Prophetic Insights
The Next-Last Revival
Here is a prophetic picture of the next-last revival of the Church Age, seen in a dream while staying in Coromandel Town on Tuesday, December 19th.
In this dream I swam out to sea and found very unusual waves rolling in. Each wave was a double-wave ... very high, thin and transparent. Their impact was incredibly powerful and forceful.
Back on the beach I was aware of people who wanted to ride these waves for fun. They were expecting to use me like a surf board to tow them out to where the waves were forming. I tried to assist them along these lines, but failed to meet their selfish expectations.
I walked up onto the beach and saw that my toes and toe nails were torn and bleeding.
As I walked further I found that the ground was strewn with ripe plums. They were getting squashed underfoot and were rotting. Flies were buzzing around the ruined fruit.
From this dream I surmise and predict,
- The next-last revival is going to be ferocious in its scope, force and power. An extraordinary apocalypse-revelation of the godness and goodness of God; His absolutely sovereign will and power.
But this power is not going to appear for mere or casual observation to the natural eye...to the flesh or the world. Like high octane racing car fuel it will burn with great purity to exceedingly high temperatures, but without any visible flames.
The consequence of this will be salvation for multitudes ... and judgement for any who set themselves for whatever reason (theological or denominational?) between the Good Shepherd and His lost sheep. (Joel 3.12-17) - The "fun brigade" will show up again looking for a good time. But this next-last revival will be as costly as ever (and even more so) for those God elects to serve Him in this greatest of spiritual awakenings. (Luke 9.23-24)
- Preserving the Last Days' bountiful harvest will be of ultimate importance. During the First Great Awakening (18th C) the revivalist John Wesley observed that undiscipled new Christians who fell away during a revival became twice the children of the devil they had been before.
What condition are our "barns" and "nurseries" in today. (Matthew 18.5-6)
As the great New Zealand prophet, Muri Thompson, cried out over and over again through the 1980s, "Get ready! Get ready! Get ready!"
Becoming a Bishop
Augustine of Hippo (in modern-day Algeria) was a bishop and an apostle who lived in the 4th C. He was a bishop, for such was he officially and formally ordained by the Catholic (universal) Church. Augustine of Hippo He was an apostle, as his work (especially his writings) was tested by the centuries and proved to be foundational.
"You are...of God’s household, having been built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus Himself being the corner stone." (Ephesians 2.19-20)
Leaders of the Protestant Reformation during the 16th C (a mere millennium plus after Augustine lived and ministered) Martin Luther and John Calvin regarded his thinking and teaching (especially on free will and grace) to be one of the "theological fountainheads" of that tremendous revival and Christian movement.
There is a great deal of interest today amongst charismatic Christians and Pentecostals in apostles and bishops. Much of this is entirely unhealthy, rooted in a lust for power and money. Some have even appointed themselves to these sacred offices.
Therefore, the testimony of a real bishop and apostle ought to be of the greatest interest to us all. Here is Augustine's record of his elevation,
"I feared the office of a bishop to such an extent that, as soon as my reputation came to matter among ‘servants of God’, I would not go to any place where I knew there was no bishop. I was on my guard against this: I did what I could to seek salvation in a humble position rather than be in danger of high office. But, as I said, a slave may not contradict his Lord. I came to this city to see a friend, whom I thought I might gain for God...I felt secure, for the place already had a bishop. I was grabbed. I was made a priest...and from there, I became your bishop."
Hollow Men Indeed
All that Mr Hager has written in his recent political "expose" entitled "Hollow Men" had already been much better expressed by the poet TS Eliot in his 1935 play "Murder In The Cathedral".
Eliot's play is a dramatic representation of the assassination/martyrdom of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, by the power-hungry and power-maddened King Henry II in 1170.
In this play a priest of the cathedral reflects,
"I see nothing quite conclusive in the art of temporal government, but violence, duplicity and frequent malversation (professional misconduct). King rules or barons rule: the strong man strongly and the weak man by caprice (whim)".
"They have but one law, to seize power and keep it, and the steadfast can manipulate the greed and lust of others, the feeble is devoured by his own."
I do not think for one moment that the Holy Spirit was speaking hollow words when through Mary he promised,
"The Lord has done mighty deeds with his arm; he has scattered those who were proud in the thoughts of their heart. He has brought down rulers from their thrones, and has exalted those who were humble. He has filled the hungry with good things; and sent away the rich empty-handed." (Luke 1.51-53)
"(God) bared His arm and showed His strength, scattering the bluffing braggarts. He knocked tyrants off their high horses, pulled victims out of the mud. The starving poor sat down at a banquet; the callous rich were left out in the cold." (The Message)
Little Tents; Big Tent
During a recent visit to Wellington, and while praying with my good friend Pastor Seth Fawcet at Hope Centre, I had the following vision:
I was looking at many groups of people with little tents, camping beside a big river. The people began to take their tents down and pack them away. As they did this a very large tent became visible, and the people who had dismantled their little tents began to move together into this one big tent.
