"In that day, a man shall look unto His Maker and his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel" - Isaiah 17:7
BY OLUROTIMI AJIBOWO
Anyone familiar with the words of prophecy concerning Nigeria for many years and is conversant with the current state of the nation today will wonder whether the utterances were in respect of another country. Nigerians as a people, have been going through terribly hard times - probably its hardest time ever - brought about by corruption, bad economic management and ineptitude in virtually all areas of governance on the one hand and a self-seeking religious agenda on the other.
Over the last decade, matters became worse with the senseless killings which began first, in the northeast states of Borno and Yobe and which later moved on to Taraba and Adamawa states. When it appeared as if the government was getting a grip on the Boko Haram crisis, the outbreak of unchecked killings by herdsmen not only resulted in a crisis of confidence in the federal government. Nigeria literally has been on fire. The number of lives still being lost every day, in a supposed time of peace, has become a national nightmare. Today, Nigeria appears to be hanging on a precipice.
One major issue that stares us in the face now is how we, as Christians, have handled our oversight responsibility concerning the nation. Once upon a time, at fellowship groups and various Christian conferences, fervent prayers went up to God on any major issue concerning Nigeria and the Church got amazing results each time. Then, many of the players ‘graduated’ to setting up individual denominational ministries, shifting attention from the larger issues and concentrating on denominational survival and size building. We abandoned witnessing, evangelisation and missions. Today, we are reaping the harvest of our omission in that the places we should have evangelised have become the troubles of our lives. Why should each one of us be concerned about how things are? If left unchecked, the perpetrators of today's madness are beyond caring and based on information making the rounds, their weapons of mass destruction have been prepared, ready to strike the entire nation.
The Lord commits every nation to her Church. Thus, following the same pattern, it can be said that Nigeria was committed to the hands of the Church. For this reason, He holds us responsible for her ills. Having come to this crossroad, what should Christians do? Where do we go from here? Most importantly, what is God saying concerning the Church, the nation and her future direction?
What has been most amazing in the present circumstance has been the near total silence of Christian leaders and their inability to speak clearly and articulately with one voice on issues but more especially on what God is saying. The effort in this article is to bring the mind of God to His people and confirmation through the Scriptures is urged. As we begin, in order to fully grasp the issues, we need to start with a background understanding of the place of Nigeria in the plan of God.
Not many people will argue with the statement that, apart from Israel, Nigeria is the most blessed nation on earth. An appreciation of this fact among Nigerians has brought about the popular saying in the country that God is a Nigerian. With the best of weather variants across the geo-political zones, abundant crops, natural and mineral deposits and most importantly, the absence of devastating natural disasters, friendly people and cultures, what more could any nation ask for? What is more? Nigeria miraculously survived every crises that has torn other nations to shreds - including a bloody civil war.
Today, pillaged, run down and carrying the emblem of the poverty capital of the world, Nigeria looks like a land hopeless and forsaken. The million dollar question then is, “Has God abandoned Nigeria?” “Has the nation, through ungodliness and unrighteousness been disqualified from the great promises of old?”
As we proceed to answer these questions, two major things bring significant hope. The first stems from the series of repentance messages God has been sending to Nigerian Christians from far and near for about a decade which became more strident in the last two or three years. The second rests in the fact that no prophecy of Scripture will go unfulfilled. Thus, if we can find any unfulfilled prophecy that speaks about Nigeria in the Scriptures, then we can rest assured that the fulfilment is inevitable. Many have interpreted the Scriptures in Isaiah 18 as speaking about Nigeria. Fortunately, we have what can be considered a more profound Scripture and about the middle of 2018, at the height of the persecutions, the Lord quickened it to this writer’s understanding. When the sum total of the intents and purposes of God are summarised after all is done, the best way to describe it would be through the words of Isaiah, the prophet: “In that day a man will look to his Maker, and his eyes will have respect for the Holy One of Israel”. Isa 17:7 NKJV
The Scripture speaks expressly about this time and we shall proceed to look at it. In the seventeenth chapter of the Book of Jeremiah, we are presented with the descriptions of two nations.
And the word of the LORD came to me, saying,"Son of man, pose a riddle, and speak a parable to the house of Israel, and say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "A great eagle with large wings and long pinions, full of feathers of various colors, came to Lebanon and took from the cedar the highest branch. He cropped off its topmost young twig and carried it to a land of trade; he set it in a city of merchants. Ezek 17:1-4 NKJV.
