THE BEST IS BEFORE US –
THE LATTER RAIN

 

 

 

 

On the day of Pentecost when the former rain was poured out, Peter stood up and declared:

 

“For these men are not drunk, as you suppose, for it is only the third hour of the day; but this is what was spoken of through the prophet Joel:

 

‘And it shall be in the last days,’ God says, ‘that I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit and they shall prophesy.

 

‘And I will grant wonders in the sky above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke.  The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.  And it shall be that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved’ ” (Acts 2:15-21).

 

Do you think that what Peter said here, which was written by the prophet Joel, was fulfilled at that time?  I always assumed so, that is until recently.  To understand what Yahweh did at that time, what He has done for the last 2,000 years, and what He will do today, you have to understand the breach and its delaying affects. 

 

Was John the Baptist the fulfilling Elijah?  As addressed in When Elijah Comes, clearly he was not.  He stated so himself (John 1:21).  Furthermore, was Mary the promised fulfillment of Isaiah 7:14, the virgin who would birth Immanuel?  As addressed in How To Untie A Donkey, page 3, she was not, evidenced in part by the simple fact that He was named Yahshua, not Immanuel.  As addressed in that writing, and as strange as this may sound, Yahshua’s coming was an Ishmael work.  Like Ishmael, He too was born of a bondwoman, a woman of this corrupt flesh, and He Himself was in this flesh.  Though His work was essential for all mankind, it could not and did not provide that which man must have—the pure kingdom of God with Him reigning.  The kingdom was too early when He came then, the nations still having the right to rule; therefore He returned back to heaven, and the kingdom was corrupted.

 

So, how would all of this have affected the first Remnant and what they did?  As already stated, the promise had to breach—the breach of Christianity.  What does this then tell us about Peter’s subject proclamation in Acts, quoting from the prophet Joel?  It tells us that in their own way, the first Remnant was also a Mary, a John the Baptist, even a Yahshua.  None of these, including the first Remnant, fulfilled that which had to come later.  Like the first bird in Leviticus 14:1-7, they all had to die; and the latter timely work, like the second bird that does not die, would fulfill the promise.

 

In order to see what was in fact being spoken of by Peter, how it must actually be fulfilled, and what this tells us regarding the days set before us, let us examine Acts 2 and Joel 2.  In these passages we will see more fully the truth of what was just stated regarding the first Remnant, and equally impacted Christianity.

 

First, by Peter quoting from Joel 2, we can suspect that that chapter, and even the entire book of Joel, is relative to the church.  This is indeed confirmed throughout that book, including the famed passage in Joel 2:23:

 

So rejoice, O sons of Zion, and be glad in Yahweh your God; for He has given you the early rain for your vindication.  And He has poured down for you the rain, the early and latter rain as before.

 

Clearly, this is a specific reference to the former and latter rains of the Holy Spirit, the two sons of fresh oil in Zechariah 4:14, the former and latter works within the kingdom of heaven, the church.  In fact, it is most appropriate that Peter referenced Joel 2, for it was the former rain that was being poured out at that very time.

 

But what else do we see attested in that chapter that tells us about the church?  We certainly know that the promises Peter referred to could not and would not be fulfilled by them, but would find their fulfillment in the latter rain.  Additionally, it is the latter rain that prepares the way for Immanuel.  So is there anything in that chapter that places this fulfillment at this time, and is there anything in it that speaks concerning the breach?  These are very important questions to ask.  Let us start with the breach.

 

Joel 2 begins with this statement:

 

For the day of Yahweh is coming; surely it is near, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness.

 

This is the very thing Peter referred to in his quote of Joel 2:28-32.  In that quote in Acts 2:20 we read:

 

The sun will be turned into darkness and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord shall come.

 

In Peter’s mind at that time, what, very likely, could this darkness have been that he was referring to when quoting that passage?  In answering this, remember that (1) the purpose of his reply was to explain what was taking place on that Pentecost morning.  But also, (2) he was turning the people to believe in Yahshua as the Son of God.  After quoting the passage from Joel, Peter immediately addressed His crucifixion.  And what had they just witnessed during that crucifixion, but that for three hours the sun turned into darkness.  Surely this would have been on his mind and on the minds of others when quoting this—“the sun will be turned into darkness.”  They had just seen that take place.

 

But, was this the true fulfillment of Joel 2:31?  Or, were the three hours of darkness simply a testimony of that which would immediately follow?  Yes, like John, Mary, and even Yahshua, these events equally foreshadowed, for the true darkness and blood were in fact at hand, beginning to take place at that very time.

 

Joel 2:25 tells us that there would be a time when “the creeping locust, the stripping locust, and the gnawing locust” are sent upon the church.  Verse 3 even compares this destruction to the original Garden, saying that, “The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, but a desolate wilderness behind them, and nothing at all escapes them.”  What have we seen concerning the Garden of Eden?  It is the kingdom.  It is the same kingdom being spoken of here relative to the former rain and the latter rain—the church.  And its desolation is from Yahweh, as it is written, “Alas for the day!  For the day of Yahweh is near, and it will come as destruction from the Almighty.”

