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WINDS OF CHANGE No 3
`To God's elect, strangers in the world . . . .'

We recall travelling very early one morning in January 1997, and as we did so we caught the end of a radio programme on the World News Service. The presenter of the programme was bringing together the strands of comment made by two middle-ranking politicians from the two major political parties in the UK. The subject of the programme had been the burgeoning costs of the Welfare State in this country, and the politicians' opinions had been given as to how these mounting costs could be met in the future. In the cold darkness of that early wintry morning the presenter's words struck a chilling note as he said:

" It is the concensus of opinion that the time will come when citizenship of this country would depend not upon birth but in the acceptance of their responsibilities of citizenship (in making provision for their welfare). Those who could not or would not accept their financial responsibilties would be denied the privileges of citizenship."

For such views to be aired on the radio, especially at an hour when most of the population would not be listening, reveals the slow and steady erosion of the `rights' of citizenship that is being considered in the corridors of power. (Within a very short time it became clear that those political comments on an early-morning programme were no idle musings, for later in the year the policy of `compassion with a hard edge' was launched, and those hearing or reading such comments must seriously consider the implications of the possibility of a coming society which is based upon privileges granted to an elitist group who accept whatever `responsibility' the ruling caste decide is the qualification for citizenship!)

That kind of citizenship was seen in its full flowering in the old Roman Empire, where every person `born' into it through the conquest of a country by the imperial Roman armies had the right to be called a Roman citizen - provided they accepted their responsibilites, with all that that word implied in the daily life of Roman citizens. We are not intending to set out a yet more scaremongering scenario of the future life for Christians in a coming world dictatorship - they will emerge in far more lurid detail than we can imagine at this moment as we approach the end of the 20th century. Neither do we suggest that such dramatic scenarios are hidden away in secret political manifestos, awaiting only the time of their release. Rights of citizens are rarely snatched away so dramatically; they are more likely to be steadily eroded through legal channels, and reasonable persuasion dictated by the solid ground of middle-class citizens who want only to maintain the status quo and enjoy a quiet life. The `dramatic end' is usually only seen with hindsight, when people looking back see that `rights' have been replaced by `privileges' that are accepted as sensible and necessary for the protection of the middle-class status quo. That these changes will come is clearly revealed in Scripture, if indeed we are living in the `last days' before the coming of the Lord!

With this thought we will turn to our opening title: `To God's elect, strangers in the world', and spend time considering the position of those who are citizens of another Kingdom. Here there are also rights and privileges, but they are for ALL who belong to that Kingdom, those whose entrance has also been brought about through `conquest', the conquest of the Lord's love for those He created in His image. First we would turn to Scripture in order to paint a contemporary picture of a time when an earlier people of God had moved into their `inheritance'. They were enjoying their new way of life, which they thought would last for ever, but they had forgotten the words of Moses that they were on a journey into the fulness of their inheritance: (Deuteronomy 12:5a)

"You are to seek the place the LORD your God will choose from among all your tribes to put His name there for your dwelling."

The Book of Judges gives us the historical setting, but in the King James Version the Book begins with the word `now'. So often it is the seemingly insignificant words that reveal so much. This simple word `now' links the previous Book of Joshua to the Book of Judges, and if we understand that the central message of Joshua is one of God's people entering into possession of their inheritance, then the Book of Judges, linked to it by that one simple word, has a central message of Israel trivialising their inheritance! Throughout the Book of Judges there is the record of the failure of the people, and the faithfulness of God to His Word. The concluding verse of Judges gives us the reason for that failure: (Judges 21:25)

"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. "

The fact that these two Books are linked is clearly seen in the narrative of chapter 2, which further comments on Joshua's exploits before recording the resting place of this man of God: (Judges 2:8-9)

" Joshua son of Nun, the servant of the LORD, died at the age of one hundred and ten. And they buried him in the land of his inheritance at Timnath Heres in the hill country of Ephraim, north of Mount Gaash. "

