SAVING NIGERIA
(week 10/13)
OLUBI JOHNSON
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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.
Now because Nigeria and the church in her have this destiny Satan has attacked Nigeria from its political birth in 1960 with bad leadership and legendary, demonically inspired and empowered corruption to try to destroy the nation.
This is similar to what Satan did when he tried to kill both Moses (Ex. 1-2) and the Lord Jesus (Mt. 2:16-18) when they were born because of their strategic prophetic destinies for the saving of Israel and humanity.
However, just like God saved and preserved both Moses and the Lord Jesus to ultimately fulfill their destines in spite of very unfavourable circumstances (banishment for Moses from Egypt because of murder; military occupation and oppression of Israel by Rome for the Lord Jesus), God is saving and preserving Nigeria so the church in her can grow into perfection and fulness and fulfill her destiny as the first of the first fruits (Ex.23:19) of the perfect church in the earth that will ultimately break, rule and disciple both the church and all nations and so close this age (Mt. 24:14).
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.
So how is God going to save Nigeria at this time of terrible corruption and insecurity that is threatening to destroy the nation?
By destroying selfish and corrupt leaders both spiritual (in the Church) and in the nation and replacing them with righteous leaders.
Job 34:20-30 NIV: They die in an instant, in the middle of the night; the people are shaken and they pass away; the mighty are removed without human hand. (21) “His eyes are on the ways of men; he sees their every step. (22) There is no dark place, no deep shadow, where evildoers can hide. (23) God has no need to examine men further, that they should come before him for judgment. (24) Without inquiry he shatters the mighty and sets up others in their place. (25) Because he takes note of their deeds, he overthrows them in the night and they are crushed. (26) He punishes them for their wickedness where everyone can see them, (27) because they turned from following him and had no regard for any of his ways. (28) They caused the cry of the poor to come before him, so that he heard the cry of the needy. (29) But if he remains silent, who can condemn him? If he hides his face, who can see him? Yet he is over man and nation alike, (30) to keep a godless man from ruling, from laying snares for the people.
Psalms 144:11-15 KJV: Rid me, and deliver me from the hand of strange children, whose mouth speaketh vanity, and their right hand [is] a right hand of falsehood: (12) That our sons [may be] as plants grown up in their youth; [that] our daughters [may be] as corner stones, polished [after] the similitude of a palace: (13) That our garners may be full, affording all manner of store: that our sheep may bring forth thousands and ten thousands in our streets: (14) That our oxen may be strong to labour; that there be no breaking in, nor going out; that there be no complaining in our streets. (15) Happy is that people, that is in such a case: yea, happy is that people, whose God is the LORD.
This divine intervention that will change the leadership of the Church in Nigeria and the nation is imminent: from this year 2013: year of recompense and rest; and onwards.
