the empty promise, the empty threat

 I also will keep thee from the hour of temptation, which shall come upon all the world

 

God spoke these words to people that died 2,000 years ago. God knew full well the hour of temptation was thousands of years away. It accomplished a couple of things. It gave them comfort in an intolerable situation. It has deceived skeptics into deciding there is no hour of temptation. They'll go down without a fight.