“Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me. And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength.” – Rev. 1:12-16

Jesus came the first time as a lamb, meek and lowly. He said He did not come to judge the world but to offer a way to escape the judgement that was coming.

“And if anyone hears My words and does not believe, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world but to save the world. He who rejects Me, and does not receive My words, has that which judges him—the word that I have spoken will judge him in the last day.” – John 12:47,48

Jesus warned of a judgment that was coming and He offered a way of escape – repent and keep His words. Many churches today however, are preaching a false Gospel. One of born again escapism that does not require the keeping of Christ’s words. They say ‘Grace covers all’ but Paul preached a different kind of Grace –

“For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid.” – Rom. 6:14,15

and

“For if we sin willfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins, But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.” – Heb. 10:26

In Revelation, a last days angel flies through the heavens declaring the everlasting Gospel –

“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people—saying with a loud voice, “Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.” – Rev. 14:6,7

Notice, the everlasting Gospel begins with the command to ‘fear God‘. Paul wrote to the Phillipean Church –

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling;“ – Phil. 2:12

The true Gospel has a goodness in it but, it also contains a severity –

“Therefore consider the goodness and severity of God: on those who fell, severity; but toward you, goodness, if you continue in His goodness. Otherwise you also will be cut off.” – Rom. 11:22

The fear and trembling comes from that little phrase “if you continue in His goodness”.

John the Baptist said of Jesus, “I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” (Matt. 3:11,12). Now Jesus has sent the Holy Spirit and baptized us in the Holy Spirit but, He has not yet come to His threshing floor (the Church) to separate the wheat from the chaff. He will send the Holy Spirit to do this work so He can receive a Bride that is spotless and without blemish when He comes again. The Church is much concerned these days with the wickedness in the world but, we already know the world is full of wickedness. Jesus is concerned with the wickedness in the Church! When John saw Jesus in Revelation He had eyes like fire. He is coming to the Church with those eyes of fire, eyes that see everything and He will expose all the wickedness and uncleanness in the Church. He will expose all the adultery, all the pornography, all the lying and dishonest scales of business, all the abortion, all the homosexuality (whether you are active or just compromised with it), all who are compromised with the world, all the fathers and mothers who have failed to raise their children in a godly manner, and all the children who are rebellious. Nothing will escape His attention. Church members will either hit the floor in repentance or hit the door on the way out looking for another compromised church.

The Later Rain

We are promised a ‘latter rain’ of the Holy Spirit and this rain will come with fire to cleanse the Church of its uncleanness. Are you waiting for it? Are you praying for it?

“Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain.” – James 5:7