Over the past two weeks, I have been trying to put together my views on the current Coronavirus situation and how it could relate to the book of Revelation. (You can refer to my previous post about Coronavirus and the times we are currently living in here.)
I am not trying to be a prophet but simply to study out Scripture and evaluate our culture according to what it teaches.
“The secret things belong to YHVH our God, but those things which are revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may do all the words of this Torah” (Deuteronomy 29:29).
Several years ago, I was first introduced to a view of the book of Revelation called the “historicist” view, which simply means that the events foretold in the book would be revealed over the remaining periods of history, from the writing of the book by John until Yeshua returns to set up His heavenly kingdom at the end of time.
I had always been taught a “futurist” view of Revelation, that all of the prophecies it contains will be fulfilled in a yet-future time, usually over seven years. However, there are numerous problems with that view, especially if we believe that all Scripture needs to be interpreted according to a Torah perspective rather than through a view that removes Israel from the promises of God.
When we see how God wrote down the history of the modern world in the book of Revelation, and how it has been fulfilled accurately and completely, all the way up until our current times, our faith in the providence and wisdom of God is greatly strengthened.
“As for God, His way is perfect;
The word of YHVH is proven” (Psalm 18:30).
When we realize that God revealed the future (which is the past from our current spot in time), we just stand amazed! However, why is it so amazing? Would He be God if He didn’t have this ability?
“Who has ascended into heaven, or descended?
Who has gathered the wind in His fists?
Who has bound the waters in a garment?
Who has established all the ends of the earth?
What is His name, and what is His Son’s name,
If you know?“Every word of God is pure;
He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.
Do not add to His words,
Lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar” (Proverbs 30:4-6).
The current Coronavirus “plague” that is affecting the entire world seems to fit the prophecies of Revelation, which is why I am writing this blog post today.
However, it’s important to remember not to use Revelation to predict the future dogmatically.
Isaac Newton, who was a staunch defender of the historicist view of Revelation, wrote the following:
“The folly of Interpreters has been, to foretell times and things by this Prophecy, as if God designed to make them Prophets. By this rashness they have not only exposed themselves, but brought the Prophecy also into contempt.” (Isaac Newton, Observations Upon the Prophecies of Daniel and the Apocalypse of St. John, p. 251. Read more here…)
I don’t wish to bring the book of Revelation “into contempt” by misinterpreting what is happening in our current events, but I do hope to convince you to be ready for the return of Yeshua.
Revelation, Wise Virgins… and What to Do About It
This first video concentrates on the prophecies of Revelation 16-20. I urge you to be a “wise virgin” and have “oil in your lamp.”
Key Point:
Frequently Asked Questions about Revelation
This second video was made to answer some of the questions we received about the book of Revelation. This video will help if you are not familiar with the historicist view.
The Second Exodus
We received quite a few questions about the Second Exodus, which I refer to in the above videos. I have made a third video to cover this important topic.
“Even so, come, Master Yeshua! The grace of our Master Yeshua the Messiah be with you all. Amen” (Revelation 22:20-21).
Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture in this blog post taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
I have read some of your material and listened to your teaching on Revelation and I appreciate your work, love of the truth and desire to obey Torah. I believe I can trust your judgment concerning the following situation, if you have time to read and reply. This is long, so please bear with me. Everyone involved is claiming to be TO.
I have elderly parents living out in the country (mom and step-dad—this man did not raise me, they were married long after I became an adult). Me and my disabled veteran husband were given the property (signed over) so that we could renovate the garage into a living space to be near my parents and help out on the property and help each other out. The property is paid for—no mortgage. At the time my mother (nearly 90) was having problems with her hip and knee and was falling down (it’s much better now). She also is starting to have memory problems. Neither parent can hear well and refuse to wear hearing aids which also causes a lot of confusion and misunderstanding. My step-dad is about 14 years younger than my mom.
Because it was going to cost at least $40,000 to renovate the garage is one reason why we either needed to be added to the deed or signed over, and it was my parents, esp. my step-dad, who decided it would be better to sign it over.
Discussions were about sharing/splitting the cost of Personal Property taxes and such things—remember there is no mortgage.
I discovered that the Home Owner’s Insurance policy that my parents had on the property was NOT replacement cost. It was grossly undervalued. The policy was decades old and no one ever bothered to go over the policy annually or even after 30 years!!! If they had had a fire or total damage of some kind, they would have had to take out a mortgage to cover what the policy did not cover—keep this in mind.
When the Personal Property taxes came due in early December, I paid it in full ($413 for 6 months of the year—the bill comes out twice a year) and my mom was going to give me half of the amount, but I wanted to make things easy and be generous and pay the whole amount this time, because my step-dad was doing most of the work on the renovation (he is a good carpenter and handyman) and I felt that it would be a nice way to show our gratitude (even though my step-dad has spent all of his years after retirement working for the neighbors, friends and family helping with projects and renovations for no charge at all).
