Israel, the Church in the Wilderness
Acts 7:38
38 He was in the assembly in the desert, with the angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers; and he received living words to pass on to us (NIV).
Act 7:38 "This is he who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the Angel who spoke to him on Mount Sinai, and with our fathers, the one who received the living oracles to give to us (NKJV)
Acts 7:38 This is he that was in the church in the wilderness… (KJV).
God delivered the people of Israel from Egypt in order to bring them to the Promised Land. Here was the mandate given by God to Moses:
Exodus 3:7-10
7 The LORD said, "I have indeed seen the misery of my people in Egypt. I have heard them crying out because of their slave drivers, and I am concerned about their suffering. 8 So I have come down to rescue them from the hand of the Egyptians and to bring them up out of that land into a good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey — the home of the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites and Jebusites. 9 And now the cry of the Israelites has reached me, and I have seen the way the Egyptians are oppressing them. 10 So now, go. I am sending you to Pharaoh to bring my people the Israelites out of Egypt." NIV
1) The Issue of Prophetic Destiny: Balancing Leadership and Manifestation
Moses was not simply a miracle worker; he was a Prophetic Leader who was sent to bring people to the Promised Land. There is a lot that God did through Moses (in terms of miracles, signs and wonders) during the process of delivering and taking people to the Promised Land – and miracles will always be with us because we serve a God of divine power. It is however important to state that the ultimate judgment of Moses was going to be based on his ability to lead and or bring people to the Promised Land. This point is important because many within the church see themselves only as miracle-workers (who only manifest gifts on Sunday during altar calls) and not as leaders who must take people to new destinations in God. Leadership and manifestation of a gift are two very different realities. Leadership in the kingdom of God is the ability to take a people on a journey to “Christ” (1 Cor 11:1). “Christ” here represents a dimension of life that is far superior to the life of this world (John 10:10). Here is a test of all authentic leadership:
Ephesians 4:13
13 until we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ. NIV
Paul puts it this way to the Colossians:
Colossians 1:28
28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. NIV
The objective of every authentic ministry is not to highlight the gift or to highlight the steward of the gift but it is to bring all men to the fullness of the stature of Christ. There are many people who witness gifts every Sunday and yet they are not being developed into new character dimensions of the Lord. And so although miracles happen at altar calls but lives are collapsing, marriages are collapsing, families are being destroyed. Miracles do not build life, they only help make people see the reality of the divine power and or existence of God. After people have seen the power of God then they need to be built into God’s character. If Miracles could build human life, then the people of Israel were going to be built. These people saw all kinds of miracles and yet God was not pleased with them:
1 Corinthians 10:1-6
1 For I do not want you to be ignorant of the fact, brothers, that our forefathers were all under the cloud and that they all passed through the sea. 2 They were all baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea. 3 They all ate the same spiritual food 4 and drank the same spiritual drink; for they drank from the spiritual rock that accompanied them, and that rock was Christ. 5 Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered over the desert.
6 Now these things occurred as examples to keep us from setting our hearts on evil things as they did. NIV
Jude 5
5 Though you already know all this, I want to remind you that the Lord delivered his people out of Egypt, but later destroyed those who did not believe. NIV
Jesus actually referred to obsession with miracles (not miracles themselves) as spiritual adultery:
