THE
LATTER RAIN
REVIVALTHERE IS A GENUINE LATTER RAIN REVIVAL, OR END-TIME REVIVAL, ALSO KNOWN AS 'JOEL'S OUTPOURING' OR 'HOSEA'S REVIVAL'. THEN THERE IS THE PRESENT FALSE "LATTER RAIN" TEACHING RELATED TO THE 'KINGDOM NOW' MOVEMENT. THE FUTURE EPIC OUTPOURING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT IS PROPHESIED FOR THE END-TIME. IT WILL COME TO A CLIMAX AT THE LAST DAY.
A study by Gavin Finley MD
endtimepilgrim.org May 2004
"The Final Prayer" by Jewish artist Yossi Rosenstein.
This magnificent painting captures the awe and drama of
the final regathering of all God's elect people at the climax
of this age. Prints of this image are available from the Israeli
Poster Center. Click on the image to go to the gallery website.
THE HOLY SPIRIT OUTPOURING ON THE DAY OF PENTECOST.
Nearly 2000 years ago in the year of our Lord's passion, the Holy Spirit fell on the 120 gathered in the upper room. Right there in Jerusalem, the city of God's peace, the Holy Spirit came down in a glorious flooding wave. On that very calendar day and on the feast appointed the Day of Pentecost had fully arrived. It was fifty days after the Feast of Firstfruits), At nine o'clock in the morning, the Feast of Pentecost emerged into it's New Covenant fulfillment. When Peter preached that day 3,000 were saved.
AND THE PROMISE OF A GREAT REVIVAL AT THE END OF THE AGEThey came to salvation the same way people have always been saved. They were saved by the grace of God through faith in the atoning blood of Israel's promised Sacrifice Lamb. The number saved, 3,000, is important. The Pentecostal outpouring was a visitation of grace. Those 3,000 saved by grace were a counterpoint to the 3,000 that died under the law back at Mount Sinai. The outpouring came on the same Hebrew calendar day that former epic day of trembling and visitation. It had been the 7th of Sivan when Moses brought down the Torah or the Law from the mountain. Both these blockbuster events occurred on the very same Hebrew calendar day.
The Day of Pentecost coming on the 7th of Sivan was was the birthday of Israel.
Now this same holy day, the Feast of Pentecost, became the birthday of the Church.This shared birthday of Israel and the Church should not come as a surprise to us. The Church was Romanized at the Council of Nicea. So we as Christian believers in the west have a Greco-Roman, even a gentile/heathen perspective on the Christian Church. We are in partial blindness to our Hebrew Roots. See these YouTube videos. The Church back on that epic Day of Pentecost was not a gentile/heathen company. In its historical context the Church is easily seen to be the launching of the globally expansion phase of the Congregation of Israel. or what our Apostle Paul termed the Commonwealth of Israel. This was a direct fulfillment of Isaiah's prophecy. See Isaiah 49:6. The Church was a new phenomenon in its international scope. But the salvation came from the same Source in Israel. The people coming in with the Holy Spirit outpouring came from outside of national Israel. But they were still part of a single Elect, now becoming an international company of saints. The Congregation of Israel, no matter what their DNA, took their salvation from the indwelling Christ, the promised Seed of Israel. (Gal.3:29) The company was based in Israel. But it was now going global.
The prophecy over Israel's patriarch Joseph was that he would be a fruitful bough crossing over the wall. But this single Elect did not just cross borders and geographical space. The Chosen people also crossed the centuries traversing time. The Elect were part of a continuous line of people going all the way back to righteous Abel, Enoch, and the early patriarchs. At Pentecost during 32 A.D., that crucial crucifixion year, the international agenda of the Holy One of Israel had shifted into overdrive. The Church, the Congregation of Israel had begun to expand mightily in the Holy Spirit outpouring. That same outpouring continues to this day.
This banner Day of Pentecost was a day of great wonders. The disciples, empowered by the Holy Spirit, spilled out of the upper room into the streets of Jerusalem. They proceeded to bring the witness of Jesus Christ to the whole city. This was a magnificent revival on a scale never seen before in Israel's history.
It was in this tremendous boost of spiritual power that the Church would be launched as a global company. Like the river Jordan overflowing its banks in the time of the harvest, the Holy Spirit overflow would go beyond Jerusalem and Judea and Samaria. The downloaded Message of the Gospel was carried along in its power. The people of Jerusalem were the first to experience the divine shaking Presence of the God who came to save and to deliver. The Congregation of Israel expanded beyond the borders of Israel to spread out towards the ends of the earth. This was the Good News. Israel's salvation message was now available to all who repented of their sin and called out to the God of Israel for salvation. Israel's promised Son had come and defeated the powers of darkness in His death, burial and resurrection. Now the other Paraclete, the Holy Spirit, was on the scene. And he was coming in a magnificent flooding wave.
Empowered by the Holy Spirit the saints took the Gospel message westwards towards lost Israel and out to the the heathen gentiles in places abroad. The same Pentecostal outflow continues to this present day.
We are now in the 21st century. We have heard much talk and much preaching concerning a 'Latter Rain Revival' also known as 'Joel's Outpouring' or 'Hosea's Revival'. While we have seen some showers of true Holy Spirit revival in the past century they have not come anywhere near the glory we see prophesied for the genuine Latter Rain outpouring as we see it prophesied in the Holy Scriptures. The Pentecostal movement itself, which began early in the 20th century, has faded. It is now just another denomination. And the once glorious Charismatic Renewal here in the rich nations is now compromised and in serious decline. It has also been 'bought out' in part by the 'self' movement and turned into a multi-billion dollar a year religi-business. The true and essential Message, who is "Christ in you, the hope of glory", has been either taken out or mixed in with a lot of other dubious messages that are less than our 'high calling in Christ'. Now, much of what is left of the charismatic revival has been repackaged for sale to the masses in the religious markets of mammon. The Holy Spirit, the Paraclete whom Jesus said would be sent to come alongside us, (John 15:26), has been grieved. The One who is sent as our Comforter and Guide, even the Spirit if Truth, is not as evident in our charismatic services as He once was. This is truly unfortunate. There is a wonderful hope in the message and expectation of a genuine movement of Holy Spirit. But the message of the Latter Rain Revival has been mishandled by wolves in sheep's clothing. When the Holy Spirit is evident they claim it as the Latter Rain. Then using this anointing of the Holy Spirit as their main draw card they proceed to exploit the movement. Many of us were mightily blessed in the early years of the charismatic renewal. During those early years the Holy Spirit flowed in a much greater purity than we see today. Both of these once great Holy Spirit revivals are now either spent or winding down.
