I. NECESSARY PREPARATION FOR THE FORERUNNER MINISTRY A. First, preparing our minds with new ideas about God and the activity of the Holy Spirit. B. Second, preparing our hearts with new lifestyles. C. Third, preparing our ministry with a new focus. II. ISAIAH – the old testament model forerunner ministry A. The clearest model of the forerunner in the Old Testament is the prophet Isaiah. B. Isaiah’s ordination becomes a model of the forerunner anointing. III. THE SEVEN MAJOR FORERUNNER PERIODS IN REDEMPTIVE HISTORY. A. The generation of Noah was the first major period in redemptive history in which God raised up a forerunner ministry. The writer of Hebrews described Noah and how he functioned in ministry. Key passages referring to Noah: Isaiah 54:9; Ezekiel 14:14, 20; Matthew 24:37-38; Luke 17:26-27; 1 Peter 3:20; 2 Peter 2:5 B. The generation of Moses was the second major period in redemptive history in which God raised up a forerunner ministry (Exodus 3-34). C. The generation of Elijah and Elisha was the third major period in redemptive history in which God raised up a forerunner ministry (1 Kings 17 – 2 Kings 9). D. The prophets before the generation of the Assyrian invasion that led to the permanent destruction of the ten northern tribes of Israel was the fourth major period in redemptive history in which God raised up a forerunner ministry (especially Isaiah, Amos and Hosea). E. The prophets before and during the generation of the Babylonian invasion that lead to seventy years of captivity of Judah was the fifth major period in redemptive history in which God raised up a forerunner ministry (especially Jeremiah and Ezekiel). F. Isaiah encompassed all that the others said and even more. He is the premiere model. G. The generation of John the Baptist was the sixth major period in redemptive history in which God raised up a forerunner ministry. H. The generation that the Lord returns is the seventh major period in redemptive history in which God will raise up a forerunner ministry. The premiere forerunner at the end of the age is Elijah himself returning. The other premiere forerunners at the end of the age are the two unnamed witnesses in Revelation 11, fulfilling the prophecies of Zechariah 4. They will do the miracles of Moses and Elijah as well as doing the miracles of Jesus. Elijah may be one of the two witnesses. The bible does not make it clear if he is or isn’t. IV. THE SEVEN PRIMARY PROPHECIES OF THE FORERUNNER MINISTRY A. Isaiah 40; Isaiah 57; Isaiah 62; Micah 2; Malachi 3-4; and Zechariah 4, are the seven primary prophecies of the coming forerunners. Revelation 11 combines and brings together some of the ideas of these Old Testament prophecies. B. Five of these seven major Old Testament prophecies speak of a global dimension of the power of God. In other words, John the Baptist only ministered for about eighteen months in the southern part of Israel and thus he did not fulfill the fullness of the forerunner prophecies. John the Baptist by no means satisfied that requirement of those prophecies.
and in terms of life. 2. The clearest model in the New Testament is John the Baptist.
Bridegroom like no other book in the bible. Second, the book of Isaiah in that he reveals the King like no other book in the bible. Thirdly is the book of Revelation in that he reveals the Judge like no other book in the bible. The book of Psalms brings all three of these essential themes together. C. Isaiah focused on the revelation of Jesus as the King in the following chapters – Isaiah 6; 11; 32-33; 40. Jesus revealed as Judge in Isaiah 2, 13; 24-27; 34; 63 V. ISAIAH 4 IS LIKE THE TABLE OF CONTENTS OF THE WHOLE BOOK
excellent and appealing for those of Israel who have escaped. And it shall come to pass that he who is left in Zion and remains in Jerusalem will be called holy – everyone who is recorded among the living in Jerusalem. When the Lord has washed away the filth of the daughters of Zion, and purged the blood of Jerusalem from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the Spirit of burning, then the Lord will create above every dwelling place of Mount Zion, and above her assemblies, a cloud and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heat, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain. (Isaiah 4:2-6) A. The approximate fifteen major themes of Isaiah are set forth in a very concise order in this chapter. B. Isaiah 4 is one of the clearest descriptions of the activity of the Holy Spirit at the end of the age in the whole bible. C. Isaiah 60-63 elaborates on the themes of Isaiah 4. D. A divine allotment – many lives will be cut short in the temporal judgments. There is divine allotment, there is divine strategy, a sovereignty, in who lives and who dies in the midst of the redeemed and unredeemed.
the living in Jerusalem. (Isaiah 4:3) E. Washing and purging the redeemed as well as the cleansing process of planet earth is a painful process. Malachi 3 develops this Isaiah 4:4 theme of washing and purging by fire.
from her midst, by the spirit of judgment and by the spirit of burning. (Isaiah 4:4) F. God washes and purges in two ways:
destroys the things that hinder love.
first, what will be the end of those who do not obey the gospel of God? (1 Peters 4:17) 2. By the spirit of burning – this is positive. This is an enabling fire that enables us to operate in the power of God. It is a supernatural enabling us to see and participate in the beauty of God. G. The manifestation of God’s glory.
and smoke by day and the shining of a flaming fire by night. For over all the glory there will be a covering. And there will be a tabernacle for shade in the daytime from the heart, for a place of refuge, and for a shelter from storm and rain. (Isaiah 4:5-6) VI. ISAIAH’S ORDINATION SERVICE – ISAIAH 6 A. Isaiah: one of the ultimate forerunners in history, the prophet of beauty who spoke of God’s beauty and fire. Isaiah presented the Bridegroom, King, and Judge in the context of beauty and fire. 1. The heavenly beings, the seraphim, take a literal fiery coal off the altar of the throne room. The altar in heaven where the intercession of the saints are heard is the place where the coals of fire are. B. Isaiah said that the spirit of burning and the shining of flaming fire would rest upon the assemblies. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. Then there appeared to them divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. (Acts 2:2-3) C. Malachi comes to Israel 350 years later. He develops what Isaiah only introduced. Malachi adds significant components beyond what Isaiah saw. D. The seraphim possess three specific dimensions of the grace of God. 1. First, they continually behold and perceive the holiness of God’s beauty. In other words, they have the anointing to perceive the beauty of the Lord. It takes God to see God. God grants the supernatural anointing to perceive God. 2. Second, they possess an anointing for wholeheartedness. 3. Third, they continually proclaim the holiness of God’s beauty. Paul the apostle possessed this anointing – Ephesians 3:8, Philippians 3:8 NOTE: John 11:4 – Why does He chose the ones He loves for tests? For glory of God. Collisions of life not His displeasure. They produce something in my heart worth more. My life in eternity settled by my reactions to collisions. |