In some places merely mentioning the word revival will draw out a few excited shouts.
(Amen!)
It’s hard to say revival without a little jump and an exclamation point.
As in, “We need revival!”, “Let’s pray for revival!”, or “There’s a revival in the land!”
This word entered the Christian vocabulary by evolution. Like all evolutionary processes, what started out as a simple thing mutated over the course of time, and with the help of Bible ignorance, became what it is today: a mess.
Revival in the Land
In the Biblical sense, revival most always refers to the return and blessing of Israel according to their covenants.
God promised Israel a land, a mighty nation, and a blessing. When Israel lost these things they prayed for God to revive them to their former glory.
“For we were bondmen; yet our God hath not forsaken us in our bondage, … to give us a reviving, to set up the house of our God, and to repair the desolations thereof, and to give us a wall in Judah and in Jerusalem.” – Ezra 9:8-9
It is a failure to rightly divide between Israel and the Church that drives people to pray for revival in our land according to Israel’s covenant with God.
The Church of God does not have a promised land, and Paul says that we have been raised to sit in heavenly places (Eph 2:6-7).
Revival of the Spirit
Since modern revivals always seem to require a move of the Spirit in people, the most popular prooftext for revival in the Bible is Pentecost.
“And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.” – Acts 2:4
If only we could have the Spirit fall on us as at Pentecost, then the Church would have a revival, they say.
The pouring out of the Spirit was a specific fulfillment of prophecy about Israel’s kingdom, and not related at all to the church the body of Christ (Joel 2:28, Isa 2:2).
The Spirit Already Moved Us
A nation of priests operating under the law in a temple on a Jewish feast day would be a terrible pattern for the Church.
Today, once the gospel is believed the Spirit indwells the believer until the day of redemption.
“…after that ye believed, ye were sealed with that holy Spirit of promise, Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession…” – Eph 1:13-14
We no longer need him to move us once he places us into Christ where we receive all spiritual blessings in heavenly places (Eph 1:3).
If someone prays for a move of the Spirit, it may be they are ignorant of where the Spirit has placed them.
True Revival
Modern revivals create a lot of excitement which fades again in a short time.
When the pattern for modern revival comes from covenant Israel and ignorance of the mystery of Christ, it is no wonder they do not last long.
People cannot live without right doctrine. Revival meetings are the only way people with wrong doctrine can stir up enough emotion to feel alive.
Eternal revival of men’s souls happens today when faithful men learn the word of God rightly divided.
When men learn right doctrine, and are able to teach others also, people come alive never to die again (Gal 2:20, Rom 6:2-4).
While others wait for revival, let God’s workmen open the Bible and learn that God has already given us everything we need to be complete in Christ (Col 2:10).
Article Index Published: June 1, 2013
Last Modified: March 7, 2018