My Dear Friend,

Inspired by the inerrant, divine, Spirit of prophecy, an unnamed Jewish prophet issued this prophecy recorded in Psalm 85:9, "Surely his salvation is near those who fear him, that glory may dwell in our land." But when? When was this prediction of "glory" dwelling again in Israel's land fulfilled?

Most likely, this prophecy had a dual fulfillment. In the near term, it spoke of Judah's post-Exile restoration, in which the Jews' temple was rebuilt and their worship restored. The Shekinah glory did not indwell this (Zerubbabel's) temple, as it had Solomon's. Yet its reconstruction was in a sense a reestablishment of Israel's glory, since it was the earthly house of their glorious God and the worship center in which their nation gloried.

Eventually, yet still "near" in prophetic time, another "glory" manifested and "dwelt" in Israel's land - the glory of God in Jesus of Nazareth, from whom God's wondrous truth and compassionate grace and power radiated throughout the land. John described that glory: "the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14; see Acts 10:38). Considering these fulfillments, why reexamine Psalm 85:9 today?

The reason is simple: we are on the cusp of yet another fulfillment of this multivalent biblical prophecy. God's saving works are, again, fast drawing near those who fear Him so His glory may dwell in, not Israel, but our land. Yes, I'm declaring it, a significant move of God's Spirit is coming with fresh manifestations of Jesus' multifaceted gloriousness shining from it in every direction. Jesus is about to live, move, and minister among us again - by His Spirit, through His body, for His glory, to prepare His bride.

Some may scoff, "That's ridiculous, with so many churches asleep in spiritual heresy or moral compromise, with falsehood and injustice controlling so many aspects of our national life, how could such a glorious visitation occur in such an inglorious nation!" Such doubts are entirely understandable, but don't forget this key fact: this is precisely when significant visitations of God have occurred throughout Israel's and the church's histories.

Any honest scholar of biblical and church history will confirm this is one of God's verifiable, predictable, scriptural ways of operating. When things are the worst, He comes with His best. Unmerited grace suddenly intervening among the unworthy, the graceless, and the unexpectant. A token of His great goodness, not of our great righteousness. Done for His kingdom purposes, not our national motives. Meant to reach the whole earth, not just our people. Fulfilling His covenant promises, not our personal planning.

With this in mind, let's reexamine our text to discover what it says more fully.

• "Surely His salvation is near . . ." "Surely" - there is no doubt, only certainty. "His salvation" - or "saving aid" (Moffatt), a visitation of Jesus in saving power, a new, sensed manifestation of His currently unsensed presence (for He is always present, though not always manifest, Hebrew 13:5). "Is near" - not far away in the distant future, but close, very close, about to appear any moment, the moment God has appointed.

• "Those who fear him . . ." The initial recipients of this unmerited Messianic visitation will be not God-deniers, God-defiers, or God-doubters but God-fearers! Today these are born-again Christians who consistently live in awe of God's wondrous awesomeness and, under this powerful covering, believe, obey, and worship Him in the way He desires, "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:23, 24). It is their persistent intercession that prompts His intervention and it is through their subsequent ministry labors that He will work to bring many sinners and backslidden Christians under His life-giving, life-changing awe.

• "That glory may dwell in our land." The result of this divine visitation, this open appearance of the presence and work of God among us, will be this: Jesus will not only manifest but "dwell" among us. Rather than dynamically visit us and quickly depart, He will remain, living among us in every Christian and church open to His Spirit's work. This steady, ongoing, undeniable, full manifestation of who Jesus truly is, what Jesus' true acts are, and what Jesus' teachings truly say will spill over and flow throughout the land, causing not all but many to be saved, discipled, and prepared for His return.

"Glory" dwelling among us also implies something else.

Sovereignly - or when, where, and to whom He chooses - the Lord will grant private, and sometimes public, manifestations of His visual glory, the brilliant, sun-like, radiant Shekinah Glory. Before doubting this, please remember Jesus has done this in the past. He appeared in His visual glory to Peter, James, and John on the Mount, the apostle John on Patmos, and the apostle Paul on several occasions (Acts 26:13; 2 Corinthians 12:1-5). Why will He do this?

These gracious manifestations will serve two purposes. They will put those who experience them where we all belong - on our faces, at His feet, broken, melted, quieted, listening; ready to study His Word and seek Him in prayer and worship; ready to stay, ready to go, ready to do His will; ready to endure refining, fiery trials; ready to grow and mature into Christ's character image; ready, one day, to suddenly leave this realm and live in His glory forever.

These exceptional experiences will also put Christ where He belongs, as the sole Object of our soul's loving obedience, trust, worship, and service. Profoundly impacted, we will "see no man" exalted "but Jesus only" (Mark 9:8) and forever after loathe the human and material heart-idols we used to trust, love, and serve more than Him.

Also, Jesus will surely use discretion in this matter. He will reveal His glory only to those whom He deems able to receive it without being stumbled by spiritual pride and diverted from their daily devotion, careful practice of His Word, and faithful discharging of the ministry He has assigned them in this crucial, late hour.

I believe Jesus had this - the full prophetic implications of Psalm 85:9 - in mind when He prophesied a mighty awakening would visit His people in this age's last, darkest "midnight" hour just before He comes for His bride church.

In His own words, "At midnight [the darkest hour] there was a cry made, Behold, the Bridegroom cometh; go ye out to meet Him" (Matthew 25:6). What happens next is amazing:

• "Then all those virgins," not just wise but also foolish Christians (Matthew 25:7)!

• "Arose," fully awakened now and free from all the numbing effects of their spiritual slumber in worldliness, other sins, and non-expectation of the Bridegroom's appearing (Matthew 25:7).

• "And trimmed their lamps," earnest, even desperate now, to restore their spiritual life and daily devotion to its original, post-conversion state of fervency; and to remove the smokey confusion of carnality and walk again in the clear, peace-giving light of righteousness as He is in the light (Matthew 25:7; see 1 John 1:7).

This is the biblical, prophetic word I feel prompted to re-prophesy to you today: Psalm 85:9 interpreted in the light of Matthew 25:6-10. It is our only sure hope in these unsure, hopeless times. Heed it. Hold it. Hope in it!

Heeding, holding, hoping,

Dr. Greg Hinnant

GREG HINNANT MINISTRIES