But perhaps the key to understanding the reason for Israel's slide into apostacy lies in verse 6 of chapter 2:

" After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance. "

The people forgot! They forgot how they had been forged into a nation through the dreadful wanderings in the wilderness! They forgot that as a nation a new generation had entered into a Covenant relationship with God! They forgot that they were a people under God, called and formed to reveal His Glory, and `they went to take possession of the land; EACH TO HIS OWN INHERITANCE'. Clearly that first generation could not pass on what they had FORGOTTEN to those who followed after them, and we see the result: (Judges 2:10-16)

" After that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation grew up, one who knew neither the LORD nor what He had done for Israel. Then the Israelites did evil in the sight of the LORD and served the Baals. They forsook the LORD, the God of their fathers, who had brought them out of Egypt. They followed and worshipped various gods of the peoples around them. They provoked the LORD to anger because they forsook Him and served Baal and the Ashtoreths. In His anger against Israel the LORD handed them over to raiders who plundered them. He sold them to their enemies all around, whom they were no longer able to resist. Whenever Israel went out to fight, the hand of the LORD was against them to defeat them just as He had sworn to them. They were in great distress. Then the LORD raised up judges, who saved them out of the hands of these raiders. "

No longer were they a unified nation . . each one was concerned with his own inheritance. No longer did they remember the Word of the LORD . . and they were easy prey to raiders whom the LORD raised up in His anger to chastise them. In the end it led to what we have recorded as the concluding verse in the Book of Judges: (Judges 21:25)

"In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit. "

They had no king . . no authority to answer to . . no-one to whom they were subject! They had therefore no-one to protect them . . no-one to provide for them . . and everyone did what was right in their own eyes. Nevertheless throughout that dark period of Israel's history we see God's faithfulness as He raised up Judges to rule His people. The exploits of Deborah and Gideon and Samson have held the attention of many a Sunday School child over the years. Little is known of Othniel, Ehud, Shamgar, Tola and many others mentioned in Judges, and so little is spoken of their exploits. That is not the message contained in Judges. The Judges were raised up by the LORD only when the Israelites `cried out to the LORD, and He raised up for them a deliverer'. Certainly the Book of Judges could be called a Book of Despair, when looked at from the viewpoint of natural man, but a Book of Hope, when looked at in the light of the faithfulness of God!

If we bring this scenario into slightly more contemporary times we will see the same pattern in the historical figures of Western Church history. When the life of the Church was at its lowest ebb, striding onto the stage came such great figures as Luther, Calvin, Zwingle, and more than we have space to list. If we bring this principle still closer to contemporary times we see on the stage the figures of Wesley and Whitefield, and no doubt we can name others even closer to our own time. The Scriptures are full of examples of God's faithfulness to His people, who often seem to be at the point of irreversible disaster before He intervenes and raises up men who become the vessels of true spiritual revival for His people, leading them back from the `abyss' of their foolishness. It is then His true revival causes the Church to turn from looking into itself to reaching out to others with the Good News of God's Salvation. Indeed, He will not share His Glory, even with His redeemed people in this Dispensation. True revival reveals God's faithfulness in the midst of man's failure.

This brings us to the position in which we now find ourselves in the life of the Church. We too are linked with one simple word, and it is the same as the one we saw linking the Books of Joshua and Judges. The Church of the Redeemed has indeed been brought into the land of their inheritance, brought in by the death of Jesus and raised to new life in a Kingdom not of this world, and `now' we too are called as one people under the guidance of the Holy Spirit to enter into the fulness of our inheritance so that Jesus might be revealed to the `surrounding nations'.

Dare we suggest that the message seen in the Book of Judges finds a parallel outworking in our contemporary Church life, as `they take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance'? Will the Church also have as its concluding verse the words: `In those days Israel had no king; everyone did as he saw fit'? If that is our understanding, however, we have failed to trust in the faithfulness of God, for He WILL hear the cry of His people and raise up for them `judges' who will lead them out of the despair into which they have fallen.

