1. Come blow the trumpet loudly, and sanctify a fast;
Assemble all the people, and gather them with haste;
All the elders and the children, the bridegroom and the bride;
The ministers of Jesus now intercede with cries:
“Now rend your hearts, oh Zion, turn and hearken to His word,
With weeping and with mourning; oh spare Thy people, Lord!”
Humility and pleading, will stem the evil tide;
All blessings will come down to us when God draws nigh.
2. Thus says the One call’d Amen, the Faithful Witness, True,
“Whatever I have promis’d, I certainly will do.
I began the world’s creation, to show my Father’s will;
I have a message for you, so listen and be still:
I know your works, I see them all, you’re neither cold nor hot;
I wish that you were either, but tell you that you’re not.
You’re wretched, poor and naked, yet still my word you doubt;
Because of your lukewarmness, I will spew you out.”
3. “I counsel you to buy now, gold tried within the fire,
A faith that will not fail you, to fill your heart’s desire;
And white raiment for your clothing, to hide your nakedness,
My character within you, to shine out and to bless.
And since you have great blindness, that your eyes can see no more,
Anoint your eyes with eyesalve, and open heaven’s door.
All whom I love, I chasten: be zealous and repent;
With earnestness strive for these gifts, do not relent!”
4. “Behold I stand before you, and knock upon your door,
If you can hear, and open, we’ll feast on heav’nly store.”
Yes, this is the truth of Jesus, the message for our time:
That ev’ryone who seeks it, is fill’d with Life divine.
The Latter Rain will fall and then the Loud Cry will be heard;
The end will come soon after, according to His word.
Come quickly, oh Lord Jesus! With glory and with strength;
Prepare and make us ready; even so, amen!
Playback
Instrumental – Sampled Sounds
Congregation – sung in German
Congregation – from Australia
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MP3 – Congregation (sung in German)
MP3 – Congregation (from Australia)
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The text is inspired by Joel 2:15-17 and Revelation 3:14-22.
These verses deal with the state of the church just before the final out-pouring of God’s Spirit. This promised out-pouring is outlined in the latter part of Joel 2, in Revelation 18, and in Jesus’ promise that the gospel would go to the whole world “then shall the end come.”
In the agricultural weather patterns of Palestine, the crops relied on two fallings of rain: the former rain, and the latter rain. These natural things are used by the Spirit of God to point to the two special outpourings of the Spirit upon His church. The first of these took place during Pentecost, when Jesus’ disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit and went out to boldly proclaim the message for that time. But the Bible foretells of another outpouring, just before the harvest (which is the “end of the world”).
Before the disciples received that outpouring, there was a period of heart-searching, of re-studying Christ’s words, a confession of sin and putting away of unessential differences, a drawing together in unity on Christ’s message of salvation. This experience must also be repeated before the “latter rain” can fall upon the church.
This song is about that solemn time of heart-searching, which we are in now. It is very different from the “celebrations” which take place in the popular churches of our day (which only stimulate the emotions, but do not reveal the depths of sin).
The Lord has something far better and more enduring than mere emotional stimulation to give to His waiting saints. But first, He must separate them from all that would take their affections away from Him. A very deep soul-cleansing and re-education in Heaven’s ways is here prophesied:
1 Peter 1
13 Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Tags: Assembly, Eyesalve, Faith, Fast, Gold, Heart-Searching, Latter Rain, Loud Cry, Lukewarm, Mourning, Righteousness
