Hello and greetings again. I hope you are faring well in your personal journey.
I’m taking a little detour from Elijah to share some things.
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Note: This is Part 34 in a series on Revival I classified as Fullness of Time.
The material for this post comes from a number of places in Scripture, notably from Revelation 3:7-13 (the age of Philadelphia) and Revelation Chapter 12.
Even though there was a church in Philadelphia at the time of John, it also symbolizes a future time – an age – many, like me, believe we are in today, along with Laodicea.
History, present evidence, and, most importantly, revelation from the Lord, point to the “birth” of Philadelphia, the sixth church age, in the the last half of the 20th century, concurrent with an increasing Laodicea, and a declining Sardis, spiritually speaking.
(Note: The birth of Philadelphia refers to the start of a new season and is not synonymous with the birth of the child mentioned in Revelation Chapter 12, though the child is birthed in the age of Philadelphia.)
The culminating events of Revelation Chapter 12 span decades but likely not more than a century. Revelation 12 captures the last seasons of the Church, Philadelphia and Laodicea, before the Great Tribulation.
You can fit the heart of Philadelphia, the “making” and “ministry” of the bride in verses two and five of Revelation 12.
For your information, Revelation Chapters four and five occur after the out-translation of the bride. The living creatures of Chapters four and five are spiritual pictures of the bride having the attributes of Christ.
Revelation Chapter four begins where Revelation 12:5 ends – the catching away of the bride to the throne.
Revelation Chapter six is generally concurrent with Chapter 13, the first half of the Tribulation.
You may wonder why Revelation Chapter 12 comes after the Seals and Trumpets. Well, like a lot of stories, details unfold later creating intense interest and discovery in the heart of the reader.
It also gives the Lord the opportunity to unfold his plan and purposes in the manner and time of his choosing for those who diligently seek him. The Bible is not a textbook but a discovery and journey in the Lord.
God is the author of writing and discovery!
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Featured Image
The picture featured is an interesting one. It’s a sword over a passage about King Josiah in 2 Kings.
Unlike the ancients, our battle is not with swords and spears, as Paul said, “For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms.” (NIV, Ephesians 6:12)
As Paul told the Corinthians, “For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of the world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds.” (NIV, 2 Corinthians 10:3-4)
King Josiah turned the hearts of Judah back to the Lord following one of the darkest times in Judah’s history.
It is said of the Passover ordered by King Josiah, “Neither in the days of the judges who led Israel nor in the days of the kings of Israel and the kings of Judah had any such Passover been observed.” (NIV, 2 Kings 23:22)
And of Josiah it was said, “Neither before nor after Josiah was there a king like him who turned to the LORD as he did – with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his strength, in accordance with the law of Moses.” (NIV, 2 Kings 23:25)
After the death of King Josiah, it wasn’t long, less than 30 years, before Judah was taken captive by Babylon bringing an end to the age “of the kings,” setting the stage for the New Testament.
The story of Judah in the time of Josiah – the putting away of great evil and turning to the LORD – is a “type” of the end – time move of God in the closing days of the gospel, the Philadelphia church age.
Chains of darkness will be broken and crushed for a season in an unparalleled and unprecedented move of the Holy Spirit not seen since the time of Christ and the great epic stories of the past.
Many will be ushered into the kingdom of God as this age comes to a close.
Unprecedented
In many posts I’ve used the term “unprecedented” for the time we live in.
My use of “unprecedented” has nothing to do with the present pandemic, but everything to do with the plan and purposes of God today.
In 2016, in one of my first posts, I used it in reference to Noah and transition, pointing to what some in the Church are experiencing today as the Lord prepares an end – time bride.
I wrote, “Unprecedented changes occur in the lives of those called and chosen by God to transit the boundary separating two different eras. And, their obedience to God ushers in the change and brings them to a new place in God.”
The age of the gospel is like the days of Noah – a call to prepare your Ark (your body as a habitation for the Lord), a choosing by the Lord for those who heed the call, and an individual and corporate progression over stages to apprehend Christ.
And in the midst spanning two millenniums are seasons (moves of God), church ages (seven churches of Revelation), and the final culmination of the gospel age itself, the end – times.
Of which, most probably, some in our generations today will witness and partake.
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(Note, when Jesus referred to the days of Noah in Matthew Chapter 24, he was referring to the age of the gospel, not just the end – times, as a lot of Bibles note in margins.
