The Prophetic Telegraph - No.1B
THE TIME HAS
ALMOST RUN ITS COURSE
May 1986
PLEASE GIVE SERIOUS THOUGHT AND CONSIDERATION TO THIS MESSAGE
In 1967, at the outset of
the Charismatic movement, God gave a clear prophetic word for the days ahead.
It was a word that caused one to tingle with excitement, that made faith leap
to new heights, and caused spiritual vision to see new horizons. It spoke of
God's last great harvest before the return of His Son, and was a clear call for
action. It spoke of God's own plan for these end days, His desire for all
nations, and the coming of the
But the word also spoke of
a great 'dullness and lack of perception' within God's people, a blinkered
vision that saw but a very limited part of God's purposes in Christ. It spoke
of believers who related to God only for their own needs, for salvation, daily
bread, health and strength, family life, and church life, who effectively
brought God into orbit around themselves instead of seeing themselves within
the whole plan of God. Many were saying 'Give us this day our daily
bread' BEFORE they got to the words 'Thy kingdom come,
Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.'
And the word was clear as
to the source of the error. Many were relating the Gospel to the flesh, and to
this life, to human relationships, the interplay between family, friends and
brethren, rather than to the GOAL of the Gospel in RESURRECTION. The church on
this earth was never intended to be an end in itself, but a vehicle to convey
believers into the higher life, to share with the King of Glory the government
of the world from the heavenly dimension. Though surrounded with 'a great cloud
of witnesses' those whose 'spirits are made perfect'
through sufferings, the church was no longer able to see that this was the great
truth contained in Jesus' teachings, that He came to DIE and to be RAISED
AGAIN, and that all who desired to be with Him would have to 'take
up their cross and follow Him'.
The word showed clearly
that the glories would not flow forth from the flesh. Those who reaped the last
harvest would not be men but angels. 'Flesh and blood cannot inherit
the
In many types and by many
figures the word of the Lord in 1967 spoke of obedience to the way of the
cross, urging the
Furthermore the word was
insistent that this process could only be an individual one. 'Each
one must come as that one alone, not as a group, and the favour of the Lord
will be upon them.' 'And I deal with you individually in this, as I take you
down into death - - - that I may bring you to the place of resurrection.'
It was clear that the meaning of this fellowship, and this conformity, related
to this life, culminating in being changed into the new body when God's training
was complete. This was to be God's own great work, and by it He would be
glorified.
But what have the years
since 1967 shown? No better summary can be found than Dr Andrew Walker's new
book, "Restoring the Kingdom." The author presents
the architects and the theology of the charismatics, the house-church groups,
and the restorationists. It is clear that they are busy founding God's kingdom
here and now, on this earth, rather than in accordance with the teaching of
Jesus in the Gospels. They speak of massive increases in the size of the global
church (which they believe to be 'the Kingdom') and it is their intention to
present it to the King when He comes again. But their 'kingdom' is earth-based,
it is not the
But what of the "Baptism
of the Holy Spirit" and the "Gifts of the
Spirit"? What was the purpose of these gifts in the early
church? Three distinct functions are manifest.
(a) As an authentication of
God's own authority upon the new work, in each and every place where the Gospel
was preached;
(b) As signs of the near
coming of the
(c) As the inner strength
of God to believers to enable them to identify with the sufferings of the Lord
and Master.
All three of these purposes
were related to the offer of the Kingdom in those days. But the Jews rejected
the call of God, and as a nation they did not repent, and the Gentiles failed
to understand the fullness of the vision vouchsafed to them until in the end
'all those in Asia' turned away from Paul. The outcome was the destruction of
How about today? The gifts and
baptism of the Holy Spirit have been made available in abundance again. But the
church at large appears not to have grasped the significance of what God is
doing. Whereas quite the majority see the outpouring as a return to the glories
of the early church, a 'restoration' of what then obtained, clearly the truth
lies in the fact that GOD IS ONCE AGAIN OFFERING THE KINGDOM TO HIS CHURCH, and
He expects all believers to sit up and take notice of this 'new work'. Instead
of looking back to Pentecost, we are urged to consider the typical significance
of Tabernacles, the ‘last great harvest’ of the Jewish year. To
many, the gifts of the Holy Spirit have been seen as aids to the growth and
worship of the local church, rather than as signs of the nearness of the
Kingdom. And healing has been seen as a sort of National Health Service for
sick Christians, as an on-going process, rather than again as signs, which
should produce repentance. Jesus said that if the miracles He performed had
been done in
But God will not be mocked.
What He has set His hand to do, this He will achieve. He has set a day in which
He will judge the world (i.e. rule it) by the Man Christ Jesus, and that day is
very near. He has called for His church to repent and follow the vision of the
cross through into resurrection. The church may have lost the vision, but a
remnant has found it, and they have been keeping it safe within their own
hearts, as those who find real treasure hidden in a field, and they have been
paying very high prices to ensure that they obtain it. In due course God will
give it to them. And God has spoken of multitudes in the valley of decision,
far too many to count, followed by a magnificent harvest to the Lord. The
remnant will be the reapers. Those who have followed another vision, and
another interpretation of God's ways, will stand and stare in amazement, choked
up with embarrassment and anguish. This is a very sad fact to contemplate, but
is wholly Scriptural. It is also sadly true that many will try to enter the
Kingdom in that day, believing that they have a right to be there, but only to
find that the doors are shut. And when the 'way of the cross' dawns in the
minds of the many who chose rather to go on the broad way, 'they will seek
death and will not find it' because the Kidron Valley will be shut. The way of
the cross will be complete. 'That which is lacking of the afflictions of Christ
in the flesh' will finally be made up, and God will have obtained that which He
sought. The
But - the door has not yet
been closed, even though the time is very short.
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[Please note - the
prophecies referred to in this paper are reproduced in full in GOD'S SPOKEN WORD, and may be found by clicking on the
G.W.INDEX button below, and selecting GW1]