ZION IN NIGERIA
(mr 03/03/18)
OLUBI JOHNSON
PREACHED SUNDAY 04/03/2018 

PART 1

Isaiah 18:1-2 NKJV: Woe to the land shadowed with buzzing wings, Which is beyond the rivers of Ethiopia,  (2) Which sends ambassadors by sea, Even in vessels of reed on the waters, saying, “Go, swift messengers, to a nation tall and smooth of skin, To a people terrible from their beginning onward, A nation powerful and treading down, Whose land the rivers divide.”

Isaiah 18:7 NKJV: In that time a present will be brought to the LORD of hosts From a people tall and smooth of skin, And from a people terrible from their beginning onward, A nation powerful and treading down, Whose land the rivers divide— To the place of the name of the LORD of hosts, To Mount Zion.

Zephaniah 3:10-14 NKJV: From beyond the rivers of Ethiopia My worshipers, the daughter of My dispersed ones, Shall bring My offering.  (11) In that day you shall not be shamed for any of your deeds In which you transgress against Me; For then I will take away from your midst Those who rejoice in your pride, And you shall no longer be haughty In My holy mountain.  (12) I will leave in your midst a meek and humble people, and they shall trust in the name of the LORD. (13) The remnant of Israel shall do no unrighteousness and speak no lies, nor shall a deceitful tongue be found in their mouth; for they shall feed their flocks and lie down, And no one shall make them afraid.”  (14) Sing, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O Israel! Be glad and rejoice with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem!

These scriptures speak prophetically of a spiritual people: tall and of smooth skin—symbolically speaking of great spiritual stature and smooth or pure character that will be living in a physical nation beyond the rivers of Ethiopia that will be divided by rivers.

We can see the ‘tall stature’ and ‘smooth skin’ symbolizing the perfect church in

Ephesians 4:12-13 KJV: For the perfecting of the saints, for the work of the ministry, for the edifying of the body of Christ:  (13) Till we all come in the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, unto a perfect man, unto the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ:

Ephesians 5:27 KJV: That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

Also, we can see that this church will be a powerful, militant church that will overcome all its enemies. This is shown symbolically in

Joel 2:2-3 NKJV: A day of darkness and gloominess, A day of clouds and thick darkness, Like the morning clouds spread over the mountains. A people come, great and strong, the like of whom has never been; Nor will there ever be any such after them, Even for many successive generations.  (3) A fire devours before them, And behind them a flame burns; The land is like the Garden of Eden before them, And behind them a desolate wilderness; Surely nothing shall escape them.

Only Nigeria and the church of Jesus Christ in her that is growing into the perfection and fulness of Christ: spiritual Zion fit this unique prophetic description.

The rivers Niger and Benue divide Nigeria.

The church in Nigeria that is growing into the perfection and fulness of Christ is symbolically called Zion and spiritual Israel—the seed of Abraham through the Lord Jesus:

Psalms 50:2 NKJV: Out of Zion, the perfection of beauty, God will shine forth.

Galatians: 3:29 AMP: And if you belong to Christ [are in Him Who is Abraham’s Seed], then you are Abraham’s offspring and [spiritual] heirs according to promise.

Galatians 6:15-16 KJV:  For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision availeth any thing, nor uncircumcision, but a new creature. (16)  And as many as walk according to this rule, peace be on them, and mercy, and upon the Israel of God.

This Zion church in Nigeria will be the first of the firstfruits of the bride of Christ as shown in

Song 1:5-6 KJV:  I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon. (6)  Look not upon me, because I am black, because I am darkened by the sun. My mother’s sons were angry with me and made me take care of the vineyards; my own vineyard I had to neglect.

A word of warning must be sounded here. The manifestation of the first of the firstfruits company from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia could become a stumbling block to the rest of the Body of Christ. In the Song of Solomon, the scripture typifies the love relationship between the Lord Jesus Christ and His Church, but especially, the bride of Christ, the perfect Zion Church contained therein in the first six verses are words that will give vital prophetic insight into the nature of the relationship between Christ and His perfect Church.

Song 1:1-2 KJV: The song of songs, which is Solomon’s. Let him kiss me with a kisses of his mouth: for thy love is better than wine.

Now, prophetically speaking, is the time for the individual saints in the Church to come into a place of intimacy with the Lord Jesus (Ps. 2:12) that He may know you and reproduce Himself in you until Christ is formed in you and then birthed (Gal.4: 19; Luke 1:35).

Song 1:3 KJV: Because of the savour of thy good ointments thy name is as ointment poured forth, therefore do the virgins love thee.

The name of the Lord means the same thing as His character (Exodus 34:5-7) and this is poured forth as the anointing which comes from the Head, poured out upon the Church flowing out as the life of God (Ps. 133). As His name, or character is poured forth, those who are wise virgins (Matt. 25) in the Church will be attracted to the beauty of the holiness of the Lord and will therefore love Him (or, obey His commandments, 1 John 5:3).

Song 1:4 KJV: Draw me, we will run after thee: the king hath brought me into his chambers: we will be glad and rejoice in thee, we will remember thy love more than wine: the upright love thee.

As the fragrance of the Lord’s character draws the wise virgins’ attention, they too will begin to run after Him and seek intimacy and fellowship with the Lord until that seeking culminates in the Lord bringing these virgins, or, firstfruits company, into His private chambers, or the Most Holy Place, where intimacy is the order and perfection is attained and manifested.

This attainment of intimacy will bring forth a rejoicing in this firstfruits company. They will be glad and rejoice because now, the marriage supper of the Lamb has come for `His bride’ that has made herself ready (Revelation 19:7);

Song 1:5 KJV: I am black, but comely, O ye daughters of Jerusalem, as the tents of Kedar, as the curtains of Solomon.

The reason why this first of the firstfruits company is black is because they come from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia, or, tropical, Africa. The black race received the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ last (in the missionary movements from Europe of the 1700-1900’s: the Ethiopian Eunuch of Acts 8 received Christ as an individual but the gospel received then did not lead to a widespread evangelical and discipleship movement beyond the rivers of Ethiopia); but God has ordained that they will be the first to finish the course in perfection;

Matthew 20:16 KJV: So the last shall be first, and the first last:

1 Corinthians 1:27-29 KJV: But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise: and God hath chosen the weak things of  the world to confound the things which are mighty: (28) And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are: (29) That no flesh should be glory in his presence.

God Himself had decided in His sovereignty to bring the first of the firstfruits of perfection to Himself from the black race to show forth His righteousness to all races, so that no particular race or nation would have cause to boast in His presence for all have attained their greatness by the mercy and sovereign grace of God.

Romans 11:29-32 KJV: For the gifts and calling of God are without repentance. (30)  For as ye in times past have not believed God, yet have now obtained mercy through their unbelief: (31)  Even so have these also now not believed, that through your mercy they also may obtain mercy. (32)  For God hath concluded them all in unbelief, that he might have mercy upon all.

This, therefore, is purely the divine destiny and purpose of the black race that is being fulfilled in this third day by divine sovereignty and mercy.