DANIEL 8:26D SECOND TEMPLE CLEANSING

CHAPTER 26 D

Just as there were two temple cleansings during the ministry of Christ, so there are two temple cleansings at the close of time. Because the buyers and sellers of salvation continue to pollute the house of worship on this earth, God is indignant and will intervene to cast out the money changers at the close of time. Salvation is the gift of the blood of Jesus Christ, given to the whole world! This chapter will discuss the final cleansing of the temple of our hearts at the close of time which returns us to a state of sweet communion with Heaven.

MINISTRY OF CHRIST SECOND TEMPLE CLEANSING

COMPARED WITH PROPHECY

Jesus said the second temple cleansing during His ministry was to return His house to a house of prayer.

Matthew 21:12 And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,

13 And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.

14 And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.

15 And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David; they were sore displeased,

16 And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-Chapter-21/

The Day of Atonement picture is about prayer.

Revelation 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Revelation-Chapter-8/

Revelation 8:3-5 gives us a picture of Christ, our High Priest, as He continually ministers for us before the throne of God. This is the great antitypical Day of Atonement. This cleansing ministry has been going on ever since Christ ascended to heaven.

Hebrews 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;

12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?

15 And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance.

16 For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator.

17 For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.

18 Whereupon neither the first testament was dedicated without blood.

19 For when Moses had spoken every precept to all the people according to the law, he took the blood of calves and of goats, with water, and scarlet wool, and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book, and all the people,

20 Saying, This is the blood of the testament which God hath enjoined unto you.

21 Moreover he sprinkled with blood both the tabernacle, and all the vessels of the ministry.

22 And almost all things are by the law purged with blood; and without shedding of blood is no remission.

23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

25 Nor yet that he should offer himself often, as the high priest entereth into the holy place every year with blood of others;

26 For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Hebrews-Chapter-9/

On the typical Day of Atonement, there were three things atoned for, found in Leviticus 16.

First atonement or reconciliation was made for the High Priest and for His family. Christ being our High Priest fulfilled this the first time He ascended to the throne of glory when He presented His blood for Himself as a member of the human family and for His human family.

Leviticus 16:6 And Aaron shall offer his bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and make an atonement for himself, and for his house. 11 And Aaron shall bring the bullock of the sin offering, which is for himself, and shall make an atonement for himself, and for his house, and shall kill the bullock of the sin offering which is for himself:

12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

14 And he shall take of the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it with his finger upon the mercy seat eastward; and before the mercy seat shall he sprinkle of the blood with his finger seven times.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Leviticus-Chapter-16/

Hebrews 2:9 But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.

10 For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings.

11 For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren,

12 Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee.

13 And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.

14 Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil;

15 And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage.

16 For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham.

17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.

18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Hebrews-Chapter-2/

John 20:16 Jesus saith unto her, Mary. She turned herself, and saith unto him, Rabboni; which is to say, Master.

17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-Chapter-20/

Secondly, atonement was made for the children of God and for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of all their transgressions in all their sins. Christ, as the Son of God or second Adam has been doing this ever since He ascended to heaven.

Leviticus 16:15 Then shall he kill the goat of the sin offering, that is for the people, and bring his blood within the vail, and do with that blood as he did with the blood of the bullock, and sprinkle it upon the mercy seat, and before the mercy seat:

16 And he shall make an atonement for the holy place, because of the uncleanness of the children of Israel, and because of their transgressions in all their sins: and so shall he do for the tabernacle of the congregation, that remaineth among them in the midst of their uncleanness.

17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Leviticus-Chapter-16/

Hebrews 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.

13 For if the blood of bulls and of goats, and the ashes of an heifer sprinkling the unclean, sanctifieth to the purifying of the flesh:

14 How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God?....

23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.