What nation does this point to? This vividly describes America. First, the eagle is the bird on the American Coat of Arms. It is a powerful nation of influence (large wings and long pinions (feathers). Again, it is a federation of independent states and having her citizens comprised of various independent nationalities. (Full of feathers of various colors). The prophecy declares that this nation went to Lebanon and took of the topmost of its cedars. The Bible compares righteousness to the cedars of Lebanon. This suggests that the nation took of the best hallmarks of righteousness and took it back to her homeland, a land of trade and a city of merchants - which speaks of American capitalism. Early Christian influence came to America from the Puritans.
Then he took some of the seed of the land and planted it in a fertile field; he placed it by abundant waters and set it like a willow tree. 6 And it grew and became a spreading vine of low stature; its branches turned toward him, but its roots were under it. So it became a vine, brought forth branches, and put forth shoots. Ezek. 17:5-6 NKJV.
The suggestion that “he took some of the seed of the land” indicates an infestation of the original gospel through this native seed, in this case, with capitalism and trading. It received watering but while it ought to have produced a cedar (because a cedar was what was taken), the end result was a low, spreading vine that produced branches and shoots. The major products of the American brand of Christianity include the concentration on the anointing (the vine) and personal prosperity (the branches turned towards him). The spreading vine speaks of the way this (corrupted) gospel that produced the vine instead of the cedar was exported from America into various lands and regions of the world. The Word of prophecy continues:
“But there was another great eagle with large wings and many feathers; and behold, this vine bent its roots toward him, and stretched its branches toward him, from the garden terrace where it had been planted, that he might water it. It was planted in good soil by many waters, to bring forth branches, bear fruit, and become a majestic vine.” Ezek 17:7-8 NKJV
Apart from America, the other nation that has the eagle as its insignia in her Coat of Arms is Nigeria. The "powerful wings" speak of its destiny as a powerful nation of influence The many feathers are symbolic of the several tribes within the country. As we interpret the Word, we have copious confirmation. The Scriptures say that the “vine bent its roots toward him, and stretched its branches toward him”, suggesting there was a reaching out to this second nation with the gospel produced in the first. This nation took of the vine (the gospel) it received from America and “planted it by many waters” (indicated by the Niger and Benue rivers and the network of other rivers that flow freely within the country and have given the nation a good ecosystem) and set out to be the exponent of that gospel. Is there a nation on earth that took on the American brand of the gospel and turned it into an export commodity by herself into all nations of the world as Nigeria? The Scriptures also confirm that in its own case, it started out as a vine, since that was what it began with, and it began to produce vines after its kind.
The good soil confirms the endowment of the good soil that is in Nigeria; anything grows anywhere and the multi-varied vegetation ensures that the nation has the capability to grow virtually anything that grows anywhere in the world. Spiritually speaking, the good soil also denotes the naturally good heart of the people, their receptivity which enabled the thriving of the gospel. In describing the nation Nigeria, the Scripture presents the picture of a blessed nation.
"Say, 'Thus says the Lord GOD: "Will it thrive? Will he not pull up its roots, cut off its fruit, and leave it to wither? All of its spring leaves will wither, and no great power or many people will be needed to pluck it up by its roots. Behold, it is planted, will it thrive? Will it not utterly wither when the east wind touches it? It will wither in the garden terrace where it grew."'"
The Lord then asks a question: will this contraption that has spread thrive? According to Him, seeing that the roots are weak, it wouldn’t take much for it to be uprooted.
Moreover the word of the LORD came to me, saying, "Say now to the rebellious house: 'Do you not know what these things mean?' Tell them, 'Indeed the king of Babylon went to Jerusalem and took its king and princes, and led them with him to Babylon. And he took the king's offspring, made a covenant with him, and put him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land, that the kingdom might be brought low and not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand. But he rebelled against him by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people. Will he prosper? Will he who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and still be delivered? Ezek 17:11-15 NKJV
Characteristically, God asks whether we know the meaning of these things and He goes on to fill in further details which will take us into some history of Christianity in Nigeria to provide some background and enable our understanding.
Christianity first came into Nigeria via Badagry in 1842 through Thomas Birch Freeman, a missionary with the Church Missionary Society of England. Months later, another missionary Henry Townsend, also arrived in Badagry. Seeing that evangelistic work was already on-going in Badagry and not wanting to compete, he moved on to Abeokuta.