In all of this we must not lose hope. If Joel saw the peak of the Holy Spirit outpouring at the sixth seal in the days of a darkened sun and a bloody moon then know for a certainty that the really big moves of the Holy Spirit are yet future. If the revivals we have today are winding down then all this means is that something much bigger than we have ever seen is still out there and on the pathway up ahead. This great Latter Rain revival may be closer than we think. So let us be encouraged in this.
The scriptures clearly tell of a genuine blockbuster Holy Spirit revival which will power up towards the end of this age. (Joel 2:28-32, Isaiah 60:1-5, Zechariah 12:10-13:1 etc.) So we must not give up hope of seeing this great move of God and the "greater works" promised to us by God. - John 14:12 They will surely come. But it will be late. As the master of ceremonies at the wedding feast at Cana remarked to the bridegroom,
"You have saved the best wine until last!".
- John 2:10 That is just the way our God is.THE LATTER RAIN REVIVAL IS SCRIPTURAL AND GENUINE.
What then, can we say about today's much touted 'Latter Rain' Movement? In the midst of enormous controversy it does, (at least outwardly), seem to be going strong. The doctrine of a 'super-anointed' elite, also known as the 'five-fold ministry' or 'manchild company' or 'Joel's army' or a band of 'overcomers' is re-emerging in these heady days of prosperity and wealth. This 'Latter Rain Movement' is now beginning to take the church by storm.
BUT THE POLITICO-RELIGIOUS ELITIST 'LATTER RAIN MOVEMENT'
WAS CONDEMNED BY THE ASSEMBLIES OF GOD IN 1959 AS HERESY .Let us review some church history as it relates to this movement. Most Pentecostals and Charismatics are not aware of these things. The Latter Rain Movement is a politico-religious usurpation of a genuine move of God. We shall henceforth refer to the genuine article as the Latter Rain Revival. But the 'Latter Rain Movement' is something else. Unfortunately, like a wolf in sheep's clothing amongst the sheep, or tares amongst the wheat, it is sometimes hard to make out the difference between the genuine and the false. So here are a few pointers to help us to discern the true elements of Latter Rain Revival from the false elements in the 'Latter Rain Movement'
This powerful, super-wealthy militant LR Movement is in concert with the 'Kingdom Now Movement'. It in turn is linking up with the Reconstructionists in the old denominations. Their doctrine is called 'Dominion Theology'. There are dialogues going on also with the Jesuits, the militant arm of the Roman Catholic Church. These people mean business! When they talk 'unity' they mean exactly what they say.
Here is what they believe. They believe that their elite group of new mediators between God and man will literally take over the world, including its political and economic apparatus.
When did the Latter Rain Movement begin? It was not too long ago. The LR Movement had its beginnings in the years following World War 2. When they tried to mainline it into the Pentecostal churches it nearly split the church. It was an extremely controversial issue at the time. The true saints in the Pentecostal Church actually read their Bibles back in those days. They knew the genuine flows of the Holy Spirit. And they recognized immediately that this was a false movement sneaking into the church. (Would that we had such saints in our pews today). In 1959 the Assemblies of God took decisive action. They judged the doctrine of the 'Latter Rain Movement' in a decisive way. They condemned it as heresy.
THE LATTER RAIN MOVEMENT AND THE KINGDOM NOW MOVEMENT
Nearly 50 years have passed. People have forgotten what happened. And today's Christians, who do not read the scriptures faithfully, are easily led and vulnerable to religious pied pipers. Now this LR movement is on the rise again. And this sinister post-millennial doctrine of a global Christian takeover is now taking the church by storm. It has become extremely popular. The very Pentecostal Churches that once declared this Dominionism to be heretical are now embracing it. Lately this expectation of a global church takeover of the world political systems is being installed inside the Charismatic and Non Denominational Churches. It is another case of the Church being infiltrated by stealth by the proverbial Trojan horse. God's own people themselves are bringing the enemy inside their gates.There is a bigger picture involved here as well. The spirit of Restorationism or Dominionism in the older denominations has joined up with the Kingdom Now/Latter Rain Movement. This was written up some years ago in the magazine, 'Christianity Today'. These are two militant politically active streams of Christianity. But they are now joining up with the ecumenical movement as well. So the unity is not so much in Christ but in ecumenism.
Of course in church circles this is all very exciting and heady. And there is a lot of money flowing around. Those in today's Latter Rain movement claim that it is the ultimate revival to end all revivals. Many others have looked at the fruit of the movement and the loss of their children from the evangelical fold. Many are wondering where we went wrong. Some are quite understandably beginning to express serious doubts about some of the things that are going on in the present movement.
Here is the big question. Is the movement we have seen so far the final ultimate big one? Is the LR Movement we see in the churches today the true and genuine Latter Rain Revival? Is this LR elitist unity movement the genuine outpouring of the Holy Spirit that Joel saw and wrote about in Joel 2:28-32?
Well here we can say something with complete authority from the scriptures. If the current revival should happen to wind down or turn into so much hype. And if there are those who rise up and spoil the revival by 'Merchandising the Anointing' for financial gain. And if the present day so-called 'latter rain movement' is discredited. And if the current revival, (in which many people are still being blessed), should die out due to carnality, financial exploitation, loud amplifiers and abusive leadership then all is not lost! It does not mean there will not be a genuine Latter Rain Revival that breaks forth at some time in the future. Because the promised genuine Latter Rain Holy Spirit outpouring will surely come! And the Holy Spirit will certainly cover His people with His glory during the latter days. The Holy Spirit will surely come to us. He will come to us in a glorious flooding wave. And he will come precisely when the Bible says He will come. And He will come right on schedule. The Latter Rain Revival will come in waves of splendor during the Great Tribulation. Indeed Joel saw this epic future outpouring of the Holy Spirit climaxing in a blaze of glory during the encirclement of Jerusalem by armies at the very end of this age.
THE TRUE MEANING, TIMING, AND PURPOSE OF THE LATTER RAIN REVIVAL.
So after this smokescreen of the Latter Rain Movement taking over the New World Order has been cleared out of the way what do we see? is it not a Tribulation revival, even in the very same time frame of a great apostasy spoken of by our Apostle Paul? And if this is true then why have we not heard about this before?Just what sort of teaching have we received on this important matter of the true Latter Rain Revival? Well unfortunately the answer is 'precious little'. There is certainly a genuine Latter Rain Revival coming if we can believe the Bible. It will not be driven by human charisma, powerful personalities, loud warrior praise, or hype. A time of searching of the hearts will surely come. And in this the Holy Spirit will truly be present. And His covering Presence will be holy. We shall see this growing glory among God's people. It will become more evident as we enter the darkness of the 70th week of Daniel. The climactic Holy Spirit outpouring will come late in the age. It will be pure, authentic, and powerful. This will be the genuine article. The true Latter Rain Revival will surely come, just as was seen by the prophet Joel and foretold in the Holy Scriptures.
