Separating the Wheat from the Tares

John answered, saying to all: I indeed baptize you with water, but One mightier than I, who am not worthy to untie his shoes. He will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire. His fan is in his hand to clear his era. Gather the wheat into his barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Luke 3:16-17INTRODUCTIONThe ministry of John the Baptist, undoubtedly, was one of the largest, or last prophetic ministry in the succession of the great prophets of the Old Testament.On one occasion I was in a forested mountain in Jerusalem, and considered the birthplace of John the Baptist. The son of the priest Zechariah, his ministry was a priest.We all know the revelation of the angel Gabriel, in relation to their birth, and what happened to his father and mother, I will not delve into it, but I want to talk a little about what it was that precious ministry, and in a time when the Lord Jesus spoke of him, saying words of praise for John (Matthew 11:7-14).John the Baptist began his ministry, according to historians, around the year 29, the age of Christ, ie, one year before the public ministry of Jesus.His ministry was concentrated in the Judean desert, near the Jordan River. It was a challenging ministry, for a country that was engulfed in a sea of ​​confusion.On one side were under the oppression of the Roman Empire, they had very heavy loads, governed by four kings, all of the family of Herod the Great.And finally, was an attorney named Pontius Pilate, who imposed on each time the new decrees of Caesar in Rome. And finally, the people were oppressed by the immense burdens imposed by the corrupt ritual religious leaders, who were linked to the Roman Empire.Under that burden, that the Jewish people was, it was reasonable to think that the people of Israel longed for the coming of the Messiah. The people had had enough of the many falsehoods of their religious leaders, therefore, was waiting for the Lord raise up a prophet like Elijah, and defied all the corrupt in God's name.This is where comes this powerful messenger style powerful ministry of the Prophet Elijah.As I said, the ministry of this man of God, John the Baptist appears in the Judean desert along the Jordan River, his message was not very diplomatic.In fact, 95 percent of the stations now known Christian-like, never would give space to the ministry of John the Baptist, because these stations hate the message loud and true.
John the Baptist (1)And he said to the multitudes that came to be baptized by him, O generation of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance, and begin not to say within yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father. " I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. In addition, the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Luke 3:7-9Although the message of John the Baptist was extremely strong and defiant, his interest was to bring with it repentance within the Jewish people, whether the person was broken by the Word, and was willing to repent, then had to be baptized in water, implying that as he wiped out, they were doing inside.His powerful message, which certainly would give many false anointed ulcers today, spread like dust in the entire nation in one year.So that message reached the highest levels of society ruling, both political and religious, for even Herod himself visited Juan, being severely reprimanded for it.The message of John the Baptist was so powerful that the same religious junior came to hear his message, and even baptized, as proof that they repented of their sins.There is no doubt that John was complying fully the prophecy that Elijah must come before the appearance of the Lord, in the words of Malachi 4:5-6.I should mention that the reason, or one of the reasons that could have used his famous dress, was to show that it was Elijah who was to appear physically, but the same spirit of zeal that was the Prophet Elijah.The EssenesSome historians believe that John the Baptist belonged to the sect of the Essenes, known today by the Dead Sea Scrolls.I have been privileged to have visited the site multiple times known as the Ruins of Qumran.
Caves of Qumran near the Dead Sea, where they were found manuscripts written in Hebrew and Aramaic by members of the Jewish community of the Essenes, datingof the year 160 B.C. up to 70 A.D. (2)This sect of the Essenes was composed of Jews who were in total disagreement with the cults of the scribes and Pharisees, because they gave more importance to the famous oral law, which Scripture.Some experts believe that Israel historians of the Essenes may have been attracted by the message of Jesus, because somehow they came down to Jerusalem and may have heard the Lord when He rebuked the Pharisees, who gave more importance to religious rules and practices that the Word of God.And it is well known today that the Pharisees believed in the written word, ie, the Tanakh. But they believed in the famous oral law, ie the teachings of the ancient rabbis. The Essenes did not agree with this practice, and this Jesus also refuted the Pharisees.Please read Matthew 23. In this chapter the Lord shows that they put their trust under Scripture, but do not like what the Scriptures themselves teach.The Essenes had been retracted and isolated, not allowed to be part of the temple services, as the Pharisees and scribes were in total control of the temple, who once flirted with Rome.
