God separated our nations of Australia and New Zealand physically and sheltered our lands from being settled by the sea-faring nations until a prophetic declaration could be made in 1606. De Quiros proclaimed that the lands from where he stood on Espiritu Santo Island (today Vanuatu) to the South Pole were to be called the ‘Southern Lands of the Holy Ghost’ and that ‘the holy and sacred evangel would be preached…zealously and openly’. Could it be that the Southern Lands of the Holy Spirit have been kept for such a time as this, to stand up amongst the nations, even alone, as a voice for God’s people Israel? Is this Australia’s and New Zealand’s destiny?
I believe our anointing for breakthrough for Israel in the physical is now being transferred to the spiritual realm and the church of God in Australia and New Zealand will arise to be a prophetic voice to the nations. The church must first throw off the error of replacement theology and move into alignment with God’s Word. What an amazing blessing we will receive as we lift up the banner of the name of Jesus and move forward as a spiritual Anzac Light Horse army.
Bringing the Wealth of the Nations to Jerusalem
The nations are to help carry the Jewish people home from exile:
Thus says the Lord GOD, “Behold, I will lift up My hand to the nations and set up My standard to the peoples; And they will bring your sons in their bosom, and your daughters will be carried on their shoulders.” Isaiah 49:22
They are also to assist in building up Israel (Is 61:5), and declare to her that her salvation is coming (Is 62:10-12).
Go through, go through the gates, clear the way for the people; build up, build up the highway, remove the stones, lift up a standard over the peoples. Behold, the LORD has proclaimed to the end of the earth, “Say to the daughter of Zion, ‘Lo, your salvation comes; behold His reward is with Him, and His recompense before Him.’” And they will call them, “The holy people, the redeemed of the LORD”; and you will be called, “Sought out, a city not forsaken.” Isaiah 62:10-12
When God restores Zion, the nations will bring their wealth to Jerusalem.
Your gates will be open continually; they will not be closed day or night, so that men may bring to you the wealth of the nations, with their kings led in procession. For the nation and the kingdom which will not serve you will perish, and the nations will be utterly ruined. Isaiah 60:11-12
The Task of the Church: Back to Jerusalem
Aside from our task with the Jewish people, the harvest we need to take to Jerusalem is the harvest of souls as a gift to the Lord at His return. Our richest harvest is in our people. The call is to take the gospel back to Jerusalem and bring a breakthrough for God’s purposes to all nations along the trade route through which the gospel came to us, taking our worship and our riches to the throne of the Lord.
The Chinese church has caught the vision of ‘Back to Jerusalem’. They are returning via the Silk Road, as the gospel came to them. The trade route to our part of the world is the Spice Route. Australia needs to return ‘home’ along the Spice Route to Jerusalem, preaching the good news to the nations along the way: Papua New Guinea, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, India, Yemen, Jordan and Israel. We need to gather together with New Zealand, and the islands of the South Pacific to bring our gifts as a sweet-smelling offering to the altar of the Lord. As the snowball rolled to gather others to enlist in the physical army with the ‘Coo-ee call’ in World War I, so the shofar is now sounding to begin marching back to Jerusalem, bringing the nations along with us.
Our treasure is also in the physical blessings the Lord has given to Australia. We also need to invest our money in missions and to prepare the land of Israel to receive her King. The churches need to get behind the new spiritual Anzac army to send and sacrificially support missionaries on the home front (local or market place) or overseas, and invest time, training and finances into the work of reaching the lost and bringing our treasure back to Jerusalem.
Modern-Day Walers
The Walers of World War I were tough Australian-bred horses equipped for the outback conditions. They carried the army into the battle and enabled them to do their task. What is it in the spiritual realm that will carry this vision to its completion?
I feel it is the understanding of Jesus’ destiny and how our country’s destiny fits in to this picture. Our personal salvation is ultimately an act of the grace of God, not anything we have done or can ever deserve. Our response is to accept His gift. So nationally, it is the words of God spoken over our nation, the eternal Word given to us through the biblical prophets and how these intersect with what God has done in our history that will ultimately carry our nations into their destiny. Our part is to respond with willing hearts, accept His call, and align with His purposes. We will then see God move mightily to fulfil His Word and bring it to pass. May His Holy Spirit come to this dry and dusty South Land and bring a rushing wind of revival and reformation.
Preparing Jerusalem to Receive her King
The Messiah will return to Jerusalem through the Eastern Gate (Zech 14:4, Ezek 43:1-5, 46:12) and as nations to the east of Jerusalem we have to prepare the way for His coming. His first entrance on a donkey was from the east – Bethphage – and as King He will enter from the Mount of Olives to the east of Jerusalem.
We are exhorted to ‘pray for the peace of Jerusalem’ (Ps 122:6) and ‘give Him no rest until He establishes and makes Jerusalem a praise in all the earth’ (Isaiah 62:7).
How lovely on the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news, who announces peace and brings good news of happiness, who announces salvation, and says to Zion, “Your God reigns!” Isaiah 52:7
Jesus will remain in Heaven until the people in the city of Jerusalem welcome Him back as the Messiah.
For I say to you, from now on you will not see Me until you say, “Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the LORD!” Matthew 23:39
Even if the bride is ready and the nations have all been evangelised, Jesus will still wait until His own people are ready to receive Him.
The spiritual Anzac army needs to be the feet that bring the good news to Zion saying, ‘Your God reigns’.
And the larger Middle East...
The spiritual Anzac army needs to play its part to help bring about the salvation not only of the Jewish people, but also the Arab people and open of the highway of worship from Egypt to Assyria. Both people groups need to meet the Messiah. Our task is to boldly proclaim salvation first to the Jew then also to the Gentile. The harvest is ripe.
For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. Romans 1:16
In that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrians will come into Egypt and the Egyptians into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. In that day Israel will be the third party with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth, whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed is Egypt My people, and Assyria the work of My hands, and Israel My inheritance.” Isaiah 19:23-24
The Coming of the King of Kings
Jesus is not coming again as a baby in a manger – He is returning to Jerusalem to reign as King. It is to this glorious return that we align and for which we keep watch. We see the signs of a One World Government on the doorstep and we hear the heavy breathing of the nations conspiring against the Lord and His Anointed.
But God has already given His decree:
But as for Me, I have installed My King upon Zion, My holy mountain. I will surely tell of the decree of the LORD: He said to Me, ‘You are My Son, today I have begotten You. Ask of Me, and I will surely give the nations as Your inheritance, and the very ends of the earth as Your possession. You shall break them with a rod of iron, you shall shatter them like earthenware.’ Psalm 2:6-9
We ask, Lord, for Australia, New Zealand and all the South Lands of the Holy Spirit to be Your possession. We pray that You will bring us into Your destiny. We ask You to raise up the spiritual Anzac men and women, Your spiritual warriors, who will be Your hands and feet to bring this about. We lift up our praise and worship before Your throne. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem and we lift up our heads and voices to welcome the Prince of Peace. We give You all the glory.
The Spirit and the bride say, ‘Come’ (Revelation 22:17)
Pictures:
1. de Quiros declaration – Poster by Col Stringer
2. http://reconciliationandpeace.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/Report-Glory-is-Mine-24.7-conference-Cairns-09.pdf.
3. Jerusalem from the Mt of Olives – Jill Curry
4. Australian map in puddle – http://msgboard.org.snopes.com Snopes claims that this photograph was taken by ADF personnel stationed in Sudan
5. Fertile Crescent – https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File: Fertile_Crescent_map.png - Norman Einstein