I am experiencing deep anguish over both 13 years old boy who was murdered and the 16 years old boy who did the unthinkable. I do not know them, yet it wasn't an unfamiliar emotion for me. I felt the same anguish in a dream (Read Below) that I had 7 years ago that led me to call for a solemn assembly in 2015 (Josiah Assembly). It was an urgent call to consecrate a generation to save a generation in our jubilee year by making a covenant with God’s ways & word as Josiah did with Israel.
坛 | Rebuilding Altars
The next day after we saw the news, I shared the dream with those young people present in the prayer room. Our hearts were grieved and gripped at the same time.
This generation doesn't need our cool marketing strategy to come for an event. They are not impressed by our fancy auditorium, neither are they convinced that God is real through our lame performances and presentations of our gifts. Yes, I said something that all of us are feeling but none of us is willing to face it just because it is politically incorrect. If the death of a 13-year-old or a fanatic act of a 16-year-old doesn’t wake up us, we basically are like those front seaters in the dream who are more concerned with our “industry standard” of religion than to actually do what is in the heart of God.
This generation needs a real encounter with the Person of Jesus. They need His Word to cut into their hearts that causes them to respond to Him. We can say all we want about these events and activities serving as tools and vehicles for them to experience God, but the truth is they are mere substitutes for our lack and the broken altars of our lives. The only "vehicle" that God used to touch lives was the ark (His presence) and the temple (His people) through the faithful priests who ministers before God.
Without a faithful priesthood, there is no glory in the temple. We can build and create more activities (even prayer meetings) in our churches; they will be merely broken cisterns that hold no water if there aren't any faithful priests who will minister before the Lord in His presence and live by His word.
塞 | Raising Samuels
Amid a broken priesthood under the house of Eli and His sons, God made known His desire in 1 Samuel 2:35. He said He would raise for Himself a faithful priest who will do all that is according to His heart and mind. While God was confronting the house of Eli and making known His desire, His eyes were upon young Samuel. Before Samuel was a prophet, he was first a priest. (Read below : 1 Sam 2:11, 18, 26, 1 Sam 3:1, 7, 19-20)
Hannah's barrenness was her reproach. Her reproach became her intercession, which led to the Lord giving her a son who became a voice in a season of silence.
Samuel was a transitional figure in his days. He was the last judge of Israel but the first prophet who anointed the King of Israel. What we read above was the process of Samuel's growth as a voice to the nation. He was the faithful priest who did all that is according to the heart and mind of God.
We feel barren as a church amid this pandemic and global crisis. At the same time, we stand in a global transition where God is inviting us to lift up a cry of intercession so that a clear Word from God will come to us and carry us into the next season for the future generation.
言 | Word of The Lord
Without Revelation, this generation perish. The media will frame their mind and tell them what they are supposed to be and feel, which will eventually destroy their lives with falsehood. No amount of fancy preaching or flattery words can save a generation. Until we learn to stand before God and minister before Him as a faithful priest, we have no words to tell this generation of young people. They need a Rhema word of God that will ignite a zeal and establish their purpose in this kairos moment of human history.
As parents, leaders and pastors, it's time for us to build our altars before God (like Hannah & Samuel) instead of ministry platforms and branding for the sake of the future Davids (a generation after God's heart and the giant slayer). Until God gives us a word for this generation and establishes them in their God-given purposes, we will not stop contending, praying, and living a costly life so that they may flourish.
References
“Then Elkanah went home to Ramah. And the boy (Samuel) was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli the priest.” - 1 Samuel 2:11
“Samuel was ministering before the Lord, a boy clothed with a linen ephod.” - 1 Samuel 2:18
“Now the boy Samuel continued to grow both in stature and in favor with the Lord and also with man.” - 1 Samuel 2:26
“Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the Lord in the presence of Eli. And the word of the Lord was rare in those days; there was no frequent vision.” - 1 Samuel 3:1
“Now Samuel did not yet know the Lord, and the word of the Lord had not yet been revealed to him.” - 1 Samuel 3:7
“And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground. And all Israel from Dan to Beersheba knew that Samuel was established as a prophet of the Lord.” - 1 Samuel 3:19-20
Dream (2014)
I walked through a door and entered into the side stage of a "state-of-the-art" church auditorium. I peered through the curtain and saw some of my youth pastor friends on stage presenting their gifts and talent before a crowd size cannot be numbered. At the front row seats were senior leaders of churches, and they looked delighted with the presentation and performances from these next-generation leaders. Somehow, I knew I was next, and I panicked because I don't know what gift or talent I can offer a massive crowd with high expectations.
While those thoughts run through my head, a father of faith (known for prayer, fasting and solemn assemblies) tapped on my shoulder and handed me a gavel with "Josiah" engraved on it. The next thing I knew, I was on the massive stage, standing before an enormous crowd waiting for me to present my gift and put on my show. I was feeling an immense sense of fear crippling me. I could do nothing with the gavel in my hand.
Amid all those overwhelming emotions I felt, I heard a sharp, piercing cry of a woman behind me that cuts through the beautiful auditorium. I turned my head, and I saw a young woman holding on to the dead body of a 13-year-old wailing with unbelief. My fear turns into anguished as I witnessed the sight. I tried waving to the congregation to call for help, yet I saw displeasure towards the situation—the gesture of impatience from the front calling for me to continue the show to please the crowd.
Suddenly, from the fear of man and the anguish of the sight, I felt the fear of the Lord came upon me. I took the gavel, and I hit a large bell right in front of me. The whole hall started ringing, and some in the auditorium were awakened, some confused.
Out from my mouth came these words:
"How long more are we going to let the enemies slaughter our kids while we stay in this hall being entertained?"
"It's time for us to tear down the altars of Jezebel and rebuild the altars of God to save our children."
After saying these words, I saw beacons of light starting lighting up in the auditorium and people streaming down from their comfortable seats and building altars before God.