Revivals do not come in the middle of fat city or in meetings of compromising religious leaders. Nor do they come in flows of money. They always come in times of great soul searching when the saints cry out to God. Unfortunately the true meaning, the true purpose, and the 70th Week timing of the true prophesied Latter Rain Revival has not been taught. Nor is it understood by the people in the church today. Why is that?
Unfortunately modern, (and post modern) Christians are living on the carnal side of their nature. They come to church to have their ego pumped up. They do not want to hear 'negative' things. Least of all do they want to learn about the latter days. People are fat and pursuing happiness. They not interested in these meaty messages right now. Even if the message is from God's Word and scripturally sound and holds important information for future times we are still not interested. We are too busy right now making money to be bothered about these "deep" things. True end-time teachings from the Bible just don't sell well at all. People prefer an eschatology of cheap melodrama over the clear Biblical drama of the latter days. We have embraced an eschatology of desertion. We do not realize that the Church will be bringing in the 'final witness". The the curtain of future Church history will surely open up into an awesome and spellbinding drama. And we shall be there!
This truth is exceedingly hard for us to take. Christian believers are content right now. They are happy with the current level of Christianity that they have bought into. But all this will change in the times to come. And this information concerning the tribulation context of the true Latter Rain Revival will suddenly become vitally important information. One might think that the subject of God's provision for his covenant people during the coming Apocalypse would be something that Christians might look into. But alas, they don't. We are too busy trying to make it in this present world. The woman of wisdom is crying out in the street. (Proverbs 1) But we are too busy to pause and give thought to these devotional matters of a future end-time.
Dear saints. This is not arcane super deep high brow Biblical teaching. A little child can understand it. The final seven years of this age will see the Seventy Weeks prophecy starting up again with the sound of trumpets. God's covenant dealings with His people will resume in earnest. The whole of the book of Revelation is one big heavenly court case. The Ancient of days will sit, attended by myriads of watching angels. And He will be calling for His witnesses!.
This is not complicated. Indeed, it is essential information. The message calls for our preparation in Christ by His Holy Spirit. God will empower His people, even in the midst of the end-time drama. He will provide us with oil for our lamps, even the provision of the Holy Spirit. But we must purchase the oil ourselves. That oil will be in critically short supply among many of God's people in times to come. This is the awesome warning we see in the parable of the ten virgins. Five were wise. And five were foolish. Those who are wise will be seeking out and finding that oil. They will find it at the oil press, the place of crushing, even at a spiritual place called Gethsemane, (oil press). Unfortunately few "positive thinking, positive confessing" modern western Christians want to go there. But this is where the oil is to be found. The suffering church, Christians in places abroad like Indonesia and China know these things. But we do not.
The lessons from the parable of the ten virgins are profound and haunting. As the bridal party awakens to the midnight hour their lamps are going out. They will need that supply of oil. Do they have it?
Some do. Some don't. Those who have the oil will fill their lamps and go out into the night. They will make their passage through the darkness to meet the Bridegroom. For the others an awful moment of realization will come. Their own personal lamps will be burning out. And they have no supply outside of themselves. This is a somber warning for us. Now is the time for us to take time out for our God. He has been waiting a long time for us to come around to this. It is time for us to get on our knees before Him. He will supply our needs, of that we can be sure. But we must turn to Him.
This matter of preparation for difficult times to come should be elementary Christianity. God has blessed us for more than just our own pleasure. Unfortunately these matters are still largely untaught and unknown in the western church. And this news of encouragement and exhortation in the Holy Spirit is not going out to the church. The whole story of God filling His people with the Holy Spirit in the latter days, yes even during the coming Great Tribulation, has not been told. It has been 'cloaked'. Very few evangelicals have studied their Bibles. Many just listen to 'prophetic' and charismatic rhetoric. So very few know anything about this great Holy Spirit outpouring which Joel clearly shows us will come during the last seven years of this age.
THE TRUE LATTER RAIN REVIVAL IS EXPLOITED BY ECCLESIASTICAL
So if the true story of the Latter Rain Revival is so hard to take then why has it even been brought out at all? Well the answer is that religion must get its inspiration from somewhere. God is the only true source of inspiration. The spiritual reality behind the name 'Latter Rain' is genuine and true. And as such the concept has enormous energy to inspire. And that is why the 'Latter Rain Revival' has been brought out and claimed to be here right now. But it is ahead of its time. It is an enriched source of inspiration to be sure. This message of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the Apocalypse has been brought out of the closet. Then its apocalyptic connections to the end time drama have been lopped off. The name 'Latter Rain' has thus been taken out of its true Biblically correct end-time context. Then it is given a slight twist to be sold as 'present truth'. The Latter Rain thus becomes a 'cover name' for today's revival, a revival that it patchy at best.
RELIGIOUS ELITISM. IT'S FULLNESS IS YET FUTURE. AND IT'S GLORY
IS ASCRIBED TO THE LOWER GRADE REVIVAL WE ARE SEEING TODAY.We have been told that this Latter Rain revival is the revival we have been seeing in the past 50 years and are seeing today in various places like Toronto and Brownsville. Of course we do see it to some limited degree. Genuine seekers come. God's Word goes out, the praises go up, and true seekers are blessed. In some special instances where people who are truly hungry for God miracles do happen. I have personally witnessed several proven cases of miraculous healing. A dear Christian friend of mine, had a dramatic, instantaneous, and miraculous healing from a proven cancer of the breast. This divine healing was confirmed by her physician. This happened some years ago. When I saw her recently she was still joyfully serving God with no sign of cancer. The meeting she attended was a spotty affair. But she was gloriously healed.
When people mean business with God He meets them, even in a spiritual backwater. Even if the meetings are convened by a charlatan or a modern day "Simon the Sorcerer" God will still turn up. He is still faithful. When the scriptures are opened up God still honors His Holy Word. And when the praises go up before God's throne the Holy Spirit turns up. Why? Because God has promised to 'inhabit the praises of His people'.
True revival does indeed happen. But it has never yet happened on the grand global and corporate scale we see outlined in Joel 2:28-32. Nor have we seen meetings surrendered to the Holy Spirit and the gifts allowed to flow according to the promise in 1Cor. 14:26. But this will surely come. God is apparently preserving the 'best wine' for last. This amazing story of the Latter Rain Revival we see clearly laid out for us in the Bible is there for us to read about. But it has been 'cloaked'. The Latter Rain Revival will be the Holy Spirit outpouring that will power up during the Apocalypse. But you will rarely hear the Latter Rain spoken of in those terms today.