These are times of change such as have not been experienced for several decades, and we have mentioned before that an `anxiety factor' is being seen in the lives of people in the West. It has been suggested that this is a true spiritual awakening, but if we look at the times when God raised up `judges' - certainly seen in the more contemporary figures of men such as Wesley - we would suggest that what we are seeing is merely an `anxiety factor', rather than a spiritual awakening which would lead to repentance through conviction of sin. It was as the Israelites cried out in repentance that God heard their cries of distress and sent them deliverers in the form of Judges. In times of great revivals we tend to think of the figure-heads such as Wesley, and we therefore forget that Wesley was surrounded by vast numbers of unnamed people of God who had been revived by the Lord - people raised up as God listened to the cries of His people. It was then that His people turned outward and a harvest was reaped for the Kingdon of God!

Let us turn our thoughts back to the `anxiety factor' which, we suggest, is emerging in the the life of Western society. If it truly is an `anxiety factor' that is being revealed and not a `spiritual awakening', the `crowds' will seek an antidote to anxiety by turning to someone who will promise stability. At the same time he will take advantage of the people's anxiety and seek to establish his own power THROUGH instability, thereby increasing the anxiety factor and drawing the crowds even further into his grip. The new political `spin-doctoring' is but the `old' way of doing this. A truth taken too far, with more added to it, works to the politicians' advantage by placing something into the peoples' minds which satisfies them and persuades them that the politicians are really on their side and understand their anxiety. In simple terms the anxiety is removed by pointing to an `external foe', who can only be defeated by a nation which is in total acceptance and obedience to those with `higher knowledge'. It leads to the emergence of a dictatorial system, a system which DEMANDS total obedience, and when at last the people finally wake up to the truth they find they have an `anxiety factor' AND a totalitarian system to ensure its continuity.

If we now take this principle into the Church situation we can see where it will lead. Then go one step further and face the fact that it is already happening in the Church! The anxiety factor is there, in the change from the old `charismatic blessings' to a call for more radical discipleship, often under the guise of preparing for persecution. So in order to disperse the anxiety factor an `external foe' is needed, which can be seen in the spiritual movement that is causing so much division amongst long-established Evangelical and Pentecostal churches at the present time. Continuing with this principle we see emerging exagerated rhetoric - or to use the modern expression, spin-doctoring - which offers the panacea for the anxiety factor. In turn this will draw the divided sides deeper into their own camps, within which will emerge dictatorial leadership, who through further exagerated rhetoric provide `security' by increasing the anxiety factor. As the grip grows tighter it will become evident that a spiritual totalitarian system has developed through parachurch ministries which offer `apostolic oversight' over local churches and fellowships, thereby sapping their spiritual life while at the same time offering `security' as they are drawn deeper into a religious totalitarian system. This will leave the Church under the control of a false spirit, which seeks to bring all into line in order to offer ultimate `security'!

Could such a system really be emerging? Certainly Scripture reveals a world-wide dominating religious system under the control of a `beast coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon'. Scripture also reveals a great falling away from the truth, and we saw this in the Book of Judges where the people were despising their inheritance, trivialising their blessings and incurring God's wrath. Cannot we see such a trend in our contemporary Church life through the spiritual movements which are continually emerging, subsiding and re-emerging in the western churches? The anxiety is certainly apparent. A yawning chasm of division is clearly evident. Dictatorial leadership is developing amongst churches who will not see the false religious spirit that is rapidly spreading its tentacles over them. This will end in a religious totalitarian system which will offer the security of continuous blessings `for each in their own inheritance'. But we also see this anxiety factor amongst those who DO have their eyes open to the danger unfolding in our times, and it takes little more than a casual denouncement in meetings on either side of the division to find a `ministry name' brought into question. The `tumbrels of the revolution' have not stopped their journies of death!

