A Release Of Righteous Judgments

Christine Beadsworth

South Africa

Oct 10 2006 03:58AM

Heaven’s Court releases Its Verdict!

Isa 61:1 The Spirit of the Lord GOD is upon me; because the LORD hath anointed me to preach good tidings unto the meek; he hath sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to them that are bound;

Isa 61:2 To proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all that mourn;

Isa 61:3 To appoint unto them that mourn in Zion, to give unto them beauty for ashes, the oil of joy for mourning, the garment of praise for the spirit of heaviness; that they might be called trees of righteousness, the planting of the LORD, that he might be glorified.

We read in verse two of the above passage that there are those who mourn in Zion. This seems to be a contradiction. Surely the inhabitants of Zion live in joy! It is understandable that those outside Zion are in mourning - but these people have ashes, mourning and heaviness INSIDE Zion. It seems that although their address denotes blessing, they have yet to experience the manifestation of it personally. The truth they believe in their heart has not yet come on earth as it is written in Heaven.

However, NOW I hear the sound of the gavel crashing down in the court of Heaven and the voice of the Judge declaring that the day of the Lord’s vengeance has come. It is time for the verdict reached by the heavenly court to be carried out in individual lives.

Isa 61:8 For I the LORD love judgment, I hate robbery and wrong; and I will direct their work in truth (AMP I will give them their recompense faithfully in truth), and I will make an everlasting covenant with them.

What is recompense? It means payback time! The year of the Lord’s favor is the day of recompense for His people. Every area where the enemy has stolen; every part of your inheritance that has been held captive, is about to be loosed.

I want to declare the Lord’s favor over His faithful ones and the release of His righteous judgments on your behalf.

Let us read the document which governs the decision of Heaven’s court because all judgment is according to what is written:

Exo 22:9 For all manner of trespass, whether it be for ox, for ass, for sheep, for raiment, or for any manner of lost thing, which another challengeth to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whom the judges shall condemn, he shall pay double unto his neighbour.

Whatever has been stolen from God’s faithful servants is about to be restored in double quantities. This is what the Lord declares and He confirms this when He declares in Isaiah 61:7

Isa 61:7 Instead of your shame ye shall have double; and in place of confusion they shall rejoice in their portion: therefore in their land they shall possess the double: everlasting joy shall be unto them.

According to this scripture, God is commanding the restoration of double honor in place of the shame you have endured, double recompense, double restoration! How does this happen? I want to explain to you the biblical practice of ‘restoring the name of the dead to his inheritance’.

In Israel, when a man died, his wife was left penniless. She had no access to her dead husband’s resources. It was considered the duty of the nearest male relative (called a kinsman-redeemer) to marry the widow and this released the dead man’s wealth for use. This was called ‘restoring the name of the dead to his inheritance’. In the book of Ruth, we see Ruth and Naomi are widows. They can only glean what is left behind in the corners after the other reapers have passed by. They could not use their dead husbands’ resources because a woman was not allowed to inherit and there was no heir. Then Ruth discovers she has a kinsman-redeemer, Boaz.

If he will marry her, then Elimalech’s resources will be released and Ruth’s children, born of this second marriage, can inherit them. The child will bear the name of the dead person’s house, not the name of Boaz. According to this ancient law, this child is called ‘the first-born from among the dead’. By law, he received a double portion inheritance! He received all that rightfully belonged to the dead man’s house, plus an inheritance from his father – in this case, Boaz. There was a restoration of all that had been lost or stolen through death plus full inheritance from his father’s house.

In this story there are two women who travel together. They are on the same journey to the same destination but they are radically different. Naomi cannot marry Boaz as she is too old and past childbearing age. One has to still have the ability to be fruitful to lay claim to this ancient law. Naomi represents those in the church who cling to the old, who say, “I have been through so much heartache and suffering that it has irrevocably changed me, so call me ‘Marah’ – which means ‘bitter’”. In complete contrast, Ruth is of a different spirit. In spite of what she has suffered, she is willing to go on. Ruth says, ’where you go, I will go’, in other words ‘not my will, but yours be done’. Ruth carries the mark of a bond-slave on her heart, having been set free, she still follows. Because of her heart attitude Ruth catches the attention of Boaz, the owner of the field. She finds favor in his sight because of her self-denial and servant heart.

