The Forerunner Calling: Part 2 – A Generation in Transition
“Wake up, and strengthen what remains….” Revelation 3:2
It can be overwhelming to look at the current crisis occurring in the nations but the good news is, we are in a key transitional time in history. God is about to change the way He relates to His people. He is preparing us to meet Him face to face at the time when He returns to establish His Kingdom on the earth. There have been two other transitional generations in history and God always raises up forerunners in those times to announce what He is about to do and to prepare the people to agree with Him as those events unfold.
What is a transitional generation? This is a time period in history in which the revelation and power that God releases increases dramatically both positively through blessing and negatively through judgment. This unusual increase in the activity of the Spirit and manifestation of the power of God necessitates a greater response of deeper consecration from God’s people. There are great blessings for us when we respond in wholehearted love and obedience, but serious consequences for failure to respond to God when He reveals Himself so clearly. It can greatly benefit us to study the previous generations who experienced transition in their time.
The Bible describes three transitional generations in history. The first was the generation of Moses when He established the nation of Israel under the Old Covenant with the giving of the Law. He did miraculous signs and wonders, manifested His presence more openly, and gave His people supernatural protection in the midst of judgment. The rebellion of Israel in the season after the exodus resulted in a generation perishing in the wilderness. (Numbers 14:26-45;16)
The next transitional generation was the generation of John the Baptist, Jesus and the apostles. At this time God established His Church under the New Covenant. Again we see God manifesting His presence more openly among the people and signs, wonders and miracles being done through Jesus and the Apostles to confirm the message they were speaking. (Mark 16:19-20) The generation of Jesus did not recognize the hour of their visitation which resulted in judgment on Israel’s leadership, the destruction of Jerusalem, and the dispersion of the Jewish people for almost two thousand years. (Matthew 21:43; 23; Luke 21:23-24)
The final transitional generation spoken about in scripture is the end-time generation. There are over 150 chapters in the Bible describing the events that will unfold during this dynamic time in history. We will see a great harvest and the fullness of revival during this time as well as signs, wonders and miracles. We will also see the judgment of God released upon wickedness. He will shake everything that can be shaken that only the unshakeable will remain. (Hebrews 12:26-27) During this time some will refuse the truth and this will result in the great falling away. (Matthew 24:10-12; 2 Thessalonians 2:9-12)
Historically when God is about to transition history and raise up forerunners to announce this transition, we can look back and see a spirit of murder loosed to kill the babies of that generation as Satan seeks to silence the voices that are about to arise to declare God’s purpose and plans. This happened in the days when Moses was born and in the days following the birth of Jesus. (Exodus 1:22, Matthew 2:16) We can see this same spirit of murder operating in our generation with the legalization of abortion in 1973. Since then, 55 million babies have been aborted in the US alone!
However, God’s plans and purposes ultimately will go forth in our generation. As forerunners, God is calling us to a season of preparation which is critically necessary! We must go deep in God by studying the scripture with prayer and fasting and walking in holiness and radical consecration to God. Because of love for God and His people, we must prepare ourselves to prepare others for this historic transition in time! It is time to wake up and strengthen what remains!