Historical principles of massive changes within societies follow very familiar patterns, and we find them outworking within religious as well as secular groups. It is a principle that in order to remove someone from a group they must first be marginalised; only then can they, with the group's approval, be annihilated for the common good. Rights become privileges - subject of course to acceptance of `responsibility'. We believe the last time this pattern was outworked was the period of the 1930's in Europe. Many anxious eyes scanned the newspapers, and people sought security in the political system as the only way to deal with their anxiety - only to find that `as each sought their own inheritance' their rights had become privileges linked to responsibilities, and the warnings of the dissidents were ignored until their cries became weak and faint and were finally annihilated. Today we have only to read the current religious press in all its variations and styles to find this pattern at work amongst the `nation' of the Church in the West.

Dare we take the parallel seen in the Books of Joshua and Judges for the western Church, who also have walked into a rich inheritance but are `now' trivialising their inheritance as each tribe `went to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance'? Have we really reached the point where `after that whole generation had been gathered to their fathers that another generation grew up, who knew neither the LORD (in the sense of not knowing God's will and purpose for the time in which we live) nor what He had done for Israel'? We would suggest that a parallel is emerging which is more than circumstantial, and to give depth to that remark we will record part of a Book Critic's review. The book sets out the political views which were in vogue at the end of the First World War, views of politicians who were aware of the anxiety factor of people traumatised by the terrible events of that war. It was said that:

" Pandering to the genuine anxiety of the post-war generation (those who had come through the war), whilst holding the world in ignorance of the Soviet realisation . . . . . The lack of moral integrity amongst the politically persuaded intellectuals would lead to the seeds of tyranny (being planted) by the democratic majority (as led by the political leaders promising to dispel the anxiety factor) and led to the Second World War and its aftermath in Europe and a people enslaved. " (Bracketed comments ours).

If we take these words and apply them to the contemporary religious world of the Church, particularly in England, we find a parallel at work:

" Pandering to the genuine anxiety of the post-charismatic generation (who had seen the divisions and hurt that had occurred), whilst holding the church in ignorance of Scriptural reality . . . . . The lack of prophet's integrity amongst the Scripturally persuaded leaders (in promising continual blessings and revival) would lead to the seeds of spiritual tyranny (being planted) by the assembled majority of churches (as led by the appointed church leaders promising revival and a continuing round of blessings) and led to an aftermath of bondage in the Church and a people enslaved. "

We leave it to the reader to consider whether there is a parallel emerging here or if it is fanciful exageration? But if as we suggest there IS a parallel being outworked, we really do need to define in more detail the meaning and spawning grounds of the expressions used. By using the term `anxiety factor' we are intending it to be seen as something experienced within a whole social group of people (that is, a nation) which is composed of individuals. And whilst many individuals would deny experiencing such an emotion, there is nevertheless a growing sense of anxiety amongst people who have an inarticulated sense of a coming detrimental change to their lifestyle. As the crisis deepens it will lead to the emergence of Nationalism, which naturally looks for `enemies within'. Thus the marginalising of minority groups will begin. In turn this will lead to the emergence of a charismatic figure, who, with the apparatus of a political machine already established, promises a revival of the nation's integrity . . a restoration of prosperity to the people, IF they will only entrust themselves to him. It will lead to a full-blown totalitarian political system spreading its deadly tentacles over every aspect of life, and with the rights of the people being restricted to the privileged ones who accept their responsibilties, it will lead to a people enslaved through their own desire to cling to their blessings and the way of life which they have established for themselves.