According to accounts (see the article The Two Trees by Moses Oludele Idowu (published in the second edition of ECCLESIA magazine available in hardcopy format or online at www.ecclesiachannel.org/blog) prior to their coming, the Egbas who had been devastated before that time through inter-tribal wars and had come to settle in Abeokuta, took to divination and were informed that some white men were coming. The oracle directed them to be receptive to these people as the ensuing relationship will bring them much profit. When the missionary party arrived, they were received enthusiastically with open arms.
According to the narrative, the Egbas were really not interested in Christianity but their own survival and the profit the oracle had foretold they would derive from the relationship. They therefore considered it expedient to give every cooperation to the white missionaries. On request, they gave land and any other thing that was requested easily but not their hearts. Thus while they worshipped iin Church, they went back to their traditional practices. As the Church grew with the labour of the missionaries, the Egbas were labouring alongside to build their nation. As they consulted the oracle again, they were told to offer eight white pigeons which must be caught alive as sacrifice and upon performing certain ceremonies, be let loose again; wherever the birds perched would determine the boundaries of their empire. Combining the benefits and privileges of Christianity, this mixed religion somehow overtook the original birthed in Badagry and become the export throughout the country.
This admixture made it possible for people to be in confraternities and still be worshipping with Christians. As the Egbas prospered, it came to a time they no longer needed Christianity and it is said that a Christian also decided to join their Ogboni confraternity to persuade many of their notable sons to become Christians This religion of compromise lacking in commitment to the foundational principles of the faith, especially the shunning of idolatry, unfortunately, has become the common face of Christianity in most parts of Nigeria. At a time in Nigeria, a very good number of the people in the priesthood were in one cult or the other and this tendency is again gaining momentum in recent times.
With the priesthood already in bondage to the king of Babylon, he went on to take the mighty in the land outside the priesthood. The result was that many wealthy and influential people were captured in cults and fraternities. The intention was that it is only in keeping the Babylonian covenant that the kingdom will stand. This is why God asks: “Can he break a covenant and still be delivered?” Thus we see how the king of Babylon went to Jerusalem in Nigeria’s case, and took it’s king and princes, making a covenant and leading them to Babylon.
We must note that there was an attempt to bring the original uncompromising Christianity after the wave of the Welsh revival blew on the country throwing up people like Pastor Ayo Babalola and others. While their preaching came with apostolic miracles, signs and wonders, what has become of it today? The old foundation has subsumed the work and effort. How? The real Christians who were growing in the power and strength of the revival, bringing a new thing to Nigeria, flourishing in the power of the Word of God, suddenly got attracted to the alluring prosperity gospel that came from America. The leading lights that God was grooming who are the heads of today’s most powerful denominations, quickly rushed to Tulsa and other places to “receive anointing”. The Lord says, “And he (Babylon) took the king's offspring, made a covenant with him, and put him under oath. He also took away the mighty of the land, that the kingdom might be brought low and not lift itself up, but that by keeping his covenant it might stand.”
All of these happened before Nigerian independence. What happened at independence? The unseen hands re-enacted on the nation what was done as Christianity came to Nigeria. For details of these, the reader is urged to get a copy of the book, ‘God’s Eternal Plan for Nigeria’ by Isaac Ezeh (Messenger Publications).
Not many people know that at the inception of the nation, because it was discovered that the nation had a great destiny, it was covenanted to demonic powers by the colonialists to keep her down. The book further discloses that Nigeria was sold to the colonial masters at the price of eight hundred and sixty five thousand pounds sterling. This trading in her foundations has blossomed into major frauds for which the nation is now known.
This was not all: the "king of Babylon" (that is the devil), came again and enmeshed the leaders in demonic covenants for power. He also came into the Church and carried her "kings and nobles" (signifying the leaders of the Church), leading them into compromises, worldliness, taking the Church with them into same. Can we then understand why in spite of our natural and intellectual endowments as a nation, the nation is still groping in the dark?
What was the purpose of all of these? As God revealed, it was designed to bring the nation low and unable to rise. As concluded by these strange forces, the nation would only be able to survive by keeping the pact with the devil and the eastern invaders. As it stands, the nation has been rebelling “by sending his ambassadors to Egypt, that they might give him horses and many people”. This is the arm of flesh and is symbolic of the many treaties signed with different governments coupled with invitations to investors to come in. God then asks, Will he prosper? Will he who does such things escape? Can he break a covenant and still be delivered? How will it escape even if it were to seek the arm of the flesh?" (getting horses from Egypt)?