The true Latter Rain Revival, (which will come in the last seven years of this age), has been jerked around. It has been ripped out of its end-time context and its true spiritual moorings. Then it is claimed by churchmen who are making hay in our present day. The name and the inspiration of the term "latter rain" is yoked to the mills of today's popular Christian religious operations to make them run.
This may seem well and good for the needs of today. But what about the end-time encouragement for the saints as they face the 70th week of Daniel and the final seven years of this age? The latter rain outpouring is timed to climax in the latter days. This is a much needed message of hope for those who expect to enter the tribulation period. But in re-engineering the Latter Rain to make it a present day reality its connection to the last days has been 'turned off'. This makes it more palatable for today's religious consumers. And so this magnificent end time promise of God has been twisted. It has been wrenched out of its end-time context in the minds of men. It is utilized solely for present day religious purposes. The true purpose of the Latter Rain Revival, (which is to empower the saints in the trials of the latter days of this age), has been hidden behind a smokescreen of religious rhetoric. This is the classic method through which the holy things of God get twisted and usurped for less than Godly purposes. The results are always the same. Instead of clear and straightforward Biblical teaching we see a twisted, tangled and unholy mess. And the saints are confused and befuddled and unsure of how to proceed on with God. And so sadly they remain unprepared.
"But", some may ask, "Is this so terrible?
Surely a little "Latter Rain" inspiration can be taken from the end-time and brought forward into our day without too much damage being done? Do we really have to make such a fuss over this?"Perhaps the motives and intentions were good. But as we have been told,
"The road to hell is strewn with the best of intentions."
Whenever a story is told, the whole story, even the 'rest of the story', should be told. Nothing should be left out. The whole truth concerning the Latter Rain Revival, including its eschatological future historical context is laid out clearly for us in the Holy Scriptures.
The end-time pilgrims deserve to know the whole story here.
And so it should be told!Beloved of God, this is no light matter. Nor is this an arcane academic issue for empty eschatological sophistry. The saints need the truth! It is by these sorts of ecclesiastical shenanigans that the religious powers short-change the people of God. This is how the saints arrive at the thresholds of history confused and alone and without a correct road map to show them where they are. There they stand on the pilgrim pathway. They are confused and lost. And what is worse, they don't know which road to take or where they are supposed to be going. God's pilgrims saints are all too often deprived of correct information. And so they have to live through yet another round of history in order to learn their lessons. Instead of listening to God and attending to the chart He has given them in the Bible they end up lost with a head full of misinformation. This in turn spawns misunderstandings, confusion, fear, anger, and violent crusading. Those wrong choices then go on to bring individual Christians untold grief and heartache. This is why we need correct information as we move forward into holy history. The truths of the end-time are not to be neglected. They are very very serious issues. And the pilgrims need a correct road map, not one given to them by the world.
Here are the facts about the Latter Rain.
God has certainly promised a genuine Latter Rain Revival. It will come into its fullness at the end of the age. When it comes it will be pure and without the hype domination, manipulation, or intimidation we have been seeing. Nor will there be any charismatic witchcraft when the genuine revival comes. The authentic Latter Rain Revival will be real, powerful, and glorious.Here is another problem, and it is a big one. In claiming the high quality Latter Rain outpouring as their own today's New Charismatics have ascribed the Latter Rain to the low grade revival we have been seeing of late. But this is far from the truth. As we see it in scripture the coming Latter Rain Holy Spirit outpouring will be of massive global proportions and upon all flesh for glory or for judgment. And the genuine article will be holy.
How will the true Latter Rain Revival get started? It will come the way all revivals do. When we enter the 70th week of Daniel with the seven year covenant signed and no rapture is evident God's covenant people will be on their faces, even as others are deserting the faith in the great falling away. They will come before God in repentance and prayer. At a certain point in future history the Christian church and the world will enter a turmoil of unprecedented severity. Christians will be asked to enter a compromised harlot church system which is in covenant with a certain global peacemaker who has just brokered an epic 7 year covenant with Israel, the G-8 nations and the Church. - Dan.9:27 It will either be his way or 'the Highway'. The trumpets will be blowing in alarm. The 'highway of holiness' will indeed be opened up before the true saints of God. -Isa.35 And the 'Way of the Cross' will lie before them. This will be the end-time drama. This is still an untold story. It will be in this time frame that the saints will cry out to God. And in this 'dark night of the soul' the lamps will be seen shining in the gathering gloom. (isa.60) And the true end-time Latter Rain Revival will have finally arrived.
We serve the Holy One of Israel. He is always faithful. So he will answer the cries of His people. He will respond just as He always does. When the Body of Christ goes deeper into the blood covenant relationship with Christ than they have ever gone before awesome things will happen. The final blow out Holy Spirit outpouring will have begun. It will be a Holy Spirit Revival of stupendous proportions. These will be times like no other. The true Latter Rain outpouring of the latter days will be far more holy and far more more glorious than anything we, (or this world), has ever seen before.
UNTWISTING THE TANGLE.
So can this twisted truth of the Latter Rain Revival be straightened out again?
WHEN WILL THE TRUE LATTER RAIN OUTPOURING COME?
I believe it can. If we line it up with the Holy Scriptures I believe this whole mess can indeed be untwisted. It must be. The hope of the end-time saints rests with the saints being given correct information as they move forward and come into their time of witness. The information concerning this coming latter rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit and its timing during the trials of the latter days is critically important. Yet this encouraging news has been hidden! The Christian believers will need this word of encouragement as they approach the final curtain. There, before the watching world and the angelic host, the church will bring the final witness of the 5th seal.So what has really happened with the promised Latter Rain Revival? First of all let us view the twist so we can untwist it. The false doctrine within the so called 'latter rain movement' sees and teaches a notion that the Church in it's present form and lukewarm devotion will take over the world. They say that we shall do it without any trials or tribulations. They say the Church we see today can and will bring in the 'Kingdom Now' . Many leaders of the established church see themselves being the ones to pull this off. They say that the Church can and will do this in its present (carnal and compromised) state. They see the church coming to dominate the world without it undergoing the further regathering or refining. They affirm that there will be no massive corporate end-time challenges to change the hearts of God's people. There will be no refining. That will not be necessary (they say).
As the church we shall come into and assume the glory just as we are.
