Sounds Heard in a Holy Ghost Filled Church
- I hear the sounds of abundance of rain.
- What is going to happen in Latter Rain church?
- Church entertainment will vanish.
- Fleshly programs will not be needed.
- When God pours out His Spirit the Houses of God will be powerful.
Almost every false doctrine or confusing doctrine is a partial truth taken out of context. Biblical balance is the high road of gospel preaching. The term, Latter Rain, is a grand Biblical idea and connects in the Old and New Testament to the Feast of Pentecost and the Pentecostal baptism in the Book of Acts. The basis of the Latter Rain, as well as the Former Rain, is the passion of our Heavenly Father for the harvest of souls. That passion never wanes, because “the husbandman (Father) waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.” (James 5:7b).
Like many wonderful Bible truths, the New Testament Scriptures must be harmonized with the First Testament Scriptures. When the idea of a Latter Rain is interpreted only by the New Testament text, then truth suffers. Deceptive teachings about the Latter Rain have surfaced over and over during the past one hundred years. The different proponents of a Church Age Latter Rain fulfillment have sought to hijack the Pentecostal revival during this entire past century. Some of the greatest havoc that has befallen the church world during this period (100 years) has had roots in Latter Rain ideas.
Replacement of Israel Theology
The doctrine of Replacement Theology is for the large part a Latter Rain doctrine. This idea of the replacement of the Jews by the church takes the great promises to Israel’s future glory and tries to superimpose those promises on the church alone. A multitude of Old Testament truth has to be ignored or spiritualized to construct such a false notion. Joel was careful to call for the Latter Rain in the first month, which ties that promise to the month of Tishri and the Feast of Trumpets. This feast is a Fall feast, following the harvest and cannot find its beautiful fulfillment until the “summer is past.”
Look at Joel’s anointed words, “Be not afraid, ye beasts of the field: for the pastures of the wilderness do spring, for the tree beareth her fruit, the fig tree and the vine do yield their strength. 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. And the floors shall be full of wheat, and the fats shall overflow with wine and oil. And I will restore to you the years that the locust hath eaten, the cankerworm, and the caterpiller, and the palmerworm, my great army which I sent among you. 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. 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.” (Joel 2:22-27).
Sure, there is a promise here to the New Testament church because Peter stated the connection in his discourse at Pentecost. Remember, Apostle Peter was speaking in the Jewish language and clearly connected Pentecost to the Former Rain. But, Peter did not claim the final fulfillment of this promise, because he made no mention of Israel as a nation. Neither did Peter mention Joel’s words, “and the latter rain in the first month (Tishri).” What Joel had clearly shown was the Former Rain lasting from Spring (Pentecost) until the Rapture and the time of judgment. He dated the Latter Rain to the Feast of Trumpets, occurring the first day of Tishri or connected in fulfillment to Israel’s judgment and future glory. The first four major feasts of Jehovah have been perfectly fulfilled. The last three are called the Fall Feasts and will be fulfilled during the coming end. While I do not hold to setting dates for the Rapture, it is clear that Tishri One is at least the type for the coming Rapture, to be followed by the Great Tribulation and the Millennium that will finish God’s redemption. The end of the Tribulation and the one thousand years of Jesus Christ’s kingdom on this earth is unquestionably a time of the Latter Rain Outpouring.
To allow a great truth like this to eliminate the future hope of the Jewish nation and their glorious part in its fulfillment is dark theology. The heart of this prophecy by Joel was to the nation of Israel and we Gentiles enjoy its blessings as a wild olive tree grafted in contrary to nature. But, God’s promise is to regraft the original tree so that the Jews and the Gentiles can enjoy the Latter Rain kingdom and world harvest together. Jesus Christ, identified by His new name (Revelation 3:12), will be King of Kings and Lord of Lords of the whole earth.
Apostle Paul established this truth beyond argument. “And if some of the branches be broken off, and thou, being a wild olive tree, wert graffed in among them, and with them partakest of the root and fatness of the olive tree; Boast not against the branches. But if thou boast, thou bearest not the root, but the root thee. Well; because of unbelief they were broken off, and thou standest by faith. Be not highminded, but fear.” “For if thou wert cut out of the olive tree which is wild by nature, and wert graffed contrary to nature into a good olive tree: how much more shall these, which be the natural [branches], be graffed into their own olive tree? For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved: as it is written, There shall come out of Sion the Deliverer, and shall turn away ungodliness from Jacob: For this is my covenant unto them, when I shall take away their sins.” (Romans 11:17,18,20,24-27).