Have you caught the attention of the Lord of the Harvest? The Lord of the harvest has been watching those in His fields and certain ones have found favor in His sight. He sees they have left all to follow Him and He has noted the deprivation and suffering they have endured without complaining. All has been recorded in the annals of Heaven – nothing escapes His sight. Those who are mourning in Zion because of what has been taken from them, have been noted. The thief, who comes to steal and kill and destroy, has been active against them for a season but it has only served to refine and purify their hearts as they continue on serving in the fields of the Lord of Hosts. Deprivation has not turned them back; hardship and persecution has not embittered their hearts. The fragrance that comes from their laid-down lives has caught the attention of the Kinsman – Redeemer and He is in need of a Bride!

In Ruth 3:3 we read that Ruth washed and perfumed herself – here we see a picture of the Bride making herself ready - and she goes and lies down at his feet and requests him to spread his skirt or wing over her – this is another way of asking him to marry her. In essence, what was she saying? “I want to be fruitful and release the inheritance that lies dormant and locked up”. This inheritance was not just for her, but for those who were coming after her. Her request was not for selfish gain but for the good of others. This is similar to the case of Esther, who when offered half the kingdom, requested rather release and freedom for her people.

According to the custom, Boaz then spoke for her in the gates – where the elders sat and court processes happened. The wedding then took place and we can read the double blessing that was released upon the joining of the Bride and the Kinsman-Redeemer.

Rth 4:11 All the people in the town square that day, backing up the elders, said, "Yes, we are witnesses. May GOD make this woman who is coming into your household like Rachel and Leah, the two women who built the family of Israel.

This was the normal blessing released upon the bride at a wedding but then an additional one was added:

May GOD make you a pillar in Ephrathah and famous in Bethlehem!

Rth 4:12 With the children GOD gives you from this young woman, may your family rival the family of Perez, the son Tamar bore to Judah."

So we see the joining as one of the Bride and the Kinsman-Redeemer releases a double blessing. Bride of Christ, you shall walk in the earth with a double portion of favor resting upon you. Those of you who have prepared your hearts, even though in mourning, those who have lain at His feet and requested covering and release of that which has been stolen, will be a part of the Bride and the day of the Lord’s favor is declared over you.

The child who was born of Boaz and Ruth was Obed. His name means ‘bond-slave’. From the Bride will come forth the bond-slaves of the Lamb spoken of in Revelation 14:4, who follow the Lamb wherever He goes. These bond-slaves will walk in a double portion of inheritance and recompense and will have authority to release recompense and restoration over others by the words of their mouths.

The first thing restored to the Bride is the continual presence of the Bridegroom –she dwells in His presence before His face and in His presence there is fullness of joy. Then fruitfulness comes and double portion of inheritance is released to those who are bond-slaves of the Lamb.

Jesus was called ‘the First-Born from Among the Dead’. He was named for the house of the dead, being called the Last Adam. He was the first to surrender and be wed to His Father’s will, the first divine Bond-Slave, Who ensured that all given to Adam was released and restored - and all that was His Father’s was also His (He said, “Everything the Father has is mine”) so here we see the double inheritance which was His to appropriate.

Having provided the pattern which we are to follow, there is now coming forth a body of those who are forerunners, an Obed generation who walk in this double restoration and recompense. Through intimacy with the Bridegroom, we are heirs with God and co-heirs with Christ. Because we are born of an incorruptible seed, Heaven’s resources are available to us and as we lay down our lives, all that is the Last Adam’s is ours to enjoy. This is the glorious riches of His inheritance spoken of in Ephesians 1. It cannot be accessed until we lay down our lives and surrender to the Bridegroom. Even though Elimelech’s wealth still existed, Ruth could not access it until she became the Bride. Even though Christ’s inheritance is within you, you cannot access it until you surrender to the Bridegroom and become a bond-slave of the Lamb.

