God gave that promise to the church at Philadelphia.
Did you ever check to see if God removed them physically when persecution came? I did.
God NEVER physically moved them out of there. As a matter of fact,
ELEVEN of them ended up being martyred along with Polycarp.
So to keep them from the time of trial wasn't to remove them physically, but to
keep them strong with their faith intact through the persecution.
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I don't understand why you are limiting the promise of Rev. 3:10 to ONLY the church in Philadelphia. This promise from our Lord is not for their immediate persecution troubles in Philadelphia but rather FAR into the future. All seven of these letters, (God's number of completion), represent all of the churches throughout the ages.
How do we know this promise is future? Because the context proves this. Look at the last part of verse 10 carefully, it indicates the time. "..
which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth." Nothing yet, in history, has come upon
the whole world to test those that live upon it. Only the Great Tribulation period would fit this statement.
Additionally, in some of the other church letters of Revelation, we see other future promises that have nothing to do with their time period. Examples:
1) Rev. 2:10 - I will give thee the crown of life. (Future for all believers)
2) Rev. 2:11 - He.. shall not be hurt of the second death. (Future for all believers)
3) Rev. 2:17 - to him will I give of the hidden manna (Future for all believers)
4) Rev. 2:17 - I will give him a white stone, and upon the stone a new name written, which no one knows but he that receives it. (Future for all believers)
5) Rev. 2:26 - he that keeps my works unto the end, I shall give to him authority over the nations: (Future for all believers)
6) Rev. 2:28 - I will give him the morning star. (Future for all believers)
7) Rev. 3:5 - He.. shall thus be arrayed in white garments (Future for all believers)
8) Rev.3:5 - I will in no wise blot his name out of the book of life, (Future for all believers)
9) Rev. 3:5 - I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels. (Future for all believers)
10) Rev. 3:9 - I will make them to come and worship before thy feet, and to know that I have loved thee. (Future for all believers)
11) Rev. 3:10 - I also will keep thee from the time of trial, that time which is to come upon the whole world, to try them that dwell upon the earth. (Future for all believers)
12 Rev. 3:12 - I will make him a pillar in the temple of my God (Future for all believers)
13) Rev. 3:12 - I will write upon him the name of my God (Future for all believers)
14) Rev. 3:12 - the name of the city of my God (Future of all believers)
15) Rev. 3:12 - and mine own new name. (Future for all believers)
16) Rev. 3:21- I will give to him to sit down with me in my throne. (Future for all believers)
NOTE: Believers mentioned herein, are believers that constitute the church that Christ is building.
None of these 16 promises were promised in the lifetime of the immediate recipients. They were given as hopes towards the future.
That fact that many died in the early days of the church does not mean that the Lord will not keep His church, in the future, before the days of great tribulation, from those days. God has a purpose in all things and they are not open to question by His creation.
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