“I see a generation
Rising up to take their place
With selfless faith, with selfless faith
I see a near revival
Stirring as we pray and seek
We’re on our knees, we’re on our knees”
Hosanna, Hillsong
“14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.“
2 Chronicles 7:14: NKJV
When Jesus entered Jerusalem the crowds went ahead of Him shouting: “Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!”
Hosanna is used for the first time in Matthew 21:9: and is derived from a Hebrew phrase: Hoshiya Na – which is a desperate and heartfelt cry for help – “please, save!”
In the Triumphal Entry of Jesus, coming into Jerusalem, the crowds cry out: “Hosanna, come save!”
A few days later they are condemning Him to the Cross.
In our modern Christianity we have very often forgotten the meaning and significance of not just specific phrases and passages of scripture, but even the meaning and significance of certain individual words in their original context.
Hosanna is a prayer, in the tradition of many of the Psalms, a plea for salvation.
Our modern interpretation of the word is more a shout of joy and excitement – instead of being a call for salvation it is a rejoicing in the coming of salvation. Instead of “come, salvation”, we cry “salvation has come!”
But are we perhaps losing something in the process?
In this fastfood, instant gratification culture that we live in, faced with the ills and evils of a society calling for the ‘death of God’ it seems that we can learn a thing or two from the original context.
Yes, we who have Christ have much to rejoice about – certainly it is right for us to cry out “hosanna, salvation has come’ – but I turn again to the great revivalist Jonathan Edwards and his sermon “On the Preciousness of Time”:
“Christians should not only study to improve the opportunities they enjoy, for their own advantage, as those who would make a good bargain; but also labor to reclaim others from their evil courses…”
How then shall our labour look?
In the second book of Chronicles we see a heartfelt prayer – a plea for the salvation and habitation of God – as Solomon dedicated the Temple to God.
God answers in the next chapter:
”13 “When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people, 14 if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.” (2 Chronicles 7:13-16: NIV)
We as the church find ourselves in a place of dryness. There is a very real drought.
Yes, in some pockets of the world we have seen what looks like revival, but in many of these cases it is not an outpouring of restoration, but rather a cistern of emotion breaking open and we find that it is short lived and evanescent in nature.
Real revival can only be birthed from the womb of prayer.
Our music – filled with jubilant shouts of salvation has come – will not turn the world around. We have been singing this happy hosanna for decades now and yet we see only the most shallow change.
Eloquent preaching, although moving, can only move us to a point – but what do we do when we find it is not enough? Many fall away from the faith because of pretty promises based on bad theology, or even worse, when the preacher falls the parish falls with him…
We rejoice in our salvation – but it is as Edwards implies – a little flock focused on improving the opportunities they enjoy. We sing the happy hosanna but forget the other side of the coin.
There is a dying world. And if their burden is not our burden we are doing something wrong.
It is not enough for me to seek my healing and forget the world. I need to get up and seek my Father’s Heart and Will – I need to get up and seek the restoration of His people.
And what does that look like? Big churches built with silver and gold? Seeker-friendly worship? Program upon program to attract and entertain? No!
The restoration of our communities is found on our knees. It is found in the taking up of arms – the weapons of our warfare, prayer and intercession – as we take hands and pray, giving God no rest as we take no rest in seeking Him!
As we cry, restore us oh Lord! As our heart breaks for what breaks His heart! As we cry out, Hosanna, come and save!
If we do this, if we will humble ourselves and pray, we will see God move in our midst again.
Prayer: Oh Lord, let me answer this call to arms, this call to take up the station of intercession, with a yielded and unrelenting ‘yes’. Move me Lord, through the unction of Your Spirit, to pray for revival. To pray for my community. To pray for my friends, my colleagues, my loved ones – and even those who I don’t get along with. Give me eyes to see what You see. Give me eyes to see deeper so that I might grow in my discernment and know what to pray. Lead me deeper Lord in Your Word. Teach me how to wage war like You taught David. Put Your Word in my mouth as I pray for real revival to come again. Not a flame that flickers faintly before dying out, but a raging forest fire – uncontained, unrestrained and burning up our enemies of doubt, fear and unbelief. In Jesus Name. Amen.