We see this described in psalm 110:

Psa 110:3AMP Your people shall offer themselves willingly in the day of Your power; in holy adornment from the womb of the morning will spring forth Your young men who are as the dew.

Out of womb of the morning is coming a first-fruits company of bond-slaves who will be able to access and release this double portion inheritance – receiving and declaring restoration and recompense in the earth. In effect, they will be releasing God’s righteous judgments in the earth because He has declared in Isaiah 61 that He hates robbery!

Do you desire to become a vessel dispensing a double portion of God’s righteous judgments in the earth? Do you want to open prison doors, set captives free and open the eyes of the blind. It is for those who are prepared to be a bond-slave Bride, those who have prepared and washed themselves, those who have been lying at His feet in the darkness. Only through bridal intimacy will the glorious riches of Christ’s inheritance be possessed and experienced.

It is very important that the message must manifest in us before we can take it to others. We cannot effectively describe the taste of a meal unless we have partaken of it ourselves. We must personally experience the day of favor ourselves before we can dispense it to others. We need to taste and see that God is good!! The hardworking farmer must have the first taste of the harvest. For this reason, the Lord is releasing recompense and restoration in double measure. You need to stand and receive it.

When Ruth left the threshing floor very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Boaz instructed her to hold up her mantle. Then he poured into it six measures of barley for her to return home with. She had previously gathered one measure by her own efforts but this outpouring of grain required no effort from her. All she had to do was receive. The mantle she held up was her widow’s mantle. It represented all that had been taken from her by force, all her loss, all her mourning. Into this empty cup, the bridegroom poured all that was needed to make up seven measures –which represents a full portion, all that was owed.

Bride of Christ, you have been lying at His feet and it is now very early in the morning of the Third Day, which is also the Seventh Day from creation. The seventh day is the day of Rest. The time to cease from your own labors and gathering by your own human effort has come. You have only managed to gather one portion, with all your sweat and tears. Now it is time to surrender to the Bridegroom and be wed to the will of the Father. Where He goes, you will go. Where He rests, you will rest. His journey is your journey, His people will be your people and not even death is able to separate you from His love. Now, as you go forth from this place of death-to-self, stand and hold up your widow’s mantle. Prepare to receive an outpouring from the windows of Heaven – six measures bringing recompense and restoration to wholeness again. There has been a verdict released from the Courts of Heaven – RESTORE! God’s righteous judgments are being released and His judgment is in favor of the saints.

Isa 66:14b AMP And the hand of Jehovah will be known and shown to be toward His servants, and His fury toward His enemies.

The set time to favor Zion has come! Hold up your mantle and receive beauty to replace your ashes, the oil of joy in exchange for the mourning veil and a garment of praise to replace that spirit of heaviness. You are destined to be an oak of righteousness, planted by the Lord, that He may be glorified in and through you. Then you will restore the ancient ruins:

Isa 61:4 And they shall build the old wastes, they shall raise up the former desolations, and they shall repair the waste cities, the desolations of many generations.

You will go forth, declaring God’s righteous judgments in the earth – Restore, raise up, repair! You will co-labor with the hand of the Lord as it is shown to be toward his servants and against His enemies. God is searching for those who are not looking for an inheritance to provide for their own comfort and luxury, those whose heart is one with the heart of the Father; those willing to lay down their lives for the sake of a broken world. Will you pay this price?

If so, prepare to receive the double portion due to you, Beloved!

