Preview of Volume Two
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I never intended to publish this chapter before the release of Volume 2 of WIND. However, I feel compelled to publish it now, because of some wrong notions I have encountered regarding the role of revival in history.
If those errors simply involved academic or intellectual rivalries, they would not pose a threat. However, they present a significant problem with regard to what should be expected during the time of revival. And, if held staunchly, can actually block an outpouring of revival.
As in the case of WIND Volume 1, I may have gone overboard in my effort toward simplicity. Again, I do not apologize for it; because I believe it better to be overly simple, than to allow readers to miss the point. This article was originally published in my newsletter (The New Revivalist) back in September of 1995. I initially wrote it as a result of hearing a message preached by a respected Christian leader, regarding his fatalistic cyclical view of history. I "revived" it recently when I heard that same speaker preach an equally problematic message regarding church history.
(While this chapter remains largely intact from the original, I did do some minor editing. Volume 2 of WIND is not yet available, but Volume 1 can be ordered from Amazon by searching "Wind by Mike Carrier," or by clicking here.)
Revivals in History
Do they function as guard rails, cruise control, speed bumps, or on
ramps?
It’s a simple fact—revivals change things, big time. During the brief
history of our nation, revivals have twice radically altered the course
of events in our great land—once in the 18th century (First Great Awakening),
and once in the 19th century (Second Great Awakening).
In the first instance, revival led to our nation’s independence; in the
second, it led to the abolition of slavery. In both cases, revival’s net
effect on the entire nation was profound.
While it is true that revivals do start in the Church, the power of real
revival cannot be contained inside the walls of buildings. While God
loves to bless the Body of Christ, His revivals are never limited to
that. Mighty revivals change entire nations.
It is, I believe, this wonderful dynamic that is described in 2
Chronicles 7:13-14: “If . . . my people who are called by my name humble
themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways,
then will I hear from heaven, will forgive their sin and will heal their
land.”
That is to say, according to the Bible, the stated purpose of revivals
is to change whole nations,
not just churches.
We are, I am convinced, in the early stages of a new, major awakening in
America. If I am correct (and there are many Christians who would agree
with me), then it is safe to say that this new revival will, like the
great awakenings before it, significantly change America’s cultural
landscape yet again.
While I am looking forward to this new awakening with great expectation,
I do see a major issue that needs to get worked out. That issue has to
do with the skewed views some Christian leaders have of history; and
even more seriously incorrect, their notion of revival’s role in it.
For instance, I recently heard a Christian leader state from the pulpit
that “God’s role in history is that of an architect, and the Church that
of assembly line workers.” At an earlier time I heard that same leader
state that “history was cyclical.”
Both views are not only seriously skewed, but are counter productive to
the point of being destructive. If adhered to, those views will prevent
revival from taking root in the lives of those who hold them.
It is my strong desire that as many Christians as possible be able to
participate in this new awakening. That is why I wrote this paper.
First, I will describe what some of the incorrect views of history, and
explain their origins.
Second, I point out what the correct view of history is.
And, third, I will explain the proper way to understand revivals’ role
in history.
Skewed view number one: The Cyclical View of History
Wise old Solomon wrote that: “Blowing toward the south, Then turning
toward the north, The wind continues swirling along; And on its circular
courses the wind returns. . . . and that which has been done is that
which will be done. So there is nothing new under the sun” (Eccles.
1:6ff).
Later Solomon elaborated on this seemingly “cyclical” aspect of history
(Eccles; 7:8ff). He there apparently suggests that history not only
returns to its starting point, but that the end is even better than the
beginning.
Even God, when speaking through His prophets concerning the end of this
age, refers to that period in terms of times, seasons, days and
hours—all terms with a certain “cyclical” air about them.
Do you suppose that history is really like that? Does it go around and
around in circles? And, if so, is it the purpose of revival to guide the
Church back to where it has already been? Perhaps back to God?
Our senses tell us that the cyclical concept of history has some support in the natural world as well. For instance, much in nature certainly appears cyclical—the moon circles the earth, the earth and the other planets of our solar system circle the sun. This produces the cyclical aspects of days, nights and seasons.
This notion of history is probably best expressed by the cliché: “Those who fail to study history are destined to repeat it.” Put another way, “What goes around, comes around.”
