He Will Raise a Banner for the Nations

Depending on how long you've been reading this Blog, you may recall a time back in 2004/2005 when I spent six months in Jerusalem at the Jerusalem House of Prayer for All Nations. It was a life-changing experience, to say the least!  And one of the greatest treasures to come out of that remarkable time is that I have been able to keep in touch with quite a few of the precious people, from all over the globe, who were with me during that time.  I'm so grateful to still be in touch with a woman in Bulgaria, who actually brought John and me over to minister in some Bulgarian churches right after we got married.  It will be such a privilege to be able to send funds directly to her to help buy food and supplies for a number of Ukranian refugees.  And then, a great Christ-light full of joy - my brother Philip from Kenya - came bursting into my home on Saturday, after visiting with some family in Colorado.  It's hard to describe this awesome young man of God. He was only 22 when we were in Israel together, just a kid in love with Jesus.  He played guitar and led worship for us all with my precious friend Nikki from Indonesia. 
We sat on my sofa for a couple of hours looking through the pictures of those amazing days in Jerusalem, and it did something powerful in my spirit as I re-visited the faces from the Philippines, Germany, France, Kenya, South Africa, Czech Republic, India, United Kingdom, Vietnam, Russia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Singapore, and the USA.  I felt like my heart was exploding!  My heart has always beat for the nations, but it has been a long time now since I've been able to experience the unbridled joy of worshiping with peoples of many tribes and tongues, waving our banners and dancing before the Lord! Philip's passion for reaching the nations for Christ  - as well as his own neighborhood and workplace -  was indeed contagious!  

After a simple shared lunch we entered into time of anointed prayer and a powerful sharing of the Bread and the Cup together, tears streaming down our faces. Then, as quickly as he had arrived, he left.  And the next day I found myself feeling somewhat sorrowful because I could not just buy a ticket to "Wherever the Spirit Wants to Blow Me" and board a plane like I used to do!  So I picked up my Bible to find a word of the LORD that might console me.  I'm still actually reeling from the revelation He poured into my heart as I read:
 In that day the Root of Jesse will stand as a banner for the peoples; the nations will rally to him, and his resting place will be glorious.  In that day the Lord will reach out his hand a second time to reclaim the surviving remnant of his people from Assyria, from Lower Egypt, from Upper Egypt, from Cush, from Elam, from Babylonia, from Hamath and from the islands of the Mediterranean. He will raise a banner for the nations and gather the exiles of Israel; he will assemble the scattered people of Judah from the four quarters of the earth. (Isaiah 11:10-12)

It was as if the Lord was reminding me that I WILL again be gathered in Israel with all His people from all the nations! IN THAT DAY! THE DAY OF THE LORD!  The Day when Yeshua returns to Earth to judge all the nations and to establish His glorious Kingdom in Jerusalem!  He will stand as a banner for the peoples - the nations will rally to Him - and I will be with them!  His resting place will be glorious. What does this mean?  His resting place is Shabbat - the 7th day - which represents the 7000th year!  A thousand years of Sabbath rest, where all God's people are gathered together and He will dwell with us!  We will again worship Him in Jerusalem, as ONE UNITED PEOPLE.  

What we experienced in Jerusalem was only a tiny foretaste of what is coming.  Despite the ugliness and tragedy of war, the threat of more pestilence, the rising prices and the displaced people, there IS a "second Exodus" - a great deliverance - coming.  Our Messiah WILL "reach out His hand a second time to reclaim the Remnant of His people."  Again the kaleidescope of colorful banners will be raised, the people from all the nations will worship as ONE, and my heart will be exploding for a thousand years in the Presence of the Great King!  I wonder if Philip will get to play the guitar?  I'm certain of it.

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