A new Home Owner’s Insurance policy had to be purchased that would cover everything at replacement value. Because it was sticker shock to get the appropriate coverage on each dwelling separately (which is somewhat of a problem because normally there are not two primary residences on the same property), I went ahead and paid the full amount of the cost of both dwellings ($2800 total) and told my dad that they would have a year to save up and pay for the next bill ($1425) on their dwelling (and I will pay for separate overage on our dwelling in one year).
In the middle of the renovation, the well died. My step dad said he knew it was a problem over a year earlier, but chose for it to completely die knowing full well that he and his wife need water whether we are there or not. It was in the middle of summer during the renovation and everyone had to join a local fitness center in order to get showers, go to the laundry mat to wash clothes, and buy gallons and gallons of water to drink and flush the toilet with. This lasted about 3 weeks until the new well was put in. My step-dad requested that we pay for half the cost. The well house was put up by him, and I paid for all of the materials because my step-dad simply didn’t use his own Credit Card to pay for half, over $1000. I paid $4000 in all on the well and well house alone.
There was an accident where the gas line was cut by the septic tank man because my step-dad never had the lines marked and didn’t call someone to mark them—-I don’t know how things work out in the county and my step-dad wasn’t keeping me apprised of some of the things that needed to be done or how, etc .–he likes to control things. My parents have been there for over 35 years and should know. My step-dad insisted that I pay for his irresponsibility ($675), since the renovation project is for “my benefit”. When I talked to my mom in private, she agreed that it was their irresponsibility that led to the gas leak and that she would secretly give me the money so that her husband won’t know, but I was already finding out some disturbing things about my step-dad and told her not to worry about it and not to sneak me any money.
All in all we have paid around $6000 for all these things ON TOP of the renovation project. In addition, I contributed several hundred dollars worth of toilet paper and paper towels to store up in case we have another crazy run on it like we had at the beginning of cvd. I have contributed to household items and food, etc. since I have been staying there part of the week while working on the renovation. I also paid about $7000 for a new metal garage for my step-dad, so that he would still have a garage after we renovate the original garage.
After we paid for all these things, my parents (really my step-dad speaking through my mom who can’t remember things and gets confused) announced with no discussion that they will not be paying for their own PP taxes, or the home owners policy that covers the dwelling that they live in. My step-dad smugly said he would not have changed/updated the policy (which would have increased the bill a long time ago if covered properly) and now that the property is in my name, it’s “your property” and they don’t think they should have to pay anything more than Renter’s Insurance (that was the way the homeowners insurance company worked it out to be covered (not me), except their contents would not be covered, just the house). My mom is now claiming that there was never any discussion about paying for half of these costs (because most of the conversations were between me and my step-dad so my mom would not remember something she wasn’t involved in, and part of the reason for that is because she is declining in her memory and hearing and gets herself confused easily). But my step-dad knows what he told me. My sister was shocked that our mom agreed with and even spoke for her husband and thinks she is being threatened by him to say these things. I think it is a case of her being a victim of verbal abuse for over 35 years and him brainwashing her to agree with him.
Now, mind you, my step-dad is making a big point to say it’s my property when it comes to the bills, but he wants to dictate how the property is managed such as how many vehicles we can have and other things as if he is still the property owner running the show. I was perfectly willing to allow him to “operate as usual” so as to “respect” my parents, but I was not expecting him to try and control everything (before I realized what kind of person he really is). I want so much to call him out (I am NO enabler like my mom) but I still need him to complete the renovation. When he finally hears the words, “This is my property and you cannot control everything that goes on around here”, I’m afraid my house will go up in smoke.
He knows we have some money from the sale of our home in another state, was asking my sister if she knew how much and because I have been very generous (not knowing what kind of person he really is), I see that he is taking advantage of us for his own gain. When he and my mom married, it was her that had property, he didn’t have a pot to pee in. Also, he has three daughters that do not give him the time of day and I can now see it is because he verbally and emotionally abused them growing up.
My mom can’t remember trying to pay half of the PP taxes just a few weeks ago and my step-dad is going with it, and she has completely flipped on agreeing with me about who’s responsibility the gas line break is.
My mom has revealed that her husband has been “raising his voice to her, has a quick temper, is controlling, is very impatient and doesn’t show any fruits of the Spirit and knows he is not right with Yah”, even though he goes along with Torah Observance. I have witnessed these bad behaviors (and more) and have been the on the receiving end of several pretty loud, angry outbursts of hateful sarcasm for no reason. Everyone must walk on eggshells around him as he looks to be offended and then gets angry. The verbal abuse is causing me a lot of stress and “buyer’s remorse” to realize what we are going to have to put up with—no peace living with a unrepentant controlling verbal/financial abuser. But now that we have invested so much money to live there, and the Will says they can live there until they die, we are pretty much stuck with this man.
The question is, is it fair for the parents not to pay for what directly benefits them to live there—-to pay for half of the PP Taxes and the Home Owner’s Ins. on their dwelling? Any other observations, comments or questions are welcome. Thank you and shalom!