A totalitarian system is a regime layered on (controlling) the legitimate democratic governmental system of an individual nation state, and during this century it has been seen in Europe in the forms of Communism and Fascism. (These are but twin heads of totalitarianism, but have different emphasis on certain parts of its ideology, and both leave the people enslaved!) Once fully established the regime can safely dispose of those who have been marginalised in the upsurge of Nationalism. Remember totalitarianism CAUSES the problem and then PROVIDES the answer for an anxious people who have taken their responsibilities in order to enjoy their privileges - which can be removed if the responsibilities (which require total obedience) are not outworked! Clearly there has to be a cultural seedbed in a nation before such a grotesque regime can implant itself upon a people. In the case of Germany it has been said that between the two world wars there arose in the national psyche an undoubted anxiety crisis - an overwhelming sense of `militant romanticism', a sense of a collective national genius which resided in the united German people. There emerged a sense of being a chosen people who were called to populate the earth, `redeeming' the surrounding nations with its new-found sense of common genius (long held in bondage and anxiety but inextinguishable). It was a collective populist expression by a people who knew they had once had the blessings of an inheritance (before the First World War) - and they wanted them again. It was a throwing-off of the anxiety factor. On the sidelines there stood a waiting and watchful charismatic figure, who understood the throbbing Nationalism that was emerging and layered on to it a totalitarian regime that fully met the religious even messianic fervour that was rising! We have only to recall the rabble-rousing rhetoric to know that a folk religion, a populist regime, was being layered onto the national aspirations of a people who had thrown off the anxiety factor, but, as we have said, it led to a people enslaved! Within that system there were people trapped . . strangers in the land. They had been systematically marginalised over a period of time, and it took only the infamous Kristallnacht in 1938 to reveal to the Jewish people what was about to be unleashed against them.

Now comes the difficult part of these thoughts as we draw them together, still keeping in mind the parallel seen in the Books of Joshua and Judges as well as secular history and political ideology. We have already mentioned the feeling of a collective anxiety factor within the psyche of this country, which at the moment is being spoken of as a spiritual awakening. (And we should never doubt that there are INDIVIDUALS who are experiencing a spiritual awakening, and thank God for it.) But do we see a deepening danger as people are drawn into Church life through various man-made courses which offer a changed lifestyle rather than experiencing a changed life through hearing the Gospel of God and receiving His Grace through accepting Jesus as Lord and Saviour? Do we see a deepening danger in the direction the ecumenical spirit is taking the Church by drawing all denominations into unity through acceptance of each other? Do we see a deepening danger of `Christianised Nationalism' emerging, which has a collective understanding of the genius of mankind that needs to take its `redemption' to the ends of the earth? Do we see the emergence of `Christian Totalitarianism' . . a `Spiritual Party' which will take hold of a `People's Religion', giving it shape and form which will need universal unity AND a `common enemy' in order to fuel the nationalism? Do we see the `Spiritual Party' emerging which attacks the `voice of caution' (the call to return to Scripture), often attacking it quite viciously, to the point of coming close to cursing those who urge caution? Do we see this rising populist religion in mass rallies where spiritual rhetoric is heard, continually reminding the people of the inheritance of a people called by God, called not only to inherit the earth but to subdue and take dominion over it?

`Christianised Nationalism' needs its banners and flags . . it needs colour and excitement . . it needs noise and bizarre and sensational manifestations. Its `anointed' leaders give it `party form and shape', and the people hope for restored glory and purpose, but it will lead to a people enslaved! Has the way been so thoroughly prepared, through Toronto and Pensacola, through the slow, steady and consistent acceptance of emotion and experiences at the expense of the sole authority of Scripture - an acceptance demanded by its leaders, with those who disagree being marginalised and expelled? Is the emerging `Celtic Christianity' a further sympton of a People's Religion, relying as it does even more on sensation and emotion, and drawing heavily upon its pseudo nationalistic suggestion of earlier roots when all was perfect? Do we see the arrival of the `Religious Brownshirts' in the form of men's groupings, the brotherhood of men held together through promises and covenants, joined together in initiating ceremonies where collective allegience to a central authority is sworn - a hierarchial system looking very close to a party machine? Such religious groups have been seen before in the history of the Church. and if this is so then the `voices of caution' face a `spiritual Kristallnacht' as real as that seen in Germany in 1938! We need to understand the extent to which apostacy can go before the Lord intervenes and saves His people through raising up `judges' - albeit with another title in this Dispensation of Grace!