Matthew 16:1-4
1 The Pharisees and Sadducees came to Jesus and tested him by asking him to show them a sign from heaven.
2 He replied, "When evening comes, you say, 'It will be fair weather, for the sky is red,' 3 and in the morning, 'Today it will be stormy, for the sky is red and overcast.' You know how to interpret the appearance of the sky, but you cannot interpret the signs of the times. 4 A wicked and adulterous generation looks for a miraculous sign, but none will be given it except the sign of Jonah." Jesus then left them and went away. NIV
As a matter of fact, some times the obsession with miracles is rooted in people’s self-need and not in true, authentic pursuit of God:
John 6:26-27
26 Jesus answered, "I tell you the truth, you are looking for me, not because you saw miraculous signs but because you ate the loaves and had your fill. 27 Do not work for food that spoils, but for food that endures to eternal life, which the Son of Man will give you. On him God the Father has placed his seal of approval." NIV
Since miracles from God are authentic and part of His manifestation, they must then reveal His character both through the life-(style) of the Preacher and in the way they are administered:
1 Corinthians 12:7,9-10
7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. 9 to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, 10 to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. NIV
Miracles from Satan (even though they can also still meet the needs of people) are designed to blind people from the reality of God’s Authority, Power, Kingdom and Purpose (2 Cor 4:4):
2 Thessalonians 2:9-12
9 The coming of the lawless one will be in accordance with the work of Satan displayed in all kinds of counterfeit miracles, signs and wonders, 10 and in every sort of evil that deceives those who are perishing. They perish because they refused to love the truth and so be saved. 11 For this reason God sends them a powerful delusion so that they will believe the lie 12 and so that all will be condemned who have not believed the truth but have delighted in wickedness. NIV
Revelation 13:11-13
11 Then I saw another beast, coming out of the earth. He had two horns like a lamb, but he spoke like a dragon. 12 He exercised all the authority of the first beast on his behalf, and made the earth and its inhabitants worship the first beast, whose fatal wound had been healed. 13 And he performed great and miraculous signs, even causing fire to come down from heaven to earth in full view of men. NIV
Miracles from Satan emphasise the displaying of the gift and a neglecting of godly character:
Matthew 7:15-23
15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. 16 By their fruit you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? 17 Likewise every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. 18 A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. 19 Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. 20 Thus, by their fruit you will recognize them.
21 "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven. 22 Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?' 23 Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!' NIV
Miracles from God are actually designed to bring people to repentance and a greater understanding of the power, character and nature of God so that they can walk in kingdom purpose.
Matthew 11:20-24
20 Then Jesus began to denounce the cities in which most of his miracles had been performed, because they did not repent. 21 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22 But I tell you, it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon on the day of judgment than for you. 23 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths. If the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Sodom, it would have remained to this day. 24 But I tell you that it will be more bearable for Sodom on the day of judgment than for you." NIV
Luke 10:9-16
9 Heal the sick who are there and tell them, 'The kingdom of God is near you.' 10 But when you enter a town and are not welcomed, go into its streets and say, 11 'Even the dust of your town that sticks to our feet we wipe off against you. Yet be sure of this: The kingdom of God is near.' 12 I tell you, it will be more bearable on that day for Sodom than for that town.
13 "Woe to you, Korazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the miracles that were performed in you had been performed in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago, sitting in sackcloth and ashes. 14 But it will be more bearable for Tyre and Sidon at the judgment than for you. 15 And you, Capernaum, will you be lifted up to the skies? No, you will go down to the depths.
16 "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." NIV
We also therefore see in Luke 10 that the miracles are to be manifested within the broader reality and context of the proclamation of the kingdom of God (i.e. not only personal salvation of people but the revelation of a new order of life that people must repent towards).
The word “repent” (“metanoeo” in Gr.) used in Matt 11:20 means the ff: “to think differently; to change your mind; to reconsider”. The word comes from two words: “meta” – “denoting change of place or condition” and “noeo” – “to exercise the mind; to think; to comprehend”.
John the Baptist used the same word when he proclaimed the Kingdom:
Matthew 3:2
2 and saying, "Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near." NIV
Entering into the kingdom of God requires something more than the sorrow of heart; it also requires a process of change of mindset and the development of new perspective of life (developed through scripture), Rom 12:2. Jesus implies that miracles are able to trigger a process of change of mind causing people to see not only God’s power thereof but also His character. That is, miracles are not just a momentary manifestation or doing but they are designed to trigger a process of transformation.