24 For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us:

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Hebrews-Chapter-9/

With the two atonements above, the High Priest ministered before the mercy seat only with a cloud of incense just as is pictured in Revelation 8:

Leviticus 16:12 And he shall take a censer full of burning coals of fire from off the altar before the LORD, and his hands full of sweet incense beaten small, and bring it within the vail:

13 And he shall put the incense upon the fire before the LORD, that the cloud of the incense may cover the mercy seat that is upon the testimony, that he die not:

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Leviticus-Chapter-16/

Revelation 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Revelation-Chapter-8/

However, there comes a time when Christ must go out from before the throne of God. This time was represented on the typical Day of Atonement when atonement was made for the altar of incense that is before the Lord to cleanse it and hallow it from the uncleaness of the children of Israel. This atonement does not occur until Christ goes out.

Leviticus 16:17 And there shall be no man in the tabernacle of the congregation when he goeth in to make an atonement in the holy place, until he come out, and have made an atonement for himself, and for his household, and for all the congregation of Israel.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Leviticus-Chapter-16/

Leviticus 16:18 And he shall go out unto the altar that is before the LORD, and make an atonement for it; and shall take of the blood of the bullock, and of the blood of the goat, and put it upon the horns of the altar round about.

19 And he shall sprinkle of the blood upon it with his finger seven times, and cleanse it, and hallow it from the uncleanness of the children of Israel.

20 And when he hath made an end of reconciling the holy place, and the tabernacle of the congregation, and the altar, he shall bring the live goat:

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Leviticus-Chapter-16/

When we look closely at Revelation 8:5, we can learn about the cleansing of the altar of incense as regards the Day of Atonement. The Angel Who holds the censer is Jesus Christ because on the Day of Atonement, only the High Priest could serve at the Mercy Seat. The golden censer is one of the instruments found in the Most Holy Place. Christ is represented as hearing the prayers of the saints which ascend before God and adding the incense of His righteous love with the prayers, or in other words interceding for man, providing for them His grace and righteousness in answer to their prayers. But at some point and time the angel does something with the censer. He takes it, and fills it with fire from the altar of incense, and casts it into the earth. As we shall see, this casting to the earth represents the power of His grace and righteousness leaving or going out of the temple and filling the earth.

Revelation 8:3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Revelation-Chapter-8/

We find this same event happening in Ezekiel 10. The man clothed in linen is wearing the attire of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement. When He takes the fire from the altar, He goes out from the Most Holy Place, just like the High Priest did on the Day of Atonement.

Ezekiel 10:1 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.

2 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 in my sight.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ezekiel-Chapter-10/

Ezekiel 10:6 And it came to pass, that when he had commanded the man clothed with linen, saying, Take fire from between the wheels, from between the cherubims; then he went in, and stood beside the wheels.

7 And one cherub stretched forth his hand from between the cherubims unto the fire that was between the cherubims, and took thereof, and put it into the hands of him that was clothed with linen: who took it, and went out.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ezekiel-Chapter-10/

What happens next is found in Ezekiel 10:4-5. At this time, the court is full of the brightness of the Lord’s glory. Remember we learned earlier that the court represents the area of the temple where the Gentiles were allowed to enter.

Ezekiel 10:4 Then the glory of the LORD went up from the cherub, and stood over the threshold of the house; and the house was filled with the cloud, and the court was full of the brightness of the LORD'S glory.

5 And the sound of the cherubims' wings was heard even to the outer court, as the voice of the Almighty God when he speaketh.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ezekiel-Chapter-10/

If we follow the glory of the God of Israel, we can see that when this event of Ezekiel 10 happens, another event is happening found in Ezekiel 9. Prophetically these events of Ezekiel 9 and 10 are looking forward to the time that the people of God are being sealed in their foreheads and that judgements fall upon those who pretend to be people of God but are taking His name in vain. These will be smitten by the fury (indignation) of God.

Ezekiel 9:3 And the glory of the God of Israel was gone up from the cherub, whereupon he was, to the threshold of the house. And he called to the man clothed with linen, which had the writer's inkhorn by his side;

4 And the LORD said unto him, Go through the midst of the city, through the midst of Jerusalem, and set a mark upon the foreheads of the men that sigh and that cry for all the abominations that be done in the midst thereof.