Is this really believable? At least they themselves think so.This view is becoming very very popular. It is now the up and coming sentiment and mindset amongst the 'The New Charismatics'. This Dominion Theology, the notion of the present day established church taking over the world in its present form, is a latter day crusader notion. Nowhere is it supported in Holy Scripture. But that does not seem to bother these zealous Christians. The people in the pews are not reading their Bibles. And in our church tradition it is not considered polite to stand up to question what is being said from the pulpit. The ones making the 'prophetic' and 'apostolic' utterances are also very intimidating. And since they have openly and repeatedly stated that they are above and beyond the Holy Scriptures few seem to want to question this. This is all part of the twisting of the message of the so called "Latter Rain".
All this is truly unfortunate. And if it is not addressed the saints could find themselves signing on to a carnal ecclesiastical agenda. Perhaps they might even find themselves in the 'last crusade' and fighting a losing Church war. - Dan.7:21, Dan.8:24, & Dan.12:7 The consequences of this for many Christians could be tragic.
Dominion Theology and its companion the 'Kingdom Now movement' is being championed by many of today's church leaders. They promise to lead the church to global victory painlessly and easily. To their way of thinking there will be no need for Messiah to intervene in deliverance in the end-time. Jesus can just stroll in at the last day and say, "Well done." The Church by that time will have put everything under their (oops) Jesus' feet. The Church will have the whole world under their control. They will just hand it over to Jesus when He comes.
This doctrine and its dominionist sentiment is not new. It is quite similar to the post-millennialist teaching which came into vogue at the peak of the British Empire. During the early years of the 20th century the British Church thought that they had the world by the tail. And as they gathered in their smoke filled rooms for brandy after dinner they imagined that under the British Empire, (which at that time owned 25% of the world), they could bring in the promised Christian Millennium. They believed this even as the Germans were launching dreadnought battle cruisers and arming themselves for war. That didn't seem to bother them. The British Empire was unsinkable!
They said the same of the Titanic on the evening she sailed out of Southampton.
The truth, however, was somewhat different.
And these super-confident British Christians were in for a very rude awakening. Will the same thing happen to our modern American dominionists?Christian Dominionists and Kingdom Now enthusiasts are of a similar spirit. They imagine that under the umbrella of the Pax Americana, the last remaining superpower, their well financed worldwide international ministries can bring in the final global revival and so bring peace on earth. They think they can do this without any dramas that involve Israel and without the need for a returning delivering Messiah. They, the Church, will deliver, (or so they believe). The Church can wrap this whole thing up. Then they can hand the world over to Messiah when He comes.
Where did they get this from?
Certainly not from the scriptures.The 'Kingdom Now' movement is now becoming a mainline teaching in many Full Gospel churches and on Christian television. The established evangelical church is going the way of Alice Bailey's the New Age 'Church Universal and Triumphant'. This politicized version of the true latter rain revival is becoming extremely popular. As a motivational platform it sells extremely well to carnal Christians who are always out to buy programs for self improvement. And it's proponents have become extremely wealthy and powerful as a result. Even now this pugnacious new form of evangelicalism rather than evangelism is being ecumenized inside the cult of the 'Purpose driven life'. The western Church, including the evangelical and charismatic sectors, are being presented for sale at the roundtables of the global United Religions Organization. Big deals are being made with the political powers of this world. As the masterminds of church and state craft their New World Order they lay out and craft the form its consorting religion will take. It is like the Council of Nicaea all over again.
As these compromises are made for the sake of 'unity' some of the holy things of God have to go out the door. Holiness, Biblical eschatology, our covering in Christ and the way of His cross, and repentance for salvation has been discarded. These are considered 'old fashioned'. In place of holiness in Christ we are expected 'come under submission to the five-fold ministry'. This is yet another man-made covering of organized hierarchical religion. This is neo-papism pure and simple. We are expected to put on the moth eaten garments of the religion of this world. We have been asked to trade the true gold of God's glory for the vainglory of religious pomp and a pyramid hierarchy along with the gold of mammon. Not surprisingly, the revivals we have seen in recent decades are patchy. The Holy Spirit is grieved by our shenanigans. And our so called revivals are winding down as Jesus and His Holy Spirit is pushed aside and men of charisma take the pre-eminence.
The word "Ichabod" is heard in the hallways of the church as the glory of God's Presence slowly departs.So.
All that being understood.
What is the real story here?
Where is the promise of this climactic latter rain revival?
And what do the Holy Scriptures have to tell us?THE LATTER RAIN REVIVAL OR JOEL'S OUTPOURING, THE
Let us start with the wonderful and inspiring scripture from Joel.
CLIMACTIC HOLY SPIRIT OUTPOURING OF THE LAST DAYS.Joel 2Here in the passage above we see the promise of a 'latter rain' outpouring. Four verses later, the prophet Joel goes on to speak of this latter rain revival coming in a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon individuals of all ages and from all walks of life.
23 Be glad then, you children of Zion, And rejoice in the Lord your God;
For He has given you the former rain faithfully,
And He will cause the rain to come down for you--
The former rain, And the latter rain in the first month.
24 The threshing floors shall be full of wheat,
And the vats shall overflow with new wine and oil. - Joel 2:23-24 NKJVJoel 2The verses which follow this clearly and unmistakably link this 'latter rain revival' or 'Joel's outpouring' to the awesome events of the Seventieth Week of Daniel, the last seven years of this age.
28. "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.
29. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
- Joel 2:28-29 NKJVJoel 2As we can clearly see, Joel's latter rain revival peaks at the time of the cosmic signs Jesus spoke of in the Olivet Discourse. The signs mentioned by Joel are that of the sun turning to darkness and the moon to blood. Jesus Himself told us that these signs would come 'after the tribulation of those days'. They are in fact the very late signs of the sixth seal and the impending second coming of Christ. - Rev.6:12-17
30. "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
- Joel 2:30-31 NKJVIf we are still not convinced of the late peaking of the latter rain revival then Joel nails it down even further for us. He links it in time to the salvation and deliverance of the inhabitants of Jerusalem at the time when it is besieged by all the surrounding armies of the nations.
Joel 2This is without any shadow of doubt the time frame of the final event of this age.
32. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls." - Joel 2:32 NKJV
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit is coming to a peak at the very time frame of the Battle of Armageddon.So our passage in Joel tells us quite a lot. We learn of the latter rain coming as a mighty revival with the Holy Spirit being poured out on all flesh. And we learn that this latter rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit will come to a peak very late in the sequence of end-time events. Indeed the latter rain will climax in the very last days of this age. Like the classic fireworks festival the true Latter Rain Revival will finish right at the very end in a final crescendo of glory.
We need to know this. This Holy Spirit outpouring will indeed come. It will build up in the end-time, even in the midst of great tribulation. The Holy Spirit will empower and cover God's people.
