The Redeemer Is Coming to Zion

I bring you a prophetic word from the Lord. The Redeemer of Zion is about to appear in His glory, in our day, in His church!

"And the Redeemer shall come to Zion, and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the Lord..." (Isaiah 59:20).

The vision of Isaiah the prophet is about to be fulfilled. God is about to move with vengeance toward all who have twisted the truth, and all who have turned to covetousness. Isaiah spoke to the conditions in the church of the last days:

• "...Truth is fallen in the street... yea, truth faileth; and he that departed front evil maketh himself a prey..." (Isaiah 59:14.15).
• "...and the Lord saw it and it displeased him that there was no judgment. .." (v. 15).

Isaiah is saying to us, "Let it be known that truth is being twisted and trampled upon. The church of Christ has become victimized by those who preach false doctrine. God is displeased because no one will stand up and judge the perversions of truth and righteousness."

God's ministers sit idly by while truth is thrown to the ground. Lying spirits have found a voice in the church, and no one stands against it! The true men of God refuse to judge it. Therefore, the Lord Himself will judge it! The Redeemer of Zion is now going to arise and judge the carnality, wickedness, and covetousness - the mockery of truth!

"And he (the Lord) saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor..." (Isaiah 59:16).

Where are those with discernment? Where are those who will show the people the truth? Truth is falling, and few seem to care or understand. The Lord wonders why!

The Redeemer is about to clothe Himself with vengeance and zeal. He will soon move quickly through the church with fury and holiness!

"For he put on righteousness as a breastplate, and a helmet of salvation on his head; and he put on the garments of vengeance for clothing, and was clad with zeal as a cloak. According to their deeds... he will repay, fury to his adversaries..." (Isaiah 59:17,18).

He is coming, church of Jesus Christ! He is coming to us wearing His breastplate of holiness and His helmet as Savior. And vengeance, fury, and judgment will soon begin in the house of the Lord.

"...the Lord shall judge his people..." (Deuteronomy 32:36).

Believe it, saints of God! Something new - something awesome - something eternal - is about to take place in God's house! It will be sudden and glorious!

You have heard that He is going to shake all that can be shaken. Now, let us ask God for understanding as to why the shaking. Why the vengeance and fury. And why the Lord Himself must return to Zion. Why will the Lord take the matter out of the hands of His servants and ministers, and do the work in His own sovereign power?

It is all clearly set before us by the prophets.

"When the enemy shall come in like a flood..." (Isaiah 59:19).

Satan has in the past few years flooded the church with one new doctrine after the other - with a spirit of covetousness and carnality. He has poured out a demonic flood of adultery, immorality, and filth!

John saw it coming. He warned, "And when the dragon saw that he was cast unto the earth, he persecuted the woman which brought forth the man child... And the serpent cast out of his mouth water as a flood after the woman, that he might cause her to be carried away by the flood...." (Revelation 12:13-15)

This is Satan's final attack against God's holiest, most consecrated people. He is now determined to deceive even God's elect, His chosen few - the remnant who call upon the Lord in truth.

"...to seduce, if possible, even the chosen..." (Mark 13:22)

Daniel suggests Satan will prevail for a short while:

• "...the horn made war with the saints, and prevailed against them...until the Ancient of days came, and judgment was given to the saints of the most High; and the time came that the saints possessed the kingdom..." (7:21-22)

Is Satan prevailing for a season? We know the gates of hell will not prevail against the church in the end - but is he prevailing now? Satan has established a beachhead, a stronghold - in the church! Many of God's elect are deceived right now! Satan has come with another gospel. Paul told us exactly how he will come against God's holy people, to deceive:

• "For Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness..." (II Corinthians 11:14,15).
• "Many will come who are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ..." (II Corinthians 11:13)

Satan's stronghold in the church is a host of teachers and ministers who have been transformed by a gospel of the flesh! They come as the Lord's most enlightened ministers! They sound like preachers of Christ. They come as preachers of righteousness. They use the Scripture. They cast out devils, heal the sick in the Lord's name, and do many wonderful works. But their message is another gospel! It is a deception of Satan! It is of the flesh - not the Spirit!

These teachers have been so deceived by Satan, they are blind to what they preach. They preach lies, believing it to be the truth. They are not even aware they are tools of Satan.