In the first instance this vision has to do with God's work in the Hutt Valley of New Zealand, and especially in the city of Lower Hutt itself. The Lord is calling individual local churches and their leaders in that city beside the Hutt River, to increasingly move themselves from the small to the big picture...that they are individually significant parts of a much greater whole; the one Body of Christ in that city.
"There is one body and one Spirit, just as also you were called in one hope of your calling; one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all." (Ephesians 4.4-6)
This vision also has implications for the whole nation of New Zealand. The 90s Revival here was basically quenched by individual leaders and their acolytes who insisted that they and their "kingdoms" be viewed not merely as significant parts, but as the whole of what God was then doing by the Holy Spirit.
The "unity of the Spirit" (Ephesians 4.3) has been repeatedly and massively bludgeoned and pulverised over the past 10 years by the cult of "grandee" leadership and Christian tribalism. Via this Christians have been trained to believe that their local church or movement is superior, and that ipso facto any Believers outside their tribe are fair-game for blistering criticism...even disqualification/excommunication!
It is going to take the whole Body to carry the whole Anointing to save this whole Nation. Therefore, that person who sunders the unity of the Body of Christ attacks the Anointing for national revival and in fact esteems the eternal salvation of souls very lightly.
"I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, entreat you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling with all humility and gentleness, with patience showing forbearance to one another in love, being diligent to preserve the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. There is one body..." (Ephesians 4.1-4)
In Biblical terms the tent is an emblem of the Presence of the Lord.
"Whenever Moses entered the tent (of meeting), the pillar of cloud would descend and stand at the entrance of the tent; and the Lord would speak with Moses." (Exodus 33.9)
"Then the Lord called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting." (Leviticus 1.1)
In historical terms, a tent is a symbol of Pentecostal revivalism. In the United States during the early and middle years of the 20th C, many significant evangelistic and healing ministries began in tents. E.g. TL Osborne, Oral Roberts, Paul Cain.
The End Times' harvest is going to be by the sovereign power of God and is going to be extraordinary in its scope and extravagance. It would be advisable for all of us at this time to consider folding up and packing away our own very stunted and timid visions and theologies of God, church, revival and the return of Jesus. Let's enter the "big tent" of God being God.
"For My thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways My ways, declares the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts." (Isaiah 55.8-9)
"God can do anything, you know - far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams." (Ephesians 3.20 The Message)
"Not even the message by which faith, hope and love live...can take the place of God." (K Barth "The Doctrine Of Reconciliation")
No Escape
"The sons of this age are wiser in their own generation than are the sons of light." (Luke 16.8)
I recently read the following quote from the Tasmanian author, Richard Flanagan,
"Writing should not offer escape, but it should speak most boldly the truth of its time."
The same week I came upon this pithy phrase, I was looking at some Christian books. One title in particular jumped out and claimed my attention for all the wrong reasons. The book's title was, "How To Look Good, and Feel Great"!
I find it hard to imagine the Apostle Paul being mesmerised by this volume while recovering from a beating or stoning. I simply do not accept that the way Christians look and feel is one of the truths of our time.
It is sad that God needs at this time to speak to us through those who would never loudly claim to be His. Perhaps this is because we who have claimed His salvation have yet to really abandon ourselves to the One whose name comes too often and too effortlessly to our lips?
Tested By Fire
"See, I have appointed you this day over the nations and over the kingdoms, to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and to overthrow, to build and to plant." (Jeremiah 1.10)
In the days of the Lord's first appearance in the flesh in this world, two "temples" were being built,
- What men were building for God, which was summed up in Herod's grandiose construction.
"Teacher, behold what wonderful stones and what wonderful buildings." (Mark 13.1)
"And while they were talking about the Temple, that it was adorned with beautiful stones and votive gifts..." (Luke 21.5)
(Do not ever forget that Almighty God was perfectly content inhabiting Moses' crude wilderness Tent.) - What God was building for men, which was expressed in embryonic form in the relationship between Jesus and the Twelve.