The tribulation saints will be covered with His glory.We need to know this.
And why?
Because the tribulation saints may be us in a future time frame!Finally, in a climactic blaze of glory the Holy Spirit will usher the saints right out the end of this age. In 'That Day' they will be taken up into the Presence of the returning Messiah at the Resurrection-Rapture.
Is this good news? It certainly is! It means that the Holy Spirit, far from being, 'taken out of the way', will in fact be powering up in our midst. God will cover His hard pressed people as they come up to witness before kings and rulers in the end-time drama. He will cover them in waves of glory! And He will be with His people by His Holy Spirit right up until the very end of the age.
Was this not what Jesus promised us in the Great Commission?Let us now take a look at the revival prophecy in Hosea which has been termed Hosea's Revival.
"HE HAS TORN BUT HE WILL HEAL US, .........
The prophet Hosea in his prophecy of the 'two days' speaks of a gap in time. Then in the same verse he tells of a revival that would follow these 'two days'.
AFTER TWO DAYS HE WILL REVIVE US"."Come, and let us return to the Lord,This is very interesting. Hosea here speaks of God having "torn" and "smitten". 3 verses later He says,
For He has torn, but He will heal us,
He has stricken, but He will bind us up.
After two days He will revive us,
And on the third day He will raise us up,
That we may live in His sight." -Hos 6:2 NKJV"Therefore have I hewed them by the prophets;What does this mean? It seems that there are many references in the old testament in which the prophets bring a word that rends or hews or 'cuts in pieces'. It is a word of rebuke, of stern discipline, and of judgment. Israel and her kings were not inclined to listen and heed the word of warning and repent. Accordingly the prophetic judgments continued to come.
I have slain them by the words of my mouth:
and thy judgments are as the light that goeth forth." -Hos.6:5 KJVIn Ezekiel 37 the prophet in vision saw God's people scattered and sprawled out dead in a valley of dry bones. This has been the story of God's people for the past two thousand years. The vision seems all so totally devastating and final. Yet it is precisely in this context that the glorious 'latter rain' revival comes. As Ezekiel speaks the redemptive Word the bones begin to stir. Then he sees them come together with a rattling sound.
Such is the marvelous drama of the end-time. Many mysteries will be unveiled as Hosea's prophesied latter rain revival powers up. While we have seen some stirrings of revival in Israel and the church since 1948 this magnificent restoration of all God's people has yet to be fully manifest in holy history. But it has been extensively written about in the old testament prophetic poetry -Isa.35, Ezek.37, Mic.2:12-13 etc. And it will surely come to pass.
The final cutting prophetic word for Israel was given by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse. He prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem. The judgment on the nation of Israel came with the Roman armies of Titus in 70 A.D. Judah was scattered into the nations again just as the lost ten tribes had been scattered 791 years before. The long saga of the Jews in the Diaspora would continue. Then the time would come for God to regather His royal tribe, the Jewish people. And after two millennia of wanderings among the nations they would start to come back and re-establish sovereignty over the land of Israel once again.
STIRRINGS OF REVIVAL IN THE CHURCH BRINGS AN END TO THE DARK AGES.
The church too would be scattered. In spite of the faithful witness by the early martyrs the church was sold into Rome by her compromising Nicolaitan leaders at Nicea in 325 A.D.. Christendom and the west would The scriptures were locked up into Latin, the dying language of the Roman Empire. Ordinary people were forbidden access to God's holy Word. True Christianity was oppressed. And Christendom was dominated by gnostic priest-craft. These were dark times. And they would last a thousand years.
THE SCRIPTURES COME TO THE PEOPLE IN THE 1500's, THE EVANGELICAL
AWAKENING OF THE 1800's, THE EXPLOSION OF MISSION OUTREACH, THE
PENTECOSTAL AND CHARISMATIC REVIVALS FOLLOW IN THE 20th CENTURY.The first recorded stirrings of revival came in the 1300's. John Wycliffe translated the holy scriptures into English for the common man. John Huss continued the work in Bohemia in the 1400's. The Light of God's Word began to shine into the medieval darkness. In 1454 with the invention of Johan Gutenberg printing press the scriptures came into Europe. The 1500's saw Martin Luther initiate the Reformation. In those times William Tyndale's Bibles were being smuggled across the channel into England in sacks of grain. The regrettable politicization of the Reformation spawned the awful 30 years war in Germany and Switzerland which led to the totally apolitical Anabaptist movement. Over in England the 1600's would see Puritans led by Oliver Cromwell go to war against their king in the English Civil War. The relatively apolitical Evangelical Awakening came in the 1700's with John Wesley and others. The 1800's saw the British Empire facilitate great missionary outreaches. Missions have continued powerfully in the latter half of the 1900's under the current Pax Americana. During the 20th century Israel made historic advancements in securing the Holy Land. Each of the wars in 1948, 1967 and 1973 saw Israel make further gains in the land. Significant evangelical revivals across the world accompanied Israel's wars. This hints at some common Strengthener propelling both the church and Israel together. Are they headed toward a common destiny? The scriptures indicate that in the crucible of the End-Time the Judeo-Christian people will come into the refining fire of the Latter Rain to come into confluence. No longer will they be 'the Church' and 'the Jews' but rather they will emerge as a single flow of refined silver. - Zech.13:9, Mal.3:3 They will become a single remnant elect.
Where are we now? Unfortunately, here in the west the established church is in as critical state of compromise as is Israel. They have given away the sacred lands of Judea and Samaria as 'the west bank' or the 'occupied territories'. We in the church have also gone into deep compromise with the world. For the sake of 'unity' we have let go of the foundational Biblical doctrines of Christianity. We too have 'given away the farm'. Inside the church we are seeing worldly compromise, "strange fire", and an emerging brutish 'Church of Esau'. The general moral decline and doctrinal apostasy inside the western church is alarming. Meanwhile the hard pressed persecuted church overseas is expanding wonderfully. So there is hope.
We have seen signs of revival in national Israel as well. In the past century we have seen the Jewish House of Judah coming back to restore the land of Israel even as Ezekiel saw the bones coming together. -Ezek 37 Of late we have also seen signs of spiritual revival. More Jews, are embracing the Gospel message and converting to Christ Jesus/Yeshua, than at any time in history. The 'Breath of Life' is coming into the Jews at long last! God is beginning to revive both houses of His moribund Judeo-Christian people!
HOSEA PROPHESIES A REVIVAL AT THE END.
