“And there arose another generation after them who did not know the LORD or the work that He had done for Israel.” – Judges 2:10

Israel had once known a long and significant duration of rest (Joshua 21:43-45) prior to the period of the book of Judges. Peace had settled on every side; they took possession of all that God had promised them, and their enemies were finally conquered and silenced. What years those must have been to enjoy the fruit of God’s fulfilled word, to be walking with Him and to know His steadfast love on a chosen nation that indeed was the apple of His eye.

The great periods of revivals throughout the history of the Church have proved very similar in nature; extensive periods where communities, cities, counties and countries were powerfully affected, walked under the influence of God’s presence. The 1949 Hebrides revival continued to have ongoing impact for many subsequent decades, lasting from youth to old age.

Nations such as Britain and America have encountered more widespread revivals than any other country. Such was the powerful change in many communities that crime descended to an incredible low rate – if any was committed at all! But the reverse effects of the dwindling years have been lamentable; areas where God’s Spirit made His abode are either now fast bound in dead religion, acute spiritual apathy or atheism.

Having lived only ten minutes walking distance from where the 1904 Welsh revival broke out, and listening to relatives whose parents and grandparents lived in that period – of the glorious encounters of God – in comparison to the present day, one would find it very difficult to believe that such a phenomena occurred; one is left to wonder whether such harmonious communities actually did exist. Yet, many hold on to and boast of such spiritual heritage that is no different from saying, “We have Abraham as our father.” It matters not what took place over one hundred years ago; yesterday’s blessings do not justify a present generation.

In the late 1990’s, I vividly remember discussing my concerns with a godly elderly man who lived among a generation that knew the Lord and saw the works of the Lord. He was once a missionary to the Congo, where C.T. Studd himself worked, and witnessed God move powerfully among the tribes. His reply was the above Scripture: “The problem is that another generation has arisen that doesn’t know the Lord or his works…” I often wonder what such men think; how their hearts must ache when living amongst times where people are in blatant denial of God. How is it that such callousness and coldness pervades our society today? One can hardly hear the echoes of bygone days of God’s glory among men, women and children. There is no easy answer to this, and most of us are so used to spewing out clichéd responses that carry no weight whatsoever. It takes more than just mere thought; answering that question will entail an agony and grief over what has been lost, and only then can we seriously begin to provide words of a nature that worthily suffices.

It is true that a nation (or individual) visited and awakened by the power of God can become so equally corrupt and worse off than before (Luke 11:24-26), and whose judgement shall be more severe having tasted and wasted the goodness of the Lord (Hebrews 6:4-8; 10:26-27).

When genuine revival takes place, souls transcend morality; a righteousness emerges that exceeds that of the Pharisees – a heart that stands acceptable in the sight of God. The cause of a backslidden nation or individual begins when a slight departing of fervent love and devotion to God occurs, in turn leaning upon morality that salves the conscience and deceives the heart. Is it not the pattern that slowly but surely takes place after most revivals? The influence, the fire, and the heat cools down as each generation is birthed. A nation may live off of the spiritual prosperity of a past generation for so many years that may grant success in its politics, economy, education and discovery, only to find itself spiritually bankrupt in decades to come. A.W. Tozer is so right when he observed the fact that, “A generation that knows only what God said will be followed by a generation that doesn’t believe what God said.” Indeed, we are witnessing that fulfilment today.

Our churches and bible colleges have never been so theologically informing; our knowledge about God is astounding, while our personal and experiential knowledge of Him is devastating.

Morality will never save a generation but only the living and life changing presence of God, and a people who know Him. Mere morality is no different than man attempting to build Babel’s Tower; it is civilisation striving to improve itself independently of God. The inevitable results will always be confusion and war.

We certainly live in a generation where human reason is ‘exalted’ above God’s. His works are almost forgotten, even the history of revivals are questioned, mocked and brought into disrepute. God has become (in the eyes of the blind) totally irrelevant to our era, especially among the youth, but man in his pomp and arrogant ‘ingenuity’ has lifted himself up only to be once again brought low by God. The first two world wars certainly had a temporary effect on humanity’s conceit, but like “The dog returns to its own vomit, and the sow, after washing herself, returns to wallow in the mire” we see a proud and degenerative generation that boasts in its liberalism which in essence is nothing more than lawlessness. We not only see it politically; we see it ecclesiastically (in the Church) and many who are convinced they are performing a good cause for God are so far from carrying out the will of God, only to eventually hear, “Depart from Me, I never knew you.”

Yes, we are comfortable, content, affluent, proud of our achievements and the majority of westernised Christianity, anaesthetised by the society within which it exists, joins in its boast. One message that is desperately in need of being heard today, more than ever in the Church, is Revelation 3:17-18: “For you say, I am rich, I have prospered, and I need nothing, not realising that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see.”