Daniels and Ezekiels for South Africa

by Catherine Van Schoor http://www.littlealmondtree.blogspot.com/


Before God surrounds the nation with crisis, in his kindness he will always surround the nation with a prophetic witness (Corey Russell).

South Africa is in the midst of crises and with each new crisis, our situation becomes worse than before. Is God speaking? Does he speak to us? What is he saying? When Mozambique had the floods of 2002 when the country was devastated and all the infrastructure that had been built since the end of the civil war was destroyed, Heidi Baker made the comment that God had perhaps allowed that to happen to bring that nation to its knees - to at last turn around and seek God, repent and seek him. And that is what happened, starving people ran past food to ask for prayer.

Revelations 9:20 “the rest of mankind that were not killed by these plagues still did not repent of the work of their hands; they did not stop worshipping demons, and idols of gold, silver, bronze, stone and wood- idols that cannot see or hear or walk. Nor did they repent of their murders, their magic arts, their sexual immorality or their thefts”

Revelations 16:9 “they cursed the name of God who had control over these plagues, but they refused to repent and glorify him”

Rev 16:11 “men gnawed their tongues in agony and cursed the God of heaven because of their pains and their sores, but they refused to repent of what they had done”

Who says that the Lord would not send plagues and disasters? Yet it is so offensive to so many to think that a God of love could send his “judgements” to man in this apparently cruel way. Is it not more offensive for God to witness the wickedness of man, to have to endure their cruelty and refusal of his love? There is so little knowlege of God, so little love for Him, and even for one another, so little reverent fear of him - that we would rather be offended on man’s behalf than on the Lord’s - and yet it is he who never does wrong, who longs to “never stop doing good to us”, and who “rejoices in doing good” (Jer 32:39-41). God is love. Who are we to be offended? What is man’s defence? We should sing with heaven “you are just in these judgements” (Rev 16:5). And if judgement bothers us then we should come to the Father’s house to repent and ask the Lord for mercy. I have heard it said that the state of the nation is a reflection of the state of the church. If this is so - then WHERE IS THE PROPHETIC WITNESS TO THE HOLY AND MERCIFUL NAME OF OUR GREAT GOD?
Who is He talking to?

The question perhaps then is not what is God saying to South Africa so much as what is he saying to his church in South Africa. We after all are the ones in covenant with him, we are called his children, we are loved and strengthened by him. He is our inheritance and our cup of blessing (Psalm 16:5). He has given us “everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness.” (2 Peter 1:3) Together with the Holy Spirit, we represent Jesus on earth. So it falls to us. We are his bride, called to partner with Him for his Kingdom to come - that’s his plan right?

The Lord’s message to us - is I suppose nothing new. Only there is a gaping hole in the world, and in my own heart where the knowledge of God should be - where reconciliation with Him should be there is estrangement, where there should be freedom there is captivity. There is no fear of God. How will they know if we are all keeping mum? Which brings me back to this question: where is the prophetic witness to God in this nation, to our politicians, to all the tribes and tongues, to the church itself? To Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe? Where is the witness to the name of God? I believe God is raising up that witness - he is bringing forth Daniels to interpret the dreams of pagan politicians to bring glory to God. Daniel revealed not only the meaning of the pagan kings’ dreams but in that bore witness to God’s purpose to “set up a kingdom that will never be destroyed, nor will it be left to another people. It will crush all those kingdoms and bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever.” (Dan 2:44)

That’s news you can use. I am asking God for a prophetic voice to establish that truth in the halls of our own government. Let their answer be what it will be - but we cannot be silent. We know what the future holds, and who holds that future. But how, who and when? you and me - that’s why I am writing. I believe the Lord has his hand on the church in South Africa just like he had his hand on Ezekiel (1:3c, 2:9, 3:14, 3:22, 8:1, 8:3, 33:22, 37:1 40:1).

I ask the Lord to choose the church in this country, not a generation, not a city, not a denomination - but the church in this nation. I ask him to choose us, to put his hand on us, to give us grace to proclaim his truth in the marketplace, in the government, in the churches and schools, in the city and in the country, and in every language of this country. I ask him to put his hand on us so that we may prophesy what he said he would do: “I will set My glory among the nations, and all the nations shall see My judgements which I have done, and My hand that I have laid on them.” (Ezekiel 39:21)

If you agree, then pray this with me: “Lord, lay your hand on me, as you did with Ezekiel, show me visions of your glory so that I also may be overwhelmed and say “May the glory of the Lord be praised in his place!”, persuade me fully of your glory, fill me with the knowledge and the vision of you, and use me Lord to proclaim your word and your truth here and wherever you send me. Lord establish your truth in the government, the marketplace, the schools, the church, the city and the countryside of South Africa. Establish your name here Lord Jesus Christ, so that you may be glorified, honoured and loved as you deserve.”