END TIME REVIVAL-IS IT SCRIPTURAL OR NOT Sir William Robertson Nicoll once wrote "When all things seem becalmed, when no breath stirs the air, when the sea is like lead and the sky is low and gray, when all worship seems to have ended but the worship of matter, then it is that the Spirit of God is poured out upon the Church, then it is that the Christianity of the apostles and martyrs, not that of the philosophers and liberals, keeps rising...from the catacombs of oblivion, and appears young and fresh in the midst of the obsolete things of yesterday and the day before." INTRODUCTION Most of the ministry of the United Pentecostal Church has long held and preached the belief that God would bring a great revival in the last days and consequently are looking for this revival. Whether it is called End Time Revival, the Latter Rain Revival, or the Great Outpouring, the ministry has preached that a great awakening would take place shortly before the Rapture of the church or the Second Coming of Christ. The belief in End Time Revival is based primarily upon the inter-pretation of scriptures such as Jeremiah 5:24, Hosea 6:3, and Joel 2:23. These scriptures declare that "...he (God) hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain..." (Joel 2:23). The general interpretation of this scripture has been that the former rain of revival began on the day of Pentecost as recorded in Acts 2 and lasted for several decades until the introduction of heresies into the church, a cooling of revival ardor, and an introduction of formalized dogma and creeds brought an end to it. The Church and the world then went through the Dark Ages and into the Reformation. The generally accepted feeling is that the Twentieth Century meets the criteria of the "last days" and that specifically the close of the Twentieth Century will bring the latter rain of revival similar to what happened at the birth of the church. When asked what End Time Revival really means and what one should expect, many of the ministers of the U.P.C. feel that this revival will be of greater impact and numerical growth than what happened in Acts 2 at Pentecost where thousands were converted in one location in one day. Furthermore, the event in Acts shook entire cities and na-tions and all heard about Jesus Christ. Apparently anything less than massive, sweeping moves of the Spirit is not End Time Revival. What will bring about this revival is generally not taught or is not clear. But the expectation is clearly that the End Time Revival will shake the world. Contrasted with the expectation of revival are the scriptures that in the last days before the coming of the Lord there will be a great falling away (II Thessalonians 2:3). Furthermore, Paul wrote in I Timothy 3:13 that "evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse." Jesus spoke in Matthew 24 that "the love of many shall wax cold" and "except those days should be shortened, there should no flesh be saved." Finally, Matthew 7:14 declares that because "strait is the gate and narrow is the way that leads to life" there will be few that find it. Which is the correct viewpoint? Can there be simultaneous revival and a falling away? Did God really promise End Time Revival? This paper will address the following questions and offer tentative conclu-sions: 1. What is God's eternal purpose toward mankind? 2. What is God's ultimate revelation of Himself? 3. Is revival conditional? 4. What are the Former and Latter rains? 5. What are our expectations of revival and could they be in error? 6. What about the "Great Falling Away"? GOD'S ETERNAL PURPOSE TOWARD MAN In order to begin answering the End Time Revival questions, we must first ask "What is God's purpose toward mankind?" The entire Bible is a revelation of God's eternal purpose toward mankind. It also reveals the attributes of God's grace and His nature. Mankind was created to fear God and keep his commandments (Eccle-siastes 12:13), but was made lower that the angels (Hebrews 2:7). Specifically, mankind is bound by flesh. But God did provide man with the freedom to choose. This free will is the key difference between angels and man. But freedom to choose right means freedom to choose wrong. And when mankind failed in the Garden of Eden, God first re-vealed his ultimate intention toward man. He was going to bring re-demption to fallen men who desired it and while God "did not spare the angels that sinned, but cast them down" (II Peter 2:4), He had already foreordained from the foundation of the world to bring salvation to humanity (II Peter 1:20). This was fulfilled in the manifestation of Jesus Christ, who was to be the propitiation for the sins of the whole world (I John 2:2). Through Jesus Christ, salvation was offered to all men everywhere to all who believe. No one was excluded. No one was predestinated to die lost. God made