{Mat 24:29-31 HNV} But immediately after the oppression of those days, the sun will be darkened, the moon will not give its light, the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken; and then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky. Then all the tribes of the eretz will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory. He will send out his angels with a great sound of a shofar, and they will gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.
AFTER the tribulation (oppression)
This is an important starting point for this study, and important to understand before we dive into Revelation. The common counter-argument I've seen is, "God would not allow his bride to suffer." This is a very weak argument, and there are numerous scriptures to show the opposite. Below is a SMALL sampling showing God not only ALLOWS us to suffer, He CALLS us to suffer.
{Jhn 17:15 HNV} I pray not that you would take them from the world, but that you would keep them from the evil one.
{Psa 88:15 HNV} I am afflicted and ready to die from my youth up. While I suffer your terrors, I am distracted.
{Act 5:41 HNV} They therefore departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for Yeshua's name.
This last one was spoken AFTER Peter and John were STONED for speaking about Yeshu'ah. They were CALLED to suffer, as we are called to suffer. Stephen was stoned for His witness - yet you believe you will be vanished from any suffering to come? This modern belief comes from the lust of the flesh to NOT DIE. As Paul says, you must, YOU MUST - CRUCIFY your flesh with it's passions and desires.
Is crucifixion a pleasant experience? Crucifixion is shameful, painful - and Christ - our Messiah? He showed us what we must do, to inherit the Kingdom of God.
{Rom 8:17 HNV} and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Messiah; if indeed we suffer with him, that we may also be glorified with him.
We are called to SUFFER WITH HIM
{2Co 1:6 HNV} But if we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which works in the patient enduring of the same sufferings which we also suffer.
AFFLICTED for our salvation.
{Phl 1:29 HNV} Because it has been granted to you on behalf of Messiah, not only to believe in him, but also to suffer on his behalf,
Suffer on His behalf.
{1Th 3:4 HNV} For most assuredly, when we were with you, we told you beforehand that we are to suffer affliction, even as it happened, and you know.
That we ARE to suffer affliction. This last one is important as the proof text for vanishing away from affliction is in chapter 4 of this epistle. If we ARE to suffer affliction, as Paul told them beforehand, how can we say that God will "rapture" us away?
{2Th 1:5 HNV} This is an obvious sign of the righteous judgment of God, to the end that you may be counted worthy of the Kingdom of God, for which you also suffer.
{2Ti 2:9 HNV} in which I suffer hardship to the point of chains as a criminal. But God's word isn't chained.
{2Ti 3:12 HNV} Yes, and all who desire to live godly in Messiah Yeshua will suffer persecution.
{2Ti 4:5 HNV} But you be sober in all things, suffer hardship, do the work of an evangelist, and fulfill your ministry.
{1Pe 3:14 HNV} But even if you should suffer for righteousness' sake, you are blessed. "Don't fear what they fear, neither be troubled."
All of these point to the same thing - that we live righteously and glorify our SUFFERING in them.
This comes after Peter states this:
{1Pe 2:18-22 HNV} Servants, be in subjection to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the wicked. For it is commendable if someone endures pain, suffering unjustly, because of conscience toward God. For what glory is it if, when you sin, you patiently endure beating? But if, when you do well, you patiently endure suffering, this is commendable with God. For to this you were called, because Messiah also suffered for us, leaving you an example, that you should follow his steps, who did not sin, "neither was deceit found in his mouth."