"Upon this rock I will build My church." (Matthew 16.18)
"The stone which the builders rejected, this became the very cornerstone." (1 Peter 2.7)
Within one generation fire tested both of these constructions. One was destroyed, and remains so until this very day. The other was never consumed by the fury of Rome, but grew until it conquered that brutal Empire roughly 200 years later.
"You continued looking until a stone was cut out without hands, and it struck the statue on its feet of iron and clay, and crushed them...But the stone that struck the statue became a great mountain and filled the whole earth." (Daniel 2.34-35)
In these Last Days what we commit ourselves to and invest ourselves in, is going to be tested by fire.
"For no man can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man builds upon the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each man's work will become evident; for the day will show it, because it is to be revealed with fire; and the fire itself will test the quality of each man's work. If any man's work which he has built upon it remains, he shall receive a reward. If any man's work is burned up, he shall suffer loss; but he himself shall be saved, yet so as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3.11-15)
If we serve what God is building for man, what is being built will remain, for it is eternal and therefore indestructible. But if we are determined to build something for God, to impress Him and others...then we may not be so pleased with ourselves when the flames die down.
"Unless the Lord builds the house, they labour in vain who build it..." (Psalm 127.1)
"According to the grace of God which was given to me, as a wise master builder I laid a foundation, and another is building upon it. But let each man be careful how he builds upon it." (1 Corinthians 3.10)
2007?
In December of 1998 the modest booklet "Elijah Must Come" was published. In that I recorded that "in 1980 the greatest evangelical scholar of his time, Dr Martyn Lloyd-Jones (Westminster Chapel, London) declared, ‘To me 1967, the year that the Jews occupied all of Jerusalem, was very crucial. Luke 21.24 is one of the most significant prophetic verses. (Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled.) It seems to me that that took place in 1967 - something crucially important that had not occurred in 2000 years. Luke 21.24 is one fixed point. We sometimes tend to foreshorten events, but I have a feeling that we are in the period of the End.’"
In "Elijah Must Come" I then observed that "later in the same passage of Luke (v32) the Lord speaks of His return and the preceding and accompanying signs, ‘Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all things (Jerusalem restored to Jewish government and the Son coming in a cloud with power and great glory) take place.’"
"The reason I have plotted a line on the chart (p4 ‘God's Countdown’) from 1967 to 2007 is because the Bible teaches (Numbers 32.13) that one generation is 40 years. I am not prophesying that the Lord will necessarily appear that year, but I am just letting Jesus’ prophetic time-line fall where it will."
(In 1967 during the 6-Day Middle East War, in the course of defeating its neighbours’ aggressive attempts to extinguish its existence, Israel took possession of east Jerusalem and the Temple Mount and the Western Wall. That part of the city had previously been occupied by Jordan since the 1948 War of Independence. It had certainly been a very long time since Jerusalem had been the capital of a united Israel...during the reign of King Solomon.)
But the above is not the only prophetic time-line to land on 2007. Approximately half a millennium before the birth of the Lord Jesus, the extraordinary prophet Daniel was granted a startling series of revelations concerning Messiah. In Daniel 9.24-27 one of these is "packaged" in a time-frame of "seventy weeks" or "seventy times seven". Much greater minds than mine have wrestled with this passage. Nevertheless, it is quite remarkable what is revealed on a 490-year prophetic time-line composed of seven portions, each of 70 years.
If one begins such a time-line in the Old Testament era in 420BC at the time of Ezra’s reformation (and Malachi’s prophecies), then the 490-year span ends in 70AD with the destruction of Herod's Temple by the Roman Legions of Titus. 70 years before that the Lord was born, and 70 years before that, Rome conquered to govern Judea and Jerusalem. Also worthy of our attention is the fact that in 175BC (the mid-point of this time-line)the Syrian Antiochus IV Epiphanes took possession of Jerusalem. In 169 he violated the Holy of Holies. In 167 he stopped the Biblical sacrifices and had an altar built there to honour zeus. (Daniel 9.27?)
If you construct a similar time-line in the New Testament era, you might well consider beginning in 1517 when the German theologian Martin Luther sparked the Protestant reformation with his 95-proposition debate with the Roman Catholic Church.
This 490-year span ends in 2007.
Of note along the 70-year divisions of this line are,
- 1727...John Wesley and Jonathan Edwards, both leaders of the 1st Great Awakening, were ordained to the ministry. The "Golden Summer" of revival among the Moravians took place on Count Zinzendorf’s property.
- 1867...William Booth launched the "Salvation Army" with 10 workers. Hudson Taylor’s struggling China mission was united through the death of his 8-year-old daughter Gracie. (She died praying for the salvation of idol makers.)