5 And to the others he said in mine hearing, Go ye after him through the city, and smite: let not your eye spare, neither have ye pity:

6 Slay utterly old and young, both maids, and little children, and women: but come not near any man upon whom is the mark; and begin at my sanctuary. Then they began at the ancient men which were before the house. 7 And he said unto them, Defile the house, and fill the courts with the slain: go ye forth. And they went forth, and slew in the city.

8 And it came to pass, while they were slaying them, and I was left, that I fell upon my face, and cried, and said, Ah Lord GOD! wilt thou destroy all the residue of Israel in thy pouring out of thy fury upon Jerusalem?

9 Then said he unto me, The iniquity of the house of Israel and Judah is exceeding great, and the land is full of blood, and the city full of perverseness: for they say, The LORD hath forsaken the earth, and the LORD seeth not.

10 And as for me also, mine eye shall not spare, neither will I have pity, but I will recompense their way upon their head.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ezekiel-Chapter-10/

If we understand the spiritual significance of the fire from the altar, we can understand more about the seal of God at the prophetic close of the Day of Atonement. We can see how the coals of fire cleanse us. We are the temple of God upon this earth. In Isaiah 6, Isaiah has an experience where He sees the Lord high and lifted up sitting upon His throne between the seraphim (cherubim). The seraphim are giving glory to God, crying HOLY, HOLY, HOLY IS THE LORD GOD OF HOSTS! The posts of the door, meaning the threshold of the house, moved or were shaken at the voice of the seraphim. The house was filled with smoke and the earth is filled with the glory of the Lord of Hosts just like in Ezekiel 10:4. This means that at this time the light of the gospel is already shining upon the Gentile world. But this whole scene regarding the righteousness or holiness of God causes Isaiah to have another experience where he confesses his own woe and undoing because in the experience of seeing the Lord of Hosts on His throne, he finds himself to be a man of unclean lips and living among people of unclean lips. One of the seraphim, who has a live coal in his hand taken with tongs from off the altar of incense, flies to Isaiah and lays the coal upon his mouth. This works to remove Isaiah’s iniquity and to purge him from sin. This is an atoning service or cleansing of the sanctuary, the sanctuary being Isaiah himself. It is only after this experience that Isaiah is ready to go serve the Lord at His call.

Isaiah 6:1 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.

2Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly.

3And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the LORD of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.

4And the posts of the door moved at the voice of him that cried, and the house was filled with smoke.

5Then 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.

6Then flew one of the seraphims unto me, having a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with the tongs from off the altar:

7And he laid it upon my mouth, and said, Lo, this hath touched thy lips; and thine iniquity is taken away, and thy sin purged.

8Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Isaiah-Chapter-6/

COALS OF FIRE / JEALOUS LOVE/ SEAL OF GOD

Remember these coals of fire come from the altar of incense. They are full of the cleansing power of God. Remember during the ministry of Christ and the first cleansing of the sanctuary Jesus performs, we find His motivation is zeal or jealous love. This powerful love is part of His very character and a part of the cleansing of our sanctuary bodies. This cleansing is a sealing of our hearts to Him. These coals of fire from the altar of incense have the odor of love. This jealous love is to fill our hearts, in this way filling the earth with His love for us and our return love for Him. Just like incense fills a house, so the odor of His love will fill the earth with His glory.

John 2:17 And his disciples remembered that it was written, The zeal of thine house hath eaten me up.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-Chapter-2/

Exodus 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Exodus-Chapter-34/

Romans 12:19 Dearly beloved, avenge not yourselves, but rather give place unto wrath: for it is written, Vengeance is mine; I will repay, saith the Lord.

20 Therefore if thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shalt heap coals of fire on his head.

21 Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Romans-Chapter-12/

Ephesians 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Ephesians-Chapter-5/

John 12:3 Then took Mary a pound of ointment of spikenard, very costly, and anointed the feet of Jesus, and wiped his feet with her hair: and the house was filled with the odour of the ointment.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-Chapter-12/

Matthew 24:14 And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-Chapter-24/

Song of Solomon 8:6 Set me as a seal upon thine heart, as a seal upon thine arm: for love is strong as death; jealousy is cruel as the grave: the coals thereof are coals of fire, which hath a most vehement flame.