salvation available but it is up to the individual to believe and accept it (John 3:16). Other Scriptures show that God wants to bring salvation to all. (II Peter 3:9; James 5-7; Romans 10:9; Acts 2:21; Romans 10:12-13). His mercy is everlasting and His truth endureth to all generations (Psalms 100:5). So, what is "revival"? According to Websters, revival is defined as 1. restoration to use, acceptance, activity, or vigor after obscurity or quiescence." From the stand point of the church, it is not just a series of services or meetings. It is not confined to a unique time period or generation. It is not limited to a certain number of persons nor does it require a certain number to be called revival. It is not confined to a particular race nor nationality. But it always involves certain elements. It requires : (1) those who were dead unto sin becoming alive unto God (2) it always requires faith in God (Hebrews 11:6). Consequently, revival is always in the will of God. It is His eternal purpose to bring a Bride into heirship with Him (James 2:5, Titus 3:7) and since He has no respect of persons (Romans 2:11; Ephesians 6:9), salvation and revival are available to all (Titus 2:11). So in the broad sense, End Time Revival is scriptural because all revival which turns men to God is scriptural. Paul taught the Galatians in Chapter 4 that the saints were sons of God and as such were the children of promise. Therefore, they could rightfully expect the promises of God to be for them as long as they were obedient to the Father's will. He then makes a very unusual statement. "...Rejoice, thou barren that bearest not; break forth and cry, thou that travailest not: for the desolate hath many more chil-dren than she which hath a husband" (Galatians 4:27). The barren woman had nothing to rejoice about. She was desolate. She was under a curse. She had nothing to look forward to in her old age. She was under a reproach and was mocked by her peers. The barren woman had grief and anguish of spirit. She had no reason to rejoice. Yet Paul said rejoice. This passage is actually a quote for from Isaiah 54:1. Verse 2 tells the barren woman to enlarge her living quarters to contain the children that are to be hers. Verse 4 tells her that her shame and reproach have been removed. Verse 13 promises that there shall be children and they shall be "taught of the Lord." The whole chapter is promises made to a "barren woman." But this is not just any woman. This particular barren woman has the Lord of hosts for a husband. The New Testament Church is called the Bride of Christ. In ancient Jewish society the only legal difference between a wife.... ....perhaps only mankind that sets up artificial barriers and limits revival to defined periods. GOD'S ULTIMATE REVEALING IS HIS SPIRIT If revival is God's ultimate, eternal purpose, then through what mechanism will God bring revival? God has revealed the answers in John 4:24 which states that "God is a Spirit, and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and truth." Here in this one verse, God declares the ultimate criterion and mechanism by which men must approach Him. God's purpose was to receive Spirit worship. However, after the Fall, mankind had no distinctive and "approved" methods of worship until God began to reveal what was considered an "acceptable sacrifice." The first revealing was in Abel's blood sacrifice in Genesis 4. Then through Abraham's descend-ants was revealed the Law and the wilderness tabernacle plan. The tabernacle was a type and shadow of the things that were going to come. Although the tabernacle was a magnificent display of worship, it lacked the power to change the hearts of men. Mankind's hearts remained hardened to His spirit. Fortunately, God promised to change hearts. He declared he would change the "heart of stone for a heart of flesh." This promise is given in several Scriptures and is given as a command, "Circumcise therefore the fore-skin of your heart, and be no more stiffnecked" (Deuteronomy 10:16). "A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you a heart of flesh" (Ezekiel 36:26). Whereas the actual tabernacle was limited to Israel, God ordained that His spirit would be available to all people. Joel 2:28 declares "And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh." This promise was fulfilled in Acts 2 on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Ghost fell upon those in the Upper Room. Peter specifically links this event in Acts 2 with Joel's prophecy in Joel 2:28. Once the Holy Ghost was given, men were able to worship God fully in spirit and truth. The giving of His spirit is God's highest revelation of Himself to mankind. The Bible does not declare another gospel or doctrine after the giving of the Holy Ghost (Galatians 1:7-8). Although the Lord will apparently preside bodily during the