When will the true latter rain revival or Hosea's revival come? We are told in Hosea 6:2 that it will come "two days" after the last rending, cutting , prophetic word of judgment was pronounced on Israel and on the people God was calling out to Himself. And who gave that prophecy? Our Bibles reveal that these words were given by Jesus Himself in the Olivet Discourse, -Mat.24, Jesus prophesied the destruction of Jerusalem and the scattering of His people. He spoke of the Great Tribulation, and the preaching of the Gospel to the ends of the earth. He clearly stated that His second coming as Messiah would follow the Great Tribulation. These were and are the last rending prophetic words given in scripture. They were given on Palm Sunday, Nisan 10, or April 9 of 32 A.D..
SO DO SOLOMON, ISAIAH, JEREMIAH, JOEL, EZEKIEL, ZECHARIAH, AND OTHERS.Hosea states that "after two days He will revive us". What can we say about God's mention of a revival? It seems that the 70th week and those final 7 years may open up with a great revival. The prophet Isaiah saw the End Time saints as a wedding party. He saw them going forth with lamps shining brightly, even in the midst of thick darkness. -Isa.60 His inspired poetry bears witness to this true Latter Rain revival. Even in these times of gathering darkness God is bringing us a message of exhortation and encouragement. These words were written for God's people as they come to the end of this age. These words are for us.
1. 'Arise, shine; For your light has come!
Photo by the author.
And the glory of the Lord is risen upon you.
2. For behold,
The darkness shall cover the earth,
And deep darkness the people;
But the Lord will arise over you,
And His glory will be seen upon you.
3. The Gentiles shall come to your light,
And kings to the brightness of your rising.
4. "Lift up your eyes all around, and see:
They all gather together, they come to you;
Your sons shall come from afar,
And your daughters shall be nursed at your side.
5. Then you shall see and become radiant,
And your heart shall swell with joy.' -Isa 60:1-5 NKJVTHE LATTER RAIN REVIVAL AT THE END OF 2000 YEARS
Hosea goes on to say, "And on the third day He will raise us up"
AND DURING THE TIME OF THE GREAT TRIBULATION
That we may live in His sight",
indicating, as we shall see, that this revival will carry on into the Millennium that follows the 70th week.This is quite a bit different from what we have been told by today's popular preachers of End-Time Bible prophecy. They have painted those final 7 years of this age, the 70th Week of Daniel as little more than a chamber of horrors. They present it as a hellish wrath zone with no Holy Spirit, no heavenly grace extended and no faithful witness by the Elect people of God. Our prophecy teachers speak of wrath and horror in those final 7 years of this age and little else. This is very demoralizing. And yet the Holy Spirit here in Hosea 6 is speaking of glory, an End-Time Revival of all things!
These are not the only scriptures that speak of a revival in the last days. In the very same verses we saw earlier the prophet Joel saw the Holy Spirit outpouring coming to a peak even as this age was coming to a tumultuous climax.
28. "And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions.From his vantage point around 800 B.C. Joel saw the peak of the Holy Spirit outpouring. He saw it coming "afterwards" in the last days. Like the classic fireworks festival he witnessed the Holy Spirit revival riding up to a glorious crescendo and peaking toward the end of this present evil age. It was in the context of the final Battle of Armageddon and right in the end zone that Joel saw the Holy Spirit pouring out climactically in a blaze of glory upon all flesh. Not only that, Joel, like Zechariah (Zech 12:7-13:1), saw the salvation and deliverance the Jewish house of Judah in Jerusalem. All this splendor was happening as a counterpoint to the cosmic signs of the 6th seal where the sun was turning to darkness and the moon to blood. -Joel 2:28-32 Even at that late hour the Word will go out, "Whosoever shall call upon the Name of the Lord shall be delivered/saved." From Jesus's own words we know that these cosmic disturbances associated with the 6th seal precede and herald His second coming as Messiah. -Mat.24:29-31
29. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.
30. "And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke.
31. The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the coming of the great and awesome day of the Lord.
32. And it shall come to pass that whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved. For in Mount Zion and in Jerusalem there shall be deliverance, as the Lord has said, among the remnant whom the Lord calls." - Joel 2:28-32 NKJVWe have been led to believe by some that the Latter Rain Revival spoken of by the prophets is all in the Millennium. Yet here in these scriptures we see clear evidence that the Holy Spirit outpouring will come before the Millennium and in fact will be rising up to a crescendo right inside the very darkness of the 70th week. This is indeed an encouraging word from the scriptures for the saints as we approach the latter days.
If we are on approach to a revival, and an epic revival at that, when might we expect it to open up?
Hosea gives us a clear and unequivocal answer. The prophecy states,"AFTER TWO DAYS HE WILL REVIVE US,
Let us take a closer look at these 'two days' and particularly at the 'third day' that Hosea spoke of. The identification of these "two days" as two millennia is given further credence by Hosea's reference to the "third day" when His people "live in His sight". The phrase "we shall live in His sight" sounds distinctly millennial. 2,000 years ago Jesus ascended into heaven. He is now with the Father. He will return to this cosmos and this earth. In the coming 1,000 year Millennium of Messiah Jesus will be Emmanuel, or 'God with us'. Surely this "third day" when "we shall live in His sight" speaks of the 1000 year Millennium of Messiah. See the chart below.
AND ON THE THIRD DAY HE WILL RAISE US UP,
THAT WE MAY LIVE IN HIS SIGHT". Hos 6:2 NKJV
This would fit the outline seen by the ancient sages of Israel. They saw six millennia of man's rule followed by a rest, a sabbatical 7th Millennium. During those final 1,000 years mankind and the created order would enjoy peace under the glorious rule of Messiah.
HOSEA'S 'TWO DAYS' = TWO MILLENNIA.
Hosea's prophecy of the 'two days' is truly remarkable. It may in fact be giving us an accurate measurement of the time-span that would connect the years from from Palm Sunday entry of 'Messiah the Prince' and His cutting prophetic pronouncements given in the Olivet Discourse to the year of a great revival in the last days. Such a revival might open up in an impending year, a difficult yet awesome year when all things would change. In what year might that great latter rain revival come?
A TIME FIX ON THE ENDTIME REVIVAL?Hosea said " after two days He will revive us". As we observed earlier, the context indicates that these are not likely to be two ordinary 24 hour days. Elsewhere in scripture we read that
"a day with the Lord is as one thousand yearsIf these "two days" do indeed refer to two millennia then when might this timespan begin and end? If we reckon each 'day' as a thousand years and the "two days" as 2,000 years then we can lay out a time-line from when the last cutting prophetic words were given by Jesus in the Olivet Discourse. Since one biblical year is 360 days our 2,000 biblical years become 1971.3 solar years. Add that to 32 A.D. and the year 2003 comes up. Are we now in the window of the revival Hosea spoke of? - Hos.6:2 Might we see the 70th week of Daniel and the attending latter rain outpouring opening up soon?
and a thousand years as one day......" -2Pet.3:8 NKJV
THE FINAL LEG OF THE RELAY RACE
As we have seen, it is quite possible that in some future year and on some upcoming Feast of Trumpets the 7 year covenant of Dan.9:27 will be signed. This event will propel us into the last seven years of this age. At that time we might expect the latter rain will start to fall in earnest.