Right now, these false doctrines of Satan are prevailing in the church. Multitudes flock to conventions and meetings to hear this other gospel - this gospel of self and success. The gospel of the flesh is riding high - for now!

Wake up, saints! Are you being deceived? Have you been trapped in the teachings of an angel of light from Satan? Have you been swept away by the flood? Get into God's Word. Hear the gospel of Christ, and judge what you see and hear. Compare what Jesus said to what they are saying.

The Scripture proves, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that Satan's new gospel is, "Gain is Godliness"! It is a compromising message without repentance or godliness. It is a gospel of gain. it is based on the supposition that the godlier you are, the more gain you will have. Listen to Paul's warning:

• "If any man teach otherwise... even the words of our Lord Jesus, and to the doctrine which is according to godliness... he is proud, knowing nothing... destitute of the truth, supposing that gain is godliness..." (I Timothy 6:3-5).

Paul cries out, "Turn away from them!" Away from this other gospel!

Listen to the words of Jesus. This is the true gospel!

"Blessed be ye poor: for yours is the kingdom of God. Blessed are ye that hunger now: for ye shall be filled. Blessed are ye that weep now: for ye shall laugh. Blessed are ye when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man's sake..." (Luke 6:20-22).

Here is what the gospel says about seeking, material things. It is from the lips of the Lord Himself - "Woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep! Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets..." (Luke 6:24-26).

This gospel of gain despises poverty. It rejects and despises the poor.

"But ye have despised the poor..." (James 2:6).

James exposed this hypocrisy. He said of them:

• "You say unto him that is most prosperous and dressed best (with gold rings and fine apparel), Sit here in the good place... And to the poor you say, Sit here at the low place, the footstool..." (James 2:2,3).

How blind can we be, saints of God? Is this the gospel to a dying world? Gain is godliness!? Faith is for prosperity!? Poor people lack faith!? Christ became poor so we could become rich, in goods? Take - use your faith to get all you want!?

One billion people on this earth are near starvation. The heart of God breaks over the sight of weeping mothers who cradle starving babies with bloated stomachs. Millions are unemployed. The ends of the world are coming down upon us. The world is headed for Armageddon. Cities are about to explode into riots. Persecution and tribulation are coming. The elements will soon melt with fervent heat. The world is on fire! God's people around the world are being jailed, persecuted, losing all they possess.

Am I to believe that the Spirit of God is going to send His true servants into this desperate, hungry world to preach success and prosperity? When people don't have enough to eat, is God going to send me a message that I have the right to claim a bigger house and a better car? Will it be a man sent from God who tells me that? Only false teachers would promise me health and wealth - and let the rest of the world die!

Oh, no - brother, sister. We have it all wrong. The rich man landed in hell! It was the poor man who went to heaven! Jesus Himself became poor, that we might become rich in faith.

Listen to Paul, and flee from these preachers of success and prosperity: "From such... turn away..." (II Timothy 3:5).

They have no burden for repentance. They do not preach against sin. They offer blessings without godly sorrow. They are accumulators of this world's goods. How can they care for the poor when they preach that gain is godliness? Their theology doesn't produce love for missions and a care for the poor of this world.

Amos the prophet cried out: "Woe to them that are at ease in Zion... unconcerned about the evil days ahead... that lie upon beds of ivory, and stretch themselves upon their couches, and eat the lambs of the flock ... that drink wine in bowls... who are not grieved for the affliction of Joseph..." (Amos 6:1-6).

I shudder to think what it will be like to stand before God and answer for accumulating, rather than selling and giving to the poor.

"When the enemy comes in like a flood, the Spirit of the Lord will raise up a standard against him." (Isaiah 59:19).

What is this standard that will resist this flood and swallow it up? What kind of sovereign fury is to be released in the church? What is this vengeance the prophet talks about? It is a revelation of the very presence of God Himself! The church in these last days is going to experience God appearing in their midst!

"And the Redeemer shall come to Zion..."

The Judge Himself is coming this time! The General of the armies of God, in person, among His people. In power, authority, and awesome glory!

We know that where two or three are gathering in His name, He is there in their midst. But just as the sun grows hotter and brighter the closer it comes, so it will be when He leaves His chamber and comes forth in actual presence. How hot it is going to be! How bright!

