BUILDING UP ZION FROM BEYOND THE RIVERS OF ETHIOPIA
(week 04/16)
OLUBI JOHNSON
2016 has been declared to be a year of Jubilee during which there will be a manifestation of the glory of God by the power of the Spirit without measure which has been released (at the synchronization of the blood moon and feast of Tabernacles in September 2015) but not yet manifested (like it was with the Lord Jesus at John’s baptism (Jn.1.31-33) but manifested at Cana (Jn.2.11)).
For the glory to be made manifest, Zion must be built up to a threshold level by the Word and the power of the Spirit without measure that has been released BUT NOT manifested:
Psalms 102:13 KJV: Thou shalt arise, and have mercy upon Zion: for the time to favour her, yea, the set time, is come.
Psalms 102:16 KJV: When the LORD shall build up Zion, he shall appear in his glory.
Acts 20:32 KJV: And now, brethren, I commend you to God, and to the word of his grace, which is able to build you up, and to give you an inheritance among all them, which are sanctified.
Observe that the purpose of the building up is to give us an inheritance: the manifestation of the power of the Spirit without measure.
Jude 1:20 KJV: But you, beloved, build yourselves up [founded] on your most holy faith [make progress, rise like an edifice higher and higher], praying in the Holy Spirit;
As we write this, building up has started and is being pioneered from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia in the land the rivers divide: Nigeria according to the prophetic scriptures:
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.
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 fits 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.
Why is the pioneering from beyond the rivers of Ethiopia?
It is instructive to note that the perfect church will not be in Nigeria alone: it will just be pioneered in Nigeria and then spread to all nations. This is similar to the fact the birth of the church was pioneered in Israel and later spread to all nations (Acts. 1:8); and the reformation of the church was pioneered in Germany in 1517 by Martin Luther and later spread to all nations.
The purposes of God in the 3 prophetic days (3 1000-year periods (2 Pet.3.8)) of the church were pioneered and now are being pioneered by the descendants of the 3 sons of Noah: Shem, Japheth and Ham (Gen.10.1).
1. The birth of the church in Jerusalem by Israel (the sons of Shem).
2. The reformation of the Church in Germany by Martin Luther (the sons of Japheth).
3. The perfection of the Church in Nigeria (the sons of Ham).
We see the characteristics of this perfect church in:
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!
The 3 major characteristics are:
1. A meek and lowly heart (verse 12): giving access to great grace and wisdom (1 Pet.5.5 and Pr. 11.2).
2. Tongue tamed (no lies or deceit—verse13) by the power of Holy Spirit so enabling perfection (Jas.3.2).
3. No fear (none shall make them afraid—verse 13) because perfect love casteth out fear (1 Jn.4.18).
So, as we continue to build up ourselves by the blood (Heb.13.20-21), Word (1 Jn.2.5) and the Spirit (1 Jn.4.12-13) with a meek and lowly heart so taming the tongue and perfecting the love of God the glory of God will soon be manifest!
