I was saved in 1972 and even at that time there was a large and burgeoning intercessory movement present and growing and emphasizing that if the church prayed and sought for it hard enough a revival of epic proportions was surely destined to come to America and maybe the world. It was forecast and prophesied that Washington, D.C. would once again be filled with righteous God believing politicians who would enact only laws and statues that had a biblical base and foundation. Abortion and pornography would be overturned and millions would become saved and America would once again become a city on a hill and a light to the nations. I don't know what it all means but it hasn't happened. Perhaps revival will come some other way or in another form such as the church further consecrating itself and further divorcing itself from the world even if social and moral conditions don't improve.

Where I keep going in my thoughts though is what the Bible has to say about the end of the age. According to the Hebrew prophets and from whom Jesus quoted when speaking of the end of the age, a time of unparalleled trouble is coming in the days just preceding the second advent. It's to be a time of trouble never before seen and one that will never be equaled after it has occurred (Jer 30:7; Daniel 12:1; Matt 24:21 etc.). Revelation portrays this time as a time of great and vast evangelism as many will turn to the Lord and His graciousness like never before as the earth is reaped one last time for a final ingathering of souls. Even while the wicked continue in their wickedness and lack of understanding.

So if Washington, D.C. is transformed and America becomes a moral beacon on a high hill again for all the world to see my question is how is that going to forestall or get around the final time of world trouble and wickedness prophesied to occur at the end of the age in the days just prior to the second advent? Will an American revival circumvent the rise of the man of sin, the son of perdition who will be the outright embodiment of evil (II Thess 2:3)? Will it end coming persecution? Will an American or world revival somehow cancel or nullify the assault of the nations against Israel as the time of the Messiah approaches? I don't see how what is coming as foretold by the prophets will be stopped in the midst of any revival. Perhaps they will happen simultaneously. I'm not against revival, I've prayed for it many times but I wonder if subtly or unconsciously we are trying to fit God and a revival into our own plans and aspirations of what we hope things will be like. Have we fully come to terms with what the end of the age is forecast to be like? The Hebrew prophets have been 100% accurate so far so why would they be wrong about the end of the age? There's going to be a "revival" I suppose and I hope and pray for revival. But there is also going to be a momentous onslaught of evil topped off by the rise of the man of sin that will make all evil personages before him look like choir boys. He will meet a sure defeat by the King of Kings but the Church and Israel is going to pass through deep waters before then. So If Washington say becomes a "righteous city" and the American church begins to drastically mature then what? Should it been seen as a final answer to prayer or as preparation for the trying time ahead? The earth is not going to be fixed before the Deliverer comes again.

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David Winter

Maybe there will be a revival like the world has never seen then a falling away like the world has never seen and then in the year 2463 the end will come.

Bottom line is there is no guarantee the scriptures you reference are referring to the end of the world as opposed to the end of the Jewish temple system that occurred in the siege and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

Jesus told the chief priest and Sanhedrin in MT 26 that they would see him coming on the clouds of heaven- a clear reference to judgment(see eg below) and that is exactly what happened- in 70 AD. Jesus was not a false prophet- at least some of the men he was addressing were alive when He came in judgment in 70 AD.

(See, the Lord rides on a swift cloud and is coming to Egypt. The idols of Egypt tremble before him, and the hearts of the Egyptians melt within them” (Isaiah 19:1).

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Todd

Well using my common sense approach to this, I'm thinking world trouble and wickedness is and has been here a while, not only that, where does it say in the Word, that good can't be going on in the mist of all the world trouble and wickedness?

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Bill

No one said good can't go on in the midst of wickedness. Yes wickedness and trouble have been around for a long while but the prophets and Jesus and Paul and Peter and John forecast a time of unparrallaled trouble and intensity at the end of this age. Wickedness that has been here is not what I was making reference to. I was speaking of the days just prior to the return of Christ. Sometimes I almost get the feeling that the notion and prayers for a wide and far reaching revival carries with it the subtle idea that we somehow might be able to navigate around this time. We might in a way be trying to see revival to fit God into our preferences instead of facing full on what the so far 100 per cent accurate prophetic word has already forecast. We all want to see souls saved and I'm not against revival but in all this wd still need a sober assessment of where we are going. The prophets and Jesus and the apostles have given us a roadmap but the lack of prophetic literacy is one of the greatest deficits of the Church today.

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David Winter

David, personally, I think we worry to much, we also tend to place God in a box. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but from what I read below, I'm guessing Prayer will always be a plus.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.


David, we all won't be here to have to worry about it anyway, if to die is to gain, send me on home before things start going south.

Philippians 1:21 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.

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Bill

I think we worry to much, we also tend to place God in a box. I'm not the sharpest knife in the drawer, but from what I read below, I'm guessing Prayer will always be a plus.

2 Chronicles 7:14 If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

I believe we are surrounded by evil today and in the past. There has been violence since Eve ate the apple and listened to the lying serpent..
I believe revival will save many and set many free.. I believe Our GOD is a GOD of Mercy first.. I believe it will happen and yes judgement will come.. It must happen because we serve a good GOD. He is not wringing His hands over the state of this nation or any Nation.. Did He not create us all.. in Seven days..
I believe 2.Peter 3:9 It is GODs will for none to perish and all to come to repentence..
My responsibility is to PRAY and repent for my sin, the iniquitious patterns that have come down since Adam and Eve in my Blood line. Exodus 20:6.... And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments.
I am just a handmaiden of the Lord who He called to intercede.. I will continue to believe that REVIVAL is one last pouring out of HIS Mercy.. and after that GOD knows... If many are saved and set free that would be awesome. and I believe GOD's Will as His word states..
I pray DO it again Father.. SEND YOUR FIRE TO PURIFY YOUR BRIDE AND NATION AND SEND YOUR RAIN TO SET MANY FREE .. IN
JESUS name..

His handmaiden
Sister Frannie

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Frannie

So when might the Church be leaving? Or when might the Church be making its early exit? Because right when things get bad and real judgment begins to be poured out the Church is destined to pop off to glory one day without warning leaving behind a poor and beleagured world. The millions who will die without Christ when planes and buses crash into buildings because their pilots and drivers were raptured had fair warning to get in on things so they could make an early exit. So they made their beds and have to lie in them. I'm right aren't I? It's not the long gone Church's fault they perished. The Church, called to be a beacon and lights in the worst of circumstances, is not going to have to go through any of it.

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David Winter

docs said,

"I'm right aren't I?"

NO.

Didn't believe I was right. Just trying to make a point.

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David Winter

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Bill