 

So, what is this devastation of the kingdom spoken of in Joel 2, as well as this darkness and the moon turning to blood that is stated to take place “before the great and awesome day of Yahweh comes,” before the coming of Immanuel?  Clearly, it is the corruption of the kingdom that began as soon as the disciples cast lots for Judas’ replacement.  This corruption has continued for 2,000 years and ends at the glorious coming of Immanuel. 

 

Let us consider more of the details regarding this.  How long was the type of this coming darkness that would continue until Immanuel’s glorious coming?  There were three hours of darkness when Yahshua was on the cross (Matthew 27:45).  And how many “days” was the church to receive?  Three days, or a legal 3,000 years.  And at what hour did the former rain come?  Peter tells us that it was at the third hour (Acts 2:15), foreshadowing the third day when the latter rain would come to truly fulfill these blessed promises. 

 

Furthermore, how many sons from the Canaanite wife did Judah have?  Three—two  of whom Yahweh killed, and Tamar was withheld from the third (Genesis 38).  And how many loaves of leavened Pentecost bread did Saul receive?  Three men came with three loaves of bread, and they gave him two (1 Samuel 10:3-4).  And how many parts of the sheep of the Shepherd were cut off and died?  Two parts, and the third part is taken through the fire (Zechariah 13:7-9).  And how many loaves of leavened bread were lifted up by the priest on Pentecost, but could not ascend to Yahweh as a burnt offering?  Two loaves (Leviticus 23:17).  But how many measures of meal were leavened, testifying to the leavening of the kingdom of heaven?  Three measures (Matthew 13:33).  And for how many days were the sons of Israel forbidden to even go near Mount Sinai, then on what day did Yahweh come down “in the sight of all the people”?  Two days forbidden, and He came in their sight on the third day (Exodus 19).  And how many days has Yahweh wounded us, and on what day does He revive us and raise us up to live before Him?  Again, two days and then the third.  Added here is this passage from Hosea 6:1-3 so that you can see the testimony of the church, evidenced once again by the latter rain.

 

“Come, let us return to Yahweh.  For He has torn us, but He will heal us; He has wounded us, but He will bandage us.  He will revive us after two days; He will raise us up on the third day, that we may live before Him.  So let us know, let us press on to know Yahweh.  His going forth is as certain as the dawn; and He will come to us like the rain, like the spring rain watering the earth.”

 

Do you then see that the three hours of darkness while Yahshua was on the cross foreshadowed the 3,000 years that the sun would turn into darkness?  This is most important.  Yahshua clearly stated that He was the light of the world; and when He left, darkness would come and no one would be able to work (John 9:4-5).  Therefore, just as we read here in Joel, when He left the sun turned into darkness. 

 

This period of darkness is equally evidenced and prophesied when after the Passover Lamb of God was slain and the blood sprinkled on the doorpost and the lintel, the church immediately entered into darkness.  They have gone into the house and in the darkness of night have eaten the Lamb with bitter herbs, with sandals on their feet and a rod in their hand, waiting for the dawning of the light, the coming of Immanuel.

 

Will it then be dark for another 1,000 years?  When will the great and glorious day of the Lord spoken of in Acts 2:20 actually come?  In Matthew 24:22 and Mark 13:20, we see that Yahweh has to cut the days short lest no flesh would be saved.  This is clearly attested to in all the like passages that we just examined—the three parts cut short to two.  Judah does not give Tamar to the third son, cutting death short to two.  Saul did not get the third loaf of wheat bread.  Two parts of the sheep are cut off and die, but not the third.  There would be three measures of meal leavened, but they only get two.  Yahweh forbade the sons of Israel to even come near Mount Sinai for two days, but on the third day He came in the sight of all the people.  He wounds for two days, but bandages and lifts up on the third day. 

 

Here now is a wonderful truth that equally confirms and even explains what Yahweh was planning, yet must also alter.  On what day is a male child to be circumcised?  In Leviticus 12:3, we read: “On the eighth day the flesh of his foreskin shall be circumcised.”  What is circumcision?  It is removing the flesh covering.  This has many applications, from the natural on up.  But the highest circumcision is when we are circumcised of this flesh, putting it off and entering into our immortal, incorruptible body.  Does this happen when we die?  No, of course not.  When we die we go to sleep, as Paul clearly stated (1 Corinthians 11:30, 15:51).  There are three ascensions, often called resurrections—first for the Bride, second for the Body, then finally for the nations.

 

Remember, the church was given 3,000 years to effect the kingdom and its fruits.  What you will now read is wonderful to see and to consider, and is highly confirming regarding Bride truth.  If the Body of Christ had done its work and brought forth the required fruits of the kingdom, then they too after three days and three nights would have come out of the grave, ascended alive, and received their immortal bodies, even as did Christ.  What day would that have been?  There were four days (4,000 years) leading up to Yahshua.  Adding three days (3,000 years) for the church would be a total of seven days.  Therefore, they would have received their immortal bodies on the eighth day!  This is the day they would have been circumcised of their flesh. 

