The Potential in the Gospel

Last night I attended a CFaN event. We were shown video of huge crowds in their African crusades. Evangelist Bonnke was heard to quote the hymn:

All hail the power of Jesus' Name
Let angels prostrate fall
Bring forth the royal diadem
And crown Him Lord of all

Good friends of mine returned from a crusade in Papua New Guinea last week, where they also witnessed large crowds.

I thought, This is what Abraham was promised!

"In thy seed shall all families of the earth be blessed".

Paul interpreted this as God preaching the Gospel ahead of time to Abraham.

Jesus also said that Abraham saw His day and was glad.

In the Law it was written that: Unto him shall the gathering of the people be.

The Gospel is what the Prophets were speaking about.

I realised last night that one reason many have come up with futuristic, Israel-based, Old-Covenant style, utopian Millennial ideas, is not because the grandiose terms of the Old Testament promises and prophets are such that they could not be fulfilled by the Gospel, but more because many have not seen or considered the extent of what is happening through the Gospel or of what can potentially happen through the Gospel.

Even in New Testament times, it says of Jerusalem, "you see how many thousands of them there are which believe". A multitude believed. And all Asia heard the Word. The apostles were described as having turned the world upside down.

Yes, Abraham's promise, and the forecasts of the Prophets, have been fulfilled by the Gospel.

So if the words of the Prophets sound more grandiose that what you are seeing achieved by the Gospel, instead of relegating their vision to some future dispensation, start to expect a realisation of the potential that exists in the Gospel as the Prophets described it.

Sure, not all have believed, and not all will believe. But even that is a scenario which the Prophets foresaw. A remnant of believers would inherit the promises. 

The Gospel fulfils the promises and the Prophets.