The Essenes "they called themselves The Sons of Light, had been removed (the desert)to purify, and expected to return to Jerusalem "at the end of time" afterhaving defeated Sons of Darkness. "(3)These Essenes retreated completely into the wilderness of Judah, where they continued their own religious practices, and followed the transcripts of Scripture at face value, while they awaited the coming of the Messiah with many cravings.It has been reported that in 2015 will open the mysteries of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and since there are documentaries on Discovery, which mentions that the Apostle Paul was at least two years with the Essenes at Qumran.In the book of Acts, the Apostle Paul mentions that on his way to Jerusalem stopped for two years in the wilderness. In fact, there is a great similarity in the writings of the Essenes and the teachings of Paul.PAVING THE WAYLet me continue with the ministry of John the Baptist. This great man of the Lord was greatly used in the message against apostasy.His message was blunt, telling the people that it was time to bear fruit to be true and not living the religious falsehood.His message was:And he said to the multitudes that came to be baptized by him, O generation of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bring forth therefore fruits worthy of repentance and begin not to say within yourselves, 'We have Abraham as our father. " I tell you, God can raise up children to Abraham from these stones. In addition, the ax is laid unto the root of the trees: therefore every tree which bringeth not forth good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Luke 3:7-9Undoubtedly, in John the Baptist was fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah 40:1-5 passage.John came to prepare the way of the Lord, he came to straighten the path, which in those days the Lord's people had turned much, because of the great apostasy.The great religious leaders of Israel were men highly gifted in the knowledge of Scripture, but preferred to follow the writings of men that these teachings of God.Some experts suggest that the apologetic reason why these great religious leaders of Israel decided to better implement the writings of certain prophets, was to hide their large deviations from the true path of the Lord.
"The Pharisees were the party opposed to the Sadducees, defending the purity of the Act .. However,Despite thorough and uncompromising spirit, most of the time this was a facade,corrupted by the most execrable passions, did not hesitate to commit the crimes that wereneeded it to get rid of the opponents in your way. "(4)That way they presented themselves before the people as men truly anointed of the Lord, for the people, having no direct access to the true Word, he had no choice but to surrender to the false teachings of these leaders diverted of all truth.On the other hand, was a group who wished to maintain sound doctrine. But these people had become too legalistic, and undoubtedly, they were completely isolated by the great religious leaders who manipulated all the powers of communication under the Roman Empire.It's amazing today how history is repeating itself.We are seeing a live record apostasy, where apostates are covered entirely by the great whore of Rome in an underhand way, these religious leaders today has all the facilities, and controlled almost entirely Christian Media.The true churches are humiliated and isolated for daring to continue preaching sound doctrine, but a few humble churches of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and many more nations, know how hard it is to remain isolated, as their own supervisors of councils want them forced to worship the false prophets, or enter the satanic games.As in the days of John the Baptist, the Lord's true children wailed for God to send a messenger who was able to stop these apostates, today people also crave the Second Coming of the Lord to put an end to this great apostasy.But ... is it possible that before the coming of the Lord comes a shock that separates the profane from the holy?JOHN THE BAPTIST will you come to separate the wheat from the chaff?John answered, saying to all: I indeed baptize you with water. But come one more powerful than I, who am not worthy to untie his shoes. He will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire. His fan is in his hand to clear his era. Gather the wheat into his barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Luke 3:16-17To be impacting the message of John the Baptist, the Pharisees and the main leaders of the Sanhedrin of Jerusalem, sent a delegation to ask John if he was the Messiah promised to Israel.The answer of John was quick: "I am not the Messiah, I am only came to prepare the way of the Lord, which I am not worthy to stoop even to untie his sandals. I baptize with water unto repentance, but the Lord will baptize with the Holy Ghost and fire. "All Christians understand perfectly well what the baptism of the Holy Spirit, but very few understand the meaning of the word "fire."Exhibitors, including the New Dictionary of the Bible, they argue that this means that the judgment of the Lord, in the end, it will be with fire, something that the Apostle Peter also confirmed many years later. Please read 2 Peter 3:10-12.In this article I am very interested specifically discuss the next part of the passage quoted at the beginning of the Gospel of Luke 3:17.His fan is in his hand to clear his era. Gather the wheat into his barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.Let me break down this passage into several parts: Whose fan is in his hand.The word "fan" means storm. Seeing that once you mention the word "wheat" leads us to understand what example we are talking the Lord.In agriculture, since ancient times, was cleaned by blowing wheat or grains with a mantle.