AND THE EPIC CLIMAX TO THE CONTEST OF THE AGES.
.......IT MIGHT BE JUST UP AHEAD.The latter rain, Joel's outpouring, or Hosea's revival will surely break forth at that time and increase from that point on. Our God is a consuming unquenchable fire. Should we not prepare our hearts for that coming time of witness and glory? Now is the time for us to seek the face of our God. He is our Savior. He died for our sins. He deserves first place in our lives. This article is sent out for two main purposes.
1. It is to alert the saints to watchfulness now that the End-Time drama could be quite near.
2. It is to encourage the saints in their critical role of witness and to assure them that God is with us.
Our task and our commissioning is clear.
We are to finish the race begun by the saints who have gone before us.
The world and the whole company of angels are watching.1. "Therefore we also, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,
let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us,
and let us run with patient endurance the race that is set before us,
2. Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith,
who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross,
despising the shame, and has sat down at
the right hand of the throne of God." - Heb. 12:1-2 NKJV
Image from the movie, "Chariots of Fire".In the coming years we may be called upon to bring our personal witness to the Everlasting Covenant we have in Christ. This is already happening to our brothers and sisters of the faith in places abroad. They do not have the political cover we have enjoyed in the western world since the Council of Nicaea. But they understand that our faith is a blood covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. Our Chinese brothers and sisters continue to witness under persecution. They witness under the principalitiy of the dragon, Lucifer himself. And yet in spite of this they double their numbers every 7 years. The saints under persecution are invincible. In the covenant we have with our God He has always made ample provision for His witnesses. We have been given the Holy Spirit. He is our Strengthener/Comforter and personal Guide. Through many dangers, toils and snares He will lead us on towards the gates of splendour.
NOW IS THE TIME OF SALVATION.
For those who do not know Jesus Christ personally or have not given themselves totally to Him now is the time to answer His call. Invite Him into your heart and life. We are creatures of a fallen world. We all need our character changed from the inside out. We cannot do this ourselves. Only Jesus/Yeshua has the power to do the job. And He will do that work within us just as fast as we get down on our knees and invite Him in surrendering ourselves to His gracious rule.
NOW IS THE TIME TO TURN OUR EYES UPON JESUS.If you are willing to take that step of faith and to ask Him into your life click here. Then go out and find someone to baptize you under the water before a crowd of witnesses. This will help enormously as you set out on your walk of faith.
THE LATTER RAIN WILL COME DOWN IN EARNEST
As we have seen, 70th week of Daniel may open up on some coming Rosh Hoshana, or Feast of Trumpets. It will bring with it Joel's latter rain outpouring, or Hosea's revival. These will be times of awe and soul searching. Our Jewish friends, many of them coming to Yeshua, are ready to restore the sacrifices on the temple mount. Perhaps the Ark of the Covenant or the Ark of Noah will be found.
AS WE ENTER THE 70TH WEEK OF DANIEL AND
THE FINAL SEVEN YEARS OF THIS AGEWhenever the 70th week opens up in some future Feast of Trumpets it will truly be a time for being 'sold out' for God. God's people will cry out to Him. And He will answer, as usual. On this occasion He will answer with the promised latter rain outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The latter rain will surely come, and in increasing deluges, right on schedule, and as promised. It will be a time of renewal, of rediscovery in devotion to the One who died for us. The Church and Israel, as wanton Gomer, will find true love at last, even in the Valley of Achor, (tribulation). - Hos.2:15
She will go on beyond calling Him 'my Lord'(Baali).
She will go deeper into her relationship with the One who redeemed her from the slave market. She will come to love Him. And in this new deeper relationship she will come to call Him 'my Beloved' (Ishi).Jesus exhorts us to "remember Lot's wife". - Luke 17:32 In those times to come we are to turn our backs on the things of this world. As in the time of Joseph and his brothers it will be a season soul searching. It will be a time for liquidation of assets. The Bread of Life will become precious. And the Cup will be found and brought out at last from the sack of Benjamin, the 'son of the Father's right hand. Truly these will be a time of discovery and a time of new beginnings. These will be awesome times for the God's people. The Church and in national Israel will come into confluence and unity. They will come together under the dual offices of Messiah. They will be united in the Order of Melchizedek. It will also be a time like no other for the world at large. The raging of nations against the coming of Messiah will cease. - Ps.2 And those who have hated His appearing will call upon the rocks to cover them and hide them from the face of Him who sits upon the throne and from the face of the Lamb. - Rev.6:16
For those who have committed themselves to Christ and His Kingdom there is no reason to fear this coming time. They are covered! And the final outcome is assured. Jesus is the One who opens the seals. - Rev. ch.5. He alone sets the agenda here. He alone is the One with sovereign oversight and in control of holy history. The trumpets announce His coming Kingdom. He has set a time limit for the end-time drama. The 70th week will last seven prophetic years and not a day over that. -Dan.9:24-27
The nations are increasingly raging against the coming of Messiah. - Psalm 2 But at the second coming of Christ the Word coming from His mouth will put a stop to the rampage of humanistic evil. Jesus Christ will return just in the nick of time; before godless humanistic rule threatens to completely destroy all life on earth. -Mat.24:22. As the 70th week ends He will return to His Holy City. Right there, and at that time, the trampling of Jerusalem will cease. He will come as the Deliverer and Conquering King, riding upon a white horse. Out at the ends of the earth Messiah will come bringing deliverance to His hard pressed people. 'The Breaker'will come to the the Sheepfolds of Bozrah. -Mic.2:12-13 Back at Jerusalem center, the Lion of the Jewish house of Judah will roar from Zion. - Joel 3:16 He will bring the scepter of His righteous rule to this earth. The long expected Son of David will come at last. And He will rule from the David's Throne. -Luke 1:30-33 In that magnificent future Millennium of Messiah, Jerusalem will finally become the 'city of peace'. The nations will find salvation under Messiah's glorious ministry and rule. And this poor ruined creation will again be restored to the beauty and order it once knew.
Grace and shalom to all those who love his appearing.
Some more devotional articles on apocalyptic Biblical themes for the enquiring Christian.
