The Third Part Through The Fire

Zechariah 13:8-9

And it shall come to pass, that in all the land, saith the LORD, two parts therein shall be cut off and die; but the third shall be left therein. And I will bring the third part through the fire, and will refine them as silver is refined, and will try them as gold is tried: they shall call on My name, and I will hear them: I will say, It is My people: and they shall say, The LORD is my God.

The landscape of the human heart is cluttered with the cumulative effects of iniquity, transgression, and sin. Before the Lord fulfills His Word to restore hearts of flesh to us, He pulls up the stones and prepares the soil. The remainder is passed through the fire to be purified and sanctified to the Lord. The LORD, He is our God! Call on His name in the midst of the fire, as it is written,

Jeremiah 33:3

Call unto me, and I will answer thee, and shew thee great and mighty things, which thou knowest not.

See also Search The Heart; Make Up the Hedge; Living Stones

Related Scriptures: Exodus 34:1-17 (KJV); Exodus 34:1-17; John 16:7-11; Matthew 3:11-12; 1Corinthians 1:1-9; Psalm 18:1-50

In Power and In the Holy Ghost

1Thessalonians 1:5-6

For our gospel came not unto you in word only, but also in power, and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the Holy Ghost:

The power of God comes into our lives through the gospel of Jesus Christ, and is conveyed by the Holy Spirit. It is sound doctrine, but it is also far more: it is the Word of God that releases both the authority and explosive power of the Creator into our world to shape our circumstances. When affliction rises up and we walk in the power of God, the joy of the Lord will overtake us and we can rejoice in the middle of tribulation as the Kingdom of God manifests through us. Thanks be to God, Who fills us with His power, and equips us to walk as witnesses to the risen Christ! As it is written,

Acts 1:8

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto Me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth.

See also It Shall Stand Forever; The Mystery of the Gospel; Spirit, Soul, and Body

Related Scriptures: John 14:12-31; Hebrews 6:1-20; Luke 24:44-53; Acts 1:1-12; Romans 14:1-23; 1Corinthians 15:34-58

The LORD Shall Roar

Jeremiah 25:30

Therefore prophesy thou against them all these words, and say unto them, The LORD shall roar from on high, and utter his voice from his holy habitation; he shall mightily roar upon his habitation; he shall give a shout, as they that tread the grapes, against all the inhabitants of the earth.

The Lord poured out His soul unto death to redeem the nations of the earth. He will bring this age to a close before long. The LORD has a controversy with the nations, and He will plead with all flesh. He will execute judgment on all flesh, for vindication or for punishment. Vindication will have already occurred for the Church when this shout is heard. The rapture has occurred prior to fulfillment of this prophecy, and the Lord is coming as the treader of grapes. He will glean some out of the Tribulation, and the rest will be gathered in the Valley of Jezreel. As it is written,

Joel 3:14

Multitudes, multitudes in the valley of decision: for the day of the Lord is near in the valley of decision.

See also God Poured Out; Treader of Grapes; Watch Ye Therefore

Related Scriptures: Jeremiah 25:13-38; Isaiah 17:1-14; Joel 3:1-21; Hosea 1:10-11

Philip Opened His Mouth

Acts 8:32-33

The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, so opened he not his mouth: In his humiliation his judgment was taken away: and who shall declare his generation? for his life is taken from the earth.

The Lord opened not His mouth in order that the Scripture would be fulfilled, and the inward witness of the Holy Spirit would move upon the hearts of men after His resurrection.

Acts 8:34

And the eunuch answered Philip, and said, I pray thee, of whom speaketh the prophet this? of himself, or of some other man?

The prophets foretold of the redemption of mankind by the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world, who remained dumb before His shearer. The gift of God through the indwelling Holy Spirit is the bold witness that caused Philip to become the mouth of the Lord.

Acts 8:35

Then Philip opened his mouth, and began at the same scripture, and preached unto him Jesus.

Jesus Christ will not keep silence much longer. As it is written,

Revelation 19:15-16

And out of His mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it He should smite the nations: and He shall rule them with a rod of iron: and He treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And He hath on His vesture and on His thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

See also The Two Anointed Ones; From the Four Winds; God Poured Out

Related Scriptures: Acts 8:1-40; Hebrews 9:1-28; Revelation 19:5-16

A Cup Of Trembling

Zechariah 12:2

Behold, I will make Jerusalem a cup of trembling unto all the people round about, when they shall be in the siege both against Judah and against Jerusalem.

In ancient siege warfare, an attacker would at times throw up a massive ramp of earth in order to gain entrance into a walled city and overcome its inhabitants. Israel is increasingly being surrounded by the siege mounds of her enemies. It is the first stage of encircling prior to the final assaults against Jerusalem by the Antichrist. The Messiah is pleading with His people for awakening. They are to respond by putting off the arm of the flesh and turning to the Lord, the only true source of protection. The Holy One of Israel will gather them under His wings when they do so. Sadly, that time is not quite yet. As it is written,

Isaiah 10:20

And it shall come to pass in that day, that the remnant of Israel, and such as are escaped of the house of Jacob, shall no more again stay upon him that smote them; but shall stay upon the LORD, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.

See also Take Thee A Tile; Walk In the Day; The Wind and the Fountain

Related Scriptures: Zechariah 12:1-14; Isaiah 29:1-24; Luke 13:31-35; Matthew 23:37-39; Zephaniah 1:1-18

A Rod of an Almond Tree

Jeremiah 1:11

Moreover the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, Jeremiah, what seest thou? And I said, I see a rod of an almond tree.

The almond tree bears the earliest spring blossoms, and the rod described here is the earliest green shoot. What this generation witnessed in 1948 with the rebirth of Israel was the "rod of an almond tree": the earliest blossoms of the performance of God's plan for the regathering of Israel prior to the Tribulation. When the former and latter rains begin to pour out on God's planting, we will witness His intention as He hastens His word to perform it once again. Before this generation passes away He will be sanctified in Israel, and His heartfelt desire for all mankind to be saved will manifest before all the nations. Salvation comes through Jesus Christ alone. As it is written,

Proverbs 13:12

Hope deferred maketh the heart sick: but when the desire cometh, it is a tree of life.

See also The Tower of Salvation; He Has Given the Former Rain Moderately; Perfect Law of Liberty

Related Scriptures: Jeremiah 1:1-19; Matthew 24:32-51; Ezekiel 28:22-26; Isaiah 61:1-11

The Assyrian in My Land

Isaiah 14:25

That I will break the Assyrian in My land, and upon My mountains tread him under foot: then shall his yoke depart from off them, and his burden depart from off their shoulders.

The yoke of the Assyrian will be broken by the LORD of hosts, as surely as the evening and the morning fulfill the day. He shall be tread under foot by the Holy One of Israel upon the mountains of Jerusalem. Even now their forces are converging on those mountains ready for the first stage of fulfillment: the Psalm 83 war. The burden of the Assyrian will depart from the shoulders of Judah, and then shall they dwell safely (yashab betach). Witness the pre dawn light of the risen Sun of Righteousness, the King of Glory! Awake, O Jerusalem, for the arm of the Lord shall put on strength. As it is written,

Isaiah 51:9

Awake, awake, put on strength, O arm of the LORD; awake, as in the ancient days, in the generations of old. Art thou not it that hath cut Rahab, and wounded the dragon?

See also Beyond Jordan; Inherit the Holy Mountain; Prayer for Israel: Time of Trouble

Related Scriptures: Isaiah 14:1-32; Isaiah 51:1-23; Psalm 83:1-18