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I have felt the Lord impressing me for some time to write this article explaining the term “The Generation of the Righteous”, which I quote often. I have noticed that many people new to Renewal have never heard the Term, and many others who were in Renewal (even Vineyard) Circles were not exposed to the original Revelation from Paul Cain. I offer the following as an explanation of the original revelation and the extensions the Lord has shown me over the last few years. I have no doubt that many orthodox-trained Bible Scholars will hate the entire article, but I beg you to remember that “my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways," declares the LORD (Is 55:8). We have grown up being taught to use human wisdom (methods of study) to interpret the Bible, and mostly assumed that God would speak to us through this, but like the Pharisees, we now find that we have often missed the best part. In almost every case I have found in the New Testament where the writers quote a passage from the Old Testament, they provide an interpretation that is not achievable using Western Study methods. Please prayerfully consider the following, and don’t let your “thoughts” get in the way. Paul Davies
At the “Prophecy II Conference”, held at the Anaheim Vineyard in 1989, Paul Cain shared a revelation the Lord had given him from the King James’ translation of Psalm 14:5 “The Lord is in the Generation of the Righteous”. The Lord explained to Paul the significance of the Generation of the Righteous, as an end-time generation of people who get the Double-portion - which Paul Cain explained as “the Spirit without any limits”. He went on to say that God deliberately limited the power available to the 1st Century Apostles, as He was saving the best till last, and that God had kept the best of every bloodline for these days.
Bob Jones has also had several revelations concerning the Generation of the Righteous, most memorably (1990) that they were those the Lord had “rescued” from Abortion - Satan’s response to the anointed seed of God going forth has always been to kill the babies. Bob said at the time he believed it was those aged 17 and under, taking the date from the Roe vs Wade decision in 1973, but I have always felt that the date was around the mid-1960’s, as Abortion rapidly grew as a solution to the unwanted pregnancies that were occurring. I have yet to discuss the matter with Bob, and find out if he had definite revelation, but I feel the mid-60’s is right. It doesn’t really matter, as I doubt the Lord will exclude any who qualify except for a birth date. (refer to “The Postman’s Letter” Message at www.ancientwells.org.au/Podcast-MP3/Podcast-MP3.html)
As I listened to the message, I felt the Spirit confirming it, although my Evangelical background threw up several doubts. I asked the Lord to make it clear, and suddenly found the Generation of the Righteous appearing on almost every page of the Bible. I believe that the teaching is one of the “Keys of the Kingdom” - a teaching that unlocks many of the hidden mysteries of the Lord within the Bible.
On at least two occasions in Matthew, Jesus outlines a Key Spiritual Principle: “... the last will be first, and the first will be last (Matt 19:30 & 20:16). The first miraculous sign that Jesus did (John 2:1-11) is a Prophetic sign of the End Times. At the wedding feast, Jesus turned water into wine to save the Bridegroom from major embarrassment , and the master of the feast called the bridegroom aside and said: “Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now" (John 2:11, emphasis mine). The message of the miracle is that the True bridegroom saves the best till last.
The implication that the First Century Apostles were in some way limited does not sit well with our Evangelical adulation of the Apostle Paul, or of the church of the Book of Acts. Since our own church experience has fallen well below that mark, we have seen this as the measuring-post of spiritual success. I believe, however, that the Generation of the Righteous and the End-Time Church will go way beyond the achievements of the First Century, and that we have not yet seen the “...even greater things than these” (John 14:12) that Jesus promised.
Paul himself seems to have grown in his understanding of the future as time passed, moving from “I am not in the least inferior to the ‘super-apostles’, even though I am nothing” (2Cor 12:11), early in his ministry, to “the worst of sinners” (1Tim. 1:16). He also seem to change his attitude from “...the Lord is near” (Phil 4:5) to “... but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit” (Rom. 8:23). In this latter passage Paul seems to be implying that he is aware that he didn’t get the whole of the Spirit, the double-portion of inheritance as sons, but only the firstfruits. Just prior to this, Paul makes several other references to the Generation of the Righteous, and their role:
1. The creation waits in eager expectation for the sons of God to be revealed. (Rom. 8:19)
2. ...because those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. (Rom. 8:14 )
3. For the creation was subjected to frustration, not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God. (Rom. 8:20,21)
4. We know that the whole creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Not only so, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for our adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies. (Rom. 8:22,23)
Paul seems to be saying here that the First Century Church was still waiting for their adoption as Sons. We have assumed that since this was Paul’s experience, that the normal Christian experience is that this would be fulfilled in heaven. However, this does not satisfactorily account for the reference to the creation being “brought into the glorious freedom of the children of God”, or the implication that there would really be “those who are led by the Spirit”.
Likewise, the restoration of all things is referred to in Malachi 4:5-6: "See, I will send you the prophet Elijah before that great and dreadful day of the LORD comes. He will turn the hearts of the fathers to their children, and the hearts of the children to their fathers; or else I will come and strike the land with a curse" (Mal. 4:6, emphases mine). The restoration, or fulfilled redemption, of creation is to take place before the Second coming of our Lord.
