Recently, a well-known evangelist was saying on the TV program he and his wife host that a Great Awakening is coming. This is what I’ve heard over the months since the time the 2020 presidential election approached. “The Great Awakening is on its way” continues to be the declaration by many of the conservative ilk in the arena of government, politics, and the ideological arena of societal and cultural thought.
By this, these proponents of that belief, I infer, mean that the people of the world—particularly those of the United States—will awaken en masse to the evil the radical leftists of the world and nation are perpetrating.
This was the first time, however, that I heard a person I considered to be a truly believing Christian leader of his spiritual magnitude say that a Great Awakening is on the way. I must be fair and tell you that I didn’t listen to the program, so can’t say for certain what he meant by the term; I can only say that he and his wife had as their guest that morning Dr. Robert Jeffress, pastor of First Baptist Church of Dallas. They were going to talk about Dr. Jeffress book involving Bible prophecy, so I presume the term the host used in his promotion means the same Great Awakening in general, as predicted by the secular proponents of the matters involved in that term. Whether the TV show host was referring to a geopolitical/cultural/societal awakening or one of a spiritual nature, I don’t know.
The fact is, though, that the term “the Great Awakening” is used more and more often in venues outside of mainstream media. The people favoring things proposed by the term look for there to be an uprising by the vast majority. These will, it is believed, grow in such resistance and opposition to the so-called “woke” movement and all attendant to that insanity that the evil it all represents will be forced back into the proverbial box that restrains such deviation from normalcy.
In the world of those who are Bible believers, I perceive a mindset that equates the term “Great Awakening” with the matter many believe is a coming, worldwide revival. These declare that before Christ’s return at Armageddon there will be a tremendous turning to God. In some cases, they declare that a great multitude of souls will be saved in this predicted revival movement.
Many among those who believe that we are seeing a “Great Awakening” in the spiritual sense thought that Donald Trump’s election and subsequent support for faith-based causes was the onset of this “revival.” The economy and many social and cultural changes were, it seemed, poised for things improving to the point that America would be made great again in the sense the Founding Fathers intended. We were to again become a “Christian” nation, as in America’s founding. We wanted to get back to thinking more of the good of everyone rather than the uplifting of the few who rule rather than govern.
That altruistic outlook was a noble one. That was something worthy of longing for, even though the nation has never been truly a “Christian” nation in the purest sense. There have always been the bad and ugly to go along with the good. But the Make America Great Again movement came to a jolting halt with the sudden appearance of COVID-19.
Suddenly, the globalist agenda continues to be on the rise. The insanity represented by the proposals and demands the radical left envisioned for America—which we thought could never be accepted by normal people—became the track the nation seems be following to its perhaps fatal detriment.
So it seems that whether considering the term “the Great Awakening” or the term “great end-times revival,” either’s trajectory is on track to eventuate as thought. The movement is in the opposite direction.
The way things are tracking, however, is in sync with Bible prophecy for the end of the age.
Again, for those who are new as readers of our commentaries, the pre-Trib view of Bible prophecy is that before the Tribulation (the last seven years of this Age of Grace, or Church Age) arrives, Jesus Christ will call all believers to Himself in what is called the Rapture. Paul the great apostle foretells this in 1 Corinthians 4:51–55 and 1 Thessalonians 4:13–18. Jesus first gave indication of this great event in John 14:1–3, and later gave the promise to us through John in Revelation 3:10.
Jesus, while on the Mount of Olives, just before His crucifixion, answered His disciples as to when He would return and the signs of His return. He gave a number of signals to look for, which we have covered many times.
He said that when we see these things (stage-setting signs) begin to come to pass we are to look up and lift up our heads for our redemption is drawing near.
We’ve given details over and over about the Tribulation (Daniel’s seventieth week). It will be a terrible time, Jesus forewarned, such as never was before, nor will ever be again.
These issues and events are literally in every direction and are proliferating exponentially. We are not witnessing things that look as if we can anticipate a “Great Awakening.” Things don’t in any way appear that people, either the lost or believers in Christ, are turning en masse to God in complete repentance, obedience, or worship.
I wish I could report that I observe otherwise, but I cannot. Just as Paul foretold, evil men and seducers are getting worse and worse, deceiving and being deceived. The reprobate mindset prophesied by Paul in Romans 1:28 is front and center through our headlines.
All that said, there is good news, however. God the Father in Heaven and God the Holy Spirit, who is everywhere all the time, is at work restraining wickedness at every level throughout this evil sphere. As bad as it seems, all is being prepared for God the Son—the Lord Jesus Christ—to make His appearance and put an end to the madness into which the world is devolving.
Heaven’s Great Awakening is just around the corner of Bible prophecy. For believers in Christ, that much-wished-for end-times revival is but one twinkling-of-an-eye moment away. The Rapture will bring for each and every child of God an awakening the likes of which is beyond fully knowing at this darkening, earthly moment.
Every believer of this Church Age who has died will, in that glorious moment, awaken to new life that is everlasting. Those who are alive at that instant will have all senses awaken to fantastic vistas that were beyond comprehension while in these earth-bound bodies.
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. (1 Corinthians 2:9)
Terry James Prophecy Line 
Perhaps the “The Great Awakening” will be what takes place just after the Rapture. The greatest revival in history as millions will realise all that they heard was really TRUE!
That’s what I’ve always thought too. I have friends, whose Pastor is telling them that we will see a Revival before the Rapture. That just isn’t what The Word tells us no matter how they twist it. Men will grow worse and worse….
