Atrocities such as the Spanish Inquisition, were foretold to be inflicted upon faithful Christians, many of whom would not compromise their beliefs, even under great pressure. For example, “Keep watch over yourselves and over all the flock, of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God that he obtained with the blood of his own Son. I know that after I have gone, savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock.” (Acts 20:28,29 NRSV). The “savage wolves” who were foretold to ‘not spare the flock’ would include those “Christian” leaders who would inflict terrible persecutions and sufferings upon others, all in the name of Christ.

The “seven churches” of chapters 2 and 3 of Revelation give an advance picture of the future situation of Christians under varying conditions by what “the Spirit says to the churches” (Revelation 1:120; 2:7).

Revelation 2:9,10 – “afflictions . . . poverty” (NIV) – Christians were foretold to have to endure under very harsh and miserable conditions, including extreme poverty and persecution, even to the point of “prison” and “death.”

Revelation 2:9 – “Slander of those who say they are [spiritual] Jews and are not, but are a synagogue of Satan” (NIV) – False Christians, both individually and as groups, were foretold to cause many problems for true Christians in the church.

Revelation 2:9 – “Yet you are rich!” (NIV) – Some Christians were foretold to be spiritually rich, “rich in good works” (1 Timothy 6:18 NAB), for example.

Revelation 2:10 – “The devil will put some of you into prison to test you. Be faithful, even to the point of death” (NIV) – Some Christians were foretold to be “tested” (NAB), by being mistreated, even imprisoned for their faith, and some are even killed for their faith. 

Revelation 2:13  – “You live where Satan’s throne is, and yet you hold fast to my name and have not denied your faith in me, not even in the days of Antipas, my faithful witness, who was martyred among you, where Satan lives” (NAB) – Some Christians where foretold to live where nationalism, paganism, or even apostate Christianity, is very influential, even extreme, and have come under tremendous pressure to conform to nationalistic practices, and the world. Some Christians have endured such pressures and persecutions faithfully, no matter how severely they have been mistreated. 

Revelation 3:8,10 (NAB) – “I have left an open door before you, which no one can close.” Jesus has always made a way so that the gospel can be spread, no matter what the conditions are. “You have limited strength, and you have kept my word and have not denied my name.” Some Christians in the church have had very limited physical, and/or financial strength, and/or suffered under severe persecution, and, yet, were very faithful and bold in their Christianity, because they “kept [Jesus’] message about endurance.”

While the Spanish Inquisition was not the only type of atrocities that “Christians” were foretold to inflict upon others, it certainly was one of the most notorious.