Millennial period which will be a unique presentation of himself, it is still God's intention for mankind to be saved through His Spirit. Consequently in a discussion of End Time Revival, upon what scriptural basis can we conclude that revival is confined to only those who receive the Holy Ghost before the Rapture? If the Holy Ghost is God's highest revealing of Himself, what about the Tribulation saints? If anyone reads the Bible during the Tribulation how would they conclude that there is anything different than what is available today? Our strict adherence to dispensational thinking, which ends the Dispensation of Grace with the Rapture, does not provide a satisfactory answer to how the tribulation saints are saved. If the Holy Ghost is God's ultimate revelation of Himself, will God go back to a lesser covenant or revelation during the Tribulation? If He does not, then is it possible that the Tribulation saints could also be part of End Time Revival? IS REVIVAL CONDITIONAL? When we speak of end time revival, we must ask the question "Is revival conditional?" Will God bring revival regardless of the actions of the church? If He has promised end time revival, will it happen if the churches are not praying and expecting to receive it? What if only some of the churches are expecting revival and believing for it? To whom does God pour out His spirit and upon what basis? God has linked Himself to mankind through the fulfillment of His prophesies. In fact, God will do nothing until He reveals His secrets to His prophets (Amos 3:7). It is God's intention to accomplish His purpose through the obedience and faithfulness of people who believe in Him. God makes His promises known and leaves it up to mankind to receive or reject them. Because the power of God waits upon those who receive it, many times the moving of the Spirit appears sporadic and of less intensity than what God planned or desired. For example, Luke 4 records that there were many lepers in Israel in the time of Elijah but only Naaman the Syrian was healed. God would have healed more but did not because of unbelief. While God's promises are to all who believe, they will not come without faith and asking. If so, what about revival? A clear reference that revival is conditional is found in II Chronicles 7 where Solomon has dedicated the temple. After prayer, the Lord speaks the often quoted words in verse 14 "If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." Note that God spoke this scripture after saying in verse 13 that even if heaven is shut up and there be no rain, which is a type of the pouring out of His spirit, that barrenness can be changed by the actions of His people. God said He will give revival to those who earnestly seek it. But on the other hand, those who do not seek God's face will not have revival. Revivalists must meet five conditions as described in verse 14. They must: 1. Be called by His name. 2. Humble themselves. 3. Pray. 4. Seek His face. 5. Turn from their wicked ways. Unless these conditions are met revival will not come. Because these are God's requirements, and because man truly has the power of choice, only time will tell what we chose. But even when people seek God's will, many times there are periods of barrenness between the promise and the fulfillment of that promise. The Bible gives numerous examples to show this. EXAMPLES OF BARRENNESS Genesis 10:30 states "But Sarai was barren; she had no child." Abraham was following God's lead. He left his homeland and traveled northward to Canaan. Abraham believed God and acted upon that belief. He was in God's will. God made a promise to him (Genesis 12:1-3). This promise to Abraham and his seed was not for their sake only. It was a promise for redemption for the whole world though Abraham probably did not know this at the time. God made a covenant with Abraham and repeated it five more times to the Patriarchs: three times to Abraham (Genesis 17:6, 18:18, 22:18), once to Isaac (Genesis 26:4), and once to Jacob (Genesis 28:14). This promise is referenced in the New Testament in Acts 3:25- 26, Romans 4:13-14, Galatians 3:8-9,29, and Ephesians 2:12-13. In each case the promise to Abraham is related to the church of the New Testament. Yet while Abraham was doing God's will there was barrenness in his life. Sarah did not have children. This brought sorrow into their lives (Genesis 15:2-3). He brought this to the attention of God. God promised a son would be born "but he that shall come forth out of thine own bowels shall be thine." Abraham held onto this promise and believed God, yet it was years before the promise was fulfilled. After Isaac was born there were other children born to Abraham. He was blessed by God and became very rich. It should be remembered that Abraham was doing what God willed. He was obedient and worshipped God. He build alters to