Those who hold to the Cyclical View of history would say: “He who fails
to study history is destined to repeat it”; but they would leave it
there. To them, history proceeds in a circle, or in multiple circles
(Eccles. 1:6ff).
If history is, indeed, cyclical, then revivals could serve only a very
limited function—that of helping to keep the Church going in the proper
circle.
Under a cyclical scenario, revivals would function much like guard rails
on History Highway. They would serve to direct the Church back to home
base, back to its roots, back to where it started, but perhaps better.
These “guard rail revivals” would be thoughtfully designed and created
by God, then appropriately placed along the way in order to keep the
Church moving in the right direction. In extreme cases, revivals might
even be thought of as serving much the same function as those formidable
fences at the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.
To help explain what I am getting at, I offer this word picture of guard
rail revival along History Highway:
Here the expressway appears straight and clear for miles ahead. You slip
your car into gear, and sit back. You are quite sure you know exactly where you are
headed. All you have to do is follow the highway, you think. That should
not be tricky.
You find your favorite station on the radio, and then survey the
horizon. You are comforted by the amazingly straight nature of the
highway stretching endlessly before you. You begin to settle a little
more deeply into your seat. You wiggle around a bit, looking for that
point of optimum comfort.
Just when you think you’ve found your perfect groove, without warning,
your body is hurled with neck-wrenching velocity to the fullest extent
of your seat belt.
Smush!
The steering wheel spins in your hands, as your car bounces off a guard
rail, and back onto the highway. You are suddenly wide eyed and
completely alert.
“How,” you wonder, “did I ever miss that curve? Where did
it come from?”
You immediately slide straight up in your seat, blink your eyes a couple
of times, steer your car back under control and into the proper lane;
then you look around to see if anyone witnessed your embarrassment.
Once back on course, you inspect the road behind through your rear view mirror. Sure enough, the highway did curve a little to the left; while you apparently tried to straighten it right out.
And you might have, had
it not been for that pesky guard rail.
If history is indeed cyclical, then revivals would be God’s way of redirecting the Church back on course for the return trip. Revivals, here, would serve only as guard rails to keep the Church moving in its proper circle, or circles.
But, what if history is not cyclical? What if history is linear,
progressing from Genesis to Revelation in a divinely ordained straight
line?
The Purely Linear View is pretty cut and dry. It proceeds simply from
beginning to end, in a sovereignly predetermined, but largely
unpredictable (at least from man’s perspective) manner.
It is this linear notion that works well in the system of those who
would emphasize the sovereignty of God, over free will. This view lends
itself to what is commonly referred to as “Providential History,”
as it allows the student to look back at recorded events for the
connecting thread of the progressive revelation of God.
This view differs strongly from the cyclical in the area of
predictability, as linear analysis likes hindsight far better than
foresight.
In fact, if history is purely straight-line linear, nothing outside
inspired prophecy can be
known of the future. This is suggested in Matthew 24:36, where it is
described how even the Son of Man did not know exactly when the end
would come.
Under this structure, the relationship between historical events is far
more sovereign than causal. Under this view of history, revivals play a
very minor role (if any at all) because it not only does not regard free
will, it greatly diminishes any effecting role for man in history. Regarding the
holocaust it would say: “Sure, the holocaust was a terrible thing, but
it was destined to be.”
It is not difficult to describe revival’s role under a linear view of
history, because revival under such a schema would be entirely
inconsequential. Picture this—revival as
cruise control:
You are driving down History Highway, all is well, the pavement beneath
you is sometimes smooth, sometimes bumpy, and sometimes downright
treacherous. Nevertheless, once you engage “cruise control,” you haven’t
a worry in the world—God is in charge, and he will get you to your
destination intact—eventually. All you have to do is to sit back, and
let God be God; after all, He has a plan.
As I noted above, there are biblical elements that strongly suggest
something other than a purely linear view of history. Because of those,
another theory arose that incorporates both cyclical and linear aspects.
It is the Wave Theory of History.
