A Turning Point in History!

By Dr. Jürgen Bühler, ICEJ President

The Feast theme this year, “The Lord Roars from Zion”, is taken from Joel 3:16 and signals a turning point in history that should not be ignored by any Christian. This turning point is the context in which this powerful prophetic declaration is placed. The preceding passages culminate in two major events of great relevance for our day. These two events mark a crossroad in world history, and a new season in the purposes of God.

Spirit-filled Revival
The first event is described in Joel 2:28–32. It is a phenomenal season of grace and an outpouring of the Holy Spirit: “… and I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh…” and “…everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved”. This heralds a season of global revival. This already had a fulfilment on the Day of Pentecost in Acts chapter two. Peter understood he was witnessing the beginning of this outpouring and declared boldly, “…this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel…” (Acts 2:16–23/ESV throughout).

Again today, we find ourselves in the midst of a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit, perhaps the greatest in history. It began with revival centers in the late 19th and early 20th centuries in America and Europe, and emerged as a global movement through the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angeles. This Pentecostal-Charismatic revival quickly became the fastest-growing Christian movement and greatly impacted world missions.

Over the past 120 years, the Gospel has literally reached every nation of the world. While many people groups may still lack a full presentation of the Gospel or Bibles in their own language, these are coming quickly. Recently, I learned that Bible translators using AI technology may be able to translate the Scriptures into every language on earth by 2030.

It reminds us of the words of Jesus that “this Gospel of the Kingdom will be proclaimed as a testimony … to all the nations (ethnos in Greek) and then the end will come” (Matthew 24:14). We do not know exactly when this key factor may happen to trigger the coming of the Lord, but we are surely in a generation when this aim is becoming much more realistic.

Jewish Return to Israel
The second great event Joel foresees before the Lord’s roars is the restoration of Israel. “For behold, in those days and at that time, when I restore the fortunes of Judah and Jerusalem…” (Joel 3:1).

The prophet does not give us much detail here about the scope of this restoration. We are simply informed that God will restore the fortunes of His people. But we know from other prophets what the restoration of Israel will entail. All the prophets, beginning with Moses, spoke of the restoration of Israel back to their Land (see, Deuteronomy 30:4–5; Jeremiah 29:14; Amos 9:15; etc.). This implies the return of Jews from the four corners of the world back to their Land, as we are witnessing that today.

This Ingathering also includes a physical restoration of the Land itself. Ezekiel speaks about this at great length in chapter 36. He prophesies to the land, the fields, the mountains, and even the trees, declaring a new season of replenishment. The Land of Israel today is indeed an agricultural miracle. A land that was desolate and dry for centuries is now turning green all over. Over 250 million trees have been planted in Israel, and Israeli agricultural technology is exported around the world, giving dry countries a new perspective on agriculture.

Moses declares that once this happens, God will make Israel “more prosperous and numerous than your fathers.” Israel today is an economic miracle. I recently asked a chief economist of a large Israeli institution why, during wartime, Israeli stocks have risen in value, the shekel has grown stronger than ever, and the economy seems to be booming even though a large part of the workforce was on army duty. He smiled and said, “I honestly don’t know. It contradicts everything I learned at university.” Without a doubt, God has been restoring the fortunes of the Jewish people over the past century.

Nations in the Valley of Decision
However, this exciting time for Israel is also a time of decision for the nations. The great decision of these last days is where we stand with God’s people. It is a valley of decision where everyone needs to come to terms with what God is doing in Israel.

It is in this context that the Lord roars. Today, we see the global spread of the Gospel, Israel’s restoration, and the nations taking sides regarding Israel. We do not know how long the Lord will tarry, but we do know it is time to work.

My wife Vesna recently brought to my attention Psalm 22, one of the greatest Messianic psalms. It begins with the final words of Jesus on the Cross: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Psalm 22:1). The same verse continues: “Why are you so far from saving me, from the words of my groaning?” (ESV). This last word is shagah in Hebrew – the same word that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu used in naming the recent operation against Iran: “Roaring Lion”.

In other words, it implies that when Christ hung on the cross and felt forsaken by His heavenly Father, He was not merely groaning amid His suffering. It was a cry of great intensity, likened to the roar of a lion. This roar shook the earth and the heavens.

In a way, this roar of the Lion of Judah has been heard for 2000 years, and the message of the roar declares: “Whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” It is the timeless message of Paul, which he proclaimed to the listeners in Athens: “The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now He commands all people everywhere to repent…” (Acts 17:30).

It is the roar that gathers the global Bride of Christ, as described in Revelation 7:9: “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages…” It is a global Church that has responded to the roar of the Lion of Judah. We still live in a time of grace. It is still day, when labouring for souls is possible. But Jesus also warns of a coming night when no one can work (John 9:4).

