“They were all filled with awe and praised God. “A great prophet has appeared among us,” they said. “God has come to help his people.”17 This news about Jesus spread throughout Judea and the surrounding country. John’s disciples told him about all these things. Calling two of them, he sent them to the Lord to ask, “Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?”
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20 When the men came to Jesus, they said, “John the Baptist sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else?’”
21 At that very time, Jesus cured many who had diseases, sicknesses and evil spirits, and gave sight to many who were blind. 22 So he replied to the messengers, “Go back and report to John what you have seen and heard: The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 23 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of me.”
In other translations, verse 23 says: “blessed is he who is not offended by me”.
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Here we see the same John the Baptist who knew who Jesus was. He even knew for a fact that he was not worthy to baptise Jesus, but for the sake of fulfilling righteousness, he consented and baptised the Lord Jesus Christ in the river Jordan (Mathew 3: 13-17 ). The same John the Baptist who had witnessed the Spirit of the Lord descend like a dove over Jesus, and had heard the voice of God saying: “This is my son, whom I love, and with whom I am well pleased; he was now asking Jesus: “Are you the one?”
The Lord highlighted to us that, before we even begin to pray about offences among one another, we first have to pray that we do not get offended by Him, by His word. This is very critical. The Bible says that Jesus Christ is the rock of offence and a stone of stumbling for many.
1 Peter 2:8 — We then began to repent before the Lord for being offended by Him, and by His word. We prayed that as His message is being released, may He, the Lord give us, the Church, grace to receive the message in its fullness. Knowing that only He, only His Spirit will help us in this. As we prayed and repented, I could literally see the eyes of many being opened.
The one who is least, is greater
After John’s messengers left, Jesus began to speak to the crowd about John: “What did you go out into the wilderness to see? A reed swayed by the wind? 25 If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear expensive clothes and indulge in luxury are in palaces. 26 But what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. 27 This is the one about whom it is written:
“‘I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.
28 I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John, yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.” — Luke 7:24-28
From this Scripture, we also see that Jesus Himself did not get offended by John’s question to Him. He could have said: “How could you doubt me? I mean, you of all people, you know me, etc”, but He did not. Instead, after sending back John’s messengers with the truth in love, He began to speak highly of John. He did not slander or murmur. This revealed a certain level of maturity and wisdom on Jesus’ side.
He spoke with love and He did not compromise the truth; He ended by telling His disciples that the least in the Kingdom of God were actually the greatest.” He shifted their f0cus, understanding, revealing to them how things are weighed/measured in the Kingdom of God, so that they may not envy John the Baptist. If we, as a Church, would understand this, we would not stumble. We would not offend or take offence. Neither would we compete or aspire to be like someone else. We would also see that those who rejected God’s word were not the obvious ones — that is, the unbelievers and the “sinners” — but it was the “experts” in the law.
“A dispute also arose among them as to which of them was considered to be greatest. 25 Jesus said to them, “The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them; and those who exercise authority over them call themselves Benefactors. 26 But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. 27 For who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves. 28 You are those who have stood by me in my trials. 29 And I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, 30 so that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
31 “Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift all of you as wheat. 32 But I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.” 33 But he replied, “Lord, I am ready to go with you to prison and to death.” 34 Jesus answered, “I tell you, Peter, before the rooster crows today, you will deny three times that you know me.” 35 Then Jesus asked them, “When I sent you without purse, bag or sandals, did you lack anything?” “Nothing,” they answered. 36 He said to them, “But now if you have a purse, take it, and also a bag; and if you don’t have a sword, sell your cloak and buy one. 37 It is written: ‘And he was numbered with the transgressors; and I tell you that this must be fulfilled in me. Yes, what is written about me is reaching its fulfilment.” — Luke 22:24-37
The Lord said: “Like Peter, who denied me three times, I have prayed for My Church, that her faith may not fail her. And after she has turned back, I want her to strengthen her brothers, through My word. I have assigned/appointed on her a kingdom. She has a great mandate to fulfil”
“It is My government, on My shoulders”
As we continued to pray on what God was saying, we began to feel serious physical pains on our shoulders, for a couple of days. And then the Lord said: “The Church is depending on the strength and wisdom of men, and not on Me. But I am about to change all of that, swiftly. Because what I am establishing is My government, on My shoulders. Yes, the church is My body, I will surely expand her capacity, and will enlarge her territory, but she must fully depend on Me. She must acknowledge that I am her only Saviour, fully trust me, allow Me to lead her with My Spirit, and never take My glory. Her peace, her strength and her wisdom is found in Me.”