Advocates of the Wave Theory see the history of mankind as a progression
of sine-like waves, moving from left to right (beginning to end), with
God’s plan somewhere inside those waves. They would look at an era of
prosperity and say, “get ready for a depression,” and vice versa. The
image above depicts the broken line as representing God’s plan, from
beginning to end, and the wavy line as the Church working its way to
that same end, but not following as direct a path as God planned it.
There are some good reasons to support this concept. First of all,
history did have a definite starting point: “In the beginning, God
created the heavens and the earth” (Gen. 1:1).
Second, after the beginning of time, there was then a progression of
meaningful events that led to the Messiah. This can be seen in the Old
Testament and in the Gospels.
Third, once all things have occurred that are destined to occur
(throughout the course of history), at that point there will be an end
to this historical age. This notion is evident in the New Testament,
especially in the book of Revelation.
Could this be? Could history be both linear (with a beginning and an
end), and seemingly cyclical? Here’s how I see it.
I am convinced that God, Himself, if viewing history through man's eyes,
would do so in a linear fashion.
While He certainly does use
cyclical-like terminology to explain the relationship of historical phenomena to
mankind, I am convinced that He would actually like man to view His plan
in history more as linear
than anything else.
To understand how this works, we must first understand an important
aspect about the nature of God. We must recognize the fact that God does
not actually “live” in history, as do we; time (and the history that
inhabits time) are merely parts of His creation. God is eternal. He is
at once “in” what we would call the past, the present, and the future.
God “lives” in an eternal “now,” while man, at this stage of his
existence, does not, and cannot.
There is no doubt that the Bible does teach a concept of history which
incorporates a linear progression of ordered events, as well as what
seems to be cyclical.
Unlike the Cyclical View, or the Stringent Linear Theory, the Wave
Theory allows for a linear progression of ordered events, as well as
what seems to be cyclical. Under the Wave Theory revivals might best be
viewed as “speed bumps,” placed along the highway to wake the Church up
whenever it gets sleepy, lazy, or just careless—much like speed bumps
along a drowsy drive through a golf course
Picture this:
You are driving on an unfamiliar stretch of highway. It is sunny and
warm (not hot, just warm). You have the top of your sports car down. The
breeze is blowing through your hair, and you begin to pick up speed. You
car is running smoothly. You hear and appreciate all those horses under
the hood. You are comfortable and confident—not a care in the world.
You have been at this for such a long time. Days have turned into
nights, and back into days; weeks into years, and years into decades. It
seems like an endless progression. You do not often take the time think
about it, but when you do, you realize that you may have become just a
little too comfortable.
And that’s how you feel this afternoon—very confident, maybe even a
little bored. You are, perhaps, simply maneuvering through the hills and
curves by rote. You really do not have to think about it, because you’ve
done it so many times before.
Suddenly, your chin crashes into your chest, and your torso is driven
deep into the car seat. You can hear your back “snap, crackle and pop”
like a fresh bowl of Rice Krispies in cold milk.
A loud crunching noise explodes from beneath your speeding car. You
know what has just happened.
One of those annoying mounds of asphalt or concrete has carved its
initials into the bottom of your car. You have just encountered a
speed-bump. And, without a doubt, this speed-bump has accomplished its
goal—it slowed you down and got your attention.
“Well,” you confess, “I guess it’s time for a driving adjustment.” You
now slow down, pull over to the side of the road, and get out your map.
Is this what revivals do to the Church? Is it the purpose of revival
speed-bumps to get the
attention of over-confident travelers along History Highway, slow them
down, and force them to check a map, or re-engage their GPS?
As we discussed earlier, not only does the Bible employ cyclical-like
terminology for history, but there is no doubt that it also provides for
a concept of history incorporating a linear progression of ordered
events.
If the Wave Concept is correct, then the Church is totally passive with regard to revivals. Revivals are simply there, already in place, just waiting to correct the Church’s speed and attitude, and to preserve God’s plan for His Church.
The Correct way to View History
Personally, I don’t buy any of the above-noted concepts, at least not in
their totality. I think there is something very significant lacking in
all three word pictures. I think there is only one correct way to view
history, as God teaches it.
The straight line in the graph above represents God’s best for mankind.
In every respect, it is best apprehended by mankind as linear. The irregular line represents the
history of mankind, as it is actually being lived out.