God's word concerning the nation goes on:
'As I live,' says the Lord GOD, 'surely in the place where the king dwells who made him king, whose oath he despised and whose covenant he broke — with him in the midst of Babylon he shall die. Nor will Pharaoh with his mighty army and great company do anything in the war, when they heap up a siege mound and build a wall to cut off many persons. Since he despised the oath by breaking the covenant, and in fact gave his hand and still did all these things, he shall not escape.'" Ezek 17:16-17 NKJV
God’s answer is that whenever anyone willingly enters a covenant and dishonours it, such a person will not escape the consequences. God says that even if the nation and the Church were to employ the arm of flesh or seek to other devices for help such as building ramps and working out a siege, it will be futile; as it is, it will take many lives across the nation. What God is saying is that the nation will be witnessing the harvest of the planting of those principalities to which the nation has been previously covenanted and any resistance to it will cause a lot of blood to flow. This is where we are. From the Word of the Lord, any attempt to fight back will be useless; it will consume every resistance.
The import of what God is saying is that unless there is another intervention, the nation will die in the hands of those to whom it has been covenanted. Happily, thereafter, God begins to announce His own judgment and intervention.
Therefore thus says the Lord GOD: "As I live, surely My oath which he despised, and My covenant which he broke, I will recompense on his own head. I will spread My net over him, and he shall be taken in My snare. I will bring him to Babylon and try him there for the treason which he committed against Me. All his fugitives* with all his troops shall fall by the sword, and those who remain shall be scattered to every wind; and you shall know that I, the LORD, have spoken." Ezek 17:19-21 NKJV
God announces that there is a coming visitation on the Church and the nation. God says He is coming in into judgment because of the oath with Him that was broken: "As I live, surely My oath which he despised, and My covenant which he broke, I will recompense on his own head. Ezek 17:22 NKJV
The Jihadist attack on the Church, though it can be said to also have an international choreography, is the signal to the Church that the chicken is coming home to roost; that is the past sins and evil covenants in the Church are being judged. (see box) However, there will be one ray of hope and that will be in the Lord. What is that ray of hope? Repentance and crying unto God. This is in tandem with the call that has been coming in the last few years.
As the Church goes to the Lord in weakness and critical repentance, doing the first works and not resorting to self-help, the Lord promises to stand up first for the Church and then Nigeria. How will He do it? After taking out the rotten branches in the Church, God will spread His net to the enemy and cause him to be caught in His snare. Thereafter, God will execute judgment upon him and at this point, a lot of people will know that God is the One Who has come to the rescue of the Church and the nation and has involved Himself in her deliverance.
When we succeed with the Lord, the prophecy of Malachi will also be fulfilled concerning the nation when the Lord comes in suddenly to complete the work:
"See, I will send my messenger, who will prepare the way before me. Then suddenly the Lord you are seeking will come to his temple; the messenger of the covenant, whom you desire, will come," says the Lord Almighty.
But who can endure the day of his coming? Who can stand when he appears? For he will be like a refiner's fire or a launderer's soap. He will sit as a refiner and purifier of silver; he will purify the Levites and refine them like gold and silver. Then the Lord will have men who will bring offerings in righteousness, and the offerings of Judah and Jerusalem will be acceptable to the Lord, as in days gone by, as in former years.
