38 "He shall come unto us as the rain."

. . . and a rainbow was upon his head, . . . . (Revelation 10:1)

The rainbow on the head of the angel speaks of the authority of the Throne of God. The full weight of the highest throne will be behind the end-time witness.

And he that sat was to look upon like a jasper and a sardine stone: and there was a rainbow round about the throne, in sight like unto an emerald. (Revelation 4:3)

The unlimited authority of God will be utilized to prepare the nations for the coming of Christ in His Kingdom. It is the love of the Father that will place such emphasis on the last witness. Apart from the earth-wide revelation of power neither the nations nor the Christian churches would in any manner be prepared for the holy wrath that will be poured out in the Day of Judgment.

There is no other power or authority equal to that which proceeds from the Throne of God. . . . and his face was as it were the sun, . . . . (Revelation 10:1)

The angel’s face "was as it were the sun." The sun speaks of the righteousness and holiness of the end-time revival, and of the coming of the Kingdom of God, the doing of God’s will, to the earth.

But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; . . . . (Malachi 4:2) Healing comes to us in association with righteous behaviour on our part.

The churches of Christ in the earth today have, in many instances, lost their testimony. We have much ministry but little testimony. In forsaking righteousness and holiness of behaviour we have abandoned the Divine testimony.

All the Christian talk is worthless and less than worthless if the lives of the saints are not radiantly glorious with the beauty of righteousness and holiness to the Lord. There is no testimony of Christ apart from the pure, transparent righteousness and holiness that can endure the Divine fire.

In the days of the last trumpet the tares will be separated from the wheat. Everything that offends will be removed from the Kingdom by the angels (messengers) of God. Then the righteous will shine as the sun in the Kingdom of their Father (Matthew 13:43).

The angel’s feet were "as pillars of fire." This speaks of the Divine judgment through which the saints must pass before they are ready to be empowered to bear the anointing of the end-time, latter-rain Divine testimony. After the saints pass through judgment they then will administer that same judgment as part of their witness.

And there was given me a reed like unto a rod: and the angel stood, saying, Rise, and measure the temple of God, and the altar, and them that worship therein. (Revelation 11:1)

The days of the voice of the seventh angel will be a time of judgment on the earth, not only for the world but also for those saints who will bear the testimony. Judgment always begins at the house of God.

The feet of Jesus are glowing bronze (Revelation 1:15). The fiery bronze feet of Christ remind us of the judgment of Calvary, of the bronze Altar of Burnt Offering of the Tabernacle of the Congregation, of the bronze Laver that symbolizes the judgments of the Word of God.

Satan will be crushed under the feet of the Body of Christ (Romans 16:20). The feet of the Body of Christ will march through the earth, bringing every creature under subjection to the Lord Jesus.

We see, therefore, that before the two witnesses are empowered they first must be measured (judged). This is because their testimony will bring the judgment of the Lord upon the nations of the earth. Until the saints have been judged themselves they are not qualified to exercise the judgment of the Lord on other persons. The two-edged sword cuts both ways.

And he had in his hand a little book open: and he set his right foot upon the sea, and his left foot on the earth, (Revelation 10:2)

We can gain from the above verse some concept of the enormous size of the angel of the latter-rain revival. The days in which we are living are spiritually very dark. The ranks of the demons are increasing in number. It is a cause for rejoicing that before the Lord Jesus returns, the earth will be visited with a revival powerful enough to dominate the sea and the earth. No authority or power is great enough to prevent the end-time witness.

Notice that this highly placed angel had in his hand a "little book." The end-time witness will begin as a little book, with a little cloud, "like a man’s hand," so to speak (I Kings 18:44). But an abundance of rain is coming. The latter-rain revival will have a humble beginning. The elect will hear the voice of the Lord but the "big" religious operations will proceed in ignorance.

For who hath despised the day of small things? . . . (Zechariah 4:10)

God often works with "little" things. Men look for big things.

Jesus was born in a stable, not in one of the royal palaces of His day.

The Lord asked Moses, "What is that in thine hand?" (Exodus 4:2).

God did not ask Moses to get a new rod. The Lord was ready to use the ordinary object Moses already possessed.

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