End Of The Feast Of Tabernacles

Christine Beadsworth

Dear friend

This is what I am hearing today -Today 13th Oct 2006) is the 7th day of the 7th feast of tabernacles in the 7th Jewish year of the 7th Day since creation. Talk about fullness of completion and rest from our labors. 7777

Oh goodness I have just realised, this links up with the 7th day of passover feast when 7 priests in the promised land, blew 7 shofars after circling Jericho 7 times on the 7th day - We have been circling this stronghold in our midst seven times since we began this seventh day. The Word has gone out repeatedly on each circling - "let My people go that they may worship Me". Now It is TIME TO SHOUT THE VICTORY OF THE BLOOD in one accord AND watch the stronghold in our midst come tumbling down. That stronghold which prevents God's people from coming to Jesus and drinking living water (as He declared on the 7th day of Tabernacles); the religious stronghold that causes people to study the scriptures because they think they have eternal life through them but still they do not come to Jesus so they may have life!!

What a glorious day. Let the sevenfold power of the Blood be felt and let the sevenfold light of the Son of Righteousness go forth and cause His Bride to truly be the Light of the world -

'And there shall be upon every high mountain and upon every hill brooks and streams of water in the day of the Lord, the day of the great slaughter, when the towers fall (and all His enemies are destroyed) for the light of the moon (church reflecting the light of the sun)will be as the light of the sun, and the light of the sun shall be sevenfold on that day when the Lord binds up the hurt of His people and heals their wound (inflicted by Him because of their sin.) Isaiah 30:25,26AMP

Halleluyah

Christine Beadsworth

Rejoicing In The Living Word

Christine Beadsworth

Oct 14 2006 09:33AM

Rejoicing in the Torah

Beloved

Today (14^th October) is the eighth day of Tabernacles, called Simchat Torah or ‘rejoicing in the Torah’. It is the day when the yearly cycle of readings ends and a new one begins, and on this day, the Jews rejoice in the Word. They take the scrolls from their chamber, kiss them and dance with them, spiraling around with great joy because of their love for the Word of God. This rejoicing spills out of the synagogue and into the streets as the Torah scrolls are carried by the dancing men.

Of course we know that Jesus is the Living Word and that what is represented here is worship of Jesus and delighting ourselves in Him Who is the manifestation of the written Word. One of the Greek word for ‘worship’ is ‘proskuneo’ which means ‘to kiss’. Also we know that in His presence is fullness of joy.

Remember that on the day before this, the day called ‘the Great Day of the Feast’, Jesus had stood up and issued an invitation to come and drink living water from Him. This eighth day is a culmination of accepting the invitation of the seventh day. When we come to the Living Word and drink freely and continuously of the stream of His pleasures, there is an outpouring of joy and rejoicing as we receive a continually unfolding revelation of the wonder of Jesus, the Word made flesh.

Recently, the Holy Spirit gave me a vision of myself being led to the edge of a dance-floor by a man. Jesus, the Bridegroom held out His hand and invited me to join Him on the dance-floor. At first I was nervous and stiff and awkward but as I continued to gaze into His face, I relaxed and followed His lead as we danced. We began to spin faster and faster and everything on the edge of the floor became a blur. As I watched this scene, I saw that the dance-floor had turned into a harvest field and as we twirled, sheaves of wheat were falling in neat bunches on the ground. There was no effort involved in the process as my attention was on my Dance-partner, not on the floor. It seemed that the two of us had become like some kind of dynamo, spinning so fast that beams of light were emitted and shone on those around.

I believe this vision is a depiction of what the Holy Spirit is doing in the earth today. He is represented by the man who led me to the dance floor and into the arms of the Bridegroom. I represent the Bride, who is being called out of the crowd, having made herself ready for this moment. The dance is a representation of what occurs on the eighth day of Tabernacles. The Bride is dancing with the Torah, the Living Word and all in the background fades into insignificance as she fixes her eyes on the face of the Bridegroom ( Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and the Finisher of our faith.) She is filled with joy in His presence and continues to drink of the Living Water, following His lead (Thy Word is a light unto my path). Without realizing it, she finds herself dancing with her Beloved, not in a building but in the harvest-field and under His leading, the harvest is brought in, not by striving and the works of man, but from a position of rest in the arms of the Bridegroom. As the two dance as one to the music of Heaven, dunamis power is released in the earth and the Church truly becomes the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid!