- 1937...Billy Graham preached his first sermon. David du Plessis began to prophesy a great revival among the historical Christian churches. (This was fulfilled by the Charismatic Renewal Movement in the 1960's.)
At this present time I am inclined to say little more than, let such time-lines fall where they will. I am content to leave others to declaim on the finer points. Perhaps at the very least I may be permitted to encourage you in the shadow of a fast approaching 2007, to pray with me the ancient and wonderful prayer of abandonment of St Anselm (England, 12th c),
"Do You yourself (Lord) in kindness dispose of me, my thoughts and actions, according to your good pleasure, so that your will may always be done by me and in me and concerning me."
And also Charles de Foucauld's (20th c) prayer,
"Father, I abandon myself into your hands, do with me whatever You will. Whatever You may do, I thank You."
Footnote: I probably do want to underline this at least concerning 2007 and the years immediately following. The outstanding features of the above time-lines are events concerning,
- Israel receiving her Messiah.
- The world receiving its Saviour and King.
"He shall see the fruit of the travail of His soul and be satisfied...My servant will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities." (Isaiah 53.11)
"You are My Son...Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as your possession." (Psalm 2.7-8)
Messianic Quickenings
Before the Lord returns to be this world’s King of Kings, there must occur a tremendous global awakening of God’s Jewish People to Jesus as Messiah.
"O My People, I am going to open your graves and bring you up from them; I will put My Spirit in you and you will live, and I will settle you in your own land." (Ezekiel 37.12-14)
"And I will pour out on the House of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication. They will look on Me, the one they have pierced, and they will mourn for Him as one mourns for an only child … On that day a fountain will be opened to the House of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity." (Zechariah 12.10 and 13.1)
"I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited; Israel has experienced a hardening in part until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved…" (Romans 11.25-26)
This great quickening of a whole People by the Holy Spirit is already underway, as evidenced by the phenomenal growth of the Messianic Movement (assemblies of born-again Jews) in Israel itself … especially since 1967.
Another fascinating indicator of this Last Days’ phenomenon is contained in a book called "The Rebbe’s Army" by Sue Fishkoff. It is an exceptionally detailed account of the Hasidic Lubavitcher movement and its leader, Rebbe Menachem Mendel Schneerson.
The book addresses the reality of Messianic hope and expectation among God’s Jewish People. The author records that a fundamental tenet of Orthodox Judaism is "belief in the Messiah, a man born into the ancient Davidic line who will lead the Jewish People out of the 2000-year exile into the Land of Israel and into a universal age of peace and justice."
Ms Fishkoff continues that "it is one of Maimonides’ (12th c Jewish scholar and sage) 13 principles of faith, recited every day at the end of the morning prayer service, ‘I believe with complete faith, in the coming of Messiah.’"
Rebbe Schneerson died in New York City in the ‘90s. Immediately before and after his death, some of his followers passionately declared his messiah-ship. This sparked considerable controversy within Judaism, and interest in the wider community.
The interest and debate is best portrayed and summed up by these ponderings (contained in the above book) by Dr Norman Lamm, the president of the Jewish Orthodox movement’s Yeshiva University.
"If they (Lubavitcher Hasidim) believe the Rebbe (Schneerson) could have been Moshiah, fine, I agree. Many people could have been the Moshiah, and he had a far better chance than most. But to say he’s the Moshiah after he died? The whole polemic (argument and controversy) we’ve had with Christianity for two thousand years is that we say a Moshiah who did not accomplish world peace, who did not accomplish the redemption of Israel and the world, is not Moshiah. And here we’re told that (the Rebbe) can be. If that’s the case, why are we so reluctant to accept Jesus?"
Great question doctor!
Postscript: "I am more convinced that Romans 9-11 (the chapters on the election of Israel) are the key to everything today. This is the point where we have to look, and press, and search, and listen to the Word. For here we enter the understanding of scripture, the wholeness of revelation and of the Church." (Thomas Merton, 1964)
Bride or Mistress?
Have we the Church the humility to wait patiently and be married to the King of kings? Or will we (as has been the case for centuries) continue to play the harlot by being prepared to jump into bed with anyone who promises us the tiniest perch on one of this world's flimsy thrones?
The Church’s giving of herself to political parties, processes and causes will always end in her diminishment rather than her empowerment; her humiliation rather than her glorification.
"Can wicked rulers be allied with You (Lord), those who contrive mischief by statute." (Psalm 94.20)
This is nothing new. Whenever ancient Israel sought to aggrandize herself through political alliances, she never ever became a "wife", but by the word of the Lord, a "harlot".