Consider this scripture:
Deuteronomy 29:2-6
2 Moses summoned all the Israelites and said to them:
Your eyes have seen all that the LORD did in Egypt to Pharaoh, to all his officials and to all his land. 3 With your own eyes you saw those great trials, those miraculous signs and great wonders. 4 But to this day the LORD has not given you a mind that understands or eyes that see or ears that hear. 5 During the forty years that I led you through the desert, your clothes did not wear out, nor did the sandals on your feet. 6 You ate no bread and drank no wine or other fermented drink. I did this so that you might know that I am the LORD your God. NIV
2) The Nation of Israel had a Prophetic Destiny
God declared the following words after the crossing of the Red Seas:
Exodus 15:13
13 "In your unfailing love you will lead
the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them
to your holy dwelling.
NIV
Exodus 15:17
17 You will bring them in and plant them
on the mountain of your inheritance —
the place, O LORD, you made for your dwelling,
the sanctuary, O Lord, your hands established.
NIV
This new prophetic song conditioned the people so that they would start looking beyond the miraculous mighty deliverance they had just witnessed. It was a prophetic declaration that sought to condition everybody’s heart and mind to the reality of a prophetic destiny they all shared in God.
3) What is a Prophetic Destiny?
A Prophetic Destiny can be defined as a revealed future state of life in Christ. The idea of a “future state of life” implies that the quality of that future life is much better than the current life people are experiencing.
In the case of the nation of Israel, God was taking them out of slavery into a life arrangement defined and produced by His own just laws. It is important therefore to emphasise that Prophetic Destiny deals more with acquiring a state of life and not simply material accumulation. We cannot imagine our prophetic destiny simply as having more cars and houses because then in this case, we are not different to the Babylonians.
Matthew 6:31-34
31 So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?' 32 For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. 34 Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. NIV
The issue of God providing for our material-physical needs is a settled matter that needs no over-emphasis, for “…your heavenly Father knows that you need them…” The scriptures encourage us to seek first the kingdom of God. This word “first” means: “that which is first in time, place, order and importance; that which is before; that which is at the beginning of things”. The preachers of prosperity did not do justice to the church in terms of at least, putting priorities correctly. The structure of the Word of God always reveals that there are more important issues.
Matthew 23:23
23 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices-mint, dill and cummin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law-justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former. NIV
Biblical heresy or error is therefore not only about preaching a wrong thing but it is also about preaching things out of context and in a manner that violates the order and sequence of things.
Ecclesiastes 12:9-10
9 Not only was the Teacher wise, but also he imparted knowledge to the people. He pondered and searched out and set in order many proverbs. 10 The Teacher searched to find just the right words, and what he wrote was upright and true. NIV
Things have got to be “set in order” in the Doctrine of the church. We have to find and preach a correct arrangement of the scripture that reveals a correct sequence and relationship of things. Clearly in Matt 6:33, material accumulation is less important in God’s mind than pursuit of the kingdom. The priority is a pursuit of His kingdom. However, this does not mean that we must not ask God for personal needs.
Consider the following scripture:
Luke 12:16-21
16 And he told them this parable: "The ground of a certain rich man produced a good crop. 17 He thought to himself, 'What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops.'
18 "Then he said, 'This is what I'll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. 19 And I'll say to myself, "You have plenty of good things laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry." '
20 "But God said to him, 'You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?'
21 "This is how it will be with anyone who stores up things for himself but is not rich toward God." NIV
What is a Prophetic Destiny? (Cont…)
A Prophetic Destiny is a revealed future state of life in Christ. The idea of a “future state of life” implies that the quality of that future life is much better than the current life people are experiencing.
Exodus 15:13
13 "In your unfailing love you will lead
the people you have redeemed.
In your strength you will guide them
to your holy dwelling.
NIV
Exodus 15:17
17 You will bring them in and plant them
on the mountain of your inheritance —
the place, O LORD, you made for your dwelling,
the sanctuary, O Lord, your hands established.
NIV
In Ex 15, God was not just talking about a physical locality or a geographic locality in the Middle East. God was talking about a spiritual position and a state of life that would be a testimony before other nations concerning His just laws.