This diagram correctly depicts revivals’ dramatic effects on man’s
history, but not on God’s ultimate plan. A scientific metaphor of this
relationship would be the phenomenon of light, as it is bent by the
gravitational forces of the universe (Einstein’s General Theory of
Relativity). As far as light is concerned, if it were capable of
cognitive activity, it would be convinced it was proceeding in a
straight line. But in reality, light is always bent by the force of
masses in the universe.
In a similar fashion, mankind’s journey from Genesis to Revelation
(because of the human condition, and the existence of evil), is bent by ungodly forces along the
way. In most cases, man is not even aware (in his natural state) that
his way is being “bent”.
The proper way to view revivals in history is that they are purposed by
God as the only way to
get mankind back on course—back to where God wants His people to be.
In my view, revivals represent a potent dynamic in the life of the
Church. Rather than guard-rails,
cruise control, or
speed-bumps, I think the only
correct way to view the nature of
revivals is as on-ramps.
Consider this scenario:
For more miles than you can count you have driven along on this dusty,
bumpy, gravel service road. Sometimes the going gets so rough that you
have to call for an evangelistic tow truck just to get your car moving.
You often think, “what a miserable way to live! Especially since I know
there is an expressway somewhere nearby. It’s just that I can never seem
to find a way to get over to it. It’s almost like life is some sort of
cruel punishment.”
The problem facing you is that between God’s Way Expressway, and your
dusty old service road, there is a deep, and often muddy, run-off ditch,
and an insurmountable guard rail.
The sad truth is that sometimes you can actually see that expressway.
And, not only can you see it, you have read a great deal about it. But
the problem is, you just can’t seem to find the way to get on it.
More miles pass—hundreds of miles, then thousands, then tens and
hundreds of thousands. Still, you cannot find your way onto that elusive
expressway.
You have often seen it on your map, and you have even read books that
were written by your ancestors. They used to drive on the expressway.
Your family history includes stories about how Great Granddad had driven
most of his life on that expressway, many years ago. “Could those stories
be true?” you wonder. But, no matter how badly you would like to be like
your ancestors, you cannot seem to get on
God’s Way Expressway.
And you are not alone in your frustration—all of your friends are
plodding along on that same miserable road, even when it degrades during
storms into a muddy two-track rut. No one seems to have the answer.
Then, a “miracle” happens. Along comes a fellow traveler, and he has
what seems to you to be a novel idea. He has read about something he
calls “cloverleaf on-ramps,” and he’s convinced that all those little,
seemingly insignificant roads you have passed by, for all those years,
those roads that appear to exit off to the right (directly away from the
expressway), actually lead back around and then right onto the great
expressway.
It all sounds too absurd to be true—it’s just too simplistic.
Nevertheless, you decide it’s worth a try. “After all,” you think, “it
simply just could not get much worse than it already is. So why not?”
Immediately you jerk the steering wheel sharply to the right, seemingly
opposite your desired direction, and you follow one of those mysterious
curved constructions off to the right, up a steep incline, and back over
the dirty old service road, over the guard rail and over the run-off
ditch.
Suddenly, there it is before you! You can see it now, and it is
awe-inspiring—it is that wonderful, long sought-after, expressway!
The pavement immediately smoothes out beneath your tires, and your foot
quite naturally plunges to the floor. You car begins to accelerate. At
first it does cough and sputter a bit, but as the carbon burns out of
the engine, you begin to glide effortlessly along the highway.
“This,” you proclaim loudly, “is what my car was created for!”
A smile spreads across your face, so large that it looks almost
decadent. For the first time in your life you understand what old Great
Granddad was talking about. You carefully examine the road ahead, and
then check to the right and to the left. “There is simply nothing in my
way,” you declare. “It’s just like the Autobahn. I can go as fast as I
want!”
Then, suddenly and without warning, you notice the faster traffic
is speeding off to your left, while you are again beginning to encounter
some pot holes. You are quick to recognize what is happening.
“Oh, no!” you exclaim, “I’m on an exit ramp!”
You lock your brakes, check traffic to your left, and shoot back onto
the expressway. “That was a close call!” you exclaim, as you again
accelerate to optimum speed. You soon realize that if you are to
continue to drive on the expressway, you have to remain diligent to
avoid those dreaded old exit-ramps.