I believe our misinterpretation has been influenced by a Doctrine I call “the Great Christian Cop-out” - the idea that we are so pathetic that the Church could not cope with the Tribulation, so before things get too rough God will Rapture us out of the world so that we won’t have to experience persecution or difficulty. I believe this to be one of the deceptive “doctrines of demons” (1Tim. 4:1) Paul referred to, which interferes with our understanding of the Word of God. My Bible says we should be like Jesus (Philippians 2:5), who was made “perfect through suffering” (Hebr. 2:10). If we examine the issues the Lord is raising in the Church at this time we find that he is dealing with our worldliness and sin, and also that many Christians are suffering “even to the point of death” (Rev 2:10). I do not believe there is any validity in this doctrine, and I believe that very soon we will see the forecast “woes” of the Tribulation poured out on the World, and on those in the Church who refuse to repent and allow God to make them like His Son.
Jesus is not coming back for a pathetic, scab-ridden whore dressed in rags standing by the altar, he is coming for His glorious Bride, who has “made herself ready” (Rev. 19:7).
Remember also that in Revelation 12, there is a reference to a woman in labour, giving birth to a son, who was snatched up to God.
A great and wondrous sign appeared in heaven: a woman clothed with the sun, with the moon under her feet and a crown of twelve stars on her head. She was pregnant and cried out in pain as she was about to give birth. Then another sign appeared in heaven: an enormous red dragon with seven heads and ten horns and seven crowns on his heads. His tail swept a third of the stars out of the sky and flung them to the earth. The dragon stood in front of the woman who was about to give birth, so that he might devour her child the moment it was born. She gave birth to a son, a male child, who will rule all the nations with an iron sceptre. And her child was snatched up to God and to his throne. (Rev 12:1-5)
I believe the woman represents the church, labouring to give birth to the Generation of the Righteous, who will liberate Creation from bondage (Rom 8:21). Satan is trying to kill the baby (Abortion), but the Lord rescues His seed. Consider also Rev 3:21: “To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne.” The sitting with Jesus on His throne speaks of the Generation of the Righteous participating in the ruling of he nations.
Another Biblical metaphor for the Generation of the Righteous is Joel’s Army (Joel 2, Ezekiel 37:1-10) - the End-Time Army of God that has been the subject of song and sermon throughout the 1980’s. I believe the Ezekiel passage describes the transition from the dry church (before 1994) to the emergence of the mature, spirit-filled Army of God. This transition occurs as the result of the operation of Prophetic Ministry (increasing throughout the world), and passes through the stages of: rattling sound (lots of noise), bones coming together (parts of the Body being gathered), tendons joining bones (relationships forming between different parts of the body), flesh (maturity) and Spirit (fullness of the Spirit). Only at the end of the process do they rise “a vast army”. At the moment we are entering the Flesh (maturity) stage in the Western World. Joel 2 paints a picture of this army in action:
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy hill. Let all who live in the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming. It is close at hand-- a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and blackness. Like dawn spreading across the mountains a large and mighty army comes, such as never was of old nor ever will be in ages to come. Before them fire devours, behind them a flame blazes. Before them the land is like the garden of Eden, behind them, a desert waste-- nothing escapes them. They have the appearance of horses; they gallop along like cavalry. With a noise like that of chariots they leap over the mountaintops, like a crackling fire consuming stubble, like a mighty army drawn up for battle.
At the sight of them, nations are in anguish; every face turns pale. They charge like warriors; they scale walls like soldiers. They all march in line, not swerving from their course. They do not jostle each other; each marches straight ahead. They plunge through defences without breaking ranks. They rush upon the city; they run along the wall. They climb into the houses; like thieves they enter through the windows. Before them the earth shakes, the sky trembles, the sun and moon are darkened, and the stars no longer shine. The LORD thunders at the head of his army; his forces are beyond number, and mighty are those who obey his command. The day of the LORD is great; it is dreadful. Who can endure it? (Joel 2:1-11).
Though often written off as a description of a Satanic Locust-force, there is no doubt that this passage refers to the Army of God. The highlighted passages show a Church that has lost self-promotion, and is focused on working together to fight the enemy. As a result, they follow the Lord and are unstoppable.
I have found references to the Generation of the Righteous throughout the Bible, and continue to come across more. The following list of verses is just a fraction of the references to this Generation and what they will be like. It is clear, however, that these have yet to be fulfilled in the church: Joel 2:28-9, Ps 102:18, Is 61:7,9, Is 29:23, Gal 4;28, Ps 102:28, Ps 24:6, Ps 22:30-1, Hab 2:4, Is 58:6-12, John 14:12, Rev 14:1-5, Is 62:2, Zech 10:7b, Ps 145:4-6, Ps 69:36, Ps 78:2-8, Ps 68:11,12, Is 66:2b.
Website: http://www.ancientwells.org.au/PaulD
Email: pdaviesoz@optusnet.com.au
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