Exodus 19:3-6
3 Then Moses went up to God, and the LORD called to him from the mountain and said, "This is what you are to say to the house of Jacob and what you are to tell the people of Israel: 4 'You yourselves have seen what I did to Egypt, and how I carried you on eagles' wings and brought you to myself. 5 Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations you will be my treasured possession. Although the whole earth is mine, 6 you will be for me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.' These are the words you are to speak to the Israelites." NIV
Quite clearly, if you read through these words in Ex 19 you then realise that this call that was once upon the nation of Israel is now given to the church (see 1 Pet 2:9). Interestingly, as the Nation of Israel arrives at Mt Sinai (a place of Covenant as seen in Ex 19); God begins to unveil His plan to Israel. God really wanted a people who would live in the earth but defined by God’s laws or God’s system of regulation. The Law was supposed to produce a holy nation out of them and not just holy individuals. That is, the prophetic destiny went beyond the personal accumulation of individual Jews and spoke into the nature of human existence God wanted to see emerge out of this bunch of Egyptian slaves. What then was the Prophetic Destiny of Israel according to this scripture in Ex 19?
· The prophetic destiny was God Himself. The fullness of the nature of God in their lives (see Col 1:28).
· The prophetic destiny was the Law of God defining their existence in the earth.
· The prophetic destiny was the kingdom of God, a system of life governed by God’s laws or Word.
· The prophetic destiny was nationhood (Kingdom Citizenship) and not simply “church-ing”. “Nationhood” means that they needed to develop a system of citizenship in the earth that was defined from heaven (see 1 Pet 2:9, Phil 3:20).
God continued to emphasise this to Israel:
Deuteronomy 4:5-8
5 See, I have taught you decrees and laws as the LORD my God commanded me, so that you may follow them in the land you are entering to take possession of it. 6 Observe them carefully, for this will show your wisdom and understanding to the nations, who will hear about all these decrees and say, "Surely this great nation is a wise and understanding people." 7 What other nation is so great as to have their gods near them the way the LORD our God is near us whenever we pray to him? 8 And what other nation is so great as to have such righteous decrees and laws as this body of laws I am setting before you today? NIV
· Their prophetic destiny was to acquire and appropriate in God a correct and just system of citizenship (holy nation) and to model the same before the nations of the world.
This has become our call as church. Consider the following scriptures:
Isaiah 2:1-4
1 This is what Isaiah son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem:
2 In the last days
the mountain of the LORD's temple will be established
as chief among the mountains;
it will be raised above the hills,
and all nations will stream to it.
3 Many peoples will come and say,
"Come, let us go up to the mountain of the LORD,
to the house of the God of Jacob.
He will teach us his ways,
so that we may walk in his paths."
The law will go out from Zion,
the word of the LORD from Jerusalem.
4 He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore. NIV
Isaiah 60:1-3
1
"Arise, shine, for your light has come,
and the glory of the LORD rises upon you.
2 See, darkness covers the earth
and thick darkness is over the peoples,
but the LORD rises upon you
and his glory appears over you.
3 Nations will come to your light,
and kings to the brightness of your dawn. NIV
Revelation 21:22-24
22 I did not see a temple in the city, because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 The city does not need the sun or the moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gives it light, and the Lamb is its lamp. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their splendor into it. NIV
These are all prophetic scriptures that talk into the reality of our prophetic destiny. So while we are church-ing every Sunday morning, God is waiting for a generation that will finally get the message. His purpose for us goes beyond just our formation into local churches (which is by the way, very important) – but God’s purpose also includes this issue of church becoming a model system of citizenship in the earth. God’s purpose is not just to reveal a “better religion called Christianity” but a better system of human existence called the kingdom of God. We are called beyond the realm of religion into the sphere of nations. This is why God uses prophetic images like “city” or “nation” to describe us. The prophetic scriptures of the last days have to do with church interacting with nations. We have already mentioned some scriptures in the sections above, but there are more scriptures in God’s word that testify to this reality:
Psalms 2:1-9
1 Why do the nations conspire
and the peoples plot in vain?
2 The kings of the earth take their stand
and the rulers gather together
against the LORD
and against his Anointed One. (Note: the Corporate Son or the Corporate Christ, Church).