It is COMMENDABLE to suffer in BEATINGS for living a righteous life. And Messiah is our EXAMPLE who DID NOT SIN, yet bore our stripes. This is the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Yeshu'ah laid the example for us all to follow, and as the author of Hebrews states;
{Heb 12:3-12 HNV} For consider him who has endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, that you don't grow weary, fainting in your souls. You have not yet resisted to blood, striving against sin; and you have forgotten the exhortation which reasons with you as with sons, "My son, don't take lightly the chastening of the Lord, Nor faint when you are reproved by him; For whom the Lord loves, he chastens, And scourges every son whom he receives." It is for discipline that you endure. God deals with you as with sons, for what son is there whom his father doesn't discipline? But if you are without discipline, whereof all have been made partakers, then are you illegitimate, and not sons. Furthermore, we had the fathers of our flesh to chasten us, and we paid them respect. Shall we not much rather be in subjection to the Father of spirits, and live? For they indeed, for a few days, punished us as seemed good to them; but he for our profit, that we may be partakers of his holiness. All chastening seems for the present to be not joyous but grievous; yet afterward it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been exercised thereby. Therefore, lift up the hands that hang down and the feeble knees,
The CHASTENING is NOT of sinners, as Peter says - such a person deserves to be beaten. Confessing Jesus doesn't make the Father blind to your ongoing and future sins. What the author is saying is the same thing Peter says, our second witness. That we suffer reproach, and affliction and discipline AS SAINTS, NOT SINNING against God's law. (all sin is lawlessness)
The Father wants and desires that we go through the refining fire and suffer for righteousness. He let His only Son go through that refining.
{Isa 53:10 HNV} Yet it pleased the LORD to bruise him; he has put him to grief: when you shall make his soul an offering for sin, he shall see [his] seed, he shall prolong his days, and the pleasure of the LORD shall prosper in his hand.
It pleases the Father to bruise us who are following the way of righteousness. We have this modern idea that God wouldn't allow his bride to suffer, but this is man made love of the flesh. Remember:
{1Co 15:39-42 HNV} All flesh is not the same flesh, but there is one flesh of men, another flesh of animals, another of fish, and another of birds. There are also celestial bodies, and terrestrial bodies; but the glory of the celestial differs from that of the terrestrial. There is one glory of the sun, another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for one star differs from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption.
This flesh is still corrupt, and has to die - it cannot inherit incorruption. If you are a Saint of Father - following the example of the Son, you will gladly take the beatings he brings - just as Job did as another example for us.
God allowed Job to be beaten, bruised, all of his family destroyed except his wife. God refined Job in that for the coming resurrection - and desires to refine each of us, IF we are willing and obedient.
{2Co 11:2 HNV} For I am jealous over you with a godly jealousy. For I married you to one husband, that I might present you as a pure virgin to Messiah.
{2Pe 3:11-14, 17 HNV} Therefore since all these things are thus to be destroyed, what manner of persons ought you to be in holy living and godliness, looking for and earnestly desiring the coming of the day of God, by reason of which the heavens being on fire will be dissolved, and the elements will melt with fervent heat? But, according to his promise, we look for new heavens and a new eretz, in which dwells righteousness. Therefore, beloved, seeing that you look for these things, be diligent to be found in shalom, without blemish and blameless in his sight. ... You therefore, beloved, knowing these things beforehand, beware lest, being carried away with the error of the wicked, you fall from your own steadfastness.
We should be living a life unspotted from the world. No longer living our life in the passions and desires of the gentiles (unsaved) Living a righteous life, is the start of the testimony of Yeshu'ah.
{1Jo 3:4-8 HNV} Everyone who sins also commits lawlessness. Sin is lawlessness. You know that he was revealed to take away our sins, and in him is no sin. Whoever remains in him doesn't sin. Whoever sins hasn't seen him, neither knows him. Little children, let no one lead you astray. He who does righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has been sinning from the beginning. To this end the Son of God was revealed, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
A born again believer should be overcoming sin. That should be our pattern of living, continuing to obey and be sanctified in the truth of Torah.
{Rev 19:6-8 HNV} I heard something like the voice of a great multitude, and like the voice of many waters, and like the voice of mighty thunders, saying, "Halleluyah! For the Lord our God, Shaddai, reigns! Let us rejoice and be exceedingly glad, and let us give the glory to him. For the marriage of the Lamb has come, and his wife has made herself ready." It was given to her that she would array herself in bright, pure, fine linen: for the fine linen is the righteous acts of the holy ones.
Without those righteous deeds, you will not be wearing the right clothing.
{Mat 22:11-13 HNV} But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn't have on wedding clothing, and he said to him, 'Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?' He was speechless. Then the king said to the servants, 'Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness; there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.'