This word picture, I believe, best depicts the relationship between
revivals and history. It is a fact—God’s provision of time for mankind
is linear. It flows on a straight line (in God’s eyes) from Genesis to
Revelation. That’s what the Bible teaches.
However, because man has the ability to make mistakes, he is not forced to make the trip in
the most expeditious means available to him. He may, if he chooses,
bounce along on the unhappy roads of the “unrevived”—that is, suffering
the service roads of life.
This is not to suggest that man is in any way forced to
remain unrevived—not at all. In fact, for man to remain unrevived, he
must consciously choose to overlook the signs marking the highway, those
ordained by God to direct him to the on-ramps. Probably the clearest
such sign is the one found in 2 Chronicles 7:14, “If . . . my people who
are called by my name humble themselves and pray and seek my face and
turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, will forgive
their sin and will heal their land.”
Sometimes, I think, God’s people miss revival because they do not
understand just how available it is to them—perhaps because they do not
understand biblical history. In other cases, I think they simply refuse
to do the hard work required to negotiate the revival on-ramps. They
might just get too comfortable (or lazy) in their unrevived state. Maybe they
get too religious, or just caught up in the mundane.
In any case, God’s people choose
whether or not they will get revived. I think there is no doubt about
this.
However, there does remain one legitimate question: If the schema of history I have described above is correct, if
revivals are like ramps leading onto God’s straight line “fast track” to
glory, then why does God inspire Solomon and others to couch aspects of
history in what so clearly appears to be
cyclical terminology?
On the surface this seems to be a serious problem. But it is not. It is
a simple fact that God did not
inspire cyclical terminology with regard to history. That notion is
bogus. God inspired “seasonal” terminology. There is a huge difference.
“Cyclical” implies a time line that returns to its beginning; one that
basically goes in a circle, or in circles.
That is not the concept that the Bible teaches. The Bible teaches a
“seasonal” notion of history—not cyclical.
The difference is most easily understood when one applies another basic
biblical concept to the mix—that of the “law of the harvest.” That’s the
notion which holds that mankind will reap what it sows (Gal 6:7).
If we till the soil, plant good seeds, and cultivate properly (according
to God’s Word); then we can expect God to provide a good crop for us. We
can count on Him for that.
The concept is this: There is a high degree of predictability conveyed
by the law of the harvest—obey God, you prosper; disobey God, and you
fail. It is a simple fact that actions have consequences,
every time.
However, while this seems fairly cut-and-dry, it is not easily explained
using a purely linear model of history (one whose predictability is
limited to prophecy).
So, in order to convey this “aspect of predictability” inherent in the
law of the harvest, God inspired Solomon to use a seasonal (not
cyclical) word picture of history, as opposed to linear.
That, in a nutshell, is the reason God used seasonal terminology to
convey what is largely a linear concept—it’s the only way mankind could grapple with it.
That means those aspects of history that seem repetitious (or cyclical)
to man are not actually the historical events themselves, but the
historical factors leading up to what are very different events. Namely,
those different aspects and results produced by the implementation of
the inexorable, highly-predictable, law of the harvest.
Rather than circles, it is more correct to view these fluctuations as
irregular waves, sometimes drawing closer to God’s way, sometimes
drifting away—but never rising above it (as can be the case with the Wave
Theory).
So, how can we relate these thoughts to the original consideration,
“what can the Church in America expect during this next period of
revival?” This is what I look for:
I expect to see the fast-track to national restoration and national
righteousness. I expect to see victory over national sins—the largest one
of these (in my view) is residual racism. I expect to see racism in
America end.
I expect to see huge fruit from personal evangelism.
During this revival I believe the Church in America will prosper as
never before; but it will be a prosperity along the lines of the Apostle
Paul, not Donald Trump.
The critical factor is that we steer the Church up the revival on-ramps;
then vigilantly strive to keep the Church right in the middle of God’s
best through constant
revival—waves of revival.
When Charles Finney was asked how often he thought the Church should be
revived, he replied: “Every two or three days, if it can wait that
long.”
That’s why his revival, the Second Great Awakening, lasted for several
generations.
Click here to buy Volume 1 of WIND from Amazon
Send copies to your children and grandchildren—there really is no greater gift.