Throughout history, God has released revelation (or an unveiling) of Himself to His people through His servants the prophets and everyone He has used throughout history. Each time He reveals more of Himself and more of His plan, He expects the reaction of His people to rise to meet the occasion. With every prophet that prophesied, with every book written, with the revelation of the Messiah in the Gospels, and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Acts, God has made Himself known to men. Each time, He has expected a reaction from men, and as more is revealed, the greater the expected response.
This has both wonderful and terrible implications for us. It is wonderful in that out of every generation past in world history, we have the most opportunity to respond to the unveiling of the Lord’s plan than any other time in history. However, it is terrible in that out of every generation past in world history, we have the most reasons to respond to the unveiling of the Lord’s plan than any other time in history. Therefore, our responsibility for what we know is greater now than at any previous time in history.
It is like the parable of the ten talents in Matthew 25. The master gave each servant different amounts of talents (a money value) and went away. Some used them to gain more talents and others buried them. When the master returned, he praised those who used the talents. He scolded those who buried them, took the talents away, gave them to the others, and cast the bad steward into outer darkness. This parable is in the context of the Lord speaking about the end of the age and His return. He warned everyone to watch because we do not know what hour He will come.
All throughout the Bible, prophets warned of impending judgment. They also testified of the fulfillment of amazing promises of the Lord. The Lord always gives the people time to repent and turn to Him, and then in a flash—judgment comes. Those who are watching are found ready and those who were not watching are caught off guard. There are many stories of this throughout the Bible.
A few examples are: Noah, Rahab, prophecies of Jeremiah regarding the Babylonian exile, prophecies of Ezekiel regarding the Assyrian captivity, prophecies of Daniel concerning Antiochus Epiphanies IV—and the coming Antichrist. New Testament examples include: the parable of the 5 wise and 5 foolish virgins (Mt 22), Jesus’ prophecies concerning 70 AD and the Antichrist (Mt 25, Mk 13), Jesus’ warning to the disciples in Luke 22, etc…
As the Lord visits His people, lines are divided. Decisions must be made. No one can remain on the sidelines. Everyone must choose. At no other time in history will this be more true that at the “Day of the Lord” (yōm adonai, Heb).
There is no other day more mentioned in the Bible than the “Day of the Lord.” This day is both the fulfillment of promise and of judgment. There have been many lower case “days of the Lord” (so to speak), but this Day will be the most catastrophic and wonderful in all history.
The prophet Joel prophesied of this day in Joel 2. He called it the “great and awesome day of the Lord” (Joel 2:31). A better translation of the word “awesome” here is “terrible.” This Hebrew word (yāh-rēh) is used many times to refer to those who were afraid or had much fear. The word for “great” here refers to strong or huge. In this context and with the whole of scripture to interpret it, it really means “climactic.” Everything from the fall of man through the rest of redemptive history reaches a climax at a point called the “Day of the Lord.”
Joel prophesied that at that time the Lord will pour out His Spirit on all flesh. As I have mentioned before, when the Lord pours out His Spirit—everything comes to the surface. Those whose hearts are receptive to the Lord and His ways are blessed with revival and those who are hardened toward Him are judged. No one can remain neutral. The judgments of God are being poured out, and the sinfulness of man is exposed. The Bride of Christ experiences revival and becomes bold and full of power in her proclamation of the gospel, and therefore, she is persecuted—especially at a time when man’s wickedness is being exposed.
We have seen this over and over throughout history, but especially at the time of the Apostolic Church. It was at that time in Acts 2 that the Lord poured out His Spirit in revival; the gospel was preached; the church was persecuted, and then Israel was judged with the destruction of the temple in 70 AD.
When the Lord visited the apostles on Pentecost, Peter highlighted Joel’s prophecy:
And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions. And also on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days. “And I will show wonders in the heavens and in the earth: Blood and fire and pillars of smoke. The sun shall be turned into darkness, And the moon into blood, Before the coming of the great and awesome day of the LORD. And it shall come to pass, that whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved. (Joel 2:28-32a; Acts 2:1-21)
This passage mentions both the outpouring of God’s Spirit and the judgments of God that will be poured out on the earth. Revival is a dividing line. Judgment is a dividing line. The manifestation of God’s Spirit causes lines to be drawn and sides to be chosen.
God’s Spirit will be poured out on “all flesh” (all people) not just believers. It will come as revival to those who are found ready and judgment to those who are not ready. It will be great and terrible.
However, it is the posture of the heart that we must take into consideration—not just the fact that we are Christians. Joel spoke of calling a “solemn assembly” for fasting, prayer, and mourning—people tearing their hearts before God in repentance. Likewise, Peter preached, “Repent and be baptized!” Repentance is for both the believer and the unbeliever. It requires asking forgiveness, then completely turning around and no longer walking in sin. (Not that we will be sinless, but it means not willfully consented in sin without fighting against it).
Men’s hearts will fail in fear on that terrible day (Rev). We will see “greater works than these” on that great day (Jn. 14:12). As the climate of evil is rising, God is calling His church to step into her identity as the pure and spotless Bride, walking before Him in holiness. To do this, we must be in a place of prayer, fasting, and repentance. It is urgent, and it is necessary. By the time the dividing line comes, it will be too late. But it is not too late now, to pick up all the revelation we have been given throughout redemptive history and walk in it.
This week, I encourage you to examine your heart and tell the Lord you want to humble yourself before Him and walk in righteousness. I encourage you to maybe even to fast one day, and I recommend picking the National Day of Prayer, which is May 7th. Many church groups will be holding “solemn assemblies” across the nation as we humble ourselves before God. I encourage you to find one and attend. The hour is urgent.
Bless You.
Amanda
Copyright © 2010, Amanda Rich, All Rights Reserved
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