will feel disgust at us and treat us maliciously for no justifiable reason. Christ pointed out that the result of these hostile feelings will be overt persecution impelling us to flee.

In Revelation 12, this time is spoken of in more detail.

Revelation 12:7, 9-17

⁷ And war broke out in heaven: … ⁹ So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. ¹⁰ Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, "Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down.

The time being referred to is right before the final end time events. Verse 11 jumps ahead to the end of the story and offers encouragement. The indication is that God’s people hold on and overcome; they endure the persecution and harassment even to the point of death.

¹¹ And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death.

Satan’s wrath is intensified because he knows his time is short.

¹² Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time."

Verse 13 comes back to the time of Satan being cast out of heaven.

¹³ Now when the dragon saw that he had been cast to the earth, he persecuted the woman who gave birth to the male Child.

At the time Satan is cast down, the entire church will suffer persecution. The Greek word for “persecuted” indicates that Satan will come after church members with such harassment and persecution that we will have to flee (see Thayer’s on Greek 1377: dioko). What is the result?

¹⁴ But the woman was given two wings of a great eagle, that she might fly into the wilderness to her place, where she is nourished for a time and times and half a time, from the presence of the serpent.

After suffering some persecution, part of the church is taken to a place away from the Devil for 3½ years. There, God cares for, nourishes and feeds His people. Verse 17 goes back to the time of extreme persecution that Daniel wrote of.

¹⁷ And the dragon was enraged with the woman, and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Jesus Christ.^*

Those left behind will suffer the real brunt of Satan’ wrath carried out by the beast power mentioned in Revelation 13:7, “It was granted to him [the beast power] to make war with the saints and to overcome them.”

A warning is given in Revelation 14 that applies to everyone on earth, but especially to those in the Church who are suffering through the severe persecution.

Revelation 14:9-10, 12-13

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. …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."

Though the Bible indicates that there are very tough times ahead for some in the Church of God, there is good news for those who endure and stand fast and faithful to God’s way of life.

Revelation 20:4

4 And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the word of God, who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands. And they lived and reigned with Christ for a* thousand years.

Whether we are in a place of protection or in the midst of the greatest persecution ever known, we can take comfort in the promises of God. If we hold firm in our beliefs and commitment, we will receive what God has offered to us – entrance into the Kingdom of God and being a king and priest under Jesus Christ. Though we may be worn out in this life now and in the years ahead, there will be a time when we are worn out no more!