We are in a time when the preparations are being made for the Son to come
“See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone, and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against him.“
There are tests going on and the Father gives disciples tests to see whether their hearts are yet righteous. Will they behave as God wills in a situation where someone needs saving from some distress or will they find fault. They might pass this test, perhaps to their own surprise. Then comes the peace. The Son is seeking and reaching out to those who pass the test. He is reaching out to those who reach out to Him and even to those who do not know to reach out. He is seeking them like a shepherd seeking every last sheep. He is reaching out to make peace with them and to show them mercy even while He is trampling the winepress of the wrath of God with clothes stained in blood of the wicked. He makes Himself known to them. The Holy Spirit is comforting them to show them the full power the Son has over all creation and this Son who will use this power against the wicked in the wrath of God will use the power He has and the love Almighty God has for Him to show mercy to those who are truly His who have progressed in righteousness to pass God’s tests.
