 There
are many views regarding revival, but two main
approaches to it. There are those who say that
whilst the word `revival' may be found in the Old
Testament and that Israel had something of a revival
from time to time, yet the word is not a New Testament
word in the sense that we use it today. In other
words, a doctrine of revival—as such—is
not to be found within the pages of the New Testament.
What is found within these pages is the command to
preach the gospel and found churches, pastoring and
building them up. If the gospel is preached, men
and women saved, and the church led into truth. then
its life will be maintained. To speak of revival
as a doctrine is to talk of something that is unnecessary
and uncalled for.
The
other approach is that history tells us that the
church for many
reasons may, from time to time, become indolent and
moribund, with heresy and wrong practice making inroads
into it. Just as in Israel God brought judgments,
and even exiled the nation, so too the church is
in similar danger. God promised Israel that He would
restore her, even though she was deeply judged and
punished. He would revive her into the fullness of
her true being so that she would live in covenant
relationship with Him, and be whole. She would fulfil
the plan He had for the nation—to be His chosen
people, and to witness to Him. If Israel needed to
be revived from time to time then so may the church. |