the LORD. Yet while he was doing God's will there was barrenness in his life. Rebekah was barren (Genesis 25:21). She had Isaac entreat the Lord that she might have children. The Lord answered and two sons were born. It is not known how long Rebekah remained barren before Esau and Jacob were born. We can conclude that it was long enough to be of concern to Isaac. He was surely aware of his family history. He knew he was the child of promise. There had to be children even though his wife was barren. It was only after he entreated the Lord that the children came. Isaac was an obedient son. He was obedient to Abraham in all things. When God tested Abraham on Mount Moriah Isaac was an adult and likely over twenty years old. Yet in all Isaac's obedience there was barrenness in his life. Elkanah (God has possessed) had two wives. Peninnah "had children, but Hannah had no children." Hannah was distressed at her barren condition. Scripture implies that Elkanah loved Hannah more than Peninnah. Again we find that "the Lord had shut up her womb." She was ridiculed and belittled by Peninnah. The Bible tells us that Hannah wept. Her heart was grieved. She was "in bitterness of soul." Hannah knew where to find the solution to her condition. She went to the Tabernacle in Shiloh to entreat God. How many times she wept tears on the alter of God; how many times she cried out to the Lord is not stated. But when she made her vow to God that she would give her son to the Lord, God opened her womb and Samuel was born. In the New Testament there is an example of a barren woman. Luke 1:5-25, 1:57-66 tells the story of the birth of John the Baptist. Zacharias and Elizabeth were well advanced in years. In verse 13 the angel tells Zacharias that his prayers have been heard and that Elizah will bear a son and that he is to be called John. Zacharias did not believe that they would have a child because of their age yet the child was born according to the word of the Lord. From Scripture one can deduce that the couple were troubled by being childless. Zacharias had no heir. Elizabeth had no provider in her old age. Zacharias was in the ministry. The Bible states that "...they were both righteous before God, walking in all the commandments and ordinances of the Lord blameless." (verse 6) This Scripture tells us that the couple were operating in God's will and obedient to his commands. For all this there was still barrenness in their lives. In a few short years the world would experience the greatest revival in its history. How much prayer, sacrifice, and supplication was made to the Lord we will never know. Yet we do know that when the time was right and their hearts were right God ended their barrenness. John had a special part in the start of the ministry of Jesus. Even with the promise of children there was barrenness. The barrenness continued until the fullness of time. Also much prayer, supplication, and sacrifice along with tears was made to God to end the condition. We do not find that God ended the barrenness until much prayer went forth. A number of years was required in some cases before God moved and removed the reproach. Sarah and Elizabeth both were beyond child bearing years. Both seem to have given up hope of ever having children. It is evident from Scripture that being barren does not mean one is out of the will of God. But this barrenness was in itself a test and required continual faith and obedience in God to receive the promise. The common thread is God's glory. At a time when it appeared the promise of children was an impossibility then God moved. His glory was that much greater. Could it be that the church is in such a position? At the appointed time God will move. How great will be His glory when He does move? We can conclude that revival is not predestinated even if the promise of revival is given. It is up to mankind to seek God for His promises. However, there do come periods of barrenness between the giving of the promise and the completion of it. WHAT ARE THE FORMER AND LATTER RAINS? One of the major scriptural bases used to prove that End Time Revival is coming, is found in Joel 2:23, "...for he hath given you the former rain moderately, and he will cause to come down for you the rain, the former rain, and the latter rain in the first month." The generally accepted interpretation of this text is that the former rain began at Pentecost with the pouring out of the Holy Ghost while the latter rains of the spirit will come during the last days before the Rapture of the church. What are these former and latter rains and do they describe the moving of the Spirit of God? Literally the former and latter rains were the two periods of the year when rain fell abundantly at the beginning and the ending of the harvest. The rains were essential to produce a harvest (Deuteronomy 11:14). But what