There is another possible interpretation concerning the man who led the Bride to the edge of the floor. This may represent the five-fold ministry who equip the saints and prepare them for the work of the ministry. Like John the Baptist, who prepared the way for the Messiah and took the role of the groomsman until the Lamb of God arrived on the scene and he encouraged his disciples to rather follow Jesus, so too the five-fold ministry comes to a season when they hand the Bride over to the Bridegroom. Having trained her to recognize and follow His voice, they then have to decrease in order for the Bridegroom to lead the harvest dance. It is the Husband who washes the wife with the water of the Word and presents her to himself, glorious, without spot or blemish. The only way for the dance of the harvest to be successful is if the Bride is in a place of rest, following the Lord of the Harvest’s lead. When a woman tries to lead a man in a dance, conflict and stumbling is the result. Therefore, instructions cannot be shouted from the sidelines by a dance-instructor. Those who have helped prepare the Bride to this point of release have to put their trust in the ability of the Bridegroom to lead His Bride step by step. John the Baptist had to hand over his disciples to Jesus. The five-fold ministry must release the Body to the Head so that we can come to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ. The Message Bible phrases it beautifully :

Eph 4:13 until we're all moving rhythmically and easily with each other, efficient and graceful in response to God's Son, fully mature adults, fully developed within and without, fully alive like Christ.

The entrance of the Word brings light. May you be flooded with joy as you step onto the floor at the invitation of your Bride-groom. Trust Him and rest in His strong arms. Sense the gentle nudge and leading of the Spirit as your ears pick up the rhythm of Heaven’s harvest symphony. Follow wherever He leads, even to the furthest corner of the dance-floor (earth). Spill out onto the streets, rejoicing in His glorious presence within you and witness the harvest coming in, for His glory and His praise alone.

Bringing In the Fullness of the Harvest

Christine Beadsworth

Oct 15 2006 08:38AM

To the saints scattered all over the world

Grace and peace to you in Jesus, the Lord of the Harvest.

This article is based on a message I shared with the women of India recently. I am sensing that it is relevant to all of us, wherever we may be. God determines the set boundaries of our habitation (Acts 17:26) and His desire is to unfold His purposes through our surrendered lives wherever He has placed us. With this in mind, let us first take a look at a scripture in Revelations 6:

Rev 6:9 And when he had opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of them that were slain for the word of God, and for the testimony which they held:
Rev 6:10 And they cried with a loud voice, saying, How long, O Lord, holy and true, dost thou not judge and avenge our blood on them that dwell on the earth?
Rev 6:11 And white robes were given unto every one of them; and it was said unto them, that they should rest yet for a little season, until their fellow-servants also and their brethren, that should be killed as they were, should be fulfilled.

We see here that there is a group in heaven waiting for the full number of martyrs to be brought in, before judgment and justice can be released. Those who have already laid down their lives in previous generations are waiting for their brethren on earth to lay down their lives.

Now let us examine the parable of the Sower and the Seed from a fresh angle.

Mat 13:23 But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some thirty some sixty, some an hundredfold.

Here we hear ’30, 60 and 100fold’. This speaks of three different harvests, each greater than the last. We are now living in the third day since Christ came. He was the first seed that fell to the ground in order to bring forth a harvest. The three different harvests out of good soil represent the harvests of three days or three periods of time. The thirty-fold harvest was reaped during the first thousand-year period and the sixty-fold during the second.

We are now living in the day of the hundred-fold harvest. Do we grasp the significance of this? The phrase ‘hundred-fold’ speaks of completion; of the fullness of the harvest being brought in , during the Third Day. We are the harvest of the seed that was sown in good soil during the second day. Saints laid down their lives and some spilled their blood on the soil of your nation in order to bring forth the harvest written for their day. Now Heaven is calling for the completion of the harvest in the earth.

