As present truth believers we have known quite thoroughly about the soon to happen prophetic Ezekiel 9 church judgment. Many Elijah message presenters report chapter 9 as they should but leave out the corresponding chapter 10, particularly the first verses. This is truly the “flip side” or “other half” to this great and dreadful work of God. But as we shall see, it shows the glorious result of God’s solemn work and ushers in a “new day” for humanity. Power from on High given.
We shall be looking at the first three verses.
” Then I looked, and, behold, in the firmament that was above the head of the cherubims there appeared over them as it were a sapphire stone, as the appearance of the likeness of a throne. And he spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city. And he went in my sight. Now the cherubims stood on the right side of the house, when the man went in; and the cloud filled the inner court.” (Ezek. 10:1-3)
Before we go into this section, we must note that it is a continuation of chapter 9. The vision continues and the scene develops. This is important to understand as the Lord shows us the results and reason for the solemn chapter 9 events.
The Spirit of Prophecy illuminates chapter 10 —” In Ezekiel’s vision, God had His hand beneath the wings of the cherubim. This is to teach His servants that it is divine power that gives them success. He will work with them if they will put away iniquity, and become pure in heart and life. The heavenly messengers seen by Ezekiel, like a bright light going among the living creatures with the swiftness of lightning, represent the speed with which this work will finally go forward to completion. He who slumbers not, who is continually at work for the accomplishment of His designs, can carry forward His great work harmoniously.” (SDA Bible Commentary, vol. 4, p.1161)
We notice a forward-looking statement about the work finally going forward with “speed”. In other words, God’s Spirit is poured out initially on those who survive Ezekiel 9. The coals of fire represent His Holy Spirit and is given for the express purpose of finalizing His work for mankind. The rapid work shall culminate quickly. The Lord explains more–
“And it shall come to pass afterward that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; your sons and daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days.” (Joel 2:28-29)
Let us look at what the Elijah messages says about Ezekiel 10.
After the sighing and crying ones were marked (which is not to be understood as being consummated in its entirety worldwide before the slaying follows anywhere), the slaughter completed, and the matter reported, the Lord “spake unto the man clothed with linen, and said, Go in between the wheels even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city.” Ezek. 10:2.
The scattering of the “coals of fire…over the city” represents absolute purification of the heart (Gospel Workers, p. 23) effected by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon those who receive the “mark” — those who escape the “slaughter. “
Following the completion of the “slaughter,” and just preceding the scattering of the “coals of fire” “over the city,” “the cherubims stood on the right side of the house,…and the cloud filled the inner court.” Ezek. 10:2, 3. Later they “lifted up their wings, and mounted up from the earth in my sight,” says the prophet. Ezek. 10:19.
Then subsequently he saw them again “lift up their wings” (Ezek. 11:22, 23), showing that though they had departed after the separation took place (Ezek. 10:3, 19), they had later returned, and were now departing for the second time. (Tract 1, p.38-39)
You see my brethren, Ezekiel 10 prophesies that the outpouring of the full Spirit of God will take place after the church judgment, not before. That is why false revivals from well-meaning outfits like Amazing Facts, 3 ABN, and a host of others, are running without being sent. They do not truly know the church’s spiritual condition.
“Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel that prophesy, and say thou unto them that prophesy out of their own hearts, Hear ye the word of the LORD; Thus saith the Lord GOD; Woe unto the foolish prophets, that follow their own spirit, and have seen nothing!
O Israel, thy prophets are like the foxes in the deserts. Ye have not gone up into the gaps, neither made up the hedge for the house of Israel to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD. They have seen vanity and lying divination, saying, The LORD saith: and the LORD hath not sent them: and they have made others to hope that they would confirm the word. “(Ezek.13:2-6)
Oh what applicable Scripture is this! Our leading organizations are not preparing the church “to stand in the battle in the day of the LORD.” Neither do they know prophesy correctly. If they would only understand and believe the two very important chapters of Ezekiel 9 and 10, they would know how to help the church “stand” in the day of the LORD’s battle.
Instead it is left with the few , mostly laymen, who feel the burden and solemn responsibility to proclaim the Lord’s next coming, the invisible coming into His churches worldwide for the beginning phase of the judgment for the living.