We want to make sure we have the right clothes, and that starts with total submission to the will of Yah. Do the will of the Father, don't be a hypocrite, a white washed tomb like the Pharisees.
What is God's righteousness?
{Rom 7:12 HNV} Therefore the law indeed is holy, and the mitzvah holy, and righteous, and good.
{Rom 8:4 HNV} that the ordinance of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.
{Rom 3:31 HNV} Do we then nullify the law through faith? May it never be! No, we establish the law.
God's righteousness is defined by the law of God, which he gave Moses on the mount. The difference in the covenant, is not the absence of God's eternal law.
{Psa 19:7 HNV} The LORD's law is perfect, restoring the soul. The LORD's testimony is sure, making wise the simple.
{Isa 8:16 HNV} Bind up the testimony, seal the law among my talmidim.
The law is perfect (which is why it's not abolished) restoring (or saving) the soul.
The Lord's testimony is sure.
{Exo 40:20 HNV} He took and put the testimony into the teivah, and set the poles on the ark, and put the mercy seat above on the ark.
What is the testimony?
{Exo 34:29 HNV} It happened, when Moshe came down from Mount Sinai with the two tablets of the testimony in Moshe's hand, when he came down from the mountain, that Moshe didn't know that the skin of his face shone by reason of his speaking with him.
The ten commandments are the testimony of Yeshu'ah - remember no one has seen the Father at any time, except for the Son. it was Yeshu'ah's hand that wrote the ten words.
John also explains this in the need for keeping the commandments, and the testimony of Yeshu'ah.
{Rev 12:17 HNV} The dragon grew angry with the woman, and went away to make war with the rest of her seed, who keep God's mitzvot and hold Yeshua's testimony.
God's mitzvot (more than the ten commandments, this includes what you eat - Leviticus 11 is the same God) and Yeshu'ah's testimony. Now, John is clearly delineating between the commandments and the testimony. Thankfully, John also tells us the testimony of Yeshu'ah.
{Rev 19:10 HNV} I fell down before his feet to worship him. He said to me, "Look! Don't do it! I am a fellow bondservant with you and with your brothers who hold the testimony of Yeshua. Worship God, for the testimony of Yeshua is the Spirit of Prophecy."
The testimony of Yeshua is the Spirit of Prophecy.
You should be HEARING God.
{Jhn 10:27 HNV} My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.
This means, exactly what John says. You should be hearing the voice of God. Not just from reading your Bible, but actively hearing and speaking to the Father, and the Son through the Holy Spirit of Promise.
As Paul tells us, prophecy should be the earnest desire of ALL saints.
{1Co 14:3-5, 22, 24-25, 29, 31-33 HNV} But he who prophesies speaks to men for their edification, exhortation, and consolation. He who speaks in another language edifies himself, but he who prophesies edifies the assembly. Now I desire to have you all speak with other languages, but rather that you would prophesy. For he is greater who prophesies than he who speaks with other languages, unless he interprets, that the assembly may be built up. ... Therefore other languages are for a sign, not to those who believe, but to the unbelieving; but prophesying is for a sign, not to the unbelieving, but to those who believe. ... But if all prophesy, and someone unbelieving or unlearned comes in, he is reproved by all, and he is judged by all. And thus the secrets of his heart are revealed. So he will fall down on his face and worship God, declaring that God is among you indeed. ... Let the prophets speak, two or three, and let the others discern. ... For you all can prophesy one by one, that all may learn, and all may be exhorted. The spirits of the prophets are subject to the prophets, for God is not a God of confusion, but of shalom. As in all the assemblies of the holy ones,
{1Th 5:19-22 HNV} Don't quench the Spirit. Don't despise prophesies. Test all things, and hold firmly that which is good. Abstain from every form of evil.
Prophesying should be the desire of every Saint - and this is not just reading scripture. It's a sign for those who believe. Anyone can pick up the Scriptures and read them. Not every believer, hears the voice of God, and is commanded to speak words prophetically to exhort and edify the assembly.
That testimony is what God earnestly desires from His children.
Shalom and blessings to you all.