7 Many waters cannot quench love, neither can the floods drown it: if a man would give all the substance of his house for love, it would utterly be contemned.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Song-of-Solomon-Chapter-8/

These coals of fire represent the sealing of God’s people that takes place just before the four winds of the earth are unleashed. This seal will make them ready to be servants of God in a broader sense.

Revelation 7:1 And after these things I saw four angels standing on the four corners of the earth, holding the four winds of the earth, that the wind should not blow on the earth, nor on the sea, nor on any tree.

2 And I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God: and he cried with a loud voice to the four angels, to whom it was given to hurt the earth and the sea,

3 Saying, Hurt not the earth, neither the sea, nor the trees, till we have sealed the servants of our God in their foreheads.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Revelation-Chapter-7/

GOING WITH CHRIST BEFORE HAND TO THE THRONE OF GOD IN THE ATTITUDE OF PRAYER WILL PREPARE GOD’S PEOPLE TO GO THROUGH THE TIME OF TROUBLE AND STAY FAITHFUL.

Revelation 8:5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Revelation-Chapter-8/

When Christ goes out to the threshold of the temple of God in heaven and casts the coals of fire from the altar of incense to this earth, the Bible says there are voices, thunderings, lightenings, and an earthquake.

Friends, there is a storm approaching. But God still speaks during the storm to those who have not had opportunity to know Him. There will be a shaking of this earth but those who are prepared by a life of communion with God will stand and sound the trumpet during the judgments of God.

One way to prepare is to hear and do the sayings of God.

Matthew 7:21 Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

22 Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

23 And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

24 Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:

25 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.

26 And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:

27 And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-Chapter-7/

John the Baptist was a man filled with the Holy Spirit. He was sent to prepare a people to meet Jesus before He came the first time. At the close of time, there is a people filled with the Holy Spirit who will be sent to prepare people to meet Christ at His second coming. They are like John the Baptist who in the Bible was compared to Elijah.

Malachi 4:5 Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the LORD:

6 And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Malachi-Chapter-4/

Luke 1:15 For he shall be great in the sight of the Lord, and shall drink neither wine nor strong drink; and he shall be filled with the Holy Ghost, even from his mother's womb.

16 And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God.

17 And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Luke-Chapter-1/

Luke 7:27 This is he, of whom it is written, Behold, I send my messenger before thy face, which shall prepare thy way before thee.

28 For I say unto you, Among those that are born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist: but he that is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Luke-Chapter-7/

Matthew 17:11 And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things.

12 But I say unto you, That Elias is come already, and they knew him not, but have done unto him whatsoever they listed. Likewise shall also the Son of man suffer of them.

13 Then the disciples understood that he spake unto them of John the Baptist.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Matthew-Chapter-17/

But Revelation 8 is about how the messenger’s represented by Elijah and John the Baptist prepare themselves to sound. How did Elijah stand during a time of apostasy? How did He survive during famine? How did he witness to those who were not of his faith? Elijah was a man of prayer! How did John the Baptist prepare a people to meet Christ? How did he stand against the winds of persecution? He was a man of faith in God and not afraid of humility. He cared not about what men thought of him, only what Heaven thought. He depended upon Heaven and not himself. He knew all power comes from God! He too, was a man of prayer.

James 5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.

18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/James-Chapter-5/

1 Kings 17:21 And he stretched himself upon the child three times, and cried unto the LORD, and said, O LORD my God, I pray thee, let this child's soul come into him again.

22 And the LORD heard the voice of Elijah; and the soul of the child came into him again, and he revived.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1-Kings-Chapter-17/

1 Kings 18:36 And it came to pass at the time of the offering of the evening sacrifice, that Elijah the prophet came near, and said, LORD God of Abraham, Isaac, and of Israel, let it be known this day that thou art God in Israel, and that I am thy servant, and that I have done all these things at thy word.

