One of the most difficult things about prophecies is that many, if not most, carry more than one meaning. There can also be a large time lapse held within one prophecy. For instance, in the Old Testament the prophesies about the Messiah talked about his everlasting kingdom and his death. So the disciples were confused thinking Jesus was going to set up a physical kingdom on earth in their life time. Instead he was crucified.
This next passage is one of those kinds of prophecies. Jesus says “Brother will deliver up brother to death, and a father his child: and children will rise up against parents and cause them to be put to death. And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake, but he who endures to the end will be saved” (Mathew 10:21-22). This has been fulfilled many times, one of which was the holocaust. But it will be fulfilled again during the reign of the Anti-Christ.
Though we do not yet see the Anti-Christ, the principle of persecution holds true. Often the family member who is a follower of Jesus is persecuted by the rest of the family. In America, for now, it only means ridicule and possible isolation. In other countries it means sure death.
As we learn to rely on God now to give us the strength to overcome the persecution we face, we are learning to trust in him. So that when it comes to life threatening persecution, we already know how to trust in him and he will sustain our faith.