To try to impose the Latter Rain on the church before the Rapture is to ignore great truths like the above Scripture, plus many others. Thank God for the continuing Former Rain, which is available moderately in the present, but we must not try to impose on Scripture a false interpretation to justify the religious hoopla that is presently encircling the church world. Israel, as a saved nation, will be at the center of the Latter Rain that is clearly prophesied by Joel and confirmed by Peter and James in the New Testament. Note Apostle Paul’s words, “For if the casting away of them be the reconciling of the world, what shall the receiving of them be, but life from the dead?” (Romans 11:15). The salvation of “all Israel” at the end of the Great Tribulation will mark the beginning of the Latter Rain outpouring.
The “Jesus Only” Doctrine & “Branhamites”
Another dark result of the Latter Rain deception has been the confusion of “Jesus Only” teachings. This deception has invaded the Charismatic world and is clearly accepted by almost all of the main Charismatic leaders. Paul Crouch, Kenneth Hagin, Kenneth Copeland, and Benny Hinn, etc. all teach a form of the “Jesus Only” doctrine. The words they use to teach about their “Born Again Jesus” is a clever way to hide the dark ideas behind this false concept. If Jesus had to be “born again,” then He was less than God in substance. William Branham stated these exact words in a sermon tape aired by R. G. Stair on his broadcast, “How can He be an eternal Son when eternity never ends and a Son is something that is begotten of, how can it make sense?” (Quoted in a booklet, entitled “The Doctrines of R. G. Stair,” published by Paw Creek Ministries.)
This is the reason that men like T.D. Jakes and Tommy Tenney can move in perfect step with the Charismatic crowd. Both of these men are “Jesus Only” and are spewing these hellish concepts on the church world. Listen to this quote from the Charisma Magazine, March 2000, “Because Tenney honors his spiritual heritage, and because his parents are prominent leaders in the UPC in Louisiana, some people become suspicious of his theology when they learn about his background. Yet Tenney insists he isn’t spreading heresy. ‘I am not “Jesus Only.” I believe God revealed Himself as the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit,’ he told Charisma, distancing himself from the debate over so-called ‘Oneness’ theology. That controversy, which erupted in 1916 when the Assemblies of God severed ties with a group of Pentecostals who insisted on a ‘Jesus Only’ baptismal formula, created one of the most hostile divisions in modern church history.” (Charisma Magazine, March 2000. Published by Strang Communications Company, 600 Rinehart Road, Lake Mary, FL.)
Please note the words Tenney used to distance himself from the “Jesus Only” concept. “I am not ‘Jesus Only,’ I believe God revealed Himself as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.” What an empty defense! That very statement is classical “Jesus Only” jargon. They believe in three manifestations, but not three distinct persons manifest in the Godhead.
The “Jesus Only” confusion is just another example of the false doctrines spawned by the Latter Rain proponents. “If the foundations be destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (Psalm 11:3). Whenever men depart from clear and literal interpretations of Scripture the door is open for one dark idea after another. Wonderful people, many of them dedicated to the Lord, are the ones who suffer the most. False pastors and prophets always leave behind a crowd of confused and troubled souls. There are many Branhamites until this day that hate you if one word is spoken against their champion. Branham was quick to say that it was his angel, not the Holy Ghost that did the healings in his meetings. (Documented in “William Branham, ‘Jesus Only’ Apostasy” booklet. Published by Paw Creek Ministries.)
I believe that history will prove that many “movers” of the Charismatic movement have been and still are hidden “Jesus Only” deceivers. William Branham was one of the early speakers at the Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship meetings. Here is a description of one of those occasions as described by Bill Randles, “Branham’s ministry was nothing short of amazing. I have seen videotapes of Branham. One was a particular Full Gospel Businessmen’s Fellowship meeting in the mid 1950’s. Branham and the crowd were obviously waiting for the sign gift ministry to begin. ‘You know what I’m waiting for, the angel of the Lord, I can’t start without him.’ Gradually, he would say something like, ‘Now he’s here,’ and the sign gift ministry would start. He would calmly call individuals out of the crowd, tell them the secrets of their heart, the diseases of their body, what the doctor said, what they said to their wife the previous night, and then calmly pronounce them healed. Often they were! In fact, Branham was once asked if his wonders were done by the Holy Spirit to which he replied, ‘No, my angel does it.’” (“William Branham, Jesus Only Apostasy,” by Bill Randles, published by Paw Creek Ministries.) No wonder William Branham is still a big name in Charismatic circles.
Toronto – “Holy Laughter”
The present movement of holy laughter, drunken stupors, angel feathers, gold dust, and multiple sign manifestations are nothing but Latter Rain deceptions. At every juncture of the Latter Rain doctrines, they have been accompanied by spectacular physical actions. The devil promotes a good show and the fleshly-minded believers love it. Calling this present show of the flesh a revival, especially a Latter Rain revival does nothing but great harm to truth.
