Rev 3:10: "Because you have kept My command to persevere, I also will keep you from the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world, to test those who dwell on the earth"
Do you see what I see in that scripture above?.... "Earth dwellers," as in those who "dwell" on the earth.
If "those who dwell" is only referring to people who LIVE on the earth, then why mention this? Is it not obvious that people live on earth and not in space?! There would be no need to confirm this if it were referring to those who LIVE here. So clearly "dwell" has a different meaning here.
There are two things mentioned here... "the hour of trial shall come upon the whole world" (so we know it will be for all nations).. and the second fact is "to test those who dwell on the earth"
Spiritually, someone who dwells on earth is someone who is of the world (non believer). Whereas believers are not of the world.
If the testing were to come upon everyone, both believers and non believers alike, then the message would've been given just from that first bit "the hour of trial which shall come upon the whole world" because that gets the point across on its own. So it's clear to me that there is a second fact mentioned, which refers to those who are of the world.... earth dwellers.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but this is what I've always seen when I've read this scripture.
I found another use of the word "dwellers" in Isaiah 18:3: "All inhabitants of the world and dwellers on the earth" so would be keen to get your thoughts on that, and any other scriptures relating to "dwellers" in a spiritual sense.
1 John 4:4-5: "You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world. They are of the world. Therefore they speak as of the world, and the world hears them"
John 15:18-19: “If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you"
1 John 2:15-17: "Do not love the world or the things in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it; but he who does the will of God abides forever"
No yelling please. Thanks