We have been discussing that there is a nation within all nations beginning to emerge, which is God’s “holy nation.” This is where our true citizenship lies. If we are growing in the Lord, our identity will grow more in relationship to our fellow citizens of the holy nation than any other national, cultural, or even racial identity. Also, our hope will be more in the emerging holy nation than in any other human government.
Because we are called to be salt and light in the world, we have also been addressing that we have a responsibility to seek the good of the nations in which we sojourn. Even so, our main focus and hope should always be in the holy nation, the kingdom of God. As we see in Daniel 2, God’s government will emerge and grow as the kingdoms of this world begin to collapse.
We also see in Scripture that when someone was called as a prophet to the nations, he was to discern the meaning of the important current events of his times. Even under the Old Covenant, when God only had a covenant with one nation, Israel, the prophets of Israel often gave words and even went to speak to other nations about current issues and events. This is because God loves all men, and Israel’s purpose was to be a mediator for the nations before and from God. This is a basic purpose of His holy nation—to be a light in all nations.
The difference between the “major” and “minor” prophets in Scripture is much more than just the quantity of their prophecies. The breadth of vision and understanding of the major prophets in relation to the other nations and the current events is remarkable. They even had a depth of knowledge of the history of the nations that was amazing when you consider that they did not have the Internet, television, or even libraries! They were vitally in touch with current events and had a deep knowledge of the mind of the Lord in relation to those events and the nations.
Moses once declared that it was his desire for all of God’s people to be prophets. It is probable that he received this from the Lord with whom he spent so much time. The Lord wanted all of His people to be so close to Him that they would know His thoughts, His ways, and could be used by Him as trusted ambassadors. Israel was called to be a prophetic nation. As the nation went awry, the Lord called faithful individuals as prophets who spoke not only to Israel, but to the other nations as well, which the Lord wanted to help.
The holy nation, the church, is likewise called to be a prophet to the nations. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians that they could all prophesy (see I Corinthians14:31). Prophets are a part of the body and there will be a specific place and function for them until “that which is perfect has come,” which is the Lord Himself. Even so, the Lord has also made it clear that He may use any of His people to speak through at any time. The Bible also makes it clear that this will be especially true at the end of the age (see Acts 2:17-18). As we see here, dreams, visions, and prophecy are going to be coming upon all “in the last days,” because in the last days, we are going to need that kind of specific guidance. It is for this reason that we have been devoted to understanding and teaching about prophecy, dreams, and visions for many years; we know that the closer we come to the end of this age, the more common these are going to be and the more we will need them.
The first one to walk with God after the Fall was Enoch, whom we are told prophesied (see Jude 14). A good case can be made that everyone who has truly walked with God has prophesied, even those who do not believe, the Lord still uses people to prophesy. Some have called inspired preaching prophecy, but it is more than that. Though anointed teaching or preaching is also the living word of God or a message from Him, prophecy is on a different level. I have seen many preachers and teachers who were under the anointing pass over into prophecy. When they did, they would often make a remark like “something came over me,” and it did.
We have been discussing trends in our nation lately in the Words for the Week, including the current uprising with the health care bill debate. You may wonder why I am not addressing this here. I have been covering the specifics of these events in the Special Bulletins I’ve written, but here I want to go deeper into examining what is happening through this weekly format.
I certainly would not claim these Bulletins are the whole reason for what is now being stirred in the nation, but I did have some part in it. As soon as the Special Bulletins were posted on our website in July, we had more than a thousand hits very quickly. I was even told that people had seen fourth generation copies of that Bulletin on the first day that it was sent out. Certainly, it did spread very fast, and I don’t think we have seen this kind of activity on our website since 9/11, when for a time we received more than one million hits a day. In July, some kind of fire started, and the points made in those Bulletins seem to have become talking points in town hall meetings, the news, and even one Presidential address.
In the Special Bulletins I am addressing what is happening, but with you, I want to address why it is happening and how you are called to be a part of it. I “felt something come over me” when I wrote those Bulletins that I recognized as the Holy Spirit. I felt that I would be consumed by the fire within if I did not write those Bulletins. I had no idea if they would be used to wake people up or if they could get me in serious trouble with powers that are doing the deeds of darkness. Darkness does not like the light shown on it. That is not my concern. My concern is to be obedient. So after I was obedient, I felt the burden was lifted. This is what some of the prophets in Scripture called “the burden of the Lord.”
There are prophetic words and prophetic acts. There are things we are called to speak, and things we are called to do to stand for truth, righteousness, and justice. It is not likely that everyone showing up at the town hall meetings are Christians, but many are, and many are going to them because they feel the same burden for their country and their loved ones that I felt when writing those Bulletins. Those are becoming a mobilized army who will stand for truth, righteousness, and justice. Are you hearing the call to be a part of it?