We read in Isaiah 55:11 that God’s Word does not return void but accomplishes the purpose for which is was sent. Jesus was sent as the Living Word for the purpose of bringing forth a harvest in the earth – and that harvest shall be completed. There are souls that Jesus paid the price for, that have yet to be brought into the Kingdom. The harvest of the ages is not yet complete. We have heard much spoken of the great end-time harvest that is on the brink of coming in. This is the hundredfold harvest.

The saints that have gone before us are now part of the great cloud of witnesses. They followed the example of the first Seed and sowed themselves into the soil of the nations of the world and they are now watching us. There is a call going forth in the earth for fresh seed to be sown in the Third day to cause the greatest of all the harvests to come in.

Laying down your life does not only mean dying physically for the cause of Christ – it means dying to self and living for Christ alone. It is one thing to put your money in the offering. Now is the time to put yourself in the offering! The only way to enter the harvest of the Third Day is through death - death to our own ambitions, our own desires and plans.

If we look at the three major festivals of the Lord, we find they parallel the three ages or days of harvest:

Passover – the barley harvest

Pentecost – the wheat harvest

Tabernacles – the wheat and fruit harvest

We see that the harvests of the first two days contain seeds that fall to the ground – both barley and wheat are grain harvests. Jesus laid down His life as the first-fruits of the Barley harvest. However Tabernacles is the only harvest period where there are both grain and fruit harvested. This speaks to us of lives that are laid down and fruit that is brought forth in the same season. What is this fruit a result of?

In Hebrews, we read about the faith-filled men and women of God who now make up the great cloud of witnesses:

Heb 11:33 Who through faith subdued kingdoms, wrought righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions

This is good news – these people received promises from the throne in answer to their prayers. Because God is not a man that He should lie, every promise of God will indeed be fulfilled. However, in verse 39 of the same chapter, we read:

Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise: Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect

So these saints died in faith without seeing the complete fulfillment of all that had been promised them. Why was this? We see clearly in the above verses that it was for our sake, so that we could also have a part in the harvest of those promises. Even now, we are surrounded by this cloud of witnesses eagerly awaiting the full harvest of the seed sown through all the ages – and you and I have the great privilege of living in the day when it shall be accomplished.

Mar 4:26 And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; Mar 4:27 And should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. Mar 4:28 For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear

Here we read a description of the complete Kingdom harvest plan. In verse 28 there are three stages mentioned – the blade, the ear and then the full corn in the ear. So we see that the third stage of harvest is the fullness of harvest or the hundred-fold harvest. The Hebrew word used for ‘full’ here, means ‘ to complete, to accomplish’. In other words, the Word has not returned void but has accomplished the purpose for which it was sent. We live in the day of the completion of the harvest. Hallelujah!

Jesus explained to His disciples the way the harvest was brought in:

Joh 4:34 Jesus saith unto them, My meat is to do the will of him that sent me, and to finish his work. Joh 4:35 Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest. Joh 4:36 And he that reapeth receiveth wages, and gathereth fruit unto life eternal: that both he that soweth and he that reapeth may rejoice together.Joh 4:37 And herein is that saying true, One soweth, and another reapeth. Joh 4:38 I sent you to reap that whereon ye bestowed no labor: other men labored, and ye are entered into their labors

Who were those who sowed so that we can reap the fruit? – the saints in the cloud of witnesses. They did not cease being a member of the Body when they died. There is one Body, some members on earth and some members in heaven and God’s desire is that we would rejoice TOGETHER as the harvest is brought in.

Shawn Bolz recently wrote this:

There Is A Harvest of the Bride Going on Right Now

‘Then He said to His disciples, "The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into His harvest field --- Matthew 9:37-38

When Jesus spoke about this I believe He was addressing the church not the unsaved. Most of us look at this scripture and think of the harvest that is coming, but there is a first harvest and a second harvest. The first harvest is the harvest of harvesters or the harvest of the bride. This is when those who are called to participate with the great harvest are made ready. '

Here again we hear the call for the wheat harvest of Tabernacles, the Third Day feast, to come in so that the rest of the harvest, the fruit of promises declared, may manifest in the earth.