"... the Lord will come, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and will expose the counsels of the heart..." (I Corinthians 4:5)

There will not be a prophet raised up to bring the church back to truth and repentance. No new doctrine. No new revelation. The Redeemer Himself will appear and with the power of His holy presence, he will devour all carnality and flesh in His temple. We are going to witness a revival of the actual presence of God!

".... the earth shook, the heavens also dropped at the presence of God: even Sinai itself was moved at the presence of God..." (Ps. 68:8).

".... and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple... Who may bear up in the day of his coming? Who shall stand when he appeareth?" (Mal. 3:1-2).

All Idolatry, all the preaching of "gain is godliness", all the pride of success, all the secret sin - will melt like wax before the presence of God!

"As wax melteth before the fire, so let the wicked perish at the presence of God..." (Ps. 68:2).

"For he is a refiner's fire... He shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold.., that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness..." (Malachi 3:2-3).

Micah the prophet also prophesied a glorious revelation of God's holy presence that would melt everything in its way:

• "For behold, the Lord cometh forth out of his place, and will come down, and tread upon the high places of the earth. And the mountains shall be molten under him, and the valleys shall be cleft, as wax before the fire..." (Micah 1:4).

Jeremiah cried, "Will you not fear the Lord? Will you not tremble in His presence?" (5:22).

God told Ezekiel, "...and all the men that are upon the face of the earth shall shake at my presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down... and every wall shall fall to the ground..." (38:20).

If the ungodly are going to shake and tremble before His holy presence, how will anyone be able to stand before that presence in the house of God?

Down are coming all the boastings! Down all idols of self! Down with self-promotion! Down with the merchandising of the gospel! Down with all the thieves in God's temple!

No more dens of iniquity! No more seeking after things of this world. No more squandering precious faith on temporal things. No more competition in God's house. No more tearing down barns to build bigger ones. No more lusting after the things of this earth. No more trying to make a name for self.

Judgment will begin in His house! His presence is going to frighten and melt all that exalts itself in His sight. The Lord is going to humble all His servants. No minister of the gospel will be permitted to boast in His presence. Those who refuse to repent will be cast aside, consumed by His wrath.

When the presence of God breaks forth, it becomes fatal to harbor secret sin! All adultery will be exposed, all eyes full of lust, all evil imagination! His flaming eyes of fire will expose all hypocrisy!

We are going to see many servants whose bodies will be destroyed that their souls may be saved. God is going to either humble us - or remove us!

"...that no flesh should glory in his presence..." (I Corinthians 1:29).

Not all who die young are removed because they have sinned. Some of us have had a sentence of death from the Lord - who know their time is short. But a lot of people are going to die when His presence is fully revealed, because sin cannot stand before Him! They will be forced to forsake their sins, or be destroyed. Like Jonah, they are going to "...flee from the presence of the Lord " (Jonah 1:10).

Ministers, teachers, and evangelists all boast about the presence of the Lord in their midst! But we don't know what we are talking about. Let me tell you what happens when God's presence fills the house.

1. Men are convicted of sin and fall on their faces to repent. Even God's chosen see their iniquities. None can stand in His presence. All must fall on their faces.

   "In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple... And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke... Then said I, Woe is me! for I am undone; because I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips: for mine eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts..." (Isaiah 6:1.5).

2. All success, self-esteem, secret sin, human abilities and strength vanish. It turns to corruption!

   "Then I lifted up my eyes and looked, and behold, a certain man clothed in linen, whose loins were girded with fine gold of Uphaz: his body was like the beryl and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in color to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude...

   "And I Daniel alone saw the vision: for the men that were with me saw not the vision; but a great quaking fell upon them, so that they fled to hide themselves.

   "Therefore I was left alone, and saw this great vision, and there remained no strength in me: for my comeliness was turned to corruption, and I retained no strength. Yet I heard the voice of his words: and when I heard the voice of his words, then was I in a deep sleep on my face, and my face toward the ground...

   "And when he had spoken such words to me, I set my face toward the ground, and I became dumb." (Daniel 10:5-9,15).

3. The entire audience would be on its knees, melted, broken, confessing, making restoration and turning over all their worldly goods at the feet of Christ. Men would cry, "Woe is me. I am not a success. I am not a winner. I am undone! I am a worm. I am proud, I know nothing. But for His blood, I am damned." And heads would be in the dust, not in the air! They would cry as did the apostle Paul, "He hath chosen the weak, the foolish - the nothings - that no flesh should glory in his presence..." (see I Corinthians 1:27, 29).

