Contradictory prophecy...?

Gerald Coates once imparted to a woman a prophetic word that he believed had come from God. Upon hearing the word the woman asked Gerald what it meant, his response was ‘Don’t ask I’m just the postman – the message is from God.’

Whilst there is some wisdom in the above response it is largely a cop out. On the whole God gives his prophets access to the meaning of the messages they are asked to deliver:

“The spirits of prophets are subject to the control of prophets. For God is not a God of disorder but of peace…”

I recently posted two prophetic words on in the interner, one based on Isaiah 1 and the other based on Ezekiel 36 & 37. A couple of people have contacted me concerning the contradictory nature of these two words. I felt it therefore appropriate to respond.

First of all, let me say that Old Testament prophets gave many apparently contradictory words – just take Isaiah as an example. He constantly berates the people for their sins, calls the nation to repentance and talks of judgement yet almost in the same breath speaks about hope and restoration. Look at Isaiah 58 and 59 – Here (in chapter 58) we have a comprehensive and critical tirade against Israel and her sinful practices. However, hot on its heels comes chapter 60 an overwhelmingly optimistic chapter concerned with the restoration of Zion and her fortunes. (Incidentally I believe that all three of these chapters have significant relevance for TSA western territories.)

Secondly, there is an important question in the second word which by its presence makes the whole word conditional and backs up the threat of the first word.

“Salvation Army can you live, can I trust you once more with such a calling as this? You are so dry, look, walk up and down the aisles of your halls, and mingle midst your musicians and soldiers, look how dry you are – can you live again? Preach, prophesy, command yourselves in my name to stand up and fight again. I will make breath enter you, and you will come to life. I will attach tendons to you and make flesh come upon you and cover you with skin; I will put breath in you, and you will come to life. Then you will know that I am the LORD.”(37:1-6)

God has always struggled to express his hope for the chosen when so many of them are in open rebellion. Much of the bible is like a ‘good cop / bad cop’ transcript. Look at Isaiah 1 (the chapter which inspired the first word) all of that anger followed by ‘come now let us reason together… though your sins are as scarlet they shall be as white as snow.”

The two words published in JAC only appear contradictory if considered out of context.

The first word, I believe, is spoken to the wider Salvation Army; it is a dismissal of evil practices and a clear call to repentance. It reminds TSA of both the negative consequences of ‘sin in the camp’ and the positive consequences of repentance. It states that the next ten years are critical and will decide the future of the Army. This doesn’t mean that continued rebellion and disobedience will signal the end of TSA (in some form) – the world is full of fully functional discarded denominations that God uses as best he can (‘fully functional’ as a nominal denomination and ‘discarded’ only as long as they remain apostate). However, our collective response to this word will determine whether we become the cutting edge of the militant church in the centre of revival or a tired dysfunctional organisation whose evangelical effectiveness is akin to moving sand with tweezers.

Whilst the warning is unequivocal there is a ‘remnant’ who have tried to remain faithful to the Army’s true principles and it is to this remnant that the second word is directed.

As our repentance addresses corporate and personal sin and as we slowly begin to take ground in the spiritual realms so we hasten revival. This revival will come - of that I am sure - and it will come within the next 10 years (I am equally certain of that too.)

My certainty is based on two things – God wants revival and so do the remnant – as long as those two stay together then revival will happen.

However, the revival will deliver two things. It will wash away all that is superficial and unrefined (this is the threat contained in the first word). It will also refresh and strengthen that which remains (this is the hope expressed in the second word).

It is important (as stressed in the second word) that the credit for this revival is taken by God. The remnant needs to be made aware that the revival is not their doing. Repentance is not so much a virtue as it is a necessary evil. Like lancing a boil or sucking poison from a wound (in this case a self inflicted wound). If there was no sin there would be no need for repentance. If revival follows repentance then it is possible that an unpleasant self righteousness may develop among the remnant who might be tempted to see their ‘virtuous’ repentance, prayer and fasting as the means of revival. When God restores TSA it may be in response to the prayers of a few who have turned from sin and embraced holiness but the glory and praise will be his and his alone.

Another thing which I am reluctant to add but do so out of obedience! TSA is to be at the heart of this revival because God has chosen it not because of anything meritorious in its make up or members. TSA, even in the future glory years, will still be a leaky craft capable of corporate capsizing on a grand scale – just as it was in the 1880’s and 1890’s (see Railton’s criticism of the early Army’s burgeoning commercialism, the shift from evangelism to social work, the idolatry of music etc) The second word also makes it clear that just as the glory is not ours individually neither is it the property of the Army corporately– the glory will go to God and to God alone.

Finally, on a personal note, I have always believed that revival would be preceded by some enormous corporate humiliation, something that makes TSA look foolish and damages its undeserved reputation for good works and integrity. However, I have not had any confirmation on this point so I have not published it. It would though tie in with the calamity of the first word followed by the promise of the second.

As with all prophecy – both words are dependant upon the response of those who hear – those within the Army who cling to their dead works, reputation, social status etc will be subject to judgement. In the same way as those who find themselves at the heart of revival and take the credit for it will also be subject to judgement.

I have always felt that the word in Revelation to Sardis is most appropriate to the SA and it contains the spirit of both words published in JAC.

“I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead. Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have found your deeds unfinished in the sight of my God. Remember, therefore, what you have received and heard; hold it fast, and repent. But if you do not wake up, I will come like a thief, and you will not know at what time I will come to you. Yet you have a few people in Sardis who have not soiled their clothes. They will walk with me, dressed in white, for they are worthy. Those who are victorious will, like them, be dressed in white. I will never blot out their names from the book of life, but will acknowledge their names before my Father and his angels. Whoever has ears, let them hear what the Spirit says to the churches.”

Yours set apart, by Christ for the lost, in the Army,

A