Here is a quote from a previous booklet, “One couple that are major names among the New Wave movement have a new book entitled, Holy Laughter, in which they laud these strange happenings. In their own introduction they stated, ‘The Spirit of God is swiftly moving in breathtaking and sometimes startling new ways, and people of every tongue and every nation are letting out what is on the inside of them. … they are running at a fast pace to “Joel’s Bar” where the drinks are free and there is no hangover! … and one of today’s signs ‘in the earth beneath’ is the ‘holy laughter’ which is supernaturally overcoming people in services all over the world!” (Holy Laughter, pp. 5-7). “The language used by the authors seems cheap and the premise for their approval lacks Biblical foundation, but even deeper is the clear association with questionable integration. The psychological techniques used by New Agers are almost identical. ‘Letting out what is on the inside of them’ is markedly different from the Biblical idea of ‘bring your burdens to the Lord and leave them there.’ Our culture is rejecting the powers of Jesus Christ to transform life and is accepting techniques that arise out of ancient heathen practices and shaman activities.” (“Altered State of Consciousness, Holy Laughter,” by Joseph R. Chambers, D.D., D.S.L., published by Paw Creek Ministries.)
Such foolishness is so barbaric that I’m overwhelmed anyone would even give it the time of day. Here are additional words from the previous article named above. “The apostle clearly connected wild emotions with heathenistic (Barbarian) activities. The worship of heathen gods has always been accompanied by uncontrolled emotions. Listen to Elijah taunt the prophets of Baal for their hopeless wailing. “And they took the bullock which was given them, and they dressed it, and called on the name of Baal from morning even until noon, saying, O Baal, hear us. But there was no voice, nor any that answered. And they leaped upon the altar which was made. And it came to pass at noon, that Elijah mocked them, and said, Cry aloud: for he is a god; either he is talking, or he is pursuing, or he is in a journey, or peradventure he sleepeth, and must be awaked. And they cried aloud, and cut themselves after their manner with knives and lancets, till the blood gushed out upon them.” (1 Kings 18:26-28).
To accuse the Holy God of such foolishness and heathen practice is blasphemous. Our God is a God of reason and order. His Word laments the undisciplined. “He that is slow to anger is better than the mighty; and he that ruleth his spirit than he that taketh a city.” (Proverbs 16:32). (Ibid.)
Can Anyone Be Saved After The Rapture?
Another false doctrine that has arisen out of the Latter Rain teaching is that no one can be saved after the Rapture. If the Latter Rain occurs before the Rapture, then that doctrine must be true and acceptable. In that case, the Latter Rain ends the harvest of souls and not another person can be converted. But this cannot be true unless we deny the seventh chapter of Revelation and a multitude saved out of the Great Tribulation. John wrote, “And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.” (Revelation 7:14).
But neither does Israel, as a nation, have a future hope for they are not converted until the end of the Great Tribulation. The conversion of Israel is one of the great truths of Scripture and does not occur until they see Him returning from the great defeat of the Antichrist in the Gates of Babylon. “And they shall waste the land of Assyria with the sword, and the land of Nimrod in the entrances thereof: thus shall he deliver us from the Assyrian, when he cometh into our land, and when he treadeth within our borders.” (Micah 5:6). Zechariah prophesied of the glorious conversion of Israel when the Lord comes to establish His righteous reign on this earth. “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for his only son, and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for his firstborn.” (Zechariah 12:10). “In that day there shall be a fountain opened to the house of David and to the inhabitants of Jerusalem for sin and for uncleanness. And it shall come to pass in that day, saith the LORD of hosts, that I will cut off the names of the idols out of the land, and they shall no more be remembered: and also I will cause the prophets and the unclean spirit to pass out of the land.” (Zechariah 13:1-2).
I do believe there will be a class of people that cannot be saved. Apostle Paul described them to the church at Thessalonica. “And with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: That they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness. But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth.” (2 Thessalonians 2:10-13). We must not expand the list of those who cannot repent after the Rapture beyond the group above.
“Latter Rain” Induced False Revival
Not one time in the last century that Latter Rain teachings have surfaced have those teachings been anything but a part of utter religious deception. When you try to impose a revival concept or a Holy Ghost manifestation on society without the Biblical foundation, you cannot get anything but false results. Revival is a sovereign move of God in response to hunger and dedicated hearts. Every true spiritual movement has been rooted in the sovereignty of God and humble saints turning from worldly entanglement to pray and seek after righteousness.
The Latter Rain movement was never started with sinners being converted and the church world enriched and strengthened. Rather, it has always been imposed by false teachers and false prophets creating deep divisions and being connected to some new and strange doctrines and emotions. Those leading these religious crusades have always claimed special gifts and new revelations. They have also been quick to condemn anyone who questioned their teachings and/or manifestations. Their claim of spiritual superiority makes everything they teach suspect.
