There is coming upon all the world an hour of testing. The hour of testing will examine those who dwell on the earth. In the twenty-first chapter of Luke, Jesus spoke of the hour of testing.

In verse 36 of this chapter, Jesus refers to "all these things that shall come to pass:

Watch ye therefore, and pray always, that ye may be accounted worthy to escape all these things that shall come to pass, and to stand before the Son of man. (Luke 21:36)

Let us see what Christ was speaking of, commencing with verse six:

As for these things which ye behold, the days will come, in the which there shall not be left one stone upon another, that shall not be thrown down. (Luke 21:6)

The Temple of Herod will be demolished.

Many deceivers will come in Christ's name.

Nations and kingdoms will engage in war.

There will be earthquakes, famines, plagues, fearful sights, great signs from Heaven.

Christians will be persecuted, delivered up to synagogues and prisons, brought before kings and rulers for Jesus' sake.

The saints will be betrayed by parents, relatives and friends.

Some of the saints will be put to death.

Here is a remarkable fact. In verse 18 Jesus promises, "But there shall not a hair of your head perish." But two verses previously He prophesies, "some of you shall they cause to be put to death."

The Lord Jesus does not view persecution and death by martyrdom as being significant harm. In Revelation 3:10, Luke 21:36, Isaiah 43:2, and other passages promising deliverance to the saint, God's concern is with our well-being in His sight. Who would not willingly share Stephen's martyrdom if he could see "the glory of God, and Jesus standing on the right hand of God"?

Would you agree that not a hair of Stephen's head perished? This is literally true because his body, along with every hair on his head, will be raised from the dead in glory in the Day of Christ.

It is possible for the saint to be overly concerned with the physical well-being of himself and his family and not concerned enough with the spiritual well-being of himself and his family. But Christ emphasizes the spiritual, the relationship with God, the well-being of the soul.

"In your patience possess ye your souls" (Luke 21:19).

Patience; perseverance; endurance. Here is the quality required for success in the conduct of the victorious Christian life.

Jerusalem will be desolated and the Jews led away captive. There will be "great distress in the land, and wrath upon this people."

Jerusalem will be trodden down until the times of the nations have been fulfilled.

There will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars.

The nations will be distressed and perplexed.

The sea will roar and the waves surge.

Men will faint with fear in anticipation of what is coming on the world.

The powers of the heavens will be shaken.

Then all the world will behold the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory.

All these are the events that will take place in the world, from the days that Jesus' disciples asked Him about the end-time until He comes again with power and great glory.