do they mean symbolically or prophetically? Peter declared in Acts 2:16 that the giving of the Holy Ghost was the completion of the prophecy given in Joel 2:28. However, the main time of completion of Joel's entire prophecy seems to be during the time "before the great and terrible day of the Lord", which Joel mentions five times (1:15; 2:1; 11,31; 3:14). Notice that the Spirit of God is poured out during the period before this day, which must be the second coming of Christ. What began at Pentecost would apparently continues until the "great day of the Lord." This implies a continual availability and pouring out of the Spirit of God during this time. The only scriptural reference to show that the former and latter rains are symbolic of the harvest of souls in revival is found in James 5:7 which states that the Lord will receive the "early and latter rain." Although Peter in Acts 2 did not make reference to the rains, he obviously felt that the events in Acts 2 were the completion of Joel's prophecy which would begin "in the last days." Possible explanations of these passages are: 1. The term "former and latter rain" was not to be takes as separate periods of revival but as a whole term descriptive of the entire span of the pouring out of God's Spirit. In comparison, for instance, there can be no morning without an evening and yet call it a day, "And the evening and the morning were the first day" (Genesis 1:5). 2. Hosea 6:3 seems to indicate that the former and latter rains have reference to the completion of God's promises to natural Israel, which has been blinded but will be restored "in the third day." 3. If one believes that the latter rain has reference to End Time Revival, then what is the fulfillment of Joel 2:30-31 which declares the prophesies similar to what is described as the tribulation period? Is the Holy Ghost available here also? It seems that the Spirit of God is available until this "great and terrible day." 4. If one assumes that the latter rain is End Time Revival, then there is a difficulty in telling when this period begins. Peter de-scribes his day as being in the "last days." Therefore, the entire church age has occurred "in the last days." The only concrete refer- ence points of the outpouring of the Holy Ghost are the beginning of Pentecost and the ending, apparently at the "great and terrible day of the Lord." The Holy Spirit is apparently available during this period to "whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord" (Joel 2:32). WRONG EXPECTATIONS OF REVIVAL Much of the difficulty in predicting whether or not there will be End Time Revival is derives from our well- developed but possibly erroneous interpretations of certain areas of Scripture. Once a Scrip-ture has been "explained" in our movement it is frequently accepted and preached without further study and research to determine whether the interpretation is correct or if another interpretation could better apply. For example, the area of eschatology is replete with ex-planations that could bear further study. God will always do what He promises-but it may not fit man's thinking. Israel is an obvious example of a people who had the most revealed truth given by God to any society. They knew the Torah, but yet missed the Messiah. How could this occur when the prophesies were available and even the "wise men of the East" were able to recognize and understand them? The Jewish expectation of the Messiah did not fit reality when He did come. However, Jesus did fulfill all the prophe-cies concerning His First Advent. Israel erred in their expectations. There are several key areas of scriptural explanations which need to be examined again to see if they are correct. Some of these are: 1. Tribulation Saints-Who They Are We believe the End Time Revival terminates with the Rapture. In our minds what happens after the Rapture is not revival. This line of reasoning is apparently based upon an acceptance of dispensationalism which defines the end of the Dispensation of Grace with the Rapture. But this line of reasoning does not explain who will be saved during the Tribulation period. The Bible clearly declares that a large number of people will be saved during the Tribulation and will live and reign with Christ (Revelation 20:4). How are they saved? Are they filled with the Holy Ghost? Is it faith in Christ, along with being beheaded and not accepting the Mark of the Beast? Regardless, they are clearly saved. Should they be counted as part of the End Time Revival? Does the End Time end with the Rapture or can it also include the Tribulation period? Based upon Joel 2:30-32, it appears that the revival could continue until the second coming of Christ. 