Dear Friends of "Dial Daily Bread,"
Someone asked a deeply thought-provoking question: "Why must the 'Latter Rain' gift of the Holy Spirit come only at the end of history? Why has God withheld that gift all through these 2000 years of history? In other words, what's the difference between the 'Early Rain' and the 'Latter Rain'"?
I belong in God's kindergarten but let me try to respond:
(1) It's not unwillingness on God's part to give, but it is humanity's unreadiness to receive. Yes, even an unwillingness to receive! Jesus Himself expressed the principle: "I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now" (John 16:12).
(2) Sinfulness has been deeper than "we" have realized. "Thou ... knowest not," says the True Witness (Rev. 3:17).
(3) God's infinite knowledge of mankind's unreadiness to receive the final blessing of the Holy Spirit has informed His prophetic foreknowledge. When the prophecy declares, "Unto 2300 days [years]; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed," it means that not until then CAN it be cleansed (Dan. 8:14). Human history must be allowed to work itself out through the ages. Not until "the time of the end … when knowledge shall be increased," can Daniel's prophecy reach fulfillment (12:4).
(4) The sanctuary service of ancient Israel illuminated the principle: only on the final Day of Atonement could the High Priest enter the Most Holy Apartment to "cleanse the sanctuary," because only then would the people in the typical service permit a final cleansing "from all your sins" (see Lev. 16:29, 30). Thus, in the antitypical service in the heavenly sanctuary, our great High Priest has been willing all along to prepare His people for His second coming as "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (He loves them and wants them to be with Him!), but not until the end of history has that dilatory "Bride" "made herself ready" for the "marriage of the Lamb" (see Rev. 19:7-16).
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: September 18, 2000.
Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
------------------------------
Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org
------------------------------
Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
Someone asked a deeply thought-provoking question: "Why must the 'Latter Rain' gift of the Holy Spirit come only at the end of history? Why has God withheld that gift all through these 2000 years of history? In other words, what's the difference between the 'Early Rain' and the 'Latter Rain'"?
I belong in God's kindergarten but let me try to respond:
(1) It's not unwillingness on God's part to give, but it is humanity's unreadiness to receive. Yes, even an unwillingness to receive! Jesus Himself expressed the principle: "I have many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now" (John 16:12).
(2) Sinfulness has been deeper than "we" have realized. "Thou ... knowest not," says the True Witness (Rev. 3:17).
(3) God's infinite knowledge of mankind's unreadiness to receive the final blessing of the Holy Spirit has informed His prophetic foreknowledge. When the prophecy declares, "Unto 2300 days [years]; then shall the sanctuary be cleansed," it means that not until then CAN it be cleansed (Dan. 8:14). Human history must be allowed to work itself out through the ages. Not until "the time of the end … when knowledge shall be increased," can Daniel's prophecy reach fulfillment (12:4).
(4) The sanctuary service of ancient Israel illuminated the principle: only on the final Day of Atonement could the High Priest enter the Most Holy Apartment to "cleanse the sanctuary," because only then would the people in the typical service permit a final cleansing "from all your sins" (see Lev. 16:29, 30). Thus, in the antitypical service in the heavenly sanctuary, our great High Priest has been willing all along to prepare His people for His second coming as "KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS" (He loves them and wants them to be with Him!), but not until the end of history has that dilatory "Bride" "made herself ready" for the "marriage of the Lamb" (see Rev. 19:7-16).
From the "Dial Daily Bread" Archive: September 18, 2000.
Copyright © 2011 by Robert J. Wieland.
Be sure to check your e-mail for "Dial Daily Bread" again tomorrow.
------------------------------
Please forward these messages to your friends and encourage them to subscribe. The "Dial Daily Bread" Web site resides at: http://1888message.org/
To subscribe send an e-mail message with "subscribe" in the body of the message to: dailybread@1888message.org
------------------------------
Robert J. Wieland's inspirational "Dial Daily Bread" messages are availalbe via e-mail to anyone who wishes to receive a daily portion of uplifting Good News. "Dial Daily Bread" is FREE. Due to travel or other circumstances, there may be intervals when "Dial Daily Bread" will not be sent.
