The above is the army of witnesses.

The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command. The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it? (Joel 2:11—NIV)

The above is Joel's army.

Are you one of those that God is drawing to Himself, purging you of all worldliness, lust, and self-seeking? If so, wait patiently on the Lord, seeking His face constantly so you will be prepared to march in the army of witnesses.

This is the latter rain. This is Revelation, Chapter Eleven. This is a double portion of Acts 1:8. It is still part of the Church Age and will occur before the Lord returns. It will prepare the way of the Lord.

Can you hear the drums of war in the spirit realm?

Joel's army, the manifestation of the sons of God, is a different matter altogether. This is speaking of the Battle of Armageddon and the subsequent release of the earth from sin. The saints who will appear with the Lord Jesus are not a witness of the coming Kingdom nor will they march during the Church Age. They not only are God's witnesses but God's kings, judges, destroyers, and priests. It is given to them to execute Divine judgment on all people, especially on those who have been with us in the churches but never were actually part of us.

Enoch, the seventh from Adam, prophesied about these men [the sinners in the churches]: "See, the Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones To judge everyone, and to convict all the ungodly of all the ungodly acts they have done in the ungodly way, and of all the harsh words ungodly sinners have spoken against him." (Jude 1:14,15—NIV)

The latter-rain army of witnesses will bring judgment, it is true, but the purpose of the judgment is to awaken people to their need to get right with God. Joel's army, on the other hand, will smash all resistance to Christ. These are God's royal priests who will govern the nations with the rod of iron.

Many members of the latter-rain army will suffer persecution and martyrdom as they withstand the emerging of Antichrist. The soldiers of Joel's army, on the other hand, are invincible. They are immortal. They cannot be harmed in any manner by the wicked of the earth.

It will take an effort on your part to be in either or both of the armies. To be in the contemporary army of witnesses you must come out from the church games (not necessarily from your church) and get down to business with the Lord. You must keep assembling with the saints so you can be built up by that which every part of the Body supplies, and so you can build up your fellow believers. You must covet fervently the gifts and ministries of the Spirit that you may have something to give to others.

As soon as the second lampstand has been built to the Lord's requirements the first Lampstand, Jesus Christ, will go forth with the saints to bear witness to the ends of the earth. All nations must have a chance to believe and be baptized in view of the soon coming of the great and terrible Day of the Lord.

To be continued.