REVIVAL TALK

Exodus 40:38 – “For the cloud of the Lord  was  above the tabernacle by day, and fire was over it by night, in the sight of all the house of Israel, throughout all their journeys. I was privileged recently to travel to Denver, Colorado.   It is called the “Mile High City.” This is because at one point it measures 5,280 feet above sea level.   Our hotel had a beautiful view of the Rocky Mountains. The higher elevations were tipped with snow and the clouds were positioned just at the summit of the mountain. As I looked out over the mountains the beautiful afternoon clouds reminded me of the cloud of Gods presence that led the children of Israel in the wilderness. Exodus 13:21 reads, “And the Lord went before them by day in a pillar of cloud to lead the way, and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light, so as to go by day and night.” It was a cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night. We know this cloud to be the glory of God. When the cloud would move from the Taber

Psalms 78:9 – “ “The children of Ephraim, being armed, and carrying bows, turned back in the day of battle.”             Ephraim was the younger of two sons of Joseph.   His first born was Manasseh.   It was Ephraim that received the blessing of Jacob.   The tribe of Ephraim became the largest of the ten northern tribes of Israel.   Many times the Bible used the name Ephraim to represent the whole nation of Israel.             In verse 9 they are armed and carrying bows.   They are dressed, equipped, and ready to battle.   Yet we learn that they turned back in the day of battle.   The Bible identifies this as sin.   To turn back in the day of battle was displeasing to God.               To be armed meant that they were equipped with armor, a sword, and a shield.   The Apostle Paul writes in Ephesians 6:11 to instruct us to put on the whole armor of God.   Like the children of Ephraim, we are equipped for battle. The following scriptures reveal where we are to engage the e

II Kings 13:15-19 – “ 15  And Elisha said to him, “Take a bow and some arrows.” So he took himself a bow and some arrows.   Then he said to the king of Israel, “Put your hand on the bow.” So he put his hand  on it,  and Elisha put his hands on the king’s hands.    And he said, “Open the east window”; and he opened  it.  Then Elisha said, “Shoot”; and he shot. And he said, “The arrow of the Lord’s deliverance and the arrow of deliverance from Syria; for you must strike the Syrians at Aphek till you have destroyed  them. ”    Then he said, “Take the arrows”; so he took  them.  And he said to the king of Israel, “Strike the ground”; so he struck three times, and stopped.    And the man of God was angry with him, and said, “You should have struck five or six times; then you would have struck Syria till you had destroyed  it!  But now you will strike Syria  only  three times.”             In this passage of scripture, the Prophet Elisha is close to death.   2 Kings 13:14 reads, “Elisha