For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder,
and his name shall be called Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.7 Of the increase of his government and of peace there will be no end, on the throne of David and over his kingdom, to establish it and to uphold it with justice and with righteousness from this time forth and forevermore. The zeal of the LORD of hosts will do this. — Isaiah 9:6-7
The remnant elders stand in the gap
From here onwards, we were led to worship more than we prayed. The emphasis was on worship, praise, worship.
I then had a dream in which I saw the elders bowing down in worship before the Lord. They were wearing crowns, but they took off their crowns and they cast them down, as they wept before the Lord.
I understood, by revelation, that these elders were the Lord’s remnant. And as they continued to worship, I saw the outpouring of the Spirit of God over the people. Many sang a new song. I saw many men of the cloth from different denominations, also wearing crowns. But these crowns were made of plastic rubber. Even though they were gold in colour, they were not made of gold or any kind of metal.
Some of these men of the cloth were reluctant to take off the crowns themselves, but as the outpouring of the Spirit of God intensified, they also began to weep, and they removed their crowns. Some of these crowns began to fall off by themselves. They included crowns that the people had put on themselves, and that they had received from men, and even those that were received for good works. All of them had to be laid down. Then the Lord took me to Revelation 4 and 5.
“After this I looked, and there before me was a door standing open in heaven. And the voice I had first heard speaking to me like a trumpet said, “Come up here, and I will show you what must take place after this.” 2 At once I was in the Spirit, and there before me was a throne in heaven with someone sitting on it. 3 And the one who sat there had the appearance of jasper and ruby. A rainbow that shone like an emerald encircled the throne. 4 Surrounding the throne were twenty-four other thrones, and seated on them were twenty-four elders. They were dressed in white and had crowns of gold on their heads. 5 From the throne came flashes of lightning, rumblings and peals of thunder. In front of the throne, seven lamps were blazing. These are the seven spirits of God. 6 Also in front of the throne there was what looked like a sea of glass, clear as crystal.
In the centre around the throne, were four living creatures, and they were covered with eyes, in front and in back. 7 The first living creature was like a lion, the second was like an ox, the third had a face like a man, and the fourth was like a flying eagle. 8 Each of the four living creatures had six wings and was covered with eyes all around, even under its wings. Day and night they never stop saying:
“‘Holy, holy, holy
is the Lord God Almighty,’
who was, and is, and is to come.”
Whenever the living creatures give glory, honour and thanks to him who sits on the throne and who lives forever and ever, 10 the twenty-four elders fall down before him who sits on the throne and worship him who lives forever and ever. They lay their crowns before the throne and say:
11 “You are worthy, our Lord and God, to receive glory and honour and power, for you created all things, and by your will they were created and have their being.”– Revelation 4
The Lord said: “I am taking my remnant, my chosen, my faithful ones to higher levels of worship and revelation. I will reveal Myself, My thoughts, My ways, My will and the secrets of My Kingdom to them. These ones who know Me, who are intimate with Me, are the rock on whom I will build my true church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I am bringing heaven on earth. These ones will advance My Kingdom and will rule with ME on the earth. I will bestow upon them great wisdom. The one that surpasses that of Solomon.
“Then I saw in the right hand of him who sat on the throne a scroll with writing on both sides and sealed with seven seals. 2 And I saw a mighty angel proclaiming in a loud voice, “Who is worthy to break the seals and open the scroll?” 3 But no one in heaven or on earth or under the earth could open the scroll or even look inside it. 4 I wept and wept because no one was found who was worthy to open the scroll or look inside. 5 Then one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep! See, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has triumphed. He is able to open the scroll and its seven seals.”
Then I saw a Lamb, looking as if it had been slain, standing at the centre of the throne, encircled by the four living creatures and the elders. The Lamb had seven horns and seven eyes, which are the seven spirits of God sent out into all the earth. 7 He went and took the scroll from the right hand of him who sat on the throne. 8 And when he had taken it, the four living creatures and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp and they were holding golden bowls full of incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9 And they sang a new song, saying:
“You are worthy to take the scroll and to open its seals because you were slain, and with your blood you purchased for God persons from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10 You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth.”
11 Then I looked and heard the voice of many angels, numbering thousands upon thousands, and ten thousand times ten thousand. They encircled the throne and the living creatures and the elders. 12 In a loud voice they were saying:
“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!” 13 Then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and on the sea, and all that is in them, saying:
“To him who sits on the throne and to the Lamb be praise and honour and glory and power,
forever and ever!” 14 The four living creatures said, “Amen,” and the elders fell down and worshipped. — Revelation 5
This is the kind of worship and revelation that will bring divine order, as the Lord ushers-in His government with speed. He is the one who has triumphed and is worthy to break the seals and to open the scrolls. He has released judgment over His enemies and has dismantled them. And He, Himself, has secured victory for His people. Therefore, all the glory belongs to Him, and Him alone.