The “coming” of the Son of Man refers first and foremost to the work of Christ in someone’s life he has chosen to do a deep work – “taking” that person unto himself like Peter in John Chapter 21:18.
Every age of the New Testament is in the last days, because those days began with Christ.
God has allotted seven segments of time for man, and after Christ and his redemptive work, the time is shorter now than it was for the ancients.
Individually and corporately there is only so much time.
Having an understanding of the calendar of God will keep you free from misconceptions and confusion regarding the use of terms such as last days and end – times.
Truly, 2,000 years after Christ, and 6,000 or so years after Adam according to the Scriptures, we are in the last of the last days, on the cusp of the Millennium, the seventh and final day for this creation.
There are endless questions about how long creation took, missing generations in Genesis, the age of the earth, dinosaurs, how could the sun be created on the fourth day, etc., etc., etc.
(Actually, the creation of the moon, stars and sun on the fourth day fits perfect with the wrap up of the Old Covenant (moon), the testimony of the saints (stars) and the coming of the Messiah (sun) – who is referred to as the sun in the OT and the brightness of the sun in the New, coming four time periods after the first Adam.)
Five different “major” scriptural accounts corroborate and confirm the progressive unfolding journey of men and women over seven segments, or eras, God has allotted for this creation.
If one has an understanding of God’s calendar, then it’s not too difficult to get a fair reading of the season, latitude, and longitude of one’s location.
The first apostles were among those who experienced the “coming” of the Son of Man in their lives. (John 21:18,22; Galatians 1:11 – 17; 1 Peter 1:13, and a host of other Scriptures))
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The deep work of Christ in an individual is an example of an unprecedented work by the Lord to that person.
Unprecedented also applies to critical seasons, crossroads, and transitions set in motion from creation.
And a change in kingdoms certainly qualifies as unprecedented to those caught in the bottleneck of preparation, change, and transition.
And that is what mankind is facing in the 21st century according to a vast array of scriptural promises, prophecies, and other indicators – such as the move of God today – the feast of Tabernacles.
Another epic bible story is unfolding before our eyes.
It’s unfolding in the most intimate and personal of places, the human heart and mind.
Today, unlike times past, in both depth and scale, men and women are receiving intimate care, healing and restoration from the Lord in preparation for union with him.
And union with him will birth another epic story – advancing the kingdom of God globally in such depth, scope and impact, the “story” of revivals of old will seem minor and quaint in comparison.
As it began, the gospel age will end in another demonstration of the unfathomable love and grace of God.
The move of the Spirit will be so deep, piercing, and compelling, many hardened and sold into darkness will receive what they’ve been longing for all along, intimacy with their creator.
Their cravings for love, acceptance, and grace, will finally be satisfied by their true Lord.
The gentle outreach of Christ will hit its mark in those desperate for God, setting them on the path for the mountain peaks of a new kingdom.
It’s not the events of this world, but the deep work of the Holy Spirit that sets the tone and timing of the move of God’s holy work.
And the Lord is laboring today to bring that to fruition.
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God
God is readying his kingdom – yes, heaven – and this earth to transfer fully and completely to a new ruler, one who is just, lovely, and fair, and the enemy is doing everything possible to hinder and derail God’s plans.
There is only one final outcome, and Christ will see to that in the great transition ahead.
The love and favor of God is coming on an unprecedented scale to lives devastated by the enemy, birthing hope and life in men and women again. (2 Thessalonians 2:3, 2:7; Revelation 3:8 – 9, 12:5, 13:3, and 17:11)
Regarding 2 Thessalonians 2:3, the first revealing of the man of lawlessness before the Tribulation (the seventh head of the beast, the Dragon of Revelation 12):
– it is the move of God, the revelation of the bride, 2 Thessalonians 2:3 and 2:7, that reveals the Antichrist kingdom for what it truly is, bringing its downfall for a season.
Regarding 2 Thessalonians 2:4 and again in more detail in 2:8, the second and unfettered revealing of the Antichrist kingdom in the Tribulation (the eighth head of the beast of Revelation 13):
– it is the revelation of the two witnesses (Revelation Chapter 11), the martyrdom of the remaining saints (Revelation Chapter 13), the judgments of the seals, trumpets, and plagues, and the judgment of the woman riding the beast, among others, that reveal the hideous nature of the seven year life of the eighth beast.
The Big One
Experts say, on parts of the West Coast, the next big one (earthquake) is overdue.