Peasants sifting wheat. (5)In our countries of Central America used the famous sieve, known in Mexico as "screening". When you finish the winter in Central America, especially El Salvador, San Vicente Road to San Miguel in the east (along the Panamerican Highway), farmers throughout the day tend to put cloaks dry beans, grain, using high temperatures.And in the evening can be viewed using sieves, and a third person in a robe blowing so that the garbage that is in the bean comes out with the wind, while two people rocking the sieve, so that the bad beans or shell, afloat, and thus the wind can reach it and throw it away out of the good grain.When Juan, that the Lord will gather the wheat before releasing their first wind, suggests that history will repeat: That before the Lord returns for His Church, there will be a strong period of apostasy, as happened in the time of John the Baptist.If so, we can say that this position has a lot of weight and a lot of logic, it would be important to analyze the other side of the passage. And I will in the end.If history should be repeated as happened in the days of John the Baptist, who appeared with an apologetic message before the coming of the Lord (ie with a message of defiance to the rebels), it is because before the coming of Jesus will have a strong period of apostasy.And the Lord Jesus Himself confirms this position in the message of his coming in Matthew 24:4-5, 11-13 and 23-25. And Luke 17:26-30. Paul confirms this in many passages in the letters, but especially in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12. And the Apostle Peter in his second letter, chapter 2 (2 Peter 2).Likewise does the Lord's brother called Judas, in his letter of the same name as does Revelation.We understand that we have arrived at this moment not only for the great apostasy that we are at this time, but by the many signs of the end of the world that Jesus left us as a proof of his second coming, signs and we have been mentioning and that I have explained in several studies recorded on DVD.We must remember that at that time apostasy is known only to the people of Israel, since it was the one people of God. So the Lord raised up John the Baptist before his coming. But today the people of the Lord is for all nations, so no doubt that the Lord has raised up many Juanes, not the ministry of John the Baptist, which was unique.I mean in the sense of an apologetic message to awaken a people who are involved in the apostasy.At all times, when there has been apostasy, the Lord always raised up servants with the powerful spirit of zeal of the Lord are, for example, Elijah, Jeremiah and John the Baptist.