3 "Let us break their chains," they say,
"and throw off their fetters." (Note: reference to “their” indicates clearly that nations are conspiring against a corporate company of people).
4 The One enthroned in heaven laughs;
the Lord scoffs at them.
5 Then he rebukes them in his anger
and terrifies them in his wrath, saying,
6 "I have installed my King
on Zion, my holy hill." (Note: a time of full establishment of church)
7 I will proclaim the decree of the LORD:
He said to me, "You are my Son;
today I have become your Father.
8 Ask of me,
and I will make the nations your inheritance,
the ends of the earth your possession.
9 You will rule them with an iron scepter;
you will dash them to pieces like pottery." NIV
Revelation 12:5
5 She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron scepter. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. NIV
There are many people in the church who have been called to participate and bring to reality this prophetic intent but are locked up in religion and bless-me, self-indulgent Christianity. Many of these believers are beginning to feel the unction of the Lord inside their spirits and are starting to ask questions about the state of things in the church. God is causing a stirring in order to liberate many out of empty Christianity and bring them to the reality of this prophetic destiny. Like Saul who persecuted the church (Phil 3:4-6), these people have, in their zeal done all that is necessary to touch the fullness of God and yet they are still empty on the inside. Their zeal will soon lead them to the Lord, so that like Saul, they realise that what they thought was God’s purpose was no purpose at all (Phil 3:7-11).
4) Prophetic Destiny: Measuring our Success
A Prophetic Destiny is a revealed future state of life in Christ.
Once we realise that Prophetic Destiny deals with our ability to acquire life in God then we will begin to measure our success differently.
· Success is not simply numerical increase in a church community.
· Success is not simply financial-material increase in a church community.
If success was numerical increase in a church community, then we could ask the following questions:
· How successful was Noah, a man who only got 8 people saved (1 Pet 3:20-22).
· How successful was the Lord Jesus, since out of the many crowds He ministered to, only 120 stayed positioned to advance God’s purpose (Acts 2:1-4).
· How successful is the Holy Spirit, since out of the many people He convicts a small percentage gets saved, i.e. if you think about 6 billion+ people on this planet earth.
· How successful are the many false Christs and leaders of Cultic Movements who enjoy thousands and thousands of followers. Could this be a sign that they are more anointed? Surely this can’t be the case.
Without doubt increase is our mandate (Gen 1:28, 1 Tim 2:3) but it is not a primary measure of success. Noah was successful with his 8 people, he preserved humanity. The Lord Jesus was successful with the 120 disciples; He laid a seed for the church. Since increase is our mandate, we have to preach the gospel of the kingdom to all nations and to all men (Matt 24:14, Matt 28:18-20). This false sense and erroneous emphasis on numerical increase as success makes us build for the now. It removes a patriarchal-prophetic spirit in the church, which allows us to build for generations. Consider Abraham, the father of the faith, all he had was one son (Isaac) and yet the purposes of the Lord were preserved for future generations. God is not pleased primarily with numbers but by the evolution of life into new positions in Christ.
Success therefore is in the progressive development of our life in Christ.
Colossians 1:28
28 We proclaim him, admonishing and teaching everyone with all wisdom, so that we may present everyone perfect in Christ. NIV
The word “perfect” means: “complete; that which has reached its goal; that which is full, wanting in nothing”.
Numerical increase that does not produce a corresponding increase in the quality of life inside the church brings no glory to God. So a correct “pastoral discussion” needs to move away from obsession with numbers and begin to consider very seriously the quality of life we are producing inside the church. Here is what Jesus said:
Matthew 23:15
15 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to win a single convert, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as much a son of hell as you are. NIV
Could it be that the corruption of values inside the church has made some people more corrupt than they were in their un-saved state? To what extent are issues of greed, materialism and self-indulgence (gospel of prosperity) polluting people who may have been more aware of the need for shared-life (ubuntu) when they were still in the world? To what extent has the absence of messages that have to do with shared life erased a sense of community in people’s conscience, as they seek personal material blessing from God?
A Prophetic Destiny is a revealed future state of life in Christ…
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