I think we are seeing the opposite…a great number of Christians are asleep!
1But the Spirit explicitly says that in later times some will [a]fall away from the faith, paying attention to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons, 2by means of the hypocrisy of liars seared in their own conscience as with a branding iron, 3who forbid marriage and advocate abstaining from foods which God has created to be gratefully shared in by those who believe and know the truth. 4For everything created by God is good, and nothing is to be rejected if it is received with gratitude; 5for it is sanctified by means of the word of God and prayer. -1Tim 4
Nail on Head.
I don’t see the world and this post-Christian nation ever escaping its downward spiral, according to scripture, but I also think there is a chance of pockets of revival (people getting saved in larger than usual numbers) before the Tribulation begins. I would think it would be a very short revival that might bring many people to the Lord quickly and finally. It’s possible that this might happen only after the Trib begins–due to the Rapture. I still pray for many souls to be won before we reach that point. I heard one CA pastor say last week that they baptized 1004 new believers recently and are having services every day of the week because they can’t accommodate all the people. Praise the Lord!
Agreed. Downward spiral of the culture and salvation of many. Both can be true at the same time. Some of us go out weekly to share the gospel with people in the street and I am surprised at how open many people are to at least hear the message. Seems each night as the teams report back that someone has received the Lord. In regards to revival, it seems many people long for the culture to be revived so we can go back to status quo. I believe status quo is over but that the church has an amazing opportunity to get back on-mission. I don’t know about the numbers of souls that would be saved but what I do know is that none get saved unless we spend a little less time theorizing about the rapture and a little more time sharing the good news. People are out there and they will listen.
I think you’re right about this, Terry.
Everything that the Bible tells us about the the Last Days indicates a continual and accelerating downward spiral for the world until Jesus’ Second Coming. Yes, there may be some “push back” to the radical left agenda here and in other countries in the near future, but I think it’ll be limited at best. You can depend on the “Left-Wingers” to do their best to “cancel” it out and any resistance to leftest philosophy will probably go virtually extinct post-Rapture when believers are no longer here.and the Holy Spirit’s restraining influence goes with them. I have no doubt that there will be a minority of people who will come to believe and resist the evil of those last seven years, but, once again, until Jesus returns, they will be a persecuted and diminishing lot.
I’d like to believe otherwise, but from what I gather from the Bible, a big revival just “ain’t gonna happen.”
It was good to read some common sense thoughts on the times we are living in. I am so tired of hearing that we should pray for a revival. The bible clearly says things are going to wax worse and worse. And when you see all these things look up for your redemption draweth nigh. There will not be a revival. Personal revival, yes. But a mass revival, no. Things are going to go from bad to worse. Then believers are snatched away by Jesus to Heaven. I think these people who are going on about a great revival just want to stay here in this corrupt, evil world. They don’t want to go to Heaven
They love their lives here just as they are, thank you very much. When things get worse, perhaps they will start looking up and coming to their senses when their comfortable lifestyles are disrupted enough.
I am one of those people who pray for revival. However, I do not believe that America is coming back. I know that we are very close to the rapture of the Church. My heart, in praying for revival, is that many will get saved before the Tribulation. I don’t think of revival as anything but salvation now. I do see it happening in places all over the world. To me revival is groups of people having their eyes opened and crying out to God. Yes, I know it will happen after the Church is gone massively, but we should be praying every day that many will come to believe before the worst time ever on this earth. This has to be God’s will for Christians to be doing. What else matters? Pray, Pray, Pray that many people will be saved, here, there, and anywhere. 2 Peter 3:9
I do not love this world. It is not some place I want to stay. The evil is so great that I almost feel suffocated…..Jesus is coming soon!!! Pray and witness at every opportunity.
If you are reading this and do not know Jesus as your Saviour. He loves you and wants you to live with Him eternally. You must be born again to be saved. That means you know that you are a sinner in need of a Saviour. You believe that Jesus died on the cross for your sins and that He was raised to life again. John 3:16, Romans 10:9-10, Romans 10:13 Jesus is God!
Amen to that!
Terry,
Always appreciate your writing and insight.
I’m surprised Dr. Jefferss’s book anticipates a Great Awakening this side of the rapture.
I’ve always held Dr Jeffress in high regard and an exceptional Bible teacher.
Jim
I’m sorry if I left the impression that Dr. Jeffress said he believed their will be a “Great Awakening”. He did not.
What I said was that the evangelist and his wife, on whose program Dr. Jeffress appeared, indicated that they saw a “Great Awakening” coming.
I simply said –or meant to say— that while I didn’t watch that program, Dr. Jeffress was to be their guest, promoting his book on Bible prophecy. Therefore I sensed that it would be on Bible prophecy and that is what the program hosts believed, according to their words before the program came on…
So far as I’m aware Dr. Robert Jeffress sees no “Great Awakening” or end times revival. As a matter of fact his teaching holds to the PreTrib view of Bible prophecy in most every detail.
Thank you Terry.
It is , in a sense, horrible to consider yet I with you and many others believe that the “Trump period” was a final wake up call to the world.
The USA and all Western nations have actively engaged in ungodly behaviour for at least the last 60 years. Subsequently society is now behaving as each is right in their own lives. Nothing else matters.
We now face a soon coming Tribulation which is preceded by The Rapture, we are correct to be concerned for those who are dull of hearing, perhaps we can convince them to look to Jesus Christ of Nazareth before it is too late.
Maranatha, come Lord Jesus, come.