"Blow a trumpet in Zion... gather the people, sanctify the congregation, assemble the elders, gather the children, and infants that suck the breast... Let the bridegroom go forth of his chamber, and the bride out of the closet..." (Joel 2:16).

Our Redeemer is coming to His bride out of His chamber! The bride is now coming out of the closet. The wedding is at hand! He has come to call out His bride from the world, to set her apart, to strengthen and purge her - to make her ready!

"Blessed are they which are called unto the marriage supper of the Lamb..." (Revelation 19:9).

John said, "His wife hath made herself ready... arrayed in white, the fine linen of righteousness..." (Revelation 19:7,8).

Saints of God, this is the gospel of Jesus Christ for these last days - "Put on righteousness! Lay aside every weight and the sin that easily besets you. Do not become entangled. Go forth to meet Him. Get your lamps burning. Get your oil supply. Lay no more treasures up here on earth!"

The Redeemer must come to Zion, because multitudes are not ready to meet Him in eternity.

Do we really understand - do we really believe — we (God's people) must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ?

"For we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ... every knee shall bow, and every tongue shall confess to God... so then every one of us shall give account of himself to God..." (Rom. 14:10-12).

Paul spoke of that day as "the terror of the Lord". To him it was a frightening, sobering thought. It chilled him to the bone that all God's people must appear at the judgment seat, to "give an account".

"...we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ... Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men..." (II Corinthians 5:10,11).

God wants us to be "presented before the throne, unblameable, with exceeding great joy..." Our Redeemer is coming to His church to prepare His people for judgment. To melt down our flesh. To consume all the hay, wood, and stubble. To burn out all the secret sins and hidden motives.

Finally, and most important of all, the Redeemer is coming to restore His glory in His church! The Lord's greatest desire for His people is to share with them His glory!

"...that they may behold my glory, which thou hast given me..." (Luke 17:24).

God said, "I will glorify the house of my glory..." (Isaiah 60:7). The prophets saw this coming glory and rejoiced in it! Isaiah writes, "The glory of the Lord shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it altogether, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it..." (40:5).

"Arise and shine, for thy light is come, and the glory of the Lord is even upon thee... his glory shall be seen upon thee..." (60:1,2).

Hear these prophetic words: Revealed Glory - All Flesh Shall See It - It Shall Be Seen Upon You!

We are going to glory, with the glory upon us! The glory that is ours in eternity - will be foretasted now! Jesus said to Martha, "Said I not unto thee, that If thou wouldest believe, thou shouldest see the glory of God..." (John 11:40).

What is His glory? What are His riches? It is that glory Mary and Martha beheld! Resurrection Power! A revelation of eternal life here on earth! The Bible says our Redeemer is "bringing many sons into glory..." (Hebrews 2:10). That means Christ is bringing His church to recognize their true inheritance - everlasting, resurrection life! God is going to give His people a new heart for eternal values. Eternal values will drive out all temporal values.

When I say resurrection glory, I am not referring to the day we will come forth out of the grave. I am talking about the transforming power of resurrection now! Raised from the death of self - to new life now! It is the power of God that takes us away from living to ourselves, to living every moment unto Him. It is the renewing of our minds, raising us out of worldliness into godliness.

According to Paul, "the enemies of Christ glory in their shame... they have a mind for earthly things..." (Philippians 3:18,19). But God's people have a different glory! Their conversation, all they talk about, is heaven - "our conversation is in heaven..." (Philippians 3:20). They yearn for resurrection glory:

"...that I might know him, In the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his suffering." (Philippians 3:10).

Beloved, that is where my faith is being spent now - on revelation of His resurrection glory: "Believe, and thou shalt see the glory of God..." (see John 11:40).

Let the blind squander their misguided faith on the things of this world. Let them cry for health, wealth, and success. I want to see His resurrection glory!

"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; and be ye lifted up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord strong and mighty, the Lord mighty in battle.

"Lift up your heads, O ye gates; even lift them up, ye everlasting doors; and the King of glory shall come in. Who is this King of glory? The Lord of hosts, he is the King of Glory" (Psalm 24:7-10).