Deceit, greed, malice, blasphemy, heresy, are some of the evidencethat apostasy is manifesting the present time.Although we are now seeing apostasy seems to be the final, which is much harder. But the Lord has raised his servants and handmaids in that spirit of zeal of the Lord.The separation of the holy from the profaneHis fan is in his hand to clear his era.It is possible that all this great apostasy that we are seeing today is simply the separation of the sheep from the goats. Or the case of the 10 virgins, the five that are firm, and separated by the Holy Spirit, and the five that are already going to the opposite side of the Lord. Or the parable of the wheat and tares.According to this passage, the Lord makes us understand, through John the Baptist, who before the Lord to pick up your church, send the wind, so that the chaff is separated from the good seed, and only thus can we understand the reactions of pastors and evangelists who one day were good men of the Lord, but so far we have seen them change completely. Contrary to what they were at the beginning of their ministries, indicating that no longer belong to the Lord, for before they were holy men and men today are proud, and extremely liberal.Recently I was in Charlotte, North Carolina, a city that until recently was considered the capital of apostasy in this State, but thank God, are failing.Although the damage was great, as I said Pastor Jesse Ramos, one of the great champions in this city, the Lord is rescuing many sheep that apostates had been exploited, as we saw in an event we had in the second week of January, we saw the glory of the Lord, the conference was organized by Radio Worship and the last day people did not fit.Recently, the Lord allowed me to see one of the sons of Benito Pastor Gallo, who is now with the Lord, and I remembered my 40-day fast in the house of this servant of the Lord, in the Tular, Valle, Honduras.In the fast the Lord showed me exactly this period that I am living. I remember when the Lord showed me the false prophets.I never forget the looks on the vision of hate that they made me. And the Lord's voice saying to me: "Do not fear them, and may not touch you."That I live all the time now when I meet them, I look with deep hatred. I immediately realize which side they are.Now we understand why the Lord told us: but he that endureth to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13).This whirlwind of tests, we could say are winds of apostasy, is simply dragging the shell, ie, the chaff. That is, the straw. And the good seed is falling.The problem is that this apostasy we also are booting the good seed, and that is why today we need to preach the message of John the Baptist, to rescue the good seed that apostates are robbing us.I must clarify that it is only a hypothesis. But no doubt we are living the days of apostasy, as when John the Baptist began prior to the appearance of the Lord.CONCLUSIONJohn answered, saying to all: I indeed baptize you with water. But come one more powerful than I, who am not worthy to untie his shoes. He will baptize you with Holy Spirit and fire. His fan is in his hand to clear his era. Gather the wheat into his barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire.We also think that "storm" may mean that the Lord in the midst of this apostasy, before the rapture, send a manifestation of the Holy Spirit, but in the form of judgment, ie, that the Lord commanded his servants will support strong judgments to the rebels, who want to go beyond what is permitted.Do not forget that in the comparison I made of the shaker, I said that two moving the sieve so that the grain is removed so that the grain rotted leaves afloat, for the wind to removal from the good grain.So says the Lord will gather his wheat into his barn, that is, the Rapture. If so, then this can be that shaking apostasy, and that has to happen before the Rapture, so that it is wheat ready to be taken by the Lord.
"Will gather the wheat into his barn ..." (6)It is likely that in these last days look a beautiful manifestation of the Lord upon the faithful who have endured all this great apostasy that would be nice manifestation of the Lord to prepare his people before the Rapture.Anyway, the people of God, including the faithful servants of God who have resisted this terrible apostasy, we must always be alert and watching for the glorious Second Coming of Christ, praying always for the Lord will not drop your beautiful hand.Just follow the counsel of the Lord: He who is holy, holy still, and he who is filthy, more unclean.Only continue steadfast in Christ Jesus, being careful not to be dragged through the multiple streams of apostasy, as some are being deceived by false prophets or false anointed, and others, by false doctrines.Just put our eyes on the Lord and His Word.Pray that God continue to lift his servants with the message in the style of John the Baptist, the message of repentance and salvation in Christ Jesus.Let us simply to preach repentance, and let's say all the souls that time is running out and that we must bring forth fruits of repentance. Otherwise, the trial is imminent.Talk with a deep love for souls, but keeping the truth of the Gospel. And let's face with them, not hide the truth of the Word.Without repentance there is no salvation and that salvation comes only through Jesus Christ (John 14:6).May God bless you.Dr. Antonio Bolainez.Shalom.Images:1. biblebios.com / john_the_baptist / john.jpg2. labibliaweb.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Cuevas-de-Qumran.jpg3. radiotierraviva.blogspot.com/2011/12/la-extrana-secta-de-los-esenios-estaba.html4. defca.files.wordpress.com/2010/09/76.jpg5. 2.bp.blogspot.com/_a_sypEHhpAA/TDELcCZNOKI/AAAAAAAAAIg/xeyX0S2MCFo/s1600 /wheat_650.jpg6. 4.bp.blogspot.com/_9xewBAAXMZk/SogjHUtU0hI/AAAAAAAAAK0/gh5Wzutmxew /s400/jesus + us + ama.jpg