Some are saying the same for the kingdom of God, the next big one, maybe the last big one (revival) – is overdue.
If so, we can hasten the day (2 Peter 3:12) of his coming in our personal lives, and embrace his call to prepare and receive his personal “revival” for us now.
When the bride finishes her wilderness journey of preparation (Tabernacles) and is complete in the eyes of God, not man, the Lord will release her into ministry at the right time and in the right way to have the maximum effect of God’s love and favor on the greatest number of people possible.
The greatest harvest of souls is coming in the midst of the greatest darkness to embrace this world.
Two kingdoms vying for the souls of men.
One will ultimately be destroyed and the other will reign forever.
The last great harvest will probably span – at least the revival – three to four years fulfilling and completing the 70th week of Daniel.
In the last post I discussed how long it may be after the end of the revival until the beginning of the Great Tribulation.
If you want a grand adventure, well, one is here now, the feast of Tabernacles, and another is coming, the last great harvest of souls.
God is preparing men and women around the world – like in the days of Noah, Elijah, the prophets, Christ, the apostles, the Reformation, etc., – to be vessels of his bounty and glory for others to drink from.
The question for all of us, “Will we be the ones the Lord pours into others, or, the ones poured into?”
Fullness of Time
The Scripture talks about a fullness of time.
In Genesis Chapter 15 God tells Abraham his descendants will be captive in a land not their own for 400 years and in the fourth generation they’ll come back to the land promised to Abraham.
One reason for the delay, “‘… for the sin of the Amorites has not yet reached its full measure.’” (NIV, Genesis 15:16)
(There was another later time when God waited 400 years or so to birth fulfillment of another promise – the span of time between the last Old Covenant prophet, Malachi, and the coming of the Lord.)
The deeper and more profound the move of God, the deeper and more profound the preparation for that move.
The last day move of God is unique, special, and particular to its timing, participants, purpose, and outcome.
This particular move is center pieced in the book of Revelation, initiating the beginning transfer from the gospel age to the Millennium.
It is of such weight, importance, and regard, so much so, we are informed by the Scripture of the preparation that precedes it, and the outcomes that follow it, though the details of the events themselves are hidden.
Here’s some of what we know from Scripture about the end – time move of God, the revealing of the bride of Christ, and the halt to the seventh world kingdom for a season:
- It comes near the end of the age of the gospel,
- It brings to fruition God’s promises to the Church, and his promise of a bride in his likeness, from the last day saints, for his Son,
- It’s birthed from the Philadelphia church age, a long season of preparation is involved with unprecedented promises to those who respond to God’s call and remain in the Lord,
- possibly millions coming to the Lord during revival,
- the true nature of the Antichrist seventh world kingdom is revealed in a measure,
- the growth of the world kingdom is mortally wounded for a season,
- catching away of the bride in the nick of time,
- casting out of Satan from heaven,
- completion of the gospel era to the Gentiles,
- opening of the Seven Seals, ushering in the Tribulation,
- and, severe persecution of remaining saints, exchanging their robes for righteousness.
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Over and over again the Lord waits until all the pieces come together – where hearts that “will” and hearts that “won’t” are at a place of opportune receptivity before he manifests an unprecedented demonstration of his love and grace – taking the willing and some of the formerly unwilling into a new season.
His long delay is his gentleness toward the human heart – his kindness in giving men and women ample opportunity to hear testimonies of those who know him, who once were orphaned, but, are now, in God’s grace and favor.
Your testimony matters.
Especially where the Lord has healed long standing areas of deep wounds and sins, and where you have found God’s grace in those areas that seem insurmountable, etched into the membranes of the heart and mind.
A new wine is being poured out in the Church today.
Great grace, great care, and great revelation of the Father’s love is here, and coming to those who think everything is lost – there is no hope for them – they are too far gone.
They will find no condemnation in the eyes of Christ and his bride, only an offer of life from Jesus.
The days are coming when strongholds will be broken and lives set free and changed so dramatically, a flood of wounded and desperate hearts will run towards heaven’s open door.
It will be like scenes of famines, where provisions, care, touch and love, come just in the nick of time.
The common people embraced Christ and the move of God’s Spirit in his day, in moves of God since, and so shall it be again in the coming days.
Let’s be among those who respond to the call of God, in this, the great hour of Tabernacles, and go deeper in him.
Blessings, Drake
(NIV) Scripture quotations marked (NIV) are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.Zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblical, Inc.™