2. Localized Versus Worldwide Revival Another interpretation or expectation that needs to be examined is how broad End Time Revival will be. Although we may feel that it will be simultaneous among all the churches, the Early Church revival did not happen that way. It began at Jerusalem and spread throughout Asia with the preaching of the Gospel. But what was happening in South America, for instance, during the Early Church revival? Was there revival there also? It appears that revival comes where the conditions are ready for it. Since revival is conditional, there may be many areas that are never touched by the End Time moving of the Spirit. 3. Wrong Interpretation of "Last Days" What does the term "Last Days" mean? What did it mean to the Early Church? What does it mean today? Peter identified in Acts 2:17 that the pouring out of the Holy Ghost at Pentecost as the fulfillment of Joel's prophecy. If we accept that all scripture is inspired of God, then we must accept Peter's statement that they (the Apostles) were already living in the last days or at least they concluded they were. If so, how much more are the times we live in the last days? Could it be that the "last days" is not a specific decade or even century but the time period after Pentecost in which God is pouring out His Spirit. Since a thousand years can be as one day to God, could it be that the entire Church Age fulfills the last days? If so, reviv-al would not be confined to events happening in the 1980's or 1990's but would include all that the centuries have wrought. 4. ISRAEL AND THE CHURCH Dispensationalists have divided Biblical time into periods called dispensations. They teach that God can or will only act in a predetermined way during any particular dispensation. Thus during the Dispensation of Grace (time from Jesus to the Rapture) God does not deal with the nation of Israel. This can cause serious problems of interpretation of Scriptures on occasion. The prophecies of the Old Testament apply to Israel. With only a few exceptions does one find direct reference to the church. The references we do have come from the interpretation given to Old Testament Scripture in the New Testament. Today it is possible to see God working with natural Israel preparing the people for the time to come. Yet salvation today as given in Acts 2:38 continues to be in effect not only for Gentiles but also for the Jews ("...there is neither Jew nor Gentile..."). Yet a dispensationalist divides Israel and the church as being separate and distinct, especially in completion of prophecy. If we accept dispensationalism, then we must remember that the prophecy of Joel 2:23 concerning the former and latter rains was given to Israel. But we know that the Acts revival fulfilled Joel's prophecy and included Jews and Gentiles. Therefore, is it possible that the "last days" revival could include far more that what we have limited it to by our dispensational thinking? Are God's promises for Israel or the Church? We know that it is God's will for revival in our day. However, can it be demonstrated or shown that the promises in the Old Testament apply to the church in whole or in part? If so then we are at liberty to claim these promises. 5. BELIEVERS ARE SONS OF GOD The Apostle John taught that the saints were sons of God. "But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on his name" (John 1:12). "Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God..." (I John 3:1). "Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is." (I John 3:2) Paul also taught that the saints were sons of God. "For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together" (Romans 14,16-17). "That is, They which are the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed" (Romans 9:8). "For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus" (Galatians 3:26). "And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father." (Galatians 4:6) "That ye may be blameless and harmless, the sons of God..." (Philippians 2:15). 6. THE PROMISE The New Testament teaches that the church saints are heirs of the promise. "For if they which are of the law [be] heirs, faith is made void, and the promise made of none effect" (Romans 4:14). "Therefore [it is] of faith, that [it might be] by grace; to the end the promise might be sure to all the seed; not to that only which is of the law, but to that also which is of the faith of Abraham; who is the father of us all" (Romans 4:16). "That is, they which are the children of the flesh, these [are] not the children of God: but the children of the promise are counted for the seed" (Romans 9:8). "That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Galatians 3:14). "And if ye [be] Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs ac-cording to the promise" (Galatians 3:29). "Now we, brethren, as Isaac was, are the children of promise" (Galatians 4:28). "That the Gentiles should be fellow heirs, and of the same body, and partakers of his promise in Christ by the