Learning from history is always difficult in the midst of a crisis, but it is to history we must go - and that history must be sieved through Scripture if it is to be of any spiritual value. As the `spiritual refugees' escape there lies before them the danger of forming AND BEING FORMED INTO another `Christianised Nationalist' group who seek to oppose the apostacy. Such `resistance groups' rarely last for long as they do not have the `party machine' in place to set up a rival group which is able to withstand the intensive attack that will be mounted against them from totalitarian regime. Again Church history reveals what happens to any who oppose a Nationalist regime, whilst contemporary secular history reminds us that when men are gripped by religious fervour their very ideology cannot tolerate those outside their enclave. If we would hear the voice of God we need to return to Scripture, for only there lies the answer to what is emerging in our times. We therefore return to the Book of Judges which, we suggest, reveals a parallel message outworking in our contemporary Church life in the West. Earlier we set out a passage from this Book: (Judges 2:6)

" After Joshua had dismissed the Israelites, they went to take possession of the land, each to his own inheritance. "

In these simple almost stark words there is a sense of how each tribe worked out how best to serve its own interests, how best to expand its own territory, how best to make itself independent and secure, quite forgetting that they had been called out of Egypt by God and forged into a nation in order to reveal the Glory of God to the surrounding nations! Their tribal jealousies and self-interest led to what is recorded as seven oppressions by OUTSIDE nations . . and seven deliverances of God through the twelve Judges He raised up to rule over His people. In the Hebrew language numbers are recorded by letters, and we can clearly see the message revealed that `the evil done by the Israelites in the eyes of the LORD' had reached completion (seen in the number `seven'). But we also see by the same number `seven' the completion of God's deliverance, because of His unconditional Covenant made with Abraham and his descendants - and so that no-one would be ignorant as to who had raised up those judges the number `twelve' reveals the governmental authority of God.

Those people were not judges as we understand the word; they judged Israel as the LORD, as elohim - and to avoid the thought of blasphemy we would call them `little elohim', little gods - God ruling directly through His divine authority, seen in the Judges and recorded in the Scriptures. They were ordinary people, called into office and revealing the voice and the will of the God of Israel through their exploits. They revealed the truth that only by turning back to God could full restoration be enjoyed and Israel become a unified people, a nation under God! Perhaps to emphasise that the Judges were ordinary people called and upheld by God, we find a strange collection of people. Some were well- known figures, beloved by Sunday School teachers for holding the attention of their pupils, whilst others were not so well known, their call sharing a few verses with others. But if we concentrate for too long on the mighty men of valour we shall miss the point of TWELVE people being called by God to reveal His governmental authority over the unified nation of Israel.

Thus they are recorded in Scripture: Othniel, the first Judge, his name announcing that `GOD IS MIGHT' as He comes to deliver His people. Jair, the eighth Judge, his name meaning `HE ENLIGHTENS', revealing God speaking to His people. Jephthah (leaving aside the controversy of him sacrificing his daughter as a burnt sacrifice to fulfill his vow to God) has the meaning of `HE (GOD) WILL OPEN' - and that daring charismatic Judge did indeed open the doors of deliverance for God's people. To perhaps demonstrate that God is no respecter of persons, Tola the seventh Judge, whose name has a meaning of `A WORM', has little recorded of his exploits - perhaps God was speaking through him of how He saw the exploits of His people! But regardless of who they were, or the meanings of their names, the record of the twelve Judges shows that they were directly called by God, that they acted as people totally dependent upon God, and they were judging a people who had no right to consider themselves other than a unified nation under God.