 

But, will or can that happen?  Absolutely not!  So what must take place?  Very simple.  Yahweh must cut those days short from three to two; pour out His Spirit, the latter rain, on the second Remnant; and complete that which Yahshua began 2,000 years ago with the first Remnant.  This is the Elijah work, who are the elect spoken of in Matthew 24:22 and Mark 13:20.  These are the ones that because of them and through them Yahweh cuts the days short, prepares the way for Immanuel, and performs for the church what they have totally failed to accomplish.  These are the ones whom “He will raise up on the third day, that we may live before Him.”

 

How does He do this?  As addressed in The Waltz of Life, page 3, He stacks the eighth day of circumcision on the seventh day, and performs the circumcision of the Bride work “early”—they put on immortality.  But the amazing and highly affirming matter to note here is that once again we see that the church was supposed to get 3,000 years, taking them to circumcision on the eighth day, but only gets 2,000 years.  What then happens to Christians?  Also addressed in The Waltz of Life, the Body of Christ will receive their circumcision on the next higher level eighth day, stacked on the seventh as well.

 

So, if the sun turning into darkness is Yahshua leaving this earth and returning to heaven, then what is the fulfillment of the moon turning into blood?  In the original creation, we see that both the sun and the moon were created on the fourth day (Genesis 1:16).  But actually, they were not called the sun and the moon in that verse, but the greater light and the lesser light. 

 

God made the two great lights, the greater light to govern the day, and the lesser light to govern the night; He made the stars also.

 

On what “day” then was it that Yahweh created the Greater Light, Yahshua, on the earth?  On the fourth day of mankind.  But, did He rule the day?  No.  He was too early for that, and the “sun” turned into darkness.  (Read The Waltz of Life, specifically page 3, and you will see that He does begin to rule the day on day four, only at a higher level.)  So then, what was the lesser light that was equally created on the fourth day that, according to Joel, would turn into blood? 

 

In Zechariah 4, we see the  “olive tree –> lampstand –> olive tree” pattern of the church; and we know that this is in fact the Bride, followed by the Body, and concluded by the Bride.  We have seen that the Bride is a split work, and is in fact the two cherubim split by, but covering, the ark of the covenant.  It is most confirming that the two cherubim in Solomon’s temple were made of olive wood, overlaid with gold (1 Kings 6:23, 28).  These are the two olive trees of Zechariah 4. 

 

Furthermore, Exodus 25:10 tells us that the ark of the covenant that “split” the two cherubim was made of acacia wood.  What is acacia wood?  It comes from a tree that attests to the curse in that it brings forth great thorns.  In fact, it is concluded that the crown of thorns that was placed upon Yahshua’s head was made from the acacia tree.  (Click here to see the tree and a crown of thorns.)  Thus we see testified in Solomon’s temple once again the church—olive wood cherubim Remnant –> acacia wood Christianity, weighed down with the thorns/cares of this world –> olive wood cherubim Remnant.

 

What does this have to do with the moon turning into blood?  We read in Ezekiel 28:14 that Satan is identified as the “anointed cherub who covers.”  He is in fact the bride who is replaced by the split Bride—the two Remnant.  But the fact is, the fulfilling Bride did make a brief appearance in the first Remnant before Satan took his place as cherub.  Even as the Greater Light was created on the fourth day, the lesser light was created on that day as well, and that by Yahshua—the first Remnant.  But what happened to the lesser light, the moon?  The Remnant breached, they died, and the bride turned into the “anointed cherub who covers,” Satan.  Thereupon, Joel 2:31 was fulfilled and the moon, the Bride work, turned into blood, Satan.  Like Yahshua, the first Remnant was too early.  Only now can the second Remnant Bride be formed and the moon turn back into the true light.

 

Thus we see that part of what Peter spoke from Joel was indeed fulfilled:  The sun did turn into darkness and the moon did turn into blood.  But the fullness of the blessing aspect had to breach, and will  be fulfilled today in the latter rain.  Like Mary, John, and Yahshua, they too were too early, before the time, and the promise had to breach and be fulfilled at the fullness of time with the second Remnant.

 

“And it shall be in the last days,” God says, “that I will pour forth of My Spirit on all mankind; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; even on my bondslaves, both men and women, I will in those days pour forth of My Spirit and they shall prophesy.”

 

Also from Joel 2:18, 19, and 21, we read regarding the latter rain and the coming of Immanuel:

 

Then Yahweh will be zealous for His land and will have pity on His people.  Yahweh will answer and say to His people, “Behold, I am going to send you grain, new wine, and oil, and you will be satisfied in full with them; and I will never again make you a reproach among the nations. … Do not fear, O land, rejoice and be glad, for Yahweh has done great things.”

 

So may it be today.

 

 

Continue to final page of The Best Is Before Us – The Latter Rain for MORE ON HOW TO UNTIE THE DONKEY

 

Return to home page