The Daily Word of Righteousness

A Missing Element, #5

And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of [the] great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. (Revelation 7:14)

The latter rain that falls in Israel during the spring causes the wheat to come to maturity. After the rain will come the hot sun so the heads of wheat will be firm. Rain during the time of harvest is injurious to the crop.

The same is true of the Church, the Bride of the Lamb. The latter rain of the Spirit of God will cause much growth to take place in the Church. But it will be the hot sun of persecution and tribulation that brings the Bride to perfection.

Multitudes of saints will wash their robes and make them white during the tribulation.

Character transformation takes place when we suffer.

Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. (James 1:3)

And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; (Romans 5:3)

We enter the Kingdom of God (not Heaven!) through much tribulation.

Confirming the souls of the disciples, and exhorting them to continue in the faith, and that we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of God. (Acts 14:22)

Tribulation makes us obedient to God.

Though he were a Son, yet learned he obedience by the things which he suffered; (Hebrews 5:8)

Suffering makes us worthy of the Kingdom of God.

. . . that ye may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which ye also suffer: (II Thessalonians 1:5)

Tribulation enables us to see our weaknesses, humbles us, and teaches us to lean on Jesus for everything.

And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. (II Corinthians 12:9)

Only those who suffer in Christ will be coheirs of the Kingdom with the Lord Jesus.

And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. (Romans 8:17)

Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life. (Revelation 2:10)

The following verses add another dimension to our understanding of the Job-like afflictions, trials, persecutions the saint endures.

I beheld, and the same horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them; Until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom. (Daniel 7:21,22)

The idea is that Antichrist retains the authority to harass the saints and to prevail against them until God decides it is time for the saints to be seated on the thrones of power and glory.

To be continued.