The word ‘witness’ used in Hebrews 12:1 is actually a legal term, to describe a person who enters the witness stand in a court to declare what they have seen and heard pertaining to the case under discussion. As your nation comes up on the agenda of Heaven’s court, a member of the great cloud of witnesses steps up and declares all the promises they heard from the mouth of the Lord in their generation. The court of Heaven is run according to what is written in the eternal Word. If the witness’s testimony lines up with the Word of God, then the court passes judgment in favor of the saints still on earth and the fulfillment of the promise is released. His kingdom comes on earth as it is written in Heaven.

Jam 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.

Jesus, the Husbandman, is waiting for the precious fruit of the earth. It comes in after the early AND the latter rain. This word ‘latter’ comes from the Greek word ‘ to come from the rear, to come from behind’. So this latter rain, the rain that brings in the harvest, is coming from those that come from behind – in other words, those saints that have gone before us! Rain or water represents the Word and the latter rain that comes from Heaven is the completion and manifestation of every promise they purchased with their blood and tears of travail! What God has promised, He will fulfill so that both he who sowed and he who reaps may rejoice together. The latter rain is the heavy rain that brings the harvest to maturity so that it can be brought in. Without the latter rain, we will not reap the harvest of the Third Day. The full harvest of Tabernacles is dependant on receiving the latter rain. We need to link arms with those who have gone before us and pay the price to bring the manifestation of every promise spoken over our nations in generations past.

Hebrews 12:1 speaks of running with perseverance the race marked out before us. This race is not a sprint. It is a relay race and the baton is passed from generation to generation. We are part of the last leg before the finish line and so we need to deliberately and consciously take hold of the baton that is being passed to us by the saints of the Second Day. Inscribed upon that baton are the promises written over our nations and areas. The price has already been paid and their prayers have not fallen to the ground. We have the privilege of reaping where we have not sown and entering into their labors.

In Joel 2 we read about the outpouring of the former and latter rain:

Joe 2:23 Be glad then, ye children of Zion, and rejoice in the LORD your God: for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month.
Joe 2:24 And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil.
Joe 2:25 And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpillar, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you.
Joe 2:26 And ye shall eat in plenty, and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, that hath dealt wondrously with you: and my people shall never be ashamed.
Joe 2:27 And ye shall know that I am in the midst of Israel, and that I am the LORD your God, and none else: and my people shall never be ashamed.

The first month is when the feast of Tabernacles takes place and the wheat, wine and oil are the harvest of Tabernacles. This harvest is described here as being abundant. The wheat speaks both of harvesters laying down their lives and going out and also souls being brought in. The wine speaks of joy and rejoicing and alludes to the water of the Word within us being poured out as wine in the Third Day. The oil speaks of overflowing anointing. There is also restoration and a lifting of the mantle of shame on God’s people. What a glorious harvest has been promised to those of us blessed enough to be alive in the Third Day!

In Revelation 14 we see a beautiful picture:

Rev 14:14 And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle.
Rev 14:15 And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe.
Rev 14:16 And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped

Here we see Jesus seated on a cloud. This is a reference to the cloud of witnesses, which form the foundation from which this end-time harvest is launched. Jesus has a crown on His head. In Proverbs, we read that a virtuous wife is the crown of her husband ( Prov12:4) and so we can understand that this is a depiction of the Bridegroom and the Bride together ( she having been set in place) bringing forth the harvest. As the Body of Christ lays hold of the promises bought by the cloud of witnesses and surrenders to the will of the Bridegroom, Who is the Lord of the Harvest, the season of the hundredfold harvest is released. An announcement is made in the Heavenlies that the time has come and the harvest is fully ripe!

Proverbs tells us that a good man leaves an inheritance for his children’s children. This refers to the third generation. Children of the Third Day, stand up and receive the inheritance laid up in Heaven for you! The price has been paid, the groundwork has been done, the promises have been issued – now lay down your life and bring in the fullness of the earth’s harvest.

Isa 61:11 For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.

Let us ask the Lord for rain in the time of latter rain.