"How the faithful city (Zion) has become a harlot." (Isaiah 1.21.)
Sadly, this was recently demonstrated yet again in the United States. A former deputy director of the current Administration’s Office of Faith-based and Community Initiatives, has just published a book called, "Tempting Faith: An Inside Story of Political Seduction".
In this, Mr David Kuo states that Evangelical Christians were embraced for political gain at the White House, but derided privately as "nuts", "ridiculous" and "goofy". In other words, they were regarded as necessary to help win elections, but ridiculed behind the scenes.
Similarly tragic are the stance and the activities of those New Zealand Christian leaders who have been seduced by heretical "Dominion Theology", with its lure of parliamentary power and authority. It is a devilish mirage, which will dissolve in their own hands. I am especially offended by and concerned for those who have proclaimed during recent general elections that they have an "apostolic mandate" to overthrow the current Labour-led coalition Government.
It is difficult to see how these people can now avoid the full and weighty consequences of the word of God.
"They sow the wind, and they reap the whirlwind." (Hosea 8.7)
"Let every person be in subjection to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those who exist are established by God. Therefore he who resists authority has opposed the ordinance of God; and they who have opposed will receive condemnation upon themselves." (Romans 13.1-2)
God has determined secular governments will be mirrors of our societies’ moral and spiritual conditions. When the mirror's message upsets or repulses the Church, it is not time to try and create an image (government) more to our religious liking. In fact, it is time for Christians of all political and theological persuasions to get off our blessed assurances. It's time to get up and go to work by the power of the Gospel and the Spirit of Christ and transform our nations along Biblical lines.
When our countries please God better, then we may have governments more to our own satisfaction.
Note: In case you mistakenly read this as some kind of party political broadcast, think again. As far as I can "see", no party at present in Parliament is deserving of the Treasury Benches so far as God is concerned.
Marks of Success
Like moths to flame, and bees to honey, so it is that multitudes of Western Christians are flocking today to those churches and ministries which they judge successful. I have spoken to such people who frankly admit (without any trace or hint of embarrassment!) that their choice of local church is entirely about it being successful...the fastest growing, the trendiest, most excellent etc etc.
But what exactly is success so far as Christianity is concerned? Is it a word that ever should be a part of our vocabulary? If so, precisely what should it in fact mean?
If by "success" you mean "fruitful", then in the light of John 15.16, you probably have at least half a leg to stand on.
"You did not choose Me, but I chose you, and appointed you, that you should go and bear fruit, and that your fruit should remain, that whatever you ask of the Father in My name, He may give to you."
No doubt we might argue forever over the nature of this Biblical fruitfulness. So, let me short-circuit the debate by anchoring it in history, because God's saving of the human race is always tied to people, places and times.
The great fruit-bearers (the successful) of the 16th century were those who recognised God's priority of reforming His Church and served that particular purpose. The great fruit-bearers of the 19th century were the missionaries who cooperated fully with the Lord's determination to finally press the Gospel through to "the remotest part of the earth".
You see, success for Christians is all about what God wants, not what we yearn and hanker after. So then, the great question is not, "What is success?" It is, "What is God's ultimate purpose for the world today?"
"That He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the time of restoration of all things about which God spoke by the mouth of His holy prophets from ancient time." (Acts 3.20-21)
The great fruit-bearers of the 21st century will be those for whom every act of obedience and deed of faith is subsumed in the greatest task of making all things ready for Jesus to return to be this world's final, ultimate and absolute King of kings. The earth is already being lashed by the destructive gales of hell, and the creative storms of Heaven, competing violently for the souls of mankind. This conflict will intensify during the Tribulation, and then peak on the killing fields around Jerusalem immediately before "the Lord will go forth and fight against those nations" which have attacked God's city. (Zechariah 14.3)
"And the angel swung his sickle to the earth, and gathered the clusters from the vine of the earth, and threw them into the great wine press of the wrath of God. And the wine press was trodden outside the city, and blood came out from the wine press, up to the horses' bridles, for a distance of two hundred miles." (Revelation 14.19-20)
The false doctrine (of man or demons?) of a pre-Tribulation Rapture is currently tearing the spine out of Western Christianity, and filling the minds of leaders and people with hyper-heated fantasies of perpetual bliss and prosperity and success. ("When the going gets tough, then the tough get going"...out of here? Yeah...right!)
"These are the ones who come out of the great Tribulation, and they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb. For this reason, they are before the Throne of God; and they serve Him day and night in His temple; and He who sits on the Throne shall spread His tabernacle over them" (Revelation 7.14-15)