gospel" (Ephesians 3:6). REVIVAL AND FALLING AWAY Paul tells us in II Thessalonians 2:3 that there will be a fall-ing away before the Antichrist is revealed. Does this mean that there will be a great revival, followed by a falling away? Has the falling away already occurred? Will there be revival and a falling away at the same time? Many who reject the idea of End Time Revival base their beliefs on the precepts of this "falling away" that Paul writes about in II Thessalonians. This idea presupposes that the definition of "falling away" would exclude any who come to God during this same period. It evident from Scripture that many will be saved "in the last days." Merely counting the tribulation saints alone would give a large multitude. But Jesus said that many will be called, but few will be chosen. It is apparent that the elect of God will be "few" as compared to the masses, especially when given on a percentage basis. Even in great revival "few" are always saved. Furthermore, almost as soon as revival comes, a simultaneous falling away or backsliding begins to occur. Jude warned in Jude 3 to earnestly contend for the faith for there certain men crept in unawares. There are several examples in the New Testament which tend to support a revival and a falling away at the same time. The first is found in the Parable of the Sower. The seed which fell on the good ground, the stony ground, and among the thorns all sprouted and came up. Yet that on the stony ground died after taking root. That which came up among the thorns did not produce fruit and even if it did it was not harvested but burned along with the thorns. In the Parable of the Ten Virgins only five of the ten entered the door. In the story of the fish those not good to eat were thrown away. When Jesus healed the ten lepers only one returned to worship Him. In our own churches we find a continual loss of those who are converted. They repent, receive the Holy Ghost and are baptized in the name of Jesus only to turn aside for the world. During periods of political trouble and economic hardship more people come into the church than at other times. Conversely, in times of fatness many fall away. They have no need of God. They believe themselves self-sufficient. Either case could fit Paul's "falling away." It is likely that as the day approaches for the man of sin to be revealed, the political scene will become very troubled. The specter of war will raise its head. People will become frightened. They will seek God and find him. Then when crises passes, many will fall away. Then comes the Rapture. Therefore, we conclude that revival and a falling away can occur simultaneously. Apostasy has always been present. But in terms of strictly numbers of those who will be saved, they will probably constitute a minority as compared to the entire population of all the human beings that have ever lived. CONCLUSIONS From these observations what conclusions can we draw about End Time Revival? The authors believe: 1. Revival is conditional. It is not predestinated. But because God has always had a witness or remnant left to Himself, there will be those who will satisfy God's conditions and see revival. 2. Revival will not necessarily be worldwide nor simultaneous. Historically and scripturally adversity and persecution have brought revival while affluence and ease have brought stagnation. We expect revival to occur in areas that are not choked by the "cares of this life." 3. The End Time Revival is probably not confined to a certain decade or period of years shortly before the Rapture, but may include the entire Church age as well as those saved during the tribulation period. 4. God will fulfill all His promises and prophecies. These fulfillments will be easily seen in hindsight. However, today our wrong expectations of revival may cause us to miss what God is doing in this age if we do not seek earnestly after His Spirit. We especially need to review our thinking concerning dispensationalism, salvation during the tribulation period, and the terms "last days." 5. Revival and a falling away can occur simultaneously. The United Pentecostal Church in this country has never seen the numbers of people filled with the Holy Ghost in one service that has been happening on the foreign field. We do not see hundreds filled during one service much less several thousand as on the day of Pentecost. The authors believe that Isaiah 54 is a promise of great revival to the Church. This promise is not, however, unconditional. It must be hungered after, sought after with prayer and fasting. It must be desired not only by the ministry but at all levels. Today we see this desire for a massive revival among the ministry. It is preached continually from the pulpit. The saints have a hunger for this revival. Those who want revival will surely have it. God wills it to be so.