37 Hear me, O LORD, hear me, that this people may know that thou art the LORD God, and that thou hast turned their heart back again.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1-Kings-Chapter-18/

1 Kings 18:42 So Ahab went up to eat and to drink. And Elijah went up to the top of Carmel; and he cast himself down upon the earth, and put his face between his knees,

43 And said to his servant, Go up now, look toward the sea. And he went up, and looked, and said, There is nothing. And he said, Go again seven times.

44 And it came to pass at the seventh time, that he said, Behold, there ariseth a little cloud out of the sea, like a man's hand. And he said, Go up, say unto Ahab, Prepare thy chariot, and get thee down, that the rain stop thee not.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/1-Kings-Chapter-18/

John 3:25 Then there arose a question between some of John's disciples and the Jews about purifying.

26 And they came unto John, and said unto him, Rabbi, he that was with thee beyond Jordan, to whom thou barest witness, behold, the same baptizeth, and all men come to him.

27 John answered and said, A man can receive nothing, except it be given him from heaven.

28 Ye yourselves bear me witness, that I said, I am not the Christ, but that I am sent before him.

29 He that hath the bride is the bridegroom: but the friend of the bridegroom, which standeth and heareth him, rejoiceth greatly because of the bridegroom's voice: this my joy therefore is fulfilled.

30 He must increase, but I must decrease.

31 He that cometh from above is above all: he that is of the earth is earthly, and speaketh of the earth: he that cometh from heaven is above all.

32 And what he hath seen and heard, that he testifieth; and no man receiveth his testimony.

33 He that hath received his testimony hath set to his seal that God is true.

34 For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him.

35 The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand.

36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/John-Chapter-3/

John knew that he could only baptize with water, but that Christ would baptize us with the Holy Ghost and with fire. This experience, John called a purging. It would be a cleansing experience.

Luke 3:16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire:

17 Whose fan is in his hand, and he will throughly purge his floor, and will gather the wheat into his garner; but the chaff he will burn with fire unquenchable.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Luke-Chapter-3/

Friends, the preparation of the heart is taking place now, while Jesus is still standing at the altar of incense before the throne of God in heaven. We know the message. The Holy Spirit is ready to work with us. But we must come with Him to the intercessory throne to be made ready or prepared to give the message.

Revelation 8:2 And I saw the seven angels which stood before God; and to them were given seven trumpets.

3 And another angel came and stood at the altar, having a golden censer; and there was given unto him much incense, that he should offer it with the prayers of all saints upon the golden altar which was before the throne.

4 And the smoke of the incense, which came with the prayers of the saints, ascended up before God out of the angel's hand.

5 And the angel took the censer, and filled it with fire of the altar, and cast it into the earth: and there were voices, and thunderings, and lightnings, and an earthquake.

6 And the seven angels which had the seven trumpets prepared themselves to sound.

https://www.kingjamesbibleonline.org/Revelation-Chapter-8/

Jesus still stands before the throne of God today. He is our High Priest Who has sprinkled His blood upon the mercy seat and thrones of our hearts and minds while the fragrant cloud of the incense of His love ascends before God. While we confess our sins and plead the efficacy of His atoning blood, our prayers ascend to God fragrant with the character of Jesus Christ. Seeing the Lord high and lifted up, pouring forth His own blood for us, gives us a sense of our own unworthiness. But the coal from off the altar is placed upon our lips removing or cleansing us from our sin. Then when God calls us, we are ready and prepared to sound the trumpet for Him.

Jesus is getting ready to come out to the threshold of the temple in heaven. At this time this earth will be baptized with the jealous love of God through the sealing of the hearts of God’s true servants. The glory of God will fill the earth when the earth sees a people who stand like Elijah and John the Baptist, and who are prepared to meet their God, and who stand though the winds of persecution and the time of trouble to come. But there is a warning here to those who pretend to follow Christ and are hearers only but are not doers of His word. Will you be a wise man or a foolish man when the storm beats upon your house?