Let's look at revival after abuse, revival of our enemies, and rebirth of a nation.
1) Obadiah’s Revival
Is revival also about restoring what was lost?
Obadiah is about those who mistreat a brother, and God’s blessing on His people who dwell faithfully in spiritual Zion. Is the following a warning to any Christian who mistreats a brother, “For violence against your brother Jacob, Shame shall cover you, And you shall be cut off forever” (Obadiah 1:10 NKJV)? About the land of Israel lived Edom, descended from Esau, a brother nation of the same race. An indictment of a brother’s sins begins with the words “You should not have ...” (vs. 12, 13, 14) as they rejoiced over Judah’s destruction, distress, affliction and calamity. Abusive behavior is common in the world, within families and sadly sometimes within the Church. Brother may abuse brother, but God will eventually revive the faithful who worship on His holy mountain, “on Mount Zion there shall be deliverance.” (Obadiah 1:17 NKJV)
Rejoice, lovers of God, because though you may be abused even by a brother, God will eventually revive all that you have lost.
2) Jonah’s Revival
Will revival among our enemies sometimes put us to shame?
Jonah was a reluctant prophet, probably not wanting to preach repentance to an enemy nation that could be later used to punish Israel, so at first he ran away. Warned even by Jonah’s cryptic prophecy, “Forty more days and Nineveh will be overthrown” (Jonah 3:4 NIV), the Assyrians did something that set a better example than Israel. Nineveh fasted and “turned from their evil ways.” (Jonah 3:10 NIV). And so God relented and did not bring on them His threatened destruction. They repented, but Jonah was angry. Repented and blessed by God, even an enemy can experience revival.
Rejoice, lovers of God, that revival is not a respecter of persons, but is available even to our enemies.
3) Micah’s Revival
Is revival like a rebirth?
Micah’s prediction is the downfall of Israel, “Therefore I will make Samaria a heap of rubble, a place for planting vineyards. I will pour her stones into the valley and lay bare her foundations.” (Micah 1:6 NIV) Prophecy is not popular among those who live in denial because they say, “Do not prophesy about these things; disgrace will not overtake us.” (Micah 2:6 NIV) Is true revival possible? Hope rests in a future kingdom, “In the last days the mountain of the Lord’s temple will be established as the highest of the mountains; it will be exalted above the hills, and peoples will stream to it. Many nations will come and say, ‘Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, to the temple of the God of Jacob. He will teach us his ways, so that we may walk in his paths.’ The law will go out from Zion, the word of the Lord from Jerusalem.” (Micah 4:1-2 NIV) Of a future king, Micah prophesies, “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.” (Micah 5:2 NIV) Revival will come because God “pardons sin and forgives the transgression” (Micah 7:18 NIV).
Rejoice, lovers of God, because revival means “you He made alive, who were dead in trespasses and sins.” (Ephesians 2:1 NKJV) Rejoice because there is revival after abuse, revival of our enemies, and even rebirth of a fallen nation.