We need not prolong these thoughts, indeed we must draw them to a conclusion, but the message of the Book of Judges to our contemporary Church in the West is surely obvious. Their oppression came in the form of servitude to foreign nations, caused by their inter-tribal jealousies and rivalries as some expanded their territories at the expense of the remaining tribes of Israel. In those days when Israel had no king they were trifling with the inheritance of THE King, which had been given into their hands by God that they might be a unified people under God. Their deliverances from oppression and from servitude to foreign nations came about through the sovereign governmental authority of God; it came to a people who responded to the voice of the Judges who called them back into being a nation under God. They were very forcibly reminded that what they considered to be `rights' as citizens were actually `privileges' accorded to those who accepted the responsibility of nationhood, and on accepting the responsibility they were restored into full fellowship with the God of Israel!

Now finally we can begin to see the parallel between the people recorded in Joshua and Judges and our contemporary western Church scene, and we must consider the message very carefully! Can we not see that the Church is oppressed and in servitude to a `foreign power', and that this servitude has come about because of jealousy and rivalry between the `tribes', which has split and divided the `one nation' under God? Are we not now seeing within these `tribes' a breaking up, through even more intense rivalry, into `clans'; each one seeking to move `their neighbour's boundary stones' in order to extend their own territory? Even within the `clans' rival voices are constantly heard, which cause even further splits and divisions, drawing those so divided into forming an opposing `clan'! Will they then become large enough to form a tribe, or will they become marginalised and scattered as the `totalitarian regime' tightens its grip upon them? Do they wish only to enjoy THEIR inheritance, without realising that they are in servitude to a foreign spiritual power whose intention is to negate their witness as `a nation under God' . . as `God's elect strangers in the world', called to reveal and proclaim God's salvation to people who are lost and heading for destruction?

If the message seen in this parallel of the Books of Joshua and Judges is indeed reflected in our contemporary Church life, God will certainly hear the cries of distress of countless numbers of His people WITHIN the Church of the Redeemed, for we are ALL baptised by one Spirit into one Body. He will raise up `judges', who under the direction of the Holy Spirit will lead God's people into His deliverance. How will we recognise the voice of God's present-day judges? Certainly it will not sound like some who are speaking today, but it will surely echo the words of the Lord of the Church when He prayed His High-Priestly prayer: (John 17:20-26)

"My prayer is not for them alone. I pray also for those who will believe in Me through their message, that all of them may be one, Father, just as You are in Me and I am in You. May they also be in us so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. I have given them the glory that You gave Me, that they may be one as we are one; I in them and You in Me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that You sent Me and have loved them even as You have loved Me. Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world. Righteous Father, though the world does not know You, I know You, and they know that You have sent Me. I have made You known to them, and will continue to make You known in order that the love You have for Me may be in them and that I myself may be in them. "

As we wait, may we truly hear His voice, and in true repentance turn from the path that leads to near destruction? May we trust in God's faithfulness that a Deliverer will come to rescue His people and take the whole `nation' more fully into our inheritance.

The alternative is too frightening to contemplate, but contemplate it we must. Are we seeing the emergence of a religious system that encompasses the whole world? Saints from an earlier generation saw this as centered on Rome, but then they could not have foreseen the world in which we now live! Too often in past history well meaning and sincere people have been the means through which an evil genius has worked - only to cry out too late `What have we done?' Is there a `judge' of another spirit waiting, watching, ready to take this populist religious movement into its `inheritance' of the apostate Church, spoken of in Scripture. This apostate Church, joined with the secular populist system that is also emerging in the West, will turn into the full-blown Fourth Beast seen in a vision by Daniel all those long years ago. And before there are indignant cries, consider the similar indignant cries of another generation - and then remember that those cries were extinguished by the flames of the Holocaust! What dark days do we have to enter into before the Church cries out to the Lord? That is known only to Him!

"But when they cried out to the LORD, He raised up for them a Deliverer . . . . who saved them. " Judges 3:9

Our sure and certain hope is this: We know the faithfulness of God to His people, `God's elect, strangers in the world . . .'

Amen! Come, Lord Jesus!

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