Separating the Wheat from the Tares

John answered, saying unto them 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 the Holy Spirit and fire. His fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor. Gather the wheat into his barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Luke 3:16-17 INTRODUCTION The ministry of John the Baptist, without question, 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 one of the forested mountains of Jerusalem, and considered the birthplace of John the Baptist. The son of the priest Zacharias was priestly ministry. You all know the revelation of the Archangel Gabriel, regarding his birth, and what happened to his father and his mother, I will not delve into it, but I do want to talk a little about what it was that precious ministry, and in a moment the Lord Jesus spoke to him, saying words of praise for John ( Matthew 11:7-14 ). John the Baptist began his ministry, according to historians, around the year 29 Age of Christ, that is, one year before the public ministry of Jesus. concentrated His ministry in the Judean desert, near the River Jordan. 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 extremely heavy loads, ruled by four kings, all of the family of Herod the Great. And finally, was a solicitor named Pontius Pilate, who imposed each time the new decrees of Caesar of 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 this heavy load, it was the Jewish people, it was reasonable to think that the people of Israel longed for the coming the Messiah. The people had had enough of the many falsehoods of their religious leaders, therefore, was waiting for the Lord to raise up a prophet Elijah style, and challenge all 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 wilderness of Judea, along the Jordan, his message was not very diplomatic. Indeed, 95 percent of the pseudo-Christian radios now known, 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 crowds coming out to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 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 to the root of the trees: therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Luke 3:7-9 Although the message of John the Baptist was extremely strong and defiant, his interest was this a cause to regret in the Jewish people, if the person was not broken by the Word, and was willing to repent, then they had to be baptized in water, implying that just as she wiped out, they were doing inside. Their powerful message, that certainly would give many false anointed ulcers today, spread like dust in the nation, in terms a year. So that message reached the highest levels of society ruling, both political and religious, as even Herod himself visited Juan, being severely reprimanded for it. The message of John the Baptist was so powerful, that these lower-ranking religious came to hear his message, and to be baptized, as proof that they repented of their sins. Certainly John was fully meeting 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 why he could have used his famous attire, was to demonstrate that it was Elijah who was to appear physically, but the same spirit of zeal that was upon the Prophet Elijah. The Essenes Some historians believe that John the Baptist belonged to the sect of the Essenes, known today by the Dead Sea Scrolls. 've been privileged to have visited this place many 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, which date from the years 160 BC to 70 AD (2) This sect of the Essenes was composed of Jews who strongly disagreed with the sects of the scribes and Pharisees, because they gave more importance to the famous oral law, which Scripture. historians of Israel Some experts believe that the Essenes could have been attracted to the message of Jesus, because somehow they fell to Jerusalem and may have heard the Lord when rebuked the Pharisees, who gave more importance to the rules and religious practices to the very Word of God. Y is that it is known today that the Pharisees believed in the written word, ie the Tanak. But they also believed in the famous oral law, ie the teachings of the ancient rabbis. The Essenes did not agree with this practice, and that Jesus also refuted the Pharisees. Please read Matthew 23 . In this chapter the Lord shows that they take refuge in the Scriptures, but they do not do the same as what Scripture teaches. Essenes were retracted and isolated, not allowed to be part of the temple services as the Pharisees and the scribes were in total control of the temple, who both flirted with Rome. The Essenes "they called themselves The Sons of Light, had withdrawn (the desert) to purify, and expected to return to Jerusalem "at the end of time", after having beaten the Sons of Darkness. " (3) These Essenes retreated completely into the wilderness of Judah, where they continued their own religious practices, and transcripts were Scripture at face value, while they awaited the coming of the Messiah with many anxieties. has been released that in 2015 will open the mysteries of the Dead Sea Scrolls, and already there are documentaries on Discovery, where it is mentioned 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 WAY Let me continue the ministry of John the Baptist. This great man of God was heavily used in the message against apostasy. Their message was blunt, to tell the people that it was time to bear fruit and not true of living of religious falsehood. Their message: And he said to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the coming wrath? 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 to the root of the trees: therefore every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. Luke 3:7-9 Undoubtedly, John the Baptist was fulfilling the prophetic passage from Isaiah 40:1-5 . Juan came to prepare the way of the Lord, he came to straighten the path, that in those days the Lord's people had twisted a lot, because of the great apostasy. 's great religious leaders the people of Israel were highly gifted men in the knowledge of Scripture, but preferred to follow the writings of men the same teachings from God. apologetic Some experts suggest that the reason these great religious leaders of Israel decided 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 law .. However, despite thorough and uncompromising spirit, most of the time this was a facade, corrupted by the most execrable passions, not hesitate to commit the crimes that were necessary for that to get rid of those who stood in his 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 deviants of all truth. For Furthermore, there was a group that did want to keep sound doctrine. But these people had become too legalistic, and undoubtedly, 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 Live seeing unprecedented apostasy, where apostates are covered entirely by the great whore of Rome in an overlapping, these religious leaders today has all the facilities, and controlled almost entirely Christian Media. 's true churches are humiliated and isolated for daring to continue preaching sound doctrine, just some humble churches of Nicaragua, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and many other nations, they know how hard it is to remain isolated, because their own councils supervisors want to force the worship the false prophets, or enter the satanic gatherings. As in the days of John the Baptist, the true children of God groaned for God to send a messenger who was able to stop these apostates, today also the people longs to 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 jolt that separates the holy from the profane? JOHN THE BAPTIST Will you come to separate the wheat from the chaff? John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I, who am not worthy to untie his shoes. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor. Gather the wheat into his barn and burning up the chaff with unquenchable fire. Luke 3:16-17 To 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'm just the one who came to prepare the way of the Lord, which I am not worthy to stoop even to untie his sandals. I baptize you with water for repentance, but the Lord will baptize you with the Holy Spirit 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, as The New Dictionary of the Bible, argue that here means that the judgment of the Lord, in the end, will be with fire, something that the Apostle Peter also confirmed many years later. Please read 2 Peter 3:10-12 . This article interested me much comment specifically the next part of the passage we quoted at the beginning of the Gospel of Luke 3:17 . His fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor. 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 wind. Seeing immediately mentioned the word "wheat" leads us to understand what we are talking example the Lord. In agriculture, since ancient times, wiped blowing wheat or grains with a mantle. Peasants sifting wheat. (5) In our countries of Central America used the famous shaker, known in Mexico as "screening". When winter ends in Central America, especially in El Salvador, on the road to San Vicente San Miguel, in the east (along the Pan American Highway), farmers throughout the day tend to put cloaks dry bean grain, using high temperatures. And in the evenings you can see using screens, and a third person with a blanket so trash blowing in the bean that comes out with the wind, while two people swaying the sieve, so that the bad beans, or shell, float, and thus the wind can reach out and discard the good grain. When Juan, that the Lord will gather the wheat before releasing their first gale, suggests that the history will repeat: That before the Lord returns for His Church, there will be a strong period of apostasy, as happened in the days of John the Baptist. If so, we can say that the 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 do in the end. If history should be repeated as happened in the days of John the Baptist, who appeared with a message apologetic before the coming of the Lord (ie, with a message of defiance to the apostates) is because prior to the coming of Jesus will be a strong period of apostasy. And Jesus himself confirmed 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. understand that we have reached this point not only by the great apostasy in which we are at this time, but by the many signs of the end of the world that Jesus left us as a test of his Second Coming, and the signals have been mentioned and that I have explained in several studies recorded on DVD. should be remembered that at that time the only known apostasy among the people of Israel, because it was the only town of the Lord. So the Lord raised up John the Baptist before his coming. But today the Lord's people is by all nations, so do not doubt that the Lord has raised multiple 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 apostasy. At all times, when there has been apostasy, the Lord raised up servants always with the powerful spirit of zeal of the Lord, are, for example, Elijah, Jeremiah and John the Baptist. Deception, greed, malice, blasphemy, heresy, are some of the evidence that the apostasy of the present time is manifesting. Although we are now seeing apostasy seems to be the final, which is much harder. But the Lord has raised up his servants and handmaids in that spirit of zeal of the Lord. The separation of the holy from the profane His fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor. might all this great apostasy that we are seeing today is simply the separation of the sheep from the goats. Or if 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 the tares. According to this passage, the Lord makes us understand, through John the Baptist before the Lord take up His Church, sent this storm, so that the chaff is separated from the good seed, only then can we understand the reactions of pastors and evangelists that one day the Lord were good men, but we've seen so far completely change. 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 visited Charlotte, North Carolina, a city that until recently recently was considered the capital of apostasy in this state, but thank God, are failing. Though 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 that we had in the second week of January, we saw the glory of the Lord, the conference was organized by the Radio Worship and the last day people did not fit. recently The Lord allowed me to see one of the sons of Pastor Benito 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 fasting that the Lord showed me exactly this time I'm living. I remember when the Lord showed me the false prophets. never forget the looks on the vision of hatred they made ​​me. And the voice of the Lord saying to me, "Do not fear them, and may not touch you." That I live all the time now when I meet them I see with deep hatred. I immediately realize which side they are. now we understand why the Lord said: He who endures to the end will be saved (Matthew 24:13 ). Gale testing this, we could say that they are winds apostasy is simply dragging the shell, ie the weeds. That is, the straw. And the good seed is falling. The problem is that this apostasy also we are booting the good seed, and that's why today we need to preach the message of John the Baptist, to rescue the good seed that apostates are robbing us. Must I clarify that it is only a hypothesis. But certainly we are living in the days of apostasy, like when John the Baptist began prior to the appearance of the Lord. CONCLUSION John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water. But one more powerful than I, who am not worthy to untie his shoes. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His fan is in his hand to clear his threshing floor. 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, that is, that the Lord commanded his servants will support strong judgments the apostates, who want to go beyond what is permitted. Do not forget that in the comparison I made ​​of the shaker, said that two moved the shaker so that the grain is removed so that the grain rotted out afloat, so that the wind of good grain ejected. Well says the Lord will gather his wheat into his barn, that is, the Rapture. If that is so, then this may be the shaking apostasy, and that has to happen before the Rapture, so it is wheat ready to be taken by the Lord. "Gather the wheat into his barn ..." (6) It is likely that in these last days look a beautiful manifestation of the Lord on that have stood faithful to this great apostasy that beautiful manifestation of the Lord would be 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, and pray always, that the Lord will not drop your precious hand. Just follow the counsel of the Lord: He that is holy, let him be holy still, and he which is filthy, more unclean. follow only firm in Christ Jesus, being careful not to be swept away by the many streams of apostasy, as some are being deceived by the false anointed or false prophets, and others, by false doctrines. Just put our eyes on the Lord and His Word. pray that God continue to lift his servants with style message of John the Baptist, the message of repentance and salvation in Jesus Christ . Returning to simply preach repentance, and tell all souls that time is running out and you have to bear fruits of repentance. Otherwise, the judgment is imminent. Talking with deep love for souls, but without removing the truth of the Gospel. And let's be clear 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 ).