We Are Still Experiencing Former Rain or Early Rain
The outpouring of the Holy Ghost that began after the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ is still valid and genuine. The Early Rain of the Holy Ghost cannot end until the church age is completed. Those who teach a cessation of the Holy Ghost supernatural phenomena are as guilty as anyone for the false teaching of Latter Rain. The vacuum you create in a non-spiritual church world opens the door to the false. The lukewarm condition of many Pentecostal churches has been gravely responsible for this repeated surfacing of hyper emotionalism. The answer to error is always truth. When the church is filled with truth and constantly experiences real revival, the enemy is defeated at the door.
The Book of James speaks to the Old Testament prophecy of Joel and the Former and Latter Rain. His words are beautiful and show the connection of this Holy Ghost rain or spiritual activity to the Father’s heart. He said, “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. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” (James 5:7-8). To speak of these two seasons of harvest in clear connection to the Lord’s coming would suggest that they are intimately connected. Joel has already proven that Israel as a nation and a people are clearly in the middle of the Latter Rain and that cannot begin until Jesus returns to finish off the Antichrist kingdom and establish His own kingdom.
The Latter Rain After the Great Tribulation
What we see then is the Early (Former) Rain continuing until the Lord raptures His Bride Harvest and then the Latter Rain being the harvest of the earth after He returns to be King of kings over the Millennial Age. Read again the great prophecy in Joel listed in the beginning of this article. It is impossible for the fulfillment of those clear promises until the judgment of sin is over.
The Old Testament has an underlying promise from the Book of Job (oldest book of the Bible) for this future kingdom of Jesus Christ and the glory of a “Latter Rain of Righteousness.” It has always had a Jewish character, but connected to the promise of blessings for the whole earth and all nations. Look at these beautiful passages of truth:
– “And they waited for me as for the rain; and they opened their mouth wide as for the latter rain.” (Job 29:23).
– “That I will give you the rain of your land in his due season, the first rain and the latter rain, that thou mayest gather in thy corn, and thy wine, and thine oil.” (Deuteronomy 11:14).
– “In the light of the king’s countenance is life; and his favour is as a cloud of the latter rain.” (Proverbs 16:15).
– “Therefore the showers have been withholden, and there hath been no latter rain; and thou hadst a whore’s forehead, thou refusedst to be ashamed.” (Jeremiah 3:3).
– “Therefore I said, Surely these are poor; they are foolish: for they know not the way of the LORD, nor the judgment of their God.” (Jeremiah 5:4).
– “Then shall we know, if we follow on to know the LORD: his going forth is prepared as the morning; and he shall come unto us as the rain, as the latter and former rain unto the earth.” (Hosea 6:3).
– “Ask ye of the LORD rain in the time of the latter rain; so the LORD shall make bright clouds, and give them showers of rain, to every one grass in the field.” (Zechariah 10:1).
To try and impose these Jewish promises on the church exclusively is Anti-Jewish and replacement theology at its worst. The entire earth (Jews and Gentiles) is going to share with Israel in fulfillment of the promise to Abraham. “Ye are the children of the prophets, and of the covenant which God made with our fathers, saying unto Abraham, And in thy seed shall all the kindreds of the earth be blessed.” (Acts 3:25).
Those who try to replace Israel as the central benefactor of the Latter Rain will soon suffer the consequences of their error. It is serious to forget the “apple of His eye.” “For thus saith the LORD of hosts; After the glory hath he sent me unto the nations which spoiled you: for he that toucheth you toucheth the apple of his eye.” (Zechariah 2:8).
Conclusion
The greatest deception in our day is the teaching of a worldwide revival to precede the Rapture of the Bride. Equally wrong are those who deny the possibility of a genuine revival to the very moment of His glorious descent into the midair. Let’s not be guilty of either extreme.
Apostasy is a growing phenomenon. Revival will be possible even in that apostasy for His remnant that will pay the price of utter abandonment to His perfect will. To claim revival is past while the saints rest in a false peace is dangerous. To suggest He cannot come until revival occurs is to deny the eminency of His return. That idea is equally dangerous.
We are still living in the time of harvest and it will not fail. Do not get caught up in the false revival that claims promises reserved for the future. Jesus warned us of both with an unmistakable warning in His great disclosure recorded in Matthew 24:
A New Jesus – “For many shall come in my name, saying, I am Christ; and shall deceive many.” (Matthew 24:5).
A Terrible Deception – “For there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets, and shall shew great signs and wonders; insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect.” (Matthew 24:24).
A Time So Dark & Unspiritual – “But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark.” (Matthew 24:37-38).
Do not be deceived by false promises or false emotions. The Words of Jesus cannot fall to the ground.