An Unshakeable Kingdom
The ultimate result of the roar that Joel heard has great significance for the end times. As a consequence of this roar from Zion, “the heavens and the earth will shake” (Joel 3:16). His roar will cause a global shaking that will be felt on earth and even in the heavenly realm. The books of Hebrews and Haggai also describe a mighty shaking in the last days of “not only the earth but also the heavens” (Haggai 2:7, 21; Hebrews 12:25–29).

For Haggai, this shaking heralds an age of latter-day glory to be manifested in God’s temple, but also a time of God judging the nations. Hebrews describes it as God shaking the things that can be shaken, “in order that the things that cannot be shaken may remain” (Hebrews 12:26–29). The writer of Hebrews is not addressing unbelievers with a final warning to repent; rather, he is appealing to the Church to build on solid foundations.

The things that can be shaken could include many things. For example, our earthly possessions or financial foundations, or even our religious practices that do not originate from the will and empowerment of God.

Throughout history, God has frequently shaken the financial and economic structures of our world. Charles Spurgeon said they are no more than a “house of cards” that can easily collapse.

Therefore, the Word of God admonishes us to build on the foundation that cannot be shaken. In short, this means doing the will of God and investing in our relationship with Him. As parents, it means investing in the spiritual lives of our children and, of course, in the people around us.

The reason is simple. This final shaking will bring an end to the world order as we know it, but it will leave intact the Kingdom, which cannot be shaken. Or as John saw in Revelation: “The kingdoms of this world have become the kingdoms of our Lord and of His Christ, and He shall reign forever and ever!” (Revelation 11:15).

This is a call for all of us to build our lives on sure foundations and pursue the right priorities in our lives. Abraham was a great example of this faith walk. Wherever he lived, he pitched a temporary tent, ready to follow the call of God whenever He called him to go. At the same time, wherever Abraham went, he built a lasting altar of stone to worship God (Genesis 12:8; 13:3, 18). That is why his faith was rock solid to the end, and he is called the “Father of faith”.

The Prophetic Voice Released
The roar of the Lion is God speaking in these last days. It is a release of His prophetic word for this generation. The prophet Amos declares: “A lion has roared! Who will not fear? The Lord GOD has spoken! Who can but prophesy?” (Amos 3:8).

The roar of the Lord also means the release of a voice. Several passages in Revelation seem to indicate there will be a new release of the ministry of prophecy in the Church in the last days, and that this will be one of the key ways God will communicate with the Church. In Revelation 19:10, we read that the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. In Revelation 22:6, God identifies Himself as “God of the spirits of the prophets.” And the angel who speaks to John the Apostle asks him not to worship him, as he is a “fellow servant with you and your brothers the prophets” (Revelation 22:9).

Let us pray for this “testimony of Jesus” to be released in a clearer way than before; that God will raise prophetic voices to the Church who are not merely “fair-weather prophets,” as I wrote in the last issue, but prophets who see the latter glory and also the shaking that will occur to reveal the things that cannot be shaken.

A Healing Stream From Zion
Finally, the roar of the Lord from Zion signifies that a new age in God’s eternal purposes is unfolding. It means that the present era of this world is fading away and we are moving into a new Messianic age defined by the “Lord who dwells in Jerusalem” (Joel 3:17, 21). His presence will return to Zion, and Israel’s restoration will see a complete physical and spiritual restoration that overshadows everything that came before.

Joel even sees a river emerging from Jerusalem that will flow all the way down to the “Valley of Shittim” (Joel 3:18). This refers to the western ridge of the Jordan River flowing into the Dead Sea. This region is typically identified as the area where Achan committed sin and brought judgment upon the whole people of Israel. God is turning this place of failure into a garden of blessing.

Hosea 2:15 declares this valley of Achor, of judgment and failure, will become a gate of hope (petach tikva in Hebrew). Ezekiel foresees that the Dead Sea will be healed by this stream from Jerusalem, becoming a sea with “many kinds of fish” and a place for fishermen (Ezekiel 47:1–12). And most importantly, Zechariah saw the stream as a fountain that will be opened “for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and uncleanness” (Zechariah 13:1).

Wherever this river flows, it will result in restoration, healing and forgiveness. The reason is simple: “because water flows from the sanctuary” (Ezekiel 47:12). This brings us again to the Feast of Tabernacles. On the last day of the Feast, Jesus declared that all who believe can become a source of living water for the people around them. It means this prophetic blessing is already available now for you and me.
Hear the Lord Roar!
In conclusion, I believe many will hear the roar of the Lord in our times. It is not only a time to understand the signs, but also to respond. It is a call for a final effort to preach the Gospel, taking the message that “Jesus is King” to every last corner of the earth.

It also is a time to get our stand with Israel right. Israel is God’s chosen people and eternal possession, and we are called to stand with the people who gave us the Messiah and the Word of God. We owe it to them.

It is also a time to build on firm foundations in our personal lives and to get our priorities right. And lastly, it is a time to expect a new prophetic spirit to manifest among us. It is time to get ready for the coming of the King and to eagerly await His coming. I pray that you can hear the Lord roaring from Zion.

Main photo: Jerusalem Western Wall (Photo: Shutterstock)