Let's look at the revivals prophesied by Hosea, Joel and Amos.
1) Hoseah’s Revival
How is repairing a broken marriage like a spiritual revival?
How can God love an unfaithful nation and Jesus love such a sinful Church? Hosea’s story of adultery, divorce and remarriage is heartwarming. Marriage to “a wife of harlotry” (Hosea 1:2 NASB) is like God’s covenant relationships with both the old covenant church, Israel and the new covenant church, like 5 of the 7 churches in Revelation 2-3. Is Jesus’ greatest desire to “speak kindly to” an unfaithful church (Hosea 2:14-15 NASB) and to sanctify and cleanse her by the washing of water by the word (Ephesians 5:26-27; 1 John 1:5-9)? To see ourselves as a holy people only because our sins are paid is part of the metaphor (1 Corinthians 6:20; 7:23; 1 Corinthians 6:19-20). Understand the cost that Hosea paid to free his wife from slavery; it was his last penny, having to supplement the 30 shekel slave price with produce (Hosea 3:1-2). God’s Son paid all He had for us too, His life. Mercy is pictured in the rocky marriage of Hosea and Gomer, a story picturing God’s love for His covenant people, and how “they shall revive as the corn” (Hosea 14:7 KJV).
Rejoice, lover of God, Jesus paid the price and revival is here for those who are willing.
2) Joel’s Revival
How is a plague like an early sign that revival is going to happen?
Joel prophesies a locust plague which pictures a military invasion, as punishment for the sins of the people. And the whole thing is called the “day of the Lord” (Joel 1:15; 2:1, 11, 31; 3:14). Repentance is called for (Joel 2:12-13). And a great promise is made. Revival comes in the form of God’s Holy Spirit being poured out on “all flesh” (Joel 2:28) and the last enemies of humanity being destroyed in the “valley of decision.” (Joel 3:14)
Rejoice, lovers of God, for after punishment, come repentance and revival.
3) Amos’ Revival
How does true revival include the poor and needy?
Amos emphasizes a different aspect of righteous living, which was there all along, but perhaps forgotten. Focuses in many prophecies have been on faithfulness to God, but cutting ourselves off from the needy to selfishly focus on prayer, is also morally wrong, “They sell honorable people for silver and poor people for a pair of sandals. They trample helpless people in the dust and shove the oppressed out of the way.” (Amos 2:6-7 NLT) On that topic the prophet does not mince words, “Listen to me, you fat cows living in Samaria, you women who oppress the poor and crush the needy…” (Amos 4:1-2 NLT) The religious things that people do in worship of false gods cannot make up for hardheartedness towards the poor, so God indicts them, “How you hate honest judges! How you despise people who tell the truth! You trample the poor, stealing their grain through taxes and unfair rent.” (Amos 5:10-11 NLT) Oppressed, the poor have a defender in God: “Listen to this, you who rob the poor and trample down the needy! You can’t wait for the Sabbath day to be over and the religious festivals to end so you can get back to cheating the helpless. You measure out grain with dishonest measures and cheat the buyer with dishonest scales. And you mix the grain you sell with chaff swept from the floor.” (Amos 8:4-6 NLT) Poor for having oppressed the poor, Israel will eventually be restored, “and they will rebuild their ruined cities and live in them again” (Amos 9:14 NLT), and they will have learned that revival that is not shared with the needy is not revival at all.
Rejoice, lovers of God, because revival includes the poor and needy.
Revival from spiritual death will come to the bride of the Lamb, and will bring punishment to those who need to repent, and joy to the oppressed poor and needy.
