And I saw another angel flying in midheaven, having an eternal gospel to preach to those who live on the earth, and to every nation and tribe and tongue and people; and he said with a loud voice, “Fear God, and give Him glory, because the hour of His judgment has come; worship Him who made the heaven and the earth and sea and springs of waters.”
—REVELATION 14:6-7
IN REVELATION 14:6-7, I SEE SHADES OF MATTHEW 24:14: “This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come.” Here we read and hear the final call prior to the Lord’s return as we come near to achieving the goal of reaching every tribe, tongue, and nation. As we approach the season of the last chance, no time remains for playing games. John foresaw a supernaturally empowered push in the last days to save as many as possible before the Lord’s return. Even as judgment falls upon the world and its ungodly systems, a great victorious ingathering will be underway.
Obviously, in light of this, we must wake up and get serious about being followers of our Lord and Father. As we transition into the time of the greater vision of the kingdom of God beyond ourselves, we must leave behind the old season when so much of Christian teaching focused on solving our personal problems and enter a time of victorious impact on the world around us. Our Lord will always be about personal healing and blessing, but self-focus leads inevitably to defeat.
HISTORY AND FORESHADOWING
Christians in John’s day stood their ground and responded in love to vicious persecution. They were the symbolic 144,000 of the first and second centuries who foreshadowed the fullness of the coming of the wholly owned in the last days. The gospel went forth in power and love in the early years of the church and drew people from every nation, tribe, and tongue in the Roman Empire. In keeping with the dynamic of prophetic perspective, John saw this harvest realized in his own time, but what the Lord revealed to him clearly pointed to something larger, yet to unfold. Before the Lord’s return, a more significant 144,000 would be called and revealed. By and through the 144,000 of the last days, a larger harvest of souls would be won. I believe those days are upon us.
THE ANGEL FLYING IN MIDHEAVEN
In the Revelation to John, events on earth are often reflected in the heavens. In this case, heaven actually initiates events on earth as the angel releases the word of the gospel. A calling, with anointing to fulfill it, now goes forth to proclaim throughout the earth that Jesus is Lord, that He has saved us by His sacrifice, and that He has risen from the dead as the first fruits of those of us who follow Him. An invitation sounds forth, summoning people to come and worship Him. Supernaturally empowered, this call resounds from heaven and impacts those who can hear it on earth. Paradoxically, this call for redemption sounds from heaven at the same time as judgment and destruction manifest on earth.
THE CHALLENGE
This challenge may apply mostly to western culture, but the lesson can be applied wherever appropriate. Recent decades have seen an emphasis on ministry beyond the walls of the church, in the marketplace, on the streets, and in neighborhoods. Those gifted with the necessary boldness take joy in approaching strangers, coworkers, and acquaintances with offers of prayer for healing, prophetic words, and more. Some churches and groups have trained and deployed teams to interpret dreams in coffeehouses and other settings. In my own church I’ve trained and deployed a team to interpret dreams at places like Starbucks. All it takes is to purchase a cup or two, place a small sign on the table saying “Free Dream Interpretation” and people come. In addition to dream interpretation, all kinds of ministry flows from this, from prayer for relational issues to prayer for healing. People are both hungry and receptive.
Not long ago, such things would have been rejected by most, perceived even as threatening. “Can I pray for you?” would have been met with a firm answer of, “No!” but no longer. A shift has happened. Where once the answer was, “No!” the response is now, “Oh yes! Please!” In the midst of an increasingly uncertain world, somewhere deep in the hearts of a growing number of people a longing for something transcendent has taken root. As we witness the accelerating collapse of a once great society, the disintegration of the family, international turmoil, confusion over sexual identity, proliferation of substance abuse and more, an undercurrent of fear and apprehension grows and is felt even by the least sensitive among us.
Obviously, this is fertile soil for those of us who shine with the Spirit of the living God. People are being touched and ministered to. The challenge? Every seed must be watered and fertilized. Every harvest must be gathered into the barn. Every newly born child needs a family in order to grow into healthy adulthood. Jesus never called us to make converts. He called us to make disciples, to bring them into the family where values can be imparted and character formed. What heartless human would birth a baby and leave it in the street?
I’m not indicting, blaming, or accusing those who minister out there in the public arena for not bringing people into the fold. It’s not their fault. The problem I see is that the church has made a bad name for itself in the world. The bride of Christ should be glorious and beautiful, winsome and loving, but this is not the image we’ve presented to the world. Unfortunately, we have too often presented ourselves as judgmental and even hateful of those by whom we feel threatened—liberal politicians, homosexuals, illegal aliens, and so on. The list is long. Church has become the last place a person newly touched by the Spirit of the Lord would want to come, and yet the church remains at the very center of God’s plan.
Two challenges therefore lie before us. The first is how to bridge the gap from the street or the marketplace into the company of the saints. The second has to do with cultivating the kingdom of God on earth, every church an outpost of heaven, an ambassadorial residence for our Savior and Lord where the laws of love, the principles of heaven, and the Father’s heart prevail. This book is not the place to present the fullness of that vision. I’ve written others on that subject. In this setting, I merely issue the challenge. Do our fellowships reflect the prayer of Jesus that the Father’s will be done on earth as it is in heaven? If not, why not, and if we truly desire for that to happen what must change? The stage has been set. The culture around us has shifted. The harvest is ripening.