Sponsor |  usmjam | Nov 21, 2007 9:46am | This thread is to discuss the term "revival" as something separate and quite distinct from Reformation. The latter is on ongoing and necessary process, as we agree in that thread.
Please share what you believe the word "Revival" means and what the bible teaches us about it.
How has it manifested itself in history? Very specifically, what were the characteristics of and the results from the Welsh Revivals of 1859 & 1904, the Irish Revival of 1859, and the revivals of the 18th century in England? Were there any spiritually negative or questionable aspects to them?
How are those type of "revivals" seen nowadays? Is it proper, i.e. biblical? Where is the revival movement going in the presentday church? |
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|  eat | Nov 22, 2007 2:22am | "Is 'revival' biblical?" Certainly.
"History?" Is often construed to fit our biases.
In addition to the Welsh Revivals, another interesting part of the history of revivals is the period in America between about 1960 and 2000. Notable figures: Billy Graham, Barry Goldwater, Ralph Reed, James Dobson, Carman (the singer). All incorporated elements highly associated with 'revival' into their respective messages.
For a more detached view of American revivals, one may be interested in googling "First Great Awakening", "John Edwards revival", and/or "Second Great Awakening".
"Needed?" Seemingly rhetorical question.
"Where is the revival movement going in the presentday church?"
I wouldn't say revival is something with an easily definable location among the Christian community. American Christians are highly decentralized, so 'revival' (which I take to be a time period of high rates and spread of conversion in a particular group to a similar element of belief) tends to be decentralized as well. Christian language patterns are also quite unstructured. Who's to say a revival isn't going on here? Or at a refreshingly Spirit-filled Bible study down the street? Couch things in the right phraseology and group psychology, and voila. There's a revival!
Whether something is a revival is between the one making the decision for themselves and God, which, presumably, they invoke for guidance in their interpretation of relevant verses of the Bible. |
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Sponsor | | lesoldham | Nov 23, 2007 5:06am | 2)"Is 'revival' biblical?" Certainly.
How so? The word "revival" does not occur in the Bible. |
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|  mskee | Nov 23, 2007 7:32am | | ....nor does the word trinity. |
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|  |  438731 | Nov 23, 2007 9:21am | | 4 - Wow. I never knew that. You learn something new every day. Thanks. |
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Sponsor | | usmjam | Nov 23, 2007 10:15am | The word revive is found only in the Old Testament. Much like the Spirit of God coming upon and leaving an individual occurs only on the OT. Thats because the Holy Spirit had not yet come.
After the Cross & Resurrection came Pentecost. As a result we are permanently indwelt and made spiritually alive forever upon salvation. We do not die again spiritually if we are truly saved. Therefore there is no need for reviving that which cannot die.
The Old Testament references in the KJV to reviving are:
Nehemiah 4:2 And he spake before his brethren and the army of Samaria, and said, What do these feeble Jews? will they fortify themselves? will they sacrifice? will they make an end in a day? will they revive the stones out of the heaps of the rubbish which are burned?
Psalms 85:6 Wilt thou not revive us again: that thy people may rejoice in thee?
Psalms 138:7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: thou shalt stretch forth thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and thy right hand shall save me.
Isaiah 57:15 For thus saith the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy; I dwell in the high and holy place, with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirit, to revive the spirit of the humble, and to revive the heart of the contrite ones.
Hosea 6:2 After two days will he revive us: in the third day he will raise us up, and we shall live in his sight.
Hosea 14:7 They that dwell under his shadow shall return; they shall revive as the corn, and grow as the vine: the scent thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon.
Habakkuk 3:2 O LORD, I have heard thy speech, and was afraid: O LORD, revive thy work in the midst of the years, in the midst of the years make known; in wrath remember mercy.
The present day idea of Revival is very different from Reformation. The latter is very biblical even if the word is not used. Much like how the concept of the trinity also is biblical. Revival however may be more of an experiential and even mystical current day concoction that smacks too much of charismaticism. Just read the details of the "revivals" of recent history as well as their aftermath. |
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| | fireforchrist | Nov 23, 2007 12:53pm | | Revival today is usually just a bunch of hype in my opinion. Like the "huge revival" that happened in Argentina I went there and asked about it and they said "What revival?" |
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Sponsor | | lesoldham | Nov 24, 2007 6:13am | | Revivals as we see them today ought not to be as they are too like the time of the Judges of Israel or the Kings of Judah. We have times of disregarding God and times when a great leader or group of leaders draw us back again to God. Then the cycle repeats. |
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| | eat | Nov 26, 2007 8:39pm | 3. If such literalism is being applied to the concept of "revival", then I see no reason why it shouldn't be more regularly used throughout all analysis the Bible. While such close readings are logically taut, their tight tying to the words of scripture can sometimes be a disadvantage. Extrabiblical sources of information can sometimes easily snip the thick rope of semantically rigorous Bible analysis.
In saying that the word "revival" doesn't occur anywhere in the Bible, you're almost certainly correct. However, the concept of revival seems to be prominent in the life of Jesus. He could have fomented change in Judaism by adhering strictly to the Biblical law of his time (the Pentateuch), but his approach seems to have been slightly less based on that close reading of scripture than on experientalism. That experientialism could be associated with the miracles of Jesus as outlined in the Synoptic Gospels. His exchanges with the Pharisees and Sadducees incorporated both allusions to Old Testament scripture (reformist) and significantly more florid extensions of that bland type of scripturalism (revivalist). Indeed many inside and outside Christianity would consider Jesus's approach more charismatic and mystical than not.
In other words, Jesus was not only a reformer; he was also a reviver. Thus revival is Biblical.
Many in the Catholic Church consider Luther to have been quite errant in his deviation from their doctrine. While he was one of several leaders of The Reformation, many Catholics would view him with similar disdain as has been expressed in this thread for those who lead revivals.
Moral judgment aside, how different are those who frown on revival from those Catholics, Pharisees and Sadducees? |
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Sponsor | | lesoldham | Nov 27, 2007 5:46am | | 9. Thanks for that clarification. As I suggest in post 8 the constant need for revival seems to indicate that somehow we just are not "getting it." |
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| Is "Revival" biblical? History? Needed? | 11-15>| | | |
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