The Glory of God

Apostasy.

Worldly bondages.

Rebuilding God's House.

Constructing defenses against the enemy.

God's people entering their inheritance.

Let us apply this pattern to the history of the Christian Church.

The Glory of God. The Book of Acts reveals to us that the Church of Christ began in an outpouring of the Glory of God. For a brief period the Church revealed in itself the resurrection Glory of the Lord Jesus. The Apostles were filled with the Spirit of wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of God.

Apostasy. The Christian pastors and teachers who followed the first-century apostles were sincere men. But they were not filled with the original glory. Little by little theology began to take the place of the Spirit of wisdom and revelation of the knowledge of God (Ephesians 1:17).

As the Church became a large and important institution, leaders entered who found personal prestige and wealth through the Church. The Spirit of God withdrew into the background as prominent priests and scholars took control of the Lord's people.

Worldly bondages. The precious truths from the Scriptures of redemption by faith, the gifts and fruit of the Spirit, the priesthood of each believer, the coming of Christ in the clouds of glory, a personal walk with Christ, were lost to the Lord's people. Their spiritual eyes were put out, like those of Samson, and they found themselves grinding at the mills of the world, building treasure cities for the god of this age.

The rebuilding of God' house. The Protestant Reformers, as was true of Zerubbabel, were moved by the Lord to rebuild the house of God. It is our point of view that the work of the Protestant Reformers marks the beginning of the latter (harvest) rain, the beginning of the end-time restoration promised by Joel and the other prophets of Israel.

A thoughtful study of church history from the time of the Reformers until the present will reveal that the Christian Church is coming back to the glory of its first state. The precious truths that were lost when men assumed control of the Church are slowly being restored. The waves of revival flow and ebb but the tide is rising steadily.

The constructing of defenses against the enemy. This is the present move of the Spirit of God. The overcomers, the victorious saints, are being summoned from the Christian churches. While ours is a day of mass evangelism and multitudes of souls are being born into the Kingdom, there is at the same time a call going out to the Lord's "mighty men"—to those who will respond to the demands of discipleship and learn to wage war in the Spirit.

It is one thing to have millions of converts to Christ. It is another matter to create a spiritual wall of defense around these souls so they will not become the prey of demons and unscrupulous men who strive continually to turn the things of Christ to their own advantage.

God no longer will permit the existence of unwalled Edens. One rebellion in Heaven with its counterpart on the earth is enough. From this point forward there is to be a protection over the glory. This is why the wall of the new Jerusalem was emphasized to John. The wall is being constructed today. The wall of the new Jerusalem is the resistance to deception, rebellion, and idolatry being created in every person who is obeying Christ.

God's people entering their inheritance. As soon as God's Temple, the Body of Christ, has been built up to maturity and unity, and the wall of defense against the enemy has been established, the Lord's people (and in fact the whole saved creation of God) can enter their wonderful inheritance in the Lord Jesus Christ.

To be continued.