Is the Latter Rain taking place NOW?

In my biblical estimation of what is taking place in these last times, the Latter Rain teaching has become the ‘greatest deception’ inside the church, almost all revivalist state Acts 2 is upon us; they are wrong.

What this deception is doing is setting us up for an even greater deception as we head toward the tribulation that is to come upon the world.

There is an invasion of new false prophets promoting the Latter Rain in the Church. It is reeling the church. It is mostly promoted by those who teach and interpret dreams and visions. This all began with William Branham whose whole ministry was led by visions. He claimed to have 10,000 or more, they began when he was in the womb.

Christian Harfouche preaches to his students excitingly “its latter Rain time!” Is it? Many others say the language of the Holy Spirit in the last days is dreams and visions (Lou Engle, Benny Hinn, John Paul Jackson etc.).

This changes ones of understanding the last days (called eschatology) of what will take place comes through the doctrinal lens of the Latter Rain error. When we read Scripture in its context instead of lifting portions to prove our own predilection, it is then we find the actual meaning of what God said.

Joel 2:27-29 Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the LORD your God And there is no other. My people shall never be put to shame.

(this verse quoted by Peter) v. 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. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days .”

Your sons, your daughters are speaking to Israel, not the world, and not the Church! This has nothing to do with the Church but everything to do with the salvation of Israel (which Pentecost first brought, is our example.)

Notice what it is saying is specific. The young will prophesy, the old men will dream and young men will see visions. Joel speaks of a specific time in those days, which happens to be in the tribulation period which lasts 7 years (the last week of Dan.9 which is reserved for Israel’s salvation).

What these teachers do is concentrate on the what, and not the when or where. Their application is completely out of context, it is what is called over realized eschatology.

They all teach I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; you would be hard-pressed to find someone teach this to mean what the Scripture actually says in application.

When Peter quoted the prophet Joel, no one at Pentecost had a dream or vision? So what exactly was Peter’s meaning in speaking this scripture to the people to the people at this time? He was expressing the issue of salvation to the Jews gathered from all different countries there in Jerusalem on the feast day. Notice what it is saying is specific. For Joel says, in those days, which is in the tribulation.

What these teachers do is concentrate on the what and not the when or where.

Notice who he is writing to and who he says this specifically to, it is Israel. It begins there just as it did in the book of Acts on Pentecost, with salvation to the Jews.

How do we know the 'latter rain' is for Israel?

We know this because this is whom Joel is writing to and mentioning over and over again under the Holy Spirit’s direction.

Joel 2:1 begins with Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble; For the day of the LORD is coming" (the same is said by Peter in Acts 2:20 “the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.” ) this sets up the events he speaks of that will take place just before this day.

Joel 2:23-24 “ Be glad, O people of Zion, rejoice in the LORD your God, for he has given you the autumn rains in righteousness. He sends you abundant showers, both autumn and spring rains, as before . The threshing floors will be filled with grain; the vats will overflow with new wine and oil.”

This is the Latter Rains, both the early and latter rain season together at once.

Joel 2:27 “Then you shall know that I am in the midst of Israel: I am the LORD your God And there is no other.”

The sequence of events reveals to us that just before Armageddon, Israel calls upon the Lord (Zech 12:10) and is saved as nation. The remnant that survive through the tribulation call upon Jesus to return. Zech explains this in13:9-14:1
“I will bring the one-third through the fire, Will refine them as silver is refined, And test them as gold is tested. They will call on My name, And I will answer them. I will say, 'This is My people'; And each one will say, 'The LORD is my God.' " This will fulfill what Jesus said in Matt 23:39 you shall see Me no more till you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the name of the LORD!'

Prov. 1:23 “Turn at my rebuke; Surely I will pour out my spirit on you ” when Israel repents of their rejection and calls upon their Messiah whom they rejected (Ezek. 39:29 And I will not hide My face from them anymore; for I shall have poured out My Spirit on the house of Israel,' says the Lord GOD.” See also Ez.36:27;37:14)

Joel states (what Peter quoted) Joel 2:29 “I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” What days is he speaking of?

Joel 2:31 “Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.” ( the same is said by Peter in Acts 2:20 “ the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD.”) V.32-3:2 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.”  

He continues, Joel 3:1"For behold, in those days and at that time, When I bring back the captives of Judah and Jerusalem, I will also gather all nations, And bring them down to the Valley of Jehoshaphat ; And I will enter into judgment with them there On account of My people, My heritage Israel,…”

This battle is described further in Rv. 19:15 "He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God.” V.19-20 And I saw the beast, the kings of the earth, and their armies, gathered together to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army."

Read further in context

Joel 3:12-16 "Let the nations be wakened, and come up to the Valley of Jehoshaphat; For there I will sit to judge all the surrounding nations. Put in the sickle, for the harvest is ripe. Come, go down; For the winepress is full, The vats overflow-- For their wickedness is great." Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision! For the day of the LORD is near in the valley of decision . The sun and moon will grow dark, And the stars will diminish their brightness. The LORD also will roar from Zion, And utter His voice from Jerusalem ; The heavens and earth will shake; But the LORD will be a shelter for His people, And the strength of the children of Israel .”

That IS why this Latter Rain that is poured out in that particular day in the tribulation period is about Israel as its priority, not the church.

p.2  Are Dreams and visions, proof of the Latter Rain today?

 

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