This has been the Lord’s modus of operation since the beginning. The downcast, the poor, the fishermen, the lowly and humble, they are the ones who humbly accept His call and go to work. A work that is not popular yet truly needed.
“In the last solemn work few great men will be engaged. . . . God will work a work in our day that but few anticipate. He will raise up and exalt among us those who are taught rather by the unction of His Spirit than by the outward training of scientific institutions. These facilities are not to be despised or condemned; they are ordained of God, but they can furnish only the exterior qualifications. God will manifest that He is not dependent on learned, self-important mortals.“–5T 80, 82 (1882).
The Elijah message gives us more light on the circumstances prior and after the “power” of the Spirit is poured out–
As in the natural state of things, the latter rain comes not only to make the wheat grow but also to bring it to its full maturity, so, by spiritual analogy, this Teacher of Righteousness must bring the saints to the full stature of men in Christ Jesus (Eph. 4:13)–fit them for the Kingdom.
But the second phase, that promised power (Joel 2:28) which comes “afterward,” after “the latter rain,” is that for which most Christians are praying without considering that there is a first phase (Joel 2:23)—the “teacher of righteousness,” a final outpouring of Present Truth–which must be obtained before the final outpouring of power can be realized.
It is evident that the part which comes “afterward,” the Pentecostal power, comes to enable the receiver to proclaim the latter truth; and this power will not come until the church as a body, “every one grass in the field” (Zech. 10:1), not a group here and a group there, has joyously assimilated for its spiritual growth all the rain that the Teacher of Righteousness, who has now come, has brought.
But the great question here confronting us is: When can “every grass” every church member, receive this glorious Truth and power? Shall saint and hypocrite share them alike? Inspiration answers:
“By fire and by His sword will the Lord plead with all flesh: and the slain of the Lord shall be many….and I will send those that escape of them unto the nations….and they shall declare My glory among the Gentiles….they shall bring all your brethren…to My holy mountain Jerusalem, saith the Lord, as the children of Israel bring an offering in a clean vessel into the house of the Lord.” Isa. 66:16, 19, 20.
So in the time between the “latter rain” of truth and the “outpouring” of the Spirit’s power, there will be sealed a consecrated number who will escape from among the “slain of the Lord.” In other words, at the first-fruit harvest, when all the sinners have been taken out of the church and the righteous left by themselves as were the 120 disciples in the upper room, then and only then can the Lord finally pour out His Spirit’s power upon all, so that all (all the “escaped” ones) shall prophesy, dream dreams, and see visions.
“And it shall come to pass, that he that is left in Zion, and he that remaineth in Jerusalem shall be called holy, even every one that is written among the living in Jerusalem: When the Lord shall have washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and shall have purged the blood of Jerusalem from the midst thereof by the spirit of judgment, and by the spirit of burning. And the Lord will create upon every dwelling place of mount Zion, and upon her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day, and the shining of a flaming fire by night: for upon all the glory shall be a defense. And there shall be a tabernacle for a shadow in the daytime from the heat, and for a place of refuge, and for a covert from storm and from rain.” Isa. 4:3-6.
Only after this great purge in the church (described also in the ninth chapter of Ezekiel), will the remnant be equipped to carry their fully blazing, lighted torch of Truth to all the Gentile world. Out of Zion will then go forth the law, and the word of the Lord from Jerusalem. The work will then be finished, “cut short in righteousness,” and the Lord will then appear in glory-seen by every eye (Rev. 1:7).(Answerer, vol. 1, Q-12)
In closing, Ezekiel 10 gives us a most exciting future promise. Soon the Lord is to pour out His long-awaited Spirit in full upon His servants. The instruction “. .Go in between the wheels, even under the cherub, and fill thine hand with coals of fire from between the cherubims, and scatter them over the city (Ezek. 10:2)” is right upon us. Are we doing all we can to ensure we’ll be one of the recipients?
Godsloveandlaw's Blog 
July 7, 2015 at 6:53 pm |
Amen. We cannot receive the power until we receive the message. Let the rain fall on us.