"So I will come near to you for judgment. I will be quick to testify against sorcerers, adulterers and perjurers, against those who defraud laborers of their wages, who oppress the widows and the fatherless, and deprive aliens of justice, but do not fear me," says the Lord Almighty. Mal 3:1-5 NIV
This is where we are; it is a season of repentance for us all.Why? It is impossible for God to bless the rot that the Church has become. This is why we all need to examine our ways so that the Lord will have free course to arise for us to witness the concluding part of the prophecy:
Thus says the Lord GOD: "I will take also one of the highest branches of the high cedar and set it out. I will crop off from the topmost of its young twigs a tender one, and will plant it on a high and prominent mountain. On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish; I, the LORD, have spoken and have done it." Ezek 17:22-24 NKJV
The Word of prophecy indicates that God will do a new thing. He says that instead of the vine that was planted in the beginning that traditionally does not have strong roots, He will by Himself plant a cedar (symbolizing the true gospel of the kingdom that will again usher in righteousness as it was in the early Church). Unlike the vine, a cedar is a strong tree; suggesting that no one will be able to uproot the new thing He is about to put in place. What will be the other characteristics of this new thing? The Lord says: “On the mountain height of Israel I will plant it; and it will bring forth boughs, and bear fruit, and be a majestic cedar. Under it will dwell birds of every sort; in the shadow of its branches they will dwell. And all the trees of the field shall know that I, the LORD, have brought down the high tree and exalted the low tree, dried up the green tree and made the dry tree flourish” Ezek 17:23-24 NKJV
Simply speaking, God will establish this new thing by covenant (symbolized by the mountain heights of Israel); God will also cause it to produce boughs (instead of branches), bear fruit and become a splendid cedar (not a vine). The more interesting part will be as birds of every kind nest in it and find shelter in the shade of its branches. When this happens, everyone in the world (all the trees of the field) will find pleasure in the country. What is more? Everyone in the world will know that only God could have done what is done. Bringing down the tall tree and making the low tree grow tall shows how power will change hands.
The stone without hands which Daniel saw in his vision of the end (Dan. 2:45) is the offensive that God intends to launch with the gospel of the kingdom which will bring revival across the entire world to the effect that "the earth will be covered with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea" (Heb 2:14 NKJV). The intention of God is to set this off with the nation Nigeria! And how will we know? It will be revealed when God starts to deal with the entire Islamic offensive starting from Nigeria, bringing that religion to her knees.
From the 1980s, God had been speaking through prophetic utterances confirming the strategic position and the major role that Nigeria will play in the end times. Many people who were Christians in that era will remember this and can confirm it. This position has also been confirmed, over the years, by a number of international evangelists whose ministries have had significant impact and penetration in the country. These include Reinhard Bonnke, Benny Hinn and a host of others. Some of them even went on to reveal that their coming to Nigeria was prompted by the desire to have some fruit in what God was about to do in the nation. An interesting compilation has been done by Mrs. Njideka Anyadike. of the Remnants Fellowship in her booklet titled, ‘Nigeria and Africa in Prophecy.’
This explains why, in spite of several turmoils that have been experienced in Nigeria, such as would have seen many other nations go into extinction, God has, by Himself, chosen and kept Nigeria one and intact. This, as we have said, has also informed the popular saying that God is a Nigerian.
In 1986, an apostle of God sent into Nigeria, who ministered in the country for over 50 years and is well-known to many of the leading ministers of God today, by the name of Pa S. G. Elton, prophesied: "Nigeria and Nigerians will be known for corruption worldwide but the tide will turn and Nigeria will also be known for righteousness worldwide. Many shall take hold of him that is a Nigerian saying, 'We will go with you, for we have heard that God is with you'" (- Pa S. G. Elton, 1986).
That Zenith of corruption appeared to have been reached when the British Prime Minister, David Cameron, described Nigerians to the world as "fantastically corrupt". God is set to turn this around in a magnificent way, according to the prophecy and make Nigeria the new destination for righteousness.
Anyone who has an understanding of the issues knows that within a short time, wealth will change hands by the express wisdom of God and He cannot have greedy pastors and ministers who sell the anointing, monopolise His flock and merchandise His people for money through Scriptural manipulations to have custody of the kind of wealth that is to come. Beyond this, Nigeria will become a new destination for righteousness all over the world.
Very exciting times are ahead. The Lord is counting on us to do the needful at this time: embark on wholesale personal and national repentance. The earth is the Lord's and its fullness. His counsel shall also stand and the thoughts of His heart shall abide unto all generations. (Isa 46:10-11; Ps. 33:10). Shall we therefore faithfully commit these words to action as we cause it to be broadcast on every high mountain? May the Lord bless us as we do so.
Christians also need to pay attention to the following issues:
ONE: The Church must go back to the foundational doctrines and principles. The denominational setting can no longer serve the Church. God is about to judge it and we cannot go back to it. God is set to do a new thing.
TWO: Refuse to go back to the sins we have renounced and repented of. and
THREE: We can look forward to God effecting a change in the leadership of the country who will repair the desolation of many generations.
May the goodness the Lord purposes for Nigeria by His direct intervention be our portion and those of our children till the end, in the mighty name of Jesus. Amen. To God be all the Glory, now and forevermore. Amen.
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